Cooking Up a Storm PTO (id:#66510)

(ASL Journal #14 ID: J231)   [next]   [previous]

Babau, West Timor 1942-02-20 (7 others)

Overview:

The island of Timor was crucial to Japanese southern expansion plans. The island formed an important stepping stone between the Australian mainland and Java and Sumatra. The Japanese invasion of Timor had begun at 0300 with a seaborne landing on the undefended southwest coast by two battalions of the 228th Infantry Regiment and attached marines. In support of this landing, an airdrop was conducted at 0800 to the east of the main Allied defenses around the town of Koepang and Penfui airfield. Its objective was to secure the airfield and encircle the defending Australian and Dutch troops of Sparrow Force. The paratroopers moved west towards the airfield after landing and used the main east-west road to Penfui as their axis of advance. The first village between the drop zone and Penfui was Babau, used by the Australian 2/40th Battalion's headquarters and rear echelon. The village was bombed in the morning, causing fires and disruption to the kitchens and the rear echelon of the battalion. At about 1050, the first party of paratroopers approached the village where a hasty defense had been prepared by a mixed bag of troops that were available in the village.

Defender: Australian (HQ Company, 2/1st Heavy Artillery Battery, 79 Light AA Battery, 2/40 Battalion, "Sparrow Force")  

Errata (source)