Almost simultaneously with the attack on Pearl Harbour, the Japanese launched attacks on the main British Imperial outposts in the Far East – Malaya and Hong Kong.
The invasion over the beaches of Kota Bharu in northern Malaya met fierce resistance from pill boxes on the shoreline – and the Japanese sustained very heavy casualties. These pill boxes were manned by men of the Dogra Regiment of the 8th Indian Infantry Brigade. Eventually the pill boxes were destroyed and their occupants wiped out. It would seem as a consequence we have very few accounts of this early battle.
‘Empire troops’ were also defending Britain’s other Far East possession.Tom March was a senior NCO with the Canadian Winnipeg Grenadiers based on Hong Kong. He watched the first Japanese attack on the 8th December:
Early the next morning we heard the sound of gunfire on the Mainland and the explosion of bombs on our old camp at Sham Shui Po and the flying field of the Island. Then a Jap reconnaissance plane, clearly marked with red ball, passed directly over our heads. It had come. This was war.
We of the Grenadiers hoped to be in the thick of it. We did not think highly of the Jap. We had confidence in ourselves and in our Officers. Let them come. One more glorious episode of Empire was to be written with the help of Canada. Strange how many enemy planes kept coming over.
Where were our planes? Although we did not know it then, well-aimed bombs had already destroyed them before they were able to leave the ground. The Japs first objective had been the airport and the destruction of the half dozen obsolete biplanes that stood there. Even had they left the ground they would have been duck soup for the Zero Pilots. Their crews later fought valiantly with the ground troops.
As the day wore on the Japs dropped bombs on the crowded dock areas and other chosen spots both on the mainland and the Island. We could see several big fires. Now it was our turn. A Jap Zero marked with the blood-red orange of Nippon dived at our roadblock.
We also dived, for the ditch. The Japs machine guns rattled and the dirt flew. There were some Indian troops in a truck nearby at the time and they also jumped for the ditch. One threw himself on top of me. When the plane had passed and the commotion subsided somewhat we found that we had no casualties. I collected myself and asked the Indian soldier, who spoke fair English, “Why did you jump on me?”
He replied, “Sergeant Sahib. You white man, valuable to King Emperor. One Indian soldier no great matter if killed.”
I could not quite figure this out. Was he really concerned with the survival of one white man of such exalted rank as a Sergeant or was he making sure that my dive for the ditch would receive notice thereby excusing himself and his companions for doing likewise. I gave him the benefit of the doubt and thanked him.
I had the suspicion that white officers in Indian Regiments are expected to stand up and be shot in order to maintain the white mans prestige under such circumstances. Not for me. A dead Officer is no example, or at best a poor one.
Read his whole account at the Hong Kong Veterans Commemorative Association.
Attacks on the United States dependencies in the Pacific followed a similar course. For example Captain G. J. McMillin, U.S. Navy, the US Governor of the island of Guam received notification of hostilities at 5.45 am local time:
Enemy planes appeared from the direction of Saipan shortly after eight o’clock, and the first bombs were dropped on the Marine Reservation and vicinity at 0827. The Marines were in barracks, or on their normal duties throughout the post. Several were injured running across the golf course, for protection in the surrounding thickets. The Pan Air Hotel kitchen received a direct hit, and several native employees were killed.
An attack was made on the U.S.S. PENGUIN outside the Harbor; the ship gallantly fought, but was soon in a sinking condition. Ensign White, U.S.N.R., was killed by machine gun fire at his station on the AA gun. The PENGUIN had the only guns on the Station larger than a .30 caliber machine gun. The ship was abandoned in a sinking condition, and sank in deep water off Orote Point.
There were several men injured, but all of the crew succeeded in getting ashore on life rafts, bringing Ensign White’s body with them. The Captain, Lieutenant J.W.. Haviland, 3rd, U.S. N., was wounded.
The full report can be read at Mansell.com.
On the same day President Roosevelt was addressing the United States: