Unfortunately, it seems that the Japanese didnt know what awaited them in the swamp, or they were so desperate to escape that they didnt care. Dont mess with mother nature. Upon completing his investigation, Willis brought his findings to Guinness Book of World Records editor-in-chief Crag Glenday, who agreed to add a note to the Ramree Island entry stating that new research by the National Geographic Channel, however, has cast doubt on the story, or at least on the extent of deaths. Thus, the legend was put to rest. So while the historical accounts are unclear, the British almost certainly did encounter the 20 Japanese soldiers who explained the horrors they endured. Walking through the thick, sticky mud was slow and agonizing. Unfortunately, these reptiles are some of the most territorial species on earth and arent afraid to show aggression toward people, especially biting. 997. The invasion force was led by three Joint Assault Commanders, Captain Bush RN, Major-General Cyril Lomax and Wing Commander H. Smith. Her boyfriend caught the attack on film; the camera was recovered two days later along with her remains. [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. pp. During World War II, Ramree Island off the coast of Burma was the site of a number of military battles, but the truly terrifying action only began after the military maneuvers ended. This post will reveal the historical account of the Ramree Island Massacre. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. All Rights Reserved, Matt Fratus is a history staff writer for Coffee or Die. Read another story from us: The Soldier Who Went On A Suicide Mission Against The Japanese & Won. The story comes from the writings of Bruce Stanley Wright, a British naturalist who was presumed to be at the scene. Their only escape was through the swamp. 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. They decided to take their chances in the swamp rather than surrender. The crocodiles have a long history of attacking humans who wander into their habitats, seeing them as little more than taller, more awkward prey. On Feb. 24, 1945, Reuters war correspondents reported that Japanese soldiers trying to escape Ramree island were "being forced by hunger out of the mangrove swamps and many have been killed by crocodiles. British troops monitored the situation from afar at the edge of the swamp. Kaori had been a kendo practitioner before the apocalypse, while Kyoko was a successor of the Tenshin-style sword arts. On Ramree, the Japanese garrison resisted with great determination but on 1 February, the 71st Indian Infantry Brigade reached Sane and parts of the 36th Indian Infantry Brigade, from reserve, took Sagu Kuyun Island and relieved the marines on Cheduba Island. And they werent shy about attacking either. A massive saltwater crocodile (via Wikimedia). He also gathered military records that stated that the majority of Japanese soldiers were shot dead by the Allies or simply drowned in the swamp. A Japanese air raid on 11 February seriously damaged a destroyer with a near miss and forty small craft were sent by the Japanese from the mainland to rescue the survivors of the garrison. A biologist solves the mystery of two dozen missing animal mummies. As for the truth, however, that may have been lost to history. 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 . 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 island that holds the world-record for largest human massacre caused by animals. Various British soldiers did indeed witness crocodiles devouring dead Japanese bodies, but Willis ultimately determined that the majority of Japanese soldiers died in combat or drowned. Mark Felton Productions does not condone written attacks, insults, racism, sexism, extremism, violence or otherwise questionable comments or material in the 'Comments' section, and reserves the right to delete any comment violating this rule or to block any poster from the channel.Thanks: Bernard Dupont . 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. After this look at the Battle of Ramree Island that has been dubbed the Ramree Island Massacre, see some of the most powerful World War II photos ever taken. Many of the areas in which humans and large crocodiles come into contact are remote, impoverished, or in areas of political unrest. The mangrove swamps of Ramree Island were treacherous, and the British troops already knew that. The navy and the 26th Indian Infantry Division then concentrated on blockading the chaungs (small streams) on the east coast, to prevent the Japanese from escaping to the mainland. Inspired by actual events during World War 2. An eye-opening journey through the history, culture, and places of the culinary world. I've recently learned about the Battle of Ramree Island and the "death march" through the mangroves that resulted in the battle earning the moniker of "worst crocodile disaster in the world." The unit was trapped and had no way to reach the safety of the larger battalion. He writes for his micro-blog. 13. The rancid smell of blood automatically attracts the attention of this herd of reptiles. The Japanese soldiers retreated, and some went into the mangrove swamps. Since Ramree was strategically important, the Allies launched an attack in 1945 to retake the island and establish airbases to support the mainland campaign. Witnesses say the crocodile first attacked a man and then grabbed the girl and pulled her under. In early 1945, as part of the Pacific War during World War II, Allied forces pinned down 1,000 Japanese soldiers in a mangrove swamp off the coast of Burma (now Myanmar). the 26th Indian Division attacked Ramree while . British combat unit had trapped about 1,000 Japanese soldiers on Ramree Island near Burma. Nile freshwater crocodiles, like the one pictured here, have a reputation as man-eaters, similarly to the saltwater crocodiles that were rumored to ravage Japanese soldiers at Ramree Island in Myanmar in 1945. 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. 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. If the British 14th Army succeeded in taking the island, it could build an airbase there and use it as a launch point for bombing missions over Burma and Malaysia. So instead of following the Japanese into the swamps, they decided to wait them out. Director Steve Lawson Writer Steve Lawson Stars Charlie Bond Steven Dolton Ryan Harvey See production, box office & company info Watch on Prime Video 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. The mangrove swamp was thick with mud and it was slow-going. Cheduba Island was not garrisoned and the 22nd East African Brigade was sent to hold Ramree Island. [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]. After just a few days, these ravenous creatures devoured more than 500 Japanese soldiers. How did crocodiles manage to kill so many armed men? It was clear that the constant dosage of blood essences was losing its effectiveness for Yue Zhong, and if he continued at his current rate of consumption, it was most . A preliminary analysis of worldwide crocodilian attacks. Crocodile attacks are not always reported to local authorities, and some reports are difficult to verify. Screenshot showing the 2017 edition of the Guinness Book of World Records adding a note to the previous edition correcting information about the claim that saltwater crocodiles killed hundreds of Japanese soldiers at Ramree Island in World War II. He prides himself on uncovering the most fascinating tales of history by sharing them through any means of engaging storytelling. With a jump in Australia on Monday, Jan. 16, local time, a team of vets set skydiving records to raise money for Folds of Honor. Oct 11, 2016 Goran Blazeski During World War II, The Japanese Imperial Army captured Ramree Island in 1942. Osama, a saltwater crocodile named after the terrorist Usama Bin Laden, reportedly killed and ate 80 people in Uganda over a period of 14 years beginning in 1991. 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. (2014). By doing this, allied forces split the remaining party in two, leaving a group of 1,000 soldiers isolated and trapped. "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. Your email address will not be published. Sideleau, B. Crocodile Specialist Group Newsletter 28(1): 911. You have to rendezvous with another group of soldiers on the other side of the island but the only way to do so is to traverse a thick swamp filled with deadly crocodiles. (now Myanmar). As World War II was nearing its end in January of 1945, the island of Ramree off the coast of Burma was the scene of a desperate battle. 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. Man and then grabbed the girl and pulled her under was thick with mud and it slow-going! Historical accounts are unclear, the Japanese soldiers of reptiles mangrove swamp was thick with mud and was! A history staff writer for Coffee or Die Wing Commander H. Smith so of... 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