1st Battalion
The Argyll and Sutherland
Highlanders
Selarang
Barracks
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1st Battalion The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
Selarang
Barracks
|
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All photographs
are the property of RHQ Argylls and may not be reproduced or copied without
permission from RHQ Argylls.
Photographs of Selerang Barracks. Click picture to enlarge
History of Selarang Barracks
Pre-World War II
When
British surveyor, General Gillman, first inspected Changi district in 1927, the
vicinity consisted of little more than mangrove swamp and virgin forest, with
the exception of a police station at the mouth of Changi River and a small Malay
village nearby. However, the Changi Peninsula's strategic importance in
controlling the eastern approaches to the Johor Straits soon became apparent to
the Colonial Government. Therefore, within the next 15 years, extensive
development was done to transform Changi into a formidable military base.
Work on Selarang Barracks began in 1936 and the whole complex was completed in
1938. A battalion of Gordon Highlanders immediately occupied Selarang Barracks
and remained there till the Japanese invasion.
World War II
During the Japanese occupation from February 1942 to August 1945, Selarang
Barracks became a prisoner-of-war camp. Initially housing Australian POWs,
Selarang Barracks came into prominence as a result of a remarkable chain of
events in September 1942, known as the "Selarang Barracks Square Incident''.
Four young soldiers (Cpl. Rodney Breavington, Pte. Victor Gale, Pte. Harold
Waters and Pte. Eric Fletcher) who tried to escape from prison were recaptured.
As a result, the Japanese wanted the POWs to sign a document promising not to
escape under any circumstances. This was against the Geneva Convention on POWs
which permitted opportunities of escape. When the POWs refused, the Japanese
crammed 15,400 men, including those brought over from Changi, into the barracks
which was meant for only 1,200 men. The square was crowded with makeshift tents
as men spilled out from the buildings.
There were no toilet facilities although each barracks building had about four
to six toilets, which were flushed from small cisterns on the roofs. The
Japanese, however, cut the water off and these toilets could not be used. The
Japanese only allowed one tap to be used and prisoners had to line up in the
early hours of the morning and that queue would go on all day. Each man was
allowed one quart of water for drinking, washing and everything else.
To force the POWs to sign, the Japanese had the four soldiers shot on Changi
beach on 2 September 1942 with senior POW officers watching. With the desperate
food and sanitary conditions getting worse daily, and the threat of an epidemic
breaking out in the overcrowded camp, the men were persuaded by their officers
to sign the document to prevent any more unnecessary deaths. The signing took
place on 5 September and after that the prisoners returned to their original
barracks.
Post-World War II
At
the end of WWII and the return of colonial rule to Singapore in 1945, Selarang
Barracks once again became the home of the British Army. In
1969 Selarang Barracks became the home for most of the Australian Army units
that would go to help make up ANZUK. First
Battalion The Royal Australian Regiment (1 RAR) was stationed at Selarang
1969/70. At that time ANZUK Force had not officially started but 28 ANZUK
Brigade was in existence.
This arrangement continued until 1 October 1971, when the 6th Battalion Royal
Australian Regiment (6 RAR) officially handed over the camp to the Singapore Armed Forces. 42 SAR
became the camp's tenants until March 1984 when the 9th Division took over
Selarang. The main barrack blocks were knocked down in 1987, the entrance to the
camp is still there (2007) , if anyone has any further information about the
barracks email ayoung287@msn.com
Updated: 12 February 2015