Japs advance at Kuantan 12/17/41

[robot]

Kuantan Malaysia
December 17, 1941
2000 Hours


We spent 33 days on troop transports getting here the men are all happy to be on something solid. We are on the east coast of Malaysia moving against the British today. This is to give us a strong north flank as we move towwards Sinapore later on next year.
Singapore is almost due south of us at the end of this country maybe 500 miles or less.

B is in the north maybe 800 yards to there objectives. They will move thru mostly jungle in order to get there. A is on there left flank and will move on the middle objectives. Moving mostly thru open space as they approach there objectives. While C co will have the south and move thru amixture of jungle and open. Each company has two platoons of tanks as support.

Also in a little while we will launch an airborne offensive on the rear objectives and to pull some attention off our advancing troops. I believe this attack will begin in about 25 minutes I think. This will give our line troops time to attract the attention of the British troops. Visability is only 500 yards so maybe we can get close before they see us. The vets tell me this is a good range as we can some time spot them before they see us.
Our men are ready and well rested as we have not fought for at least 5 months. We are trained and every one is pumped up for this battle. We hope it goes well for us and for the glory of Japan.


XI Komodo Heavy Rifle
Col: Jiro Minami Commanding

[robot]

Kuantan Malaysia
December 17 1941
2030 Hours


Thirty minutes to get across no mans land. Have begun to take artty fire from the British 18 25 and 4.5 guns. Not too much damage so far as we are moving forward all the time. Our Engineers and flame tanks on the north flank have begun to take small arm fire from hidden British troops.

A co moving along the road in the middle has run into several squads as well. They have also taken out a couple of Bren LMG sections along with one 2 inch morter. They lost a recon sec to an ambush several minutes ago. Blundered right into a dug in squad of infantry and were immediatly cut down.

Our Engineer platoon moving along the extreme south flank has run into at least two squads of infantry as well. They were able to deal with them and make them retreat into the jungle. So far all Companys are moving along as planned. Have seen no British tanks so far.

Our paratroops meanwhile are not faring as well. When they dropped in they landed into a world of trouble. They landed right in the middle of at least 12 tanks sitting around west of the rear objectives with at least 6 sitting right on the objectives. Also in the same area is at least 2 18 pound guns firing at them. One of the tank hunter sections has managed to get close enough to a tank to take it out. Our 150 guns have been laying down one hell of a fire on the objective area managing to take out four of there tanks. In a dispatch from them I was told that when the paras came down one of our men landed a straddle of one of the tanks main guns. He just made one hell of a scream and sort of rolled over and off the gun landing in front of the tanks. Where he was run over as the tank moved forward to fire at some other of our men. They have been cut almost in half from the murderous crossfire of all the tanks sitting right in our drop zone. Will continue to lay artty fire on the objective in the hope of saving some of our brave paratroops. I assume this is why we are not seeing any of there tanks in the front line as they had all of them sitting in the rear to protect the rear objectives.

HQ: XI Komodo Heavy Rifle
Col: Jiro Minami Commanding

[robot]

Kuantan Malaysia
decamber 17,1941
2045 Hours

Our men are fanatics today killing British troops like animals. We are catching and taking down small pockets of resisting troops. Have managed to take and secure the northern most objectives. And have moved to with in 25 yards of taking the middle ones as well. The platoon of Engineers moving along the bottom edge of the map have managed to take half of the objectives there. Will have the other half within the next five minutes. They really did not run into much oppositon down there. A couple of squads was all they ran into which they took care of fast.

Our flame tanks and Engineers on our northern flank are catching and killing whole squads at a time. If they try to hold our flame tanks lay in there fire and the British are fried bacon almost immediatly. It is a very horrible sight when these flame tanks let go on a human life. But our men seem to understand its either them or us and this seems to make it more understood to them that way. At least this seems to make it some how alright.

Meanwhile our paratroops in the rear are being slaughtered by the British tanks surrounding them. Over half our men there are dead or severaly disabled from the intense fire being poured down on them. There commander called for our big guns to be called right in on them in order to help they hope. Got word that the guns took out at least four and maybe five of there tanks. But also took out a couple of there tank hunters that were right in amongst those tanks. I really dont expect to see any more of those guys by the end of this day. We are waytoo far away to be of any help to them. Have sent oders they are to try and pull out if at all possible and head towards our lines.

HQ: XI Komodo Heavy Rifle
Col: Jiro Minami Commanding

[robot]

Kuantan Malaysia
December 17,1941
2110 Hours


Our men have been pressing the British hard today and it is paying off. They are giving up ground rather quickly. Our men have been like beasts as they press the British hard. So far no heavy armor of the enemy has been seen. A para took out a Matilda a few minutes ago with a satchel charge high up on our northern flank. The only one our line infantry has come across.

I believe they had all there tanks sitting in the rear guarding the rear objectives. They sure tore the hell out of our airborne assault. Have not heard from the paras in the rear for at least the last 25 minutes. We dont expect to see any of those boys alive. From reports we had the tanks back there was cutting our boys to pieces.

Our front line is moving towards the rear and I really dread what is going to happen when we catch those tanks back there. Our line has moved to with in 800 yards of both rear objectives and should reach there with in the next 40 minutes as we are running into very little resistence at the time. This battle ia another testament to the superior fighting ability of the Japanese soldier. No fear and true dedication to our country and Emperor. Banzai!!! Banzai!!! Banzai!!!


HQ: XI Komodo Heavy Rifle
Col: Jiro Minami Commanding

[Nihon Rikugun]

So how goes the battle, Col Jiro?

[robot]

Kuantan Malaysia
December 17,1941
2140 Hours


Moving rather well so far. the enemy held there tanks back from the front line and opted to defend the rear objectives. That was a big mistake so far. We ran into about 55 tanks as we approached the objectives. Once we got to with in 500 yards of the area there was one hell of a commotion and all these tanks seemed to spring to life. They came busting out of the surrounding jungle with one hell of a clamor. Our tank gunners just sat back calmly and began to fire rapid fire into the mass of steel. Wassnt long before they were sitting all twisted and bent and burning at the fringe of the jungle.

We lost at least three while all this was going on. I dont think they even knew that all our men and our equipment was sitting right there in front of them. Our troops began to open up with there knee morters and began to cut them to pieces. Our 150 HQ morters began to lay in shells like rain on top of the approaching tanks this alone was enough to turn the rush.

Our lead troops have moved to with in 400 yards of the objectives and most of the tanks have been ripped apart or in different stages of distruction. Some have main guns warped and out of shape and some have whole turrets ripped completely off.

This battle is ours today and there is no doubt of that. Just is a matter of how much longer they want to let us kill and maim them.

HQ: XI Komodo Heavy Rifle
Col: Jiro Minami Commanding

[robot]

Kuantan Maylasia
December 12,1941
2210 Hours


Well we beat the British once again.Took a little over 2 hours to make them run. It really got quite hectic as we tried to take the rear objectives. At least 15 tanks were sitting around the north rear one as well as near the same amount of tanks around the southern rear one. Got some what messy as we tried to move thru the jungle and get behind the tanks sittting there. Our troops moved right up with our tanks as we began to assault them hand to hand. Our guys really gave it the old college try as they went up against there tanks in a hand to hand type battle. You could hear the satchel charges going off time after time as we closed with them.

Our losses began to mount as the battle raged for over 50 minutes. Until we had blown or incapacipated every tank they had in front of us. We took out 59 of there tanks along with 1489 of there men. Our lossses to theres were nothing but they still hurt as I have to write each and every family within the next few days. Our losses were 235 men and 16 armor some of which were due to the constant shells that rained down on us from the begining momments of this battle. It never stopped once, how they manage to get so much ammo in prep for a batttle is beyond me.


We did well and our superiours say that is why our force has been given the honor to move to Kluang. By next month we are to move there and set up defensives to stop the British trying to break the encirclement we have around Singapore. The city sits about 60 miles NW of singapore sort of in the middle of Malaysia in the southern half of the country. We have beeen told we are to hold and stop any break thru by the British at all costs. We understand that supply has been able to come up with 80 mines for us to incorporate into our defensives.


HQ: XI Komodo Heavy Rifle
Col: Jiro Minami Commanding