S'pore woman who lived through Japanese Occupation dies at 110

A woman in Singapore who lived through the Japanese occupation has died at the age of 110.

She leaves behind six children, six grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

One of her great-grandchildren, Cheryl Ong, spoke to Mothership about her cherished memories of her "Ah Chor" (great-grandmother in Hokkien).

Born in China

Chiang Ah Swang passed away peacefully on the morning of Jul. 31, her great-granddaughter shared.

Born in 1916 in Tong’an, Fujian, China, Chiang was adopted and later moved to Singapore with her adoptive family.

Although she returned to China at the age of nine, she moved to Singapore permanently at around 19 and later became a Singapore citizen, Ong shared.

Survived Japanese Occupation

One of the most defining periods of Chiang's life was the Japanese Occupation (WWII).

At that time, she already had two young children — a three-year-old daughter and a baby son, Ong shared.

Chiang often had to carry her baby as the three fled to hide during the war.

Ong recalls her great-grandmother recounting that she would hide in drains (longkang) and feed her children peanuts to keep them quiet so they wouldn’t be discovered.

She also told Ong that the family built their own “underground bomb shelter” by digging deep into the soil and covering the top with leaves.

Following that ordeal, Chiang would later work in a factory where a workplace accident left her partially blind in one eye.

She then spent 23 years working in a school canteen before retiring at the age of 68, Ong shared.

Different generations remember her differently

Every generation remembers a different version of the centenarian, according to Ong.

"Her children remember a mother who raised six children through difficult times. Her grandchildren remember an incredibly energetic grandmother," she said.

One of Ong's uncles still remembers fondly how Chiang, in her 80s, chased him around the corridor because he had been pulling his sister’s hair.

As for Ong, she said her generation knew a "quieter" version of the woman, given that she was already over 100 years old by the time they were old enough to remember.

"We remember visiting her at her Redhill home, celebrating her birthdays together every year, watching her pray every evening at exactly 6pm, and hearing her tell stories from her younger days," she said.

Chiang also had her own quirks — she would drink a glass of VSOP or DOM cognac, mixed with hot water, after dinner every day, well into her 90s, Ong shared.

Ong said her aunt would always joke that perhaps the cognac was the "secret to her strength/activeness and longevity".

Pillar of family

Ong shared that Chiang was the centre of their family across multiple generations.

After the government redeveloped the Hong Lim area in 1969, Chiang moved into a two-room flat in Redhill, where she lived for almost the next 60 years.

This small flat became home to multiple generations of their family, Ong shared.

"It was always lively, full of neighbours, relatives and friends, and that’s how many of us remember it," she said.

Ong said she was fortunate to have had Chiang live with her family for several years in her later life.

Although dementia affected her memory, she remained a "familiar and comforting presence", Ong said.

"Looking back, I feel very fortunate to have grown up knowing my great-grandmother, even if my memories of her are different from those of my mum’s generation," she added.

Ong said that she had always hoped to share her great-grandmother's story while she was still alive.

"I kept thinking there would always be another birthday to do so. After she passed away, I realised this was my last opportunity to share her story and preserve her legacy."