SINGAPORE MEMORIALS
Kranji War Cemetery
Singapore
Singapore Memorial
Within Kranji War Cemetery stands the SINGAPORE MEMORIAL, bearing the names of over 24,000 casualties of the Commonwealth land and air forces who have no known grave. Many of these have no known date of death and are accorded within our records the date or period from when they were known to be missing or captured. The land forces commemorated by the memorial died during the campaigns in Malaya and Indonesia or in subsequent captivity, many of them during the construction of the Burma-Thailand railway, or at sea while being transported into imprisonment elsewhere. The memorial also commemorates airmen who died during operations over the whole of southern and eastern Asia and the surrounding seas and oceans.
NX35492 Gunner Walter Ernest Brown, V. C., D. C. M.
2/15 Fd. Regiment. Royal Australian Artillery, A. I. F., died 28th February 1942, aged 55. Column 115.
Son of Francis Samuel and Agnes Brown; husband of Maude Brown, of Carlton, New South Wales, Australia.
Citation: The citation in the London Gazette for 16th August, 1918, gives the following details:- The company to which Corporal Brown was attached carried out during the night a minor operation, capturing a small system of enemy trenches. Early the next morning the occupants of the newly captured trench were persistently sniped at from an enemy strong-point about 70 yards away. Corporal Brown, on his own initiative made a dash towards that post, which he reached in spite of machine-gun fire. Threatening the occupants with a Mills grenade, he induced them all to come out, and, through further machine-gun fire, brought back prisoner one officer and eleven other ranks.
2/15 Fd. Regiment. Royal Australian Artillery, A. I. F., died 28th February 1942, aged 55. Column 115.
Son of Francis Samuel and Agnes Brown; husband of Maude Brown, of Carlton, New South Wales, Australia.
Citation: The citation in the London Gazette for 16th August, 1918, gives the following details:- The company to which Corporal Brown was attached carried out during the night a minor operation, capturing a small system of enemy trenches. Early the next morning the occupants of the newly captured trench were persistently sniped at from an enemy strong-point about 70 yards away. Corporal Brown, on his own initiative made a dash towards that post, which he reached in spite of machine-gun fire. Threatening the occupants with a Mills grenade, he induced them all to come out, and, through further machine-gun fire, brought back prisoner one officer and eleven other ranks.
39329 Wing Commander James Brindley Nicolson, V. C., D. F. C.
355 Squadron, Royal Air Force, died 2nd May 1945, aged 29. Column 445.
Son of Leslie Gibson Nicolson and Dorothea Hilda Nicolson; husband of Muriel Caroline Nicolson, of Kirkby Wharfe, Yorkshire.
Citation: The citation in the London Gazette of 15th November, 1940, gives the following details: On August 16th, 1940, during an air battle near Southampton, four cannon shells hit wing Cdr. Nicolson's aircraft, two wounding him and one setting fire to the gravity tank. When about to abandon his plane he sighted an enemy fighter which, despite the flames in his cockpit, he attacked and brought down. In so doing he incurred serious burns on his hands, face and neck. In continuing to engage the enemy although wounded and with his aircraft on fire, wing Cdr. Nicolson displayed exceptional gallantry and disregard for his own life.
355 Squadron, Royal Air Force, died 2nd May 1945, aged 29. Column 445.
Son of Leslie Gibson Nicolson and Dorothea Hilda Nicolson; husband of Muriel Caroline Nicolson, of Kirkby Wharfe, Yorkshire.
Citation: The citation in the London Gazette of 15th November, 1940, gives the following details: On August 16th, 1940, during an air battle near Southampton, four cannon shells hit wing Cdr. Nicolson's aircraft, two wounding him and one setting fire to the gravity tank. When about to abandon his plane he sighted an enemy fighter which, despite the flames in his cockpit, he attacked and brought down. In so doing he incurred serious burns on his hands, face and neck. In continuing to engage the enemy although wounded and with his aircraft on fire, wing Cdr. Nicolson displayed exceptional gallantry and disregard for his own life.
993595 Aircraftman 2nd Class
William Forbes Petrie Brodie
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
29th November 1943, aged 29.
Column 429.
Son of George Brown Brodie and Margaret Brodie (nee Petrie) of Rattray, Blairgowrie, Perthshire.
A brother to Ali, George, Bob, and Annie. An Uncle who never saw his nephews and nieces grow up.
Willie was one of many souls who lost their lives on the Japanese ship 'Suez Maru'. Commemorated at Singapore's Kranji Cemetery, Blairgowrie War Memorial and Bendochy Church near Coupar Angus.
Picture and text courtesy of Heather Johnson (niece to Wm F.P. Brodie)
William Forbes Petrie Brodie
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
29th November 1943, aged 29.
Column 429.
Son of George Brown Brodie and Margaret Brodie (nee Petrie) of Rattray, Blairgowrie, Perthshire.
A brother to Ali, George, Bob, and Annie. An Uncle who never saw his nephews and nieces grow up.
Willie was one of many souls who lost their lives on the Japanese ship 'Suez Maru'. Commemorated at Singapore's Kranji Cemetery, Blairgowrie War Memorial and Bendochy Church near Coupar Angus.
Picture and text courtesy of Heather Johnson (niece to Wm F.P. Brodie)
4978113 Private
Cyril Burch
1st/5th Bn. Sherwood Foresters
12th September 1944, aged 26.
Column 71.
Husband of Freda Burch of 40 Chestnut ave Newark Notts.
He worked on the Burma Railway but was to be sent to Singapore on one of 2 Japanese ships The Hachidoki Maru or the Rakuyo Maru both of which where torpedoed by 2 US Submarines, the USS Pampanito and the USS Sealion on the 12/09/1944.
Picture courtesy of Pete Stevens
Cyril Burch
1st/5th Bn. Sherwood Foresters
12th September 1944, aged 26.
Column 71.
Husband of Freda Burch of 40 Chestnut ave Newark Notts.
He worked on the Burma Railway but was to be sent to Singapore on one of 2 Japanese ships The Hachidoki Maru or the Rakuyo Maru both of which where torpedoed by 2 US Submarines, the USS Pampanito and the USS Sealion on the 12/09/1944.
Picture courtesy of Pete Stevens
VX55956 Private
Robert Paterson
A.I.F. 2/29 Bn. Australian Infantry
22nd January 1942, aged 22.
Column 131.
Son of Mr. and Mrs. G. Paterson, of Carlton, Victoria, Australia.
Robert Paterson
A.I.F. 2/29 Bn. Australian Infantry
22nd January 1942, aged 22.
Column 131.
Son of Mr. and Mrs. G. Paterson, of Carlton, Victoria, Australia.
P/1099 Sergeant
William Phillips
3 Sub. Base Post Office, Indian Army Postal Service
1st September 1946.
Column 358.
William Phillips of the Indian Army was posted to Singapore in July 1941. He was taken Prisoner of War when Singapore fell in February 1942.
He was declared missing presumed dead as at 1st September 1946 and is now commemorated on Column 358 of the Singapore Memorial. He was the husband of Marie Phillips of Bangalore City, India and his children are Noel, Joyce, Kevin and Ian Phillips
Picture courtesy of his son, Kevin Phillips
William Phillips
3 Sub. Base Post Office, Indian Army Postal Service
1st September 1946.
Column 358.
William Phillips of the Indian Army was posted to Singapore in July 1941. He was taken Prisoner of War when Singapore fell in February 1942.
He was declared missing presumed dead as at 1st September 1946 and is now commemorated on Column 358 of the Singapore Memorial. He was the husband of Marie Phillips of Bangalore City, India and his children are Noel, Joyce, Kevin and Ian Phillips
Picture courtesy of his son, Kevin Phillips
957318 Aircraftman 1st Class
Freddie Taylor
84 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
24th November 1943, aged 24.
Column 428.
Son of Ada Taylor and Edward Taylor of Hindhead Surrey
Freddie's family will never forget the sacrifice that he and others made, and would love to hear from anyone who knew of him
Picture courtesy of Pam Perry
Freddie Taylor
84 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
24th November 1943, aged 24.
Column 428.
Son of Ada Taylor and Edward Taylor of Hindhead Surrey
Freddie's family will never forget the sacrifice that he and others made, and would love to hear from anyone who knew of him
Picture courtesy of Pam Perry
51476 Captain
Lionel Cuthbert Thornton
5th Bn. Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment)
15th February 1942, aged 37.
Column 69.
Son of Thomas and Edith Thornton; husband of Joan Ross Thornton, of Ascot, Berkshire.
Lionel Cuthbert Thornton
5th Bn. Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment)
15th February 1942, aged 37.
Column 69.
Son of Thomas and Edith Thornton; husband of Joan Ross Thornton, of Ascot, Berkshire.
Singapore Unmaintainable Memorial
The SINGAPORE (UNMAINTAINABLE GRAVES) MEMORIAL, which stands at the western end of the Singapore Memorial, commemorates more than 250 casualties who died in campaigns in Singapore and Malaya, whose known graves in civil cemeteries could not be assured maintenance and on religious grounds could not be moved to a war cemetery.
Singapore Cremation Memorial
The SINGAPORE CREMATION MEMORIAL, which stands immediately behind the Singapore Memorial, commemorates almost 800 casualties, mostly of the Indian forces, whose remains were cremated in accordance with their religious beliefs
Singapore Civil Hospital Grave Memorial
The SINGAPORE CIVIL HOSPITAL GRAVE MEMORIAL stands at the eastern end of the Singapore Memorial. During the last hours of the Battle of Singapore, wounded civilians and servicemen taken prisoner by the Japanese were brought to the hospital in their hundreds. The number of fatalities was such that burial in the normal manner was impossible. Before the war, an emergency water tank had been dug in the grounds of the hospital and this was used as a grave for more than 400 civilians and Commonwealth servicemen.
After the war, it was decided that as individual identification of the dead would be impossible, the grave should be left undisturbed. The grave was suitably enclosed, consecrated by the Bishop of Singapore, and a cross in memory of all of those buried there was erected over it by the military authorities. The 107 Commonwealth casualties buried in the grave are commemorated on the Singapore Civil Hospital Grave Memorial.
After the war, it was decided that as individual identification of the dead would be impossible, the grave should be left undisturbed. The grave was suitably enclosed, consecrated by the Bishop of Singapore, and a cross in memory of all of those buried there was erected over it by the military authorities. The 107 Commonwealth casualties buried in the grave are commemorated on the Singapore Civil Hospital Grave Memorial.
