Woodlands Area
Reason for the name
The Woodlands garrison area in the North of Singapore provided the last major location for New Zealand military personnel and their dependents in South East Asia ending in 1989.
In the 1930s Woodlands was developed to support the British naval operations with shipyards and the stores basin in the Singapore’s Woodlands/Sembawang area.
From the 1970’s Woodlands provided many unit lines and accommodation for accompanied personal of New Zealand Force South-East Asia (NZFORSEA) until the disbandment of the force and return of personnel to New Zealand.
Britain had a long military history in South East Asia leading to New Zealand Forces in Singapore making major use of the Woodlands area and being the last to do so.
Malaya Command in the 1920’s was a formation of the British Army for the coordination of the defences of British Malaya, which comprised the Straits Settlements, the Federated Malay States and the Unfederated Malay States It consisted mainly of small garrison forces in Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Taiping, Seremban and Singapore. It was absorbed into Far East Command.
Far East Command was a British military command which had two distinct periods:
- 18 November 1940 – 7 January 1942 and then
- 1963–1971 when it was succeeded by Australia, New Zealand, and United Kingdom Force (ANZUK Force)
ANZUK Force operated under the 1971 Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA) between Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Singapore and Malaysia.[4] This arrangement provided the framework for NZ FORSEA whose primary role was defined to be:
- Promote stability in the area.
- Enhance New Zealand's political and diplomatic influence in the region.
- Assist the development of the Armed Forces of countries in the area.
- Implement the Mutual Assistance Programme, where the force provided assistance and conducted exercises with armed forces of countries in the area, particularly those of Singapore and Malaysia.
Following the Australian elections in 1973, Australia withdrew from the contribution and over the course of 1974 the integrated units which made up the ANZUK were gradually disbanded and replaced by national units. On 31 January 1974 ANZUK Force ceased to exist, followed on 16 December 1974 with the disbanding of the Naval and Air Headquarters and their assets reverted to their respective national command and what remained of the United Kingdom's land component forces became the 28th (UK) Infantry Brigade and the New Zealand Force South East Asia was raised.
New Zealand Force South East Asia . United Kingdom had decided to withdrawal all its forces east of Suez in 1972. It was in New Zealand's interest to retain a force in southeast Asia, so on 30 January 1974 New Zealand Force South East Asia was formed, taking under its command all the New Zealand units formerly part of ANZUK.
Taking several years for the Australian and United Kingdom units to draw down and withdraw, it was not until 1977 that NZFORSEA was the sole remaining foreign presence in Singapore.
With the Headquarters relocated from Kangaw Base to the Stores Basin area adjacent to the the Sembawang Naval Basin, This was the last major foreign military presence based in Singapore. Total military strength at the time stood at 850 with some 700 dependants. NZFORSEA took over many of British married quarters, recreational and welfare facilities at Nee Soon, Sembawang and Woodlands.
- New Zealand Force South East Asia comprised the elements of the Royal New Zealand Navy, New Zealand Army and Royal New Zealand Air Force. Much of the New Zealand military left Singapore in 1989, leaving behind a residual Defence Support Unit (NZDSU).
- Units eventually located in the Woodlands area included:
- NZ Force Headquarters
- NZ Transport Company
- NZ Force Hospital
- NZ Advanced Ordnance Depot
- NZ Workshops
- NZ Forces Club
- Installation Auxiliary Police
- NZ Work Services Unit
- NZ Base Services Unit
- NZ Force School
- NAAFI
After departure in 1989 the NZ facilities all passed to the Singapore Government.
By 2023, Woodlands was a planning area and residential town located in the North of Singapore. As of 2019, the town has a population of 254,733. It is the densest planning area and is the regional centre for the North Region of the country.
