Codename: Platypus action sequence
【Canonical title】 Part of the Battle of Borneo
Operation Platypus
【Secret Level】Secret
[Initiator] Allied Forces
【Operation Process】March 20-July 22, 1945
【Purpose】 To enter the Balikpapan region of Borneo (Kalimantan) in the Netherlands, to gather information and organize local people to resist the Japanese
Borneo (Kalimantan)
【Background】
During World War II, the Southeast Asian battlefield was relatively chaotic, especially in the later stages of the war, where many forces were entangled, including Japan, Britain, Australia, the United States, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, And Burma.
Among them, britain's military force is more remarkable, which is largely because many places were once its colonies.
Operation Platypus was an operation by special reconnaissance personnel from the British Z Special Forces. The main purpose of the flag was that the "platypus" involved small groups entering the Balikpapan region of Dutch-occupied Borneo (Kalimantan) to gather information and organize locals as resistance fighters against the Japanese.
Part of Z Special Forces
【Course of Action】
On March 20, 1945, Operation Platypus 1 was quietly launched.
Platypus 1 used the civilian ship Horn (a foldable canoe) and inflatable rubber boats that had been bundled to the side of the submarine Perch.
Foldable canoe
USS Perch
Force Z dispatched four members to carry out the operation, each in two submarines equipped with outboard engines, to the shore 55 kilometres (34 miles) north of Balikpapan.
Because one of the engines failed to start, both members had to paddle. A yacht consisting of Australian Army Sheriff Bruce Dolan and New Zealand Army Bill Holox managed to reach shore.
Another ship carrying the mission commander, Army Major D. J. (Don) Stott and his deputy, Leslie McMillan, are both New Zealanders. According to later war reports, the two team members were missing and were presumed to have drowned. At other planned landing sites, Japanese patrols were encountered, and no further landings were made that night.
On the evening of 22 March, the main body of Platypus 1 used a submarine equipped with an outboard engine and successfully landed despite engine failure. At one stage, they were surrounded by Japanese patrols, but managed to avoid them.
Meanwhile, Dolan and Holrox use mirrors to signal to Allied aircraft and are rescued by the American Caterina seaplane. In order to conceal the movement from the Japanese, their ships were partially dismantled and stored in the cabin of the "Caterina".
"Caterina" seaplane
【Follow-up】
After Platypus 1 ended, the Allies assessed the effectiveness of the operation and concluded that it had achieved little effect. So for a long time, the Platypus operation lost its movement.
However, as the situation on the Asian battlefield became clearer and Japan became more and more passive, the Allies believed that operation Platypus should be ready to play a role. So a whole bunch of platypuses are hatching their eggs in a hurry—
June 20-24, 1945. When Z Special Forces personnel were deployed with their submarines from the Catalina aircraft belonging to the U.S. 7th Fleet, they initiated and carried out 4 operations with exactly the same purpose, Operation Platypus 2, Operation Platypus 3, Operation Platypus 4 and Operation Platypus 5. to gather information about the locals.
On June 30, 1945, when two planes carrying Z commandos landed in the Seymour region of Borneo, Operation Platypus 6 and Operation Platypus 7 were launched simultaneously.
On 12 July 1945, Operation Platypus 9 was deployed by ship to Gibra (Upper Balikpapan Bay) via landing craft. Operation Platypus 9 includes a new mission to assist in disrupting enemy barge traffic.
On 16 July 1945, Operation Platypus 10 was staged again, using small boats and fast sailing boats, which patrolled the Rico area – and a locally built, stronger, larger Proa canoe.
"Proa" canoe
On July 22, 1945, Operation Platypus 11, the last operation in the series, used boats to scout and identify future target areas.
【Relevance】
Operation Platypus is a special operation and has a relatively large sequence of actions.
However, according to the available information, the 8th of this operation is missing. The reason for this is unknown, perhaps because the original quantity was wrong, or it may be that the record was missing.
Map of the Battle of Borneo
【Impact】
The impact of the Platypus sequence of operations on war is objectively present, but in terms of influence, it does not have much energy. The reason is relatively simple, the platypus operation is extremely small in scale each time, and what kind of earth-shattering event can be expected to be achieved by two small kayaks.
Of course, if the information and intelligence collected can have enough weight, even if the entire operation is only 1 strategic intelligence level, it is the result of all the operation.
Operation Platypus resembles only a seeder, but most of the operations do not achieve their basic goals, and apart from constantly burying the lives of special operators, history, while not denying it, cannot give greater recognition.
borneo
【Comments】
In the history of world wars, Operation Platypus has left almost no waves and ripples, so much so that the British may have forgotten it. But that's how history is, and more fragments are made up of such obscure action plans.
Although the direct military significance of operation "platypus" was not great, the clamping down on the Japanese was not completely negligible.
"Platypus"
【Code Name Description】
The first action of Operation Platypus is also known separately as Project Robin. Perhaps to show the aggressive character of Z Special Forces like the "Robins".
The code name of the large force of the "platypus" operation is only "platypus".
The "platypus" is one of the most primitive mammals that appeared 25 million years ago, it is an under-evolved mammal, there are very few species, and there is only one species of platypus in the same genus, and it is also one of the lowest mammals. The platypus's beak and feet resemble ducks, while its body and tail resemble beavers. Platypus is found only in eastern Australia and Tasmania.
The reason why this operation is called "Platypus" may be for the following details:
In addition to lactation, platypus has lived a solitary life all its life, spending most of its time in the water and being a good swimmer. Its fur is greasy and keeps its body warm in colder water. When swimming, paddling with the webbed feet of the forelimbs, grasping the direction on the hind limbs, preying on some small aquatic animals living in the river, relying on electrical signals and their tactile sensitive duck beaks to find food at the bottom of the riverbed - this state is more in line with the situation when the team members are in action;
Platypus are nocturnal creatures that tend to sleep during the day and move at night – something similar to the actions of their team members;
The platypus, the only australian animal in the world, was once in danger of extinction due to the pursuit of specimens and precious furs, and the overfishing of the population for many years caused serious decline. Because of its particularity and rarity, it is classified as an internationally protected animal – and in terms of the number of team members involved in each specific operation, there is a real need for a scarcity with platypus.
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