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Many of the Regiment who had fought and had to retreat through Malaya to Singapore were then subject to the surrender by General Percival, Chief of the British and Commonwealth forces on the island. The decision to surrender has been a controversial one. On the one hand he did so to save lives of his forces and the civilian population of Singapore. On the other he did so to a smaller force than expected and to the surprise of the Japanese. Far from saving the lives of the inhabitants, many would die at the hands of the occupiers.
Following the ‘Fall of Singapore’ accounts of treatment by the Japanese are limited to personal memoirs and biographies and contributions to official histories. Losses on the Burma-Thai Railway alone are estimated at 12,000. Units like 137 Regt lost about two thirds of their number to maltreatment and war casualties. The Imperial War Museum records not only the stories of individuals and Units imprisoned on the Island but also those who lost their lives on transport ships either as a result of appalling conditions on board, or the colossal loss life from sinking by Allied Naval Forces. It’s estimated that around 11,000 died en route to forced labour camps in Japan and Japanese territory. A total of 23 ships were sunk on those diabolical journeys.
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