Thursday, May 07, 2009
This year's learning journey day was in the after noon for us at 12.30pm and we were visiting two places: Bukit Chandu and Labrador Park. Almost every group goes to Labrador Park, but the first destination is varied. Firstly, we had a really lame and presentation on Singapore's brief war history by a random person. It seems that all the random persons were from this organization called the Singapore History Consultantsm, who had organized the entire Learning Journey for us. After the presentation, which included a few slides on why British troops suck and Japanese troops rock as well as a video footage from a documentary, it was time to set off.Our tour guide would be this person known as Ms May, which is politically incorrect since you do not address people by their given name, but instead, by their family name. I decided not to care about it, and the long bus journey ensued. It wasn't at all boring though, because you know tour guides, they will often come up and speak on the bus journey about some events or share some stuff about what we are going to do, explore or just talk about general things to do with the Japanese Invasion and Occupation.
I actually brought my new Canon PowerShotA1000 camera, which my great Dad bought for me (thanks Dad!), with 10.0 Megapix (twice as much as my previous one) and 4x optical zoom (also twice as much as my previous one). The reason for buying it was that my previous camera was disfunctioning and scr3wing up alot so it was impossible to tell when it would get spoiled upon attempt to turn it on, or when it wouldn't. As such, this new camera allowed me to take superb pictures and things that were further away. The file size also got a lot bigger. I sent one image file and it was like 3.2MB big.
Coming back to the talk, I didn't learn much except for the three myths thing.
Myth Number 1) The Guns could not be turned around to attack the Japanese troops
In fact, all of the guns were turned around to fire at the Japanese troops except for two, one of them at Buona Vista, which were not turned around only because the troops manning the guns forgot to bring enough turning cable. The others all had rings to rotate it 275 degrees and were used in the battle.
Myth Number 2) The Guns were not used at all in the battle
In fact, the guns were all used, save for the two, in the battle just that they were not effective. The Guns were designed to fire and destroy ships, which meant that the bullets, were designed as armour-piercing rounds, with long time charges to allow the rounds to fully pierce into the armour before exploded. Also when the rounds were fired, they could be clearly heard. The Japanese troops simply opened their ears to hear if the guns were firing at them, and if it was, they would take cover, and when the shells landed, they would run as ar from it as possible. Because of the delayed charge time, it allowed the troops enough time to escape, thus the shell would case minimal damage. It is also highly unprobable that a shot from so far away can land a direct hit on a single soldier.
There were High-explosive fragmentation shells however, and these proved to be effective, but were in very small supply.
Myth Number 3) The Guns were placed facing the wrong way
In fact, the guns were deliberately placed facing the south. The British anticipated a Japanese attack from the south because the forested area in North would be rather difficult to pull through. However, this forested area was developed into coastal roads later on after the building of the guns, and this would later on be used by the Japanese for a swift movement down Melaka. The guns were supposed to face south and protect the southern coastal areas.
It was highly probable that the Japanese would have landed from the south if they did not have the inside intelligence to tell them that there were 29 guns waiting to gun their ships down if they did so.
Meanwhile, I'll let my pictures talk for the most part of this.
The thing they have at the entrance to this museum
This is a mural depicting the Japanese invasion. The man facing us is a malay and the man with his back facing us is the Japanese. In the distance you can see Japanese tanks and fighterplanes, as well as the opium factory burning.
List of names from malay regiment who fought and died at Bukit Chandu but their bodies were never found. You can spot Adnan Bin Saidi's name here.
Japanese wartime binoculars
Japanese bayonet, a weapon attached to the tip of the gun
Malay Parang used as a melee weapon by the Malays on Bukit Chandu
The Crest of the Malay Regiment
A statue of a fat man
A statue of a thinner man
Map of Singapore plotting out where the Japanese troops invaded from.
A glowing Singapore? No that's just a video playing in the foreground with the map of Singapore behind, lol.
The Japanese mess tin is in the perculiar shape of a bean
The mural on the stairwell, which I don't know the meaning of because I went to pee whilst the guide talked about it
A lame game, which has instruction that are not understandable
Visitor's doodle page.
Here is the write-up on Lieutenant Adnan bin Saidi
Erm, Lol. Look I see myself down there
Colonial fan which I don't know if it works
I bet you can't see the ships in the distance
Ye Olde British Mortar
Japanese Rifle and its bayonet attachment
Recess time at the museum
A weird tree that people took photo of, so I did likewise
I was being lame and taking photo of another group who had just arrived
Here is another shot with them gathering around the mural
Three men manning a mortar. Do you see something amiss on the right?
Now you see the thing amiss
Nice view of the sea from Labrador Park
Our group sitting in a pavillion
A weird tower. The top bag spins on its axis, must be some kind of telecommunications device
Entrance to the Labrador Battery. This was the slipway once which led straight to the ocean. Now it doesn't because of reclaimed land.
Yep, trees could have fallen.
Ern Xu's face coming in from the left
1892-built magazine store for the 6-inch guns
The gunsite design looks very much that of a Greek skene
Another group shot.
Sideview of the gunsite
The 6-inch gun itself
Ern Xu with a statue of a soldier carrying a shell
Zexi with a statue of another soldier carrying another shell
The reflection off a piece of glass inside the gun barrel. Notice the little grooves at the side, those are to cause the shell to spin and become more accurate as it cuts through the air. Think of it like a rugby ball.
Two people manning the 6-inch gun, lol.
And Edmund getting shot at. His arms flail as he realizes that his face is insufficient to block the attack.
Edmund is posing with the watchman statue
Me with the gun barrel in the background. Thanks to JT for helping me take this picture!
View of the gun barrel from the gun manning post
A random picture I took for fun. It resembles a stage of sorts.
The gunsite which was stupidly turned into a pavillion. But it was rather comfortable, I must say. Then again, all I need is a rock I can sit on and that'd be quite comfortable enough for me.
The jetty we wished we could go to but never did
I like the way the leaves frame the picture of the ship.
The ships without the leaves. See the difference?
Jian Hao looking into the mysterious door which leads to a room we never went to. It was apparently an ammunitions store, or something like that
Our group. I had to sneak away to take this picture
Nice view of the path back to the bus
Well that's about it folks. We took a bus back and then handed in the feedback forms and then all of us went back home. Yup! :) A day of school is gone and another is come again tomorrow.
kaizersabre performed alchemy @ 10:22 PM
