This exhibition provides visitors insights into the emotions and experiences of the Prisoners-of-War and civilians who lived during the war years, their lives and living conditions after the end of war. The Exhibition will span a 23 year period and cover five phases of Singapore’s history: the War Years when Singapore was known as Syonan-to (1942 to 1945); the British Military Administration (BMA) period (1945 to 1946); Back to Crown Colony (1946 to 1959); Self-government (1959 to 1963); Merger with Malaysia (1963 to 1965); and Singapore’s Independence (1965).

Stamps, letters, philatelic materials and interviews will make up the Exhibition. Among the exhibits are:

• A full set of war correspondence (1942 to 1945) between a British gunner in Singapore and his wife, tracing her efforts to locate him at the Taiwanese POW camp where he was interned and then communicating with him through letters and postcards until he was repatriated ;
• Letters from Prisoners-of-War, written while they were awaiting repatriation, in particular, letters from two British POWs, Mr Fred Mann and Mr Arthur Jordon ;
• A letter dated 15 December 1950 detailing the Maria Hertogh riots which took place in Singapore on 11 December 1950;
• Audio-visual interviews of Singaporean war veterans and civilians on their real life experiences during the war, and their hopes, fears and aspirations after the war, in particular Mr Khaw Kok Teen, Mr Stanley Conceicao, Mr Christopher Victor, Mr Roy Muthiah (President, Ex-Services Association of Singapore) and Mr Rudy Mosbergen.

Correspondence from Prisoner-of-War