Operation Rimau

Operation Rimau

Operation Rimau was an assault on Japanese ships in Singapore Harbour. It was carried out by an Allied Commando Unit Z Special Unit, during World War Two using Australian built MKIII folboats. It was a follow-up mission of the successful Operation Jaywick, which took place in 1943. It was led by Lieutenant Colonel Ivan Lyon of the Gordon Highlanders. Originally named Operation Hornbill the aim of Operation Rimau was to sink Japanese ships by paddling the folboats in the dark and placing limpet mineson ships. It was originally intended that Motorised semi-submersible canoes would be used to gain access to the harbour. However, they resorted to folboats.

Ivan Lyon

Thirteen soldiers, including Ivan Lyon, were killed. The ten captured commandos were took to court for espionage  and executed on 7 July 1945.

Lyon led  Z Special Unit which contains of twenty-one men for this operation. They left their base in Australia on the British submarine HMS Porpoise on 11 September 1944. When they reached the island of Merapas, it was discovered to be inhabited. To ensure that their stores would remain undiscovered by the natives, one of the officers from Porpoise remained on Merapas as a guard.

Plague Outside Kranji War Memorial
Commemorating Force Z

The force commandeered a Malay junk named the Mustika. Taking the Malay crew aboard the submarine, Z Special Unit transferred their equipment to the junk and the Porpoise departed. Lyon decided to drop four more men with Carey off.

The crew of  Unit Z

Meanwhile, the Mustika neared its target. On the day of the planned attack, 10 October 1944, disaster struck. A patrol boat challenged the Mustika and someone on board opened fire. Lyon had no option but to abort the mission as their cover were blown. After blowing up the junk, he ordered his men to paddle back to Merapas by use of the folboats that they had stored on Mustika. However, Lyon led a small force of six other men into Singapore Harbour by folboat, where they are believed to have sunk three ships with limpet mines.

While the main party returned safely to Merapas, the raiding party did not fare so well. The Japanese caught up with Lyon and his party on Soreh Island. A battle ensued and two of the men were severely wounded. Lyon and three other men stayed on Soreh to hold off the Japanese in order for the wounded duo to escape. After a battle, Lyon and one of his men were killed by a grenade on 16 October 1944. The wounded duo made it by folboat to Tapai Island where they died on 18 October, either from their wounds or by swallowing suicide pills. 

In all, ten members of the contingent were captured. They were brought to Singapore and held at Outram Road Prison. On 3 July 1945, they were send to court for espionage and were executed. The ten men were decapitated on 7 July 1945.

Source: 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Rimau ( Date accessed: 17 February 2013 )

Images From Google Image ( Date Found: 17 February 2013 )