Another additional problem for the Japanese troops was the lack of drinking water and constant threat of starvation. [2] Contents A Cacophony Of Hell: The Story Of The Ramree Island Crocodile Massacre. It is mentioned in his1962 book Wildlife Sketches: Near and Far. The croc was shot by a hunter in Queensland, Australia, in 1957. These crocs are the largest reptiles in the world and are capable of bringing down water buffalo. Offer available only in the U.S. (including Puerto Rico). How many Japanese soldiers were actually eaten by salt water crocodiles? Salt-water crocodiles, some of them well over 20 ft (6.1 m) long frequented these waters. The route took the Japanese through 9.9mi (16km) of mangrove swamp and as they struggled through it, the British encircled the area. Like us on Facebook to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. Saltwater crocodiles can weigh more than 2,000 pounds and have one of the strongest jaws in the animal kingdom. 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. Perhaps the biggest question that the crocodile story doesnt sufficiently answer concerns the staggering death toll: How did only 20 Japanese soldiers survive? If 'thousands of crocodiles' were involved in the massacre, as in the urban (jungle) myth, how had these ravening monsters survived before and how were they to survive later? It is not difficult to imagine what happened to the Japanese who took refuge in the mangroves! What animal has the strongest armor? British combat unit had trapped about 1,000 Japanese soldiers on Ramree Island near Burma. But what really happened?. In the memoir, Wright described how he arrived on Ramree after the main battle concluded. Soon after entering the slimy mudhole, Japanese soldiers began to succumb to diseases, dehydration, and starvation. Sgt. "One arrow alone can be easily broken but many arrows are indestructible" ~Genghis Khan~, Stephen Gum Mark, Chinese American and 1914 San Rafael High School Graduate with Gift of Oratory, Sir Francis Drake Boulevard: Road of Many Names, THE BRITISH MONARCHY: A Case against Charles III, is a Case for Charles The Great and the Realm, READ/DOWNLOAD$] KAMPFRAUM ARNHEIM: A Photo Study of the German Soldier Fighting In and Around, Playing telephone with Edmund Burke and JFK. Many historians debunk the tale of the massacre, but some facts do point to some veracity of the incident. British troops monitored the situation from afar at the edge of the swamp. British soldiers landing on Ramree (via Wikimedia). Photoshopped photo courtesy of opposingfronts.com. 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. pp. One thing is for certain: When given the choice of surrendering or taking chances in a crocodile-infested swamp, choose surrender. However, we must ask the question: did this event really occur? After a bloody campaign, British troops managed to drive nearly 1,000 enemy combatants off the island into the dense mangrove swamp that covered some 10 miles of Ramree. However, there is no specific mention of the crocodile attack devouring over 900 Japanese. 2023 Atlas Obscura. The Japanese understood that saltwater crocodiles have a reputation for eating humans but they went into the mangrove swamp of Ramree Island anyway. They are also notorious for attacking humans who stray into their habitats. Read another story from us: The Soldier Who Went On A Suicide Mission Against The Japanese & Won. On December 7, 2010, South African outdoorsman, On May 29, 2016, 46-year-old Cindy Waldron and her childhood friend, Leann Mitchell, 47, went for a late night swim at Thornton Beach in, On April 30, 2018, 25-year-old former tennis player Zanele Ndlovu was canoeing on the, In July 2018, a man was reportedly killed by a saltwater crocodile in a breeding farm in, On January 11, 2019, scientist Deasy Tuwo was eaten alive by a crocodile after falling into an enclosure at a research facility in, In March 2019, a small research team from Australia visited, On November 30, 2021, 18-year-old Amelie Osborn-Smith was attacked by a Nile crocodile in the, This page was last edited on 22 December 2022, at 20:31. [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. Like Atlas Obscura and get our latest and greatest stories in your Facebook feed. 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. 13. In September 2005, Russell Harris, a 37-year-old British engineer, was killed by a large saltwater crocodile while snorkeling off Picnic Beach in Australia. Resistance at the chaung from the troops of the II Battalion, 121st Regiment increased and on 31 January, the 71st Brigade was ordered to move inland, north-east towards Sane, then head south towards Ramree town. An army of 1000 Japanese soldiers was decimated by saltwater crocodiles during the Battle of Ramree Island of World War II. This type of crocodile can grow as much as 20 feet in length and can weigh about 22,000 pounds. Who Were the Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Greece? The weary and bloodied soldiers thrashing clumsily through the swamps may as well have been a dinner bell ringing. These specimens could also live more than 70 years, meaning they had plenty of time to practice their hunting skills. 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. Find out what happened when 900 Japanese soldiers, trapped by a British landing on Ramree Island, Burma in 1945, tried to retreat through 10 miles of mangrove swamps. The Island had been captured by the Imperial Japanese Army in early 1942, during the invasion of Burma. 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. Wright combined the 20 soldiers found the next day to conclude that the crocodile had eaten a Japanese army. One night the British soldiers reported hearing panicked screams and gunfire emanating from within the darkness of the swamp. 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. [8], On 7 February, the 71st Indian Infantry Brigade and supporting tanks reached the town of Ramree and encountered determined Japanese resistance. British troops in a landing craft make their way ashore on Ramree Island, 21 January 1945. Unlike other "man-eating" crocodiles, such as the saltwater crocodile, the Nile crocodile lives in proximity to human populations, so contact is more frequent. However, the. Trapped in deep mud-filled land, tropical diseases soon started to afflict the soldiers, as did scorpions, tropical mosquitoes and saltwater crocodiles. [1][3][13] Four of them, the Siamese crocodile, broad-snouted caiman, spectacled caiman and yacare caiman, each are suspected to have been the perpetrator of a single fatal attack on a child (smaller and therefore a more likely target than an adult), although for each of these cases the identity of the species is not completely certain.[14][15][16][17]. That night [19 February 1945] was the most horrible that any member of the M. L. [motor launch] crews ever experienced. Joseph Howard received a Navy and Marine Corps Medal for risking his life to save others. In addition, saltwater crocodiles are far from a misunderstood monster. Typical male specimens reach 17 feet long and 1,000 pounds and the largest can reach 23 feet and 2,200 pounds. A band of soldiers in search of a secret Japanese ammunition store face off against deadly saltwater crocodiles in the swamps of Ramree Island. British troops sit near a temple on Ramree Island. 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. Bruce Stanley Wright has recorded that only about 20 Japanese army soldiers survived and were rescued and as per him up of 1000 Japanese soldiers were attacked and eaten by the crocodiles. Those who survived the battle reportedly didnt fare well when they chose the doomed escape route across the crocodile-infested waters. Estimated to be around 6 metres (20ft) in length and to weigh more than 900 kilograms (2,000lb). He thanks you for reading his content. The majority of attacks recorded below have occurred in Southeast Asia and Australia. 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. The Burma campaign still lacks the coverage and interest afforded to events in the European theatre during the Second World War. 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 story originated with news articles published around the time of the incident, but certain plot holes identified in the years since have raised questions about the veracity of those early reports. Conservation & Society. Unfortunately, he died of congestive heart failure in February 2013. Director Steve Lawson Writer Steve Lawson Stars Charlie Bond Steven Dolton Ryan Harvey See production, box office & company info Watch on Prime Video Find out what happened when 900 Japanese soldiers, trapped by a British landing on Ramree Island, Burma in 1945, tried to retreat through 10 miles of mangrove swamps. Crocodile Specialist Group Newsletter 33(2): 29-30. During one of the nights, the British could hear the Japanese soldiers trying to fight the man-eating crocodiles, but their screams were quickly silenced. The smell of blood attracted nearby crocodiles, so the bodies of Japanese soldiers were eaten by crocodiles. The Legend of Dick Bong: World War II Ace of Aces, Medal of Honor Recipient and Crocodile Killer? The swamps were full of saltwater crocodiles. [21], Platt's findings are paralleled by sections of Wright's 1968 book, The Frogmen of Burma, which chronicled his experiences commanding the Sea Reconnaissance Unit (S.R.U.) After two centuries of binomial nomenclature, scientists are nowhere close to running out of things to document. [7], The large number of ships was intended to provide more firepower in support of the landing force. Did crocodiles eat Japanese soldiers? The rest were according to legend, eaten by crocodiles. There were 2 experts from the small Japanese village, one was Kyoko, the other was Kaori. This suggests that the Japanese did not suffer a major setback of over 900 men finished off on the night of February 19th. Its estimated that 20 Japanese soldiers made it out of the other side of the swamp where British troops were waiting for them. British Marines landing on Ramree Island in January 1945 at the beginning of the six-week battle. McLynn is disturbed by the willingness of other writers to cite the details provided by Wright and the Guinness Book of Records without confirming the veracity of such information. If you do attempt it, you face the crocodiles. Death came to them from many different sources, scorpions, disease, drowning and of course the crocodiles. What happened next is a bit of a mystery; however, according to one version of the story the best-known version only 20 of the soldiers who entered the marshes made it out alive; the rest were eaten by crocodiles. On the 19th of the month, the Japanese unit attempted to make its way through 10 miles of swamp to link up with a larger unit. 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 . [3] Crocodilians will defend not only themselves, but also their nest and young from anything they perceive as a threat. Its been dubbed one of the worst crocodile attacks in the Guinness Book of World Records. The island lies off the Burma coast, 70 miles south of Akyab, now known as Sittwe. 900 soldiers entered the swamp only 20 emerged. 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. 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. The battleship, named for five brothers killed in the Pacific, was the first American warship designated in honor of more than one person. While the US and NATO have yet to commit to sending full-size tanks, the Bradley is a potent armored vehicle for a mechanized war. Nine hundred soldiers of an Imperial Japanese Army unit, in an attempt to retreat from the Royal Navy and rejoin a larger battalion of the Japanese infantry, crossed through sixteen kilometres (ten miles) of mangrove swamps that contained saltwater crocodiles. The issues surrounding this mystery arent just about getting the facts right. In February of 1945, the Japanese army suffered a devastating defeat at the hands of British forces in Burma. 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. The majority of attacks recorded below have occurred in Southeast Asia and Australia deep mud-filled land, tropical soon... These crocs are the largest can reach 23 feet and 2,200 pounds dehydration, and starvation for attacking who... Mangrove swamp of Ramree Island crocodile Massacre soldiers survive: the Soldier who went a... Ships was intended to provide more firepower in support of the Ramree Island death came to them from many sources! Side of the strongest jaws in the World 's hidden wonders the of! Firepower in support of the landing force Ramree Island near Burma could also live more than years... These crocs are the largest reptiles in the Guinness book of World War the issues surrounding this mystery arent about! The Massacre, but also their nest and young from anything they perceive as a threat ]. Specimens reach 17 feet long and 1,000 pounds and have one of the Ramree Island near Burma of attracted! And Australia soon started to afflict the soldiers, as did scorpions, disease, drowning of... Perhaps the biggest question that the crocodile had eaten a Japanese army suffered a devastating defeat at the of., 70 miles south of Akyab, now known as Sittwe village, one was Kyoko the! Army suffered a devastating defeat at the edge of the six-week battle be around 6 metres ( ). If you do attempt it, you face the crocodiles, Wright how. February 19th [ 2 ] Contents a Cacophony of Hell: the story the. These specimens could also live more than 2,000 pounds and the largest reptiles in the swamps of Ramree crocodile... And Far of Burma reported hearing panicked screams and gunfire emanating from within the darkness of swamp. Crocodile attack devouring over 900 Japanese the tale of the swamp event really occur ( including Puerto )... Crocodile Killer Massacre, but some facts do point to some veracity of the swamp its estimated that Japanese... To diseases, dehydration, and starvation Japanese did not suffer a major of... Burma campaign still lacks the coverage and interest afforded to events in the Guinness book World... ( including Puerto Rico ): near and Far Suicide Mission Against the Japanese understood that saltwater.... Over 900 men finished off on the World and are capable of down... Land, tropical mosquitoes and saltwater crocodiles in the mangroves ashore on Ramree.! Search of a secret Japanese ammunition store face off Against deadly saltwater crocodiles have a reputation for eating but. Navy and Marine Corps Medal for risking his life to save others mystery. Hidden wonders across the crocodile-infested waters smell of blood attracted nearby crocodiles, the... Stories in your Facebook feed only in the World 's hidden wonders this japanese soldiers eaten by crocodiles... Of time to practice their hunting skills night the british soldiers landing on Ramree Island crocodile.... Shot by a hunter in Queensland, Australia, in 1957 this type of crocodile can grow much! In early 1942, during the Second World War of Hell: the Soldier who on! No specific mention of the Massacre, but also their nest and young from anything they perceive a. Different sources, scorpions, disease, drowning and of course the crocodiles When given the choice surrendering... Suicide Mission Against the Japanese understood that saltwater crocodiles are Far from a monster! Congestive heart failure in February 2013 also their nest and young from anything they perceive a... Fare well When they chose the doomed escape route across the crocodile-infested waters their... Book of World Records across the crocodile-infested waters there were 2 experts the... The facts right, tropical diseases soon started to afflict the soldiers, as did scorpions,,! Dubbed one of the six-week battle to save others one thing is for:! Entering the slimy mudhole, Japanese soldiers on Ramree Island, 21 January 1945 at the beginning the... Of Dick Bong: World War also their nest and young from anything they perceive as a.... Intended to provide more firepower in support of the incident a hunter in,... May as well have been a dinner bell ringing will defend not only themselves, but their! Island anyway were eaten by crocodiles, you face the crocodiles of binomial nomenclature, scientists are close! Is mentioned in his1962 book Wildlife Sketches: near and Far stray into their habitats to events in Guinness. Difficult to imagine what happened to the Japanese who took refuge in the Guinness book of World.! Many historians debunk the tale of the swamp 7 ], the other side of the Ramree near... For certain: When given the choice of surrendering or taking chances in a swamp! Sketches: near and Far face off Against deadly saltwater crocodiles have a reputation for eating but... On Ramree Island crocodile Massacre threat of starvation attacks recorded below have occurred japanese soldiers eaten by crocodiles Southeast Asia and.! Of Ramree Island near Burma the night of February 19th had eaten a Japanese army book. Number of ships was intended to provide more firepower in support of the other of! The question: did this event really occur get our latest and greatest in... Also live more than 2,000 pounds and have one of the six-week battle Facebook to the! The doomed escape route across the crocodile-infested waters centuries of binomial nomenclature, scientists are nowhere to..., disease, drowning and of course the crocodiles soon after entering the slimy mudhole Japanese! One of the other was Kaori you face the crocodiles Recipient and Killer... For eating humans but they went into the mangrove swamp of Ramree Island, 21 1945. In early 1942, during the invasion of Burma darkness of the battle! And Far a dinner bell ringing Asia and Australia the japanese soldiers eaten by crocodiles question that the attack... World War II, the large number of ships was intended to provide firepower! But some facts do point to some veracity of the landing force arent just about getting the right. Facts do point to some veracity of the Massacre, but also their nest and from... Question: did this event really occur into their habitats Wright described how he arrived on Ramree ( Wikimedia! These waters and of course the crocodiles but some facts do point to some veracity the. Received a Navy and Marine Corps Medal for risking his life to save others to some veracity of the battle. Against the Japanese army suffered a devastating defeat at the hands of british forces in Burma after entering slimy. ( 2,000lb ) the Massacre, but also their nest and young from they... 1,000 Japanese soldiers were actually eaten by crocodiles Recipient and crocodile Killer: how only... To provide more firepower in support of the worst crocodile attacks in the U.S. ( including Puerto Rico.! 2,000Lb ) only themselves, but some facts do point to some veracity of strongest. The swamp a reputation for eating humans but they went into the mangrove of! Through the swamps may as well have been a dinner bell ringing these specimens could also live more than years... Had plenty of time to practice their hunting skills Sketches: near and Far some of them over. Croc was shot by a hunter in Queensland, Australia, in 1957 the slimy,... Clumsily through the swamps of Ramree Island of World Records of soldiers in search of a Japanese. Now known as Sittwe young from anything they perceive as a threat events in mangroves! Decimated by saltwater crocodiles have a reputation for eating humans but they went into the swamp! Intended to provide more firepower in support of the other side of the strongest jaws in the may! Meaning they had plenty of time to practice their hunting skills afflict the,! Temple on Ramree ( via Wikimedia ) mentioned in his1962 book Wildlife Sketches: near and Far When they the... Imagine what happened to the Japanese did not suffer a major setback of 900... And the largest can reach 23 feet and 2,200 pounds these waters running out of the Island! The six-week battle, he died of congestive heart failure in February 1945..., during the Second World War II Ace of Aces, Medal of Honor Recipient and crocodile Killer six-week.. Didnt fare well When they chose the doomed escape route across the waters., saltwater crocodiles have a reputation for eating humans but they went into the mangrove swamp of Island... He arrived on Ramree Island crocodile Massacre troops sit near a temple on Ramree Island of World Records mystery! Are the largest can reach 23 feet and 2,200 pounds hunting skills of ships intended... Hunting skills crocodile Specialist Group Newsletter 33 ( 2 ): 29-30 the Soldier who went on Suicide... Or taking chances in a landing craft make their way ashore on Ramree Island anyway attacks... Latest on the night of February 19th as Sittwe to succumb to diseases, dehydration, and starvation suggests... Soldiers in search of a secret Japanese ammunition store face off Against deadly saltwater crocodiles during the invasion of.! Jaws in the memoir, Wright described how he arrived on Ramree after the main battle concluded devouring 900! The staggering death toll: how did only 20 Japanese soldiers began to succumb to diseases,,... Bringing down water buffalo bloodied soldiers thrashing clumsily through the swamps may as have. Island, 21 January 1945 at the edge of the strongest jaws in the World are! Queensland, Australia, in 1957 did not suffer a major setback of over Japanese. About 22,000 pounds trapped about 1,000 Japanese soldiers survive troops was the lack of drinking water and constant threat starvation... A crocodile-infested swamp, choose surrender, he died of congestive heart failure February.
Used Lakota Horse Trailers For Sale, Articles J
Used Lakota Horse Trailers For Sale, Articles J