Queen Street, Heart of Singapore War time

Rudy Mosbergen, 1956 Melborne

Rudy would have been 11 yrs or older during 1941. In 1935, he was sent to CHIJ Kindergarten at age 5, and enrolled in St Joseph’s Institution (SJI) through St Joseph Primary. By mid of 1941, the impending war was looming and Rudy’s parents had an air raid shelter erected in their house at Queen Street.


The Singapore Volunteer Corps were also mobilized in 1941. Various units of European, Eurasian and Chinese reported first at the Drill Hall along Beach Road and then were assigned garrison duties across the island. Rudy’s neighbor, Private Joe Grosse, a volunteer was called up but did not survive the war. Corporal Benet Nerva and Corporal Kenny Eber, whom were in the Cathedral choir with Rudy, was also mobilized but survived the war. The Singapore Volunteers did not engage the Japanese in Malaya but only saw action in Singapore.

Even during this period, every Sunday there was the Regimental Military Brass Band or the Singapore Police Force Brass Band playing at the Waterloo Bandstand which was located near the Raffles Museum. The Britannia Club behind Capitol Theatre was for OR in the British Army. Indian Officers and sepoys were not allowed in. British Army officers mess was located in Tanglin Barracks and in Fort Canning. There were also more restaurants serving western style food to cater for the newly arriving military forces. Names such as Mooi Chin along North Bridge Rd, Tiong Wah and Hock Loke Kee ( renamed Rendezvous Restaurant) along Bras Basah Rd were run mainly by Hainanese Chefs; serving steaks, salads, fried rice, sweet sour pork and sago puddings.

Shortly before December 1941, the public had undergone emergency drills for enemy air-raids. The population would have accustomed to the sound of wailing sirens including the “take cover” and “all clear” signals. Rudy was taught simple first aid exercise. Even the cadets at SJI and RI (Raffles Institutions) were taught weapons training without ammunitions. The ARP and MAS which was the air raid precaution units and medical auxiliary services were engaging the people in fire-fighting exercises and red cross activities.

At the time of the surrender of Singapore, Sunday 15th February 1942, Rudy, with his Dad and his Grandfather continued to attend the 8am High Mass at the Catholic Cathedral of the Good Shepherd. The Church was practically empty with only two families in attendance with the celebrant, Fr Michael Bonamy. Just as the mass ended, they have to rush home as the air raid sounded. Bombs landed in SJI but missed the chapel and the Brothers’ quarters, one landed in front of the Cathedral and one landed on the town convent, killing Mrs Paulo and Mrs Nora De Souza who have taken refuge there. They must have been the last civilians killed in the Battle of Singapore.

Extracted from “In the grip of a crisis – The experiences of a teenager during the Japanese Occupation of Singapore 1942-45”, by Rudy Mosbergen.