SINGAPORE –  As Japanese forces closed in during the weeks before the British surrendered on Feb 15, 1942, people in Singapore faced a stark choice: stay and fight the invasion, or leave in the hope of rebuilding life elsewhere.

Those who chose to flee boarded the last ferries heading to Sumatra, Indonesia, passing by Sisters’ Island – the last of Singapore they would see on a route that many feared could be a journey of no return.

More than 80 years later, that sea journey is being recreated for present-day audiences.

On weekends from Feb 21 to March 8, members of the public can trace the maritime routes taken by children, women and men fleeing Japanese bombings and shellings during World War II.

This is part of Passages at Last Light: Singapore’s WWII Maritime Evacuation Routes. It is the anchor programme of the 2026 Battle for Singapore initiative, a series of events organised by the National Heritage Board (NHB) and its partners to commemorate Singapore’s fall during World War II (WWII).

The new maritime tour led by Dr John Kwok – who has been running programmes for the Battle for Singapore since 2015 – will bring participants from the Singapore Maritime Gallery to the open waters near St. John’s Island and the Sisters’ Islands, including a disembarkation at the bigger Sisters’ Island.

While the evacuees did not disembark at Sisters’ Island, visiting it will allow participants to take a closer look at the islands surrounding mainland Singapore and learn about the roles they played in 1942.

For example, Serapong Hill, which is on Sentosa, had served as a lookout post for possible ship attacks from the south, Dr Kwok shared at a media preview on Feb 9.

When asked what visitors could take away from the tour, he highlighted the universal relevance of the dilemma faced by the people of Singapore at the time, noting its resonance with the conflicts around the world today.

“There is no right or wrong answer – ...