The Japanese soldiers retreated, and some went into the mangrove swamps. Historydefined.net is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com, Copyright 2023 History Defined | Powered by Astra WordPress Theme. Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) has announced plans to divert traffic from the Clock Tower junction along Entebbe road for two months starting January 14th up to March 14th, 2023. As part of their retreat they had to cross a 16km mangrove swamp. Darragh O Herlihy is one of the authors writing for WAR HISTORY ONLINE. Joseph Howard received a Navy and Marine Corps Medal for risking his life to save others. Have you ever heard of Ramree Island? Crocodiles In One Night Slaughtered Over 900 Japanese Soldiers | by L. Small | THE CURIOSITY | Medium Write Sign up Sign In 500 Apologies, but something went wrong on our end. The mangrove swamp was thick with mud and it was slow-going. A SCIENTIST was eaten alive by a 17ft long crocodile after being dragged into its enclosure while she fed it last week. That night [19 February 1945] was the most horrible that any member of the M. L. [motor launch] crews ever experienced. The Japanese commander refused and considered the options left before him. And they werent shy about attacking either. However there were around 500 more of the escaping men who never left the swamp. There was a story that hundreds of people died getting slaughter by crocodiles in just one night. The names give some indication of how the dinosaurs lived. A depiction of a saltwater crocodile emerging from the water alongside British soldiers at Ramree Island during World War II. Some British soldiers, including the naturalist Bruce Wright, who participated in the battle, claimed that the large population of saltwater crocodiles native to the mangrove swamps on Ramree Island preyed on the trapped Japanese force at night and ate many soldiers. These crocs are the largest reptiles in the world and are capable of bringing down water buffalo. No evidence, that is, unless one believes a solitary account by a mysterious character. According to one Allied commander: Wikimedia CommonsBritish Marines landing on Ramree Island in January 1945 at the beginning of the six-week battle. So, instead of accepting their fate, they chose to make an 8-mile journey through the mangrove swamps of Ramree Island. [3] The experience in co-operation between the 26th Indian Division and the navy in the war of chaungs and small ports along the Arakan coast was intended to be exploited in the attack. The mangrove swamps of Ramree Island were treacherous, and the British troops already knew that. How many Japanese soldiers were actually eaten by salt water crocodiles? Nile freshwater crocodiles, like the one pictured here, have a reputation as man-eaters, similarly to the saltwater crocodiles that were rumored to ravage Japanese soldiers at Ramree Island in Myanmar in 1945. Dont mess with mother nature. The incident appears in the Guinness records: Ramree Island was the scene of an alleged massacre of Japanese . William DeLong is a freelance wordsmith. In 2016, he decided to tackle the mystery of the Crocodile Massacre at Ramree Island after learning that the Guinness Book of World Records had relied on Wrights book for source material. They were both Enhancers. Their only escape was through the swamp. The Legend of Dick Bong: World War II Ace of Aces, Medal of Honor Recipient and Crocodile Killer? You dont want to get bit by this creature, though, as their bite force is the strongest in the animal kingdom. It took the lives of hundreds of Japanese soldiers. Ramree Island was captured by the Japanese in 1942. On all fronts, they were attacked by the Allied forces in full strength, leaving them to either surrender or Saltwater crocodiles are not to be underestimated. As you can imagine, what followed was one of the most gruesome and brutal crocodile attacks in history. Crocodiles are opportunistic feeders, meaning they will eat anything they can get their mouths on, making the Japanese soldiers the perfect prey. This post will reveal the historical account of the Ramree Island Massacre. Several British soldiers said that the crocodiles preyed on the Japanese soldiers in the swamp. Wood, The Guinness Book of Animal Facts and Feats. The incident was even included in the Guinness Book of World Records in 1968 under worst crocodile disaster in the world as well as most fatalities in a crocodile attack (despite there being not a single death officially recorded). No Japanese survived . The Imperial Japanese Army decided that a full retreat was in order after their defeat in Burma at the hands of British forces. The 20 Most Famous Last Words of All Time. [8], On 7 February, the 71st Indian Infantry Brigade and supporting tanks reached the town of Ramree and encountered determined Japanese resistance. The Japanese understood that saltwater crocodiles have a reputation for eating humans but they went into the mangrove swamp of Ramree Island anyway. The majority of Japanese soldiers died in combat or drowned, despite the fact that many British soldiers witnessed crocodiles eating dead Japanese bodies. The story goes that during World War II, 1,000 Japanese soldiers were eaten by crocodiles on the island. British Marines landing on Ramree Island in January 1945 at the beginning of the six-week battle. Various British soldiers did indeed witness crocodiles devouring dead Japanese bodies, but Willis ultimately determined that the majority of Japanese soldiers died in combat or drowned. The soldiers succumbed to the nightly menace, realizing that saltwater crocs were nocturnal and excelled at night hunting. [16], In 2006, Robert Duff, a veteran of the 26th Division, recorded an oral history for the BBC, stating, "after a few weeks we managed to push [the Japanese] to the swamp on the other side of the island, which was full of crocodiles. Refresh the. British soldiers landing on Ramree (via Wikimedia). Photoshopped photo courtesy of opposingfronts.com. The most prominent firsthand retelling of what happened comes from naturalist Bruce Stanley Wright, who participated in the Battle of Ramree Island and gave this written account: That night [of February 19, 1945] was the most horrible that any member of the M.L. While crocodiles are prolific killers, historians have long doubted that more than 800 Japanese soldiers were killed at Ramree Island in such a short period of time, and those doubts have only been affirmed by evidence uncovered in recent https://www.coffeeordie.com/crocodiles-eat-soldiers Trevor Pomfret The current evidence, which is clear but limited, suggest we should not believe it. The crocodiles, alerted by the din of warfare and smell of blood, gathered among the mangroves, lying with their eyes above the water, watchfully alert for their next meal. We do not need to add mythical tales when reality provides a drama played out in all its honor and tragedy. It is difficult to counter any of the reasonable arguments put forward by McLynn as there is simply no evidence to the contrary. The battle is known for claims that hundreds of Japanese soldiers were killed by crocodiles in the mangrove swamps of Ramree. How he arrived at that number is unclear, but the Guinness Book of World Records accepted it as fact and began including Wrights version of the story in their annual book starting in 1968. In both species, the mean size of crocodiles involved in nonfatal attacks was about 3m (10ft) as opposed to a reported range of 2.55m (816ft) or larger for crocodiles responsible for fatal attacks. Sideleau, B. [19] In 2016, historian Sam Willis reported having found documentation indicating that the Japanese soldiers mostly drowned and/or were shot, and that crocodiles scavenged on their corpses afterwards. Japanese resistance on the island ended on 17 February and the Allied blockade was maintained until 22 February, sinking many of the rescue craft and inflicting many casualties on the Japanese troops hiding in the mangrove swamps; about 500 troops managed to get away. If the British 14th Army succeeded in taking the island, it could build an airbase there and use it as a launch point for bombing missions over Burma and Malaysia. In this official account there are references to the menace posed by saltwater crocodiles at Ramree Island. [21] He established that Bruce S. Wright had not been present on Ramree Island at the time of the battle, and noted that although the other chapters in Wright's book were told in the first person, the account of the battle was in the third person; possibly, Platt speculated, Wright was repeating stories he had been told by friends. Read Next: The Legend of Dick Bong: World War II Ace of Aces, Medal of Honor Recipient and Crocodile Killer? We went in with boats and interpreters using loudhailers asking them to come out. "[14] Subsequently, the story was incorporated into the Guinness Book of World Records as the worst animal attack ever recorded, due to Wright's statement that "[o]f about one thousand Japanese soldiers that entered the swamps of Ramree, only about twenty were found alive."[2]. Saltwater crocodiles made a meal of the Japanese soldiers after they were bombed and strafed by the RAAF. Typical male specimens reach 17 feet long and 1,000 pounds and the largest can reach 23 feet and 2,200 pounds. Trapped in deep mud-filled land, tropical diseases soon started to afflict the soldiers, as did scorpions, tropical mosquitoes and saltwater crocodiles. 14 (4): 391405. The invasion force was led by three Joint Assault Commanders, Captain Bush RN, Major-General Cyril Lomax and Wing Commander H. Smith. [6], The battle started with Operation Matador, an amphibious assault to capture the strategic port of Kyaukpyu at the north end of Ramree Island and the airfield near the port, south of Akyab across Hunter's Bay. Japanese soldiers hid in the swamp, not knowing of the danger that lies ahead - saltwater crocodiles! These reptiles can grow up to 20 feet long and weigh 2,000 pounds, with many being known to eat animals as big as Indian water buffalo. Galante elaborated that the crocodiles were hungry because the soldiers had already. On Feb. 25, 1945, the British newspaper The Guardian reported that Japanese stragglers who are trying to escape from Ramree Island off the west coast of Burma, are being forced by hunger out of mangrove swamps and many have been killed by crocodiles. From there, the story took on a life of its own. Reportedly, the Japanese troops, as if they hadn't endured enough, became victims to countless Saltwater crocodile attacks. Mark Felton Productions does not condone written attacks, insults, racism, sexism, extremism, violence or otherwise questionable comments or material in the 'Comments' section, and reserves the right to delete any comment violating this rule or to block any poster from the channel.Thanks: Bernard Dupont The passage in Wrights book outlining the supposed crocodile massacre states as follows: That night was the most horrible that any member of the M. L. [motor launch] crews ever experienced. Only 20 of the Japanese fighters made it out alive. Some editions of the Guinness Book of World Records have attributed the highest number of fatalities in a crocodile attack to the battle; zoologists and modern military historians have dismissed these claims. On Ramree, the Japanese garrison resisted with great determination but on 1 February, the 71st Indian Infantry Brigade reached Sane and parts of the 36th Indian Infantry Brigade, from reserve, took Sagu Kuyun Island and relieved the marines on Cheduba Island. Only a handful came out alive". The Japanese soldiers on Ramree Island during the nearing end of World War II had a dilemma that resulted in the deadliest crocodile feast ever. Soon after entering the slimy mudhole, Japanese soldiers began to succumb to diseases, dehydration, and starvation. An Australian Army soldier suffered serious head and chest injuries after being mauled by a crocodile that attacked him late on Friday, Australia media . Inspired by actual events during World War 2. Attacks by saltwater crocodiles often occur in Southeast Asia, Australia, New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands. Many historians debunk the tale of the massacre, but some facts do point to some veracity of the incident. A Cacophony Of Hell: The Story Of The Ramree Island Crocodile Massacre. Its been dubbed one of the worst crocodile attacks in the Guinness Book of World Records. Japanese Soldiers Burma Crocodiles? Jayma April 15, 2022. What animal has the strongest armor? The battle was bloody and grueling, leaving the Japanese soldiers exhausted yet full of defiance. [2] The mugger crocodile is also very dangerous to humans, killing several people in India every year and with a fatality rate that is almost as high (slightly less than half of all attacks are fatal). Gustave, a Nile crocodile once described as a serial killer by National Geographic, is believed to have killed as many as 300 people in the east African nation of Burundi in the 1980s and 1990s. As for the truth, however, that may have been lost to history. Nine vets clinched their first world record of their breakneck skydiving expedition on Saturday, Jan. 14. Cheduba Island was not garrisoned and the 22nd East African Brigade was sent to hold Ramree Island. This disease seriously hindered both sides attempt to gain control of the island. But, of course, the British werent surprised as saltwater crocodiles are notoriously territorial and will attack any human they view as a threat or potential food source. A massive saltwater crocodile (via Wikimedia). One thing is for certain: When given the choice of surrendering or taking chances in a crocodile-infested swamp, choose surrender. But exactly how many men died in the maws of the mighty crocs remains up for debate because no one knows how many troops succumbed to disease, dehydration, or starvation as opposed to predation. In early 1945, as part of the Pacific War during World War II, Allied forces pinned down 1,000 Japanese soldiers in a mangrove swamp off the coast of Burma (now Myanmar). Crocodile attacks are not always reported to local authorities, and some reports are difficult to verify. All of the above crocodile attacks could have been avoided. Innumerable crocodiles had gathered in the swamps under the water, attracted by the smell of blood coming from the dead and wounded Japanese soldiers. Crocodile Specialist Group Newsletter 33(2): 29-30. Frank McLynn, a prominent British historian on the Burma campaign, effectively denounces the crocodile aggression account in his thorough analysis of the Allied effort to retake Burma from the Japanese, The Burma Campaign: Disaster into Triumph 1942-1945 (2011). The island is 70 miles south of Akyab and is known as Sittwe. Unlike other "man-eating" crocodiles, such as the saltwater crocodile, the Nile crocodile lives in proximity to human populations, so contact is more frequent. Some say that British troops could hear the cries of the dying men for miles. At dawn the vultures arrived to clean up what the crocodiles had left.Of about one thousand Japanese soldiers that entered the swamps of Ramree, only about twenty were found alive." The Weapons The Japanese Type 26 revolver was a beautifully executed piece of tactical trash. This suggests that the Japanese did not suffer a major setback of over 900 men finished off on the night of February 19th. ----------------Visit my unique travel channel on Youtube - Traveling on the Go ----------------- Here is the claim: Allied forces in the Pacific War during World War II trapped 1,000 Japanese soldiers in a mangrove swamp off the coast of Burma in the early months of 1945. Some of them being so badly injured and mauled that they were later recaptured by the British forces. The island that holds the world-record for largest human massacre caused by animals. As I am writing this police are still searching for the girl. 111114. Kaori had been a kendo practitioner before the apocalypse, while Kyoko was a successor of the Tenshin-style sword arts. [marine launch] crews ever experienced. In addition, saltwater crocodiles are far from a misunderstood monster. [20], In 2000, herpetologist Steven G. Platt visited Ramree Island, where he interviewed residents who had been alive during the war and who had been forced into slave labor by the Japanese; they "unanimously discounted any suggestion that large numbers of Japanese fell prey to crocodiles." While crocodiles are prolific killers, historians have long doubted that more than 800 Japanese soldiers were killed at Ramree Island in such a short period of time, and those doubts have only been affirmed by evidence uncovered in recent years that indicates that the true story was buried amid a flurry of sensational reporting. The island lies off the Burma coast, 70 miles south of Akyab, now known as Sittwe. For a start, he points out the lack of evidence for Wrights claim that he was at the scene. They decided to take their chances in the swamp rather than surrender. Offer available only in the U.S. (including Puerto Rico). [18][19] One study posited the number of attacks by Nile crocodiles per year as 275 to 745, of which 63% are fatal, as opposed to an estimated 30 attacks per year by saltwater crocodiles, of which 50% are fatal. [3] Crocodilians will defend not only themselves, but also their nest and young from anything they perceive as a threat. + A sting operation is a more sophisticated way to trap criminals. Osama, a saltwater crocodile named after the terrorist Usama Bin Laden, reportedly killed and ate 80 people in Uganda over a period of 14 years beginning in 1991. Required fields are marked *. Troops of Japanese Fifteenth Army on the border of Burma. This was particularly so in the mangrove swamps where such reptiles thrive, like on Ramree Island. If you do attempt it, you face the crocodiles. Sign up for our newsletter and enter to win the second edition of our book. Like Atlas Obscura and get our latest and greatest stories in your Facebook feed. The survivors are reported to have told horrific tales of dozens of crocodiles attacking the soldiers en masse, and appearing out of seemingly nowhere to drag off some poor soul. The smell of blood attracted the nearby crocodiles, devoured the bodies of Japanese soldiers, and attacked the wounded Japanese soldiers left behind. And in an incident not unlike the infamous U.S.S Indianapolis shark attack that befell American troops later that year, many of these troops didnt survive. Reviews indicate that at least half of all attacks by the Nile and saltwater crocodiles are fatal[1] (in Australia, however, only about 25% of saltwater crocodile attacks are fatal). The story comes from the writings of Bruce Stanley Wright, a British naturalist who was presumed to be at the scene. They faced an enemy as old. The reptiles can grow up to 20 feet long and weigh 2,000 pounds, but even a midsize saltwater crocodile could easily kill a full-grown adult human, with many being known toeat animals as vast as Indian water buffalo. In all, some 500 Japanese fled Ramree despite the blockade created to stop them. The nights were said to have been filled with dire screams, gunfire, and the sounds of animal attacks. Unfortunately for the fleeing men, the mangrove jungle on Ramree Island is home to an unknown number of the largest reptilian predator in the world the saltwater crocodile. [2] Contents The body is protected against danger and predator. (2014). Who Were the Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Greece? Saltwater crocodiles are the largest reptiles in the world. 1.7K views, 54 likes, 0 loves, 2 comments, 9 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Coffee or Die Magazine: Did crocodiles really eat hundreds of Japanese soldiers in World War II? The Island had been captured by the Imperial Japanese Army in early 1942, during the invasion of Burma. Pooley, S. (2016). The debacle was so bad that the Japanese troops were forced to retreat and flee into the mangrove swamps of Ramree Island. [7], The large number of ships was intended to provide more firepower in support of the landing force. Do you risk your life in the swamp or put your life in the hands of the enemy? Estimated to be around 6 metres (20ft) in length and to weigh more than 900 kilograms (2,000lb). A band of soldiers in search of a secret Japanese ammunition store face off against deadly saltwater crocodiles in the swamps of Ramree Island. Two days later Mayin was occupied and the troops reached the Yanbauk Chaung the next day. However, there is no specific mention of the crocodile attack devouring over 900 Japanese. 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How The Stonewall Riots Changed The Course Of The Gay Rights Movement, 9 Abandoned Airports And The Tragic Stories Behind Them, What Stephen Hawking Thinks Threatens Humankind The Most, 27 Raw Images Of When Punk Ruled New York, Join The All That's Interesting Weekly Dispatch. It had been vital to complete the occupation of Ramree Island quickly, as Operation Dracula against Rangoon needed to commence in the first week of May at the latest, to have a chance of finishing before the monsoon. A saltwater crocodile (photograph by Heather Paul). Those who survived the battle reportedly didnt fare well when they chose the doomed escape route across the crocodile-infested waters. The following day, the 4th Indian Infantry Brigade (Brigadier J. F. R. Forman) landed, took over the beachhead and occupied Kyaukpyu. Crocodiles of Guadalcanal. All rights reserved. Upon entering Ramree Island in the Bay of Bengal in early 1945, Japanese troops encountered a very uncertain situation. One of Platt's subjects claims that crocodiles accounted for some Japanese casualties: "10 to 15 soldiers were killed attempting to ford Min Chaung, a tidal creek near Ramree Town." Field Marshall Slim, in his memoirs, further recounts that a number of Japanese fell victim to sharks prowling in the channel between the island and the . Wikimedia Commons photo. Men of the Wiltshire Regiment from the 26th Indian Infantry Division prepare a meal beside a temple on Ramree Island. However, death toll estimates vary. A landing party of Japanese mistook North Australian tide times and heights , landing at low tide and getting stuck waist deep wading in mudflats in the Northern Territory . Ultimately, he stated, "[t]he only crocodile-related deaths occurred when 10 to 15 soldiers were killed trying to ford Min Chaung, a tidal creek", and he therefore concluded that although the deaths of nearly 1000 Japanese soldiers during the Battle of Ramree Island are "well documented and undisputed", there is "little need to invoke crocodile predation. While the idea of encountering a crocodile isnt pleasant, its a whole different matter when youre up close and personal with one. They used to call the crocodiles the allies. Only 20 of the Japanese fighters were able to escape unharmed. And in an incident not unlike the infamous U.S.S Indianapolis shark attack that befell American troops later that year, many of these troops didn't survive. Salt-water crocodiles, some of them well over 20 ft (6.1 m) long frequented these waters. Anyhow , Japanese withdrew into swamps when any other military in World War 2 would have surrendered at that point and allied forces heard shouting and gunshots throughout the night as huge salt water Crocs attacked. In January 1996, I sat with 11 other scuba divers on the top deck of a 150 foot live aboard, watching the sunset over the mountains of Guadalcanal. So while the historical accounts are unclear, the British almost certainly did encounter the 20 Japanese soldiers who explained the horrors they endured. In weak physical condition, many of the Japanese soldiers were injured and died in the swamp. In 1945 during the Battle of Ramree Island an estimated 500 Japanese soldiers entered the swamps of Ramree island, Burma, according to the stories less than 20 of them emerged. The croc was shot by a hunter in Queensland, Australia, in 1957. The navy also carried 54,000 men, 1,000 vehicles, 14,000 long tons (14,000t) of stores and 800 animals. Your email address will not be published. With the ebb of the tide, the crocodiles moved in on the dead, wounded, and uninjured men who had become mired in the mud, The scattered rifle shots in the pitch black swamp punctured by the screams of the wounded men crushed in the jaws of huge reptiles, and the blurred worrying sound of spinning crocodiles made a cacophony of hell that has rarely been duplicated on Earth.
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