Governors to assume he was a communist sympathizer. His daughter Lin Huaming later wrote otherwise, stating Lim's refusal to expel 10 students suspected to be communists, led to his forceful removal. Provostship of the school was abolished soon afterwards, and in October 1941 an emergency message was sent to David Chen, whom returned to the school as its first headmaster. Japanese occupation and purges On 8 December 1941, the Japanese invasion of Malaya, the first military conflict of the Pacific War, began at Kelantan. Dogfights above the skies of Penang started on the following day, and the city was bombed by Japanese bombers and aircraft from the 11th. Japanese landings commenced on the 17th, and the island was secured on the 19th. Upon the Japanese arrival, classes of the school were terminated and the school was forced to shut down indefinitely. Equipment from both the campuses at Northam Road and Ayer Itam were raided, looted and destroyed. Staff members of the school, fearing reprisals for their anti-Japanese political involvement, either fled or remained incognito. David Chen, whose name was listed among the blacklists for wanted anti-Japanese intellects, found shelter in the jungles of the Cameron Highlands, posing himself as a vegetable farmer. The Japanese purges of hostile dissidents, notably Chinese intellects, known as Sook Ching, started in February 1942. The purges eventually reached Penang by April 1942. Chung Ling was one of the main targets, after its high-profile local anti-Japanese demonstrations and donation efforts involved by both students and teachers alike. Between 5 and 6 April 1942, the Kempeitai arrested all ten remaining teachers and hundreds of students for interrogation. They were subjected to heavy torture and brutality. Among the eleven teachers, six were killed during imprisonment. The surviving five teachers were released in July 1942. Two of them later succumbed from their injuries. 46 students were also killed, totaling the confirmed tally to 54. There were reports of as much as 200 to 300 dead – however the figure still remains highly disputed. All 8 teachers became martyrs within the school. A memorial was set up in 1950 commemorating their legacy. Post-war recovery (1946–1952) Japan officially accepted the terms for unconditional surrender on 15 August 1945. Allied reoccupation of Malaya began on the following month. Under Operation Jurist, Penang was formally reoccupied by the British on 2 September, the first in Malaya. David Chen returned to Penang on 15