TODAYonline
Jan 26, 2012
Jan 26, 2012
SINGAPORE - The only known existing pre-war civilian air raid shelter will be open for free public tours through the entire month of February.
Located at Block 78 Guan Chuan Street at Tiong Bahru estate, this tour of the underground premise is part of the National Heritage Board's (NHB) efforts to mark the 70th anniversary of the fall of Singapore to the Japanese.
The shelter, opened to the media today, showed glimpses of Singapore's history where fearful civilians would climb down a ladder to seek safety between the uncovered brick walls of the 1,500-square metres shelter.
The shelter's three entrances have since been sealed, and what remains is mainly spacious unfurnished rooms with interesting graffiti - dating back to the 1960s - on the walls.
Ms Mary Peraira, 70, who was born in this shelter shared her experiences with reporters this morning.
"It was a closure for me to know what my mother went through and to be back here knowing what happened then," she said.
Ms Peraira was born just one day after her father died from an air raid. On the night of her birth, the sirens had once again sounded to alert people of another air raid and Ms Peraira's mother and siblings hurried into this shelter to seek refuge.
Public tours of this shelter could be extended after February depending on demand. NHB will also be organising exhibitions and a series of commemorative activities to mark the 70th anniversary.
Located at Block 78 Guan Chuan Street at Tiong Bahru estate, this tour of the underground premise is part of the National Heritage Board's (NHB) efforts to mark the 70th anniversary of the fall of Singapore to the Japanese.
Singapore's only known existing pre-war civilian air raid shelter. Photo by Ng Jing Yng
The shelter's three entrances have since been sealed, and what remains is mainly spacious unfurnished rooms with interesting graffiti - dating back to the 1960s - on the walls.
Singapore's only known existing pre-war civilian air raid shelter. Photo by Ng Jing Yng
Ms Mary Peraira, 70, who was born in this shelter shared her experiences with reporters this morning.
"It was a closure for me to know what my mother went through and to be back here knowing what happened then," she said.
Ms Peraira was born just one day after her father died from an air raid. On the night of her birth, the sirens had once again sounded to alert people of another air raid and Ms Peraira's mother and siblings hurried into this shelter to seek refuge.
Public tours of this shelter could be extended after February depending on demand. NHB will also be organising exhibitions and a series of commemorative activities to mark the 70th anniversary.
Singapore's only known existing pre-war civilian air raid shelter. Photo by Ng
Jing Yng
1 comment:
just wondering if ms peraira is the same person who commented on this blog in 2010, on the air raid shelter article, that she was born in the shelter! :) ah the beauty of the internet :)
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