At 10:30 p.m. on 8 February, Australian machine-gunners opened fire on vessels carrying the first wave of 4,000 Japanese troops from the IJA's 5th and 18th Divisions towards Singapore Island.

Fierce fighting raged throughout the night in the area but the increasing Japanese strength in numbers – as well as their superiority in artillery, tanks, planes and military intelligence – eventually began to take their toll on the ill-reinforced defenders.

The Japanese managed to exploit several gaps in the thinly-spread Allied defence line along the coast, such as via small rivers, streams and creeks.

Before some British and Indian infantry reinforcements arrived, the badly-battered Australian and Singaporean defence units, along with the Jinds, retreated to the "Jurong Line", stretching south from the village of Bulim east of the airfield.

Shortly after dark on 9 February, three British Fairmile B motor launches were sent on a raid up the western channel of the Straits of Johor at the area of the coastline adjoining Sarimbun Beach.