| The United Kingdom Royal Army party carried the Union flag on their way to surrender Singapore to the Japanese. Left to Right: United Kingdom Royal Army Major Cyril Wild (April 10, 1908 – September 25, 1946) carrying white flag, interpreter; United Kingdom Royal Army Brigadier Thomas K. Newbigging (December 19, 1891 – February 9, 1968), holding the Union flag, Chief Administrative Officer, Malaya Command; Imperial Japanese Army Lieutenant Colonel Kazushi Sugita (March 31, 1904 – April 12, 1993); United Kingdom Royal Army Brigadier General Kenneth S. Torrance (August 20, 1895 – October 15, 1958), Staff Officer, Malaya Command; United Kingdom Royal Army Lieutenant General Arthur E. Percival (December 26, 1887 – January 31, 1966). The opposing delegations sat down at 1715 Hours on February 15, 1942. On February 13, 1942, Imperial Japanese Army Lieutenant General Tomoyuki Yamashita (November 8, 1885 – February 23, 1946), Commander of the 14th Area Army, occupied the Ford Motor Factory at Bukit Timah as his Headquarters. It had previously been a military target as an assembly center for the Royal Air Force (RAF). Matters were complicated by Yamashita’s limited English and Percival’s limited Japanese. Major Wild, as Percival’s interpreter, played little part. Colonel Sugita wasn’t the foremost interpreter. Yamashita was frustrated with his interpreter, who couldn’t convey his emotions to his satisfaction. Percival read Yamashita’s anger as a demand for unconditional surrender, which the flustered Japanese interpreter translated. Meekly, Percival agreed. He attempted to secure guarantees for the safety of civilians. At 1810 Hours, the unconditional surrender was signed. A 130,000 Allied soldiers went into captivity. Percival and his party were interned at Changi Prison. | |
| Image Filename | wwii1526.jpg |
| Image Size | 657.33 KB |
| Image Dimensions | 2786 x 1860 |
| Photographer | |
| Photographer Title | Imperial Japanese Army |
| Caption Author | Written or Adapted by Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | February 15, 1942 |
| Location | Bukit Timah |
| City | Singapore |
| State or Province | Straits Settlements |
| Country | Singapore |
| Archive | Imperial War Museum |
| Record Number | HU 2781 |
| Status | Caption ©2026 MFA Productions LLC Please Do Not Duplicate or Distribute Without Permission; Image in the Public Domain |
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