Fort Siloso facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fort Siloso |
|
|---|---|
| Sentosa in Singapore | |
Fort Siloso entrance
|
|
| Coordinates | 1°15′32″N 103°48′29″E / 1.25889°N 103.80806°E |
| Type | Fort |
| Site information | |
| Open to the public |
Yes |
| Condition | Renovated |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1874 |
| Built by | Webb Gillman |
| In use | 1965 |
| Fate | Decommissioned, now a museum |
| Battles/wars | Battle of Singapore |
| Garrison information | |
| Garrison | British Royal Artillery Singapore Artillery Corps |
|
National monument of Singapore
|
|
| Designated: | 15 February 2022 |
| Reference #: | 74 |
Fort Siloso is an old fort located on Sentosa island in Singapore. It used to be a coastal artillery battery, which means it had big guns to protect the coast. This fort was one of 12 similar batteries that formed "Fortress Singapore" during World War II. It played a part in the Battle of Singapore.
Today, Fort Siloso is no longer used for military purposes. It is now a military museum that anyone can visit. The Surrender Chambers inside the fort were updated in June 2017. They now have a new exhibition and you can visit them for free.
Contents
History of Fort Siloso
Building the Fort
The name "Siloso" comes from a Malayan word for "rock". There was a very large rock near the entrance of Singapore's harbour. This rock made it dangerous for ships to pass.
After the Suez Canal opened in 1869, trade in Singapore grew a lot. It became very important to protect Singapore's busy port. In 1874, Major Edward Lake of the British Royal Engineers suggested building a fort on Pulau Blakang Mati (which is now Sentosa). This fort would help protect Keppel Harbour.
To make space for the big guns, the top of Mount Siloso was flattened. By the 1880s, several gun batteries were placed on Mount Siloso and Mount Serapong. These became a strong part of British naval defenses in Singapore. Fort Siloso was officially built in 1878.
The Guns of the Fort
By the 1880s, Fort Siloso had powerful guns. These included 7-inch guns and two 64-pounder guns. In the 1890s, five 10-inch guns were also added. These large guns could be operated automatically. They got their power from an underground electric powerhouse.
In the 1930s, more weapons were added because a war seemed likely. These included twin 6-pounder guns to fight torpedo boats. There were also five large searchlights, two machine-gun nests, and two twin-Lewis anti-aircraft machine guns. An Operational Tower was built to control all the fort's activities. The fort was staffed by both the British Royal Artillery and the local Singapore Artillery Corps.
Fort Siloso in World War II
The forts in Singapore were built to defend against attacks from the sea, from the south. However, during the Battle of Singapore in February 1942, things changed. The Japanese forces were attacking Singapore from the north. So, the guns at Fort Siloso were turned around to fire inland. They fired at the Japanese troops who were moving towards the city.
The building at the entrance of Fort Siloso is now called the Surrender Chambers. It shows what happened during the British and Japanese surrenders in WWII. You can see actual videos from the war there. The ground floor of this building is now a souvenir shop. During the Japanese occupation of Singapore from 1942 to 1945, the fort was used as a small camp for prisoners of war.
After World War II
After the Japanese surrender in 1945, the British Royal Navy took over the fort in 1946. The guns were operated by the 1st Malay Coast Battery and the Royal Artillery. Later, Gurkha soldiers from British India took over when the British gunners left.
During the Konfrontasi period (1963-1965), Fort Siloso was manned by the 10th Gurkha Rifles. Their job was to stop Indonesian saboteurs from landing on Sentosa and Keppel Harbour.
Fort Siloso then became a place for British forces to relax. This lasted until Sentosa was given to the Singapore government after the British military left in 1967. The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) then took control of the fort.
In 1974, Fort Siloso was turned into a military museum. It shows the fort's history and its many naval guns. Other coastal guns from different parts of Singapore, including Japanese cannons, were brought here for display. For a while, it also showed the British surrender of Singapore. This display was moved to the former Ford Motor Factory in Bukit Timah in February 2006.
Plans to make Fort Siloso a national monument began in June 2016. This is because it is an important wartime and military museum. Fort Siloso officially became a national monument on February 15, 2022.
See also
- List of tourist attractions in Singapore
- Singapore strategy
