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Battle of Kota Bharu

Japanese Invasion of Malaya
Part of Battle of Malaya, Second World War
Bachok Beach.jpg
Bachok Beach, Kota Bharu, July 1941, possibly one of the Japanese landing points.
Date 8 December 1941
Location Malaya
Result Japanese victory
Belligerents

United Kingdom British Empire:

 Australia
 Japan
Commanders and leaders
United Kingdom Arthur Percival
United Kingdom Lewis Heath
United Kingdom Arthur Barstow
United Kingdom Billy Key
United Kingdom Arthur Cumming
United Kingdom C.W.H.Pulford
Empire of Japan Tomoyuki Yamashita
Empire of Japan Hiroshi Takumi
Empire of JapanRenya Mutaguchi
Japan Shintarō Hashimoto
Units involved
British India:
III Indian Corps
9th Indian Division
11th Indian Division
No. 27 Squadron RAF
No. 36 Squadron RAF
No. 62 Squadron RAF
No. 205 Squadron RAF
Australia:
No. 1 Squadron RAAF
No. 8 Squadron RAAF
No. 21 Squadron RAAF
No. 453 Squadron RAAF
Twenty-Fifth Army:
5th Division
18th Division
Imperial Japanese Navy
Strength
N/A 1 light cruiser
4 destroyers
2 minesweepers
1 submarine chaser
3 troopships
5,300 infantry
Casualties and losses
68 killed
360 wounded
37 missing
3 troopships damaged
320 killed
538 wounded

United Kingdom British Empire:

The Japanese Invasion of Malaya began just after midnight on 8 December 1941 (local time) before the attack on Pearl Harbor. It was the first major battle of the Pacific War, and was fought between ground forces of the British Indian Army and the Empire of Japan.

Kota Bharu, capital of Kelantan State on Malaysia's northeast coast, was, in 1941, the Royal Air Force's (RAF) and Royal Australian Air Force's (RAAF) base of operations in Northern Malaya. There was an airstrip at Kota Bharu and two more at Gong Kedak and Machang. Japanese losses were significant because of sporadic Australian air attacks, Indian coastal defences, and artillery fire.

The Japanese invasion plan involved landing troops from the 5th Division at Pattani and Songkhla on Thailand's east coast, and troops from the 18th Division at Kota Bharu Malaya's northeast coast. The forces in Thailand were to push through to the west coast and invade Malaya from the northwestern province of Kedah, while the eastern forces would attack down the east coast and into the interior of Malaya from Kota Bharu.


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