In weak physical condition, many of the Japanese soldiers were injured and died in the swamp. The United States and its allies realized that such an airbase would threaten. On 21 January, an hour before the 71st Indian Infantry Brigade (Brigadier R. C. Cotterell-Hill) was to land, Queen Elizabeth opened fire with 69 rounds of 15in (380mm)-shell from the main battery, the fall of shot being watched by aircraft from Ameer. Even worse, saltwater crocodiles are nocturnal and excel at taking prey in the dark. The island is 70 miles south of Akyab and is known as Sittwe. Director Steve Lawson Writer Steve Lawson Stars Charlie Bond Steven Dolton Ryan Harvey See production, box office & company info Watch on Prime Video A depiction of a saltwater crocodile emerging from the water alongside British soldiers at Ramree Island during World War II. [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. Nevertheless, some information does exist: for example, it was reported by CAMPFIRE in Zimbabwe that in the first ten months of the year in 2005 crocodiles were the number one cause of death in humans where wildlife was involved with the number of deaths cited as 13. The 20 Most Famous Last Words of All Time. [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. pp. Cheduba Island was not garrisoned and the 22nd East African Brigade was sent to hold Ramree Island. The battle is known for claims that hundreds of Japanese soldiers were killed by crocodiles in the mangrove swamps of Ramree. That's why it was posted online: The chewing of huge reptiles, the shouting of humans, and the sound of rifle firing were heard in the woods. 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 "[21], Additionally, Platt published a historiographical analysis of the allegations of the crocodile attack. Right beside the carcass of the Giant Crocodile, there were 2 skills books, a green treasure box and 200 Survivor Coins. The Japanese commander refused and considered the options left before him. The presence of crocodiles in the Ramree swamps led other servicemen stationed on the island to believe they were a significant factor in the battle's outcome, with one British soldier writing in his diary that "[w]hen the Army landed they drove the Japanese into the swamps and the crocodiles killed hundreds of them. MELBOURNE, Aug 7 (Reuters) - An Australian Army soldier suffered serious head and chest injuries after being mauled by a crocodile that attacked him late on Friday, Australia media reported, with . Recent reports of fatal attacks on humans by crocodiles in Mexico. Swamps are their natural habitat, and humans are no match for their speed, size, agility, and raw power. The defeated Japanese soldiers ignored all appeals by the British for their surrender, and instead abandoned their base and entered the swamp. You dont want to get bit by this creature, though, as their bite force is the strongest in the animal kingdom. Refresh the. Read another story from us: The Soldier Who Went On A Suicide Mission Against The Japanese & Won. A massive saltwater crocodile (via Wikimedia). This post will reveal the historical account of the Ramree Island Massacre. 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. 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. The island lies off the Burma coast, 70 miles south of Akyab, now known as Sittwe. Dont mess with mother nature. Darragh O Herlihy is one of the authors writing for WAR HISTORY ONLINE. + A sting operation is a more sophisticated way to trap criminals. In January 1945, two. One special ops vet felt a sense of connection with fallen comrades while skydiving over the Egyptian pyramids. However, the veracity of the crocodile aggression has gradually grown throughout the years, despite there being no other references to it within historical writings relating to the Far Eastern theatre in WWII. Dont Call It A Tank': The M2 Bradley Hunted Russian Tanks in Iraq Now Itll Be In Ukraine, US Marine Corps Sergeant Decorated for Saving Lives, Mystery Marine Corps General Commandeers Plane for Funeral, Jumping For Gold Star Families, Triple 7 Jumpers Nail Down World Records, Iran Silent as US Senators Visit Bahrain, Neon Defender Kicks Off, No Sleep Til Abu Dhabi: Triple 7 Skydivers Clinch First World Record, In Hawaii, Americas Battalion Folds its Colors and Fades Away, Maybe, Just Maybe, We Were Flying With Our Fallen Friends: Triple 7 Over the Pyramids, Kyivs Yurt of Invincibility Highlights KazakhstanRussia Rift. Oct 11, 2016 Goran Blazeski During World War II, The Japanese Imperial Army captured Ramree Island in 1942. The Island had been captured by the Imperial Japanese Army in early 1942, during the invasion of Burma. [22] There, they heard shouting and rifle fire during the night far from the of Allied position. 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. Not a single one did. [17], In his 2011 analysis of the Burma campaign, historian Frank McLynn challenged this interpretation, saying, Most of all, there is a single zoological problem. 111114. In January 1945, forces of the Fourteenth Army landed on Ramree and the neighbouring island of Cheduba, to establish airfields for the supply of the mainland campaign. The saltwater crocodile Cassius measures 17 feet three inches . Some say that British troops could hear the cries of the dying men for miles. An estimate put naval gunfire support from 4 January to 13 March for the land operations at Akyab, Ramree and Cheduba at 23,000 shells. A depiction of a saltwater crocodile emerging from the water alongside British soldiers at Ramree Island during World War II. How many Japanese soldiers were actually eaten by salt water crocodiles? However, thousands of enemy troops held the island, causing an exhausting battle that went on for six weeks. Unfortunately, these reptiles are some of the most territorial species on earth and arent afraid to show aggression toward people, especially biting. Joseph Howard received a Navy and Marine Corps Medal for risking his life to save others. During World War II, Ramree Island off the coast of Burma was the site of a number of military battles, but the truly terrifying action only began after the military maneuvers ended. Troops of Japanese Fifteenth Army on the border of Burma. Inspired by actual events during World War 2. One by one the crocodiles picked off the soldiers at night, dragging them into the swamp and mauling them to death. The names give some indication of how the dinosaurs lived. British troops sit near a temple on Ramree Island. And as if these conditions werent bad enough, the swamps were also home to large saltwater crocodiles. What awaited them there was a horror beyond comprehension. 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. The crocodiles, alerted by the din of warfare and the smell of blood, gathered among the mangroves, lying with their eyes above water, watchfully alert for their next meal. Imagine youre part of a military force outflanked by the enemy on a tropical island. Last updated on July 22nd, 2022 at 09:57 pm. What will one do when you have to face death on both ends of a road "[15] In his memoir, An Odyssey in War and Peace, Lieutenant-General Jack Jacob (Indian Army) recounted his experiences during the battle, Over a 1,000 soldiers of the Japanese garrison retreated into the crocodile-infested mangrove swamps. Follow us on social media to add even more wonder to your day. Crocodile attacks on humans are common in places where large crocodilians are native and human populations live. Ramree Island was captured by the Japanese in 1942. This suggests that the Japanese did not suffer a major setback of over 900 men finished off on the night of February 19th. This battle raged on for six weeks as the British forces sought to acquire an airbase to launch more coordinated attacks against the Japanese on the mainland.. The unit was trapped and had no way to reach the safety of the larger battalion. 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. Some editions of the Guinness Book of World Records have attributed the highest number of fatalities in an animal attack to the battle; zoologists and modern military historians have dismissed these claims. the 26th Indian Division attacked Ramree while . 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. The crocodiles would silently stalk their prey before attacking with lightning speed; humans are no match for the saltwater crocodile when considering their power, size, and weight. 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. Wildlife Sketches Near and Far, p. 275[13], Other writers, including Roger Caras in his 1964 Dangerous to Man, repeated Wright's version, with Caras stating "had the story come from a source other than Bruce Wright, I would be tempted to discount it. To counter this, he tries to provide a rational argument and bring a voice of reason to the debate. Crocodiles appeared when the Japanese got deeper into the swamp. On all fronts, they were attacked by the Allied forces in full strength, leaving them to either surrender or One night the British soldiers reported hearing panicked screams and gunfire emanating from within the darkness of the swamp. The Japanese soldiers were soon faced with a decision: stay and die of disease or dehydration, venture further into the swamps, and risk being eaten alive. [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. The battleship, named for five brothers killed in the Pacific, was the first American warship designated in honor of more than one person. As World War II was nearing its end in January of 1945, the island of Ramree off the coast of Burma was the scene of a desperate battle.. CrocBITE, Worldwide Crocodilian Attack Database: Sideleau, B., and Britton A.R.C. There was a story that hundreds of people died getting slaughter by crocodiles in just one night. Crocodiles lurk from deep in the dark marsh water, with their eyes poking slightly above the water's surface. Unfortunately, the battle was at a standstill until the British Royal Marines and the 36th Indian Bridge flanked the Japanese soldiers. The Troubled History of the Amityville Horror Hous, The Dutch East India Company, the most valuable co, The Life of Ching Shih, the Worlds Most Successfu, Who Were the Carpetbaggers and Scalawags of Recons, The Wild and Debaucherous History of Studio 54, The Lovers of Valdaro A Double Burial From Neolithic Italy, The Strange Historical Origins of the Humpty Dumpty Nursery Rhyme. During the Battle of Ramree, crocs slaughtered and ate up between 500 and 900 people. 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). [marine launch] crews ever experienced. 0 20 2 minutes read. 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. Like Atlas Obscura and get our latest and greatest stories in your Facebook feed. Moreover, even a medium-sized saltwater crocodile could easily kill a human. Can an Old Coin Solve the Mystery of a Lost Roman Emperor? Those who survived the battle reportedly didnt fare well when they chose the doomed escape route across the crocodile-infested waters. The battle is known for claims that many Japanese soldiers were killed by crocodiles in the mangrove swamps of Ramree. There is a long history of saltwater crocodiles attacking humans who wander into their habitats, and ultimately only 520 out of 1000 Japanese soldiers managed to survive the Ramree swamps. Swamps of Ramree agility, and instead abandoned their base and entered the swamp youre part of a Roman. 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