Thank you to all those who came for the Battlefield tour. This is a video of highlights produced and shot by James Tann.
Thank you for your interest. Registration is now CLOSED as all slots have been filled.
For those of you who missed the registration, you may still apply to be on a wait list.
For the successful participants, please inform us in advance if you are unable to make it so that your place can be released to those on the wait list. Thank you.
As we prepare for Liberation’70, the anniversary of end of Japanese Occupation of Singapore, join Jon Cooper, historian and archaeologist on the Adam Road Project for :
The Battlefield tour
Sunday 26 Oct’14, 9am – 12pm
***We will cancel this tour should AQI/PM2.5 reach 100***
Meeting point is at the pedestrian bridge on Sime Road entering Bukit Brown, opposite the SICC traffic light. Tour ends at 12 pm in the grounds of Bukit Brown.
REGISTRATION: Leave a comment on this post to register for the tour with your name. You may register for up to 2 pax. Please note as spaces are limited to 15, please make sure you and your companions can attend and inform us early for cancellations as this tour is highly popular. It is suitable for children from 4 years upwards.
The size is kept small for safety reasons and for ideal interaction as Jon shares the maps, photos and stories of the battles. All things Bukit Brown is only the organizer as we support the work that Jon and his team are doing out of respect for our common heritage.
Disclaimer: By agreeing to take this walking tour of Bukit Brown Cemetery, I understand and accept that I must be physically fit and able to do so.To the extent permissible by law, I agree to assume any and all risk of injury or bodily harm to myself and persons in my care (including child or ward). The route is not difficult, still good hardy footwear is highly recommended and depending on the weather it can be hot, so please wear sunscreen, a hat is advisable and plenty of drinking water. Be prepared as well for rain, bring umbrella and ponchos and Jon will assess whether the tour will continue should it get too heavy and there is lightning.
****
About WW 2 at Bukit Brown
On Feb 15, 1942, Singapore fell just one week after Japanese forces landed. As they headed down south, fierce battles were fought in the Adam Park area and the fighting extended to Bukit Brown, then known as Cemetery Hill.
“On the evening of 14th February 1942, the rolling hills of the Bukit Brown Cemetery were suddenly engulfed in a barrage of flame and fire. It appeared like scene from Dante’s ‘Inferno’. ”
Jon Cooper, the battlefield archaeologist behind The Adam Park Project, wrote this gripping account as he retraced the battle ground route with all things Bukit Brown.
This is your chance to brush up on your history. Jon Cooper will take you through the paces. Don’t miss his energetic retracing of the movements on both sides, as we commemorate the fallen. You will be expected to do some walking in the sun, so wear good walking shoes and bring snacks and water. The tour ends at the Bukit Brown Cemetery, where you will see the graves among which the soldiers sheltered and fought.
Jon’s post on his interest in Bukit Brown and the missing soldiers is here.
For a visual guide to your route, cartographer Mok Ly Ying has done this wonderful guide map for you.
Previous tour reports here:
July 22 2012 tour here and here
June 17 2012 Father’s Day Special
*****
To help you plan your Sunday morning and enjoy the tour, you can follow this map of a previous one: https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=208524362450694978161.0004cc9d065f2a171893d&msa=0&ll=1.336901,103.817351&spn=0.003566,0.005681
Jon conducts the Battlefield Tour when time permits. For other war-related stories, you can join tours by All Things Bukit Brown on the heritage tours.
Disclaimer: By agreeing to take walking tours of Bukit Brown Cemetery, I understand and accept that I must be physically fit and able to do so.To the extent permissible by law, I agree to assume any and all risk of injury or bodily harm to myself and persons in my care (including child or ward) Please read if you are attending our guided walks for the first time, useful info on safety : Getting There/游览信息 If you have a facebook account please register on the FB links provided unless otherwise stated. There is also a walk by post museum in the after, please see details below for registration.
***Haze: We will cancel tours should AQI/PM2.5 reach 100. Please check this post 7.30am for any changes on the days of the tour.
For all walks:
Please bring umbrella or poncho and sun protection.
Please wear covered footwear.
Please bring mosquito repellent.
Please bring sufficient drinking water.
Meeting place for all Walks : At the Lor Halwa Main gates at Bukit Brown
Sat 4 Oct’14 : 8.30am – 12 pm :
从洋务运动开始，中国陆续兴建新式学堂，1898年，张
这项教育改革计潮也吹向南洋，1905年，广东总督岑春
教育改革的推广，和维新革命先驱有紧密的关联，在十月革
集合地点：
坟场正门（即Lorong Halwa入口处）。
================================
报名：
我们在周末为公众提供免费的导览服务
理想人数为一团三十人（平均一名导览员十五人）
请在我们的Facebook活动页面按‘参加’/
==============================
Sun 5 Oct’14 : 5pm – 7pm : A Walk into Twilight with Beng Tang
Follow Beng Teng for an evening stroll through Bukit Brown cemetery where he will share stories of the Past.
PLEASE BRING TORCH LIGHTS FOR THIS WALK
FB registration here
Mon 6 Oct’14: 9am – 11.30 am: Hill 5 and 2 Tour
This Hari Raya Haji public holiday, join Keng Kiat for a walk around Hill Five and Two and uncover stories that are sometimes less heard of from the regular tours.
We will not be visiting the biggest tomb in Bukit Brown, that of Mr Ong Sam Leong’s.
FB registration here
Romancing the Mid Autumn Festival by Andrew Lim and Victor Lim
Romance the night with tales of myths and legends of the mid-autumn festival recounted by your brownies in attendance Andrew and Victor as they guide you to their “magical” spots at Bukit Brown.
Please bring your own lantern, or at the very least, a stick for paper lanterns and candles which will be provided if you don’t have one.
Also bring torch lights, wet weather protection just in case it rains, mozzie repellant and you are advised to wear good walking shoes
Sun 7 Sept’14 Time: 6.30pm – 8.30pm
Meeting place : Gates of Bukit Brown at end of Lorong Halwa.
If you have a FB account please help brownies keep track of numbers by registering here
Or if you don’t just meet us at the starting point. We meet there rain or shine or exhumations.
Disclaimer: By agreeing to take this walking tour of Bukit Brown Cemetery, I understand and accept that I must be physically fit and able to do so.To the extent permissible by law, I agree to assume any and all risk of injury or bodily harm to myself and persons in my care (including child or ward)
Helpful tips and Important information on how to get there Please read if it is your first visit to Bukit Brown
http://bukitbrown.com/
About Bukit Brown:
The Bukit Brown area is about 233 hectares in extent, bordered by Lornie Road, Thomson Road and the Pan-Island Expressway. It lies just to the south of the Central Catchment Forest, being separated from it by Lornie Road and includes Singapore’s only Chinese Municipal Cemetery. With more than 100,000 graves, Bukit Brown is also one of the largest Chinese cemeteries outside of China.
Don’t forget to bask in the peaceful surrounds, and also chat with your guides and make friends with other participants. We are amateurs and volunteers, but we are passionate and serious about what we do at Bukit Brown, and we encourage sharing of knowledge.
Here is a map of the grounds:
http://bukitbrown.com/
==========================
Please take note:
1. We will be walking mainly on paved roads. But there are hill treks so dress appropriately, especially your footwear.
2. Wear light breathable clothing. Long pants and long sleeves if you are prone to insect bites or sunburn. Bring sunblock and natural insect repellent.
3. Wear comfortable non-slip shoes as safety is important. Walking sticks are recommended.
4. Do read up on Bukit Brown before going so you have a better understanding of the place (e.g. BukitBrown.com)
5. Do bring water, light snacks, poncho/umbrella, sunhat and waterproof your electronics.
6. Please go to the toilet before coming. There are NO facilities anywhere there or nearby.
Tour highlights and photos of 28 Sept’14 Battlefield Tour with Jon Cooper.
They came and they were engaged, held spell bound as Jon Cooper weaved a story of WW 2 so little heard with wit, verve and boundless energy in the only way he knows how. Complementary narratives from both sides of the battle and heart warming vignettes of the women who were prisoners of war and who met in a bitter sweet reunion earlier this year in the beautiful bungalow of the Lee Family on Sime Road which had served as the Japanese Headquarters.
While undertaking a make over of the bungalow, the owner of the bungalow, discovered beneath the white paint, the green which is the hallmark of military installations and so what was unraveled was the place and location of what the diaries of prisoners of war in the Battlefield at Bukit Brown referred to as the “Green” house.
Look out for the once a month guided walk by Jon Cooper, usually on the last Sunday of the month and experience what the participants of this tour learned of a Singapore under Japanese occupation, one fine Sunday morning in September.
Thanks to Oh Li Li and Emily Xu for sharing their FB album of the guided walk here and here
=============================================
UPDATE: 24 Sept, 2014,
***We will cancel the tour should AQI/PM2.5 reach 100.
Kindly check this post this Sunday 28 Sept before the guided walk at 8am for any updates if there is cancellation because of the haze. No further personal notifications will be given This also serves as reminder and if you are unable to make it please, inform us as we have a long waiting list. Thank you***
As for 3 September,14 this guided walk is now fully subscribed. Those interested can still apply to be on a wait list. Thank you for your interest and for those who have had notification that they have confirmed places, please note there will be no further reminders. We request you check this blog post should there be any last minute updates. Please also inform us if you are unable to make it for any unforeseen reasons so we can release your place to those on the wait list
Once more into the fray. As we prepare for Liberation’70 next year, the anniversary of end of Japanese Occupation of Singapore and peace once more in the second theatre of World War 2 in the region, join Jon Cooper, historian and archaeologist on the Adam Road Project for :
The Battlefield tour
Sunday Sept 28th’14, 9.30am – 12pm
Meeting point at the pedestrian bridge on Sime Road entering Bukit Brown, opposite the SICC traffic light. Tour Ends at 12 pm in the grounds of Bukit Brown.
Leave a comment on this post to register for the tour with your name and you may register for up to 4 pax. Please note as spaces are limited to 18, please make sure you and your companions can attend and inform us early for cancellations as this tour is highly popular. It is suitable for children from 4 years upwards.
The size is kept small for safety reasons and for ideal interaction as Jon shares the maps, photos and stories of the battles. All things Bukit Brown is only the organizer as we support the work that Jon and his team are doing out of respect for our common heritage.
Disclaimer: By agreeing to take this walking tour of Bukit Brown Cemetery, I understand and accept that I must be physically fit and able to do so.To the extent permissible by law, I agree to assume any and all risk of injury or bodily harm to myself and persons in my care (including child or ward). The route is not difficult, still good hardy footwear is highly recommended and depending on the weather it can be hot, so please wear sunscreen, a hat is advisable and plenty of drinking water. Be prepared as well for rain, bring umbrella and ponchos and Jon will assess whether the tour will continue should it get too heavy and there is lightning.
****
About WW 2 at Bukit Brown
On Feb 15, 1942, Singapore fell just one week after Japanese forces landed. As they headed down south, fierce battles were fought in the Adam Park area and the fighting extended to Bukit Brown, then known as Cemetery Hill.
“On the evening of 14th February 1942, the rolling hills of the Bukit Brown Cemetery were suddenly engulfed in a barrage of flame and fire. It appeared like scene from Dante’s ‘Inferno’. ”
Jon Cooper, the battlefield archaeologist behind The Adam Park Project, wrote this gripping account as he retraced the battle ground route with all things Bukit Brown.
This is your chance to brush up on your history. Jon Cooper will take you through the paces. Don’t miss his energetic retracing of the movements on both sides, as we commemorate the fallen. You will be expected to do some walking in the sun, so wear good walking shoes and bring snacks and water. The tour ends at the Bukit Brown Cemetery, where you will see the graves among which the soldiers sheltered and fought.
Jon’s post on his interest in Bukit Brown and the missing soldiers is here.
For a visual guide to your route, cartographer Mok Ly Ying has done this wonderful guide map for you.
Previous tour reports here:
July 22 2012 tour here and here
June 17 2012 Father’s Day Special
*****
To help you plan your Sunday morning and enjoy the tour, you can follow this map of a previous one: https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=208524362450694978161.0004cc9d065f2a171893d&msa=0&ll=1.336901,103.817351&spn=0.003566,0.005681
Jon conducts the Battlefield Tour when time permits. For other war-related stories, you can join tours by All Things Bukit Brown on the heritage tours.
There will be 2 morning guided walks this Sun 31 August.
Disclaimer: By agreeing to take this walking tour of Bukit Brown Cemetery, I understand and accept that I must be physically fit and able to do so.To the extent permissible by law, I agree to assume any and all risk of injury or bodily harm to myself and persons in my care (including child or ward)
Meeting Point for all Guided Walks: At the Bukit Brown entrance gates at end of Lorong Halwa
Time: 9 am- 11.30am (please make sure you are on the right guided walk you signed up for)
1) New Theme : The Bukit Brown Perspective of ” Civil Society”
When it came to governing their colony, Singapore, the British adopted a laissez faire approach. This meant that when it came to support services to uplift the lot of the masses, it was left to the initiative of individuals and “grassroots organizations’ in the form of temples, clans and the kongsi to take care of their own.
Join brownies Claire, Fabian and Catherine as they trace the networks of a nascent “civil society” at the turn of the 20th century colonial Singapore – one which took care of a myriad of social issues such as education, health and the welfare of abused of children and women and the shaping of the sanctity of customary marriages. Who were these people and community groups and what motivated them to step up to the plate?
This is a newly minted guided walk and we are capping the numbers of pax to 30.
The Brownies are dedicating this guided walk to Civil Society in Singapore, today, to thank them for what they do with the hope they will be inspired to continue and to grow.
Helpful tips and Important information on how to get there Please read if it is your first visit to Bukit Brown
http://bukitbrown.com/
Registration:
Our weekend public tours are FREE …
Optimally the group size is 30 participants (15 individuals/guide).
Please click ‘Join’ on the FB event page to let us know you are coming, how many pax are turning up, or just meet us at the starting point. We meet there rain or shine or exhumations.
2) Escapades: Heritage Guided Walk
Organised by a new meetup group, and supported by brownies, Bianca and Keng Kiat, this guided walk is at the moment fully subscribed. But if you would like to place yourself on a waitlist please go their website to register here
About Bukit Brown:
The Bukit Brown area is about 233 hectares in extent, bordered by Lornie Road, Thomson Road and the Pan-Island Expressway. It lies just to the south of the Central Catchment Forest, being separated from it by Lornie Road and includes Singapore’s only Chinese Municipal Cemetery. With more than 100,000 graves, Bukit Brown is also one of the largest Chinese cemeteries outside of China.
Don’t forget to bask in the peaceful surrounds, and also chat with your guides and make friends with other participants. We are amateurs and volunteers, but we are passionate and serious about what we do at Bukit Brown, and we encourage sharing of knowledge.
Here is a map of the grounds:
http://bukitbrown.com/
==========================
Please take note:
1. We will be walking mainly on paved roads. But there are hill treks so dress appropriately, especially your footwear.
2. Wear light breathable clothing. Long pants and long sleeves if you are prone to insect bites or sunburn. Bring sunblock and natural insect repellent.
3. Wear comfortable non-slip shoes as safety is important. Walking sticks are recommended.
4. Do read up on Bukit Brown before going so you have a better understanding of the place (e.g. BukitBrown.com)
5. Do bring water, light snacks, poncho/umbrella, sunhat and waterproof your electronics.
6. Please go to the toilet before coming. There are NO facilities anywhere there or nearby.
The road to “civil society” (photo public domain)
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