Lim Bo Seng's name is inextricably linked with that of Force 136, for he
had a hand in setting it up and bringing it to success. The British
regrouped after their disastrous capitulation and plans were afoot to
regain their lost territories. However, they lacked intelligence on the
Japanese troops in Malaya and this could only be remedied if they had a
good intelligence network on the ground. For this purpose, Lim Bo Seng
was persuaded by the British to help set up a clandestine spy network in
Malaya. With Bo Seng's help, the British joined forces with Nationalist
China to recruit and train the Force 136 members, which consisted
mainly of overseas Malayan Chinese. From China, these men were sent to
the Far East Military School in Poona, India where they were taught
shooting and survival skills, jungle and guerrilla warfare and
intelligence gathering techniques.
Upon graduation, they were
sent to Malaya in batches, at first by submarine. The first team,
Gustavus I, departed for Malaya on 11th May 1943 and landed in Tanjong
Hantu on the 24th. The first base was set up at Bukit Segari. Subsequent
batches were landed along the west coast of Malaya. Later on in the
war, Force 136 members were parachuted into various Malayan states. As
the war dragged on and it became apparent that Japan was losing the war,
more and more British officers and Force 136 members were parachuted
in, along with weapons and supplies. However, before Operation Zipper
(the planned British invasion of Malaya) was launched, the Japanese
surrendered unconditionally. Shortly after the surrender, Force 136 was
disbanded, but not before its members had been feted as liberation
heroes who had put their lives on the line for freedom.
(Source: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_contributions_did_Lim_Bo_Seng_make_to_Singapore)
group members: Natalie Tan(9)- Leader Lai Chok Hoe(29) Krystalynn Poh(12) Phylicia Ng(10) Tan Zhi Qi(15)
Friday, 15 February 2013
Anecdotes Involving The Hero
Tragedy was to strike when he was stopped at a checkpoint at Gopeng and
arrested. He had earlier ignored warnings and pleas from his comrades
about the danger of his mission, which was to revamp the entire
intelligence network and solicit funds from his wealthy friends. Brought
to Batu Gajah Prison, he was subjected to continuous interrogations and
torture by the infamous Kempeitai. Lim Bo Seng was already weak in
health, having just gone for a haemorrhoids operation in India before
arriving in Malaya. To make matters worse, he suffered from dysentery.
Finally, on 29th June 1944, he succumbed under the immense suffering and
passed away.
Following the surrender of the Japanese in Malaya in September 1945, the accolades for Lim Bo Seng began to flow in. The Nationalist Government in China accorded to him a posthumous rank of Major-General and a grand funeral procession was held on 13th January 1946. His grave is situated at MacRitchie Reservoir. On the 10th Anniversary of his death, in 1954, a memorial was unveiled at the Esplanade to commemorate him.
Lim Bo Seng attained everlasting fame not only because he gave up everything, including his life, to fight against an enemy he deemed to be tyrannical and cruel but also because of his steadfast refusal under pain and torture to reveal the information which would endanger the lives of his comrades and the cause he was fighting for.
(Source: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_contributions_did_Lim_Bo_Seng_make_to_Singapore)
Following the surrender of the Japanese in Malaya in September 1945, the accolades for Lim Bo Seng began to flow in. The Nationalist Government in China accorded to him a posthumous rank of Major-General and a grand funeral procession was held on 13th January 1946. His grave is situated at MacRitchie Reservoir. On the 10th Anniversary of his death, in 1954, a memorial was unveiled at the Esplanade to commemorate him.
Lim Bo Seng attained everlasting fame not only because he gave up everything, including his life, to fight against an enemy he deemed to be tyrannical and cruel but also because of his steadfast refusal under pain and torture to reveal the information which would endanger the lives of his comrades and the cause he was fighting for.
(Source: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_contributions_did_Lim_Bo_Seng_make_to_Singapore)
Lim Bo Seng's Contributions
He was held in high regard by the British and other members of Force 136
for his patriotism, leadership and organisational abilities. After
receiving training from the British in India, the men of Force 136 were
inserted into Malaya via submarine in batches. Appointed leader of the
Malayan Chinese section, he personally arrived in Malaya in November
1943 to co-ordinate the efforts. He was one of the five signatories in
the Bukit Bidor Agreement signed on 1st Jan 1944 where the British and
the Malayan Communist Party agreed to work together and support each
other against the Japanese.
(Source:http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_contributions_did_Lim_Bo_Seng_make_to_Singapore)
(Source:http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_contributions_did_Lim_Bo_Seng_make_to_Singapore)
Thursday, 14 February 2013
Biography
Lim was born in Nan'an, Fujian, China, in the final years of the Qing Dynasty, as the 11th child but the first son in the family.He was born on 27th April 1909. His father, Lim Loh , was a building constructor. In 1925, Lim came to Singapore at the age of 16 to study inRaffles Institution under the British colonial government. He went on to read business at the University of Hong Kong.
In 1930, Lim married Gan Choo Neo , a Nyonya woman from the Lim clan association hall of Singapore. They had eight children, one of whom died in infancy. Initially a Taoist, Lim converted to Christianity after his marriage to Gan. Lim inherited his father's business He started with running two businesses in brick manufacturing and biscuit production before venturing into building construction together with his brothers. Apart from being successful in his business career, Lim was also a prominent figure in the Chinese community in Singapore, having been nominated to take on several posts in the community, including: Chairman of the Singapore Building Industry Association; Board Member of the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce ; Executive Member and Education Director of the Singapore Hokkien Huay Kuan.
(Source:wikipedia.org/wiki/Lim_Bo_Seng.)
In 1930, Lim married Gan Choo Neo , a Nyonya woman from the Lim clan association hall of Singapore. They had eight children, one of whom died in infancy. Initially a Taoist, Lim converted to Christianity after his marriage to Gan. Lim inherited his father's business He started with running two businesses in brick manufacturing and biscuit production before venturing into building construction together with his brothers. Apart from being successful in his business career, Lim was also a prominent figure in the Chinese community in Singapore, having been nominated to take on several posts in the community, including: Chairman of the Singapore Building Industry Association; Board Member of the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce ; Executive Member and Education Director of the Singapore Hokkien Huay Kuan.
(Source:wikipedia.org/wiki/Lim_Bo_Seng.)
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