Events of the
14th Feb. 1942
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Malaya Command

The Battle for Singapore

           

Part 3

Section LV: - Events of the 14th February, 1942.

561.  During the day the Japanese renewed their attacks. Their main thrust was again made against the western front of the Southern Area.  Here very heavy fighting at close quarters went on throughout the day in which the Loyal Regt. and the Malay Regt. especially distinguished themselves. By the end of the day our troops had been driven back by the weight of the attack to the line Alexandra—Gillman Barracks—Keppel Golf Course.  Further north the enemy reached the Alexandra Hospital area  but  were prevented from  making further  progress  by  the  5  Bedfordshire  and Hertfordshire  Regt.   and a composite  Royal Engineer Unit. The 44 Brigade took up a position on the line of the Tanglin road in the Mount Echo area.

Japanese troops entered the Alexandra Military Hospital and attacked some of the staff and patients. Later many of the staff and patients were removed from the hospital by the Japanese and were massacred in cold blood.

562.  On the A.I.F. front there was little activity, though some bodies of the enemy moving down the railway were engaged by artillery and small arms fire and dispersed.

563.  On the front of the 18 British Division the 1 Cambridgeshire Regt. continued to hold its position west of Adam road where it had shown great determination in resisting enemy attacks during the last two days. To the right of this battalion the enemy developed a strong attack,  supported  by artillery and  tanks,  at about 1800 hrs. and succeeded in advancing nearly  a mile until  they  were  held  up  by defences on  the  line of  the  Mount  Pleasant road.  A deep dent in our line was thus created.

At the junction of Braddell and Thomson roads east of the MacRitchie Reservoir the enemy gained some ground but was driven back again by counter-attack. Further to the right, the left flank of the 53 Brigade was driven back south of Braddell road, but the right flank succeeded in maintaining its positions north of the road.

On the Serangoon road front the enemy attacked strongly from the direction of Paya Lebar Village but was stopped by units of the 11 Indian Division after advancing to within a few hundred yards of the vital Woodleigh Pumping Station.

564. On the eastern front of the Southern Area there were some local engagements between troops of the 1 Manchester Regt. and enemy detachments.

505. During the day there was fairly heavy shelling of selected areas by the enemy artillery which now had the advantage of observation from the Bukit Timah hills. Our own field artillery with due regard for ammunition economy, replied whenever suitable targets presented themselves.

566. Several enemy aircraft were again bronght down by our anti-aircraft guns but casualties in the Town area were heavy.

567.  Early in the morning of the 14th February a new and serious situation developed when the Municipal Water Engineer   (Mr. Murnane) reported to the Director General of Civil Defence that he considered a complete failure of the water supply was imminent. In consequence of this report I held a conference at the Municipal Offices at about 1000 hrs., at which the following were present: —

The Director General of Civil Defence The  Chairman  of the Municipality  (Mr. Ray man) The Municipal Water Engineer.

The Municipal Water Engineer reported that, owing to breaks in the water mains and pipes as a result of bombing and shelling, a heavy loss of water was going on: that, though both pumping stations were still working, well over half the water was being lost; that all civil labour had disappeared and that it was difficult to get repairs done. He estimated that the water supply would last for 48 hours at the outside and that it might only last for 24 hours. Various methods of dealing with the situation were considered, but the only practical one seemed to be to effect repairs quicker than the mains and pipes could be broken. I therefore ordered additional Royal Engineer assistance, hot this could not be provided till the afternoon owing to the fact that all available Royal Engineer personnel were at that time fighting as combatant troops. I arranged another meeting for the evening.

568.  At about 1030 hours I met the Governor at the Singapore Club. The Colonial Secretary (Mr. Fraser) wag also present. The Governor stressed the dangers which would result if Singapore with its large population was suddenly deprived of its water supply.   I informed the Governor that I intended to go on fighting as long  as  we could,  as  I  did  not consider   that   the   water   situation, though undoubtedly serious, had  yet   rendered   the further   defence  of Singapore impossible. I arranged  to visit the Governor again in the evening after a further review of the situation. It was agreed that the Governor would report the situation fully to the Colonial Office and that I would report it to the Supreme Commander South-West Pacific.  This I did adding that I was watching the situation and fighting on but that I might find it necessary to take an immediate decision.

569.  The Supreme Commander South-West Pacific in his reply said:—

    "In all places where sufficiency of water exists for troops they must go on fighting."

and in a later telegram he said:—

    "Your gallant stand is serving purpose and must be continued to limit of endurance."

570.  At about 1700 hours, after visiting formation headquarters of the 18 British and 11 Indian Divisions, I held another conference at  the  Municipal  Offices. The same officials were present as at the morning conference. The Municipal  Water  Engineer reported that the position was very slightly better. I instructed the Director-General of Civil Defence to forward to my Headquarters by 0700 hours the following morning an accurate forecast of the water situation as it appeared at that time.

I subsequently reported the situation to the Governor at the Singapore Club.

571.  It may not be out of place here to give some  description  of  the conditions    which existed  in Singapore Town on the I4th February.

The Secretariat and other Government offices were operating on a skeleton basis only. The only newspaper being published was a Government controlled single sheet newspaper of which free issues were made. Practically all offices, business houses and shops were closed. The lower floor of many of the large buildings, including the Secretariat, the Municipal Offices, the Singapore Club and the Cathay building had been taken over as temporary military hospitals and were already full. The Asiatic population with few exceptions was apathetic. There were few people on the streets and public services were practically at a standstill. The Civil Hospitals were working to capacity. Those on the higher levels, including the General Hospital, were without water on the 14th February and special water-carrying parties had to be organized. This applied also to some of the military hospitals. The St. James Electric Power Plant, situated in the Keppel Harbour area, was still working but it was now directly threatened as the enemy were within one mile of it. The Peirce and MacRitchie water reservoirs were in enemy hands although water, whether by design or oversight, continued to flow to the pumping stations. The enemy were within a few hundred yards of the Woodleigh Pumping Station.

 

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