Kertosono was a town in eastern Java that featured in Dutch defensive operations during the Japanese invasion of 1942. The Zuid‑colonne under Kolonel Van Dijk was ordered to keep the bridge at Kertosono open, with a half‑squadron of cavalry and infantry positioned east of the river.
Military Activity
Lieutenant‑colonel K. M. R. W. A. van Heuven received orders on 4 March 1942 to form a provisional battalion with a company from the Legioen Mangko Negoro and to hold the bridge at Kertosono.
Significance
Control of the Kertosono bridge was vital for maintaining Dutch lines of communication and delaying Japanese forces in the region.
See Also
Source
De geschiedenis van het Nederlandsche Korps Mariniers van 1665‑1945, OCR text, pp. 440‑442.