The forgotten 'Battle of Jitra'

By Nurrul Huda Ahmad Lutfi & Muhammad Adib Hakim Hasri

ALOR SETAR, Sept 16 -- The Battle of Jitra may not be familiar to many but it was significant in the history of Kedah as it was the beginning of British’s defeat in the East, while it fought against Japan in World War II between Dec 11 and 13, 1941.

The battle also became the starting point for the Japanese military operations in Malaya under Lieutenant General Tomoyuki Yamashita from Dec 11, 1941, until the fall of Singapore to Japan on Feb 15, 1942.

Director of the Management Museum in Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) Dr Mohd Kasri Saidon said Jitra was the main town that the British had to defend at that time, following its strategic location which is situated about 10 kilometres south from the Kepala Batas Airport in Alor Setar.

“Before the battle, the British had realised Japan’s intention to conquer Malaya, and had made various preparations including building a fortress and placing military assets around Changlun, Asun and Nongka in Kubang Pasu,” he told Bernama recently.

Mohd Kasri said however, the British far expected the Japanese tactic of striking an attack during a monsoon season which had caused the fortress that they built to be rendered useless after the area was inundated.

“The British, who had mobilsed troops from Australia, India and Gurkha, had become chaotic as compared to the more experienced and skilled Japanese army who had just finished a war in Indo-China.  This was a big battle, here (Jitra) was the first point of British’s defeat in the East,” he said.

It was reported that the British war strategy, led by Major General David Murray-Lyon, should be able to survive for three months, but it only lasted for three days when they lost to Japan.

Mohd Kasri added that the climax of the battle was when the British itself blew up the oil storage area in the Kepala Batas Airport so that Japan would not be able to use the oil and the airport.

“Following the blast, the British army at the back of the line lost their fighting spirit and retreated. This gave ample space for the Japanese army to enter Alor Setar,” he explained.

Meanwhile, a villager from Kampung Baru in Bukit Pinang here, Romli Salleh, 94, who had witnessed the Battle of Jitra said he heard a very loud explosive sound from the airport which was followed by thick, black smoke in the air on December 1941.

Ramli who was a teenager then, said he also saw other villagers fleeing for their lives following the explosion.

He recalled that life had never been easy during the Japanese occupation which saw the supply of rice, the Malayan staple food, growing scarce.

-- BERNAMA