Indonesia: Australian soldiers of the Second Australian Imperial Force use a 25-pounder field gun to pound Japanese positions during the Battle of Balikpapan, Borneo, Dutch East Indies (now part of East Kalimantan), July 1945

The Battle of Balikpapan was the concluding stage of Operation Oboe. The landings took place on 1 July 1945. The Australian 7th Division, composed of the 18th, 21st and 25th Infantry Brigades, with Dutch East Indies troops, made an amphibious landing a few miles north of Balikpapan, on the island of Borneo. The landing had been preceded by heavy bombing and shelling by Australian and US air and naval forces. The Japanese were outnumbered and outgunned, but like the other battles of the Pacific War, many of them fought to the death.

Major operations had ceased by July 21. The 7th Division's casualties were significantly lighter than they had suffered in previous campaigns. The battle was one of the last to occur in World War II, beginning a few weeks before the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki effectively ended the war. Japan surrendered while the Australians were combing the jungle for stragglers.

Copyright:

Supplier: CPA Media Co. Ltd.

Credit:

Pictures From History