Day 3: British Royals Visit Kranji War Memorial

Text: Kymie Hwang
Photos: xinmsn, Reuters

On the last day of their Singapore visit, Prince William and his wife Catherine paid tribute to fallen soldiers of Britain and the Commonwealth during World War II.

The royal couple arrived Kranji War Memorial at around 9.45am this morning, and laid a wreath in front of the wall of remembrance. While a bugle started playing "Lost Post", the royal couple and the public who attended the ceremony observed a one minute silence.

After greeting and talking to a group of war veterans and British officers, the couple proceeded to the lawn and walked slowly among rows of white tombstones, the last resting place of soldiers from countries such as Britain, Australia, Canada, Sri Lanka, India, the Netherlands and New Zealand who died defending Singapore and Malaysia during World War II.

Catherine held a light-coloured Asian style parasol to shelter herself from the sun. Major Will Scrase, one of the British officers who had a chance to talk to the Duchess during an event last night told xinmsn today that, the Duchess of Cambridge did mention that she found the weather in Singapore "warm".

Hundreds of people including British expatriates, local residents and students gathered early this morning at 8am to catch the last glimpse of the royal couple before they leave for Kuala Lumpar, Malaysia later today. Prince William and his wife were here to mark Britain's Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee. They will also visit Malaysia, the Solomon Islands and Tuvalu during the nine-day Asian-Pacific tour.