Operation Krohcol - Battle of Betong

Battle of Betong

Krohcol crossed the frontier some fourteen hours after the landings at Kota Bharu, on 8 December, and met stubborn opposition from Thai policemen and civilian volunteers led by Major Prayoon Rattanakit, police commissioner of the town of Betong.

This force harassed the British column from the safety of the surrounding forests and felled rubber trees across the narrow road, slowing down the progress of the Bren gun carriers. In the meantime much of the Thai population of Betong evacuated the town, leaving behind Chinese and Indian merchants. Thai resistance delayed the Punjabis until the following afternoon and they did not reach the town of Betong, only five miles inside the frontier, until the evening of 9 December.

When Krohcol entered Betong, a Thai constable commanding a police unit allowed them to pass through unopposed. He then approached Lt Col Moorhead and courteously apologised for the "mistake." However, it is not known why Moorhead did not immediately push on to the Ledge, but the delay proved fatal. On the morning of 10 December, Punjabi troops set off from Betong and headed for the Ledge. But at about 1400, while advancing through a ravine above the Pattani River, they came under fire again, this time from the Japanese 5th Division who had left their beachhead at Pattani. Fighting went on into the night, continuing the next day.

With casualties mounting, Moorhead made up his mind to fall back to Betong, with permission from Divisional Headquarters. Nearly outflanked by the Japanese, Krohcol began their retreat at dawn of 11 December. Moorhead jumped aboard the last of the four remaining Bren gun carriers, but not before rescuing a wounded Punjabi soldier (Moorhead spotted him lying on the shell-blasted road, lifting a weary hand of farewell at him. He leaped out of the carrier, carried him on his shoulder, and returned to the carrier).

That night the Thai police were reinforced by Japanese tanks coming down from the landings at Pattani, who proceeded to pursue and engage Krohcol. Krohcol was a mere five miles from The Ledge, their objective. A prisoner released from a local jail, an ex-bandit who knew the area well, was borrowed by the Japanese. Betong was re-occupied, and the force under Prayoon began taking punitive actions against the local Chinese, who were believed to have greeted Krohcol flying the Union Jack as well as the Kuomintang flag. A local Indian accused of volunteering his services (as a guide) to Krohcol was tracked down, cornered, and shot dead by a group of vengeful Thais.

Moorhead asked for permission to retreat back to Kroh, but half an hour before they were to leave the Japanese attacked their positions in strength. During the night of 11/12 December the Japanese had moved around the flanks of Krohcol and attacked C Companies' positions. Only ten men from C Company escaped. Moorhead was forced to make a fighting retreat back to Kroh throughout 12 December, where they passed through Lt.Col. Cyril Stokes's delayed 5/14th Punjab, which was digging in. The 3/16th Punjabs were reduced to around 350 officers and men.