Japan’s conquest of the Dutch East Indies (modern Indonesia) depended heavily on securing the vast natural resources of the archipelago. Near Palembang, capital of South Sumatra, was an Allied airfield (‘P1’) as well as two oil refineries – Plaju and Sungei Gerong – which processed a third of all oil production in the Indies. EachContinue reading “Plaju refinery, Palembang, 14th February 1942”
Tag Archives: war
Road ambush at Bakri, 18th January 1942
By mid-January 1942, the relentless Japanese advance across Malaya had forced British and Commonwealth forces to withdraw to Johore in the south of the country. It was here that one of the few local victories against the Japanese came on 18th January. At dawn, the Imperial Guards Division advanced down the road towards the townContinue reading “Road ambush at Bakri, 18th January 1942”
Air attack on Repulse, 10th December 1941
In early-December 1941, Force Z arrived in Singapore to reinforce the British position in the Far East and deter Japanese aggression. Commanded by Admiral Tom Phillips, it consisted of two capital ships (HMS Prince of Wales and Repulse) and four destroyers. Small and unbalanced, Force Z failed to deter the invasion of British Malaya onContinue reading “Air attack on Repulse, 10th December 1941”
Machine gun dog cart, Belgium, 1914
Before mass motorisation, dogs were widely used as cheap and efficient pack animals in the Low Countries. In 1913 the Belgian army accepted a small carriage, designed by Lieutenants Blancgarin and Van de Putte, that could mount a Maxim machine gun and ammunition. It would be pulled by sturdy dog breeds such as the BelgianContinue reading “Machine gun dog cart, Belgium, 1914”
Ambush at Mtsensk, 6th October 1941
Four days into the main phase of Operation Typhoon – the German offensive to capture Moscow – Kampfgruppe Eberbach moved up the Orel-Tula highway. With the Lisiza River bridge quickly captured, Eberbach sent across five tank companies and a battalion of motorcycle infantry to secure a nearby ridge. The crossing site would be held byContinue reading “Ambush at Mtsensk, 6th October 1941”
Casteau, 22nd August 1914
Soon after the arrival of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) in Belgium, C Squadron 4th Dragoon Guards was tasked with scouting north of Mons in order to make contact with the advancing Germans. At around 06.00 hrs on 22nd August, the squadron moved northeast along the Mons-Brussels road. While watering their horses, the dragoons spottedContinue reading “Casteau, 22nd August 1914”
Parker’s Battery at San Juan Hill, 1st July 1898
By 1898, support for Cuban independence from Spanish rule ran high in the United States, fuelled by extensive press coverage. After an explosion sank the USS Maine in Havana harbour, war was declared and an expeditionary force of over 16,000 US regulars and volunteers set out from Florida to Santiago – the second largest cityContinue reading “Parker’s Battery at San Juan Hill, 1st July 1898”
Guderian’s meeting, Barbarossa, June 1941
Colonel-General Heinz Guderian, commander of the Second Panzer Group, meets with senior officers during the invasion of the Soviet Union (Operation Barbarossa). He is shown here wearing the regulation general’s greatcoat, with gold and silver braid shoulder straps identifying his rank. In the background can be seen a Horch Kfz. 21 staff car marked withContinue reading “Guderian’s meeting, Barbarossa, June 1941”
Air assault on Maleme, 20th May 1941
As part of the German invasion of Crete (Operation Merkur), two waves of airborne troops would land around Hania and Maleme on the morning of 20th May, followed by drops at Heraklion and Rethymnon in the afternoon. Landing in the first wave, the Luftlande-Sturmregiment was tasked with capturing the airfield at Maleme – a targetContinue reading “Air assault on Maleme, 20th May 1941”
Night attack on Tobruk, 30th April 1941
On the night of 30th April 1941, Axis forces launched their second major assault on the port of Tobruk. If it fell, Lt General Erwin Rommel would gain a vital forward base for his advance towards Egypt. With heavy artillery support, German troops and elements of the Italian Trento Division moved forward against the southwestContinue reading “Night attack on Tobruk, 30th April 1941”
Empire of History 