A little bird told me...
During the 2nd World War, Malaya was taken over by the Japanese, attacking from the state of Kelantan, which serves as their "frontline" state then, starting on Sunday, Dec 08 1941!
Japanese attackers had poured down from ships and landing boats in bad weather to invade Kelantan. They successfully overcame heavy gunfire from troops defending the beaches. Many Japanese soldiers died during this time. Some were drowned in the sea as the invasion took place during the stormy North East Monsoon which usually blows between the months of November - December., under the command of Lt -Gen Tomoyuki Yamashita, the infamous Tiger of Malaya.
Feb 15 1942- Singapore which was dubbed as an "impregnable fortress" fell to the Japanese. The chief planner of the invasion Tsuji actually targeted 100 days for the completion of the mission.. but it took less than a month , within 3 weeks, the whole of Malaya and Singapore fell.
Today, remnants of the Japanese Occupation can still be found all over Kelantan, like pillboxes, railway tracks, old jetties, former iron mines, abandoned airfields, spent shells, bomb craters, old graves and stories of haunted houses and trees.
With reference to the book published by an expatriate who has lived in Kelantan during this time, Datuk HL Wrigglesworth, he mentions that Kelantan was defended by the 8th Indian Infantry Brigade then under Brig-gen Berthold Wells Key.
According to him, the troops in the Indian Regiment then were raw recruits, as young as 18, and had only fired only 50 live rounds at the shooting range. They were certainly no match for the experienced and fierce Japanese Imperial Army, mosf of whom had already fought the war with the Chinese earlier on.
These unites, named Dogras and Baluch manned the pillboxes along the beaches of Kuala Pa'Amat, Badang, Melawi, Bachok and Pantai Sabak, about 8km from Kota Bharu, along the coast between Tumpat- on the northeast and Kuala Besut on the south east. Built bu Indian engineers, about a km apart, they were manned by a rifle section, 2-3 Bren gunds, 15,000 rounds of rifle ammunition, 2days' rations and water.
In Tempat, still evident is a British pillbox, a triangular structure by the beach, the remnant of a sheltered harbour, many concrete pillars of a former jetty used by the Japanese. There were also a concrete base of railway tracks, an iron mine tunnel, entrance to the shaft and a cable car station, with a Japanese sea plane base. There is also a pillbox inside the Kota Bharu military camp and another by the Kelantan River close to the Lee Rubber Building now used for slaughtering and processing chicken.
Close to the Pengkalan Chepa airpor, you will also be able to find a mass grave for the Japanese soldiers, Incidentally, besides Japanese veterans who still come by to pay homage annually, you also see other regualar visitors like British and Australian veterans. Their tour also covers Pantai Sabak, the pillboxes and War Museum or Bank Kerapu right in the heart of Kota Bharu.
The War Musuem, built in 1911, is the oldest brick building in the state. Visiting the War Museum would be a good place to get a good overview of the WW2 then.
Worth a visit would be the Gullimard Bridge or Jambatan Kussial, built in 1923, which links Machang and Tanah Merah. This bridge also acts as a rail and road bridge. Unfortunately it was blown up by the British during WW2 and was repaired later by the British after the war.
ref: Travel Times - Apr 23 2004 By Sager Ahmad
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