British Military Hospital

Officially named British Military Hospital, Singapore, it came to be commonly called Alexandra Military Hospital, then later, Alexandra Hospital. At the time of its opening, it was considered "the most up-to-date and one of the largest military hospitals outside Great Britain" with 356 beds initially and accompanying medical, surgical and officer wards. The 32 Company of the Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) and 30 Queen Alexandra Nursing Sisters served as hospital staff.

With the onset of the Japanese Occupation of Singapore, the British Military Hospital was heavily burdened with the large number of wounded - approximately 900 patients were packed into the hospital of 550 beds, with water and medical supplies in severe shortage.

The British Military Hospital was the scene of violent bloodshed on 14 and 15 February 1942 when the Japanese entered the hospital premises and massacred some 200 hospital staff and patients in cold blood. The presence of gunfire from retreating Indian troops on the hospital's grounds was given as a possible reason for the Japanese attack on the hospital. Singapore surrendered to the Japanese on February 15, and the hospital was left in ruins.

The British reinstated the hospital to its original role when the Japanese surrendered in 1945. During the Malayan Emergency in the 1940's and 1950's, the hospital played a major role in serving the British casualties engaged in jungle warfare against the communist rebels.

When the British troops withdrew from Singapore in 1971, the Singapore government took over the hospital after presenting a token sum of $1 to Britain on September 11. It was renamed Alexandra Hospital and converted to a general hospital to serve the western sector of Singapore.

Milestones
1938 : Construction of the British Military Hospital.
14-15 Feb 1942 : Attacked by the Japanese during World War II.
Aug 1945 : Reoccupied by the British after the Japanese surrendered.
Jun 1971 : It was handed over to the Singapore Government in return for a $1 note.
Sep 1971 : Renamed Alexandra Hospital.



Author
Phyllis Wee & Ambika Raghavan



References
Partridge, Jeff. (1998). Alexandra Hospital: From British military to civilian institution 1938-1998. Singapore: Alexandra Hospital and Singapore Polytechnic.
(Call no.: SING 362.11095957 PAR)

Teo, G. (1998, September 16). Recognition: History of hospital, Singapore linked. The Straits Times, Home, p. 24.

Alexandra Hospital. (2004). About us: About Alexandra Hospital. Retrieved January 24, 2005, from
http://www.alexhosp.com.sg/about_us/index.asp

Further Readings
The Children (& Families) of the Far East Prisoners of War. (n.d.). Extract from the war diary of Alexandra Military Hospital: On the 14th, 15th, 17th and 19th February 1942. Retrieved November 2, 2002, from www.cofepow.org.uk/pages/asia_singapore4.htm 



The information in this article is valid as at 2002 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
Architecture and Landscape>>Building Types>>Historic Buildings
Events>>Historical Periods>>World War II and Japanese Occupation (1939-1945)
Hospitals--Singapore
Historic buildings--Singapore
Arts>>Architecture>>Public and commercial buildings

Librarian Recommendations
>> Alexandra Hospital


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