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{{short description|1942 battle in the Pacific during WWII}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2022}}
{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict = Battle of Christmas Island
| partof = the [[Indian Ocean in World War II|Indian Ocean theatre]] and [[Pacific War|Pacific Theatre]] of [[World War II]]
| image = Christmas Island in its region.svg
| image_size = 300px
| caption = Christmas Island
| date = 31 March − 1 April 1942
| place = [[Christmas Island]]
| coordinates = {{coord|10|29|24|S|105|37|48|E|display=inline,title}}
| territory = Christmas Island occupied by Japanese forces
| result = Japanese victory
| combatant1 = *{{flag|United Kingdom}}
**{{flagcountry|British Raj}}
*{{flag|United States|1912}}
| combatant2 = {{flagicon|Empire of Japan}} [[Empire of Japan|Japan]]
| commander1 = unknown
| commander2 = {{flagicon|Empire of Japan|naval}} [[Shōji Nishimura]]
| strength1 = '''Land:''' 32 [[infantry]] '''Sea:''' 1 [[submarine]]
| strength2 = '''Land:''' 850 infantry '''Sea:''' 3 [[light cruisers]] 8 [[destroyer]]s 1 [[Oiler (ship)|oiler]] 2 [[troop transport]]s '''Air:''' unknown aircraft
| casualties1 = 27 captured
| casualties2 = 1 light cruiser damaged
| notes =
:''One British officer and four British enlisted men were killed in a mutiny on 10 March 1942.''}}

The '''battle of Christmas Island''' was a small engagement which began on 31 March 1942, during [[World War II]]. Assisted by a [[mutiny]] of soldiers of the [[British Indian Army]] against their [[British people|British]] officers, [[Imperial Japanese Army]] troops were able to occupy [[Christmas Island]] without any land-based resistance. The [[United States Navy]] submarine {{USS|Seawolf|SS-197|2}} caused severe damage to the [[Imperial Japanese Navy]] cruiser {{Ship|Japanese cruiser|Naka||2}} during the landings.

==Background==
[[File:Christmas Island-CIA WFB Map.png|left|thumb|Map of Christmas Island showing the location of Flying Fish Cove, the "Settlement"]]
At the time, [[Christmas Island]] was a British possession under administrative control of the [[Straits Settlement]], situated {{cvt|161|nmi|mi km|lk=on}} south of [[Java (island)|Java]]. It was a good control post for the east Indian Ocean and it was an important source of [[phosphate]]s,<ref name="christmas-DEI" /> which were needed by Japanese industry. Since 1900, the island had been mined for its phosphate, and at the time of the battle there was a large labour force, consisting of 1,000 Chinese and Malays working under the supervision of a small group of British overseers. In addition, there were about 100 women and 200 children on the island.<ref name=smh/>

After the [[Battle of Java (1942)|occupation of Java]], Japanese [[Imperial General Headquarters]] issued orders for "Operation X" (the invasion and occupation of Christmas Island) on 14 March 1942.<ref name="christmas-DEI" /> [[Rear Admiral]] [[Shōji Nishimura]] was assigned to command the Second Southern Expeditionary Fleet's occupation force, with the [[light cruiser]] {{Ship|Japanese cruiser|Naka||2}} as his [[flagship]]. The fleet also consisted of the light cruisers {{Ship|Japanese cruiser|Nagara||2}} and {{Ship|Japanese cruiser|Natori||2}}, and [[destroyer]]s {{Ship|Japanese destroyer|Minegumo|1937|2}}, {{Ship|Japanese destroyer|Natsugumo|1937|2}}, {{Ship|Japanese destroyer|Amatsukaze|1939|2}}, {{Ship|Japanese destroyer|Hatsukaze||2}}, {{Ship|Japanese destroyer|Satsuki|1925|2}}, {{Ship|Japanese destroyer|Minazuki|1926|2}}, {{Ship|Japanese destroyer|Fumizuki|1926|2}} and {{Ship|Japanese destroyer|Nagatsuki|1926|2}}, oiler ''Akebono Maru'' and transports ''Kimishima Maru'' and ''Kumagawa Maru'', with 850 men of the 21st and 24th [[Imperial Japanese Navy Land Forces|special base forces]] and the 102nd Construction Unit.<ref name="christmas-DEI">{{cite web |last=L |first=Klemen |url=https://warfare.gq/dutcheastindies/christmas.html |title=The Mystery of Christmas Island, March 1942 |date=1999–2000 |work=Forgotten Campaign: The Dutch East Indies Campaign 1941–1942 |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160121080434/http://www.dutcheastindies.webs.com/christmas.html |archivedate=21 January 2022}}</ref>

Opposing this invasion force was a single {{cvt|6|in|mm}} gun that had been built in 1900 and had been mounted on Christmas Island in 1940. The British garrison—a detachment of the Hong Kong and Singapore Royal Artillery—numbered 32 troops. It was led by a British officer, Captain L. W. T. Williams. Williams' force consisted of an Indian officer, Subadar Muzaffar Khan; 27 [[Punjabis|Punjabi]] Indian gunners and [[non-commissioned officer]]s (NCOs); and four British [[Enlisted rank|enlisted men]].<ref name=kaisercross>{{cite web |url=http://www.kaiserscross.com/304501/499443.html |title=A Tale of Two Mutinies |work=The Soldier's Burden |accessdate=9 October 2017 |archive-date=19 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210719110911/http://www.kaiserscross.com/304501/499443.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

A group of Punjabi troops, apparently believing Japanese propaganda concerning the liberation of India from British rule, and probably acting with the tacit support of some or all of the local [[Sikh]] police officers, mutinied. On 11 March, they shot and killed Williams and the four British enlisted men – Sergeants Giles and Cross and Gunners Thurgood and Tate – and tossed their bodies into the sea.<ref name=kaisercross/> They then locked up the district officer and the few other European inhabitants of the island pending an execution that apparently was thwarted by the Japanese occupation.<ref name="christmas-DEI" /><ref>Woodmore 1996, pp. 28–29 & 111</ref>
{{Campaignbox Indian Ocean Theatre}}

==Battle==
[[File:Japanese Marines in Christmas Island 1942.jpg|left|thumb|Japanese troops capture the 6-inch gun position Christmas Island]]
At dawn on 31 March 1942, a dozen Japanese bombers launched the attack, destroying the radio station. The mutineers signalled their intention to surrender, raising a white flag before the 850-man landing force had come ashore.<ref name="christmas-DEI" /> The Japanese expeditionary corps was able to disembark at [[Flying Fish Cove]] without opposition.<ref name=smh>{{cite news |url=http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/revolt-on-christmas-island-20120313-1uy5q.html |title=Revolt on Christmas Island |author=Hunt, John |newspaper=Sydney Morning Herald |date=14 March 2012 |accessdate=9 October 2017 |archive-date=26 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220126025636/https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/revolt-on-christmas-island-20120313-1uy5q.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>Gill 1968, p. 16.</ref>

At 09:49 the same morning, the [[United States Navy|US Navy]] submarine {{USS|Seawolf|SS-197|6}} fired four torpedoes at the ''Naka''; all missed. ''Seawolf'' attacked again at 06:50 the following morning, firing three torpedoes at ''Natori'', missing again. That evening, with her final two torpedoes, from {{cvt|1100|yd|m}},<ref name=silent-vict>Blair 1976, pp. 190–191</ref> ''Seawolf'' managed to hit ''Naka'' on her starboard side, near her No. 1 boiler.<ref>{{cite web |authors=Hackett, Bob and Kingsepp, Sander |url=http://www.combinedfleet.com/naka_t.htm |title=IJN Naka: Tabular Record of Movement |work=Imperial Japanese Navy Page |publisher=Combined Fleet.com |accessdate=9 October 2017 |archive-date=6 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606040446/http://www.combinedfleet.com/naka_t.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> The damage was severe enough that ''Naka'' had to be towed back to Singapore by ''Natori'', and eventually was forced to return to Japan for a year of repairs. Following the hit, the other Japanese vessels [[depth charge]]d the US submarine for over nine hours but it escaped.<ref name=dest-cap>Hara 2013, p. 191</ref>

''Natori'' returned to Christmas Island and withdrew all elements of the occupation force, with the exception of a 20-man garrison detachment, to [[Banten Bay]], Indonesia, on 3 April 1942. The Japanese gained phosphate rock which was loaded on the transport ships.<ref name="christmas-DEI" />

==Aftermath==
Following the occupation, the Japanese garrison attempted to put the Chinese and Malays to work, although many escaped further inland to live off the land. The mutineers also became labourers, being employed to clean storage bins.<ref name=smh/> Production was only very limited after the occupation and after the 17 November 1942 sinking of the ''[[Nissei Maru]]'' by the submarine {{USS|Searaven}}<ref>Bertke, Smith & Kindell 2014, p. 354</ref> while unloading at the wharf, phosphate production was halted altogether. Over 60 percent of the island's population, including the European prisoners, were relocated to Java by December 1943. After the war, Christmas Island was reoccupied by the UK in mid-October 1945.<ref name=smh/>

In the post war period, seven Punjabi mutineers were traced and court-martialled in Singapore. The first six to be identified and tried were convicted on 13 March 1947. Five were sentenced to death, and one was sentenced to two years' imprisonment and discharge with ignominy. King [[George VI]] confirmed the death sentences on 13 August 1947. British rule in India [[Partition of India|ended]] shortly afterward, with India gaining independence and [[Pakistan]] being created before the executions could be carried out, and thus diplomatic issues had to be taken into account. In October 1947, a seventh mutineer was identified. He was also court-martialled and sentenced to death. An eighth soldier was identified as a participant in the mutiny but was never caught. On 8 December 1947, the death sentences were commuted to penal servitude for life after the governments of India and Pakistan made representations. After further arguments between the UK and Pakistan over where the sentences should be served, with the British demanding they serve nine years, the six prisoners were transferred to Pakistan in June 1955, after which the British government ended its interest in the case.<ref name="christmas-DEI" /><ref name=kaisercross/>

==See also==
*[[Cocos Islands mutiny]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==Bibliography==
*{{cite book |last1=Bertke |first1=Donald A. |last2=Smith |first2=Gordon |last3=Kindell |first3=Don |title=World War II Sea War, Vol 7: The Allies Strike Back |year=2014 |publisher=Bertke Publications |location=Dayton, Ohio |isbn=978-1-93747-011-1}}
*{{cite book |last=Blair |first=Clay |title=Silent Victory: The U. S. Submarine War Against Japan |location=New York |publisher=Bantam |year=1976 |ISBN=978-0-55301-050-3}}
*{{cite book |last=Gill |first=G. Hermon |year=1968 |url=https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1417314 |title=Volume II – Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945 |series=[[Australia in the War of 1939–1945]] |location=Canberra |publisher=[[Australian War Memorial]] |accessdate=20 November 2022}}
*{{cite book |author=Hara, Tameichi |author-link=Tameichi Hara |author2=Roger Pineau |editor=Fred Saito |title=Japanese Destroyer Captain |publisher=Naval Institute Press |year=2013 |isbn=978-1-61251-374-4}}
*{{cite book |last=Woodmore |first=F.P. |year=1996 |title=Christmas Island Explorer's Guide |publisher=Lone Island Publications |location=Christmas Island |isbn=0-646-24998-3}}

==External links==
*{{cite web |first=Klemen |last=L |date=2000 |title=Forgotten Campaign: The Dutch East Indies Campaign 1941–1942 |url=https://warfare.gq/dutcheastindies/index.html}}

{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Christmas Islands, Battle of 1942}}
[[Category:Conflicts in 1942]]
[[Category:1942 in Australia]]
[[Category:1942 in Japan]]
[[Category:Battles of World War II involving Japan]]
[[Category:World War II operations and battles of the Southeast Asia Theatre]]
[[Category:Military history of Australia during World War II]]
[[Category:Naval battles of World War II involving the United States]]
[[Category:Land battles of World War II involving the United Kingdom|Christmas Island]]
[[Category:Battles and conflicts without fatalities]]
[[Category:20th century in Christmas Island]]
[[Category:Battles and operations of World War II involving India]]
[[Category:Military history of Malaya during World War II]]
[[Category:March 1942 events]]
[[Category:April 1942 events]]
[[Category:Military history of India during World War II]]
[[Category:Mutinies]]

Battle of Christmas Island - Revision history

Bot at 11:28, 15 December 2022