As the Japanese invasion of Malaya drew to a close, under the command of Lieutenant-General Arthur Percival, the Allied forces began retreating from their positions in Johore, crossing the Causeway in the early hours of 31 January 1942. The Causeway was blown up with two explosions. The first wrecked the lock's lift-bridge, while the second caused a 70 feet wide gap in the Causeway and severed the water-carrying pipelines as well. Though this action had caused the Japanese to be delayed, the Japanese constructed a girder bridge over the gap allowing their troops to march into Singapore.