THE FALL OF SINGAPORE IN 1942
Having just returned from Singapore, where I was fortunate enough to view both the World War II fortifications at Fort Siloso and the excellent exhibition on the fall and occupation of Singapore at the National Museum of Singapore, I was reminded that, after initial air attacks in December 1941, Singapore fell after 7 days of fighting on 15 February 1942, just over 80 years ago. While the gun emplacements at Fort Siloso were primarily designed to repel a sea attack from the south, and contrary to certain mythology that the guns were useless in the subsequent invasion, the guns were turned 180 degrees to fire across the island to support Allied troops who were resisting the rapidly advancing Japanese forces. Ion Idriess, in his book “The Silent Service’,1 describes the rescue of hundreds of troops by HMAS Yarra, HMAS Wollongong, HMAS Bendigo and HMIS Jumna from the sinking ‘Empress of Asia’ in the initial air attacks and the amazing work that the medical staff, such as SBA Jim Walsh of HMAS Bendigo, did in treating badly wounded and burnt soldiers pulled from the water that day. Much of this selfless work has not been recognised or has been forgotten over the last 80 years and bears reflecting on as geopolitical tensions rise again in Asia and other parts of the world.
Our third issue of 2022 contains a diverse range of articles from ADF organisational capacity, health and fitness training, and traumatic encephalopathy through to excellent articles on resilience, transition from the military and psychotherapy in veterans. There is also an enlightening article on the first Australian to provide dental services to troops on active service. We continue to attract a good range of articles, including from overseas, as is demonstrated in this issue with articles from Canada, Colombia, Spain and the United States. Other military and veterans’ health articles, however, are always very welcome, and we would encourage all our readers to consider writing on their areas of military or veterans’ health interest. We would particularly welcome papers based on presentations given at or planned for our 2022 conferences, but welcome any articles across the broader spectrum of military health.
Dr Andy Robertson, CSC, PSMCommodore, RAN
Editor-in-Chief
