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The British surrender team of 1942

The British "surrender team" (or "surrender party') in 1942 was made up of four British military officers; led by Lieutenant-General Arthur E. Percival, the rest were Brigadier K. S. Torrance, Brigadier T. K. Newbiggings, and Captain Cyril H. D. Wild. On 15 February, 1942, when the "battle for Singapore" reached its zenith, the British delegation was ordered to be at Ford Factory in Bukit Timah, to meet Lieutenant-General Tomoyuki Yamashita, head of the invading Japanese forces. He fiercely demanded the unconditional surrender of Singapore, and Percival signed the Singapore Surrender Document.

History
On 15 February 1942, the fierce "battle for Singapore" reached its peak when Yamashita led his Japanese Imperial Army and captured Bukit Timah. He made the Ford Factory his headquarters. He had demanded specifically to see Percival.

The British delegation arrived at the Ford Factory building after 4:00 pm, led by Percival, together with Brigadier K. S. Torrance, Brigadier T. K. Newbigging carrying the Union Jack flag, and Captain Cyril Wild carrying the white surrender flag, and Lieutenant-Colonel Sugita. The meeting took place in the boardroom where Yamashita demanded from the British,an unconditional surrender of Singapore, to take effect from 8:30 pm that day. The British, with Cyril Wild as interpreter, was under heavy-pressure from Yamashita. The British broke down during negotiation. Percival on behalf of the British capitulated and signed the Singapore Surrender Document.

Winston Churchill who was convinced that Singapore was "an invincible fortress", called the fall of Singapore, "the worst disaster and largest capitulation in British history".

The British delegation
Lieutenant General Arthur E. Percival, General Officer Commanding, Malaya Command.
Brigadier K. S. Torrance, BGS, General Staff.
Brigadier T. K. Newbigging, Chief Administrator General Staff.
Captain (later Major) Cyril Hew Dalrymple Wild (b. 10 April 1908, Earl's Court Square, London, England - d. 25 September 1946, Hong Kong), 43 Light Infantry, a Japanese-speaking staff officer, carried the white flag of surrender, and was the interpreter.  After the War, he headed the War Crimes Tribunal that presided over the atrocities committed by the Japanese forces. He died in a plane crash on 25 September 1946 in Hong Kong.


Author
Vernon Cornelius-Takahama, 2001



References 
Bradley, J. (1991). Cyril Wild: The tall man who never slept (pp. 1, 6, 7, 28-36, 103, 147, 152). Fontwell: Woodfield.
(Call no.: RCLOS 940.547252092)

Elphick, P. (1995). Singapore: The pregnable fortress (pp. 4, 39, 301, 303, 367, 368). London: Coronet.
(Call no.: RSING 940.5425 ELP)

Montgomery, B. (1984). Shenton of Singapore: Governor and prisoner of war (pp. 137, 143). London: Leo Cooper: Secker & Warbug.
(Call no.: RCLOS 941.0840924 SHE.M)

Samuel, D. S. (1991). Singapores heritage: Through places of historical interest (pp.285, 294-295). Singapore: Elixir Consultancy Service.
(Call no.: RSING 959.57 SAM)

Turnbull, C. M. (1989). A history of Singapore: 1819-1988 (pp. 182-183). Singapore: Oxford University Press.
(Call no.: RSING 959.57 TUR)

Singapore: An illustrated history, 1941-1984 (pp. 14-38). (1984). Singapore: Information Division, Ministry of Culture.
(Call no.: RSING 959.5 

The information in this article is valid as at 2001 and correct as far as we are able to ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. Please contact the Library for further reading materials on the topic.

Subject
Biographies>>War Personalities
Events>>Historical Periods>>World War II and Japanese Occupation (1939-1945)
Singapore--History--Japanese occupation, 1942-1945
Capitulations, Military--Singapore
History>>Asia>>Southeast Asia>>Singapore

Librarian Recommendations
>> Arthur E. Percival
>> Old (Former) Ford Factory
>> Bukit Timah
>> Tomoyuki Yamashita
>> Ford Motor Company of Malaya (Ford Malaya)


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