Tribute to our Grandfather Tan Piah Eng - Part 2 of 2

When World War 1 broke out in August 1914, he came actively involved as a quartermaster with the Singapore Volunteer Corps (SVC), while managing the rubber estate, dividing his time between both roles. He would later receive a long service medal for his military services from His Majesty King George V.

In 1922, he would become Manager, in his own words, the only Chinese Manager in a British Rubber Estate in Singapore and the Federation of Malay States (FMS) and resided in the estate with other members of his extended family. (In 1927 part of the rubber estate land would be sold to the Singapore Turf Club to build a new racecourse, opening in 1933. This is the future site of the Turf City MRT Station).

Our father would also tell us stories of a young him cycling from home at Kg Soopoo (Kallang) to help grandfather Tan at the rubber estate, even during the Japanese occupation of World War 2 from 1942 to 1945.

By 1952, the rubber estate would go into liquidation. We do not know if he received compensation which he has asked for, having served there for 47 years until age 75.

Sadly, grandfather Tan would soon suffer from throat cancer and pass away at age 77 on 27 February 1955, baptised as a Catholic and given the baptism name of Peter. This was just 2 years after he purchased this Bedok house. He was buried at Bidadari cemetery but exhumation of his remains happened 47 years later in 2002. His ashes has since been interred at the Choa Chu Kang columbarium to this day.

This oval mirror-framed enlarged photograph of him hung in the living room of our kampong house. We see him and are reminded of him everyday.

Source: Tan Piah Eng’s personal collection of letters and documents. Credit also goes to Sir Song Ong Siang’s book, made possible by the National Library Board’s digitalisation efforts.

Long Service Medal award from His Majesty King George V for grandfather's services in the Singapore Volunteer Corps (SVC)

1950 photo of him with unidentified persons, whom we think are his team members and photographed against the estate residences at Bukit Timah Rubber Estates

100 Years history of the Chinese in Singapore page 507 detailing grandfather's involvement in World War 1 (acknowlegement to National Library Board)

Death notices in the Straits Times and his burial ground at Bidadari Cemetery until 2002 when exhumation took place. He is now resting at Choa Chu Kang Columbarium.

This large mirror framed photo of grandfather Tan Piah Eng (about 3 ft in height) hung at the Bedok kampong house living hall until we moved out in Oct 1974