The Former Indian National Army Monument (Chinese: 印度国民军纪念碑) is a historical site and a demolished war memorial at the Esplanade Park located at Connaught Drive within the downtown of Singapore.
History Foundation stone laying by Subhas Chandra Bose and construction The monument was constructed to commemorate the "Unknown Warrior" of the Indian National Army (INA). The words inscribed on the war memorial were its motto, which is Unity (Ittehad), Faith (Ittemad) and Sacrifice (Qurbani). It was built during the Japanese Occupation of Singapore as the Japanese and the INA had one enemy in common, i.e., the British.
Subhas Chandra Bose ("Netaji") laid the foundation stone on 8 July 1945, and the words inscribed upon the War Memorial were the motto of the INA: Unity (Etihaad), Faith (Etmad) and Sacrifice (Kurbani).INA War Memorial in Singapore , National Archive of Singapore. The monument was then erected within a month by the Japanese in August 1945, a few months before Singapore was recaptured by the British. The memorial was designed and erected by Colonel Cyril John Stracey, 1/14th Punjab Regiment, an Anglo-Indian officer of the INA, who had volunteered to serve INA after being captured by the Japanese. The construction of the monument was proposed by Bose, the co-founder of the INA and Head of State of the Provisional Government of Free India. The INA was backed by the Japanese forces for its goal of gaining India's independence from Britain.
Demolition by British Lord Louis Mountbatten, the head of Southeast Asia Command, ordered the Former Indian National Army Monument to be demolished when Singapore was recaptured by the Allies in 1945. It has been suggested by some historians that Mountbatten's decision to demolish the INA memorial was part of a larger effort to prevent the spread of the nationalist ideals of the INA in the political atmosphere of the Cold War and the decolonization of Asia.Lebra, Joyce C., Jungle Alliance: Japan and the Indian National Army, Singapore, Asia Pacific LibraryBorra R. Subhash Chandra Bose. Journal of Historical Review, 3, no. 4 (Winter 1982), pp. 407-439
Restoration: Erection of plaque by National Heritage Board
In 1995, the National Heritage Board marked the place as a historical site and subsequently with financial donations from the Indian community in Singapore, a new monument commemorating the previous one was erected on that spot.Henderson, J. (2007). Remembering the Second World War in Singapore: Wartime Heritage as a Visitor Attraction. Journal of Heritage Tourism, 2(1), 36-52.
Gallery
Other INA related sites in Singapore Indian National Army related Cathay Building Farrer Park Field INA Martyrs' Memorial Indian National Army in Singapore
See also Other war memorials in Singapore Civilian War Memorial Kranji War Memorial The Cenotaph, Singapore
General History of Singapore Japanese Occupation of Singapore Greater India INA treasure controversy
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