Shayne Neumann (Blair, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Veterans' Affairs and Defence Personnel) | Hansard source

They were held first at Changi, and later at other locations across South-East Asia and Japan. These prisoners of war endured great suffering, and by the end of the war more than 7,000 had died in captivity.

Singapore was home to a British naval base with a large force stationed on the island that included many who had been evacuated after serving in Malaya. On 8 February 1942, Japanese forces began their attack on the island from the north-west. While the fighting was intense, the battle was short-lived. Japanese forces seized control of the island's main water reservoirs. Soon after, the allied forces, disorganised and lacking supplies and air support, were forced to surrender.

Four days after the fall of Singapore, Japan bombed Darwin, bringing the war to the Australian mainland for the first time. As Labor Prime Minister John Curtin said, 'The battle for Australia had begun.' These events stunned the nation. Today we recognise the sacrifice and service of all those people who served in Malaya and Singapore. Lest we forget.

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