Operation Agas

Operation Agas was a series of reconnaissance operations carried out by Australia's Z Special Unit during World War II as part of the Borneo Campaign at North Borneo (present day Sabah). Another closely related operation codenamed Semut was carried out in Sarawak. Both operations combined and relayed their intelligence through the STALLION project to Australian forces and carried out guerilla warfares against the Japanese in the region with the full support of the natives.

Prior to this operation, Operation Python was carried out at Labian Point, Lahad Datu, North Borneo. Following this, operation AGAS was carried out in 1945 by Australian Services Reconnaissance Department (SRD) with two main objectives: to gather intelligence and to train the indigenous people in launching guerilla warfare against the Japanese.

In March 1945, Major F. G. L. Chester, who led the Operation Python 1 previously, landed at the Labuk Bay, Sandakan. A central signal station was established at Lokopas and a hospital was established at Jambongan Island for the natives. Information such as train schedule to and from Beaufort, cargo movements, timber collection was the railway operations were collected. AGAS 1 made contact with two chinese men named Chin Sang and Ah Lee. They refused long-term cooperation with AGAS 1 members but willing to provide the details of Japanese movements in the area.

Two months later, AGAS 2 led by Major R. G. P. N. Combe landed at Paitan Bay, Sandakan. They set up an intelligence network and guerilla activities at the Pitas, Kudat.

AGAS 3, also led by Chester, focussed its activities at Jesselton-Keningau-Beaufort sector. AGAS 3 was later incorporated into the STALLION Phase IV network, an intelligence sharing network between Semut and AGAS. The STALLION Phase IV project focused their reconnaissance on the Kimanis Bay area.

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