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Kranji: The Commonwealth War Cemetery and the Politics of the Dead
Kranji has long been the final resting place of the Commonwealth war dead who fought and died during and in the aftermath of the Second World War in Singapore. Although the cemetery remains solemn today, its construction and the decision to relocate all graves to Kranji was a very controversial issue in a country which had just seen the ravages of the Japanese Occupation.
Highlighting some of the lesser known facts in the creation of this enormous memorial to British and Commonwealth troops, Kranji looks at how the war cemetery in Singapore was constructed and provides the first-ever visitor¡¦s guide to the cemetery and its environs. The book also highlights some of the more famous residents of the cemetery and their role in the Malayan Campaign and the Japanese Occupation. These include two Victoria Cross winners along with Major Ivan Lyon and his famous RIMAU team as well as the Kranji also explores the policy towards the Japanese War dead and the final entombing of ashes of Japanese troops in the Japanese Cemetery along Jalan Chuan Hoe. Intriguing and most secret documents outlining the British attitude towards the Japanese and their war dead provide an interesting insight into how the victors dealt with the vanquished in post-war Singapore and the need for reconciliation in its aftermath.
It also looks at the Civilian war memorial and the commemoration of the local population who paid the ultimate price in a war between empires. The book traces the construction of the memorial during the tumultuous period of independence for Malaysia and Singapore.
Kranji also provides an account of the opening of the Cemetery in 1957 and the creation of a Military Cemetery and finally the Singapore State cemetery at Kranji. It also delves into the present ceremonies at Kranji and provides a detailed map and layout plan of Kranji and the Japanese cemetery.
Highlighting some of the lesser known facts in the creation of this enormous memorial to British and Commonwealth troops, Kranji looks at how the war cemetery in Singapore was constructed and provides the first-ever visitor¡¦s guide to the cemetery and its environs. The book also highlights some of the more famous residents of the cemetery and their role in the Malayan Campaign and the Japanese Occupation. These include two Victoria Cross winners along with Major Ivan Lyon and his famous RIMAU team as well as the Kranji also explores the policy towards the Japanese War dead and the final entombing of ashes of Japanese troops in the Japanese Cemetery along Jalan Chuan Hoe. Intriguing and most secret documents outlining the British attitude towards the Japanese and their war dead provide an interesting insight into how the victors dealt with the vanquished in post-war Singapore and the need for reconciliation in its aftermath.
It also looks at the Civilian war memorial and the commemoration of the local population who paid the ultimate price in a war between empires. The book traces the construction of the memorial during the tumultuous period of independence for Malaysia and Singapore.
Kranji also provides an account of the opening of the Cemetery in 1957 and the creation of a Military Cemetery and finally the Singapore State cemetery at Kranji. It also delves into the present ceremonies at Kranji and provides a detailed map and layout plan of Kranji and the Japanese cemetery.
139 pages, Paperback
First published February 2, 2006
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