' s ▁surrender ▁to ▁Japan ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 2 , ▁the ▁building ▁was ▁used ▁as ▁a ▁hospital , ▁with ▁makes h ift ▁operation ▁rooms ▁for ▁wounded ▁British ▁soldiers . ▁During ▁the ▁Japanese ▁Occ up ation ▁of ▁Singapore , ▁Governor ▁Sir ▁Sh ent on ▁Thomas ▁and ▁Lady ▁Thomas ▁sought ▁refuge ▁in ▁the ▁sleep ing ▁qu arters ▁of ▁the ▁Singapore ▁Club . ▁The ▁Full erton ▁Building ▁was ▁also ▁where ▁General ▁Per c ival ▁discussed ▁with ▁Sir ▁Sh ent on ▁the ▁possibility ▁of ▁surrender ing ▁Singapore ▁to ▁the ▁Japanese . ▁Sub sequently , ▁Full erton ▁Building ▁became ▁the ▁headquarters ▁of ▁the ▁Japanese ▁military ▁administration ▁in ▁Singapore . ▁ ▁Post - war ▁years ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 0 s , ▁The ▁Full erton ▁Building ▁became ▁recogn ised ▁as ▁the ▁uno fficial ▁public ▁monument . ▁It ▁stood ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁City ' s ▁Sky line ▁as ▁the ▁most ▁prominent ▁feature ▁of ▁the ▁water front . ▁On ▁its ▁ro o ft op ▁stood ▁the ▁l ighth ouse , ▁whose ▁be acon ▁gu ided ▁all ▁ships ▁approaching ▁the ▁har bour . ▁In ▁time , ▁The ▁Full erton ▁became ▁the ▁symbol ▁of ▁Singapore , ▁appearing ▁in ▁every ▁post card , ▁recogn ised ▁by ▁trav eller ▁and ▁ship ▁capt ains ▁from ▁all ▁over ▁the ▁world . ▁Singapore ▁was ▁remembered ▁all ▁around ▁the ▁world ▁with ▁the ▁image ▁of ▁The ▁Full erton ▁Building . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 5 , ▁Singapore ' s ▁independence ▁from ▁colonial ▁status ▁to ▁nation hood ▁took ▁place ▁at ▁Full erton ▁Square . ▁From