Sparrow ForceSparrow Force was a detachment based on the 2/40th Australian Infantry Battalion and other Dutch, British, US and Australian 8th Division units during World War II. The force was formed to defend the island of Timor from invasion by the Empire of Japan. It formed the main part of the Allied units in the Battle of Timor.
Portuguese TimorToday part ofTimor-LestePortuguese Timor (Portuguese: Timor Português) was a Portuguese colony on the territory of present-day Timor-Leste from 1702 until 1975. During most of this period, Portugal shared the island of Timor with the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia). The first Europeans to arrive in the region were the Portuguese in 1515. Dominican friars established a presence on the island in 1556, and the territory was declared a Portuguese colony in 1702.
West TimorWest Timor (Indonesian: Timor Barat) is a region covering the western part of the island of Timor, except for the district of Oecussi-Ambeno (an East Timorese exclave). Administratively, West Timor is part of East Nusa Tenggara Province, Indonesia. The capital as well as its main port is Kupang. During the colonial period, the area was named Dutch Timor and was a centre of Dutch loyalists during the Indonesian National Revolution (1945–1949).
Timor SeaThe Timor Sea (Indonesian: Laut Timor; Portuguese: Mar de Timor; Tetum: Tasi Mane or Tasi Timór) is a relatively shallow sea in the Indian Ocean bounded to the north by the island of Timor with Timor-Leste to the north, Indonesia to the northwest, Arafura Sea to the east, and to the south by Australia.
Empire of JapanJapanese nation state from 1868 to 194756.0 million lived in the naichi.73.1 million lived in the naichi.Japanese nameShinjitai大日本帝国Kyūjitai大日本帝國HiraganaだいにっぽんていこくだいにほんていこくKatakanaダイニッポンテイコクダイニホンテイコクLiteral meaningEmpire of Great JapanPortugal during World War IIAt the start of World War II in 1939, the Portuguese Government announced on 1 September that the 550-year-old Anglo-Portuguese Alliance remained intact, but since the British did not seek Portuguese assistance, Portugal was free to remain neutral in the war and would do so. In an aide-mémoire of 5 September 1939, the British government confirmed the understanding. As Adolf Hitler's occupation swept across Europe, neutral Portugal became one of Europe's last escape routes.
Allies of World War IIMilitary coalition in World War II"Long live the victory of the Anglo-Soviet-American military alliance!" – USSR stamp of 1943, quoting StalinThe Allies, or Allied powers, formally referred to as the United Nations from 1942, were an international military coalition formed during World War II (1939–1945) to oppose the Axis powers. Its principal members were the "Big Four"—the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, the United States, and China.
Southeast AsiaSubregion of the Asian continentSoutheast Asia is the geographical southeastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of China, east of the Indian subcontinent, and northwest of mainland Australia, which is a part of Oceania. Southeast Asia is bordered to the north by East Asia, to the west by South Asia and the Bay of Bengal, to the east by Oceania and the Pacific Ocean, and to the south by Australia and the Indian Ocean.
Darwin, Northern TerritoryCapital city of Northern Territory, AustraliaCity in Northern Territory, AustraliaDarwin ( ; Larrakia: Garramilla) is the capital and largest city of the Northern Territory, Australia. The city had a population of 139,902 at the 2021 census, which is nearly 63% of the territory's population. It is the smallest, wettest, and most northerly of the Australian capital cities and serves as the Top End's regional centre.
Division (military)A division is a large military unit or formation, usually consisting of between 6,000 and 25,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades; in turn, several divisions typically make up a corps. Historically, the division has been the default combined arms unit capable of independent operations. Smaller combined arms units, such as the American regimental combat team (RCT) during World War II, were used when conditions favored them.
Dutch East IndiesDutch colony in Indonesia (1800–1949)Today part ofIndonesiaMalaysia
World War IIGlobal conflict from 1939 to 1945BelligerentsAlliesAxisCommanders and leadersMain Allied leaders: Joseph StalinFranklin D. RooseveltWinston ChurchillChiang Kai-shekMain Axis leaders: Adolf HitlerHirohitoBenito MussoliniCasualties and losses 60–75 million deaths (military and civilian) World War II, or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945), was a global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies and the Axis powers.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.