The Cenotaph, Singapore

The Cenotaph (Chinese: 战亡纪念碑) is a war memorial located within the Esplanade Park at Connaught Drive, within the Central Area in Singapore's central business district.

History

The inscription at the base of The Cenotaph reads:

They died that we might live.

The Cenotaph was built in memory of the 124 Singaporean soldiers who gave their lives in World War I (1914–1918) with a second dedication added in remembrance of those who died in World War II (1941–1945).

The structure was designed by Denis Santry of Swan and Maclaren. The foundation stone was laid by Sir Lawrence Nunns Guillemard, the Governor of the Straits Settlements, on 15 November 1920. In attendance was the visiting French Premier, George Clemenceau who was the French Minister of War from 1917 to 1919.

The memorial was completed in 1922, and was unveiled on 31 March that year by the young Prince Edward of Wales, later Duke of Windsor and King Edward VIII, during his Asia-Pacific tour. During the unveiling ceremony, a chaplain blessed the Cenotaph with the words, "The stone is well laid and truly laid to the Glory of God and the memory of the illustrious dead"." Against the backdrop of the sea then fronting Queen Elizabeth Walk, Governor Guillemard awarded medals of courage to those who had served in the war.

In Prince Edward's entourage was Louis Mountbatten. At the end of World War II, Mountbatten returned to Singapore as the Supreme Commander of the South East Asia Command to receive the surrender of the Japanese at City Hall on 12 September 1945.

ee also

*Cenotaph
*History of Singapore
*Battle of Singapore
*Civilian War Memorial
*Kranji War Memorial
*Former Indian National Army Monument

References

*National Heritage Board (2002), "Singapore's 100 Historic Places", Archipelago Press, ISBN 981-4068-23-3

External links

* [http://www.nhb.gov.sg/CDT/Trail1/C.htm National Heritage Board]
* [http://www.roll-of-honour.com/Overseas/SingaporeCenotaph.html Roll of Honour - Singapore Cenotaph]