Lim Bo Seng Memorial
| Lim Bo Seng Memorial | |
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| The Lim Bo Seng Memorial Committee | |
Lim Bo Seng Memorial
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| For Major-General Lim Bo Seng | |
| Established | November 3, 1953 |
| Unveiled | June 29, 1954 |
| Location |
1°17′18.6″N 103°51′11.1″E / 1.288500°N 103.853083°ECoordinates: 1°17′18.6″N 103°51′11.1″E / 1.288500°N 103.853083°E Esplanade Park near Downtown Core, Singapore |
| Designed by | Ng Keng Siang |
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Major-General Lim Bo Seng
1909-1944 Major-General Lim Bo Seng was born on 27th April, 1909 in Nan-an, Fukien, China. He came to Singapore at the age of 16. After studying at Raffles Institution and Hongkong University, he inherited his father's business in Malaya. Since 1937 he became prominent in anti-Japanese activities. When Singapore fell in 1942, he went to Chungking and on instructions from the Chinese government, he joined the underground resistance section of 136 Force under the Supreme Allied Command, South-East Asia, on 2nd November 1943 as Commanding Officer of the Malayan Chinese section. He landed from a submarine at Bagan Bator in Perak to join the British and Chinese officers already working in Malaya, with anti-Japanese forces. Later he left the jungle to work in Ipoh, but he was discovered and arrested by the Japanese Military Police on 27th March, 1944. He manfully endured repeated tortures to which he ultimately succumbed on 29th June, 1944, at the age of 35. He died in the Batu Fajah prison, a martyr to the cause of a liberated Malaya and to his loyalty to his comrades. On 13th January, 1946. he was buried with full military honours in Singapore. Erected by The Lim Bo Seng Memorial Committee 29th June 1954 |
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| Designated | 28 December 2010 |
1909-1944
Major-General Lim Bo Seng was born on 27th April, 1909 in Nan-an, Fukien, China. He came to Singapore at the age of 16. After studying at Raffles Institution and Hongkong University, he inherited his father's business in Malaya. Since 1937 he became prominent in anti-Japanese activities. When Singapore fell in 1942, he went to Chungking and on instructions from the Chinese government, he joined the underground resistance section of 136 Force under the Supreme Allied Command, South-East Asia, on 2nd November 1943 as Commanding Officer of the Malayan Chinese section. He landed from a submarine at Bagan Bator in Perak to join the British and Chinese officers already working in Malaya, with anti-Japanese forces. Later he left the jungle to work in Ipoh, but he was discovered and arrested by the Japanese Military Police on 27th March, 1944. He manfully endured repeated tortures to which he ultimately succumbed on 29th June, 1944, at the age of 35. He died in the Batu Fajah prison, a martyr to the cause of a liberated Malaya and to his loyalty to his comrades. On 13th January, 1946. he was buried with full military honours in Singapore.
Erected by The Lim Bo Seng Memorial Committee
The Lim Bo Seng Memorial is a octagonal pagoda-like war memorial at Esplanade Park, Singapore. It was erected in 1954 in honour of the late Lim Bo Seng for his heroic acts and selfless sacrifice during the World War II. The war memorial is the only structure in Singapore that commemorates an individual’s efforts in World War II and was gazetted as a national monument in 28 December 2010.
In 1946, The Lim Bo Seng Memorial Committee was established to raise funds for the memorial and prepared the proposals of the plan to colonial government, one of which proposed the construction of a memorial park around the late Lim Bo Seng's grave at MacRitchie Reservoir. The colonial government rejected five of the committee’s proposals, and would later granted permission in 1953 for a memorial to be built at the Esplanade based on the sixth proposal.
In 3 November 1953 at 5.30 pm, the British Commissioner-General for Southeast Asia Malcolm MacDonald laid the foundation stone for the structure at the ceremory with Lim Bo Seng's widow Gan Choo Neo and her children in present.
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