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Lot Essay
The following is a description as it apperaed in The Sphere: 'The Last hours at Singapore'; The scene in the harbour (One of the World's Finest as the Last British Evacuation Ships Left for Batavia--- specifically drawn for the Sphere by Montague Dawson.'
'The night before the final surrender of Singapore was indeed a strange one. The waters of the harbour, lined with the white-pillared palaces of the great shipping offices, commercial houses and Government buildings, reflected the fire of battle as it raged only a few miles to the north. The final evacuation ships, with some escorting naval craft, were endeavouring to pick their way to safety amid a hail of bombs from enemy planes. A number of small craft were still moored in the harbour. No general evacuation had been attempted. The night was lit by flashes of great guns fired from Fort Changi and the islands immediately guarding the harbour entrance. In the background rolled huge masses of smoke and flame from burning oil tanks and subsidiary fires in the north and centre of the island. Most of the evacuation ships had miraculous escapes, although some suffered from direct hits and near misses.
'The night before the final surrender of Singapore was indeed a strange one. The waters of the harbour, lined with the white-pillared palaces of the great shipping offices, commercial houses and Government buildings, reflected the fire of battle as it raged only a few miles to the north. The final evacuation ships, with some escorting naval craft, were endeavouring to pick their way to safety amid a hail of bombs from enemy planes. A number of small craft were still moored in the harbour. No general evacuation had been attempted. The night was lit by flashes of great guns fired from Fort Changi and the islands immediately guarding the harbour entrance. In the background rolled huge masses of smoke and flame from burning oil tanks and subsidiary fires in the north and centre of the island. Most of the evacuation ships had miraculous escapes, although some suffered from direct hits and near misses.