Aussie Spirit PTO (id:#66511)

(ASL Journal #14 ID: J232)   [next]   [previous]

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

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Overview:

With the Japanese invasion of Timor well underway, the commander of Sparrow Force had been placed in a quandary-to defend the airfield and potentially be overwhelmed quickly, or fall back to continue the fight. Vital to either option was the single road to the east. It was the only supply line for Sparrow Force and the only route that gave access to eastern Timor. On this vital road was a force of Japanese paratroopers who had dropped earlier in the day to the northeast of Babau and after a hard fight with rear-area Allied troops, now stood astride this road to Babau. The mobile reserves of Sparrow Force was Company D from the 2/40th Battalion under Captain Alan Trevena, a unit raised from the Australian southern state of Tasmania. They had spent the morning moving east along this road and after being strafed and subject to other delays reached a point about 500 yards west of the village. Here Company D deployed to move into Babau, determined to sweep through and clear the road to the east.

Defender: Japanese (1 Company, Yokosuka 3rd Special Naval Landing Force, Eastern Detachment)  

Errata (source)