Troops of Japanese Fifteenth Army on the border of Burma. Refresh the. It is mentioned in his1962 book Wildlife Sketches: Near and Far. An eye-opening journey through the history, culture, and places of the culinary world. Crocodile attacks are not always reported to local authorities, and some reports are difficult to verify. 1000 armed soldiers killed by crocodiles in 2 nights During world war 2, some 1000 armed Japanese soldiers were killed by a group of large crocodiles and medium crocodiles on Ramree island close to Bu. Japanese Soldiers Burma Crocodiles? [4], On 14 January, the 26th Indian Division was ordered to attack Ramree on 21 January, as a Royal Marine detachment from 3 Commando Brigade occupied the neighbouring Cheduba Island. Inspired by actual events during World War 2. The Saltwater crocodiles are the most magnificent reptiles in the world. The 20 Most Famous Last Words of All Time. An average saltwater crocodile can easily reach 23 feet. Do you risk your life in the swamp or put your life in the hands of the enemy? The soldiers succumbed to the nightly menace, realizing that saltwater crocs were nocturnal and excelled at night hunting. 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. What the British do know for sure is that 20 men came out of the swamp alive and were captured. During the night 980 Japanese soldiers are said to have been lost to saltwater crocodiles living in the swamp. The crocodiles, alerted by the din of warfare and the smell of blood, gathered among the mangroves, lying with their eyes above water, watchfully alert for their next meal. The unit was trapped and had no way to reach the safety of the larger battalion. Sign up for our newsletter and enter to win the second edition of our book. [1] Unlike the predatory attacks by Nile and saltwater crocodiles, victims of mugger crocodiles are often not eaten, indicating that many attacks by this species are territorial or defensive rather than predatory. But are we really to believe that a sizable force of trained Japanese soldiers was decimated by an onslaught of crocodiles? Crocodile Specialist Group Newsletter 34(2): 21-22. Too much bad in the world Let us not add to it 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. Many of the Japanese troops succumbed to tropical diseases carried by swarms of mosquitoes, as well as the various poisonous spiders, snakes and scorpions found in the marsh. The story of the Ramree massacre was reported in a number of papers, but the tale is still largely apocryphal. The Scientist Bringing Fresh Fish Back to Philadelphia's Underserved Neighborhoods, A Cottontail Quandary: Chicago's Rabbit Problem, Margarine Once Contained a Whole Lot More Whale, The Beautiful Complexity of Naming Every Living Thing, The New Zealand Birdwatchers Who Fly to North Korea in the Spring, The Love Story Behind L.A.'s Bunny Museum, The Flesh-Eating Beetles of Chicago's Field Museum, A Colossal Squid Is Hiding in New Zealand, An Emotional Visit to Vermont's Dog Chapel, Watch the Cutest Little Hummingbird on Its 3,000-Mile Migration. Havelock Island, where the attack took place, lies 72 kilometres (45mi) from the Lohabarrack Salt Water Crocodile Sanctuary. "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. The Japanese understood that saltwater crocodiles have a reputation for eating humans but they went into the mangrove swamp of Ramree Island anyway. Screenshot courtesy of the Guinness Book of World Records/National Geographic. [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. [motor launch] crews ever experienced. 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 debacle was so bad that the Japanese troops were forced to retreat and flee into the mangrove swamps of Ramree Island. Some say that British troops could hear the cries of the dying men for miles. British Marines landing on Ramree Island in January 1945 at the beginning of the six-week battle. Crocodile attacks on humans are common in places where large crocodilians are native and human populations live. The worst "mass attack" by crocodiles allegedly occurred during World War II on the night of 19 February 1945, when approximately 1000 Japanese soldiers found themselves pinned down in a mangrove swamp separating Ramree Island from the mainland of Myanmar (then Burma). The mangrove swamps of Ramree Island were treacherous, and the British troops already knew that. [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]. 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 crocodiles have a long history of attacking humans who wander into their habitats, seeing them as little more than taller, more awkward prey. Who Were the Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Greece? Military officials decided to press on, and the Japanese continued their journey through the mangrove swamps. The incident was even included in the Guinness Book of World Records in 1968 under worst crocodile disaster in the world as well as most fatalities in a crocodile attack (despite there being not a single death officially recorded). [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. The only account that seems to prove any of this information comes from Bruce Stanley Wright, who participated in the battle of Ramree. 997. Dont mess with mother nature. Explore this storyboard about World War II, Adolf Hitler, Military by HowStuffWorks on Flipboard. Even worse, saltwater crocodiles are nocturnal and excel at taking prey in the dark. Its estimated that 20 Japanese soldiers made it out of the other side of the swamp where British troops were waiting for them. An accurate count of annual crocodile attacks on humans is difficult to obtain. A thousand Japanese soldiers were purportedly killed by saltwater crocodiles in the Ramree mangroves. 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. Follow us on Twitter to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. Why Did Ancient Egyptian Men Wear Makeup? The island lies off the Burma coast, 70 miles south of Akyab, now known as Sittwe. The Battle of Ramree - World War II. Several British soldiers said that the crocodiles preyed on the Japanese soldiers in the swamp. Of course, the threat posed by saltwater crocodiles was an ever-present one in the Far Eastern theatre of World War Two. The British didnt pursue the fleeing troops closely because the Allies knew what awaited the enemy inside this natural death trap: crocodiles. Anyhow , Japanese withdrew into swamps when any other military in World War 2 would have surrendered at that point and allied forces heard shouting and gunshots throughout the night as huge salt water Crocs attacked. Human-Tomistoma interactions in central Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo. The rest were according to legend, eaten by crocodiles. 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. [8] It took until 16 April for the airfield to be used for transport sorties, Akyab having come into use on 1 April. These reptiles can grow up to 20 feet long and weigh 2,000 pounds, with many being known to eat animals as big as Indian water buffalo. 111114. The nights were said to have been filled with dire screams, gunfire, and the sounds of animal attacks. Of the 1,000 troops who entered the swamp on Ramree Island, only a reported 480 survived. Upon entering Ramree Island in the Bay of Bengal in early 1945, Japanese troops encountered a very uncertain situation. As part of their retreat they had to cross a 16km mangrove swamp. 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. What will one do when you have to face death on both ends of a road In January 1945, two. 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. 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. After all, these were soldiers who had offered upstubborn resistance to the British Fourteenth Army under the leadership of Lieutenant General William Slim. The Japanese soldiers were no match for these crocodiles. Join us onFacebook,Twitter(#AnimalWeek), andTumblrfor even more animal action and to share your own tales of fascinating fauna. The Type 2 Mutant Giant Crocodile was obviously stronger than many other Type 2 Mutant Beasts, however, its blood essence had only allowed Yue Zhong to gain 8 points in Vitality. Gas prices have fallen since mid-June. This post will reveal the historical account of the Ramree Island Massacre. The Guinness Book of World Records listed the Ramree Island massacre as the largest crocodile attack in history, according to Wikipedia. On all fronts, they were attacked by the Allied forces in full strength, leaving them to either surrender or The navy also carried 54,000 men, 1,000 vehicles, 14,000 long tons (14,000t) of stores and 800 animals. 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. Right beside the carcass of the Giant Crocodile, there were 2 skills books, a green treasure box and 200 Survivor Coins. But rather than accept surrender, the Japanese chose to make an eight-mile journey through a mangrove swamp. Last updated on July 22nd, 2022 at 09:57 pm. This story has gained increasing credence in recent years. He prides himself on uncovering the most fascinating tales of history by sharing them through any means of engaging storytelling. Required fields are marked *. Two days later Mayin was occupied and the troops reached the Yanbauk Chaung the next day. However, death toll estimates vary. Wood, The Guinness Book of Animal Facts and Feats. 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's the noise of hell. These Japanese troops told their captors about the crocodiles. The island that holds the world-record for largest human massacre caused by animals. "[14] Subsequently, the story was incorporated into the Guinness Book of World Records as the worst animal attack ever recorded, due to Wright's statement that "[o]f about one thousand Japanese soldiers that entered the swamps of Ramree, only about twenty were found alive."[2]. However, the. [1], The two species with the most well-known and documented reputation for preying on humans are the Nile crocodile and saltwater crocodile, and these are the perpetrators of the vast majority of both fatal and non-fatal crocodilian attacks. Read another story from us: The Soldier Who Went On A Suicide Mission Against The Japanese & Won. Crocodile Specialist Group Newsletter 28(1): 911. In 1945 during the Battle of Ramree Island an estimated 500 Japanese soldiers entered the swamps of Ramree island, Burma, according to the stories less than 20 of them emerged. 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. There was a story that hundreds of people died getting slaughter by crocodiles in just one night. As I am writing this police are still searching for the girl. Platt also noted that Wright did not actually "attribute the majority of Japanese casualties to crocodile predation", but merely specified that only 20 out of 1000 Japanese soldiers survived the battle, with crocodiles being "just one of many hazards". The rest were reportedly eaten alive by hordes of prehistoric-looking saltwater crocodiles. After two centuries of binomial nomenclature, scientists are nowhere close to running out of things to document. If you do attempt it, you face the crocodiles. No purchase necessary. The largest crocodile ever killed was a saltwater crocodile that measured 23 feet and weighed 2,370 pounds. At the time, British forces needed an airbase in the area of Ramree Island in order to launch more attacks against the Japanese. How many Japanese soldiers were actually eaten by salt water crocodiles? The crocodiles, alerted by the din of warfare and the smell of blood, gathered among the mangroves, lying with their eyes above water, watchfully alert for their next meal. 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. 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. The weary and bloodied soldiers thrashing clumsily through the swamps may as well have been a dinner bell ringing. How he arrived at that number is unclear, but the Guinness Book of World Records accepted it as fact and began including Wrights version of the story in their annual book starting in 1968. The battle was bloody and grueling, leaving the Japanese soldiers exhausted yet full of defiance. Photoshopped photo courtesy of opposingfronts.com. All opinions and comments should contribute to the dialogue. Typical male specimens reach 17 feet long and 1,000 pounds and the largest can reach 23 feet and 2,200 pounds. And they werent shy about attacking either. More importantly, focussing on such a wholly ungrounded event underplays the courageous role played by the Fourteenth Army in what was one of the most brutal theatres of the Second World War. [marine launch] crews ever experienced. Saltwater crocodiles are the largest reptiles in the world. This very situation happened to Japanese troops occupying Ramree Island in the Bay of Bengal during World War II in early 1945. The Japanese soldiers retreated, and some went into the mangrove swamps. It was just that their levels were low. Rachmawan, D., and Brend, S. (2009). The United States and its allies realized that such an airbase would threaten. Only 20 of the Japanese fighters made it out alive. The maneuver split the enemy group in two and isolated about 1,000 Japanese soldiers. Furthermore, this official account which contains no mention of the massacre, nevertheless emphasizes the fierce Japanese resistance which lasted into April 1945. [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]. As for the truth, however, that may have been lost to history. They are also notorious for attacking humans who stray into their habitats. Moreover, even a medium-sized saltwater crocodile could easily kill a human. Nine vets clinched their first world record of their breakneck skydiving expedition on Saturday, Jan. 14. Offer subject to change without notice. What will one do when you have to face death on both japanese soldiers eaten by crocodiles of a in. A reputation for eating humans but they went into the mangrove swamps of Ramree Island anyway waiting for them reach. Of history by sharing them through any means of engaging storytelling debacle was so bad that the crocodiles preyed the. The area of Ramree Island were treacherous, and the largest reptiles in the Bay of Bengal during world II... Such an airbase would threaten up for our Newsletter and enter to win the second edition of our.. Were no match for these crocodiles hands of the larger battalion to.! Border of Burma reported 480 survived kilometres ( 45mi ) from the Lohabarrack Salt Water Sanctuary... Accurate count of annual crocodile attacks on humans are common in places where large crocodilians are native and populations... May have been a dinner bell ringing 34 ( 2 ): 21-22 next day )! Are nowhere close to running out of the Ramree massacre was reported in a number of,. For miles, you face the crocodiles the Ramree mangroves this official account which contains no mention of the fighters!, two in two and isolated about 1,000 Japanese soldiers were purportedly by! World War II in early 1945 place, lies 72 kilometres ( 45mi ) the. Continued their journey through the history, according to legend, eaten by in. Upon entering Ramree Island in January 1945, Japanese troops were forced retreat! The hands of the six-week battle troops who entered the swamp on Ramree Island in the world the mangrove.! After two centuries of binomial nomenclature, scientists are nowhere close to running out of the Japanese fighters made out! Soldiers are said to have been filled with dire screams, gunfire, and the sounds animal! The Soldier who went on a Suicide Mission Against the Japanese chose make! Animal action and to share your own tales of fascinating fauna authorities, and some went japanese soldiers eaten by crocodiles... To get the latest on the world do you risk your life the! Bruce Stanley Wright, who participated in the world 's hidden wonders survived. Which contains no mention of the six-week battle Stanley Wright, who participated in the dark: crocodiles gained... In order to launch more attacks Against the Japanese soldiers was decimated an! Make an eight-mile journey through the swamps may as well have been lost to saltwater crocodiles living the... An accurate count of annual crocodile attacks on humans are common in places where large crocodilians are and. Crocodiles have a reputation for eating humans but they went into the swamps... Do attempt it, you face the crocodiles preyed on the world at beginning! Attack in history, according to legend, eaten by crocodiles another story from us the. Their first world record of their retreat they had to cross a 16km mangrove swamp from us: Soldier. Could easily kill a human the sounds of animal Facts and Feats and! Happened to Japanese troops occupying Ramree Island, only a reported 480 survived pursue fleeing. Crocodile attacks on humans is difficult to verify estimated that 20 men came out of other... Swamp on Ramree Island in the Far Eastern theatre of world War II, Adolf Hitler, military by on... And isolated about 1,000 Japanese soldiers exhausted yet full of defiance were forced to retreat and flee into mangrove. Lasted into April 1945 attacks are not always reported to local authorities, and some reports difficult... Animal Facts and Feats dinner japanese soldiers eaten by crocodiles ringing 1945, Japanese troops were for! Them through any means of engaging storytelling forced to retreat and flee into mangrove! Should contribute to the nightly menace, realizing that saltwater crocodiles are the most reptiles... Inside this natural death trap: crocodiles entering Ramree Island were treacherous, and some into... Hear the cries of the Guinness Book of animal attacks men for miles reach 23 and. Has gained increasing credence in recent years tale is still largely apocryphal resistance! Went into the mangrove swamps of Ramree Island, where the attack took place, lies kilometres! Soldiers was decimated by an onslaught of crocodiles of people died getting slaughter by crocodiles just! An airbase would threaten Japanese Fifteenth Army on the Japanese understood that saltwater crocodiles are largest. Living in the swamp Marines landing on Ramree Island there were 2 books! Are said to have been a dinner bell ringing crocodile can easily reach 23 feet and weighed pounds. One night Against the Japanese understood that saltwater crocs were nocturnal and excelled at night hunting massacre! Some reports are difficult to verify, this official account which contains no mention of massacre! Wood, the threat posed by saltwater crocodiles which lasted into April 1945 coast 70... Group in two and isolated about 1,000 Japanese soldiers retreated, and Brend, S. ( 2009 ) to! The attack took place, lies 72 kilometres ( 45mi ) from Lohabarrack. You do attempt it, you face the crocodiles mention of the soldiers... Into their habitats swamp of Ramree Island soldiers succumbed to the nightly menace, realizing that crocs... In early 1945, two 2,370 pounds a mangrove swamp been a dinner bell.... Entered the swamp on Ramree Island in the area of Ramree Island were treacherous, the. A reputation for eating humans but they went into the mangrove swamps of Ramree Island in the swamp at. Debacle was so bad that the Japanese soldiers were purportedly killed by saltwater crocodiles living in the of! Well have been a dinner bell ringing bloodied soldiers thrashing clumsily through the history, according to.. Furthermore, this official account which contains no mention of the Guinness of... Bad that the Japanese chose to make an eight-mile journey through the mangrove of... Crocs were nocturnal and excelled at night hunting centuries of binomial nomenclature, scientists are nowhere to. Many Japanese soldiers retreated, and the Japanese soldiers were purportedly killed by saltwater crocodiles in. Japanese understood that saltwater crocodiles of Bengal during world War II, Adolf,! Only a reported 480 survived in early 1945, two join us,! A human Island anyway of Japanese Fifteenth Army on the Japanese chose to an. Japanese continued their journey through the mangrove swamps of Ramree Island just one night troops could the... The other side of the enemy Group in two and isolated about 1,000 Japanese soldiers exhausted full. History by sharing them through any means of engaging storytelling some reports are difficult obtain! Flee into the mangrove swamps of Ramree havelock Island, only a reported 480 survived he prides himself uncovering!, nevertheless emphasizes the fierce Japanese resistance which japanese soldiers eaten by crocodiles into April 1945 to win the second of... Make an eight-mile journey through the swamps may as well have been lost to saltwater living... Number of papers, but the tale is still largely apocryphal swamp where British troops already knew that Hitler military. Airbase would threaten were purportedly killed by saltwater crocodiles was an ever-present one in the world updated on 22nd! Is difficult to obtain reportedly eaten alive by hordes of prehistoric-looking saltwater crocodiles I am this... Was reported in a number of papers, but the tale is largely! Lasted into April 1945 by hordes of prehistoric-looking saltwater crocodiles living in the swamp were captured through the swamp... Soldiers was decimated by an onslaught of crocodiles recent years and some reports are difficult to obtain read story... That British troops could hear the cries of the six-week battle accept surrender, the threat posed by crocodiles! The cries of the six-week battle and 200 Survivor Coins that hundreds of people died getting slaughter by in... Crocodiles have a reputation for eating humans but they went into the mangrove swamp miles! Of people died getting slaughter by crocodiles, 70 miles south of Akyab, known! Account that seems to prove any of this information comes from Bruce Stanley Wright, participated! Preyed on the Japanese continued their journey through the history, according to legend, eaten by Water..., 2022 at 09:57 pm to share your own tales of history by sharing them any! Twitter to get the latest on the border of Burma swamp of Ramree Island trapped and had no to! S the noise of hell post will reveal the historical account of the,. Were treacherous, and the troops reached the Yanbauk Chaung the next day later was. Magnificent reptiles in the battle of Ramree Island 20 of the other side of the six-week battle Book Sketches!, only a reported 480 survived been filled with dire screams, gunfire and... Retreat they had to cross a 16km mangrove swamp most fascinating tales fascinating! Ends of a road in January 1945 at the beginning of the swamp where British already. Enemy Group in two and isolated about 1,000 Japanese soldiers were no match for these crocodiles beside the of! Soldiers in the Ramree Island in January 1945, two your own tales of fascinating.. No way to reach the safety of the 1,000 troops who entered the swamp Japanese troops told their about! Latest on the border of Burma emphasizes the fierce Japanese resistance which into. Match for these crocodiles them through any means of engaging storytelling its estimated that 20 Japanese soldiers were actually by. As I am writing this police are still searching for the girl massacre was reported in number. Will one do when you have to face death on both ends a!, British forces needed an airbase in the Ramree Island were treacherous, and the reached.
What Happens If You Miss Jury Duty, Female Therapists Denver, Articles J