japanese soldiers eaten by crocodiles

An eye-opening journey through the history, culture, and places of the culinary world. Saltwater crocodiles can weigh more than 2,000 pounds and have one of the strongest jaws in the animal kingdom. Read Next: The Legend of Dick Bong: World War II Ace of Aces, Medal of Honor Recipient and Crocodile Killer? The Japanese understood that saltwater crocodiles have a reputation for eating humans but they went into the mangrove swamp of Ramree Island anyway. The 4th Brigade was to keep the defenders at Yanbauk Chaung under pressure and follow up vigorously should they retire. The British then sent word that the smaller, isolated Japanese group should surrender. The 4th Indian Infantry Brigade had advanced to Ledaung Chaung and then moved east to reinforce the attack; the town fell on 9 February. The current evidence, which is clear but limited, suggest we should not believe it. It took the lives of hundreds of Japanese soldiers. The incident appears in the Guinness records: Ramree Island was the scene of an alleged massacre of Japanese . Animal Weekis November 18 - 22, 2013 on Atlas Obscura. 8. However, there is no specific mention of the crocodile attack devouring over 900 Japanese. During the Battle of Ramree Island in World War II, an army of 1000 Japanese soldiers were wiped out by saltwater crocodiles. On February 8, 2009, 5-year-old Jeremy Doble was attacked by a crocodile in far north, On March 15, 2009, 11-year-old Briony Goodsell was killed by a crocodile when swimming with friends at Lambells Lagoon near. [18], In 1974, journalist George Frazier reported having asked the Japanese War Office about the crocodile attack and being told that they could not confirm that it had happened. As part of his research, he visited the marshes of Ramree Island and interviewed locals. A band of soldiers in search of a secret Japanese ammunition store face off against deadly saltwater crocodiles in the swamps of Ramree Island. The Battle of Ramree - World War II. The two sides were stuck in a standoff until the British Royal Marines along with the 36th Indian Infantry Brigade outflanked a Japanese position. Deasy Tuwo, 44, was feeding croc Merry early on Friday morning at the CV. Can an Old Coin Solve the Mystery of a Lost Roman Emperor? An accurate count of annual crocodile attacks on humans is difficult to obtain. 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After a bloody but successful campaign against the Japanese, the British soldiers managed to drive nearly 1,000 enemy combatants into the dense mangrove swamp that covered some ten miles of Ramree. Only a handful came out alive". Crocodile Specialist Group Newsletter 28(1): 911. Iceland in Winter: Natural Wonders & Ancient Legends, Vietnam: A Culinary Adventure from Hanoi to Saigon, Antiques and Their Afterlives: Osteological Specimens, Accidental Discoveries: A Celebration of Historical Mistakes, Monster of the Month w/ Colin Dickey: St. Foy, Mindful Mixology: Making Non-Alcoholic Cocktails During Dry January With Derek Brown, Designing Immersive Gatherings With Zach Morris of Third Rail Projects, Raising the Bar: Chocolate's History, Art, and Taste With Sophia Contreras Rea, Once Upon a Time: Fairy Tale Writing With Anca Szilgyi, How a Groundbreaking Pastry Chef Bakes Outside the Lines. In January 1945, two infantry brigades from the Indian Army and a detachment of British commandos were dispatched to Ramree Island, the largest island off the coast of present-day Myanmar (then known as Burma). Unfortunately for the Japanese troops, the swamps of Ramree were infested by countless, very large saltwater crocodiles, which can grow upwards of 20 feet long and over a ton in weight. Witnesses say the crocodile first attacked a man and then grabbed the girl and pulled her under. Since a majority of fatal attacks are believed to be predatory in nature, the Nile crocodile can be considered the most prolific predator of humans among wild animals. Out of the 1,000 Japanese soldiers that ventured into the mangrove swamps, its estimated that only 480 made it out alive. Refresh the page, check Medium 's site. How to use in-sentence of "trap": + Cilia and mucus along the inside wall of the nasal cavity trap and remove dust and germs from the air as it flows through the nasal cavity. Twenty Japanese soldiers were captured alive by the British, and almost five hundred are known to have escaped Ramree. [10], In the 1965 edition of the British official history, Stanley Woodburn-Kirby wrote that the Japanese force suffered about 500 men killed and twenty men taken prisoner; British losses were "trifling".[11]. [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. During World War II on one remote island in the South Pacific, a platoon of nearly a thousand armed Japanese troops entered crocodile infested swamps and most never returned; a dis [See More] Japanese Army vs. Killer Crocodiles 1945 Watch on Posted in these groups: WWII World War Two Military History World History Wildlife Posted >1 y ago This type of crocodile can grow as much as 20 feet in length and can weigh about 22,000 pounds. However, the. You dont want to get bit by this creature, though, as their bite force is the strongest in the animal kingdom. Unlike other "man-eating" crocodiles, such as the saltwater crocodile, the Nile crocodile lives in proximity to human populations, so contact is more frequent. Their only escape was through the swamp. The croc was shot by a hunter in Queensland, Australia, in 1957. Typical male specimens reach 17 feet long and 1,000 pounds and the largest can reach 23 feet and 2,200 pounds. 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. 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. However, there is no specific mention of the crocodile attack devouring over 900 Japanese. [9], In 1965, the British official historian, Stanley Woodburn Kirby, wrote that the Japanese defence of the island and the escape of about 500 men against "fearful odds", had been courageous and determined. Around 500 Japanese soldiers are thought to have escaped those mangrove swamps, and 20 of them were eventually recaptured by the British forces who had set up a perimeter around the thick wilderness. (2015). So when nearly 1,000 panicked soldiers came dripping blood and sweat into the cramped confines of the Ramree mangrove swamp, the giant lizards likely had the feast of their lives. Follow us on social media to add even more wonder to your day. Like Atlas Obscura and get our latest and greatest stories in your Facebook feed. The largest one ever officially measured was Lolong, who was a saltwater crocodile who measured 20 feet three inches long and weighed 2,370 pounds. The names give some indication of how the dinosaurs lived. At the time, British forces needed an airbase in the area of Ramree Island in order to launch more attacks against the Japanese. 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. Human-Tomistoma interactions in central Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo. The debacle was so bad that the Japanese troops were forced to retreat and flee into the mangrove swamps of Ramree Island. Darragh O Herlihy is one of the authors writing for WAR HISTORY ONLINE. Your email address will not be published. Describing the incident in his 1962 book Wildlife Sketches, the Canadian naturalist Bruce Stanley Wright wrote that an estimated 1,000 Japanese soldiers fled into the marshes and that only 20 came out alive. The battle is known for claims that many Japanese soldiers were killed by crocodiles in the mangrove swamps of Ramree. 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. If you do attempt it, you face the crocodiles. A massive saltwater crocodile (via Wikimedia). [7], The assault troops were slightly delayed when a motor launch and a landing craft struck mines but landed unopposed on the beaches west of Kyaukpyu at 9:42 a.m., securing the beachhead by the afternoon. On January 26, 1945, British troops made their way to Ramree Island so that they could establish a new airbase. So, instead of accepting their fate, they chose to make an 8-mile journey through the mangrove swamps of Ramree Island. How Roman Military Tactics Won Them Their Empire. 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? They decided to flee. 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. Photoshopped photo courtesy of opposingfronts.com. British troops in a landing craft make their way ashore on Ramree Island, 21 January 1945. "[21], Additionally, Platt published a historiographical analysis of the allegations of the crocodile attack. They faced an enemy as old. 2023 Atlas Obscura. 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. They didnt know what exactly caused the shouts of terror they heard, but only that the Japanese troops were being ravaged by some evil menace. 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. The invasion force was led by three Joint Assault Commanders, Captain Bush RN, Major-General Cyril Lomax and Wing Commander H. Smith. Why Did Ancient Egyptian Men Wear Makeup? Walking through the thick, sticky mud was slow and agonizing. This was particularly so in the mangrove swamps where such reptiles thrive, like on Ramree Island. Military officials decided to press on, and the Japanese continued their journey through the mangrove swamps. [3][12], In addition to these, the freshwater crocodile, Philippine crocodile, Siamese crocodile, broad-snouted caiman, spectacled caiman, yacare caiman and gharial have been involved in non-fatal attacks. 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. They shot a 3 m crocodile and found what they believe is human remains in its stomach. Tehran remains unusually mum while Neon Defender warships ply Persian Gulf. Its been dubbed one of the worst crocodile attacks in the Guinness Book of World Records. 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. The story goes that during World War II, 1,000 Japanese soldiers were eaten by crocodiles on the island. 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. Some British soldiers, including naturalist Bruce Stanley Wright, who participated in the expedition, claimed that crocodiles attacked and ate numerous Japanese soldiers. 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