Singapore began to flourish about three centuries ago when trade commenced through the distant Suez Canal, facilitating more and more business opportunities for merchants across the globe. The harbours in Singapore developed overnight as seafaring vendors found the grounds to be lucrative for sales and a stable transit point. Simultaneously, the need to protect the harbor and its precincts arose; thus, the decision to build a fort was taken.
Fort Siloso or the “garrison on a rock” came into being in response to this need. The large rock that protrudes into the Singaporean Harbour, which at times even poses danger to the vessels, was used as the pedestal for the fort. The top bits of the rock were blown off and the flattened surface that emerged was used to position guns and gun batteries to safeguard the land mass from probable sea invasions.
With the passage of time and the advent of the Second World War, the battlefield turned out to be in the middle of the country; hence, the twelve gun batteries in Fort Siloso were rotated and the battles commenced against the Japanese troupes that had made their way into the mainland of Singapore.
One of these fierce and fine pieces of armory still remains on the rock in Fort Siloso, and it is an exquisite exhibit that is unmatched elsewhere in the country. The fort itself has been converted to a military museum, much to the delight of the war heroes, military personnel, and patriotic Singaporeans. The collection of armory sends chills down the spines of the youth who are amazed at the sheer might of the nations that participated in both world wars, and how tiny Singapore stood up to defend themselves with unprecedented gallantry and bravery.
Every kid’s dream includes a visit to Sentosa Island and they will be thrilled to find out that the Fort Siloso is located very much within the island. A Sentosa resort Singapore can also be found within this locality itself. Any luxury resort Singapore will exude more charm, elegance, and sophistication than one could imagine, as is the case with W Singapore Sentosa Cove which aims to pamper guests with an unforgettable hospitality experience.
Angela Fernando is an impassioned travel writer who composes pieces under the pen name Sumaira Narayan. She loves writing about new and exciting places around the world and hopes to visit them all someday.
Google+
