Adnan bin Saidi

Allahyarham 2nd Lieutenant Adnan bin Saidi عدنان بن سعيدا SM, DM, WM, Best Recruit (RMR)
Leftenan Adnan, one of the heroes from Malay Regiments who fought the Japanese Imperial Armies fiercely and battle to his death during the Battle for Pasir Panjang in Singapore in 1942
Born	1915 Sungai Ramal, Kajang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Federated Malay States, Malaya (now Malaysia)
Died	14 February 1942 (aged 27) Pasir Panjang, Singapore
Allegiance	Royal Malay Regiment
Years of service	1933 - 1942
Rank	1933 - Corporal 1935 - Platoon Sargeant 1937 - Colour Sargeant 1941 - 2nd Lieutenant
Unit	7th Platoon, C Company, 1st Battalion, 1st Malay Brigade
Battles/wars	Battle for Pasir Panjang in Singapore
Awards	Best Recruit in the Malay Regiment Star Medal Defence Medal War Medal

Adnan bin Saidi, (Jawi: عدنان بن سعيدا; b:1915 – d:14 February 1942), was a Malayan soldier of the 1st Infantry Brigade which fought the Japanese in the Battle of Singapore. He is regarded by Singaporeans and Malaysians today as a hero for his actions on Bukit Chandu's Battle for Pasir Panjang. His name is also the namesake for the Malaysian Infantry Fighting Vehicle (MIFV).

Adnan was born at Sungai Ramal near Kajang, Selangor, a Muslim of Minangkabau descent. He was the eldest child in his whole family. His younger brothers, Ahmad Saidi and Amarullah Saidi, were also soldiers. Ahmad was killed in action after his ship, HMS Pelanduk, was sunk by the Japanese on route to Australia. Amarullah survived the war and now resides in Kajang, Selangor.

Adnan was married to Sophia Pakir, an Islamic religious teacher. She died in 1949. They had a daughter, who died soon after birth, and two sons: Mokhtar Adnan, who now lives in Seremban, and Zainudin Adnan, who lives in the state of Johor.

Adnan led a 42-strong platoon from the Malay Regiment in the defence of Singapore against the invading Japanese. The soldiers fought at the Battle of Pasir Panjang, at Pasir Panjang Ridge in the Bukit Chandu (Opium Hill) area on 12–14 February 1942. Although heavily outnumbered, Adnan refused to surrender and urged his men to fight on until the end. They held off the Japanese troops for two days amid heavy enemy shelling from artillery guns and tanks and chronic shortages of food, medical supplies and ammunition (on the last day of the battle, Adnan and his men were only left with a few hand grenades and had to fight off the Japanese soldiers with their bayonets and through brutal hand-to-hand combat. Adnan was shot but carried on fighting.