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Men of the 5th Division make their first landings on North - Western part of Singapore.

On the night of 8th February 1942, six battalions of the Japanese 5th Infantry Division, under command of Lieutenant General Takuyo Matsui and part of Lieutenant General Tomoyuki Yamashita’s 25th Army along with the 18th Infantry Division assembled at the backwaters of Perpet, Skudai and Melayu rivers, near the Johore coastline.  The troops then made the river crossing using landing craft. The Sarimbun beach was heavily defended by 2 companies, one each from the 2/20th and 2/18th battalions of the 22nd Australian Brigade. This brigade was supported by a machine gun company, three artillery batteries and an anti-tank battery which subsequently fired on the oncoming Japanese troops, hitting some of them.

However, the other assault troops managed to move into the inland creeks which helped the Japanese troops penetrate the defence perimeter of the British.  From 10.30pm onwards that night, the whole of the 22nd Australian Brigade suffered attacks from the 2 Japanese divisions. The Australian troops retrograded after midnight allowing the 5th Infantry Division, whom have all landed and regrouped, to move on to Ama Keng village and established their beachhead was the first to fire a red starshell over the straits to indicate the their success to Gen Yamashita. The 18th Infantry Division fired a white one soon after that.

Immediately after this important victory, the 5th Infantry Division moved inwards into Singapore to capture more strategic areas such as Tengah Airfield on 9th February 1942.  The unit fought against the 2/29th, 2/20th, 2/18th battalions of the 22nd Australian Brigade and the Jind Indian Infantry Battalion, the airfield garrison.  By late afternoon, Tengah Airfield fell to the 5th Infantry Division. On 11th February 1942, Bukit Timah Road was captured by the 5th Infantry Division after fierce fighting.  Singapore surrendered 4 days later.