Fort Pasir Panjang
It was one of the 11 coastal artillery forts built by the British in the 19th century to defend the western passageway into Keppel Harbour against piracy and foreign naval powers.
During the 1942 Battle of Pasir Panjang, the fort played a supporting role but a limited one in defending the Malay Regiments against the Japanese invasion at Bukit Chandu.
The two rock outcrops were subsequently blown up by the Straits Settlement surveyor, John Thomson, in August 1848 to widen the entrance to the harbour.
[3] The original, Western Harbour limit is marked by a white obelisk, near the former site of Long Ya Men.
[4] In 1878, as part of the review of the defences of Singapore against threats from European powers in the region, it was decided that forts be built on either side of the entrance to New Harbour.
It was found that the steep cliffs and thick mangrove swamps surrounding the two forts acted as an ideal natural barrier to intruders.
The mines were tethered to the seabed but floated dangerously under the surface of the water unseen to any enemy marine vessels.
[6] The Fort came under the operation of the 7th Coast Artillery Regiment, which received orders from Faber Fire Command led by Brigadier A.D.
This modern type of gun definitely better in terms of its accuracy and rapidity to counter the speedy motor torpedo boats that appeared in the 1880s.
[10] Lim Bo Seng, a war hero of Singapore, was a major brick supplier in the late 1930s, with his main client, the colonial government.
The tunnels lead to the following areas:[8] Before the onset of World War II (WWII), Fort Pasir Panjang was subsequently upgraded to Labrador Battery.
The men of the 1st Battalion, Charlie Company, Malay Regiment, led by Lieutenant Adnan Bin Saidi fought bravely to the last.
The guns from Labrador assisted the Malay Regiment in their 48-hour struggle against the Japanese by firing high-explosive shells at enemy troops.
Three lucky ones, together with Lieutenant Abbas Abdul-Manan managed to escape and later rejoined 30 surviving soldiers of a British battalion in the nearby area.
After their conquest of Pasir Panjang Ridge, the Japanese proceeded to march towards the city of Singapore for their final decisive thrust against remaining Allied forces there.
Perched on a hill (near present Keppel Country Club) along Pasir Panjang Road, the escaped Malay and British soldiers had gathered together and waited patiently to ambush the Japanese convoy heading towards the city.
The Japanese tanks attempted to move forward to engage the enemy but they could not advance due to the sea of dead and wounded bodies blocking its way.
The following day, Lieutenant-General Renya Mutaguchi, commander of the Japanese 18th Division toured the hospital and distributed tinned fruits, all the while apologising profusely for the brutality of his soldiers and assured the staff of their safety.
After World War II, there was a worldwide disbandment of British forts as advances in air defence systems caused them to become obsolete.
