It was built for the manufacturing of Ford motor cars. However, little did anyone know that fate has other plans for it. WW2 broke out shortly after and the factory was converted into a military plant, assembling military aircraft. After the fall of Singapore, it became the headquarters of the Japanese. It only resumed its intended car assembling operations in 1947 till 1980. The humble factory was also the place where the British signed the treaty of surrender, making it one of Singapore’s most valuable historic sites.
Closed in 1980, only a fraction of the old Ford motor factory remains as a huge part of it was torn down in the 1990s. It was later preserved and restored in 2006. It became a national monument as the old factory witnessed the fall of Singapore.
The old Ford motor factory has a simple architectural design that looks like a hangar. With only the front façade preserved, the monument’s 3 tall windows became the iconic mark for the building. The architecture of Old Ford's Factory is art-deco form, built by Ford Motor Works. From the facade of the Old Ford Factory, one would be able to see sets of uniformed geometrical shapes. This form of architecture also reflected simplicity; especially in the year that it was built (circa 1941) happened to be in the period of WW2, where practicality was preferred under circumstances of prevalent global scarcity of resources.
Just on the edge of the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, little knew this old factory has witness Singapore’s darkest history. The historic site now archives many events during the fall of Singapore. It even hosts a replica of the treaty table, with every detailed mapped out closely, down to the last minute on the clock.
As you walk in the Ford building, a sad melancholic melody greets you as the place play out the darkest history in modern Singapore. Many artefacts such as the WW2 pistol, rifles, grenades, water bottle and even a toothbrush are on display. It creates a very war-torn feel as you walk pass these remains.
Following the trail, the archives document chronologically the events, from the war to the fall, from the fall to the suffering of the people. It has many extracts, official documents and replicas preserved carefully. It takes hours to read everything. As one reads, don’t expect a sugary walk down memory lane. Instead, expect a dark feeling of hope and despair during the fall of Singapore. There are pictures and photos of torture, documents of the ridiculous inflation of the banana money and even guerrillas that resisted the Japanese army.
Walking through the trail, and coming out of the building, you might see Singapore in a different light. History and culture back then was not talking about ERPs, foreign workers or even public housing. It instead gives you a sense of awe at the people who stood united through every ordeal. Commoners with no education worked hard and we see that Singapore’s peace, so admired by others, should not be taken for granted. Consequently, after the fall of the Japanese, the unity in suffering brought about much anti-colonialism feelings and led to the independence of Singapore.
