 Following several weeks of air attacks and a short naval bombardment , soldiers of the Australian 24th Brigade were landed on Labuan from American and Australian ships on 10 June . The Australians quickly captured the island 's harbour and main airfield . The greatly outnumbered Japanese garrison was mainly concentrated in a fortified position in the interior of Labuan , and offered little resistance to the landing . The initial Australian attempts to penetrate the Japanese position in the days after the invasion were not successful , and the area was subjected to a heavy bombardment . A Japanese raiding force also attempted to attack Allied positions on 21 June , but was defeated . Later that day , Australian forces assaulted the Japanese position . In the following days , Australian patrols killed or captured the remaining Japanese troops on the island . A total of 389 Japanese personnel were killed on Labuan and 11 were captured . Australian casualties included 34 killed . 
