Australian 8th Division
Encyclopedia
The 8th Division of the Australian Army
was formed to serve in World War II
, as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force
, who were in turn, part of the Allies of World War II
. The 8th Division was raised from regular army
units and new, all-volunteer infantry brigades, from July 1940 onwards. As war with Japan
loomed in 1941, the division was divided into four separate forces, which were deployed in different parts of the Asia-Pacific
region. All of these formations were destroyed as fighting forces by the end of February 1942. Most members of the division became prisoners of war, and a large number died in captivity.
, and was trained for the conditions of the Middle East. In December 1940, the 24th Brigade was sent to North Africa
, and became part of the 9th Division. It was replaced in the 8th Division by the 27th Brigade
.
However, as the possibility of war with Japan
loomed, the 22nd Brigade
was sent instead to Malaya
on 2 February 1941. The 23rd Brigade
moved to Darwin
in April. The 2/22nd Battalion was detached from it and deployed to Rabaul
, New Britain
in April. The 27th Brigade joined the 22nd Brigade in Malaya, in August. The remainder of the 23rd Brigade was split into another two detachments: the 2/40th Battalion left for Timor
, on 12 December and; the 2/21st Battalion went to Ambon
in the Dutch East Indies
on 17 December. The 23rd Brigade headquarters remained in Darwin.
As war broke out Japanese forces based in Vichy French-controlled Indochina
quickly overran Thailand
and invaded Malaya. The demoralising loss of two British capital ships
, HMS Repulse
and HMS Prince of Wales, off Malaya on 10 December 1941, neutralised Allied naval superiority, allowing the Japanese to perform amphibious assaults on the Malayan coast with much less resistance. Japanese forces met stiff resistance from III Corps
of the Indian Army
and British units in northern Malaya
, but Japan's superiority in air power, tank
s and infantry tactics
forced the Allied units, who had very few tanks and remained vulnerable to isolation and encirclement
, back.
On 14 January, parts of the division went into action south of Kuala Lumpur
, at Gemas
and Muar
. The 2/30th Battalion had some early success at the Gemencheh River Bridge, destroying a Japanese battalion. However, other Allied units were already severely depleted and demoralised, and Japanese flanking operations began to take their toll, whose tactics of isolation and encirclement often forced mass surrenders
of other Allied units.
The 2/29th and the 2/19th Battalions were detached as reinforcements for the Indian 45th Brigade, which was in danger of being overrun near the Muar River
. By 22 January, a mixed force from the two battalions, with some Indian troops, had been isolated and overrun. Members of the Japanese Imperial Guards Division massacred about 150 Allied prisoners at Parit Sulong, following the fighting. Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Anderson
, acting commander of the 2/19th, was taken prisoner and was later awarded the Victoria Cross
for his actions.
The remainder of the 27th Brigade was waging a rearguard action, while the rest of the 22nd Brigade had been sent back to guard the north end of the Johor-Singapore Causeway
which linked the Malayan Peninisula
to Singapore, as Allied forces retreated.
As Allied forces in Malaya retreated towards Singapore, a 2,000-strong detachment of 8th Division reinforcements arrived in Singapore, including the 2/4th Machine Gun Regiment.
By 31 January, the last Allied forces had left Malaya, and Allied engineers blew a hole 70 feet (21.3 m) wide in the causeway.
The Allied commander, Lieutenant General
Arthur Percival
gave Major General
Gordon Bennett's 8th Division the task of defending the prime invasion points on the north side of the island, in a terrain dominated by mangrove
swamps and forest. The 22nd Brigade was assigned a daunting 10 miles (16.1 km) wide sector in the west of the island, and the 27th Brigade a 4000 yards (3,657.6 m) zone in the north west, near the causeway.
From vantage points across the straits, including the Sultan of Johore's
palace, as well as aerial reconnaissance and infiltrators, the Japanese commander, General Tomoyuki Yamashita
and his staff gained excellent knowledge of the Allied positions. From 3 February, the Australian positions were shelled by Japanese artillery. Shelling and air attacks intensified over the next five days, destroying communications between Allied units and their commanders.
At 8.30pm on 8 February, Australian machine gunners opened fire on vessels carrying a first wave of 4,000 Japanese troops towards Singapore Island.
Fierce fighting raged all day, but eventually the increasing Japanese numbers, as well as their artillery, planes and military intelligence began to exploit gaps in the Australian lines. By midnight the two 8th Division infantry brigades were separated and isolated, and the 22nd Brigade was being forced to retreat. At 1 am, further Japanese troops were landed in the west of the island and the last Australian reserves went into position.
Towards dawn on 9 February, elements of the 22nd Brigade were being overrun and it was decided to form a secondary defensive line. The 2/18th Battalion
had lost more than 50% of its personnel. During the course of the day, the 22nd and other Allied units in the east were forced to retreat further south.
The 27th Brigade had not yet faced an attack. However, the next day, the Japanese Imperial Guard
made a botched landing in the north west, suffering severe casualties from drowning and burning oil in the water, as well as Australian mortars and machine guns. In spite of the 27th Brigade's success, as a result of a misunderstanding, they began to withdraw from Kranji in the north. That same day, further misunderstandings, increasing numbers of desertions and the arrival of Japanese tanks, caused the Allies to lose control of the crucial Kranji-Jurong ridge through the western side of the island. However the Japanese armoured units failed to seize an opportunity to advance into the heart of the city
itself.
On 11 February, knowing that his own supplies were running low, Yamashita called on Percival to "give up this meaningless and desperate resistance".
The next day the Allied lines stabilized around a small area on the south side of the island and fought off determined Japanese assaults. However, the Allies lost more ground on 13 February, and Bennett and other senior officers advised Percival to surrender, in the interests of minimising civilian casualties. Percival refused but unsuccessfully sought authority to surrender from his superiors.
The following day the remaining Allied units battled on; civilian casualties mounted as one million people crowded into the area now held by the Allies and bombing and artillery attacks intensified. Civilian authorities began to fear that the water supply would soon give out. Japanese troops killed 200 staff and patients after they captured Alexandra Barracks Hospital.
By the morning of 15 February, the Japanese had broken through the last line of defence in the north and food and some kinds of ammunition had begun to run out. After meeting his unit commanders, Percival contacted the Japanese and formally surrendered the Allied forces to Yamashita, shortly after 5.15 pm. Bennett created an enduring controversy when he handed over the 8th Division to a brigade commander, commandeered a boat and managed to escape captivity.
Almost 15,000 Australians became prisoners of war at Singapore, an absolute majority of all Australian prisoners of the Japanese in World War II. During the Malaya-Singapore campaign as a whole, the 8th Division suffered 73% of Allied deaths in battle, even though they comprised only 14% of the Allied forces. Due to Japanese brutality, many died in the prisoner of war camps, and over 2,400 Australian prisoners died in the Sandakan Death Marches
. Only a handful were able to escape the POW camps and continue fighting, either as members of guerrilla units
or after making their way back to Australia.
, New Britain
, from March 1941. Lark Force also included personnel from the New Guinea Volunteer Rifles, a coastal defence battery, an anti-aircraft
battery, an anti-tank battery and a detachment of the 2/10th Field Ambulance.
The island, part of the Australian territory of New Guinea
was important because of its proximity to the Japanese territory of the Caroline Islands
, including a major Japanese Navy
base on Truk Island. The main tasks of Lark Force were protection of the Royal Australian Air Force
(RAAF) airfield and flying boat
anchorage, which were important in the surveillance of Japanese movements in the region. A 130-strong detachment from the 2/1st Independent Company was detached to the nearby island of New Ireland
.
In January 1942, Lark Force came under heavy attack by Japanese aircraft, which neutralised coastal artillery. In the early hours of 23 January 1942, 20,000 Japanese marines
began to land. Some faced fierce resistance, but because of the balance of forces, many landed unopposed. Within hours, the Lark Force commander, Lieutenant Colonel
J. J. Scanlan had ordered: "every man for himself" and Australian soldiers and civilians split into small groups and retreated through the jungle. Only the RAAF had made evacuation plans and its personnel were removed by flying boat
.
The army had made no preparations for guerilla warfare, and most soldiers surrendered during the following weeks. At least 130 Australians, taken prisoner at the Tol Plantation, were massacred on 4 February 1942. From mainland New Guinea, some civilians and individual officers organised unofficial rescue missions and — between March and May — about 450 troops and civilians who had managed to evade the Japanese, were evacuated by sea.
At least 800 soldiers and civilian prisoners of war lost their lives on 1 July 1942, when the ship on which they were sent from Rabaul to Japan, the Montevideo Maru
, was sunk off the north coast of Luzon
by the US submarine USS Sturgeon
.
A handful of Lark Force members remained at large on New Britain and — often in conjunction with indigenous
people — conducted guerilla operations against the Japanese. Rabaul became the biggest Japanese base in New Guinea. Allied forces landed in December 1944, although substantial Japanese forces continued to operate on New Britain until Japan surrendered in August 1945.
By the end of the Pacific War
, more than 600 members of the 2/22nd Battalion were dead.
, in the Dutch East Indies
, was perceived to be under threat from Japan because of its potential as a major air base. However, by mid-December 1941, only two flights of RAAF light bomber
s were deployed there, along with assorted US Navy and Royal Netherlands Navy
aircraft.
The 8th Division's 1,100-strong Gull Force, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel
L. N. Roach, arrived on 17 December. In addition to the 2/21st Battalion, it included 8th Division artillery and support units. The existing Royal Netherlands East Indies Army
garrison, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel J. R. L. Kapitz, consisted of 2,800 Indonesia
n colonial troops, with Dutch officers. Kapitz was appointed Allied commander on Ambon. Roach had visited the island before Gull Force's deployment and requested that more artillery and machine gun units be sent from Australia.
Ambon first came under attack from Japanese aircraft on 6 January. Roach complained about the lack of response to his suggestions and he was replaced by Lieutenant Colonel W. R. J. Scott on 14 January 1942.
A Japanese fleet including two aircraft carriers and about 5,300 Japanese marines and soldiers reached Ambon on 30 January 1942. Although the Japanese ground forces were numerically not much bigger than the Allies, they had overwhelming superiority in air support, naval and field artillery, and tanks. In the belief that the terrain of the southern side of the island was too inhospitable for landings, the Allied troops were concentrated in the north. However, the iniital Japanese landings were in the south.
Within a day of the Japanese landing, the Dutch forces had been surrounded and had given up. Gull Force held out until 3 February, when Scott surrendered.
According to Australian War Memorial
principal historian, Dr. Peter Stanley, several hundred Australians surrendered at Laha Airstrip. At intervals for a fortnight after the surrender, more than 300 prisoners taken at Laha were executed. The government of Australia
states that "The Laha massacre was the largest of the atrocities committed against captured Allied troops in 1942."
Dr. Stanley said of Australian prisoners of war on Ambon: "They suffered an ordeal and a death rate second only to the horrors of Sandakan
, first on Ambon and then after many were sent to the island of Hainan
late in 1942. Three-quarters of the Australians captured on Ambon died before the war's end. Of the 582 who remained on Ambon 405 died. They died of overwork, malnutrition, disease and one of the most brutal regimes among camps in which bashings were routine."
Only 302 members of Gull Force survived the war.
powers: Portuguese Timor
and West Timor
part of the Dutch East Indies. The Australian and Dutch governments agreed that, in the event of Japan entering World War II
, Australia would provide forces to reinforce West Timor. Consequently a 1,400 strong detachment, known as the Sparrow Force
, and centred on the 2/40th Battalion, arrived at Kupang
on 12 December 1941.
The force was initially commanded by Lieutenant Colonel
William Leggatt
. It also included the Australian commando
s of the 2/2nd Independent Company. Sparrow Force joined about 650 Dutch East Indies
troops and was supported by the 12 Lockheed Hudson
light bomber
s of No. 2 Squadron
, Royal Australian Air Force
and a troop from the British Royal Artillery
's 79th Light Anti-Aircraft Battery
. The Allied forces were concentrated around the strategic airfield of Penfui.
As the government of Portugal declined to cooperate with the Allies, a force composed of the 2/2nd Independent Company and Dutch forces occupied Portuguese Timor, without any resistance being offered by the Portuguese Army
or officials; the civilian population, both Portuguese and Timorese, generally welcomed the Allied soldiers.
Additional Australian support staff arrived at Kupang on 12 February, including Brigadier
William Veale, who was to be the senior Allied officer on Timor. By this time many of the Australians, unused to tropical conditions, were suffering from malaria and other illnesses.
Timor came under attack from Japanese aircraft on 26 January. The bombing — hampered by AA guns and a squadron of US Army Air Forces fighters based in Darwin — intensified during February. Air attacks forced an Allied convoy—escorted by the destroyers HMAS Swan
and HMAS Warrego
—to return to Australia. It had included valuable reinforcements, such as a US Army artillery battalion and the remainder of the British AA battery.
During the night of 19/20 February, the Imperial Japanese Army
's 228th Regimental Group, under the direct command of Colonel Sadashichi Doi, began landing in Portuguese Timor.
The first contact was at Dili
, the capital of Portuguese Timor, where the Allies were caught by surprise. Nevertheless, they were well-prepared and the garrison began an orderly retreat towards the mountainous interior and the south coast.
On the same night, Allied forces in West Timor were under extremely intense air attacks, which had already caused the RAAF force to be withdrawn to Australia. The bombing was followed up by landings from the 228th Regiment, on the undefended south west side of the island, at the Paha River. Light tanks were landed to support the Japanese infantry, and the force advanced north, cutting off the Dutch positions in the west and attacking the 2/40th Battalion positions at Penfui. A parallel Japanese thrust to the north-east, aimed to cut off the Allied retreat, at Usua
. Sparrow Force HQ was immediately moved further east, to its supply base at Champlong. Leggatt ordered the destruction of the airfield.
The 2/40th's line of flight towards Champlong had been cut off by the dropping of about 500 Japanese marine paratrooper
s, from the 3rd Yokosuka Special Naval Landing Force, near Usua. Sparrow Force HQ moved further eastward and Leggatt's men launched a sustained and devastating assault on the paratrooper
s. By the morning of 23 February, the Allies had killed all but 78 of the enemy forces in front of them, but had been engaged from the rear by the main Japanese force once again.
With his soldiers running low on ammunition, exhausted and carrying 132 men with serious wounds, Leggatt consulted his men and then accepted a Japanese invitation to surrender, at Usua. The 2/40th had suffered 84 killed in action. More than twice that number would die as prisoners of war during the next two and a half years.
Veale and the Sparrow Force HQ force—including about some members of the 2/40th and about 200 Dutch East Indies troops—continued eastward across the border, and eventually joined the 2/2 Independent Company. The 2/40th effectively ceased to exist, its survivors being absorbed into the 2/2nd.
made the unusual gesture of publicly exonerating him. However, the high command effectively sidelined Bennett by appointing him commander of III Corps
, a formation responsible for the defence of Western Australia.
Following the loss of its original battalions, the headquarters units of the 23rd Brigade acquired Militia battalions and ceased to be a part of the 2nd AIF. The 8th Division had ceased to exist.
, 1940
Major General Gordon Bennett, 27 September 1940 – 15 February 1942.
Australian Army
The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...
was formed to serve in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force
Second Australian Imperial Force
The Second Australian Imperial Force was the name given to the volunteer personnel of the Australian Army in World War II. Under the Defence Act , neither the part-time Militia nor the full-time Permanent Military Force could serve outside Australia or its territories unless they volunteered to...
, who were in turn, part of the Allies of World War II
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
. The 8th Division was raised from regular army
Regular army
A regular army consists of the permanent force of a country's army that is maintained under arms during peacetime.Countries that use the term include:*Australian Army*British Army*Canadian Forces, specifically "Regular Force"*Egyptian army*Indian Army...
units and new, all-volunteer infantry brigades, from July 1940 onwards. As war with Japan
Pacific War
The Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...
loomed in 1941, the division was divided into four separate forces, which were deployed in different parts of the Asia-Pacific
Asia-Pacific
Asia-Pacific or Asia Pacific is the part of the world in or near the Western Pacific Ocean...
region. All of these formations were destroyed as fighting forces by the end of February 1942. Most members of the division became prisoners of war, and a large number died in captivity.
History
The 8th Division was raised to fight Nazi GermanyNazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
, and was trained for the conditions of the Middle East. In December 1940, the 24th Brigade was sent to North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
, and became part of the 9th Division. It was replaced in the 8th Division by the 27th Brigade
27th Brigade (Australia)
The 27th Brigade was a brigade-sized infantry unit of the Australian Army. The brigade was the last Second Australian Imperial Force infantry brigade raised for service during the World War II...
.
However, as the possibility of war with Japan
Pacific War
The Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...
loomed, the 22nd Brigade
22nd Brigade (Australia)
The 22nd Brigade was a brigade-sized infantry unit of the Australian Army. The brigade was raised for service during the World War II on 15 July 1940 as part of the 8th Division....
was sent instead to Malaya
British Malaya
British Malaya loosely described a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the Island of Singapore that were brought under British control between the 18th and the 20th centuries...
on 2 February 1941. The 23rd Brigade
23rd Brigade (Australia)
The 23rd Brigade was a brigade of the Australian Army. Formed in 1940 for service during the Second World War, the brigade was initially a formation of the Second Australian Imperial Force assigned to the 8th Division, however, after its subunits were captured by the Japanese in 1942 it was...
moved to Darwin
Darwin, Northern Territory
Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...
in April. The 2/22nd Battalion was detached from it and deployed to Rabaul
Rabaul
Rabaul is a township in East New Britain province, Papua New Guinea. The town was the provincial capital and most important settlement in the province until it was destroyed in 1994 by falling ash of a volcanic eruption. During the eruption, ash was sent thousands of metres into the air and the...
, New Britain
New Britain
New Britain, or Niu Briten, is the largest island in the Bismarck Archipelago of Papua New Guinea. It is separated from the island of New Guinea by the Dampier and Vitiaz Straits and from New Ireland by St. George's Channel...
in April. The 27th Brigade joined the 22nd Brigade in Malaya, in August. The remainder of the 23rd Brigade was split into another two detachments: the 2/40th Battalion left for Timor
Timor
Timor is an island at the southern end of Maritime Southeast Asia, north of the Timor Sea. It is divided between the independent state of East Timor, and West Timor, belonging to the Indonesian province of East Nusa Tenggara. The island's surface is 30,777 square kilometres...
, on 12 December and; the 2/21st Battalion went to Ambon
Ambon Island
Ambon Island is part of the Maluku Islands of Indonesia. The island has an area of , and is mountainous, well watered, and fertile. Ambon Island consists of 2 territories: The main city and seaport is Ambon , which is also the capital of Maluku province and Maluku Tengah Ambon Island is part of the...
in the Dutch East Indies
Dutch East Indies
The Dutch East Indies was a Dutch colony that became modern Indonesia following World War II. It was formed from the nationalised colonies of the Dutch East India Company, which came under the administration of the Netherlands government in 1800....
on 17 December. The 23rd Brigade headquarters remained in Darwin.
Malaya
French Indochina
French Indochina was part of the French colonial empire in southeast Asia. A federation of the three Vietnamese regions, Tonkin , Annam , and Cochinchina , as well as Cambodia, was formed in 1887....
quickly overran Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
and invaded Malaya. The demoralising loss of two British capital ships
Sinking of Prince of Wales and Repulse
The sinking of Prince of Wales and Repulse was a Second World War naval engagement that took place north of Singapore, off the east coast of Malaya, near Kuantan, Pahang where the British Royal Navy battleship HMS Prince of Wales and battlecruiser HMS Repulse were sunk by land-based bombers and...
, HMS Repulse
HMS Repulse (1916)
HMS Repulse was a Renown-class battlecruiser of the Royal Navy built during the First World War. She was originally laid down as an improved version of the s. Her construction was suspended on the outbreak of war on the grounds she would not be ready in a timely manner...
and HMS Prince of Wales, off Malaya on 10 December 1941, neutralised Allied naval superiority, allowing the Japanese to perform amphibious assaults on the Malayan coast with much less resistance. Japanese forces met stiff resistance from III Corps
Indian III Corps
The III Corps was a formation of the Indian Army during World War I formed in Mesopotamia. Prior to the reorganization of the British and Indian forces in Mesopotamia, it was designated as the Tigris Corps....
of the Indian Army
British Indian Army
The British Indian Army, officially simply the Indian Army, was the principal army of the British Raj in India before the partition of India in 1947...
and British units in northern Malaya
Malaya Command
The Malaya Command was a command of British Commonwealth forces formed in the 1920s for the coordination of the defences of Malaya and Singapore.-History:...
, but Japan's superiority in air power, tank
Tank
A tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities...
s and infantry tactics
Military tactics
Military tactics, the science and art of organizing an army or an air force, are the techniques for using weapons or military units in combination for engaging and defeating an enemy in battle. Changes in philosophy and technology over time have been reflected in changes to military tactics. In...
forced the Allied units, who had very few tanks and remained vulnerable to isolation and encirclement
Encirclement
Encirclement is a military term for the situation when a force or target is isolated and surrounded by enemy forces. The German term for this is Kesselschlacht ; a comparable English term might be "in the bag"....
, back.
On 14 January, parts of the division went into action south of Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
, at Gemas
Gemas
Gemas is a small town in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia, just near the Negeri Sembilan-Johor state border. The town is located approximately 165 km from the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur. It is the meeting place of Malaysian west and east coast rail lines operated by Malayan Railways. For this...
and Muar
Muar (town)
Muar, also known as Bandar Maharani is a town geopolitically situated in Muar District in the region or area of Muar in northwestern Johor, Malaysia...
. The 2/30th Battalion had some early success at the Gemencheh River Bridge, destroying a Japanese battalion. However, other Allied units were already severely depleted and demoralised, and Japanese flanking operations began to take their toll, whose tactics of isolation and encirclement often forced mass surrenders
Surrender (military)
Surrender is when soldiers, nations or other combatants stop fighting and eventually become prisoners of war, either as individuals or when ordered to by their officers. A white flag is a common symbol of surrender, as is the gesture of raising one's hands empty and open above one's head.When the...
of other Allied units.
The 2/29th and the 2/19th Battalions were detached as reinforcements for the Indian 45th Brigade, which was in danger of being overrun near the Muar River
Muar River
The Muar River or Sungai Muar is a river which flows through the states of Johor, Negeri Sembilan and Pahang in Malaysia. The river also flows through Muar town.- History :...
. By 22 January, a mixed force from the two battalions, with some Indian troops, had been isolated and overrun. Members of the Japanese Imperial Guards Division massacred about 150 Allied prisoners at Parit Sulong, following the fighting. Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Anderson
Charles Groves Wright Anderson
Charles Groves Wright Anderson VC, MC was a South African-born, Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross, a member of the Australian House of Representatives, and a farmer.-Early life:...
, acting commander of the 2/19th, was taken prisoner and was later awarded the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
for his actions.
The remainder of the 27th Brigade was waging a rearguard action, while the rest of the 22nd Brigade had been sent back to guard the north end of the Johor-Singapore Causeway
Johor-Singapore Causeway
The Johor–Singapore Causeway is a 1,056-metre causeway that links the city of Johor Bahru in Malaysia across the Straits of Johor to the town of Woodlands in Singapore. It serves as a road, rail, and pedestrian link, as well as water piping into Singapore.The causeway is connected to the...
which linked the Malayan Peninisula
Peninsular Malaysia
Peninsular Malaysia , also known as West Malaysia , is the part of Malaysia which lies on the Malay Peninsula. Its area is . It shares a land border with Thailand in the north. To the south is the island of Singapore. Across the Strait of Malacca to the west lies the island of Sumatra...
to Singapore, as Allied forces retreated.
Singapore
By 31 January, the last Allied forces had left Malaya, and Allied engineers blew a hole 70 feet (21.3 m) wide in the causeway.
The Allied commander, Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
Arthur Percival
Arthur Ernest Percival
Lieutenant-General Arthur Ernest Percival, CB, DSO & Bar, OBE, MC, OStJ, DL was a British Army officer and World War I veteran...
gave Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
Gordon Bennett's 8th Division the task of defending the prime invasion points on the north side of the island, in a terrain dominated by mangrove
Mangrove
Mangroves are various kinds of trees up to medium height and shrubs that grow in saline coastal sediment habitats in the tropics and subtropics – mainly between latitudes N and S...
swamps and forest. The 22nd Brigade was assigned a daunting 10 miles (16.1 km) wide sector in the west of the island, and the 27th Brigade a 4000 yards (3,657.6 m) zone in the north west, near the causeway.
From vantage points across the straits, including the Sultan of Johore's
Sultan of Johor
Sultan of Johor is a hereditary seat and the nominal ruler of the Malaysian state of Johor. In the past, the sultan held absolute power over the state and was advised by a bendahara...
palace, as well as aerial reconnaissance and infiltrators, the Japanese commander, General Tomoyuki Yamashita
Tomoyuki Yamashita
General was a general of the Japanese Imperial Army during World War II. He was most famous for conquering the British colonies of Malaya and Singapore, earning the nickname "The Tiger of Malaya".- Biography :...
and his staff gained excellent knowledge of the Allied positions. From 3 February, the Australian positions were shelled by Japanese artillery. Shelling and air attacks intensified over the next five days, destroying communications between Allied units and their commanders.
At 8.30pm on 8 February, Australian machine gunners opened fire on vessels carrying a first wave of 4,000 Japanese troops towards Singapore Island.
Fierce fighting raged all day, but eventually the increasing Japanese numbers, as well as their artillery, planes and military intelligence began to exploit gaps in the Australian lines. By midnight the two 8th Division infantry brigades were separated and isolated, and the 22nd Brigade was being forced to retreat. At 1 am, further Japanese troops were landed in the west of the island and the last Australian reserves went into position.
Towards dawn on 9 February, elements of the 22nd Brigade were being overrun and it was decided to form a secondary defensive line. The 2/18th Battalion
2/18th Australian Infantry Battalion
The 2/18th Battalion was part of the Australian 22nd Brigade, Australian 8th Division during World War II. It was sent to Singapore to strengthen the defences of that British colony should it be attacked. The 2/18th Battalion saw action against Japanese forces in the Malayan campaign in January...
had lost more than 50% of its personnel. During the course of the day, the 22nd and other Allied units in the east were forced to retreat further south.
The 27th Brigade had not yet faced an attack. However, the next day, the Japanese Imperial Guard
Imperial Guard of Japan
The Japanese is an organization which is dedicated to protection of the Emperor of Japan and his family, palaces and other imperial properties. Following the end of World War II the traditional Guard, which also served as a unit in the Imperial Japanese Army, was dissolved and in 1947 a civil...
made a botched landing in the north west, suffering severe casualties from drowning and burning oil in the water, as well as Australian mortars and machine guns. In spite of the 27th Brigade's success, as a result of a misunderstanding, they began to withdraw from Kranji in the north. That same day, further misunderstandings, increasing numbers of desertions and the arrival of Japanese tanks, caused the Allies to lose control of the crucial Kranji-Jurong ridge through the western side of the island. However the Japanese armoured units failed to seize an opportunity to advance into the heart of the city
Central Area
In Singapore, the Central Area or Central Business District contains the core financial and commercial districts, including eleven urban planning areas, namely Downtown Core, Marina East, Marina South, Museum, Newton, Orchard, Outram, River Valley, Rochor, Singapore River and Straits View as...
itself.
On 11 February, knowing that his own supplies were running low, Yamashita called on Percival to "give up this meaningless and desperate resistance".
The next day the Allied lines stabilized around a small area on the south side of the island and fought off determined Japanese assaults. However, the Allies lost more ground on 13 February, and Bennett and other senior officers advised Percival to surrender, in the interests of minimising civilian casualties. Percival refused but unsuccessfully sought authority to surrender from his superiors.
The following day the remaining Allied units battled on; civilian casualties mounted as one million people crowded into the area now held by the Allies and bombing and artillery attacks intensified. Civilian authorities began to fear that the water supply would soon give out. Japanese troops killed 200 staff and patients after they captured Alexandra Barracks Hospital.
By the morning of 15 February, the Japanese had broken through the last line of defence in the north and food and some kinds of ammunition had begun to run out. After meeting his unit commanders, Percival contacted the Japanese and formally surrendered the Allied forces to Yamashita, shortly after 5.15 pm. Bennett created an enduring controversy when he handed over the 8th Division to a brigade commander, commandeered a boat and managed to escape captivity.
Almost 15,000 Australians became prisoners of war at Singapore, an absolute majority of all Australian prisoners of the Japanese in World War II. During the Malaya-Singapore campaign as a whole, the 8th Division suffered 73% of Allied deaths in battle, even though they comprised only 14% of the Allied forces. Due to Japanese brutality, many died in the prisoner of war camps, and over 2,400 Australian prisoners died in the Sandakan Death Marches
Sandakan Death Marches
The Sandakan Death Marches were a series of forced marches in Borneo from Sandakan to Ranau which resulted in the deaths of more than 3,600 Indonesian civilian slave labourers and 2,400 Allied prisoners of war held captive by the Empire of Japan during the Pacific campaign of World War II at prison...
. Only a handful were able to escape the POW camps and continue fighting, either as members of guerrilla units
Jock McLaren
Robert Kerr "Jock" McLaren MC & Bar was a decorated Australian Army officer, who rose from enlisted rank and was noted for his involvement in guerrilla operations against the Japanese during the World War II.-Early life:...
or after making their way back to Australia.
Rabaul
The 2/22nd Battalion—composed of 716 men—made up the majority of the combat personnel in the Lark Force, the name given to the 1,400-strong garrison concentrated in RabaulRabaul
Rabaul is a township in East New Britain province, Papua New Guinea. The town was the provincial capital and most important settlement in the province until it was destroyed in 1994 by falling ash of a volcanic eruption. During the eruption, ash was sent thousands of metres into the air and the...
, New Britain
New Britain
New Britain, or Niu Briten, is the largest island in the Bismarck Archipelago of Papua New Guinea. It is separated from the island of New Guinea by the Dampier and Vitiaz Straits and from New Ireland by St. George's Channel...
, from March 1941. Lark Force also included personnel from the New Guinea Volunteer Rifles, a coastal defence battery, an anti-aircraft
Anti-aircraft warfare
NATO defines air defence as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action." They include ground and air based weapon systems, associated sensor systems, command and control arrangements and passive measures. It may be to protect naval, ground and air forces...
battery, an anti-tank battery and a detachment of the 2/10th Field Ambulance.
The island, part of the Australian territory of New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
was important because of its proximity to the Japanese territory of the Caroline Islands
Caroline Islands
The Caroline Islands are a widely scattered archipelago of tiny islands in the western Pacific Ocean, to the north of New Guinea. Politically they are divided between the Federated States of Micronesia in the eastern part of the group, and Palau at the extreme western end...
, including a major Japanese Navy
Imperial Japanese Navy
The Imperial Japanese Navy was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1869 until 1947, when it was dissolved following Japan's constitutional renunciation of the use of force as a means of settling international disputes...
base on Truk Island. The main tasks of Lark Force were protection of the Royal Australian Air Force
Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
(RAAF) airfield and flying boat
Flying boat
A flying boat is a fixed-winged seaplane with a hull, allowing it to land on water. It differs from a float plane as it uses a purpose-designed fuselage which can float, granting the aircraft buoyancy. Flying boats may be stabilized by under-wing floats or by wing-like projections from the fuselage...
anchorage, which were important in the surveillance of Japanese movements in the region. A 130-strong detachment from the 2/1st Independent Company was detached to the nearby island of New Ireland
New Ireland (island)
New Ireland is a large island in Papua New Guinea, approximately 7,404 km² in area. It is the largest island of the New Ireland Province, lying northeast of the island of New Britain. Both islands are part of the Bismarck Archipelago, named after Otto von Bismarck, and they are separated by...
.
In January 1942, Lark Force came under heavy attack by Japanese aircraft, which neutralised coastal artillery. In the early hours of 23 January 1942, 20,000 Japanese marines
Japanese Special Naval Landing Forces
The Japanese Special Naval Landing Forces , were the marine troops of the Imperial Japanese Navy and were a part of the IJN Land Forces...
began to land. Some faced fierce resistance, but because of the balance of forces, many landed unopposed. Within hours, the Lark Force commander, Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
J. J. Scanlan had ordered: "every man for himself" and Australian soldiers and civilians split into small groups and retreated through the jungle. Only the RAAF had made evacuation plans and its personnel were removed by flying boat
Flying boat
A flying boat is a fixed-winged seaplane with a hull, allowing it to land on water. It differs from a float plane as it uses a purpose-designed fuselage which can float, granting the aircraft buoyancy. Flying boats may be stabilized by under-wing floats or by wing-like projections from the fuselage...
.
The army had made no preparations for guerilla warfare, and most soldiers surrendered during the following weeks. At least 130 Australians, taken prisoner at the Tol Plantation, were massacred on 4 February 1942. From mainland New Guinea, some civilians and individual officers organised unofficial rescue missions and — between March and May — about 450 troops and civilians who had managed to evade the Japanese, were evacuated by sea.
At least 800 soldiers and civilian prisoners of war lost their lives on 1 July 1942, when the ship on which they were sent from Rabaul to Japan, the Montevideo Maru
Montevideo Maru
The Montevideo Maru was a Japanese auxiliary ship that was sunk in World War II, resulting in the drowning of a large number of Australian prisoners of war and civilians being transported from Rabaul...
, was sunk off the north coast of Luzon
Luzon
Luzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...
by the US submarine USS Sturgeon
USS Sturgeon (SS-187)
USS Sturgeon , a Salmon-class submarine, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the sturgeon.Her keel was laid down on October 27, 1936 by the Mare Island Navy Yard. She was launched on March 15, 1938 sponsored by Mrs. Charles S. Freeman; and commissioned on June 25, 1938...
.
A handful of Lark Force members remained at large on New Britain and — often in conjunction with indigenous
Indigenous peoples
Indigenous peoples are ethnic groups that are defined as indigenous according to one of the various definitions of the term, there is no universally accepted definition but most of which carry connotations of being the "original inhabitants" of a territory....
people — conducted guerilla operations against the Japanese. Rabaul became the biggest Japanese base in New Guinea. Allied forces landed in December 1944, although substantial Japanese forces continued to operate on New Britain until Japan surrendered in August 1945.
By the end of the Pacific War
Pacific War
The Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...
, more than 600 members of the 2/22nd Battalion were dead.
Ambon
The island of AmbonAmbon Island
Ambon Island is part of the Maluku Islands of Indonesia. The island has an area of , and is mountainous, well watered, and fertile. Ambon Island consists of 2 territories: The main city and seaport is Ambon , which is also the capital of Maluku province and Maluku Tengah Ambon Island is part of the...
, in the Dutch East Indies
Dutch East Indies
The Dutch East Indies was a Dutch colony that became modern Indonesia following World War II. It was formed from the nationalised colonies of the Dutch East India Company, which came under the administration of the Netherlands government in 1800....
, was perceived to be under threat from Japan because of its potential as a major air base. However, by mid-December 1941, only two flights of RAAF light bomber
Light bomber
A light bomber is a relatively small and fast class of military bomber aircraft which were primarily employed before the 1950s. Such aircraft would typically not carry more than one ton of ordnance....
s were deployed there, along with assorted US Navy and Royal Netherlands Navy
Royal Netherlands Navy
The Koninklijke Marine is the navy of the Netherlands. In the mid-17th century the Dutch Navy was the most powerful navy in the world and it played an active role in the wars of the Dutch Republic and later those of the Batavian Republic and the Kingdom of the Netherlands...
aircraft.
The 8th Division's 1,100-strong Gull Force, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
L. N. Roach, arrived on 17 December. In addition to the 2/21st Battalion, it included 8th Division artillery and support units. The existing Royal Netherlands East Indies Army
Royal Netherlands East Indies Army
The Royal Netherlands East Indies Army was the military force maintained by the Netherlands in its colony of the Netherlands East Indies . The KNIL's air arm was the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Air Force...
garrison, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel J. R. L. Kapitz, consisted of 2,800 Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
n colonial troops, with Dutch officers. Kapitz was appointed Allied commander on Ambon. Roach had visited the island before Gull Force's deployment and requested that more artillery and machine gun units be sent from Australia.
Ambon first came under attack from Japanese aircraft on 6 January. Roach complained about the lack of response to his suggestions and he was replaced by Lieutenant Colonel W. R. J. Scott on 14 January 1942.
A Japanese fleet including two aircraft carriers and about 5,300 Japanese marines and soldiers reached Ambon on 30 January 1942. Although the Japanese ground forces were numerically not much bigger than the Allies, they had overwhelming superiority in air support, naval and field artillery, and tanks. In the belief that the terrain of the southern side of the island was too inhospitable for landings, the Allied troops were concentrated in the north. However, the iniital Japanese landings were in the south.
Within a day of the Japanese landing, the Dutch forces had been surrounded and had given up. Gull Force held out until 3 February, when Scott surrendered.
According to Australian War Memorial
Australian War Memorial
The Australian War Memorial is Australia's national memorial to the members of all its armed forces and supporting organisations who have died or participated in the wars of the Commonwealth of Australia...
principal historian, Dr. Peter Stanley, several hundred Australians surrendered at Laha Airstrip. At intervals for a fortnight after the surrender, more than 300 prisoners taken at Laha were executed. The government of Australia
Government of Australia
The Commonwealth of Australia is a federal constitutional monarchy under a parliamentary democracy. The Commonwealth of Australia was formed in 1901 as a result of an agreement among six self-governing British colonies, which became the six states...
states that "The Laha massacre was the largest of the atrocities committed against captured Allied troops in 1942."
Dr. Stanley said of Australian prisoners of war on Ambon: "They suffered an ordeal and a death rate second only to the horrors of Sandakan
Sandakan
Sandakan is the second-largest city in Sabah, East Malaysia, on the north-eastern coast of Borneo. It is located on the east coast of the island and it is the administrative centre of Sandakan Division and was the former capital of British North Borneo...
, first on Ambon and then after many were sent to the island of Hainan
Hainan
Hainan is the smallest province of the People's Republic of China . Although the province comprises some two hundred islands scattered among three archipelagos off the southern coast, of its land mass is Hainan Island , from which the province takes its name...
late in 1942. Three-quarters of the Australians captured on Ambon died before the war's end. Of the 582 who remained on Ambon 405 died. They died of overwork, malnutrition, disease and one of the most brutal regimes among camps in which bashings were routine."
Only 302 members of Gull Force survived the war.
Timor
In 1941, the island of Timor was divided into two territories under different colonialColony
In politics and history, a colony is a territory under the immediate political control of a state. For colonies in antiquity, city-states would often found their own colonies. Some colonies were historically countries, while others were territories without definite statehood from their inception....
powers: Portuguese Timor
Portuguese Timor
Portuguese Timor was the name of East Timor when it was under Portuguese control. During this period, Portugal shared the island of Timor with the Netherlands East Indies, and later with Indonesia....
and West Timor
West Timor
West Timor is the western and Indonesian portion of the island of Timor and part of the province of East Nusa Tenggara, .During the colonial period it was known as "Dutch Timor" and was a centre of Dutch loyalists during the Indonesian National Revolution...
part of the Dutch East Indies. The Australian and Dutch governments agreed that, in the event of Japan entering World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Australia would provide forces to reinforce West Timor. Consequently a 1,400 strong detachment, known as the Sparrow Force
Sparrow Force
Sparrow Force was a detachment based on the 2/40th Australian Infantry Battalion and other British and Australian 8th Division units, during World War II. The force was formed to defend the island of Timor, from invasion by the Empire of Japan...
, and centred on the 2/40th Battalion, arrived at Kupang
Kupang
Not to be confused with Tanjung Kupang in JohoreKupang is the provincial capital of East Nusa Tenggara province in southeast Indonesia....
on 12 December 1941.
The force was initially commanded by Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
William Leggatt
William Leggatt
Sir William Watt Leggatt DSO, MC was an Australian soldier, lawyer and politician. He served as commanding officer of the 2/40th Battalion and later Sparrow Force during World War II, fighting in Timor against the Japanese invasion in 1942. He was captured by the Japanese and sent to Changi prison...
. It also included the Australian commando
Commando
In English, the term commando means a specific kind of individual soldier or military unit. In contemporary usage, commando usually means elite light infantry and/or special operations forces units, specializing in amphibious landings, parachuting, rappelling and similar techniques, to conduct and...
s of the 2/2nd Independent Company. Sparrow Force joined about 650 Dutch East Indies
Dutch East Indies
The Dutch East Indies was a Dutch colony that became modern Indonesia following World War II. It was formed from the nationalised colonies of the Dutch East India Company, which came under the administration of the Netherlands government in 1800....
troops and was supported by the 12 Lockheed Hudson
Lockheed Hudson
The Lockheed Hudson was an American-built light bomber and coastal reconnaissance aircraft built initially for the Royal Air Force shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War and primarily operated by the RAF thereafter...
light bomber
Light bomber
A light bomber is a relatively small and fast class of military bomber aircraft which were primarily employed before the 1950s. Such aircraft would typically not carry more than one ton of ordnance....
s of No. 2 Squadron
No. 2 Squadron RAAF
No. 2 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force squadron. From its formation in 1916, it has operated a variety of aircraft types including fighters, bombers, and Airborne Early Warning & Control.-World War I:No...
, Royal Australian Air Force
Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
and a troop from the British Royal Artillery
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
's 79th Light Anti-Aircraft Battery
79th Light Anti-Aircraft Battery
The 79th LAA Battery was an independent Territorial Army unit of the Royal Artillery of the British Army. It was originally trained to defend key installations in the area of Walton on Thames, including water reservoirs supplying London...
. The Allied forces were concentrated around the strategic airfield of Penfui.
As the government of Portugal declined to cooperate with the Allies, a force composed of the 2/2nd Independent Company and Dutch forces occupied Portuguese Timor, without any resistance being offered by the Portuguese Army
Portuguese Army
The Portuguese Army is the ground branch of the Portuguese Armed Forces which, in co-operation with other branches of the Portuguese military, is charged with the defence of Portugal...
or officials; the civilian population, both Portuguese and Timorese, generally welcomed the Allied soldiers.
Additional Australian support staff arrived at Kupang on 12 February, including Brigadier
Brigadier
Brigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general....
William Veale, who was to be the senior Allied officer on Timor. By this time many of the Australians, unused to tropical conditions, were suffering from malaria and other illnesses.
Timor came under attack from Japanese aircraft on 26 January. The bombing — hampered by AA guns and a squadron of US Army Air Forces fighters based in Darwin — intensified during February. Air attacks forced an Allied convoy—escorted by the destroyers HMAS Swan
HMAS Swan (U74)
HMAS Swan , named for the Swan River, was a Grimsby class sloop of the Royal Australian Navy that served during World War II.-Design and construction:...
and HMAS Warrego
HMAS Warrego (U73)
HMAS Warrego , named for the Warrego River, was a Grimsby class sloop of the Royal Australian Navy .-Construction:She was laid down by the Cockatoo Island Dockyard at Sydney on 10 May 1939, launched on 10 February 1940, and commissioned into the RAN on 21 August 1940.-Operational history:Warrego...
—to return to Australia. It had included valuable reinforcements, such as a US Army artillery battalion and the remainder of the British AA battery.
During the night of 19/20 February, the Imperial Japanese Army
Imperial Japanese Army
-Foundation:During the Meiji Restoration, the military forces loyal to the Emperor were samurai drawn primarily from the loyalist feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū...
's 228th Regimental Group, under the direct command of Colonel Sadashichi Doi, began landing in Portuguese Timor.
The first contact was at Dili
Dili
Dili, spelled Díli in Portuguese, is the capital, largest city, chief port and commercial centre of East Timor.-Geography and Administration:Dili lies on the northern coast of Timor island, the easternmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands....
, the capital of Portuguese Timor, where the Allies were caught by surprise. Nevertheless, they were well-prepared and the garrison began an orderly retreat towards the mountainous interior and the south coast.
On the same night, Allied forces in West Timor were under extremely intense air attacks, which had already caused the RAAF force to be withdrawn to Australia. The bombing was followed up by landings from the 228th Regiment, on the undefended south west side of the island, at the Paha River. Light tanks were landed to support the Japanese infantry, and the force advanced north, cutting off the Dutch positions in the west and attacking the 2/40th Battalion positions at Penfui. A parallel Japanese thrust to the north-east, aimed to cut off the Allied retreat, at Usua
USUA
The United States Ultralight Association is a non-profit organization that endeavors to support ultralight aviation and ultralight aircraft...
. Sparrow Force HQ was immediately moved further east, to its supply base at Champlong. Leggatt ordered the destruction of the airfield.
The 2/40th's line of flight towards Champlong had been cut off by the dropping of about 500 Japanese marine paratrooper
Paratrooper
Paratroopers are soldiers trained in parachuting and generally operate as part of an airborne force.Paratroopers are used for tactical advantage as they can be inserted into the battlefield from the air, thereby allowing them to be positioned in areas not accessible by land...
s, from the 3rd Yokosuka Special Naval Landing Force, near Usua. Sparrow Force HQ moved further eastward and Leggatt's men launched a sustained and devastating assault on the paratrooper
Paratrooper
Paratroopers are soldiers trained in parachuting and generally operate as part of an airborne force.Paratroopers are used for tactical advantage as they can be inserted into the battlefield from the air, thereby allowing them to be positioned in areas not accessible by land...
s. By the morning of 23 February, the Allies had killed all but 78 of the enemy forces in front of them, but had been engaged from the rear by the main Japanese force once again.
With his soldiers running low on ammunition, exhausted and carrying 132 men with serious wounds, Leggatt consulted his men and then accepted a Japanese invitation to surrender, at Usua. The 2/40th had suffered 84 killed in action. More than twice that number would die as prisoners of war during the next two and a half years.
Veale and the Sparrow Force HQ force—including about some members of the 2/40th and about 200 Dutch East Indies troops—continued eastward across the border, and eventually joined the 2/2 Independent Company. The 2/40th effectively ceased to exist, its survivors being absorbed into the 2/2nd.
Postscript 1942–45
After a journey lasting several weeks, Bennett arrived in Darwin. Prime Minister John CurtinJohn Curtin
John Joseph Curtin , Australian politician, served as the 14th Prime Minister of Australia. Labor under Curtin formed a minority government in 1941 after the crossbench consisting of two independent MPs crossed the floor in the House of Representatives, bringing down the Coalition minority...
made the unusual gesture of publicly exonerating him. However, the high command effectively sidelined Bennett by appointing him commander of III Corps
Australian III Corps
III Corps was an Australian Army unit during World War II. It was responsible for the defence of Western Australia in 1942-45.The founding unit of the corps was a West Australian-formed Militia unit, the 13th Brigade...
, a formation responsible for the defence of Western Australia.
Following the loss of its original battalions, the headquarters units of the 23rd Brigade acquired Militia battalions and ceased to be a part of the 2nd AIF. The 8th Division had ceased to exist.
Commanders
Major General Vernon SturdeeVernon Sturdee
Lieutenant General Sir Vernon Ashton Hobart Sturdee KBE, CB, DSO was an Australian Army commander who served two terms as Chief of the General Staff...
, 1940
Major General Gordon Bennett, 27 September 1940 – 15 February 1942.
Structure
Infantry units (with state of origin, where applicable)- 22nd Brigade22nd Brigade (Australia)The 22nd Brigade was a brigade-sized infantry unit of the Australian Army. The brigade was raised for service during the World War II on 15 July 1940 as part of the 8th Division....
, New South WalesNew South WalesNew South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, (NSW)- 2/18th Battalion
- 2/19th Battalion
- 2/20th Battalion
- 23rd Brigade23rd Brigade (Australia)The 23rd Brigade was a brigade of the Australian Army. Formed in 1940 for service during the Second World War, the brigade was initially a formation of the Second Australian Imperial Force assigned to the 8th Division, however, after its subunits were captured by the Japanese in 1942 it was...
- 2/21st Battalion, VictoriaVictoria (Australia)Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, (Vic.) - 2/22nd Battalion2/22nd Battalion (Australia)The 2/22nd Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army. Raised as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force for service during World War II, the battalion formed part of the 23rd Brigade, attached to the 8th Division...
, Vic. - 2/40th Battalion2/40th Battalion (Australia)The 2/40th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army. Formed in mid-1940 from personnel recruited from Tasmania, the battalion took part in the fighting against the Japanese on Timor in 1942...
, TasmaniaTasmaniaTasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
, (Tas.)
- 2/21st Battalion, Victoria
- 24th Brigade24th Brigade (Australia)The 24th Brigade was a brigade-sized infantry unit of the Australian Army. Formed on 1 July 1940 as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force, the unit was raised for service during World War II. Originally formed as part of the 8th Division the brigade was subsequently transferred to the newly...
– to 9th Division, 1940
- 27th Brigade27th Brigade (Australia)The 27th Brigade was a brigade-sized infantry unit of the Australian Army. The brigade was the last Second Australian Imperial Force infantry brigade raised for service during the World War II...
– from 9th Division, 1941- 2/26th Battalion2/26th Battalion (Australia)The 2/26th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army. Raised in late 1940 for service during the Second World War, the battalion undertook garrison duties in Malaya and Singapore prior to the start of the Pacific War. In 1941–1942, following the Japanese invasion of Malaya, the...
, Queensland (Qld) - 2/29th Battalion, Vic.
- 2/30th Battalion2/30th Battalion (Australia)The 2/30th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army that served during World War II. Formed on 22 November 1940 at Tamworth, New South Wales, the battalion was part of the 27th Brigade of the 8th Division. It fought in Malayan Campaign, participating in the battles at Gemencheh...
, NSW
- 2/26th Battalion
- Artillery regiments
- 2/9th Field Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery (RAA) – to 7th Division, 194?
- 2/10th Field Regiment, RAA
- 2/11th Field Regiment, RAA – to 7th Division, 194?
- 2/14th Field Regiment, RAA
- 2/15th Field Regiment, RAA
- 2/3rd Anti-Tank Regiment, RAA – to 9th Division, 1940
- 2/4th Anti-Tank Regiment, RAA
- Other units
- 2/4th Machine-Gun Regiment, Western Australia (WA)
- 2/3rd Pioneer Battalion
- 8th Divisional Cavalry2/9th Cavalry Commando Regiment (Australia)The 2/9th Cavalry Regiment was one of three commando regiments raised by the Australian Army for service during World War II. It was originally raised in 1940 as an armoured cavalry unit as part of the 8th Division, before being transferred to the 9th Division. Between 1941 and 1942 the regiment...
– to 9th Division, as 9th Divisional Cavalry2/9th Cavalry Commando Regiment (Australia)The 2/9th Cavalry Regiment was one of three commando regiments raised by the Australian Army for service during World War II. It was originally raised in 1940 as an armoured cavalry unit as part of the 8th Division, before being transferred to the 9th Division. Between 1941 and 1942 the regiment...
, May 1941. - Engineer companies
- 2/10th Field Company, Royal Australian Engineers (RAE), Vic.
- 2/11th Field Company, RAE, Qld
- 2/12th Field Company, RAE, NSW
- 2/4th Field Park Company, RAE, WA – to 9th Division, 194?
Further reading
- Silver, Lynette Ramsay, The Bridge at Parit Sulong – An Investigation of Mass Murder, The Watermark Press, 2004. ISBN 0-949284-65-3.
- Richardson, Hal. 1957. One-man War: The Jock McLaren Story. Griffin Press, Adelaide.
External links
- Australian War Memorial – The fall of Singapore, 15 February 1942
- Australian 8th Division Vehicle Marking
