REF : Tjilatjap (Cilacap)
This article concerns the land battle of Java in 1942 and the fall of important cilacap port to Japan. For the preceding naval battle see Battle of the Java Sea. The Battle of Java was a battle of the Pacific theatre of World War II. It occurred on the island of Java, between February 28 and March 12, 1942. It involved forces from the Empire of Japan, which invaded on February 28 1942, on one side and Allied personnel. Allied commanders signed a formal surrender at Japanese headquarters at Bandung on 12 March.
Date
February 28, 1942–March 12, 1942
Result
Japane
se Victory
Strength
Netherlands: 25,000; Britain: about 3,500; Australia: about 2,500; U.S. about 1,000
about 35,000 troops
Casualties
Netherlands: 4500+ dead and wounded;Britain: 100 dead;Australia: 36 dead, 60 wounded;U.S.: ?
Unknown
Netherlands East Indies campaign 1941-42
Borneo 1941-42 – Manado – Tarakan 1942 – Balikpapan 1942 – Ambon – Makassar Strait – Palembang – Badung Strait – Timor – Java Sea – Sunda Strait – Java
East Java Campaign moving southward
The Sakaguchi Detachment from Balikpapan joined the East Java Invasion fleet as well. After landing they were divided into 3 units with 1 battalion each:
Kaneuji Unit : Major Kaneuji
Yamamoto Unit : Colonel Yamamoto
Matsumoto Unit : Lieutenant Colonel Matsumoto
and moved southward with main objective to occupy Tjilatjap (Cilacap) in order to capture the harbour and blocked the retreat to Australia. In one week, they advanced rapidly and overcame all Dutch army defence found in Blora, Soerakarta (Surakarta), Bojolali (Boyolali), Jogjakarta (Yogyakarta), Magelang, Salatiga, Ambarawa and Poerworedjo. Kaneuji and Matsumoto Unit moved through mainland, captured Keboemen and Purwokerto, north of Cilacap on the 8th. Yamamoto Unit moved along the beach, made two pronge attack. On the 8th, the Yamamoto Unit entered Cilacap, but the Dutch had withdrawn to Wangon. Wangon is a small town located in the middle between Purwokerto and Cilacap.
While Japan was preparing attack to Wangon, on March 9, Maj.Gen. Pierre A. Cox, the Dutch Central Army District commander was ordered by headquarter to surrender to Japan.
The Dutch surrendered
By March 7, the Japanese had occupied Cilacap; Surabaya was being evacuated and the Japanese troops were converging on Bandung from both west and north. At 9 a.m. on the 8th the Commander-in-Chief of the Allied forces, Lieutenant General Hein Ter Poorten, announced that the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army in Java surrendered.
Source : ibiblio.org
