I just attended the 43rd Memorial Service in Commemoration of the Civilian Victims of the Japanese Occupations on 15 of February held at the War Memorial Park. As its name suggests, this event is one that commemorates the victims of the Japanese Occupation. A simple, yet solemn affair.

Many students and students from various uniform groups attended this event, together with the family members of the victims. When the event was taking place, I could see a picture of those suffering in my mind. There were images of people crying alone or as a group over their deceased family members, and images of people being tortured until the last breath running thru my mind. The pain and agony that one feels is horrible. The lost of family members is forever. And it will truly leave a bad memory in one’s mind.

We may not be able feel how this shadow is, but those whose family members fell at the hands of the Japanese know. This is what the teacher-in-charge(Mr Edmund Teo) saw and felt, which I find very meaningful:

“I would like to share something I saw just prior to the arrival of the Guest-of-Honour, RADM(NS) Lui Tuck Yew, Acting Minister for Information, Culture and the Arts:

Amidst all the busyness and anticipation of the commencement of the ceremony, amidst the soft chatter between all the participants in their suits, uniforms and formal business attire, an elderly women holding a bouquet of yellow and white flowers, dressed in a white blouse with pink floral motifs and black rayon pants, made her way slowly in an unassuming manner through the central tent towards the Civilian War Memorial Monument. With the assistance of a walking stick and a middle-aged lady who might be her daughter, she passed first through the NCC cadets, then the foreign dignitaries, and finally past the official photographer, to reach the steps of the monument. Unnoticed by the crowd, the two ladies climbed the steps and laid the bouquet at the centre of the Monument. But just before stepping away, the elderly lady paused, touched the monument gently with the fingers of her right hand, and seemed to whisper soft words to the plaque at the centre of the Monument. The whole scene must have lasted no more than three minutes and soon both ladies were making their way down the steps of monument to take their seats at a side tent amidst the crowd of very young students in uniform.

This scene is my takeaway for the Memorial Service. It helped me to understand that war is not about victories, those vanquished, or the numbers lost. It is about the intimate loss and grief of those who have survived the war, and what they must still feel even after so many decades. Every war has personal stories of loss, and this morning I was given a glimpse into one individual story of loss.”

Although this event may be a short one, but it truly reminds us of the tragedy that Singapore went through quite a long time ago.

Although this event is a short one, it truly shows the long feeling of lost that one feels.