Kranji Deadly Reservoir

 

• You will get to see three number #1 events at this stop.  (1) the first landing of the Japanese invaders to Singapore.  (2) the first victory for the Allied troops by ambushing the landing enemies with oil spill on the water, lit up the oil and barbequed hundreds of them alive while crossing the water!  (3) the first high causality defeat to the Japanese in their war in Asia Pacific.  All these happened at the Kranji Reservoir Park that is now designated as a historical battle memorial site by NHB.  Our bus will pass through the bridge across the dam of Kranji reservoir from Neo Tiew Road.  A 15 minutes stop-by will be given at the Park where you can stroll along the coast, feel the atmosphere of hundreds of human flesh roasted into charcoal as if it was 60 years ago.  Nevertheless, it may be the right time for us to go toilet in the middle of the tour at the Reservoir Park.

Ghoulish spots to see about

• The stretch of water where the Japanese troops burnt to death
• Beautiful coastline looking out to Johor
• Historical Site of Kranji Beach Battle
• Kranji reservoir and its dam facility
• Empty playground that used to be the British combat defense line
   

Ghoulish information to learn from

Japanese Troops Death Account #1

The infamous "Human Torches".
I had heard stories of how the desperate British defenders at the naval base had released thousands of gallons of oil from the storage tanks into the Straits of Johor and set it on fire.  By doing so they had hoped to prevent Japanese troops from making a landing along the northern coast of Singapore.  Many Japanese troops had died from burns as they attempted to cross the flaming straits from Johor on February 10 and 11, 1942.  Others, with their uniforms on fire, ran on to the beaches like 'human torches' before they, too, died.  -- Source: "There Are Ghosts Everywhere in Singapore", Vol. 2, The Publishing Consultant.

Japanese Troops Death Account #2

Same instance, but published elsewhere...

Huge Oil Tanks set fire onto the sea.
Lieut. A. B. Watchorn, was an Australian Sapper officer of the 27th Brigade who was in charge of the blowing up of the oil depot at Kranji.  The truck bringing the explosives came under shell fire, and itself blew up.  Swiftly and silently, Watchorn and his sabotage squad set their explosives.  The valves of the oil tanks in the yard were then opened so that the oil could run to waste.  As the black torrent poured out the charges blew up and set it aflame.

Flowing out into the Strait, it met the incoming tide, which carried it up the Kranji River into the slimy swamps where so many Japs were still stranded.  A lot of them burned to death in this flood of fire.  -- Source: "The Fall of Singapore" by Frank Owen, Penguin History.

Japanese Troops Death Account #3

On 10 Feb, the Japanese suffered one of their major losses at the Kranji River.  The Imperial Guards while moving up the Kranji River at midnight, got bogged down in the mangrove swamps and lost in its tributaries.  Many died when they were burned by the flaming oil from demolished fuel tanks which gushed into the water.

General Nishimura, the Commanding General of the Imperial Guards, wanted to withdraw in panic, but was reprimanded by Yamashita.  However, through a misunderstanding of orders, the defending Australians started withdrawing from the Causeway sector, giving the invaders the liberty to move further inland.  -- Source: "Fortress Singapore - The Battlefield Guide" published by Times.

Rumours

Many people were drown in Kranji?  -- Source: aiyah, heard of it many times lah!
No barbeque or smoking in the area.  Why?  Any spark of flame will agitate the ghosts who died of being burnt alive while trapped in the sea of fire.  They could never rest in peace, as they couldn't believe they would die well before they could land in Singapore and kill a single enemy!  Their revengeful spirits are obsessed to kill us, especially if you carry a spark of fire.
 

The Japanese tried to cross the straits by canoe, by walk (repaired causeway), by boat and by bicycles.

Halfway when the troops were in the water, the Allied lid up the slick oil!  Hundreds of Japs burnt to death - Human Torches!


The northern wetland areas used to be a battle site in WW2.  The Japanese eventually landed and occupied there successfully.

Key reason in how we lose the war: Lack of Northern Defenses

Before the invasion, Lt. Gen. Percival, General Officer Commanding, Malaya, had ignored all proposals by his Chief Engineer, Brig. Ivan Simson to shore up the northern defences.  Simson pointed out that all the fixed defences were guarding the south against an invasion from the sea.  He was quite sure that the Japanese assault would come from the north, across the Straits instead.

However, Percival felt that it was bad for the morale of the troops and civilians if such measures were taken.  Percival also believed that the Japanese assault, if it came from the north, would come from the northeast where four batteries of 6- and 15-inch guns provided firepower.  An attack from the peninsula was unthinkable as it would get bogged down in the jungles.  Thus, Singapore was deprived of solid northern defences.

At Kluang, Johore, on 1 Feb, Yamashitta revealed his assault plans to his senior commanders.  The initial thrust would be aimed at the northwestern shoreline.  He tasked the 5th and 18th Divisions for the job.  The Imperial Guards Division would create a diversion in the east (Pulau Ubin) to fool HQ Malaya Command, and heavy artillery bombardment would be directed along the entire northern sector of Singapore to conceal the actual landing areas.   -- Source: "Fortress Singapore - The Battlefield Guide" published by Times.

The morale of the above story - is that arrogant people will fail at the end.  Percival was too confident on his batteries installed in the South and Southeastern, too underestimated the wisdom of the Japanese troops.  The horrible result is both the allied troops and Singapore civilians suffered badly in the defeat of war.  A lesson to be learnt.  And this pointed out one thing, the war actually started in the Northern part of Singapore rather than the Southeastern.  Changi was only used as prisons for the POWs.  Kranji was the actual start of the battlefield.  That is where we will bring our guests to see, the first landing of Japanese invaders...


Drowning in Kranji Reservoir

There have been many drowning cases in Kranji Reservoir, tracing the history from the early Kampong days to recent years.  Throughout the past years, even before WWII, there were many Malaysians smuggled over to Singapore from Johor Straits, drowned and died mysteriously.  furthermore, inside the untouched areas of Sungei Buloh swamps, fierce sea pirates nested there.  They slaughtered unmercifully and robbed the villagers and also the passing-by.  So the area near Kranji Reservoir is badly haunted by demons and restless spirits of the Japanese soldiers as well as the innocent civilians killed by pirates.  At night they will come and look for "substitutes" for those who are at the low in lucks.  Be careful when you go to Kranji Reservoir again, and think twice before you walk near to the water!  The spirits may ambush you to be the next substitute.  You never know what you will encounter or what you will pick up from there!