Did Lieutenant Adnan Bin Saidi die a sergeant at Pasir Panjang Hill?

[Thoth2]

Depends on who you believe. A 1999 biography by Liza Sahid lists Adnan's military career in some detail, from soldier to sergeant, and commissioning as second lieutenant sometime in the late 30s.

However if you search Singapore's WW2 history in Chinese, several sources like Chinese language Wiki and Baike, China's own internet encyclopedia, Adnan's brave sacrifice at Opium Hill is duly documented. Only problem? They all list him as 阿南上士 (Sergeant Adnan). Where are they getting this from, then? The source may lay closer to home.

In a Singapore book '和中学生谈历史 By 王振春' (Talking history with secondary school students) published by the Singapore Chinese Teachers Association, the author claims that Adnan was a sergeant when he fell in combat )page 21), but was promoted posthumously to second lieutenant by the British authorities. This is the only positive claim about Adnan's sergeant rank I could find online.

Who to trust? Liza Sahid's biography has a bibliography. 王振春's book on the other hand exists online only as a Google Book preview, and we can't see what his sources are or fairly evaluate his claim. What is without doubt is that there is now a widespread impression, reinforced by online Chinese sources of some standing, that Adnan was a sergeant at the time of his death. I think we owe it to the memory of Adnan Bin Saidi, as well as to ourselves, to set that record straight.

 

[mollusk]

Nobody remembered Captain Yazid Ahmad ?

 

[SanShuGong]

Nobody remembered Captain Yazid Ahmad ?

I only know a captain in my whole life. Captain Goh Meng Seng.

 

[mollusk]

I only know a captain in my whole life. Captain Goh Meng Seng.

That Captain can see extra Extraterrestrial being one...

 

[Force 136]

From:
http://www.oocities.org/rcda_sg/Pages/bosmalay4.html

Among the Royal Malay Regiment’s early recruits was Adnan Saidi, a well-educated young man from Kajang when he enlisted in 1933 at the age of 18. Selected as the unit’s best soldier, he became the first Malay NCO in 1936 when he was promoted to sergeant. In the following year, he was chosen to represent his platoon in a military parade in London to honour the ascension of King George VI to the throne. Shortly thereafter, Adnan Saidi was promoted yet again to coy-sergeant-major and headed for Singapore for an officer conversion course. Upon graduation as a 2nd lieutenant, he became the commander of 7th Platoon, C Coy of the1st Malay Regiment.

==============
From the above, Adnan was a full fledged officer.... not promoted posthumously...

The site above is a good read for those keen on WW2. It stated that all the British officers were killed in battle. 5 Malay Officers were captured and then executed.......

 

[Force 136]

First time I came across this Capt Rix ..... I think he deserves mention in our history books;

"At the front of the defense stood C Company. Capt. H.R. Rix told his men they would retreat no further, and that he would die with them where they stood. In a bungalow at 31K Pepys Road, Rix stationed 42 men led by Adnan. Repeatedly the Japanese fought their way into the buildings under a shower of grenades, and just as often the Malays threw them back out. At the Alexandra Brickworks, D Company also stood fanatically, mowing down hundreds of Japanese who came forward in human-wave assaults."



http://www.oocities.org/rcda_sg/Pages/bosmalay4.html

Captain Rix was shot and his body was later found with the bodies of 12 Malay soldiers who had died fighting beside him.

http://pasirpanjangheritage.blogspot.sg/2008/03/fire-and-death-on-opium-hill.html

 

[Thoth2]

From:
http://www.oocities.org/rcda_sg/Pages/bosmalay4.html

Among the Royal Malay Regiment’s early recruits was Adnan Saidi, a well-educated young man from Kajang when he enlisted in 1933 at the age of 18. Selected as the unit’s best soldier, he became the first Malay NCO in 1936 when he was promoted to sergeant. In the following year, he was chosen to represent his platoon in a military parade in London to honour the ascension of King George VI to the throne. Shortly thereafter, Adnan Saidi was promoted yet again to coy-sergeant-major and headed for Singapore for an officer conversion course. Upon graduation as a 2nd lieutenant, he became the commander of 7th Platoon, C Coy of the1st Malay Regiment.

==============
From the above, Adnan was a full fledged officer.... not promoted posthumously...

I am also inclined to accept this as fact. The reason I got interested is this:

It led me to google Singapore WW2 history in Chinese, and found that many China-based sites describe Adnan as a sergeant (上士). Further searching led me back to a Singaporean source claiming that his 2LT rank was posthumously conferred. So where should we challenge this error, from home or abroad?

 

[Kinana]

This gungho fight resulted in many innocent killed in Alexandra hospital.

 

[mollusk]

This gungho fight resulted in many innocent killed in Alexandra hospital.

In war, quite hard to distinguish between the innocents and the perpetrators .

 

[Force 136]

This gungho fight resulted in many innocent killed in Alexandra hospital.

Not true lah.... Japs ran amok at Alexandra Hosp because some Indian troops fired at them from the direction of the Hospital

====================
A good scene of a Shook Ching ops in a hospital.....

[video=youtube;DLQyddnij0g]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLQyddnij0g[/video]

 

[GOD IS MY DOG]

aiyoh..................die so long liao...................so what even if he died as a Field Marshal ?

 

[zeddy]

First time I came across this Capt Rix ..... I think he deserves mention in our history books;

"At the front of the defense stood C Company. Capt. H.R. Rix told his men they would retreat no further, and that he would die with them where they stood. In a bungalow at 31K Pepys Road, Rix stationed 42 men led by Adnan. Repeatedly the Japanese fought their way into the buildings under a shower of grenades, and just as often the Malays threw them back out. At the Alexandra Brickworks, D Company also stood fanatically, mowing down hundreds of Japanese who came forward in human-wave assaults."



http://www.oocities.org/rcda_sg/Pages/bosmalay4.html

Captain Rix was shot and his body was later found with the bodies of 12 Malay soldiers who had died fighting beside him.

http://pasirpanjangheritage.blogspot.sg/2008/03/fire-and-death-on-opium-hill.html

13 years back, me and few buddies on an adventure trip, went inside this particular bungalow at Pepys Rd.. That was the bungalow that was rumoured where Lt Adnan and his fellow comrades were involved in a heavy fighting with the Japs..

Back then, was an abandoned bungalow.. The building was big and white in colour with spacious lawn.. It was also in a deteriorating state..

I remember this mysterious room at the 2nd storey of the bungalow.. Its entrance was sealed with a wooden plank with so many nails being hammered on it.. Looked like it was already sealed a long time ago judging from the decaying condition of the wooden plank..

Few months later the the Govt converted the bungalow to be a museum site..