A+British+army+officer+stationed+in+Singapore+2

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Name: Aston Galloway Age: 19 Gender: Male Occupation: Soldier Appearance: 190cm, very handsome Location: One of the Three British Bases in Singapore Personality/Quirks/Unique Personality Traits: Outgoing, Family: Single, Mother and no Father Education: High School, Military School Languages you speak: English Your main concerns at this time and in life: What am I going to do after the war is over.. Portrait (an image that you and we can live with): Due: by the end of the class in which this is assigned

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//Diary of June, 1937// Dear Diary, Now, I finally have time to write and have some relaxing time. But even though its a free time, its not so relaxing, because you never know when those pathetic Japanese people would attack. We always have to be ready and tense. Today was a very hectic day. I got stationed in one of the three British battalions in Singapore. I was moved back and forth, because the amount of troops needed to be equally distributed. I don’t know the name of the place yet, because everyone is busy doing their own thing and I was moved a lot. I don’t know, I might be moved again to another place in Singapore. The only thing that I know is that Britain is beginning to prepare for the war with Japan that might possibly happen. Singapore was the only place that had three battalions, there was one Malay regiment at Port Dickson and a Indian battalion at Penang. The one Malay regiment at Port Dickson in the Malayan state of Negri Sembilan was the only force that was available at the time for Singapore and the Malay Peninsula for defense. Although the British military leaders had warned London that the defense of Singapore was tied to the defense of Malaya and that any Japanese attack on the island would likely be made from the Malay Peninsula, their assessment was rejected by the British War Office. And also it was convinced that the impenetrable rain forests of the peninsula would discourage any landward invasion. Air bases were established in northern Malaya but were never adequately fortified. I really don’t get what is happening. A new naval base was constructed on the northern coast of the island and few ships were deployed there. Military strategists in London believed that the Singapore troops could defend the island for about two months, or the time it would take for a relief naval force to arrive from Britain. This is the what I heard, but I really don’t get anything right now. Everything is so rushed and not very organized. Singapore is different place from Britain and I miss Britain, my family, friends, my mother’s cooking, my comfortable house, and my education. I really couldn’t finish school and just had to role in the army. I really wanted to finish my education, but my country comes first and I will do anything to protect it. I don’t know when I will be able to write again....

//Diary of December 8, 1941// Dear Diary, I’m so excited that I am actually alive and that I can write again. There has been so much happening between countries. I really hope this war ends, but I don’t see the end to this awful war. Japan and China are at war and it doesn’t look like it will end soon. The General Hideki Tôjô became prime minister at this time. Also the war against the United States began and the nation was in a state of "total war." The military and their supporters were able to force their policies on the government and the people. The war became more complicated than last time. British forces focused and drew more attention to the defense of the Malay Peninsula and Singapore. Battalions in Singapore and Malay Peninsula had four army divisions supported by small numbers of aircraft and naval vessels that had been sent from other war zones to provide token support to the ground forces. We were ordered to take more caution and always stayed aware of everything. The commander of the battalions in Singapore and the Malay Peninsula, Lieutenant General Arthur E. Percival deployed most units in the northern Malayan states of Kelantan, Perak, Terengganu, and Kedah, but I still remained in Singpore. Thank God, I really didn’t want to move. Fortified defensive positions were established to protect cities and the main roads leading south to Kuala Lumpur, Malacca, and Singapore. We really had no armor and very little artillery. Also air bases that had been constructed in the Malayan states of Kelantan, and Johore, and Pahang and also in Singapore at Seletar, Sembawang, and Tengah were not well fortified. Because of this, I felt a little unsafe and spent all my days as if it was going to be my last. However, the War Office focused more close attention on the fighting in Europe, and actually listened to London for more aircraft went largely unanswered, while we really didn’t have any armor and little artillery. Even though we knew we will be the target, we were confident that the power we have could make any Japanese attack useless. My friends and I believed strongly that we can handle anything that would come to us. We wanted those Japanese to come and attack us to show that we had power and that we can beat them no matter what.

//Diary of October 23, 1942// Dear Dairy, I have gotten so use to the army and I have learned to be more bold and fearless to handle the horror of war. When I first rolled in, I cried every night missing my family, wondering why I am here, and thinking that I would die. Everything was new and very scary for me to take the change. A lot has happened since the last time I wrote in my dairy. After Britain and United States declared war on Japan, China declared war against Japan. Those Japanese are keep taking over and invading lands in China. Japanese invaded Philippines, Burma, British Borneo, Hong Kong, Luzon, Bataan, and Dutch East Indies. These are the places that I know so far. Japanese not only invaded, but bombed and sank the British and the U.S.’s ships and bases. But the important started from January 31, 1942, British withdrew forces onto Singapore. 8 days after, the Japanese were coming closer and closer to Singapore. They attacked constantly, air and land. And by Febuary 14, 1942, most of the resources was taken over by the Japanese. The bombing, shelling, and the bloody fighting continued and many of the troops and soldiers separated. I stayed with my close friends and as well as other soldiers that I have met at Singapore. One of those friends is Tom Malthus. He is a very tall, thing, and handsome. He is a little older than me, but we were good buddies. We formed a little unit and stuck together. The hospitals were overflowing and crowded with wounded soldiers and civilians. Fighting was continued and we had to look our for each other. On February 15, 1942, General Edgar Percival, the British commander commanding in Singapore, made the decision to surrender at Singapore. General Percival signed the surrender document. All the British troops stationing in Singapore, including us, were to lay down around eight-thirty that night. My unit and I ended up being few of the troops that became prisoners of war. More than 100,000 troops became prisoners and also with hundreds of European civilians. All weapons, military equipment, ships, planes and secret documents to be handed over intact. I am safe now, but I thought I was going to get killed. I am still not that happy about surrendering, but we can get back at the Japanese later and I will be waiting for the chance. We might have fallen this time, but we will not fall again.

//Diary of September 9, 1945// Dear Diary, I have never been this excited to write in my dairy. An miracle has happened. The Japanese surrendered! Everyone is so excited and happy that the long terrible war has ended. Tears of joy were dropped from everywhere. It was the greatest moment of my life. Nothing can get in my way right now. I can’t wait to go back home and see my family. I have been writing them letters, but I miss them terribly. It has been years since I have seen them. I am ready to go back to my regular life and go to school. But I wonder if I will be able to live the exact same life that I had before I came to the army. The few years in the army changed my characteristics and changed my lifestyle. I wonder if I can go back to school and wonder if I will be able to get a job. All these thoughts come to my mind and make me worry, even though I am glad to go back home. I think I will miss the army and miss the good times with my buddies. Anyways, Japanese didn’t surrender until the two atomic bombs were bombed in the two of the major cities in Japan, Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The casualties numbered in the millions. The merchant shipping could not leave anywhere without getting attacked my mines or submarines. Japan was in short supply with rubber and steel and the oil stocks were gone. And the Soviets were moving against the only forces, Kwantung Army in Manchuria, the Japanese had left to fight with. Many divisions had transferred to the Pacific, where a lot of them died in the island battles. The Japanese were a starving and greatly needed supply. The surrender of 680,000 Japanese soldiers in South East Asia took place in the Council Chambers at the Municipal Buildings in Singapore. General Itagaki Seishir accepted the Japanese surrender. Truly the feelings of victory is great and nothing would beat this feeling. I feel great that I was part of this victory and that I can take home the good memories. Even though war was scary, hard, and tiring, the victory payed it all off.