Streetnames in Changi
Changi, A Heritage - Habitatnews

Street names in Changi named after airfields

Alvin Wong writes (2002) - It appears that many street and road names in Changi were named after major RAF airfields made famous during the Battle of Britain (1940).

Most of these airfields in the 11 Group in Southeast England bore the brunt of defending the skies against the Luftwaffe (German Air Force) bombers. The airfields were also the targets of bombing raids by the Luftwaffe.

Street names in Changi names after:

11 Group airfields:
Biggin Hill, Eastchurch, Hawkinge, Hornchurch, Hendon, Manston, Martlesham, Northolt, Tangmere

12 Group:
Digby
 

For more info on Battle of Britain, visit this site:
Alex's Military History Homepage: Battle of Britain
<http://www.geocities.com/Broadway/Alley/5443/bofb1.htm>

Sadly, the air defence of Singapore on the eve of the Japanese invasion was lacking. Only a handful of lumbering Brewster Buffaloes and hastily assembled Hurricanes (a few were shipped in but were crated) faced the more superior Japanese Zeros.

It was partly due to this lack of air superiority that led to the decisive sinking of HMS Prince of Wales and Repulse soon after the Pearl Harbour attack. Most of the RAF was occupied with the defence of the jolly old England and North Africa.

Alvin Wong

 

Additional notes:
Netheravon Road - presumably was named after the Airfield Camp in Netheravon Wiltshire, whih is home to the Army Parachute Association (APA), probably the oldest parachute club in the world and the centre of where parachuting, as a sport, was born in the U.K. Tehir webpage? http://www.netheravon.com

See also: "The history of Changi" by Sqn Ldr H A Probert, 1965. Originally from the webpage of the United Kingdom Mobile Air Movements Squadron.

 

Old images of Changi Village

Fairy Point's photos

Nev Davis's slides of Changi village circa Feb 1969. From "The RAF Grammar School, Changi Singapore." by Tony Harris.

Margie Hall writes (15 May 2006) - "Before World War II, Changi was built as an artillery base by the Army, and they returned again after the war, but then handed over to the RAF in 1946 as the Japanese had built the airstrip and it was needed by the RAF.

I think the street names were different before the War, and after the RAF time. For instance, Netheravon Road was originally New Road.

In Probert, p.30, Martlesham Road was originally, prewar, Artillery Road. There is a 1937 map in Probert's book about Changi, but the road names are too small to read unfortunately.

Ed - see "1981 - Changi Air Base." By Germaine Foo-Tan. History Snippets, 7 (7). 07 Jul 2003.