But what really happened?. [1] These are the West African crocodile (often considered quite harmless,[4] but has been involved in several attacks, also fatal),[5] American crocodile (only a few documented fatalities),[3][6][7] the Morelet's crocodile (typically considered a relatively non-threatening species, but there have been several fatal attacks),[7][8] Orinoco crocodile (fatalities recorded in the 1930s and earlier when the species was more common, but today it is very rare),[9][10] Cuban crocodile (generally considered aggressive, but only one confirmed fatality),[3][11] black caiman (fatal attacks confirmed in Brazil, but possibly underreported because of its remote range),[3] American alligator (making up an estimated 6% of fatal crocodilian attacks),[2] and false gharial (only a few confirmed fatalities, all involving very large false gharials). Royal Flying Doctor Service/Reuters. Find out what happened when 900 Japanese soldiers, trapped by a British landing on Ramree Island, Burma in 1945, tried to retreat through 10 miles of mangrove swamps. Mosquitoes, spiders, poisonous snakes, and scorpions hid in the thick forest and picked off some troops one by one. The battleship, named for five brothers killed in the Pacific, was the first American warship designated in honor of more than one person. Of course, the threat posed by saltwater crocodiles was an ever-present one in the Far Eastern theatre of World War Two. Although most attacks are not reported, the Nile crocodile is estimated to kill hundreds (possibly thousands) of people each year, which is more than all other crocodilian species combined. Nine hundred soldiers of an Imperial Japanese Army unit, in an attempt to retreat from the Royal Navy and rejoin a larger battalion of the Japanese infantry, crossed through sixteen kilometres (ten miles) of mangrove swamps that contained saltwater crocodiles. The largest crocodile alive is Cassius who is about 100 years old. Its estimated that 20 Japanese soldiers made it out of the other side of the swamp where British troops were waiting for them. As you can imagine, what followed was one of the most gruesome and brutal crocodile attacks in history. The Ramree Island crocodile attack in January 1945, the deadliest attack of its kind recorded thus far, came just as World War II ended. The debacle was so bad that the Japanese troops were forced to retreat and flee into the mangrove swamps of Ramree Island. Finally, the British soldiers realized the Japaneses situation and urged them to surrender to avoid further bloodshed. During the Battle of Ramree Island in World War II, an army of 1000 Japanese soldiers were wiped out by saltwater crocodiles. No Japanese survived . 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. Unfortunately, it seems that the Japanese didnt know what awaited them in the swamp, or they were so desperate to escape that they didnt care. [3] Crocodilians will defend not only themselves, but also their nest and young from anything they perceive as a threat. One night the British soldiers reported hearing panicked screams and gunfire emanating from within the darkness of the swamp. In September 2005, Russell Harris, a 37-year-old British engineer, was killed by a large saltwater crocodile while snorkeling off Picnic Beach in Australia. By doing this, allied forces split the remaining party in two, leaving a group of 1,000 soldiers isolated and trapped. The navy also carried 54,000 men, 1,000 vehicles, 14,000 long tons (14,000t) of stores and 800 animals. It is mentioned in his1962 book Wildlife Sketches: Near and Far. Joseph Howard received a Navy and Marine Corps Medal for risking his life to save others. After a bloody campaign, British troops managed to drive nearly 1,000 enemy combatants off the island into the dense mangrove swamp that covered some 10 miles of Ramree. On Feb. 25, 1945, the British newspaper The Guardian reported that Japanese stragglers who are trying to escape from Ramree Island off the west coast of Burma, are being forced by hunger out of mangrove swamps and many have been killed by crocodiles. From there, the story took on a life of its own. And helped launch a corporation now worth more than $40 billion. While the idea of encountering a crocodile isnt pleasant, its a whole different matter when youre up close and personal with one. This was particularly so in the mangrove swamps where such reptiles thrive, like on Ramree Island. We went in with boats and interpreters using loudhailers asking them to come out. On the 19th of the month, the Japanese unit attempted to make its way through 10 miles of swamp to link up with a larger unit. Crocodile Specialist Group Newsletter 33(2): 29-30. The Type 2 Mutant Giant Crocodile was obviously stronger than many other Type 2 Mutant Beasts, however, its blood essence had only allowed Yue Zhong to gain 8 points in Vitality. The short version is that a large number of Japanese soldiers (between 400 to 1000 depending on the "source") were eaten by saltwater crocodiles during the night of Feb 19th 1945 during the battle of Ramree island as part of the Burma campaign. At dawn the vultures arrived to clean up what the crocodiles had left () Of about one thousand Japanese soldiers that entered the swamps of Ramree, only about twenty were found alive. Wildlife Sketches Near and Far, p. 275[13], Other writers, including Roger Caras in his 1964 Dangerous to Man, repeated Wright's version, with Caras stating "had the story come from a source other than Bruce Wright, I would be tempted to discount it. Two days later Mayin was occupied and the troops reached the Yanbauk Chaung the next day. "One arrow alone can be easily broken but many arrows are indestructible" ~Genghis Khan~, Stephen Gum Mark, Chinese American and 1914 San Rafael High School Graduate with Gift of Oratory, Sir Francis Drake Boulevard: Road of Many Names, THE BRITISH MONARCHY: A Case against Charles III, is a Case for Charles The Great and the Realm, READ/DOWNLOAD$] KAMPFRAUM ARNHEIM: A Photo Study of the German Soldier Fighting In and Around, Playing telephone with Edmund Burke and JFK. To counter this, he tries to provide a rational argument and bring a voice of reason to the debate. In this official account there are references to the menace posed by saltwater crocodiles at Ramree Island. The nights were said to have been filled with dire screams, gunfire, and the sounds of animal attacks. Refresh the. And as if these conditions werent bad enough, the swamps were also home to large saltwater crocodiles. After all, these were soldiers who had offered upstubborn resistance to the British Fourteenth Army under the leadership of Lieutenant General William Slim. Unlike other "man-eating" crocodiles, such as the saltwater crocodile, the Nile crocodile lives in proximity to human populations, so contact is more frequent. 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. Did crocodiles eat Japanese soldiers? Follow us on Twitter to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. [2] The mugger crocodile is also very dangerous to humans, killing several people in India every year and with a fatality rate that is almost as high (slightly less than half of all attacks are fatal). This disease seriously hindered both sides attempt to gain control of the island. Attacks by saltwater crocodiles often occur in Southeast Asia, Australia, New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands. One of Platt's subjects claims that crocodiles accounted for some Japanese casualties: "10 to 15 soldiers were killed attempting to ford Min Chaung, a tidal creek near Ramree Town." Field Marshall Slim, in his memoirs, further recounts that a number of Japanese fell victim to sharks prowling in the channel between the island and the . Saltwater crocodiles can weigh more than 2,000 pounds and have one of the strongest jaws in the animal kingdom. Thats when things went from bad to worse and the Ramree Island massacre began. The scattered rifle shots in the pitch black swamp punctured by the screams of wounded men crushed in the jaws of huge reptiles, and the blurred worrying sound of spinning crocodiles made a cacophony of hell that has rarely been duplicated on earth Of about one thousand Japanese soldiers that entered the swamps of Ramree, only about twenty were found alive.. The design was hopelessly flawed. However, the. A biologist solves the mystery of two dozen missing animal mummies. Unfortunately, the battle was at a standstill until the British Royal Marines and the 36th Indian Bridge flanked the Japanese soldiers. They decided to flee. 900 soldiers entered the swamp only 20 emerged. Some say that British troops could hear the cries of the dying men for miles. 111114. The fight for the island began after the Japanese landed on June 8, 1942, to begin construction of an airstrip. The invasion force was led by three Joint Assault Commanders, Captain Bush RN, Major-General Cyril Lomax and Wing Commander H. Smith. Her boyfriend caught the attack on film; the camera was recovered two days later along with her remains. Upon completing his investigation, Willis brought his findings to Guinness Book of World Records editor-in-chief Crag Glenday, who agreed to add a note to the Ramree Island entry stating that new research by the National Geographic Channel, however, has cast doubt on the story, or at least on the extent of deaths. Thus, the legend was put to rest. (2014). The island is 70 miles south of Akyab and is known as Sittwe. [5] The Japanese garrison of Ramree consisted of the II Battalion, 121st Infantry Regiment (Colonel Kanichi Nagazawa), part of the 54th Division, with artillery and engineer detachments to act as an independent force. Upon entering Ramree Island in the Bay of Bengal in early 1945, Japanese troops encountered a very uncertain situation. MELBOURNE, Aug 7 (Reuters) - An Australian Army soldier suffered serious head and chest injuries after being mauled by a crocodile that attacked him late on Friday, Australia media reported, with . You dont want to get bit by this creature, though, as their bite force is the strongest in the animal kingdom. A massive saltwater crocodile (via Wikimedia). Reconnaissance carried out on 14 January 1945, found that Japanese forces were placing artillery in caves overlooking the landing beaches on Ramree and the Royal Navy assigned the battleship HMSQueen Elizabeth, the escort carrier HMSAmeer, light cruiser HMSPhoebe, the destroyers Rapid, Napier, Norman and Pathfinder, with the sloops Flamingo and HMISKistna. A Cacophony Of Hell: The Story Of The Ramree Island Crocodile Massacre. What animal has the strongest armor? Around 500 Japanese soldiers are thought to have escaped those mangrove swamps, and 20 of them were eventually recaptured by the British forces who had set up a perimeter around the thick wilderness. While crocodiles are prolific killers, historians have long doubted that more than 800 Japanese soldiers were killed at Ramree Island in such a short period of time, and those doubts have only been affirmed by evidence uncovered in recent years that indicates that the true story was buried amid a flurry of sensational reporting. the 26th Indian Division attacked Ramree while . Wikimedia Commons photo. This post will reveal the historical account of the Ramree Island Massacre. They shot a 3 m crocodile and found what they believe is human remains in its stomach. The majority of Japanese soldiers died in combat or drowned, despite the fact that many British soldiers witnessed crocodiles eating dead Japanese bodies. Frank McLynn, a prominent British historian on the Burma campaign, effectively denounces the crocodile aggression account in his thorough analysis of the Allied effort to retake Burma from the Japanese, The Burma Campaign: Disaster into Triumph 1942-1945 (2011). Some of them being so badly injured and mauled that they were later recaptured by the British forces. 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. Sterling Pub Co Inc (1983), Last edited on 22 December 2022, at 20:31, "Crocodile Attack in Australia: An Analysis of Its Incidence and Review of the Pathology and Management of Crocodilian Attacks in General", 10.1580/1080-6032(2005)16[143:CAIAAA]2.0.CO;2, "Five Killer Croc Attacks Part Two: "Back Against The Wall", "Jual Batik Modern Murah - Pesona Batik Indonesia (0231) 8820445", Croc kills kid at holiday park: News24: World: News, "Crocodile attack victim Briony Goodsell, 11, was swimming near the Black Jungle Swamp", Lauren Failla DEAD: Vanderbilt Alum Killed By Crocodile 4 Years After Sister Dies In Climbing Accident, "River guide believed killed by crocodile in Congo", "NatGeo team confirms Lolong the croc is world's longest", "Philippine town claims world's largest crocodile title", "Woman watches friend dragged off beach by crocodile at night", "FT journalist presumed dead after being 'dragged into water by crocodile', "Briton killed by crocodile while washing hands in lagoon identified as FT journalist", "Zimbabwe crocodile attack bride tells of renewed hope", "Bride who lost arm to crocodile details horrific attack", "Indonesia mob slaughters nearly 300 crocodiles in revenge killing", "Bloodthirsty mob slaughters 300 crocodiles in revenge after villager eaten alive", "A Scientist Has Been Eaten Alive By A Crocodile", "The Revered Crocodiles of This Island Nation Have Suddenly Started Killing People", "Zambia crocodile attack: Amelie Osborn-Smith to return to UK", "Friend punched crocodile repeatedly to stop it eating British teenager", "National Museum of Australia - Val Plumwood canoe", Crocodile kills man securing boat from storm in Philippines, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Crocodile_attack&oldid=1128943972, On March 29, 1987, Ginger Faye Meadows, an American model, was killed by a crocodile while swimming in the, On May 22, 1992, an Iban girl, Dayang anak Bayang was killed by, In January 2001, attacks by mugger crocodiles were reported on tribal population around the, In October 2002, 23-year-old German student Isabel von Jordan was killed by a saltwater crocodile in Australia's. In addition, the references made to crocodiles are minimal compared to the passages detailing the dangers of malaria. During the Battle of Ramree, crocs slaughtered and ate up between 500 and 900 people. 8. However this has not stopped the Guinness Book of World Records to name the incident the Most Number of Fatalities in a Crocodile Attack. A dubious distinction for a horrible event, no matter the real numbers. Men of the Wiltshire Regiment from the 26th Indian Infantry Division prepare a meal beside a temple on Ramree Island. Kaori had been a kendo practitioner before the apocalypse, while Kyoko was a successor of the Tenshin-style sword arts. Too much bad in the world Let us not add to it The swamps were infested with mosquitoes, leeches, and snakes. The crocodiles, alerted by the din of warfare and smell of blood, gathered among the mangroves, lying with their eyes above the water, watchfully alert for their next meal. If the British 14th Army succeeded in taking the island, it could build an airbase there and use it as a launch point for bombing missions over Burma and Malaysia. [7] When the British outflanked a Japanese stronghold, the 900 defenders abandoned the base and marched to join a larger force of Japanese soldiers across the island. However, those with a more investigative eye cannot help but be skeptical of this bizarre tale from history. An average saltwater crocodile can easily reach 23 feet. The battle is known for claims that many Japanese soldiers were killed by crocodiles in the mangrove swamps of Ramree.