Battle of Borneo (1941–1942)

WWII battle between Japanese and Dutch and British forces

Battle of Borneo

Part of the Pacific Theatre of World War II

Japanese paratroopers of the 2nd Yokosuka Naval Landing Force under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Genzo Watanabe (standing on top in the left) inside a transport ship heading to Borneo prior to their invasion in December 1941.
| Date| 16 December 1941 – March 1942

|

Location|

Borneo Island

Result|  Japanese victory
Territorial
changes|  Japanese occupation of British Borneo and Dutch Borneo
Belligerents
Japan|

United Kingdom

* Sarawak
* India
* North Borneo
* Brunei
* Labuan

Netherlands

* Dutch East Indies

Commanders and leaders
Kiyotake Kawaguchi|  Robert Brooke-Popham
C.M. Lane
Dominicus Mars
Strength
4,500 infantry
2 heavy cruisers
1 light cruiser
6 destroyers
1 submarine chaser
1 seaplane tender
1 minesweeper
1 submarine
1 collier
10 transports|  1,000 Sarawak Force
1,000 British Punjab Regiment
1,000 KNIL
650 police
5 fighters
Unknown bomber strength
3 flying boats
2 submarines
Casualties and losses
567+ casualties
2 destroyers sunk
1 minesweeper sunk
1 collier sunk
2 transports sunk
1 transport beached
1 transport damaged|  2,300 casualties
1 flying boat destroyed
1 submarine sunk

* v
* t
* e

Japanese offensives,
1940–1942

1940

* Manchukuo
* Chongqing
* South Guangxi
* West Suiyuan
* Wuyuan
* Zaoyang–Yichang
* French Indochina
* Kaimingjie
* Central Hubei
* North China

1941

* Panjiayu
* South Henan
* Western Hubei
* Shanggao
* South Shanxi
* 2nd Changsha
* Malaya
* Pearl Harbor
* Thailand
* Hong Kong
* Philippines
* Guam
* Wake
* Sand Island
* Niihau
* Gilbert Islands
* Indian Ocean
* Borneo
* Dutch East Indies
* 3rd Changsha

1942

* Timor
* Burma
* New Guinea
* Qantas Short Empire shootdown
* Singapore
* Darwin
* Ellwood
* Broome
* KNILM Douglas DC-3 shootdown
* Operation K
* Andaman and Nicobar
* Christmas Island
* Ceylon
* Solomons
* Tulagi
* Coral Sea
* Nauru and Ocean Islands
* Zhejiang-Jiangxi
* Madagascar
* Aleutian Islands
* Midway
* Sydney
* Newcastle
* Fort Stevens
* Dureenbee
* Mount Emily

* v
* t
* e

Dutch East Indies campaign

1941

* 1st Borneo

1942

* Tarakan
* Manado
* Balikpapan
* Kendari
* Samarinda
* Banjarmasin
* Ambon
* Makassar Strait
* Sumatra
* Palembang
* Badung Strait
* Timor
* USS Langley
* 1st Java Sea
* Sunda Strait
* Riau Islands
* Java
* Kalijati
* Leuwiliang
* Tjiater Pass
* 2nd Java Sea

The Battle of Borneo was the successful campaign by the Empire of Japan for control of British Borneo and Dutch Borneo.

## Background

[edit]

Balikpapan in Dutch Borneo, was a key Japanese target since oil from Samarinda and Sanga Sanga was refined, stored, and shipped there, besides having an airfield from which attacks could be launched against Java.[1]

British Borneo was important since it contained the Miri and Seria oil fields, the Lutong refinery, and the Ledo airfield outside Kuching.[1][2]

According to Percival, only token British forces were stationed in British Borneo, due to the lack of railways and roads, with transportation limited to coastal steamers. The objective of these forces was to destroy the oil fields and delay capture of the Kuching airfield. The plans were drawn up in August 1941, so that surplus equipment was shipped out, the Miri field closed down, the wells at Seria cemented in, and one of the Lutong refineries shut down. On 8 December, final demolition commenced, and Miri troops were evacuated to Kuching on 13 Dec.[2]

## Invasion

[edit]

For The campaigns in Dutch Borneo, see Battle of Tarakan (1942) and Battle of Balikpapan (1942).

Additional Japanese troops landing off the west coast of British North Borneo in Labuan, 14 January 1942.

On 13 December, the Kiyotake Kawaguchi's Kawaguchi Detachment left Cam Ranh Bay for Borneo with the objective of capturing Miri and then Kuching. Included in this detachment was an oil drilling group of about 150 oil engineers for the restoration of the Miri and Seria oil fields. On 16 December, they landed near Miri. On 25 December, the Kuching airfield was captured, after British troops under Lane retreated into Dutch West Borneo. On 7 January, the 2/15 Punjab Regiment defended the approach to Sanggau airfield, before being forced to retreat. Then on 28 January, Ledo airfield was captured, when the Kuching airfield was determined to be unusable for their navy land-based planes.[2][1][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]

Dutch Martin B-10 bombers attacked Japanese shipping from their base, 'Singkawang II' at Miri, on 17 December, but their attempt failed. The three Dornier Do 24Ks followed up with their own attack, but one was shot down, possibly by a floatplane from Kamikawa Maru.[10] The remaining two, benefiting from cloud cover, were never seen by the Japanese. One flying boat scored two 200 kg bomb hits on Shinonome, causing a massive explosion, while a near miss ruptured its hull plating. The destroyer's stern broke off and the ship sank within minutes.[10]

On 22 December, a Japanese convoy left Miri for Kuching, but was spotted by the Dutch flying boat X-35, which radioed a warning to the Dutch submarine HNLMS K XIV, under the command of Lieutenant Commander Carel A. J. van Groeneveld. At 20:40 on 23 December, K XIV infiltrated the convoy and began its attack. The army transports Hiyoshi Maru and Katori Maru were sunk with the loss of hundreds of troops. Hokkai Maru was beached to prevent her from sinking, and another transport was less seriously damaged.[10]

On the night of 23–24 December, HNLMS K XVI torpedoed the Japanese destroyer Sagiri 30 miles (48 km) north of Kuching, becoming the first Allied submarine in the Pacific to sink a warship. K XVI was lost with all hands during the day by a torpedo from Japanese submarine I66.[10]

On 24 and 28 December, B-10 bombers from a different unit flew missions against Kuching from Singapore, Sembawang. On 26 December, B-10s operating out of Samarinda sank a Japanese minesweeper and a collier.[10]

By 1 February, all of British Borneo was under Japanese control.[2]

Map of the American-British-Dutch-Australian Command (ABDACOM) area, with Borneo just left of centre.

## References

[edit]

* Runciman, S., The White Rajahs: A History of Sarawak from 1841 to 1946, particularly 252–5. Cambridge University Press, 1960.
* Percival, Arthur Ernest The War in Malaya, (especially Chapter XII: Operations in Borneo.) London, Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1949.
* L., Klemen, 1999–2000, The Netherlands East Indies 1941–42, "The Invasion of British Borneo in 1942".
* L., Klemen, 1999–2000, The Netherlands East Indies 1941–42, "The Japanese occupation of Sandakan, January 1942".
* Governors of North Borneo, World Statesmen.

### Citations

[edit]

1. ^ a b c "The Invasion of the Dutch East Indies". Internet Archive. Leiden University Press. 2015. Retrieved 18 April 2025.
2. ^ a b c d Percival, A.E. (1949). "The War in Malaya". Eyre & Spottiswoode. Retrieved 18 April 2025.
3. ^ Reece, R. H. W.; Reece, Bob (1982). The Name of Brooke: The End of White Rajah Rule in Sarawak. Oxford University Press. p. 97\. ISBN 978-0-19-580474-4.
4. ^ Evans, A. A.; Gibbons, David (15 August 2011). The Illustrated Timeline of World War II. The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc. p. 87\. ISBN 978-1-4488-4795-2.
5. ^ Thiessen, Tamara (2012). Borneo: Sabah, Brunei, Sarawak. Bradt Travel Guides. p. 134\. ISBN 978-1-84162-390-0.
6. ^ "The British Empire, Imperialism, Colonialism, Colonies". www.britishempire.co.uk. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
7. ^ "Decline and War". MiriResortCity.com. 13 January 2006. Archived from the original on 19 March 2015. Retrieved 28 March 2015.
8. ^ L, Klemen (1999–2000). "The Invasion of British Borneo in 1942". Forgotten Campaign: The Dutch East Indies Campaign 1941-1942. Archived from the original on 1 April 2015.
9. ^ Visser, Jan (1999–2000). "Who sank IJN destroyer Shinonome, December 1941?". Forgotten Campaign: The Dutch East Indies Campaign 1941-1942.
10. ^ a b c d e Cox, Jeffrey (November 2015). Rising Sun, Falling Skies: The disastrous Java Sea Campaign of World War II (illustrated ed.). Osprey Publishing. ISBN 9781472808349.

* v
* t
* e

History of East Malaysia

Common
history1|

* Bruneian Sultanate (1368–1888)
* Japanese occupation
* Battle of Borneo (1941–1942)
* Borneo campaign
* British Military Administration
* Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation
* Malaysia Agreement
* Proclamation of Malaysia
* 2019 federal constitution amendment (on hold) ★ first tabling
* 2020 Malaysia coronavirus pandemic
* 2021 federal constitution amendment (passed) ★ second tabling

History of
Sabah|

* Brunei Civil War
* Sultanate of Sulu
* Sabah conflict (1771)
* Austrian colony
* North Borneo Chartered Company
* North Borneo
* Antanum
* Mat Salleh
* Madrid Protocol
* Jesselton revolt
* Sandakan camp
* Sandakan Death Marches
* Battle of North Borneo
* Crown Colony of North Borneo
* Self-government of North Borneo
* Cobbold Commission
* 20-point agreement
* Keningau Oath Stone
* Double Six Crash
* Cross border attacks from the Philippines
* 1985 Lahad Datu ambush
* 2000 Sipadan kidnappings
* 2013 Lahad Datu standoff
* 1986 Sabah riots
* 1991 Sabah political arrests
* Project IC
* Sabah State Water Department corruption probe
* 2020 Sabah coronavirus pandemic

History of
Sarawak|

* Sultanate of Sarawak
* Raj of Sarawak
* Rentap
* Liu Shan Bang
* Syarif Masahor
* Crown Colony of Sarawak
* Anti-cession movement of Sarawak
* Communist insurgency in Sarawak
* Self-government of Sarawak
* Cobbold Commission
* 18-point agreement
* 1966 Sarawak constitutional crisis
* 1987 Ming Court Affair
* 1997 Sarawak HFMD outbreak
* Sarawak rabies outbreak (2017–present)
* 2020 Sarawak coronavirus pandemic

History of
Labuan|

* Crown Colony of Labuan
* North Borneo Chartered Company
* North Borneo (1890–1904)
* Straits Settlements (1907–46)
* Battle of North Borneo
* Battle of Labuan
* Colony of Singapore (1946)
* Crown Colony of North Borneo (1946–63)
* Cobbold Commission
* 20-point agreement
* Sabah (1963–84)
* Federal territory (1984–)

1 Covers the three territories

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World War II

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| Allies|

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Axis|

* Albania protectorate
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* State of Burma
* Republic of China (Wang Jingwei)
* Independent State of Croatia
* Finland (until September 1944)
* German Reich
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* Italian Social Republic
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* Manchukuo
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* French Indochina
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* Syria–Lebanon
* French North Africa
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* Collaboration

Neutral|

* Afghanistan
* Andorra
* Bhutan
* Ireland
* Liechtenstein
* Monaco
* Portugal
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* Saudi Arabia
* Spain
* Sweden
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* Tibet
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Resistance|

* Albania
* Austria
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* Estonia
* Ethiopia
* France
* Germany
* Greece
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* Italy
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POWs|

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Timeline|

| Prelude|

* Africa
* Second Italo-Ethiopian War
* Asia
* Second Sino-Japanese War
* Battles of Khalkhin Gol
* Europe
* Remilitarisation of the Rhineland
* Anschluss
* Munich Agreement
* Occupation of Czechoslovakia
* Operation Himmler
* Italian invasion of Albania

|

1939|

* Invasion of Poland
* Battle of the Atlantic
* Phoney War
* First Battle of Changsha
* Battle of South Guangxi
* Winter War
* 1939–1940 Winter Offensive

1940|

* Norwegian campaign
* German invasion of Denmark
* Battle of Zaoyang–Yichang
* German invasion of Luxembourg
* German invasion of the Netherlands
* German invasion of Belgium
* Battle of France
* Dunkirk evacuation
* Battle of Britain
* Battle of the Mediterranean
* North Africa
* West Africa
* British Somaliland
* Hundred Regiments Offensive
* Baltic states
* Eastern Romania
* Japanese invasion of French Indochina
* Italian invasion of Greece
* Compass

1941|

* Battle of South Henan
* Battle of Shanggao
* Invasion of Yugoslavia
* German invasion of Greece
* Battle of Crete
* Anglo-Iraqi War
* Battle of South Shanxi
* Syria–Lebanon campaign
* East African campaign
* Invasion of the Soviet Union
* Summer War
* Finland (Silver Fox)
* Lithuania
* Battle of Kiev
* Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran
* Second Battle of Changsha
* Siege of Leningrad
* Battle of Moscow
* Bombing of Gorky
* Siege of Sevastopol
* Attack on Pearl Harbor
* Japanese invasion of Thailand
* Fall of Hong Kong
* Fall of the Philippines
* Battle of Guam
* Battle of Wake Island
* Malayan campaign
* Battle of Borneo
* Japanese invasion of Burma
* Third Battle of Changsha
* Greek famine of 1941–1944

1942|

* Fall of Singapore
* Battle of the Java Sea
* St Nazaire Raid
* Battle of Christmas Island
* Battle of the Coral Sea
* Battle of Madagascar
* Zhejiang-Jiangxi campaign
* Battle of Gazala
* Battle of Dutch Harbor
* Battle of Midway
* Aleutian Islands campaign
* Kiska
* Attu
* Blue
* First Battle of El Alamein
* Battle of Stalingrad
* Kokoda Track campaign
* Rzhev
* Jubilee
* Second Battle of El Alamein
* Guadalcanal campaign
* Torch
* Chinese famine of 1942–1943

1943|

* Black May
* Tunisian campaign
* Battle of West Hubei
* Battle of Attu
* Bombing of Gorky
* Battle of Kursk
* Allied invasion of Sicily
* Smolensk
* Solomon Islands campaign
* Cottage
* Battle of the Dnieper
* Allied invasion of Italy
* Armistice of Cassibile
* Burma
* Northern Burma and Western Yunnan
* Changde
* Second Battle of Kiev
* Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaign
* Tarawa
* Makin
* Bengal famine of 1943

1944|

* Tempest
* Monte Cassino / Anzio
* Korsun–Cherkassy
* Narva
* U-Go
* Imphal
* Ichi-Go
* Kohima
* Overlord
* Neptune
* Mariana and Palau
* Bagration
* Western Ukraine
* Second Battle of Guam
* Tannenberg Line
* Warsaw Uprising
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* Liberation of Paris
* Dragoon
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* Battle of San Marino
* Lapland
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* Vietnamese famine of 1944–1945
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* Leyte
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* Dutch famine of 1944–1945

1945|

* Vistula–Oder
* Battle of Manila
* Battle of Iwo Jima
* Indochina
* Vienna offensive
* Project Hula
* Western invasion of Germany
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* Battle of Okinawa
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* document
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* Atomic bombings
* Debate
* South Sakhalin
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* Potsdam Declaration
* document
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* World portal
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Imperial Japanese surprise attacks and battles of December 1941

Topics|

* Attack on Pearl Harbor
* Battle of Hong Kong
* Battle of Guam (1941)
* Battle of Wake Island
* First Bombardment of Midway
* Shelling of Johnston and Palmyra
* Invasion of Gilbert Islands
* Bombing of Rangoon (Burma)
* Japanese invasion of Thailand (Battle of Prachuap Khiri Khan)
* Invasion of Borneo

Philippines|

* Attack on Clark and Iba Fields
* Japanese invasion of Aparri
* Japanese invasion of Batan Island
* Japanese invasion of Davao
* Japanese invasion of Lamon Bay
* Japanese invasion of Legazpi
* Japanese invasion of Lingayen Gulf
* Japanese invasion of Vigan

Malaya|

* Battle of Gurun
* Battle of Jitra
* Battle of Kampar
* Battle of Kota Bharu
* Battle of Kuala Lumpur
* Bombing of Singapore (1941)
* Sinking of Prince of Wales and Repulse

Related|

* Japanese declaration of war on the United States and the British Empire
* Day of Infamy speech
* Philippines campaign (1941–1942)
* Malayan campaign
* Battle of Changsha (1941–1942)
* Dutch East Indies campaign
* List of shipwrecks in December 1941
* USS Wake capture
* HMS Peterel sunk
* Invasion of Shanghai International Settlement

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