We've discovered the Fall of Singapore's missing soldiers in our records

4-5 minute read

By The Findmypast Team | February 7, 2020

The Fall of Singapore was one of the worst defeats in the history of the British Army.

Singapore, an island at the southern end of the Malay Peninsula, was a vital part of the British Empire. Often referred to as the "Gibraltar of the Far East", it was widely considered to be as impregnable as a fortress; an allusion that was quickly shattered when Japanese forces overran its ill-equipped defenders in little more than a week.

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After the squadron of warships defending the peninsular were destroyed by Torpedo-bombers, it was down to the army to stop the Japanese onslaught. Although the regional commander, Lieutenant General Arthur Percival, had 90,000 British, Indian and Australian troops against General Tomoyuki Yamashita's 65,000, many of Percival's men had never seen combat while the invading Japanese were battle-hardened veterans of the Manchurian/Chinese campaign.

The Japanese attack was based on speed, ferocity and surprise, a combination that proved to be highly effective. By 11 January, they had seized the Malayan capital, Kuala Lumpur, and by 8 February, had reached Singapore. By the morning of 15 February they had broken through the last line of defence and the Allies were running out of food and ammunition. General Percival was left with no choice but to formally surrender and he did so shortly after 17:15 in a nearby Ford motor car factory.

After the battle, Britain's newspapers were filled with appeals from family members asking for information on their missing sons and husbands.

Unbeknown to them, between the 8 and 15 February 1942, approximately 85,000 British-led men from Britain, Australia and India had been taken prisoners of war, while a further 5,000 had been killed or wounded in the conflict.

Fall of Singapore Prisoners of War records

Notes from our Prisoners of War 1715-1945 records.

After the largest surrender of British-led armed forces in history, the Japanese captured Singapore. Winston Churchill called it the "worst disaster" in British military history.

Battle of Singapore soldiers

Below, we remember some of the men captured during the battle, many of whom were sent into forced labour, such as building the Siam-Burma railway. Many others died in captivity.

Norman Bey

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Harry and George Anderson

Brothers Harry and George appear to have been held prisoner at the same camp.

Harry died on 13 June 1943, most likely while in captivity.

Hugh Petrie

Hugh was taken prisoner on the last day of the battle. He died in captivity just over 18 months later.

You'll find this record in Army Roll Of Honour 1939-1945.

Peter Bruce McClean

David Fyfe

Charles and John Bruce

According to the Prisoner of War 1715-1945 records, Charles was taken prisoner a few days after the initial conflict.

His brother, John, was never found.

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