Page 50 - Stories from our Grandparents

rowing up in Boat Quay (where Clarke Quay is today), was only six when the Japanese Mr Jimmy Sng Ewe Hui BORN 1936
the Singapore River was outside my window. I knew I By Rachel Sng
Occupation commenced
the high tides and low tides by heart; the third day of without any warning. The Paya Lebar Methodist Girls’ School
GChinese New Year would be the highest tide. world around me was hazy,
and had only gotten foggier when
Sometimes, I would walk along the dirty, black Singapore River Singapore became Syonan-to. We were free to roam Singapore
and hunt for horseshoe crabs. When I found one, I would hurl it We would not know whether without fear. My father had gone
back into the river. One of my favourite memories is Chinese New Year. we would have food to eat. back to government service.
Others were not so fortunate;
The shops around the Boat Quay area would People I knew were forced many were living in unemployment.
compete with each other to see who would light into back-breaking labour Our country was beginning to
the longest firecrackers. and even decapitated. My recover, owing to our hardworking

In 1968, I finished my Senior Cambridge (now known as O-Levels) and had father hid anti-Japanese government leaders.
been working for several months when the news came in. I enlisted into media in his home, despite During those years of recovery,
the army, and was part of the first batch of National Service (NS). I was not the drastic consequences if I had gone to the medical
frightened, I just played the role I thought I had to and followed people he was caught. faculty in National University
around. NS routine training was jumping out of bed at six to head down of Singapore (NUS) to
to the parade ground; having breakfast and then washing our plates and Japanese soldiers eventually become a doctor. Gradually,
cups, placing them on top of our beds to prevent us from lying down; basic checked my family’s home. We had I became the head
training; at night we would wash and polish our shoes till they shone. Wash, hidden the anti-Japanese media in a of the Department
rinse, repeat for two-and-a-half tough months. Corporal punishment was bag, which they could open. Death of Pathology in
prevalent and the whole section would be punished with the offender. seemed to be ready to pounce on Singapore General
Hospital, developing the
After that, I was selected and sent to Singapore Polytechnic us. Miraculously, they did not dig laboratory service.
with thirteen others to study radar. They were my into the bag.
friends and we went out on off-days. After In another incident, my uncle was Today, I am immensely thankful
graduating, I was posted to operate a radar forced onto a truck with other to have survived the Japanese
machine in the night to detect illegal boats Chinese youth in it. He spoke to Occupation unscathed, and for
entering Singapore from nearby waters. During the guard in the limited Japanese Singapore’s transformation. I try to
the day I used binoculars and reported to the coast language that he knew, and the cherish every moment, appreciating
guards. I had to carry out my duty at St. John Island, Bedok and guard let him go. It was discovered having food to eat and living in a
another island near Jurong Island. later that all the people in the truck time of peace.
were taken to a beach and shot.

After seemingly endless hardship,
Mr Chen Liang Huat BORN 1949 the Japanese Occupation ended.
It was the start of liberation.
By Emma Natalie Soh
Paya Lebar Methodist Girls’ School
50 Grandpa Stories Grandpa Stories 51