A few weeks ago, I republished Singapore to Freedom, Oswald Wellington Gilmour’s account of his escape from Singapore in 1942 during WWII. In 1950, he wrote a sequel to that book, With Freedom to Singapore, which outlines his return to island as part of the British effort to re-establish the colony and reconstruct after the damage caused by the war.
Anyone with an interest in South-East Asia and Singapore’s history from 1942-1950 will find With Freedom to Singapore chock-full of invaluable insights, offering, as it does, a detailed on-the-ground assessment of the island’s social and civil structures at the time. To quote the original 1950 edition’s blurb on the dust jacket:
Recent events show that the disturbing effects of the last war have been as serious in Malaya as in any country in the Far East. This book will prove of exceptional value to anyone who wishes to form an estimate of the present position in a country terrorised by bandits and torn by factions groping after some new political formula. It forms a backdrop to the day-to-day news from Singapore.
But it may also be read for the story told here of a highly important task that faced the War Office after the fall of Singapore. The author carries his account from the early stages of the backroom planning to the last days of the Japanese occupation. He describes the Malayan scene following the arrival of the Allies; he tells us of the British effort to set the country on its feet again; and he weighs up the uncertainties of the future in the light of his twenty years’ experience in the crossroads of South-East Asia.
With Freedom to Singapore will revive old memories among those who have served in the Far East, and it will help to clarify the social and administrative problems of those who are serving there today.
Availability of With Freedom to Singapore
With Freedom to Singapore is now available as a paperback and Kindle book from Amazon sites, including: amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.sg (paperback only) and amazon.com.au.
If the subject interests you, check out David Hope’s @singapore1942 Twitter feed (and older website), as well as the Shadows of the Empire podcast.