In 1945, during World War II, British and Indian Allies pushed Imperial Axis Japanese troops back at a crucial battle in Burma, forcing them to die resisting or to retreat into a forested swamp, where the enemy would find themselves surrounded by a fierce, primordial foe who took hundreds of their lives in the most horrific ways…
Hunkered down in strategic positions, one thousand nervous Japanese soldiers prepared to repel an Allied assault by British and Indian forces, who sought to recapture Ramree Island, taken by the imperial Asian nation just three years ago in 1942. Thousands more Jieitai and Kaigun Rikusentai were busy placing heavy artillery inside caves overlooking the landing beaches along the coast. But, approximately ten miles separated them and what lay in between hid monstrous dangers.
That, however, didn’t matter at the moment. What concerned the defending Japanese troops the most was the possible loss of honor. To them, death was far more preferable and demanded not only by their culture but by the Emperor himself, a living deity. It was this very attitude and unwavering disposition that frustrated and scared the Allies, who did not understand the mindset.
By late January, the 26th Indian Division had received orders to retake the island, along with elements of the Royal Marine detachment from the 3rd British Commando Brigade. But, the troops weren’t going in blind or without a plan, either.
Reconnaissance had been carried out nearly two weeks earlier on the 14th, which discovered the Japanese reinforcing their position, not wanting to give up the isle, which they knew would ideally serve as a tactical location for the Allies, who would undoubtedly use the fifty-mile by twenty-mile, largely flat, area to install airbases that would, in turn, support the western enemy’s mainland campaign.
Those one thousand battle-hardened Japanese troops were determined to prevent the foreigners’ plans from coming to fruition by any means necessary. However, what they couldn’t possibly foresee was the unbelievably bizarre nightmare that was yet to befall them.
“Rengō-gun wa doko ni imasu ka?” (Where are the Allied troops?)
“Okiai – kishi ni kuru junbi o shite imasu!” (Off the coast – preparing to come on shore!)
“Mizu ni wa nani ga arimasu ka?” (What’s out there on the water?)
“Senkan HMS kuīn’erizabesu, goei kūbo HMS amīru, kei jun’yōkan HMS fībi, kuchiku-kan 3-seki.” (The battleship HMS Queen Elizabeth, the escort carrier HMS Ameer, light cruiser HMS Phoebe, and three destroyers.)
On the 21st of January, the Japanese were desperately fighting to maintain their position on Ramree Island in Burma. They suffered a massive setback weeks earlier on the 3rd when US aircraft carriers attacked Okinawa.
And, although the Imperial forces retaliated the next day, sinking the US jeep-aircraft carrier Ommaney Bay with a successful kamikaze attack, only three days later, on January 7th, the last surface engagement occurred between the Allies and Japan in the Pacific campaign – the famous Battle of Midway – a major victory by American forces.
By January 12th, German forces in Belgium retreated in the Battle of the Bulge and at the same time, the Soviets began a large offensive against the Nazis in Eastern Europe. The war was decidedly turning in favor of the Allies, making any gains all the more precious and any previous victories defendable at all costs.
“Junbi ga dekite ireba, Igirisu-gun to sono Indo-gun wa kakujitsu ni shima o dakkan shiyou to shimasu.” (Be ready, the British and their Indian forces will surely attempt to retake the island.)
“Watashitachiha dekiru dake ōku no hito o korosu junbi ga dekite imasu!” (We are fully prepared to kill as many as possible!)
“Nagaiki suru Nihon! Ten’nō o nagaiki sa seyou!” (Long live Japan! Long live the Emperor!)
The Imperial soldiers repeated the chant over and over again, working themselves into an almost uncontrollable frenzy. It was part of the commander’s strategy, being greatly outnumbered and out-armed, as massive, foreboding British warships lined up along the near horizon, ready to unleash hellfire at any given moment. And, that’s precisely what happened next.
A British naval bombardment by the battleship HMS Queen Elizabeth shook the island, firing two-thousand-pound shells. An airstrike of RAF P47 Thunderbolts followed, then B24 Liberator bombers obliterated practically everything in sight. The British easily gained and held air superiority, reinforced by Gruman F6 Hellcat naval fighter planes flying above.
On the 22nd, the 4th Indian infantry landed as the 71st brigade advanced southward along the west coast of the island. Forward British and Indian troops carefully navigated their way past an unopposed coastal minefield.
But, when the Allies came to the mainland of the island, the 121st Japanese infantry garrison defense proved effectively fierce, causing the battle to rage for two long weeks. However, the prolonged fighting eventually took its toll and the Imperial resistance eventually crumbled, allowing the Allied troops to advance.
The Japanese were subsequently forced to abandon their base and retreated to their fortified stronghold in the hills, while the British soldiers took advantage of their larger numbers to flank the Axis troops.
Fearing capture, the Japanese commander marched his soldiers into the swamp to escape to the other side, where more Imperial troops were held-up. “Kokode wa mō tatakaemasen. Watashitachiha shima no hantaisoku ni ikanakereba narimasen!” (We can no longer fight here. We must get to the other side of the island!)
“Hai ippan!” (Yes, General!)
“Sugu ni kotoba o watashite kudasai. Numa no mori o ōdan shi, taiki-chū no butai to gōryū shimasu!” (Pass the word quickly. We will traverse the swamp forest and join up with our waiting forces!)
“Sugu ni, shōgun!” (Right away, General!)
With no viable fighting option left, the Axis troops moved slowly into the forested swamp, laying down cover fire to pull their escape and put distance between them and the British and Indian forces, who remained on the outskirts of the densely wooded area.
“Captain! Captain! Push your men forward. We can’t let them escape into the thick. They’ll lay booby traps and hit back with guerilla tactics!”
“Yes, General!”
“You, Mr. Singh! Make ready your men to advance forward in a hard assault. We cannot let the Axis forces take cover in the swamp!”
Singh reluctantly obeyed the Captain’s order, passing it along to his men who immediately began to chatter in Hindi among themselves. But, instead of preparing to pursue the fleeing Imperial troops, the Indian soldiers stood fast, relaxing their weapons and their guard.
“Mr. Singh! Mr. Singh! What is it they are saying?”
“Forgive them, Captain. But they refuse to follow.”
“Refuse? That is unacceptable. Why won’t they obey my orders? Can’t they see we’ve got the enemy on the run? Victory is within our grasp Mr. Singh!”
“It is not the imperial troops they fear. It is the horrific fate that awaits anyone who dares to venture into that primordial swamp.”
The Indian troops recognized the dangers of going into the watery woods. Some of them were quite aware of what lived in the dark bog. It constituted eight to ten miles of a mucky, untamed marsh filled with huge swarms of disease-carrying mosquitoes, poisonous spiders, neurotoxic scorpions, and venomous snakes.
The wetland was also home to hundreds of hungry, aggressive saltwater crocodiles, known scientifically as “crocodylus porosus,” the largest of the crocodilian family. These massive semiaquatic reptiles measured from eleven to seventeen, even twenty-three feet in length, and weighed between 1,200 and 2,200 pounds.
The prehistoric creatures were known to lethally attack humans, simply for wandering into their habitats. Ambushing their victims and crushing them in their powerful jaws before drowning them in the death roll was more terrifying than practically any other cruel fate.
In fact, their bite force was so strong, it was greater than that of any shark species, even the great white, another top predator, who also occasionally became prey to the reptilian carnivore. Saltwater crocs boasted a bit force of nearly two tons, about 3,700 pounds per square inch – the strongest ever measured among any apex predator on earth.
Conversely, the average Japanese imperial soldier stood just five feet, three inches tall, and weighed about one-hundred-twenty pounds. The Asian troops lived off a very meager diet, usually, a handful of rice a day, supplementing their paltry rations by killing and eating snakes, rats, and bugs. Consequently, many suffered from undue fatigue, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, reduced body mass, and a number of related ailments caused by malnourishment.
This made them especially susceptible to any number of diseases, their bodies unable to fight off common infections and recover from ordinary illnesses, such as cold, nausea, diarrhea, and influenza.
So, these small, weakened individuals were no match for such oversized, ferocious reptilian opponents. Not even armed with their trusty Arisaka Type 99 rifle and a twenty-inch sword bayonet. But, that is exactly what they faced as they entered the foreboding swampland.
The Indian forces’ apprehension was curious but soon understandable. As the Allied troops watched the Japanese disappear into the marsh, an eerie silence fell over the island. But, it wouldn’t last long. Within hours of the retreat into the wild wetland, unsettling sounds of sheer panic and terrifying screams would permeate the air, unrelentingly haunting anyone who heard them.
“Captain, Mr. Signh, it’s time to attend to the wounded and conduct a casualty count. I need the information quickly so I can report it to command. Also, give me a list of short supplies and I will make the necessary applications.”
“Yes, General! Straight away, sir!”
“Mr. Signh, would you mind telling me what your men were talking about?”
“There is great danger in that expansive mire – a peril I would not wish on my worst enemy.”
“Is that so, Mr. Signh?”
“Indeed, General. This island’s inhabitants are far more menacing than any Nazi weapon. Those Japanese troops are doomed.”
The General thanked his subordinate and, then excused Mr. Signh, directing him to carry on with his immediate duties. But, it didn’t prepare the high-ranking officer nor the men under his command for what would happen in the days to follow. It would be an experience none of them who were present would ever forget.
As night fell, the Allies finished their assignments, making temporary accommodations and fortifying their position in case the Japanese came back. They stayed so preoccupied with the tasks at hand that the British and Indian soldiers had mostly forgotten the dire warnings. But, after dusk, the unbelievable began to unfold. It started with a single, blood-curdling scream, bursting out of the swamp.
“Good Lord! What was that, Mr. Signh?”
“It’s begun, General.”
“What’s begun, Mr. Signh, what’s begun?”
“The nightly hunt, General.”
“The nightly hunt, Mr. Signh?”
“Yes, General. And, it’s still quite early in the evening. Those poor souls have a very long night ahead.”
“What, exactly, is in there?”
“Death, General. Death, at least seven times over. Sickness. Malnutrition. Large swarms of disease-carrying mosquitoes, poisonous spiders, neurotoxic scorpions, venomous snakes, and hungry, aggressive crocs – maneaters.”
The General finally understood. The fleeing Japanese had walked right into a harrowing, hostile trap. One that would be almost impossible to escape from alive, and certainly not without serious injury. He, along with his men, would start to witness some of the most horrific scenes in all of twenty-first-century warfare as the unbelievably bizarre Burmese belligerents began to set upon their weak, wounded, and disheartened victims.
“Herupu!” or Help! was heard many times over that evening as the salties silently stalked, ambushed, and ruthlessly attacked victim after victim. That very night, the British and Indian troops, camping on the edge of the swamp, counted at least twenty audibly different cries for mercy and help. Gunshots would occasionally ring out, followed by spine-chilling screams, then total, creepy silence.
In the morning, the Allied soldiers could clearly see two fallen enemies – one who seemingly died from a scorpion sting and the other, barely breathing, fatality suffering from a deadly spider bite.
Vultures were busily picking away at the remains of at least a dozen mangled Japanese corpses, killed and abandoned in the dark by salties who already had gorged themselves but continued to attack, maim, and kill, out of sheer, insatiable aggression. But, this was only the start of the massacre.
“Mr. Signh, have a medic attend to that man!”
“Yes, General, straight away, sir!”
“Captain, pick a dozen men to assess the situation, send them to patrol the edges of the bog. If there are any enemy survivors, we’ll take them prisoner and interrogate each one separately, of course. Any wounded are to be given medical treatment, then interrogated as well.”
“General! General!”
“What is it, Leftenant?”
“General, we’ve spotted two more making their way back out of the marsh. They are trying to move undetected!”
“Suicide mission?”
“Possibly, General.”
“Let’s be at the ready, then. Leftenant, position snipers – don’t let them near our camp!”
“At once, General!”
The junior officer selected two snipers, placing them in prime kill locations to neutralize the possible threat. As the men made their way out of the swamp, the Allied soldiers assigned to watch them become increasingly anxious. The tension grew more intense as the Japanese troops slowly, stealthily crept toward the edge of the wetland, where they’d be amply camouflaged and obscured from the sight of British and Indian soldiers.
The Imperial combatants approached the treeline slyly, taking great caution not to make any unnecessary moves that would give them away. Just as they stepped out of the marsh, the Allied snipers took aim, putting the enemy soldiers square in their sights, ready to squeeze their triggers at any moment.
Suddenly, one of the men screamed “Īe! Īe!” Or, “No! No!” Disappearing back into the marsh. It was then the snipers realized the two men were trying to escape stalking crocodiles but only one made it out alive. The other unmercilessly drug off and drowned, his body eventually floating to the top of the water several minutes later.
Watching in total disbelief of what just happened, the Leftenant quickly ordered the snipers to relax their weapons and directed two Allied soldiers and a medic to take the survivor into custody and check for any injuries.
That afternoon, another Japanese soldier escaped and was taken prisoner by the Allied forces. Injured, hungry, and terrified over his ordeal, the captured combatant was questioned by an interrogator through an interpreter.
“General, General!”
“Yes, Major?”
“I’ve questioned one of the survivors. He says there’s about one-thousand that went into the bog, sir.”
“One-thousand, Major?”
“That’s correct!”
“Mr. Signh!”
“General, sir!?”
“Mr. Signh. I’m told about one-thousand Japanese retreated into the marsh. How many might make it all the way through to the other side?”
“Given the distance and a conservative estimate of the number of crocs waiting – not to mention the ubiquity of snakes, scorpions, and mosquitoes – I’d guess less than half, General. It’s entirely possible quite a lot fewer.”
The prediction turned out to be eerily prescient. Of the one-thousand Japanese that retreated into the marshland, just four-hundred, eighty survived the ordeal. All the rest fell victim to disease, starvation, injury, spiders, snakes, and salties. Their situation grew so desperate, that the Imperial forces carried out aerial bombing raids on February 17th, sinking an Allied destroyer to provide a much-needed distraction to rescue the remaining survivors.
By the 22nd, the Japanese had all but abandoned Ramree, ceeding the valuable island to the Allies. About a month later, on April 28th, Mussolini was captured and executed. Two days after, Hitler committed suicide. The Russian military seized control of Berlin on May 2nd. But still, the Japanese refused to give up and continued to desperately fight for another three months.
Finally, on August 6th, American forces dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima and then another on Nagasaki on August 9th. Little less than a month thereafter, Japan unconditionally surrendered to General Douglas MacArthur on September 2nd.
The Battle of Ramree Island (also known as Operation Matador) lasted from January 14th, until February 22nd, 1945. The The Guinness Book of World Records listed the slaughter as the worst and largest crocodile attack in history.
