Battle of Sarimbun Beach

Battle of Sarimbun Beach
Part of the Battle of Singapore, Pacific War
The positions of Allied forces in the Sarimbun area of Singapore at 10:00 p.m. (local time) on 8 February in 1942. The arrows indicate attacks by Japanese forces.
Date 8–9 February 1942 Location Sarimbun Beach, Singapore (Straits Settlements) 1°26′12″N 103°41′57″E / 1.436789°N 103.699254°E / 1.436789; 103.699254 Result Japanese victory
Belligerents
22nd Australian Brigade Jind Infantry Battalion Dalforce militia (one company)	5th Division 18th Division
Commanders and leaders
Harold Burfield Taylor	Renya Mutaguchi Takuro Matsui
Strength
~3,000	~10,000

The Battle of Sarimbun Beach was the first stage of the Japanese assault on Singapore in February 1942 during World War II. Sarimbun Beach, in the northwestern corner of mainland Singapore, was the area in which Japanese troops, under the direction of Lieutenant-General Tomoyuki Yamashita, first attacked Allied forces (predominantly British) in Singapore. The commander of all Allied forces in Singapore, Lieutenant-General Arthur Percival, did not expect the Japanese to make their main attack on the island from the northwest and subsequently failed to reinforce the 22nd Australian Brigade, which took the brunt of the Japanese assault. The main Japanese objective to be attained following their landing at Sarimbun Beach was the capture of Tengah Airfield.