Singapore's Dunkirk: The Aftermath of the Fall
Geoffrey Brfooke
South Yorkshire: Pen & Sword Military, 2014
ISBN: 9781473822917

When Singapore fell so ignominiously to the Japanese in February 1942 many tens of thousands of men, women and children were left to their own devices. It was truly 'every man for himself'. To stay in Singapore meant certain captivity and every probability of barbarity at the hands of the Japanese that so many tried to escape. This book tells of some of the remarkable and shocking experiences that lay in store for those who chose this option. The only way out was by sea and every sort of craft was pressed into service. Ahead lay terrible dangers; storm, shipwreck, piracy, capture by a merciless enemy, starvation and death through lack of water to name but some. This is a shocking and inspiring book that embraces great courage, extraordinary endurance, appalling atrocities and even cannibalism.

Descent Into Hell: The Fall of Singapore - Pudu and Changi - The Thai-Burma Railway
Peter Brune
Australia: Allen & Unwin, 2014
ISBN: 9781741145342

Descent into Hell is a scrupulously researched and groundbreaking account of one of the most traumatic calamities in Australian history - the Malayan Campaign, the fall of Singapore and the subsequent horrors of the Thai-Burma Railway. Unpicking the myths and legends of the war, Peter Brune goes to the heart of the Australian experience. He describes the shambolic planning by the British in Singapore and the failures and incompetence of some of the Australian command. He debunks the claims about Australian deserters in Singapore, and we learn of the black market in Changi and the beatings, torture and murder on the Thai-Burma Railway.

Here too are stories of the war's many heroes and villains: of officers who looked after their men and optimised their chances of survival, and others who looked after themselves at their men's expense; the heroes of battle who became ineffectual and lost in the camps and on the Railway, and the least liked and least respected battlefield officers who came to be great leaders. And then there are countless acts of kindness and decency performed by one POW for another in the most cruel of circumstances.

Impressive, compelling and rich in human spirit, Descent into Hell is an unprecedented chronicle by one of Australia's finest military historians.

The Invisible Force: Singapore Gurkhas
Chong Zi Liang & Zakaria Zainal
Singapore: Ethos Books, 2014
ISBN: 9789810910990

The Gurkhas need no introduction, with their storied reputation built up over two centuries of battlefield exploits around the world. A unit of these Nepalese warriors have been serving Singapore for more than 65 years, yet precious little is known about them. Indeed, the Gurkha Contingent clashed with communists and militant unions in its early days and continues to protect the island state’s most important places and people even today.

Discover the untold story of the Singapore Gurkha through the eyes of different generations who carried the famed kukri blade: The rigorous, punishing training that forges elite soldiers; the family lives of these paramilitary policemen; and the lengths their sons go to follow in their fathers' footsteps.

Above all, The Invisible Force reveals the loyalty and gratitude the Gurkha has for Singapore, and the struggles he and his family face upon retirement, including an unresolved request for better employment terms.

Battle Story: Singapore 1942
Chris Brown
London: The History Press, 2012
ISBN: 9780752479569

The Fall of Singapore remains a crushing defeat that sent shockwaves around the British Empire during the Second World War. Singapore had always been seen as an impenetrable fortress that would protect the British Empire's stake in the Far East - a legacy of the great days of global dominion. The British Army were aware of the threat to Singapore and Malaya from the first days after Pearl Harbor, but they viewed the Japanese Army as an inferior fighting force, incapable of standing up to the defences and trained troops of the British. Yet, in December 1941 the Japanese launched a swift attack on the Singapore airfields, nearly wiping out the entire fleet of RAF frontline aeroplanes. On 10 December the Japanese also destroyed two of the Royal Navy's premier battleships off the Malay coast. Suddenly, the fate of Singapore rested solely in the hands of the Army. Despite having 90,000 British soldiers posted in Singapore they were quickly overwhelmed by the speed and ferocity of the invading Japanese forces, numbering 75,000 men. The brutality of the Japanese tactics and their sheer ferocity shocked the British and they were soon forced to retreat. By January/February 1942 the British last stand melted away and the Japanese swept into the city, slaughtering those who stood in their way. Over 100,000 men were taken prisoner and many thousands (possibly up to 50,000) residents of the city were massacred. To understand what happened and why read Battle Story.

The Road to Officership
Stanley Chua
Singapore: Shing Lee Publishers, 2012
ISBN: 9789812374837

The Road to Officership is the ultimate self-help manual for anyone who aspires to be an SAF officer. Major (NS) Stanley Chua draws on his acute understanding of human psychology and military life to prescribe a simple and intuitive formula for officership. The result is a manual filled with insightful practical advice on how to exploit your potential and overcome your frailties during military training- simply by taking control of your own thoughts, emotions and actions. For anyone willing to commit personal time and effort, this book will help you master not only the art of officership, but also leadership and survival skills that will stay with you for life. The book is written and based on the true experience of the author’s many years of service in the SAF which consist of experiences on the ground, in policy-making and as a military psychologist. Every chapter has a list of the key takeaways to help clear all lingering doubts.