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Temporary Exhibitions

SYONAN: LIGHT OF THE SOUTH, A STORY TOLD THROUGH STAMPS

To commemorate the fall of Singapore to Japanese power during World War II on 15 February 1942, the Singapore Philatelic Museum has put up an exhibition to showcase stamps, stationery, and other philatelic items pertaining to that significant event. The exhibits include stamps, covers, letters, and philatelic items that the Japanese had used for propaganda. These exhibits are woven into a story, comprising many parts throughout the museum, beginning with events leading to World War II to the fall of
Singapore and beyond. Through the story, visitors can find out many interesting facts and experiences about WWII.

Excerpts from the Story
Letter postmark bore witness to the name of "Syonan-To" After Singapore had fallen to Japanese power in February 1942, they renamed it Syonan-To, meaning 'Island of the Light of the South'. Subsequent postmarks bore witness to this new, albeit temporary, name.
After the Japanese had taken over Singapore, pre-war Straits Settlements stamps with the portrait of King George VI were overprinted manually with the words 'Seal of Post Office of Malayan Military Department' forming a red frame as a quick fix before new stamps were produced. The overprint effectively defaced the portrait of the British sovereign head. Pre-war Straits Settlements Stamp
To help establish an Asian identity, the Japanese administration organised the very first public stamp design competition in Singapore. Five designs, depicting scenes of Singapore and Malaya, were selected and the stamps issued in 1943. These stamps became the first pictorial stamps ever issued in the postal history of Singapore. The first pictorial stamps ever issued
The fall of Singapore The Japanese used stamps and postcards as tools of propaganda for their cause. The fall of Singapore was a popular pictorial theme on postcards for them to boast about their victory over the British.
During the period of Occupation, letters sent to and from Singapore were censored by the Japanese censor. This was to ensure that sensitive or defamatory information was not mentioned in the letters. Censored Letter
Corresponding with civilian internees and prisoners-of-war (POWs) was not an easy task. It took several months for family members to find out whether their loved ones were killed or captured. Letters sent to the internees or POWs were usually passed from one camp to another in search of addressees. The main organisation that helped to trace POWs and civilian internees and facilitate communications between them and their families was the Red Cross Society. Letters received by POWs in Singapore were sorted at Changi POW camp and most of these mails were also censored there.
Letters sent to the internees or POWs