Singapore Memorial

In the Far East, at Singapore, the Singapore Memorial bears on its side columns the names of 191 Canadian airmen who have no known grave. With these are the names of 24,327 comrades from all over the Commonwealth. These airmen died during operations over the whole of southern and eastern Asia and the surrounding seas and oceans.

The Memorial stands in Kranji War Cemetery, 22.5 kilometres north of the city of Singapore, overlooking the Straits of Johore. The central avenue of the cemetery rises gently from the Stone of Remembrance near the entrance, to the Cross-of Sacrifice beyond which flights of steps lead to a terrace on top of a hill, on which the Memorial stands.

Twelve wide columns bear the name-panels and support a flat roof, which gives protection to the inscribed names and shade and shelter to the visitor. Rising through the roof in the centre, to a height of 24 metres, is a great pylon surmounted by a star. On a curved panel at the foot of this pylon are inscribed in English these words:

1939-1945
ON THE WALLS OF THIS MEMORIAL ARE RECORDED THE NAMES OF TWENTY-FOUR THOUSAND SOLDIERS AND AIRMEN OF MANY RACES UNITED IN SERVICE TO THE BRITISH CROWN WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN MALAYA AND NEIGHBOURING LANDS AND SEAS AND IN THE AIR OVER SOUTHERN AND EASTERN ASIA AND THE PACIFIC BUT TO WHOM THE FORTUNE OF WAR DENIED THE CUSTOMARY RITES ACCORDED TO THEIR COMRADES IN DEATH

Directions

The Memorial stands in Kranji War Cemetery. Kranji War Cemetery is 22 kilometres north of the city of Singapore, on the north side of Singapore Island overlooking the Straits of Johore. It is just off the Singapore-Johore road (Woodlands road) at milestone 13 1/2 and there is a short approach road from the main road. The Cemetery is known locally as Kranji Memorial, and one must be sure of the address before boarding a taxi as many taxi drivers do not know the Cemetery. There are also bus stops on the main road facing the Cemetery and an MRT terminal is under construction a short distance from the Cemetery.