CNA Let Me Tell You A Story S2: Life At Largest British Naval Base In Asia
Documentary
46min | Singapore, Malaysia | 2025
It’s easy to overlook Sembawang – a quiet suburb in northern Singapore. But beneath its streets lie the stories of an empire’s ambition. From the 1930s to the 1970s, Sembawang was home to Britain’s largest Naval Base in Asia – one of the world’s most powerful military outposts of its time. For the first time, seniors who grew up around the Naval Base share how crocodile-infested mangroves were transformed into a bustling township, drawing their ancestors from distant lands to its shipyards. From rowdy sailors in Navy pubs, to football legends born in a town obsessed with the sport, from racial divides between the British and Asians, to the labour strikes that brought the base to a standstill, we uncover the rise and fall of one of Singapore’s best-kept historical secrets.
These are the stories of the last surviving historians among us. Hear the vivid memories of a time gone by, told by a generation who grew up in a completely different Singapore nearly 100 years ago. Season 2 of "Let Me Tell You A Story" aired Aug. 9, 2025 on Channel News Asia.
TEAM
Director: Loh Kok Hong
Researchers: Amir Zubir, Mickey Hiah
Co-Executive Producer: Robert Palumbo
Producer: Raimi Rusydi, Vanessa Chiu, Amir Zubir
Director of Photography: Dave Aquino, Cai Rui Rong, James Zhuang
2nd Camera Operator: Leong Wei Ching, Tan Yong En
Sound Recordist: Dave Aquino
Post Producer: Chien Chiu Ming, Benson Yap
Editor: Alviss Cheu, Rein Zahrein, Gavin Li
Graphics: Amir Bin Abdul Malik, Ahmad Muhammad
Animators: Nilo Parilla, Jeremy Reyes
Illustrators: Dennis Castor, Raphael Cortez, Christian Silvestre
Audio Post Production: De Claffer Music Productions