. Armour, one of the formations of SAF, is based in this camp.){kind=link}
Sungei Gedong Camp – How To Get There And Its History
Whenever I hear the word “sungei”, Sungei Buloh invariably comes to mind – a pristine, natural landscape unspoiled by urban development, wild crocodiles basking in the sun with their mouths agape and migratory birds flying in the skies above. In the Malay language, “sungei” means “river”. Of course, this word is likely associated more with a remote, far-flung area rather than a modern, populous one in the city centre. Expectedly, Sungei Gedong Camp is how you and I would imagine it to be. The lack of amenities nearby and the considerable distance from any public transport node rank this camp high in the “ulu” (remoteness) index, as compared to other camps like Selarang Camp and Sembawang Camp.
Sungei Gedong Camp is occupied by the Armoured Infantry of the Singapore Army. Let’s learn more about how to reach this camp, its history and some comments by people who have spent their time at this camp.
1. How To Get To Sungei Gedong Camp
The address of Sungei Gedong Camp is:
14 Sungei Gedong Road
Singapore 718919
On the map, you will see the building of the camp occupying an average-sized area just like any other buildings or structures in the region. However, this is deceiving because as soon as you zoom out, you will see that the land area occupied by the camp, as demarcated by the red boundaries on the map, is actually massive! This is fittingly so, otherwise where else can the military exercises and live demonstrations by the armoured infantry battalions and tank battalions be conducted?
Sungei Gedong Camp is tucked in an extremely remote corner of Singapore in the Lim Chu Kang area. Surrounding the enormous site are farms, agricultural land, Sarimbun Reservoir and another huge stretch of forested area. The Muslim Cemetery, Christian Cemetery and Chinese Cemetery can be found along the same Lim Chu Kang road leading to the camp. Not too far away are some other military establishments such as Tengah Airbase, Murai Camp and Lim Chu Kang Camps.
If you are travelling by private vehicles to Sungei Gedong Camp via Pan-Island Expressway (PIE), take Exit 36 and continue onto Lim Chu Kang Road. Turn left to Sungei Gedong Road and you will see the guardhouse at the end of this road.
If you are travelling by bus, there is only one service which will take you there – SMRT Bus Service 975, which is a loop service starting from Bukit Panjang Interchange.
The bus stop to alight at is 32081, which is the 36th stop and 15.1 km away from Bukit Panjang Interchange. If you are taking the train, you can also alight at Choa Chu Kang MRT Station and take this bus along Choa Chu Kang Avenue 4, just opposite the station at Bus Stop 44531. On weekdays and Saturdays, the first bus sets off at 0545. On Sundays, the first bus sets off at 0600. On all days, the last bus sets off at 2335. The frequency of this bus service ranges from 6 minutes to 12 minutes. For more information on this bus service, visit this link.
2. A Brief History
To appreciate the history of the site of Sungei Gedong Camp, we have to know about the Sarimbun Beach landing by the Japanese during World War II as well as learn about the area of Jalan Bahtera.
By the end of January 1942, Malaya had already fallen to the Japanese after a swift invasion of the peninsula over a span of two months. Following this defeat, Arthur E. Percival, a British commander heading the Allied Forces, deployed his toughest defensive troops at the east of causeway as an attack via the northeastern coastline of Singapore was anticipated. However, this decision proved to be erroneous and would directly lead to the fall of Singapore to the Japanese.
The Australian 22nd Brigade held the fort at the northwestern side of Singapore. On the night of 8 February in 1942, in an unexpected attack, the Lim Chu Kang area was bombarded with heavy artillery. Subsequently, two divisions of the Japanese Army – the 5th and the 18th – made the Johor Straits crossing in small boats. The Australian troops were caught off guard as they witnessed Japanese soldiers landing on Sarimbun Beach. Their retaliation was futile as nothing could have prepared them for the vast number of Japanese soldiers deployed for this attack.
In all, 13,000 Japanese soldiers made their landing on Sarimbun Beach on that night. The Australian defences crumpled quickly and Tengah Airfield was taken over by the Japanese on the next day.
By mid-February 1942, Singapore had fallen. The surrender was made official at the former Ford Factory located in Bukit Timah where the British forces handed over all control to the Imperial Japanese Army.
After the war, much of Sarimbun remained as forested area while a part of it was used for farming purposes. In the 1970s, the area was designated as a military site. Notably, there was a network of rural tracks along Lim Chu Kang Road, consisting of Jalan Bahtera, Jalan Rakit, Jalan Perahu and Jalan Kapal.
Today, Jalan Bahtera and Jalan Perahu still stand and form part of the compound of Sungei Gedong Camp.
3. What Some Current & Ex-NSmen Say
Although Sungei Gedong Camp is a military establishment, it gets online reviews just like any other restaurants or shopping malls.
Plainly for the fun of it, let’s include some comments made by people who have been to this camp or have spent considerable time there.
Some comments are:
“Terribly inconvenient, but canteen is first-class.”
“I’ve met many outstanding individuals and made many awesome memories playing a part in national defence here. Once Armor, always Armor!”
“Fried beehoon at canteen was very good!”
“The food here is amazing and the bonds I forged here is unforgettable.”
“Quite a nice place, got free Air Show everyday and the refreshing smell of Chicken Farm produce.”