Battle of Kranji

Battle of Kranji
Part of the Battle of Singapore, Pacific War

The Japanese invasion of Kranji in February 1942. The arrows indicate attacks by Japanese forces.
Date9–10 February 1942
Location
Kranji, Singapore, Straits Settlements
1°26′21″N 103°44′15″E / 1.439255°N 103.737601°E / 1.439255; 103.737601
Result Japanese victory
Belligerents
 Straits Settlements (Dalforce, one company)[1]
 Australia (27th Brigade)[2]		  Empire of Japan (Konoe Shidan)[3]
Commanders and leaders
Australia Duncan Maxwell[4]
United Kingdom John Dalley		 Empire of Japan Takuma Nishimura[3]
Strength
~2,000[5] ~10,000[6]

The Battle of Kranji was the second stage of the Empire of Japan's plan for the invasion of Singapore during the Second World War. On 9 February 1942 the Imperial Japanese Army assaulted the north-western front of Singapore, capital of the Straits Settlements.

Their primary objective was to secure a second beachhead after their successful assault at Sarimbun Beach on 8 February, in order to breach the Jurong-Kranji defence line as part of their southward thrust towards the heart of Singapore City. Defending the shoreline between the Kranji River and the Johor–Singapore Causeway was the Australian 27th Brigade, led by Brigadier Duncan Maxwell, and one irregular company.

On 10 February the Japanese forces suffered their heaviest losses while moving up the Kranji River, which caused them to panic and nearly aborted the operation. However, a series of miscommunications and withdrawals by Allied forces in the ensuing battles allowed the Japanese to swiftly gain strategic footholds, which eventually led to the fall of Singapore on 15 February 1942.[7]

  1. ^ Chua, Ransome. "Chinese guerrilla forces". Ransome Chua's Frontline. Archived from the original on 13 July 2012. Retrieved 28 September 2007.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference NHB-Kranji was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b Major Yap, "The Japanese at Kranji", p. 16
  4. ^ Wigmore, "Defence of Western Area", p. 328.
  5. ^ An estimate figure of the Allied troops during the Battle of Kranji only.
  6. ^ An estimate figure as Yamashita had just over 30,000 men from three Divisions: the Imperial Guards Division, the 5th Division and the 18th Division. The elite Imperial Guard units included a light tank brigade.
  7. ^ Owen, "The Fall of Singapore", p. 170.