- Title: SINGAPORE: PARADE CLIMAXES ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS
- Date: 10th August 1969
- Summary: PADANG FILLED WITH PARTICIPATING GROUPS; LEE KUAN YEW WITH GOVERNMENT MEMBERS STANDING ON DAIS; TANKS; SOLDIERS; WOMEN ARMY MEMBERS; GURKHA POLICE MARCH PAST; VIGILANTE CORPS; SCHOOLS CADETS. Initials MJS/VS/PN/SGM Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 25th August 1969 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: SINGAPORE
- Country: Singapore
- Reuters ID: LVA2TNBT7GA3LNF33R875QAWATO0
- Story Text: A NINETY-MINUTE PARADE WAS THE HIGH POINT OF A DOUBLE CELEBRATION YESTERDAY (SATURDAY) IN SINGAPORE. AUGUST 9TH IS THE COUNTRY'S NATIONAL DAY - MARKING FOUR YEARS OF FULL INDEPENDENCE FROM MALAYSIA. IT IS ALSO THE ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOUNDING OF MODERN SINGAPORE.
THE CITY STATE WAS FOUNDED BY A YOUNG ENGLISHMAN, STANFORD RAFFLES, IN 1819. HE FOUNDED THE CITY IN FEBRUARY, BUT THE SINGAPORE GOVERNMENT DECREED EARLIER THIS YEAR THAT THE ANNIVERSARY WOULD BE CELEBRATED ON NATIONAL DAY.
IN RECENT WEEKS, THERE HAVE BEEN EXHIBITIONS, CONCERTS, BANQUETS, THE OPENING OF A 'RAFFLES VILLAGE', EVEN THE INVENTION OF A NEW COCKTAIL, TO CELEBRATE THE ANNIVERSARY. BUT SATURDAY'S PARADE, THROUGH STREETS OF NEWLY CLEANED AND PAINTED BUILDINGS DECKED WITH FLAGS, WAS THE COLOURFUL CLIMAX.
SINGAPORE PRIME MINISTER LEE KUAN YEW AND OTHER GUESTS WATCHED FROM A DAIS OUTSIDE THE CITY HALL AS THE PARADE, FEATURING THE ARMED FORCES, SPORTS, POLITICS AND CULTURE, ROLLED PAST.
LEADING THE PROCESSION WERE EIGHTEEN FRENCH-BUILT TANKS WHICH SINGAPORE BOUGHT RECENTLY FROM ISRAEL. BEHIND CAME HOME NEWLY-ACQUIRED ARMOUR-UNIMOGS WITH 120MM MORARS AND JEEPS WITH RECOILLESS GUNS. THE PURCHASES ARE IN PREPARATION FOR THE GREATER RESPONSIBILITIES THE SINGAPORE FORCES WILL BEAR WHEN BRITAIN WITHDRAWS FROM THE FAR EAST.
AMONG THE TROOPS WHICH FOLLOWED THE ARMOUR WERE A NUMBER OF ISRAELI MILITARY ADVISERS. THERE WERE ALSO UNITS OF WOMEN'S TROOPS, GURKHA POLICE, CIVIL DEFENCE WORKERS, SCHOOL CADET FORCES, AND EVEN FORMER POLITICAL DETAINEES AMONG THE 30,000 PEOPLE WHO TOOK PART IN THE MARCH.
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