State Visit to the Republic of Singapore - Day 1

In honour of His Excellency David Johnston's visit to the country, the Government of Singapore named an orchid after him during a ceremony at Singapore's famed National Orchid Garden. His Excellency was presented with the name of the orchid by Dr.Leong Chee Chiew, Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Commissioner of Parks and Recreation.

His Excellency and Canadian delegates toured the "ArtScience: A Journey through Creativity" exhibit with Mr. Moshe Safdie (right of the Governor General), a Canadian architect behind the ArtScience Museum.

Original drafts of the building's design by Mr. Safdie are featured in the "ArtScience: A Journey through Creativity" exhibit to foster discussion on the interplay of art, science and technology.

The Governor General visited the Kranji War Cemetery where he laid a wreath and viewed the Memorial Wall in honour of the hundreds of Canadian soldiers who were killed in Southeast Asia during the Second World War. The Memorial stands in Kranji War Cemetery, 22.5 kilometres north of the city of Singapore, overlooking the Straits of Johore. The Singapore Memorial bears on its side columns the names of 191 Canadian airmen who have no known grave. With these are the names of 24,327 comrades from all over the Commonwealth. These airmen died during operations over the whole of southern and eastern Asia and the surrounding seas and oceans.

On a curved panel at the foot of this pylon are inscribed in English these words:

"1939-1945

ON THE WALLS OF THIS MEMORIAL ARE RECORDED THE NAMES OF TWENTY-FOUR THOUSAND SOLDIERS AND AIRMEN OF MANY RACES UNITED IN SERVICE TO THE BRITISH CROWN WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN MALAYA AND NEIGHBOURING LANDS AND SEAS AND IN THE AIR OVER SOUTHERN AND EASTERN ASIA AND THE PACIFIC BUT TO WHOM THE FORTUNE OF WAR DENIED THE CUSTOMARY RITES ACCORDED TO THEIR COMRADES IN DEATH."

His Excellency also paid tribute to our fallen soldiers by visiting four Canadian graves at the Kranji War Cemetery.

Dendrobium David Johnston

Following the orchid-naming ceremony, the Governor General and the Canadian delegates toured Singapore's famed National Orchid Garden with Dr.Leong Chee Chiew, Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Commissioner of Parks and Recreation.