However, being fair, it really was down to the Army Commander, Arthur Percival, who had been refusing the pleas of his staff to build defences against a land invasion since the end of 1938. His response had been that it would "demoralize the civilians".

A comprehensive plan had been created by the Royal Engineers, invovling a range of defences and airfields for defence in depth. By the time Percival could be persuaded it was needed, it was al ready far too late.

It wasn't helped by the sinking of the Royal Navy capital ships based in Singapore, HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse, in a foolhardy adventure of no strategic use whatsoever.

But this loss was Percival's and Percival's alone. One man. One bloody fool. Even Churchill was astonished that there were no land defences.


keep to the Fen Causeway