The Battle of Labuan was fought between Allied and Japanese forces in June 1945 during World War II on the island of Labuan, in preparation for the Australian invasion of North Borneo. Following weeks of air attacks and a short naval bombardment, the 24th Brigade landed on Labuan on 10 June and quickly captured the island's harbour and main airfield. The greatly outnumbered Japanese garrison was concentrated in a fortified position, and offered little resistance to the landing. The initial attempts to penetrate the Japanese position were not successful, and the area was subjected to a heavy bombardment. A Japanese raiding force attacked Allied positions on 21 June, but was defeated. Later that day, Australian forces overwhelmed the Japanese position, and by mid-July, Australian patrols had killed or captured the remaining Japanese troops on the island. A total of 389 Japanese personnel were killed on Labuan and 11 were captured; Australian casualties included 34 killed. After securing the island, the Allies developed Labuan into a significant base and provided assistance to thousands of civilians who had been rendered homeless by the pre-invasion bombardment. Following the war, a major Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemetery was established on Labuan. (Full article...)
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