Lt Adnan and the Malay Regiment: The Last Men at the Battlefront
Lieutenant Adnan and The Last Regiment graphic novel
“If we don’t defend the city, who will?”
In February of 1942, the Malay Regiment fought valiantly against the Japanese troops that had invaded Singapore during World War II. These were the last men on the battlefront before the fall of Singapore to the Japanese Occupation. One member of the Malay Regiment stood out in particular, in many of Singapore’s war history records today: Lieutenant Adnan bin Saidi.
Adnan bin Saidi was born in 1915 in Selangor, Malaysia. In 1933, he left his teaching profession to join the Malay Regiment, which had began recruiting and training soldiers when World War II broke out in Europe. Adnan bin Saidi was an exemplary soldier who valued commitment. Voted as the best recruit, he rose through the ranks swiftly, became a lieutenant, and was dispatched to Singapore in 1941 with his family.
Lieutenant Adnan and his platoon were part of the Allied defenders responsible for defending Bukit Chandu in Singapore, a hill in Pasir Panjang of key strategic significance. If Bukit Chandu fell, the Japanese would have unimpeded access to the Alexandra area, which housed key military installations, ammunition stores, and supply depots. As a father and family-man, he feared for the lives of his wife and children, and was forced to send them back to Selangor just before the Japanese had invaded Singapore. That was the last they saw of him.
The battle for Pasir Panjang began on 13th February 1942, and Lt. Adnan swiftly distinguished himself, showing valour as well as perceptiveness. Amidst the tough battle and relentless attacks from the Japanese soldiers, Lieutenant Adnan and his men remained steadfast and held their ground despite being outnumbered and out-resourced. He even saw through an attempted deceptive ploy by the Japanese, who had planned to disguise themselves as Punjabi soldiers in the British army, and ordered an attack on them. When their bullets had run out, they continued to fight bravely with their bayonets and fists.
Whilst Lieutenant Adnan has a strong will to see his family again, he held onto a greater devotion and stronger conviction to his role as a soldier. Until his death at the hands of Japanese soldiers, he lived up to his personal motto — Biar putih tulang, jangan putih mata — death before dishonour.
The contributions of Lieutenant Adnan and the Malay Regiment have been memorialised at Reflections at Bukit Chandu, a World War II interpretative centre close to the original site of the battle. His valiant efforts have garnered admiration through the generations. His story has been retold by his son, Mokhtar, and adapted in Lieutenant Adnan and The Last Regiment, by Singaporean creators Zaki Ragman and Danny Jalil.
Lieutenant Adnan and The Last Regiment graphic novel is available for purchase and international shipping on the Asiapac Books webstore.
