Kedah’s forgotten WWII story – The Battle of Jitra

A drone image of an abandoned British army WWII fort, built in 1941, at Lorong Kubu, Kampung Baru, Bukit Pinang in Alor Setar. — Photos: Bernama

The Battle of Jitra might not be familiar to many, but it was significant in the history of Kedah as it was the beginning of the British WWII defeat in Malaya as it fought desperately against the invading Japanese army.

The battle – Dec 11-13,1941 – also became the starting point for the Japanese military operations in Malaya under Lieutenant General Tomoyuki Yamashita from Dec 11,1941, until the fall of Singapore to Japan on Feb 15,1942.