On the premise that resources in Singapore were stripped bare - From first hand accounts of the situation in 1941 - Singapore (The Gibralter of the East) had little to be stripped of. The complacency of successions of GOCs and The Governor had if anything discouraged such thoughts
to result in absolutely no great construction of defences of any note
- other than its big guns that would prove virtually useless when
eventually called upon - Even its meagre supply of shells would prove
also table for the battle. The hugely expensive great naval base would
also prove to be a white elephant - Destined never to harbour any RN fleet - (the very reason for its existance) and would be gifted virtually intact to a grateful foe - together with Malayan airfields complete it is said with
huge stores of fuel and munitions. Some of the 35,000 Indian troops
were in a state of divided loyalty with Indian Home Rule high on their
agenda at that time and reports that one Indian Regiment had shot and killed its British officers resulting in the entire Indian unit being withdrawn from the line. British and Australian troops having fought their way
down Malaya - crossing the causeway into Singapore would look in vane for evidence of its much vaunted fortifications and bastion which of course did not exist. Even the constructin of public air shelters had been
refused by Singapores Governor Shenton Thomas (Bad for native morale dont you know). Churchill himself had much to answere for regarding
Singapores apathy and lack of preparations and would later be on record for
stating "That Singapore having no landward defences no more entered my mind than that of a batteship being launched without a bottom" !
...