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

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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.

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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 28 2013 tour

May 26 2013 tour

Oct 21 2012 tour

July 22 2012 tour here and here 

June 17 2012 Father’s Day Special

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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.