set paintings biblical theme painted british prisoner war interned prison japanese occupation singapore world war murals completed difficult conditions sickness limited materials hardships message universal love forgiveness helped spirits sick sought refuge prison chapel war walls chapel hiding murals view forgotten historical significance international search conducted locate original painter helping restore damaged faded murals stanley eventually found agreed assist restoration project trips singapore restore paintings stanley advanced age original murals fully restored 1990s site murals heritage site history born england talented art young religious man stanley employed commercial designer producing poster ads organisation war january enlisted army join fight nazi germany posted observation post assistant responsibilities included having quick drawings plot targets guns early posted overseas malaya malaysia 15th field japanese invaded malaya thailand pearl harbor bombed arrival fight japanese brutal short lived soon battalion began retreating singapore heavily fortified coastal defence british forces based consisted army barracks 2nd battalion gordon 9th coastal artillery regiment roberts barracks february situation singapore desperate lieutenant general general officer commanding malaya command ordered withdraw singapore town british surrender singapore february stanley allied ordered march australians went british roberts stanley interned roberts barracks later joined work singapore repairing damage inflicted japanese attacks getting essential services working order held senior officers rank lieutenant colonel sent taiwan japanese food given prisoners poor quality inadequate men working slave labour result harsh treatment japanese guards executions escaped prisoners men health morale began suffer long run chapel work parties stanley sent build road stairs leading memorial japanese dead hill marked memorial plaque today stairs road called seen chaplain regiment aware stanley religious conviction artistic background requested walls altar area small open chapel salvaged camp drew murals featured descent cross included soldiers uniforms comrades models ill suffering severe disorder complicated stanley lying sent converted use hospital mid august stanley recovered moved wing block roberts barracks heard stanley decorated prisoners chapel asked paintings chapel recently converted ground floor block near area stanley chapel dedicated physician stanley agreed sought inspiration proposed paintings murals august time stanley preparing draft drawings murals japanese began action known incident concerning seventeen thousand anglo australian forced vacate buildings exposed nearly days open water refusing sign escape pledge backdrop stanley began paint murals asked japanese permission draw stage interfere work considering purpose murals stanley felt chapel basically dedicated peace reconciliation choose universal themes murals embrace mankind paint readily available camp aid prisoners great risk materials paint gradually acquired brown camouflage paint small crimson paint white oil paint chalk found brought stanley use despite ill stanley set work murals early september illness meant paint limited period day minutes time followed rest compensate lack coloured paint stanley resorted large brush strokes big areas solid colour painting september weeks stanley began painting murals informed work party sent north thailand work thai burma railway colonel charge hospital knew work progress murals intervened stanley transferred hospital continue work chapel stanley unit went thai burma railway returned stanley recounted gone certainly died murals directly saved life way terrible sense debt feels chapel christmas completed mural altogether stanley managed produce large murals walls chapel mural metres long following order supper prison subjects heart christian belief completed murals spirits sick seek refuge chapel stanley paintings considered gift god block luke chapel inspiring murals designated store airfield nearby lower portion prison mural completely destroyed demolished link adjoining room walls chapel hiding murals view stanley later sent north singapore far remained till japanese surrender august war stanley returned england believing murals destroyed allied bombing end war married art teacher sir later currently town london forgotten nearly years accidentally rediscovered servicemen royal_air_force raf occupying roberts barracks chapel store later accommodation raf rediscovered coating covering murals carefully removed complete murals quarter fifth revealed signature murals search artist undertaken failed initial investigations stroke luck artist came light raf education library places reader came book titled churches captivity malaya mentioning roberts barracks artist daily_mirror notified went work looking known artist february found living london wife son shocked saw photo mural keen eyed colleague showed papers restoration raf contacted stanley idea restoring murals brought initially reluctant return restore works painful memories war captivity murals bring didn immediately want come felt sort trauma trying forget know tried hard took years eliminate memories fears long drawn experience waiting death half years long time expect death tried forget course able overcame fear eventually trips singapore restore murals december july restoration intensive assistance given warren officers boys boys school enabled bulk work completed original murals fully restored mural prison stanley original tracing drawing missing remember details missing portion stanley original drawing discovered memorabilia fellow prisoner stanley original sketches subsequently donated original stanley painted small picture placed remaining piece mural fit restore actual mural february stanley died home england age parliamentary discussions stanley murals discussed october minister parliament asked consider moving murals england proposal unsuccessful decided responsibility murals good condition display singapore gained independence britain august addition copy murals painted stanley brought england installed wiltshire murals today storey block roberts barracks road stands today buildings surrounding block demolished july inside chapel photo stanley narrative murals access chapel restricted public interest replica murals display chapel museum audio visual theatre screens videos life display belongings collection books singapore sites singapore organised annual day residential programme create greater awareness national security issues teachers commemoration november man british team singapore film bbc documentary commonwealth war graves commission marked 50th anniversary end world war february families australia new_zealand united_kingdom came singapore reunion cum memorial service held chapel museum tour event organised mark 60th anniversary fall singapore
Changi Murals