Amazing Glorious Bike Troops of WWII

BIKE BLITZKREIG

MALAYA CAMPAIGN

Before the Malay Campaign, Japanese High Command asked German OKW (German High Command) how long would it take to conquer Malay and Singapore. German OKW replied it would need 6 months with deployment of several divisions including mechanized divisions

The operation is notable for the Japanese use of bicycle infantry, which allowed troops to carry more equipment and swiftly move through thick jungle terrain. Royal Engineers, equipped with demolition charges, destroyed over a hundred bridges during the retreat, yet this did little to delay the Japanese. By the time the Japanese had captured Singapore, they had suffered 9,800 casualties; Allied losses totaled 145,703, including 130,000 captured.

The bicycle troops of IJA did it’s best fighting in conquest of Malay and Singapore. On both operations, IJA made landings in relatively safe locations like Thailand or North Luzon and pushed it’s way into the capital city, Singapore and Manilla.

It was a classic maneuver warfare, much like what the Germans practiced. Use superior speed to move around the map, surprise, penetrate and encircle. British fought a retreating battle in Malay, moving back to Singapore while blowing up bridges on every single river on the way back, of where there were roughly 250 of them.

Malay front. You can see IJA landing through Thailand and Kota Bharu and pushing south In the 1940s, ability of Armor or vehicles to be mobile through dense vegetation was very limited. Trucks had engines that were nothing in terms of horsepower compared to today, and broke down often. Roads were often dirt roads, and armies typically marched through terrain that would instantaneously transform into swamps after heavy rain, knee to waist deep in mud and foliage. In order to operate anything heavier, like a tank, a massive amount of parts and fuel had to be supplied daily but in the case of Germany, road and rail network of Europe made this possible. There was no such luxury in Malay.

The central force consisted of vehicles and heavy artillery pieces, and their progress slowed to a crawl - or more precisely the speed at which the engineers could repair bridges. But if you gave the enemy time to dig in, that would mean far more deaths and month of protracted conflict.

So the IJA made use of several pieces of technology.

Bicycle troops - Bicycle was a major export industry before the war and Japanese bicycles were used throughout Asia including Malaysia. These were civilian issue models, which meant that on every little village there were ready supply of spare parts. These were also light enough for a trooper to swim across rivers with. So a blown up bridge can be circumvented.

 The Japanese also used bicycle infantry and light tanks, which allowed swift movement of their forces overland through terrain covered with thick tropical rainforest, albeit criss-crossed by native paths. Although the Japanese had not brought bicycles with them (in order to speed the disembarkation process), they knew from their intelligence that there are very good roads and suitable machines were plentiful in Malaya such as world famous English “Raleigh Bikes” and quickly confiscated and what they needed from retailers and rode on

The sinking of British Navy’s best and most treasured battleship Prince of Wales and Battleship Repulse on 10 December by the Genzan Air Group also established Japanese naval supremacy and huge blow to the British, PM Winston Churchill said this and the fall of Singapore was the most embarrassing moment in whole WWII

In less than two months, the Battle for Malaya had ended in comprehensive defeat for the Commonwealth forces and their retreat from the Malay Peninsula to the fortress of Singapore. Nearly 50,000 Commonwealth troops had been captured or killed during the battle. The Japanese Army invaded the island of Singapore on 7 February and completed their conquest of the island on 15 February, capturing 80,000 more prisoners out of the 85,000 allied defenders. The final battle before the surrender was with the Royal Malay Regiment at Bukit Candu on the 14 February attended by British Army Singapore Garrison Commander Lt GEN Percival