By January 18, a British military intelligence assessment shows the extent of the Japanese threat in the Muar area and on the trunk road front. Percival and Bennett, recognising the hopelessness of the task they had taken, agree to withdraw Westforce behind the Segamat River as a preliminary to a more extensive withdrawal south. Before dawn, Bennett moves the Australian 2/19th Battalion across from Jemaluang in Eastern Johore to Bakri on the Yong Peng-Muar road. The Australian 2/29th Battalion reinforcements are also called in and are in position at Bakri less than half an hour before the Japanese attack. Despite heavy casualties, the Australians successfully repelled the attack. At Muar, the Japanese attack the 45th Indian Brigade and gunners from the 8th Australian Division, later reinforced by Australian Battalions from Gemas and Mersing.
A Japanese force advances from Batu Pahat and drives the Norfolks from Bukit Pelandok, cutting all land communications with the Australian and Indian forces at Bakri. Japanese air attacks hit the Indian 45th Brigade headquarters at Bakri and kills nearly all the staff. Lt-Col Charles G.W. Anderson, from the Australian 2/19th Battalion assumes overall command of the area.
Sir Winston Churchill, the Prime Minister of Great Britain during World War II, issues a 10-point strategy for the defence of Singapore, stating that "…Singapore must be converted into a citadel and defended to the death. No surrender can be contemplated." Wavell warns Prime Minister Churchill that he doubts whether the Island could be held for long "when Johore is lost".
January 20 - Wavell tells Percival to hold south Johore as long as possible. Maj-Gen. Gordon Bennett had moves his Westforce headquarters back to Yong Peng and orders a general retreat south. In the early hours of the morning, Anderson moves out of Bakri planning to be in Parit Sulong by nightfall, but his withdrawing troops quickly encounter a series of Japanese roadblocks and hand-to-hand clashes with Japanese troops ensues. When the troops finally reach Parit Sulong late at night, they discover the vital bridge there held by a heavily fortified Japanese machinegun position. Anderson and his troops attempt to dislodge the Japanese hold on the bridge but are unable to withstand the attack by tanks, aircraft and artillery.
Orders given by Bennett for British forces to rescue the troops at Parit Sulong are overlooked.
On January 22 a final effort is made to drive the Japanese from the Parit Sulong bridge. When this fails, Anderson allows his troops to escape through the jungle to Yong Peng, leaving the wounded in the care of volunteers. The actions at Bakri and Parit Sulong allow Westforce and the rearguard of the British 53rd Brigade to cross Yong Peng Bridge by midnight. The bridge is then demolished.
The Australian 2/4 Machine Gun Battalion and 2000 reinforcements arrive in Singapore on January 24.
Percival, Bennett and Heath initiate the withdrawal. Orders are issued for the retreat to Johore Bahru. Westforce troops withdraw to the south. Japanese troops land near the mouth of the Endau river. Percival decides to withdraw completely upon Singapore Island. Wavell allows Percival to withdraw to Singapore but stresses that Singapore must be held.
On January 28 Heath gives Bennett withdrawal schedules for the departure of British forces across the Causeway. The British 18th Division arrives at Singapore Harbour late at night and the following night the Duchess of Bedford arrives full of Indian reinforcements.
The retreat across the Causeway begins and British forces withdraw fully to Singapore. Malaya is lost to the Japanese.
The Japanese face Singapore from Johore Bahru. The Battle for Singapore begins.
The British construct a heavy defence front in Southern Johore. Heavy fighting breaks out at Batu Pahat and the forces withdraw to Senggarang. A Japanese air battalion, ammunition and vehicles land at Endau. The Japanese proceed towards Johore Bahru. 10 miles from Mersing, the Australian 2/18th battalion ambush the Japanese. Indian sappers blow up 70 feet of the Causeway which links Malaya and Singapore and signals a complete withdrawal from the peninsula. Japanese aircraft bomb Tanjong Pagar Railway Station and the oil storage tanks at the Naval Base.
By February 4 the Japanese gun Tengah, Seletar and Sembawang airfields and installations. Civilians living in north Singapore are evacuated. Japanese guns from Johore Bahru open fire on Australian positions in the northern sector of the island of Singapore as the remaining troops of the British 18th Division arrive in Singapore.
February 6 - Japanese artillery fire intensifies along the north-eastern front. Demolition of the Naval Base begins. At least one fuel tank at the Naval Base is hit. Various areas in Singapore are hit including Government House. The Australian defences in the north and northwest are also blasted. Three of the four troopships carrying the British 18th Division reach Singapore; the Empress of Asia, carrying vital weapons and ammunition is sunk. Percival tells Bennett the defence line is thinly held and says that defence would be very difficult.
On February 7 the Japanese invasion begins when soon after nightfall, 400 men of the Japanese Imperial Guards Division land and take Pulau Ubin which overlooks Changi. They encounter minimum resistance. Japanese artillery and aircraft begin shelling western Singapore heavily. The artillery then concentrates on the northwest shoreline until 7pm. Communications are completely cut between forward and rear command headquarters. At 8pm the first Japanese assault boat heads for the Singapore coast. Fierce fighting at 8.30pm signals the start of the invasion. In the night 13,000 Japanese troops of Yamashita's first wave land in Singapore. Another 10,000 land soon after dawn.
February 9 - Japanese pilots blast military headquarters in the Australian defence areas. Bennett orders the Australian 2/29th Battalion to the north-west sector. The Japanese reach Ama Keng Village. The 12th Indian Brigade arrives at Keat Hang Road. Brigadier Taylor orders a withdrawal from the Jurang Line. Despite fierce opposition, by late afternoon the Japanese take Tengah airfield which was built to support the defences of the Naval Base. Yamashita targeted it as one of the key positions to be captured in his military strategy. Brigadier Taylor reports later that the "enemy had attacked in strength" and that he had to retreat.
In the evening the Japanese assemble at the waterfront. 4000 men are in the first wave to land between Tanjong Buloh and Tanjong Murai on the northwest coast of Singapore.
February 10 - At Kranji, Australian machine gunners of the 27th Brigade nearly stop an assault by the Japanese Imperial Guards. By dawn, the Japanese complete the landing. The Australian Forces are ordered to retreat from the Kranji area. By mid-afternoon, the Kranji-Jurong line has fallen.
Churchill cables Wavell: "There must be…no thought of saving the troops or sparing the population...The honour of the British Empire and of the British Army is at stake…"
By dawn the Japanese control Bukit Timah village.
The Indian Military Base Hospital at Tyersall is bombed, killing 700 wounded Indian soldiers.
Yamashita writes to Percival asking for his surrender.
Percival withdraws to a last city defence perimeter circling Kallang Airfield, Thomson Village, MacRitchie Reservoir, Adam, Farrer, Holland and Buona Vista Roads. Racecourse Village and MacRitchie Reservoir are captured. The Gurkhas are forced to retreat from Nee Soon Village. British anti-tank gunners halt a charge down Bukit Timah Road. In the Ulu Pandan area, the Australian 22nd Brigade repels repeated ground attacks. Governor Shenton Thomas orders valuable resources and machinery destroyed. Bukit Panjang Village is lost. Percival's orders are misunderstood as instructions to move to the given defence positions. A whole chain of withdrawals from the northern part of the Kranji-Jurong line begins, giving the Line to the Japanese.
Around 4am, the Australians withdraw and the Singapore end of the Causeway is taken. Yamashita, running low on ammunition, again writes to Percival inviting his surrender. Pasir Panjang Ridge falls to the Japanese after a fierce battle with the 1st Battalion of the Malay Regiment. The Japanese capture Alexandra Barracks and MacRitchie Reservoir.
By February 14 the Japanese control the three military airfields and the three main reservoirs. Water supply failure threatens. The Japanese kills staff and patients in Alexandra Hospital. Only three men escape. Wavell cables Churchill to say the situation is hopeless. Churchill gives permission to surrender.
A plaque commemorating the massacre
and expanding on the hospital's
history after the war
February 15 - Wavell's last cable says that "so long as you are in position to inflict losses and damage to enemy and your troops are physically capable of doing so you must fight on...When you are fully satisfied that this is no longer possible I give you discretion to cease resistance." Percival decides to surrender.
At 1715 hours, Percival and his staff arrive at the Ford Motor Factory and surrenders unconditionally to the Japanese. The surrender documents are signed.
Lt Gen. Arthur Percival, led by a Japanese officer,
walks under a flag of truce to negotiate the capitulation
of Allied forces in Singapore, on 15 February 1942.
Lt Gen Yamashita (seated, centre) thumps the table
with his fist to emphasise his terms –
unconditional surrender. Lt Gen Percival sits between his
officers, his clenched hand to his mouth
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