Ngawi was a town in eastern Java that served as a destination for Dutch forces retreating from Japanese pressure in 1942. The Zuid‑colonne planned to march towards Ngawi after securing bridges at Tjepoe and Kertosono.
Operational Role
A detachment led by Lieutenant‑colonel J. G. M. Nass was instructed to maintain contact with light troops at Tjaroeban and to assist in keeping the road to Ngawi open.
Significance
Ngawi’s location on the main east‑west axis made it a strategic fallback point for Dutch troops attempting to regroup after the loss of Java’s coastal defenses.
See Also
Source
De geschiedenis van het Nederlandsche Korps Mariniers van 1665‑1945, OCR text, pp. 440‑442.