"Immediately after the capture of Balikpapan on 26 January 1942, 56th Mixed Infantry Group (Sakaguchi Detachment) was ordered to complete the occupation of Dutch Borneo by invading Bandjermasin, its capital. During the Balikpapan battle and also after the occupation of that city, every effort was made to gather information from Japanese residents, natives and POWs. Reconnaisance flights of the area were made by the naval air unit. It was necessary to capture Bandjermasin, as quickly as possible, in order to secure its airfield for fighter planes scheduled to partcipate in the Java Operation.
Heavy transport losses had been incurred during the Balikpapan operation and it was felt that even heavier losses would be suffered if Bandjermasin was attacked from the sea, as it was closer to the Dutch air bases in Java and enemy bombers were active in the area. This, together with the fact that the Navy, being engaged in the invasion of Ambon and Makassar, was unable to provide sufficient escort, made it advisable to plan the attack, as much as possible, over land. Other deciding factors in the decision to attack over land was that the river mouth near Bandjermasin was too shallow, making it impossible to take transports up the river.
It was decided that Group Headquarters would not take part directly in the Bandjermasin operation, but instead would remain in Balikpapan and assume operational command of the mopping up operations in the Sanga Sanga area and prepare for the invasion of Java. The attack on Bandjermasin was to be carried out by two separate landing forces, Land Drive Unit and Sea Drive Unit. The Land Drive Unit was supposed to leave Balikpapan on the evening of 30 January, land at Tanahgrogot before daybreak on the 31st and immediately prepare to advance through the mountainous jungle terrain and than steadily south towards to Bandjermasin…"
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Amicalement
Armand
tries the naval wargame in the Axis & Allies series.