Changes

The Japanese had prepared for the invasion of Singapore with a heavy bombardment. They began their amphibious landings on the north-west of the island, where the Strait of Johore is narrowest. This area was held by the Australian 22nd Infantry Brigade but late on the night of 8 February the Japanese made their way through undefended sections.

The Japanese had prepared for the invasion of Singapore with a heavy bombardment. They began their amphibious landings on the north-west of the island, where the Strait of Johore is narrowest. This area was held by the Australian 22nd Infantry Brigade but late on the night of 8 February the Japanese made their way through undefended sections.

By midnight, the two Australian brigades had lost communications with each other, and the 22nd Brigade carried out a premature withdrawal according to Professor Brian P. Farrell in the documentary ''No Prisoners'' (Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Four Corners series, 2002). In the same documentary Major John Wyett, a 8th Division staff officer, claims the commander of the Australian 22nd Brigade, Brigadier Harold Burfield Taylor cracked under the pressure and says, ''"Taylor was wandering around rather like a man in a sleep walk. He was utterly, utterly, you know, shell-shocked and not able to do very much."''

By midnight, the two Australian brigades had lost communications with each other, and the 22nd Brigade carried out a premature withdrawal according to Professor Brian P. Farrell in the documentary ''No Prisoners'' (Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Four Corners series, 2002). In the same documentary Major John Wyett, a 8th Division staff officer, claims the commander of the Australian 22nd Brigade, Brigadier Harold Burfield Taylor cracked under the pressure and says, ''"Taylor was wandering around rather like a man in a sleep walk. He was utterly, utterly, you know, shell-shocked and not able to do very much."'' Clifford Kinvig, a senior lecturer at Sandhurst Royal Military Academy, also points the finger of blame at Brigadier Duncan Maxwell, commander of the Australian 27th Brigade for his defeatist attitude and for not properly defending the sector between the Causeway and the Kranji River.

Twenty-four hours later a second Japanese landing force struck between the Causeway and the mouth of the Kranji River, an area held by the Australian 27th Infantry Brigade. By the morning of 10 February there were Japanese troops on most of north-west Singapore.  

Twenty-four hours later a second Japanese landing force struck between the Causeway and the mouth of the Kranji River, and made rapid progress. By the morning of 10 February there were Japanese troops on most of north-west Singapore.  

The British, Indian and Australian troops tried to hold the Japanese at various defensive lines but after two days many of their depleted battalions had to be reorganized into composite units. A counter-attack on 10-11 February failed and on 12 February General H Gordon Bennett, the Australian commander, began moving his battle weary 8th Division AIF units into a perimeter just a few kilometres out of the city. By the next day the Japanese were within five kilometres of the Singapore waterfront. The entire city was now within range of Japanese artillery.  

The British, Indian and Australian troops tried to hold the Japanese at various defensive lines but after two days many of their depleted battalions had to be reorganized into composite units. According to Peter Elphick's book ''Singapore The Pregnable Fortress'', the 2/18th Australian Infantry Battalion had lost more than half of its personnel, killed, wounded, captured or through desertions. A counter-attack on 10-11 February failed and on 12 February General H Gordon Bennett, the Australian commander, began moving his battle weary 8th Division AIF units into a perimeter just a few kilometres out of the city. By the next day the Japanese were within five kilometres of the Singapore waterfront. The entire city was now within range of Japanese artillery.  

By 14 February the Japanese had captured Singapore's reservoirs and pumping stations. The air attacks, fighting and artillery bombardments continued; many of the troops, separated from their units, wandered around aimlessly and the hospitals were crowded and overflowing. Some troops were deserting and others had become separated from their units. Private Duncan Ferguson of the ''Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Regiment'', claims Australian deserters were pushing women off the gangways to get aboard the departing ships evacuating the European civilians<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/specials/noprisoners/transcript.htm 4C Special: No Prisoners]</ref>, and other witnesses reporting that many other deserters were drunk, raping the local Malay and Chinese women.<ref>"'The greater part of the Australian infantry were undisciplined,' observed Bradell, who say swarms of deserters, many drunk, struggling to get on to the ships that would take them away. Other witnesses reported Australians bullying their way on to boats, looting and raping Malay and Chinese women. These reports were read by Churchill and then withheld from public scrutiny for fifty years, no doubt to satisfy Australian sensibilities. Churchill and Empire, Lawrence James, Hachette, 2013</ref>  

By 14 February the Japanese had captured Singapore's reservoirs and pumping stations. The air attacks, fighting and artillery bombardments continued; many of the troops, separated from their units, wandered around aimlessly and the hospitals were crowded and overflowing. Some troops were deserting and others had become separated from their units. Private Duncan Ferguson of the ''Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Regiment'', claims Australian deserters were pushing women off the gangways to get aboard the departing ships evacuating the European civilians<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/specials/noprisoners/transcript.htm 4C Special: No Prisoners]</ref>, and other witnesses reporting that many other deserters were drunk, raping the local Malay and Chinese women.<ref>"'The greater part of the Australian infantry were undisciplined,' observed Bradell, who say swarms of deserters, many drunk, struggling to get on to the ships that would take them away. Other witnesses reported Australians bullying their way on to boats, looting and raping Malay and Chinese women. These reports were read by Churchill and then withheld from public scrutiny for fifty years, no doubt to satisfy Australian sensibilities. Churchill and Empire, Lawrence James, Hachette, 2013</ref>