Japanese tanks and troops press down the main north-south trunk route into British forward positions at Trolak. Heavy fighting ensues at Slim River and several Japanese tanks are destroyed, but the advance continues following the arrival of tank reinforcements. Losses ultimately force the British forces into retreat and at 8.30am the Slim River bridge is taken by the Japanese. The day-long fighting all but wipes out the Indian 11th Division's 12th and 28th Brigades. About 3,200 British troops surrender and losses in equipment are also huge. Gen Sir Archibald Wavell meets the survivors of the Slim River battle and is appalled by their condition. He orders Lt-Gen Sir Lewis Heath to begin planning a 150 mile withdrawal from Buta Caves to Johore. On the insistence of Wavell, Percival issues completely revised orders for the retreat to Johore.
Type 95 Japanese Tank
Those orders call for the establishment of Westforce under Bennett's command. The Australian general's tactical area of responsibility is defined as all that section of Johore State above the east-west line: Mersing, Kluang, Batu Pahat. On the key north-west frontier of Johore, Bennett's line of defence is to run from Segamat in the centre, through Mount Ophir to Muar in the west. This withdrawal to Johore means the instant abandonment of the states of Negri Sembilan and Selangor and is scheduled to begin the next day. Only hours before the withdrawal is due to start, the Japanese attack Serendah, the Gurkha position to the north of Kuala Lumpur and after bitter fighting it falls to the Japanese. Following another command conference at Segamat, Percival, Heath and Bennet inspect the Gemencheh River Bridge, 10 miles from Gemas, which the Australian general has chosen as the site for a major ambush of the advancing Japanese.
By January 11 the British Indian forces completed their withdrawal through Kuala Lumpur in the early hours, blowing up the last bridge there at 4.30am. At 8pm the Japanese enter the capital and seize its two airfields. Japanese forces carry out their first airstrikes at Muar.
The massive withdrawal underway results in congestion along the main trunk road running south and along the single track rail line to Singapore. 112 Japanese aircraft direct an attack on Singapore.
On January 13 United States merchant ships arrive at Singapore carrying the 53rd British Infantry Brigade, two anti-tank regiments and 50 hurricane fighter aircraft. At 4am as Bennett officially assumes command of the Malayan front, Australian positions on the fall-back defence line are getting ready. At about 4pm, 300 Japanese infantrymen on cycles pass over the Gemencheh River Bridge where the 2/30th Battalion of the Australian 27th Brigade is lying in wait. After 500 or so cycle by, the Australians blow the bridge and ambush the Japanese. The ambush lasts about 20 minutes and 700 Japanese troops die. By late evening the Australians, with eight dead and eighty wounded, withdraw through five kilometres of jungle and rubber plantations to the battalion lines.
On January 15 Yamashita rushes elements of the Japanese Imperial Guards from Malacca and quickly they command the northern bank of the Muar River, situated opposite Muar town. At night the Japanese transfer forces to the south side of the river, capture the town and cut the vital Muar-Yong Peng road. This Japanese thrust eastwards threatens to sever the main north-south route from Maj-Gen. Gordon Bennett's Westforce headquarters at Segamat, and open a side door for a large Japanese flanking movement to Yong Peng. Japanese troops move south by sea, landing up to beyond Batu Pahat.
Faced with a withdrawal from Segamat or an attempt to stabilise the Muar front, Lt-Gen. Arthur E. Percival and Maj-Gen. Gordon Bennett decide to reinforce the Muar front at Bakri. On January 17 Percival orders the newly arrived British 53rd Brigade Group into Johore as reinforcements. The 6th Norfolk Battalion of the 53rd move into Bukit Pelandok. Five miles down the Yong Peng-Muar road a Norfolk platoon defends Parit Sulong Bridge. The Indian 45th Brigade headquarters stand at Bakri
Sergeant Charles Parsons' anti-tank gunners firing on
Type 95 Ha-Go tanks at point blank range on
the Muar-Parit Sulong road, 18 January 1942.
At Gemas, the Australian 2/30th Battalion troops, under intense fire from the Japanese, report they are in danger of being overrun. In Johore, the Allied forces try to stop the Japanese from invading Singapore. They bomb the bridge which the Japanese cross but are eventually defeated by another Japanese troop that lands in Johore from the sea.
Japanese troops near Gemas
The Japanese march to Bukit Pelandok and Bakri.
No comments:
Post a Comment