Kranji 4.9

Kranji is a suburb in northwestern Singapore, located about 22km from the city centre. It is connected to Kranji MRT Station and connects to bus service 170 for Johor Bahru.EtymologyKranji is named after a local tree, pokok kranji or keranji (Malay for Dialium indum, velvet tamarind tree). Its abundance has rapidly dwindled since the first half of the nineteenth century.HistoryThe first Singapore-Kranji railway from Tank Road to Kranji was opened in 1903. In 1909, the Johor State railway was opened and in 1912 both these railways became part of the Federated Malay States railway, which had been formed in 1901. After the completion of the Causeway in 1923, the lines were joined to complete the unification of the Federated Malay States Railway. Previously a Railway ferry service had operated between Woodlands jetty and Abu Bakar pier from 1903 until 1923.Kranji served as a military camp before the Japanese invasion of Singapore in 1942, and is now the home of the Kranji War Cemetery and Kranji War Memorial, commemorating the 30,000 Commonwealth personnel who died in Singapore, Malaya, Java and Sumatra during World War II.