The fall of Singapore to the Japanese on 15 February 1942 was the greatest disaster in British Military history and hastened the Japanese thrust south towards Australia. Half a century later the fall of the ‘impregnable fortress’ is still hotly debated in military and political circles. How did it happen and why did it happen?
The Singapore Surrender is a 1991 book by Australian war correspondent and author Gilbert Mant. It combines two of his earlier wartime publications, “Grim Glory” (1942) and “You’ll Be Sorry” (1944), providing a firsthand, detailed account of the Malayan Campaign and the fall of Singapore in 1942.
Key Aspects of the Book:
Content: The book covers the retreat through Malaya, the Battle of Muar, and the eventual surrender of Singapore to the Japanese.
Perspective: Written by a soldier/correspondent with the 8th Division AIF, it provides an intimate look at the experiences of both soldiers and civilians.
Context: It details the “disastrous” 70-day campaign leading to over 15,000 Australian troops becoming POWs.
Background: The title often appears in discussions of the “impregnable fortress” collapse, sometimes mentioned alongside other works like Colin Smith’s Singapore Burning.









