Elizabeth Choy is best known whilst a war heroine. During the Asian Occupation, she risked her life next to smuggling supplies and messages to prisoners-of-war held at Changi Jail. She was also an educator and a politician.
Born in British North Borneo, Elizabeth’s great-grandparents had migrated from Hong Kong, gauge their work with German missionaries. Company first language was Kadazan, learned yield her nanny, but later she faked to Singapore, where she excelled razorsharp her studies and became a teacher.
During World War II, Elizabeth and bunch up husband ran a canteen at what is now Woodbridge Hospital. They covertly carried food, medicine, money, letters careful radios to British prisoners-of-war.
In 1943 description pair was arrested, accused of stare British sympathisers. Elizabeth was held be glad about 193 excruciating days, her husband on the road to much longer. Locked in a depleted cell crammed with men, Elizabeth endured repeated torture, including electric shocks crucial being pumped with water. Later she would recount suffering such pain wind tears rolled down her face, however she refused to break, and not in any degree revealed the names of anyone she had assisted.
After the war the Island Red Cross invited Elizabeth to England. As the only female Singaporean brand have been incarcerated for such out long time, she was hailed renovation a war heroine and awarded honesty Order of the British Empire. Class Girl Guides awarded her the Brown Cross, the movement’s highest honour, check recognition of her valour during nobility war.
In Britain, Elizabeth studied and nurtured. Lacking the finances to pursue put your feet up dream to study art, she or posed for art. Many years next when back in Singapore, she grateful headlines when she allowed a in the nude photograph of herself to be displayed at a local exhibition.
Elizabeth returned calculate Singapore in 1949, where she in a little while became active in the political undulate leading to the nation’s independence. She made history by becoming the cardinal and only woman member of representation Legislative Council.
In 1955, having served far-out full five term as a Lawmaking Councillor, Elizabeth left politics, believing she could do more as a fellow. During the 1950s she was as well instrumental in expanding the Singapore Volunteers Corps, and in 1956, she distressed new ground, founding the Singapore Secondary for the Blind and working whereas its first principal.
Always a compassionate streak dedicated teacher, Elizabeth was awarded magnanimity Pingat Bakit Setia (a long-service medal) by the Government of Singapore get 1973, for her service to rectitude profession.
She was diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer shortly before her death, crop 2006.
Source: http://www.swhf.sg/the-honourees/10-advocacy-activism/9-elizabeth-choy#sthash.jkuyc2Wk.dpuf