Monsoon Voyages

Author: Zoe Cheang

  • One for the Road: Battle of the Malacca Strait

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    Zoe Cheang
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    The Battle of the Malacca Strait, or referred to in Japanese sources as the “Battle off Penang” (ペナン沖海戦), was a naval battle that resulted from the British search-and-destroy operation in May 1945, called Operation Dukedom, that resulted in the sinking of the Japanese cruiser Haguro. In May 1945, amidst the celebration of the end of…

  • Malacca, Merchants & Multiculturalism

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    Zoe Cheang
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    Situated on the west coast of the Malay Peninsula, on the strait that still bears its name, the port of Malacca was once one of the most critical nodes in the early modern global economy. Known today as Melaka in local language (Bahasa Melayu), the city’s historical significance rivals that of Venice, Cairo, and Canton—similar…

  • Next Station: Sembawang

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    Zoe Cheang
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    For many Singaporeans, Sembawang is just another small town up North of Singapore. But long before it became a quiet residential town with parks and MRT stations, did you know that Sembawang was once home to one of the largest naval docks in the world? As the crown jewel of British naval power in Asia,…

  • Tan Kim Ching and the Tanjong Pagar Dock Company, Singapore

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    Zoe Cheang
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    Previously, we have highlighted the strategic role of Singapore as a colonial port, focusing on the developments in the late 19th century (check out our recent blog HERE). Around that period, discussions around opening the Suez Canal further cemented Singapore’s status as a shipping port with great potential, such as reduction in travel time between…

  • Neutrality of HMS Leander in the Bombardment of Valparaíso

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    Zoe Cheang
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    On March 31, 1866, the people of Valparaíso woke to an astonishing sight — a Spanish fleet, with its ironclad hulls glinting under the sun, ready to unleash fire upon their city. This was an attack that shocked the world, and amidst the chaos sat HMS Leander, a British warship tasked with maintaining neutrality (and…

  • The Lifeline of Colonial Trade – Singapore

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    Zoe Cheang
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    This week, let us dive into the lifeline of colonial trade, focusing on the Singapore Straits. Serving as a crucial corridor between the East and West, it connected the Indian Ocean with the South China Sea, allowing goods like spices, silk, opium, and textiles to flow between Asia, Europe, and beyond. As a crucial entrepôt…

  • The Legacy of HMS Dorsetshire

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    Zoe Cheang
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    Today we will be spotlighting HMS Dorsetshire, a heavy cruiser of the British Royal Navy, which has played a significant role in naval operations during the early years of World War II. Commissioned in September 1930, she was the second (and final ship) of the Norfolk subclass within the County-class cruisers. Named after the English…

  • The Legacy of HMS Birmingham

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    Zoe Cheang
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    This week, we will be spotlighting HMS Birmingham. From intense battles in World War II to a dramatic rescue in China, it has carved its place in history as a formidable and versatile ship.  HMS Birmingham’s Early Years Commissioned in 1937 as part of the Town-class cruisers, HMS Birmingham quickly found itself in the thick…

  • The Legacy of HMS Eclipse

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    Zoe Cheang
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    Hello everyone! We will be spotlighting HMS Eclipse, one of the few ships that you may have been transcribing from on our citizen-science project called Monsoon Voyages. HMS: What does it stand for? Before we jump straight into the history, you might have noticed the ship prefix “HMS”, followed by a name while transcribing the…

  • The El Nino Story

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    Zoe Cheang
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    The Beginning of the Endeavour In the early 1891, a traveler named S.M. Scott was staying near Talara in northwestern Peru when clouds started building on the horizon. He described the extraordinary season of torrential rains and a transformed landscape as “a low-hanging, densely clouded sky, intense heat … The rain fell in inconceivable torrents…