[308 pages] The issue of a war memorial was first brought up by Tan Kah Kee, who wanted a shrine for the Chinese civilians killed during the Japanese Occupation. H T Hagden, Adviser on Chinese Affairs, Secretariat of Chinese Affairs, took on the idea and proposed that the memorial should be located in the Bukit Timah area, and honour victims of the war from British and Indian Armed Forces, Malay Regiment and Malay Navy, Dalfoce, MPAJA, Passive Defence Services, volunteers and civilians killed by the Japanese. Hagden’s proposal was supported by Colonel R N Broome, Advisers on Chinese Affairs to Deputy Chief Civil Affairs Office (DCCAO), Singapore Division. Later, a note to Colonial Secretary (CS) stated that the memorial should be erected somewhere nearer to the city to perpetuate the memory of those who died. It shortlisted a few locations, i.e. Tank Road, Orchard Road, Radin Mas and Ann Siang Hill. CS requested an ad hoc committee to be set up to consider the matter and make recommendations. Public opinions were also sought. Suggestions included building a cenotaph, a shrine, a public park, schools, hospitals, scholarships and even establishing a public aid. There were public members who expressed willingness to donate financially to the building of the war memorial. There were also activities, such as a soccer match and a charity show, to raise funds for the Singapore War Memorial Fund. By January 1947, the Committee suggested that the venue for the war memorial could be on Connaught Drive, and the memorial itself in the form of a cenotaph. It was also considering that government scholarships for higher education locally or overseas should be set up. In September 1948, there was a newspaper report stating that due to a lack of public support, the memorial had been shelved. The general discussion on the memorial slowed down. Nonetheless, in 1950 discussion of the cenotaph re-gained traction. The money that was raised for the war memorial was deemed unsuitable for the project, and in 1951, it was decided that the money would be transferred to the Straits Chinese British Association’s Volunteer Memorial fund.
1945 - 1951
NA 871
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