singapore world war 2 tours

WWII: 75th Anniversary Japanese Surrender Tours

There are 2 WWII Japanese Surrender tours to choose from:

830am — 4 hour Half Day Tour, including some transport 9am — 2 hour Morning Walk

We will run these tours for up to 10 people in two sub-groups of up to five each. So do gather a group of up to 5 (or 10) people together and join us for one of these two fascinating tours.

The Japanese Surrender of Singapore – September 1945

So often we associate these words with the ignominious surrender to the Japanese on 15 February 1942, but the surrender by the Japanese on 12 September 1945 is an equally important date in the story of WWII in Singapore.

This year we commemorate the 75th anniversary of the end of WWII so it is a good time to learn how it all came about and reflect on the many ways it impacted Singapore.

We are running both shorter (2-hour) walking tours and longer (4-hour) walking tours combined with transport. The first will focus on the area around Beach Road and the Civic District, especially the Padang, which was also very central to the pre-invasion war effort and the early days of the Occupation.

The longer tours will first go further afield to places such as Bukit Batok, the Old Ford Factory, Turf City and the sites of the Sime Road and Adam Park POW camps, before ending with Beach Rd, the Padang and Fort Canning as per the shorter tour.

830am — Longer 4 hour tour Half Day Tour (part transported, part walking)

We will meet at Bukit Batok to see the site of the Syonan Chureito, a monument to Japanese fallen soldiers before walking a short distance to the former Ford Factory, where the February 1942 surrender to the Japanese took place and which is now a WWII museum. From there we will be transported to Turf City —the old Turf Club—where the first encounter took place between the Japanese and a British soldier (who literally parachuted in) during the “stand off” period between August 15, when the Emperor of Japan announced their country’s surrender, during the Sept 12 formal ceremony.

We will then drive to the Adam Road area to talk about the POW experiences and the last camp to be “liberated”. Next we will drive to Beach Road and the Padang (via the old Raffles College site) to follow the shorter tour itinerary on foot, ending in Fort Canning.

• 8:30 Meet at Bukit Batok Park
• Japanese memorial
• Ford Factory
• via Evans Road to see old Raffles College
• Padang & City Hall
• Fort Canning
• 12:30 – 1pm: End of tour at Fort Canning

9am — 2 hour Morning Walking Tour

Starting in Beach Road we will briefly explore the old 1930s Army buildings there (now part of the South Beach development) and then cross to Raffles Hotel. It was often used by the Japanese during the Occupation—when it was known as Syonan Ryokan, incorporating ‘syonan’ (“Light of the South”), the Japanese name for occupied Singapore, and ‘ryokan,’ the name for a traditional Japanese inn and was the site of an infamous incident in August 1945.

We will then walk to the far side of the Padang to see various war related memorials and look back to the old City Hall, now part of the National Gallery, where the actual surrender by the Japanese Lord Mountbatten and the other Allies took place on 12 September 1945. We will visit to actual “surrender room,” ie the City Chamber and the steps on which Mountbatten made his speech.

The tour will end at Fort Canning, with its many layered military history, where those who wish to then take a tour of the Battle Box may do so (open Saturdays, not midweek)

• 9am meet at Marriott hotel South Beach (nearest MRT : Esplanade)
• Beach Rd army buildings
• Raffles Hotel
• 11am End at Fort Canning Hotel (nearest MRT Fort Canning)

Our customers say...

Superb “WWII: 75th Anniversary Japanese Surrender Tour” with Jane’s Tours guide Bibi. Bibi provided us with a detailed & informative history, compellingly told. Combination of walking and driving the tour flowed smoothly and really captured the history of Singapore during WWII – quite amazing how much ground we covered and saw in the 4hrs….. fantastic way to spend a morning out and about, enjoying Singapore’s history & Bibi’s company. Highly recommend Jane’s Tours and this tour. Already signed up for another tour and will be doing many more for sure.

On this half-day tour, Bruce took us to many sites of the 1942 Japanese invasion of Singapore. It was an interesting and detailed account of an aspect of the war that I was unfamiliar with, and Bruce answered everyone’s questions thoroughly. Based on this tour, I would highly recommend using Jane’s, as I plan to on future visits.

My husband and I went on the World War II tour last Saturday conducted by guide Jimmy Sim. Very informative with stops at historic sites and also an opportunity to see some of the surprisingly rural parts of Singapore that few tourists — or locals — know about. Jimmy was very knowledgeable, made the details of the war come alive.

Similar Tours

A Deep Dive into Singapore’s World War 2 History

Join one of our expert military guides to learn about the invasion and occupation of Singapore by the Japanese during WWII. Hear personal recollections of the impact of the war years on families, the various communities and the country as a whole.

Photo Credit:

POW Map by Murray Ewen, author of Colour Patch The Men of the 2/4th Australian Machine Gun Battalion, 1940-1945 (Victoria Park, W.A. Hesperian Press, 2003)

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Changi Chapel and Museum

Learn more about the tenacity of the prisoners of war and civilians interned in Changi prison camp during World War II, with a trip to the Changi Chapel and Museum.

Explore our wartime past by learning about the Fall of Singapore and the infamous Changi Prison.

It is hoped that the POWs, civilian prisoners and their families can find closure from the war here and the Changi Museum.

Take the time to visit the other historical sites and attractions that surround the area such as the Changi Chapel, Changi Village and Changi Beach.

News Brooklyn Navy Yard / World War II

The Fall of Singapore, 1942

By Andrew Gustafson

February 15 marks the anniversary of one of the most dramatic and shocking moments in the Second World War, the fall of the “Gibraltar of the East,” Singapore, in 1942. While Singapore is very, very far away from the places that we give tours, we have a special connection to that country, and to the people there conducting scholarship on World War II history , an area of particular interest to us.

Turnstile Tours had the opportunity to travel to Singapore in October 2013, at the invitation of the Singapore Tourism Board and the National Heritage Board , where we led trainings for many of the country’s museums and attractions on how to make guided tours more engaging and interactive. One of the highlights of our trip was visiting the Changi Museum and meeting the team at Singapore History Consultants , Singapore Walks , and Journeys . This family of companies is in many ways a kindred spirit to Turnstile, for-profit businesses with a strong focus on research, education, and preservation. They operate many of the country’s World War II-related historic sites, but they also conduct an enormous amount of archival and archeological research to document and interpret this important history.

In a country as young (founded in 1959) and fast-changing as Singapore, the past is often paved over and lost in the scramble to build newer and higher. Through its museums, tours, research and restoration, this organization is doing tremendous work to educate Singapore’s residents and visitors about this painful and transformative period in the country’s history. Visiting the Changi Chapel, a re-creation of one of the makeshift chapels built by Allied POWs in the notorious Changi prison camp, was a powerful experience, and it is still a popular destination for veterans and their families. I also had the chance to tour the island on the Changi World War II Trail , visiting sites like the Kranji War Cemetery and Alexandra Hospital, site of one of the worst massacres during the Battle of Singapore.

Last fall, we were joined at the Brooklyn Navy Yard Center at BLDG 92 by Jeyathurai Ayadurai , director of Singapore History Consultants and the Changi Museum, for a lecture on the fall of Singapore . His talk greatly expanded our understanding of the war beyond the American experience, and we would like to share what we learned from his expert and engaging lecture.

As we’ve pointed out before, the events at Pearl Harbor were just one component of a multi-pronged attack by the Japanese to destroy British and American forces and capture their possessions across the Pacific region. In the span of just 12 hours, Japanese forces attacked American bases on Hawaii, Wake Island, Guam, and the Philippines, and the British came under attack at Hong Kong and Malaya.

Just as the US anticipated a war with Japan, the British had also made preparations for an attack on Singapore – in fact, they had been fortifying the island off and on for more than 20 years – but the strain of having already fought for more than two years in Europe left these preparations in tatters by 1941. World War I had greatly depleted the resources of the British empire and its formidable navy and allowed challengers to emerge, namely the United States and Japan. Unable to afford a three-ocean navy, Britain instead chose to develop the Singapore, or Swing Strategy . Should war erupt in the Pacific, a heavily-fortified Singapore would be able to hold out long enough – up to five months – for the main fleet to arrive from the Atlantic, which would then use the island as a base to recapture British territories and counter-attack (the strategy called primarily for a blockade of Japan to force a surrender).

Singapore was in many ways a perfect location. Situated between the Pacific and Indian Oceans, and right on the Straits of Malacca, one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes, naval forces could easily reach Hong Kong, India, and Australia from there. But this strategy relied on building both a base that could accommodate a large naval fleet and fortifications and resources that would allow the city to withstand a protracted siege, as initial plans estimated it would take 42 days for the fleet to reach Singapore. So Britain began constructing the Sembawang naval base and the King George VI graving dock, on the north side of the island. To protect the city and the naval base, they relied on large fixed guns, concentrated on the eastern and southern shores, that could fend off any invasion force.

All of this planning relied on two critical assumptions: first, that Britain would not be engaged a simultaneous war elsewhere in the world, and second, that the enemy would attack Singapore from the sea, from the south end east. Both of these assumptions would prove incorrect, and lead to Singapore’s fall.

The first assumption unraveled in September 1939, when war erupted with Germany. Over the previous year, military planners had been increasing the relief time for Singapore from the initial 42 days to 180 days. By June 1940 and the fall of France, it would be changed again, to “indefinite.”

In 1920, when the Singapore Strategy was devised, protecting the island on the south and east made sense. The Malay Peninsula to the north was sparsely populated with few roads crossing the mountainous jungle terrain. No army could cross it and then mount a siege of the heavily-defended city. Instead, artillery would prevent any naval force from entering the Johore Strait separating Singapore from the mainland to capture Sembawang, the main prize. However, by the late 1930’s, many more roads had been built on Malaya, including along the remote east coast, providing an opportunity for an invader to reach Singapore from the north.

It would take more than just a few new roads to reach Singapore, however; it took also took a well-crafted plan and an audacious commander to carry it out. Gen. Tomoyuki Yamashita set an ambitious goal of reaching Singapore in just 100 days. Landing on the northern edge of the peninsula on December 8, 1941, lightly-armed, fast-moving troops, supported by almost complete air and naval superiority, routed British forces as they sliced through Malaya. Within 55 days, they stood across the Johore Strait from Singapore.

Britain had attempted a partial naval relief, sending a task force called Force Z . The battleship HMS  Prince of Wales departed Britain on October 25 and arrived at Singapore on December 2 (a sailing time of only 38 days), after rendezvousing with the battlecruiser HMS Repulse in the Indian Ocean. The force was meant to be joined by the carrier Indomitable , but she ran aground in the Caribbean en route. Force Z was dispatched to the east coast of Malaya to intercept the invasion force. With no air support, either from the missing carrier or from the small and outdated RAF squadrons on Malaya, Force Z was quickly swarmed by Japanese aircraft. On December 10, 88 planes attacked the Prince of Wales and Repulse , sinking both and killing 840 sailors.

Without any naval or air support, Singapore sat alone, protected by 85,000 troops, composed of British, Australian, New Zealander, Indian, and Malaysian soldiers. Yamashita had only 36,000 troops, yet the Allied defenders and their commanders were overmatched. They possessed no tanks and few anti-tank weapons, as no one believed that an invader could get tanks through the jungles. Despite the lightning progress of the Japanese across Malaya, Singapore’s commanders refused to build fortifications in the north, believing it would undermine morale and spread panic. Singapore had also endured a constantly changing cast of squabbling, disorganized commanders; the last man holding the bag at the end, Lt. Gen. Arthur Percival, only took command in April 1941. He had rightly guesses as early as 1936 that an attack would come from the north, but he felt it would be the northeast, directly at the naval base and within range of the fixed guns.

On February 8, 1942, Yamashita commenced his attack, on the lightly-defended northwest of the island. Poor communication, and a misguided belief that the main attack would still come from the northeast (Yamashita’s diversionary buildups and feints in that area contributed to this illusion), led to the unraveling of the defenses. No reinforcements were sent to the northeast, and troops were withdrawn prematurely despite early successes repulsing the Japanese. With his troops on the run towards the central city in the south, and his main food, water, and ammunition supplies captured, Percival had no choice but to surrender or risk the destruction of the city and countless civilian deaths. After holding out for just one week, Singapore and its 80,000 defenders surrendered unconditionally, the largest surrender in the history of the British military.

Following the surrender, Singapore would endure more than three and a half years of Japanese occupation, and the POWs and their families would be subjected to horrible depravations, both at Changi and labor camps across Asia. Percival himself became a prisoner of war, freed only in August 1945. He, along with American Gen. Jonathan Wainwright, commander of forces that surrendered on the Philippines in May 1942, was invited by Gen. Douglas MacArthur to attended the official surrender ceremony aboard the USS Missouri on September 2. Percival and Wainwright flew to the Philippines the following day to attend the surrender ceremony there, where they faced the Japanese commander – Tomoyuki Yamashita. Percival refused to shake his hand.

We want to thank our friends at Changi for sharing their knowledge with us and helping to preserve this history.

World War II History Tours

Turnstile Tours offers several tours and programs about the history of the Second World War in New York City, including tours of the Brooklyn Navy Yard and the Brooklyn Army Terminal, guided boat tours of New York Harbor‘s military history, and a virtual program series commemorating the 75th anniversary of the war’s end. We also offer other theme-based tours about history, architecture, manufacturing, and food.

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World War II Tour

Go back to the past when Singapore went through its darkest days of her 199-year history. Our World War II experts will bring you on a journey to places which serve as a reminder of the war and the heroes amongst us. A must for World War II history buffs!

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Battle of Singapore in World War II Full-Day Shared Tour

• All taxes, fees and handling charges
• Hotel pickup and drop-off
• Professional guide
• Transport by air-conditioned minivan
• Bottled water
• Gratuities (suggested at SGD 10/person)
• Singapore, Singapore
• Location Name: Your Singapore address Return Location: Returns to original departure point
• Not wheelchair accessible
• Confirmation will be received at time of booking
• A minimum of 2 people per booking is required
• Dress code is smart casual
• All sales are final and incur 100% cancellation penalties.

• Sunshine407436 0 contributions 4.0 of 5 bubbles Overpriced ! Our guide (through Monster Tours) was very knowledgable , engaging and took us to unique interesting places and selected great hawker food. She was excellent. Unfortunately the very steep cost did not reflect the cost of the food or the overall tour offering. There seemed to be too many "middle men" getting paid instead of the hard working tour guide! Read more Written February 13, 2024
• garkim 0 contributions 1.0 of 5 bubbles Travel delighttfully and Viator both are at fault. My Wife and I recently visited Singapore and were expecting to visit Malaysia, albeit briefly. The first tour we looked at was rejected after some time. The second tour was accepted less than one week from our tour. Travel delightfully accepted our original request and we happily travelled expecting to do this tour. We waited at out hotel for a few hours and then spent money travelling by Taxi to the address listed in the website to try and access the tour as advised to do so by our hotel. Travel Delightfully did not respond to many many telephone calls by me, my wife, the hotel and the security guard at the address listed on their website over a span of many hours. Read more Written May 12, 2018
• shirley c 0 contributions 1.0 of 5 bubbles Travel delightfully please respond We booked the Malacca tour from Singapore Feb 14. 1. We were looking forward to this tour and subsequently allotted a full day (out of our three here). 2. We tried several times to contact tour, viator, guide, with no response. They did not pick up any phone calls and it just rang, so no message liabilities. 3. This morning we waited in the lobby of our hotel from 0645-0730 (our pick up time was to be 0700). No calls, guide, car arrived. 4. We were quite disappointed as it appeared we were wasting our last day here . 5. We were happy to see some tours were still open, and booked one quickly as it is Saturday. 6. We then received a call from lobby at 0815 that our tour was here. In the lobby we were met by a late, non English speaking driver and no guide. On our many previous viator tours, the guide and driver had always arrived together. 7. We agreed to a full day, 10 hour tour and had even upgraded to a private tour for the 2 of us. No where did it say that we would spend 6 of those hours alone in a car with a driver who spoke no English. 8. We are requesting through Viator and of course to our credit card company for a refund. I see we aren't the first this has happened to. Read more Written March 9, 2018
• JonesT2005 0 contributions 1.0 of 5 bubbles CROOKS NEVER responded to our calls - TOOK OUR $280.76 We tried and "locals" also called in order to arrange meeting point for us, however NOBODY EVER RESPONDED TO OUR CALLS. We stood at the Harbourfront and looked for someone who would take us on the boat. We spoke to Horizon Ferry staff and they have told us that they have "NEVER HEARD OF THAT COMPANY!" We stood and waited and waited and then the boat that we supposed to be on left and just watched it go. We didn't have any tickets just our vouchers that staff did not accept/recognize. Read more Written February 25, 2018
• Rakesh S 0 contributions 3.0 of 5 bubbles Nothing special about it Very much hype of universal studio is a just a marketing strategy Long que of people make u feel fool at end when 150 minutes wait u get ride or view of 40 to 60 sec only Some ride in Egypt section is totally wastage of time and money Express ticket is 2 time about sg145 more then normal ticket of sg68 and it is addition to normal ticket only No thrill at end No information desk to help you Just walk find and continue Nothing I found special about it Read more Written January 5, 2018
• CarolPei26 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Cable Car Sky Dining The food and ambience is perfect. Totally love every moment of it. Creating wonderful memories. A must try for those that’s not afraid of heights. Read more Written December 7, 2017
• Leela N 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Batam trip from singapore Very well organized trip. Me and my boyfriend were planning for 1 day ferry from singapore to nearby batam island. We want balance the cost vs sight seeing covered. This is good deal for that. This team were always available over whatsapp and answered all my queries, there was an person at batam to receive us and tour us entire day. The objective is met and I am happy. Read more Written October 9, 2017
• isabellsh 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Full day guided tour to Malacca from Singapore The tour was a great experience. We did a private tour with lunch included. The driver picked us up in the morning, in a comfortable car. He drove us to Malacca were we had a guide who had great knowledge about Malacca and the history. The highlight of the tour was river cruise at Malacca river. I recommened this tour to everyone who wants an effective day tour t Malacca. Read more Written July 10, 2017
• Tony K 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Singapore Zoo Thanks for the arrangement for our trip to Singapore Zoo. Good follow up and smooth transaction. No issues Read more Written June 26, 2017
• Mavi S 0 contributions 4.0 of 5 bubbles 3D2N Hotel Jen- Harbour Puteri Overall great experience with them. Booked the hotel at competitive price. Got free additional rollaway beds for 2 nights. Travel agent is genuine and approachable with fast replies. Trustworthy travel agency. Read more Written June 20, 2017
• JoanneWongCC 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Bird Park Attraction Tickets Wonderful support and customer service received from this agent. We made an impromptu decision to visit Jurong Bird Park 1 day before. Travel Delightfully offered discounted ticket rates to the attraction. The friendly agent was so fast in responding to my inquiry as well as processing the etickets which were sent to my email in less than 24 hours. Thank you for your good service! Read more Written June 9, 2017
• Putritari81 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Full Day Tour Malacca from Singapore Was great experience, good guide and driver, nice tour, comfortable car. Fast response from the travel agent officer.Highly recomended. Read more Written May 23, 2017
• Evelina S 0 contributions 4.0 of 5 bubbles Day trip to Batam from Singapore Very well organised trip, really enjoyed it. The only recommendation is to ask the tour guide to explain more about the places we visited. Read more Written May 21, 2017
• Sunil S 0 contributions 4.0 of 5 bubbles Singapore Tour Good and very professionally managed tours from travel delightfully. They are also flexible for change in timings provided you inform them in advance. 4.5 Stars from me and my family !!! Read more Written May 21, 2017
• Rooly1963 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Day trip to Malacca from Singapore Would highly recommend this trip. We (four of us) had a private tour and were picked up from our hotel by Christopher our driver at 7am. He looked after us so well on our trip up and back and nothing was a problem for him. He got us tea on the way up and left Malacca as late as he could to maximise our time there. We picked up our guide Jimmy in Malacca and his knowledge of the local area and history were incredible and highly educational. The Peranakan museum was great and really explained how the culture worked and the sites and streets of the old city were all worth seeing. Overall a long (got back to hotel at about 7:30pm) day but well worth the long drive and a must for any history/ cultural buff. Highly Recommend this tour and this company. Read more Written May 17, 2017

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Battle For Singapore

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Time Out says

81 years on from the fall of Singapore to the Japanese during World War II, the annual  Battle for Singapore  event by National Heritage Board is back to uncover lesser-known stories and lessons learnt from that tumultuous time in history. Running from February 10 to March 5, this year's event sees 30 unique programmes, of which 19 are brand new, ranging from special guided tours, talks, exhibitions and film screenings. 

If you're up for an educational tramp in the jungle, don't miss out on the  Fort Connaught Rediscovery Tour . This new guided tour brings the public – for the first time ever – onto the grounds of this historical fort. Built in 1878, Fort Connaught was constructed for the defence of Keppel Harbour and played a significant role in the Battle for Singapore. On this special access guided tour, you'll get to explore the remains of military bunkers and gun emplacements and hear stories about gunners in action, racing to engage the invading Japanese troops. 

There are more gems in the  Battle for Singapore  programming, each led by Museum Roundtable members, academics, heritage buffs, and interest groups. Get an exclusive sneak peek into the revamped Navy Museum, which is officially reopening only later this year. This tour traces the beginnings of the Republic of Singapore Navy and their role in WWII. From Changi Chapel and Museum and Eurasian Heritage Gallery, to Kent Ridge Nature Walk and Reflections at Bukit Chandu, more special tours weave together a tapestry of personal wartime stories and experiences of the various communities in Singapore.  

More information about Battle for Singapore 2023 and tickets are available at go.gov.sg/bsg2023 . Registration for tours and programmes begin on February 8, 10am on a first-come-first-served basis – tickets typically sell out within the day, so don't sleep on it. 

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Singapore Private Tour

Private tour.

• PRICE: per person, twin share
• SINGLE SUPPLEMENT: $Please enquire
• DEPOSIT: 30%

Retrace Singapore’s World War II history with four days touring several museums and sites showcasing the remnants of the terrible war. Now a world-class city and economic powerhouse, during the war it was a scene of horror following the Japanese occupation. It is estimated that more Australian prisoners of war perished during incarceration in the labour camps than died in battle itself. Walk in the footsteps of these brave men and women during battle and their imprisonment, bringing this fascinating chapter of history to life.

Day 1 > Arrive Singapore

On arrival into Singapore Airport, we will be met by a representative of Mat McLachlan Battlefield Tours and transferred to our hotel. The rest of the day is at our leisure.

STAR INCLUSIONS   ★   Arrival transfer

Day 2 > Full Day Battlefield Tour

Today we will explore sites associated with the bitter  fighting in Singapore in 1942, and the horrendous ordeal of prisoners of war who were captured here. The first stop today is Changi Village, once the site of many prisoner-of-war camps during the Japanese Occupation, Changi has since gone down in history as a place of much pain, torture and human suffering. It is said that more Australian POWs perished under incarceration than in the battle itself. You will then take a leisurely 15-minute walk to Changi Beach to visit the memorial plaque at one of the sites where the Sook Ching Massacre took place. This massacre lasted from 18 February to 04 March 1942 and was a means of “cleansing” the Chinese who were seen as hostile, anti-Japanese elements. Afterwards you will visit Johore Battery, built by the British in 1939, it is a gun emplacement site consisting of a labyrinth of tunnels. The tunnels were used to store ammunition to support three large guns that could fire 15-inch shells. The guns were the largest installed outside Britain during World War II. They were destroyed before the surrender of the British army and the tunnels were sealed up after the war. The location remained a secret until the Singapore Prisons Department rediscovered them in April 1991. Today, replicas of the large gun and a 15-inch shell are located at the Johore Battery. You will see Selarang Camp en route to Sembawang, where over 15,000 prisoners of war were held in a space designed to hold 1,200. Next you will pass the Sembawang Park and Sembawang Shipyard, used as a British Naval base complex from the 1920s until Singapore’s independence. You will enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before visiting the Kranji War Memorial, to pay respects to more than 1100 Australian soldiers who are remembered in the British Commonwealth Memorial. You will also visit the Kranji War Cemetery, the final resting place for 4,458 allied servicemen in marked graves laid out in rows on maintained and manicured lawns. After you will take a scenic drive towards the Civic Centre to visit the City Hall. The significance of the City Hall lies in the involvement during the World War II. British prisoners-of-war were rounded up in front of the building for a march to POW camps at Changi Prison and Selarang. On 12 September 1945, the Japanese General Itagaki surrendered to Lord Mountbatten to end World War II in Singapore. While in the city, you will visit 2 memorials: Lim Bo Seng Memorial, a tribute to a local hero with his involvement in anti-Japanese activities and the Cenotaph Memorial, built in memory of the 124 British soldiers born or resident in Singapore who gave their lives in World War I (1914–1918), with a second dedication (but no names) added in remembrance of those who died in World War II (1941–1945). The last stop of the day is the Battlebox, built in 1936  and a former WWII British underground command centre inside Fort Canning Hill in the heart of Singapore City. It was part of the headquarters of Malaya Command, the army which defended Malaya and Singapore in WWII. It was inside the Battlebox that the British made the decision to surrender Singapore to the invading Japanese on 15 February 1942. At the end of today’s touring, you will be dropped back to your hotel where the evening is at your leisure. (B, L)

STAR INCLUSIONS   ★  Changi Village and Beach Memorial ★  Johore Battery   ★  Selarang Camp   ★ Sembawang POW camp

★  Kranji War Memorial   ★ Cenotaph Memorial  ★  Lim Bo Seng Memorial   ★ Battlebox  ★ Fort Canning

Day 3 > The Old Ford Factory and Old Forts

Your first stop for the day is The Old Ford Motor Factory which is a historic building in Bukit Batok, Singapore, located along Upper Bukit Timah Road. It is the place where British forces under Lieutenant-General Arthur Percival surrendered to Japanese forces under Lieutenant-General Yamashita Tomoyuki on 15 February 1942 after the Battle of Singapore. The Former Ford Factory was restored by the National Archives of Singapore and currently houses a permanent World War II exhibition on the war and its legacies. You will continue your journey to Labrador Park which besides its rich biodiversity, this headland played a significant role in the history of Singapore during World War II. Remnants of the past like the tunnels and a fort enable visitors to have an interactive learning experience of the military history of the British rule during that era. Proceed thereafter to Fort Siloso, one of twelve coast artillery batteries which made up “Fortress Singapore” at the start of World War II. Although there are visible remains of some other batteries to be found on Singapore, Fort Siloso is the only restored battery open for public visitation. Today’s final stop is St Andrew’s Cathedral, the oldest Anglican house of worship in Singapore. After a morning of touring, the afternoon is at leisure to explore the sites of Singapore at your own pace. Drop off to your hotel will be approx. 1.00pm. (B)

STAR INCLUSIONS   ★  Old Ford Factory ★ Labrador Park   ★ Fort Siloso ★ St Andrews Cathedral

Day 4 > Depart Singapore

Unfortunately your tour ends today. You will be transferred to Singapore airport for your departure flight. (B)

STAR INCLUSIONS   ★ Departure transfer

★    Services of an English speaking expert Guide ★    All excursions, scenic drives and sightseeing as described in the itinerary ★    Comprehensive touring of all the major WW2 battlefield sites ★    3 nights’ accommodation in a 3.5- to 4-star hotel ★    Convenient pick up and drop off at Changi Airport (Singapore) ★    Travel by comfortable air-conditioned vehicle ★    Breakfast daily and 1 lunch ★    All entrance fees as per itinerary ★    All tipping ★    Bottled water daily

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Ask about our airfare, hotel and car hire deals, which offer great discounts when booked in conjunction with our tours.

Please note: Itineraries are subject to change due to operational reasons. In addition, your Historian may alter the sites visited on each day to suit local conditions. Any changes will be advised closer to the time of departure.

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“We have no hesitation in giving you a 10/10, and highly recommend Mat McLachlan Battlefield Tours. Adrienne & Graham Buttner Bombing of Darwin Anniversary Tour I really enjoyed the tour it was enjoyable, entertaining and informative, could not have asked for anything better. Jack Thomason Bombing of Darwin Anniversary Tour Amazing!  My sister and I visited the Western Front and experienced a one day private tour on the Ypres Salient and also a one day private tour on the Somme. As I go through my photographs of the 3 weeks we spent in Europe, it is these 2 days that I keep coming back to and would class as the highlight of the trip. The information provided was first class, the effort to locate some of our ancestors who did not make it home was very much appreciated and the whole experience was extremely moving.

I know that these 2 days will stay with me forever.

Absolutely incredible!

Erdem as guide, Roachie as our historian and Zafir as our fearless bus driver.

I would like to recommend highly the Western Front Battlefields Tour.

My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed the tour. The whole experience was one I will remember.

The Tour Guide was very knowledgeable and approachable. The facilities were amazing.

I have been in complete awe of the service and experience from Mat McLachlan tours.

Not only was my family and I reassured about our safety from the moment we booked but we knew we were in safe hands the moment we started the tour.

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Contact Details

• 1300 880 340 (Within AUS)

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