Photograph collection of the British Association of Malaysia and Singapore

Photographer unknown.

75 x 53 mm. Showing a group of officers gathered for the funeral of Lim Boh Seng. A former student of Raffles Institution and Hong Kong University, Lim Boh Seng had taken such an active part in anti-Japanese activities that the authorities had considered banishing him. At the Governors request he formed a Chinese liaison committee for civil defence and this committee proved to be the only body capable of recruiting labour during the Japanese bombardment of Singapore. Lim Boh Seng escaped to India just before the fall of Singapore and worked recruiting members for the underground movement in Malaya. In 1943 he returned to Perak to join the guerillas but was caught by the Japanese and died under torture. See Turnbull (1977, p. 178, 188, 194). In the centre of the group seen here is (Sir) Patrick Archibald Bruce McKerron (1896-1964), Deputy Chief Civil Affairs Officer and later Colonial Secretary (1946-1950). At his left stands Robert Edward Foulger (1899-1969), Commissioner of Police, and at his right Colonel P.J.D. Regester ( - ) O.B.E. Other figures unidentified.

For details of Lim Bo Seng see Turnbull, C.M. (1977), A history of Singapore 1819-1975, Kuala Lumpur : Oxford University Press, p. 178, 188, 194.

Indexed