Both the Old Ford Factory and Bai Yan shared a common time in history – they had survived the World War II Japanese Occupation and lived to tell the tales; and on this day, both Bai Yan and the factory are going to bring back their own tales of the war. Bai Yan is no stranger to most Singaporeans as he used to appear frequently on television programmes. Even at 89, he’s still going on strong with zest and enthusiasm.

For this special arrangement, he arrived early as a group of senior citizens made their way to the factory along Upper Bukit Timah Road on a hot Saturday afternoon – never mind the heat as they got to come face-to-face with their star of their time.

Upon arrival and after greetings and a short briefing, the group was split into two and each toured the Old Ford Factory compound with the help of a guide. At the first stop, the enthusiastic group was given a brief history of how the Ford Factory began its history in October 1941. Located along the Malayan Railway line which is still currently in operation, this factory is the first Ford assembly plant in Southeast Asia. As glamorous as it sounded, it became the place where the Surrender Documents were signed by the British on 15 February 1942 – marking the start of the Japanese Occupation.

The factory’s modern assembly equipment at that time proved good enough for the Japanese to occupy it for the assembly of their military vehicles during the Japanese Occupation. For three years and eight months, the Old Ford Factory served as the headquarters for General Yamashita and his Japanese Imperial Army.

As the group toured the surroundings of the factory, the guide recounted on how various plants were grown to sustain the people. In particular, the banana tree was very useful as many parts of the tree may be used for food, wraps and toothpicks. As the guide recollected tales of the past, everyone was brought back in time as they recounted how rice, tapioca and sweet potato, amongst other home grown plants were harvested for survival.

After a tour of the surroundings, the group was led into the factory which had since been renovated as a memorial gallery. Stories of how the British surrendered were shared, followed by how suspected spies were caught, tortured and killed. Many civilians were also beheaded as a warning to not oppose the Japanese during the occupation. Their heads were then put on display to strike fear within the communities.

The group also recounted of how bad the living conditions in Singapore were during the occupation – often resulting in serious illnesses or deaths because of untreated wounds, diseases and deficiency of nutrients. To make matters worse, medical treatment was not readily available, and suffering was abundant.

The guide also introduced the currency that was used during the Japanese Occupation. Money then was known as the Banana money because of the images of banana trees printed on the notes. As the Japanese printed more notes, they subsequently became almost useless; least to say, it was worthless when the Japanese surrendered in the end.

The last stop was at the item of daily necessity – the toilet bowl. It was a simple wooden chair with a hole and a plastic pail to hold what would be the daily fertilizers for the plants. Indeed, the people in the past really knew how to save on every single cent.

After this was the moment that everyone was waiting for – a face-to-face moment with Bai Yan and his wife as they recounted their experience during the second world war. After leaving their hometown in China with an Opera troupe, they travelled to various places including Singapore and Malaysia. When the Japanese occupied the state-city, they moved to Penang and stayed till the world war was over.

While in Penang, they got married when they were both in their early twenties and continued to travel with the troupe before settling down in Singapore after the war. They recounted the horrible times of how anti-Japanese movements were planned and carried out and how a personal friend of theirs was brought away – never to be seen again. The Japanese Occupation was definitely a time that they, nor anyone else, would ever want to go through again.

Good times fly past quickly and before they knew it, the get-together was coming to an end. The tour was definitely an eye-opener for many who had not been to the Old Ford Factory. It was also a wonderful moment to whom Bai Yan was and still is a star in their hearts. This is perhaps one of the best outings of Explore Singapore where the participants were given a double treat. As the senior citizens left for the bus, many turned and waved goodbye to the factory and to the heart throb of their times.