The Changi Tree....
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Legend has it that there was once a very tall tree that stood in Changi. This tree must have been very significant as Corner (198
noted that the tree had been marked on maps and had been used as a landmark for nearly a century before. The famous "Changi tree" marked the eastern approach to the Straits of Johore and was felled in 1942 to prevent the Japanese artillery from using it as a ranging point during World War II.
The stature of the Changi tree was no myth. Testament to its great height is this photograph of it taken in 1936 by George Crouch and published on the cover of the Malayan Nature Journal (vol 22, 1969) [see the picture below]. The height of this tree can be appreciated by comparing the white building in the background of the photo
The Changi tree met its end in February 1942. H.M., Burkill (1969), a former Director of the Singapore Botanic Gardens, remembered, as a P.O.W. in Changi, seeing it lying near the road side, its stump blasted by a cutting charge of explosive planted 10 feet above the ground.
Reid and Quaife (1970), in their Changi P.O.W. diary, give a more vivid account. "After several attempts the Sappers blew off the top 100 ft or so but they left 150 ft or more sticking up, bare and branch-less, like a factory chimney (J.A.R. Changi notes). After the fall of Singapore (which legend said would happen if the tree fell) and the imprisonment of the British forces in Changi, the trunk was climbed with ropes, severed with explosive about 10 to 20 ft above the ground and used for firewood as far as we remember. Some time later the 10&endash;20 ft stump was sawn off with difficulty a little away above the ground level where the buttresses commenced, at which point it was 11.5 ft in diameter (W.T.Q.). Some of the timber from this portion was made into souvenirs. So in January 1942 this magnificent Sindora (sepetir) was probably over 250 ft (76.2 m) and had a trunk 11.5 ft (3.5 m) in diameter."
Reid and Quaife also remembered finding the rounded, flattened and spiny legumes at the foot of the tree. Close-by, there were also some seedlings that he and company tried to encourage by clearing and fencing around them. "Â…, but whether they survived or not we do not know."
Perhaps the simple conservation efforts Perhaps the simple conservation efforts of Reid and Quaife have paid off. More than half a century later, we still find a Changi tree, perhaps an offspring, not as tall but nevertheless magnificent, standing within the compounds of a bungalow along Netheravon Road, Changi.
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hmmmm........SUE turns botanical liao?
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kakakakaOriginally posted by NeonTetra:hmmmm........SUE turns botanical liao?
no lah dude...
SUE explores everything..as long as it's strange or interesting..
Many ppl have the misconception that we're purely a ghost hunting team... -
ya true...maybe u can draft up a SUE's vision and mission statement and a creed to spell out the Explorers' beliefs?
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woah,the tree damn tall man!!!!
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Originally posted by NeonTetra:ya true...maybe u can draft up a SUE's vision and mission statement and a creed to spell out the Explorers' beliefs?
Professionalism! -
That was the same expression of Lilo and elementa when I told them abt this topic yesterday...Originally posted by ratinacage:woah,the tree damn tall man!!!! -
never stand under this tree when lightning............if u want, ENJOY!
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Originally posted by NeonTetra:never stand under this tree when lightning............if u want, ENJOY!
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sibei tall ah! -
Here u go.. a famous pic of the tree.. "where the tree would fall, so will Singapore" gtg guys..
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Originally posted by Taufiq:
Nice find there dude
[b]Here u go.. a famous pic of the tree.. "where the tree would fall, so will Singapore" gtg guys..
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ooohh..it's shown in the "hey singapore"..actually..i loveee the show..keke..got lots of mysteries to discover..very nice..too bad..no more liao..ermm..den they used the wood fr the tree to built a woodhouse at bukit timah..? is it..? memories fade..
can't remember well..kekeke.. -
That's what SUE aims to be.... a "Hey Singapore" type of forum where we can discuss and report strange findsOriginally posted by Angel^_^:ooohh..it's shown in the "hey singapore"..actually..i loveee the show..keke..got lots of mysteries to discover..very nice..too bad..no more liao -
It's taller then u describe lehz..........Originally posted by PaJeRoMiNi Ver 1.0:That was the same expression of Lilo and elementa when I told them abt this topic yesterday... 
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Hi darlingOriginally posted by lilogirl:It's taller then u describe lehz.......... -
My description skills poor mah..Originally posted by lilogirl:It's taller then u describe lehz.......... -
Hi......................Originally posted by Taufiq:Hi darling -
Originally posted by lilogirl:Hi......................
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I agree........Originally posted by PaJeRoMiNi Ver 1.0:My description skills poor mah.. -
Originally posted by Taufiq:
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Originally posted by Taufiq: Scandal alert!!
/calls the New Paper in the hope of getting the free handphone for the tip off -
The only scandal i will have is with taufiqetteOriginally posted by PaJeRoMiNi Ver 1.0: Scandal alert!!
/calls the New Paper in the hope of getting the free handphone for the tip off 
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KakakakakakaOriginally posted by Taufiq:The only scandal i will have is with taufiqette
ROTFLOL
So mine is Pajerominette lah?