24 students from Alec Hunter School, Braintree visited Singapore and New Zealand to gain a greater understanding of the war in the Far East and to explore the contribution made by New Zealand forces in twentieth century conflict. The group visited a number of key sites in Singapore and heard first hand accounts from Veterans of the Japanese occupation. In New Zealand the group learnt about the role of New Zealand forces in the Second World War, including the famous 28th Maori Battalion and had the opportunity to meet Commonwealth veterans. They also took part in key commemorative events to celebrate Anzac Day, which honours Commonwealth servicemen and women who have been involved in twentieth century conflict.
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Singapore and New Zealand Itinerary
Singapore and New Zealand Itinerary
Below is the itinerary that was followed by pupils on their two-week visit.
If you would like to find out more about the places to visit on an educational trip to Singapore and New Zealand please see the ‘Places to visit in Singapore and New Zealand’ section below.
Singapore and New Zealand Itinerary
Day 1 (Singapore)
Day 2 (Singapore)
Day 3 (Singapore)
- Half-day morning city tour – including the Esplanade, the Financial District, Chinatown, Singapore Botanic Gardens and Sri Mariamman Temple
- Tour of Sentosa Island
Day 4 (Singapore)
- Full day of guided visits – including the Battle Box Museum, Reflections at Bukit Chandu and Kranji War Cemetery and Memorial
Day 5 (Singapore)
• Full day of guided visits – including Changi Prison, Museum and Chapel and Johore Battery
• Afternoon tea at home of the British Defence Attaché in Singapore
Day 6 (Singapore and transfer to New Zealand)
- Ngee Ann City shopping trip
- Travel to New Zealand
Day 7 (New Zealand)
Day 8 (New Zealand)
- A visit to Te Papa Tongawera - Museum of New Zealand
- A visit to Wright’s Hill Fortress
Day 9 (New Zealand)
- Morning Tea at the Ministry of Culture and Heritage
- A visit to New Zealand National War Memorial
- A visit to Karori Cemetery
- A tour of Parliament Buildings
Day 10 (New Zealand)
- New Zealand Army Museum
- Travel to Rotorua
Day 11 (New Zealand – Rotorua)
- A geological Tour Waimangu Volcanic Valley, Rotorua
Day 12 (New Zealand – Rotorua / Auckland)
- A visit to Rotorua Museum
- Travel to Auckland
Day 13 (New Zealand – Auckland)
- Participation in Anzac Day Dawn Ceremony at Auckland Museum
Day 14 (New Zealand – Auckland)
- A visit to New Zealand Naval Memorial Museum
- A visit to Sky Tower in Auckland
Day 15 (New Zealand – Auckland)
Day 16 (New Zealand – Auckland)
- Full day of activities at Auckland Museum
Day 17
Day 18
Places to Visit in Singapore
If you are planning a visit to Singapore to learn about the Second World War visit some of the places described below. You could also visit the following websites for further information:
http://www.visitsingapore.com
http://www.sentosa.com.sg/
Disclaimer:
All the sites listed are checked regularly. However, the changing nature of the Internet means that some sites may alter after we have visited them. Their Past Your Future is not responsible for the content of external websites.
Battle Box Museum
Address: 51 Canning Rise, Singapore, 179872
Tel: (65) 6333 0510
Website: http://www.legendsfortcanning.com/fortcanning/battlebox.htm
This used to be the largest underground military operations complex in Singapore during the Second World War. Witness the drama of British surrender to the Japanese, as wax figurines, video and audio effects re-create exactly what happened on 15 February 1942.
Changi Prison
Address: 1000, Upper Changi Road North, Singapore
Tel: (65) 6214 2451
Website: http://www.changimuseum.com/
The Changi Museum was relocated to its new home on 15 February 2001 and was officially opened by the Trade and Industry Minister BG George Yeo. This date was also chosen to coincide with the 59th Anniversary of the fall of Singapore to the Japanese in 1942. The new Changi Museum replaces the Old Changi Prison Chapel and Museum (built in 1988) that was relocated to its current site to make way for the expansion of Changi Prison.
Johore Battery
Address: Cosford Road, off Upper Changi Road North
Tel: (65) 6546 9897
Website: Johore Battery
Built by the British in 1939 for the defence of Singapore, the Johore Battery is a gun emplacement site consisting of a labyrinth of tunnels. The tunnels were used to store ammunition to support three monster guns that could fire 15-inch shells.
The guns were the largest installed outside Britain during World War II. They were destroyed before the surrender of the British Army and the tunnels were sealed up after the war. The location remained a secret until the Singapore Prisons Department rediscovered them in April 1991. Today, replicas of the monster gun and 15-inch shell sit at the Johore Battery.
Kranji War Cemetery
Address: 9 Woodlands Road, Singapore
Tel: (65) 6269 6158
Website: http://www.petrowilliamus.co.uk/kranji/war/war.htm
Kranji is situated on a hill in the north of Singapore Island, not far from the Causeway connecting Singapore to Johor Bahru. Pre-World War Two, Kranji was a British military camp, with a large ammunition dump. Close by is the mouth of the Kranji River, where the Japanese Imperial Guards Division landed on 9th February 1942, the day after the landings at Sarimbun.
Following the Japanese occupation of Singapore, Kranji became a POW camp, with a POW hospital close by at Woodlands. A cemetery for prisoners was started at Kranji and after the war, in 1946, it was decided to move war graves from Changi, Buona Vista and other cemeteries to Kranji which would be designated as Singapore’s War Cemetery. Graves were also moved to Kranji from as far afield as Saigon where they could not be maintained. Graves from the Christian Bidadari Cemetery were also later moved to Kranji.
Ngee Ann City
Address: 391 Orchard Road, Singapore, 238873
Tel: (65) 6739 9323
Website: http://www.ngeeanncity.com.sg/index.html
This shopping mall with the reddish-brown polished granite façade is one of South-east Asia's largest, housing Japanese giant chain store, Takashimaya and Asia's largest bookstore, Books Kinokuniya. Seven floors accommodate about 130 speciality stores retailing sporting goods, stationery, jewellery and designer clothes.
Reflections at Bukit Chandu
Address: 31-K Pepys Road, Singapore 118458
Tel: (65) 6375 25102565106375 2510 6375 25106375 2510
Website: http://www.s1942.org.sg/bukit_chandu/homepage.htm
This Interpretative Centre commemorates the gallantry and sacrifice of men of the 1st and 2nd Battalion Malay Regiment who defended the Western sector of Singapore in February 1942.
Sentosa Island
Website: http://www.sentosa.com.sg/
The word "Sentosa" means peaceful or rest in Malay and it is becoming an appropriate name for the nearest and largest island just to the south of Singapore.
First used by the British as a garrison for the purpose of guarding Singapore from naval attack, the island has been the subject of intense development for a number of years.
Initial development seemed targeted towards the local market as a place to go for the weekend or school outing. British military installations were transformed into museums and educational sites and a number of leisure attractions were added.
Although not a theme park, more international calibre attractions have been added over the years including an Underwater World, a 54-hole golf course and a Butterfly Park.
Singapore Botanic Gardens
Address: Singapore Botanic Gardens, 1 Cluny Road, Singapore 259569
Tel: (65) 6471 7361
Website: http://www.sbg.org.sg/index.asp
The Gardens are spread over 52 hectares and close to the centre of the city. The Gardens are a combination of untouched primary forest and specialty gardens displaying frangipanis, roses, ferns and desert plants, to name but a few. There are numerous plant species here, including many rare specimens.
The present orchid enclosure has 20,000 orchid plants on display. The National Orchid Garden includes sprawling orchid displays, water features and an exotic bromeliad collection from Central and South America. Other attractions for visitors' enjoyment include Palm Valley, Eco-Lake and outdoor concerts on Symphony Lake.
Singapore City
Website: http://www.visitsingapore.com
Singapore City is the largest island alongside 63 others that make up Singapore state. Here, especially at the mouth of the Singapore River, Asian tradition meets modern technology – gleaming skyscrapers tower over traditional architecture, while squat Chinese and Hindu temples stud the city.
Places to Visit in New Zealand
If you are planning a visit to New Zealand to learn about the Second World War visit some of the places described below. You could also visit the following websites for further information:
http://www.newzealand.com
http://www.new-zealand-travel-guide.com
Disclaimer:
All the sites listed are checked regularly. However, the changing nature of the Internet means that some sites may alter after we have visited them. Their Past Your Future is not responsible for the content of external websites.
Auckland War Memorial Museum
Address: Domain Drive, The Domain, Parnell, Auckland, New Zealand
Tel: +64 9 309 0443
Website: http://www.aucklandmuseum.com/
Auckland War Memorial Museum tells the story of New Zealand, from the unique flora and fauna and the history of war, to the priceless collection of Maori and Pacific treasures. The Museum’s galleries showcase the natural, cultural, and social history of New Zealand. For children, two award-winning Discovery Centres provide hands-on fun and exploration of the natural world and human culture.
Karori Cemetery
Address: 76 Old Karori Road, Karori
Tel: (04) 476 6109
Website: http://www.cwgc.org/cwgcinternet/cemetery_details.aspx?emetery=70989&mode=1
This cemetery is on Karori Road, in the north-western part of Wellington. There are separate 1914-1918 and 1939-1945 services' areas within the public cemetery. Within the cemetery is the Wellington Provincial Memorial, which takes the form of a marble archway connecting the original Services' Cemetery with the extension, which was laid out later. This memorial commemorates service people from the Wellington Military District who died in the 1914-1918 and 1939-1945 Wars and who have no known grave. Also in the cemetery is the Wellington (Karori) Crematorium. The names of 15 casualties from the 1939-1945 War, whose remains were cremated and the ashes scattered, are engraved on a plaque set into the Servicemen's Columbarium Wall in the services' section of the cemetery.
Museum of New Zealand (Te Papa Tongawera)
Address: Cable Street, Wellington, New Zealand
Tel: +64 (04) 381 7000
Website: http://www.tepapa.govt.nz/TePapa/English/
Te Papa provides museum services that contribute to the Government's outcome of preserving and presenting the taonga (treasures) of the New Zealand peoples. It interprets the heritage of New Zealand for national and international audiences, and helps to establish New Zealand’s place in the world through contextualising the heritage of New Zealand within the heritage of other cultures.
New Zealand Army Museum
Address: Corner State Highway One and Hassett Drive, Waiouru, New Zealand
Tel: +64 6 387 6911
Website: http://www.armymuseum.co.nz/
At the New Zealand Army Museum, visitors can engage with real life soldiers' stories, discover New Zealand's military history, learn the campaigns of the NZ Army, and reflect on how conflict has shaped the nation.
New Zealand National War Memorial
Address: Buckle Street, Wellington
Tel: +64(04) 385 2496
Website: http://www.nationalwarmemorial.govt.nz/
New Zealand's National War Memorial consists of the War Memorial Carillon and the Hall of Memories. It commemorates the New Zealanders who gave their lives in the South African War, World Wars One and Two and the wars in Korea, Malaysia and Vietnam. An unknown New Zealand warrior is interred in a specially constructed Tomb at the National War Memorial.
New Zealand Naval Memorial Museum/Devonport Naval Base
Address: Spring Street, Devonport, Auckland
Website: http://www.navy.mil.nz/visit-the-base/default.htm
Within the Royal New Zealand Navy there are many land-based facilities and services required to support ships and personnel. Shore based support is predominantly based at the Devonport Naval Base, Auckland.
Overlooking Auckland Harbour, HMNZS Philomel is the home of Naval Support Services. This incorporates the Navy Museum at Spring Street, Devonport, which is open to the public.
Parliament Buildings
Address: Parliament Buildings, Wellington
Tel: (04) 471 9458
Website: http://www.parliament.govt.nz/
Parliament has an Open House programme for visitors, with professional guides leading the tour groups. Some of the highlights are: Parliament House, select committee rooms, the debating chamber of the House of Representatives, the Victorian Gothic Parliamentary Library and Reading Room and the Legislative Council Chamber, where the upper house met until 1951. When the House is not sitting, visitors can be taken to the floor of the debating chamber.
The tours describe the political system, weaving history and politics together showing how law and public policies are made. Tours also cover art, culture, technology, and the many stories that bring Parliament to life.
In Parliament House, there is a Visitor Centre, which includes a shop and visitors are welcome to purchase gifts and souvenirs.
Rotorua
Address: 1167 Fenton Street, Private Bag 3007, Rotorua, New Zealand (Visitor Information Centre Physical Address)
Tel: +64 7 348 5179
Website: http://www.rotoruanz.com/home.asp
Rotorua’s reputation as a natural spa destination dates back 160 years. The traditional mineral pools, are still firm favourites. Options for today’s visitors seeking relaxation, revitalisation and rejuvenation can also include a wide range of health, beauty and spa treatments based on local mineral and geothermal resources.
Rotorua Museum
Address: Rotorua Museum, Private Bag, Government Gardens, Rotorua
Tel: +64 7 349 4350
Website: http://www.rotoruanz.com/rotorua_museum/home.asp
As winner of ‘Best Heritage Attraction’ at the 2000, 2001 & 2002 New Zealand Tourism Awards, Rotorua Museum is the perfect place to start exploring Rotorua.
The museum deals with the people, culture and volcanic landscape of Rotorua.
Sky Tower
Address: Sky City Complex, Victoria and Federal Streets
Tel: 09 363 6422 /6000
Website: http://www.skytower.co.nz/
At 328 metres Sky Tower is the tallest tower in the Southern Hemisphere, offering breath-taking views for more than 80 kilometres in every direction.
Waimangu Volcanic Valley, Rotorua
Address: PO Box 6141, Rotorua, New Zealand
Tel: +64 7 366 6137
Website: http://www.waimangu.co.nz/
Waimangu Volcanic Valley and Lake Rotomahana are located 20 minutes south of the Rotorua Township, or 45 minutes north of Taupo, in the North Island of New Zealand.
In 1886, Mount Tarawera in Rotorua erupted and destroyed the surrounding area. The eruption opened the earth along a 17km line, splitting Mount Tarawera in two, exploding Lake Rotomahana to 20 times its original size, and forming the seven craters that today make up the Waimangu Volcanic Valley.
Wright Hill Fortress
Address: Wrights Hill Road, Karori, Wellington 6005
Tel: +64(04) 476 8593 (Chairman)
Website: http://www.whfrs.org.nz/
Built during World War Two, the Fortress consists of an underground network of tunnels, operation rooms and three gun emplacements. Society members take the public on a one hour long guided tour on Open Days. The public can also wander around with the help of a free history pamphlet and map. The experience is fascinating for people of all ages and gives adults and children alike an insight into the measures taken to protect New Zealand during World War Two.
