Singapore Naval Base

With the complete withdrawal of British forces from Singapore in 1971, the Naval Base has since been handed over to the Singapore government, which in 1968 converted it into a commercial dockyard (as Sembawang Shipyard, now part of Singapore Exchange-listed SembCorp Marine).

After the short term ANZUK arrangement was terminated (started in 1971 and ended in 1974), New Zealand Force South East Asia (NZFORSEA) was created with the HQ being sited at the Stores Basin area adjacent to the current Sembawang Naval Basin. NZFORSEA consisted of 1 Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment (RNZIR), which was based at Dieppe Barracks near Yishun New Town, No. 141 Flight of Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF), with its Bell UH-1D/H Hueys based at Sembawang Air Base and frequent deployments of Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) frigates. This was the last major foreign military presence based in Singapore. Total military strength at the time stood at 850 with some 700 dependents. Under the auspices of the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA), NZFORSEA took over the Royal Navy married quarters and billets, while the Installations Auxiliary Police Force (IAPF) was formed, the small police force was staffed by Singaporeans but commanded by an NZ officer to provide security to the whole area. This security blanket covered the British, UK and Australian facilities and personnel. When NZFORSEA withdrew from Singapore in 1989, it was replaced by the smaller NZ Defence Support Unit, the South East Asia (NZDSU SEA), with the IAPF still providing security to other nations including the US facilities and personnel.

The British Ministry of Defence (MoD) continues to maintain a small logistics base at Sembawang wharf to control most of the foreign military activities there, which includes repair, refuel and resupply for ships of the Australian, British and New Zealand navies as well as those from other Commonwealth countries under the auspices of FPDA.[4]

As part of a 1990 agreement (concluded in 1992) between Singapore and the United States, American military forces (primarily naval and air force) have been making use of Sembawang's base facilities.[5] The Commander, Logistics Group Western Pacific has been headquartered in Sembawang since 1992, providing logistic support for the US 7th Fleet in its operations in the Pacific and Southeast Asia. The United States Coast Guard, Marine Inspection Detachment (MIDET) Singapore is also a tenant.[6][7][8]

Apart from the US naval presence, the United States Air Force has its administration, logistics and support component for the 497th Combat Training Squadron being based there, while the squadron's flight operations are based out of Paya Lebar Air Base.[9]

Since 2002, Singapore has granted the Indian Navy in principle access to Sembawang Port and Indian patrol boats escorting American Naval ships through the straits of Malacca.[10]

Admiralty Floating Dock No.9, a large floating dry dock, the third-largest in the world at the time of its construction, was located at the base. It was used by the aircraft carrier HMS Eagle for a refit in 1939. At the time, the dry dock was described as having been floated from England to Singapore 10 years before.[11]

The graving dock was completed in February 1938 and was more than 300 m (980 ft) in length and was the largest dry dock in the world at the time.[12] With the impending capture of Singapore by the Imperial Japanese Army in 1942, the dry dock gates were blown off and machinery destroyed. The dock was subsequently repaired and used throughout the war and was subjected to Allied air attacks to disable the dry dock in late 1944 and early 1945.

Modern sources give the title "Captain-in-Charge" to the senior officer at Singapore Naval Base from 1921 to 1942, including flag officers.[13] However, contemporary sources state that the official title wasn't granted until 1931, when Captain Birkett took on the role.[14]

	Rank	Flag	Name	Term
Commanding officer, Singapore
1	Captain		Cloudesley V. Robinson	October 1921 – October 1923
2	Captain		Percy R. Stevens	October 1923 – December 1925
3	Captain		Hugh S. Shipway	December 1925 – October 1927
4	Captain		Geoffrey Mackworth	October 1927 – September 1929
5	Captain		C.O.Thomson	September 1929 – November 1931
Captain-in-Charge[14]
6	Captain		Miles B. Birkett	November 1931 – November 1932
7	Captain		Malcolm R.J. Maxwell-Scott	November 1932 – September 1934
8	Commodore (Second-Class)		William P. Mark-Wardlaw	September 1934 – 11 September 1936[15]
9	Commodore (Second-Class)		Marshall L. Clark	11 September 1936 – November 1938[15]
10a	Commodore (First-Class)		Thomas Bernard Drew	November 1938 – August 1939[16]
Rear Admiral, Malaya[17]
10b	Rear-Admiral		Thomas Bernard Drew	August 1939 – 22 August 1941[17][18]
11	Rear-Admiral		Ernest J. Spooner	23 August 1941 – February 1942[19]

Included:[13]

	Rank	Flag	Name	Term
Flag Officer, Malaya and Forward Areas
1	Rear-Admiral		Sir J. Anthony V. Morse	September 1945 – April 1946
2	Rear-Admiral		H. Jack Egerton	April 1946 – December 1947
3	Vice-Admiral		Clifford Caslon	December 1947 – January 1950
4	Rear-Admiral		Hugh W. Faulkner	January 1950 – December 1951
5	Rear-Admiral		Anthony F. Pugsley	December 1951 – November 1953
6	Rear-Admiral		Ernest H. Shattock	November 1953 – April 1956

Included:[13]

	Rank	Flag	Name	Term
Flag Officer, Malayan Area
1	Rear-Admiral		George A. Thring	May 1956 – 1958