"Heritage in our backyard - the stories of Kent Ridge"

N. Sivasothi
Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research
Department of Biological Sciences
National University of Singapore

Wednesday, 11th February 2004: 12.00pm - 1.00pm

DBS Conference Room
Blk S3, Level 5, Department of Biological Sciences
The National University of Singapore
Science Drive 4

Visitors may park at Carpark 10
See map

The Kent Ridge Heritage Walks and webpage was developed in 2002 in an effort to raise the awareness and appreciation of the area’s ecosystem and heritage. This talk is given in commemoration of the Battle of Pasir Panjang, 12-15 February, 1942.

About the talk
Kent Ridge is host to a rich heritage that many of us remain blissfully unaware about. My first experience stemmed from botany classes on the ridge as it is very conveniently located as an outdoor classroom in our backyard. An elusive hornbill has been reported for over a decade and raptors take a lift before their journey to Sumatra. Bats stream out to hunt at night and many a snake has been encountered by DBS grad students on a late night's journey home.

The surrounding Pasir Panjang was host to a seashore and villages in the 1960's that you can barely find at Pulau Ubin today. The occasional popping sound is testament to the rubber plantations that once covered the university grounds in the 1900's. Later this became part of a British military complex and finally, NUS.

The landscape witnessed the famous Battle of Pasir Panjang, possibly the bloodiest battle in the Fall of Singapore. A heroic defense to the last man by the Malay Regiment held up invading forces for two days in their relentless march to the city.

And last of all, discover how and when Kent Ridge got its name!

ALL ARE WELCOME!  

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