The Burma Campaign during the WW2

[Fatman17]

The Burma campaign from 1942 to 44 was the highlight of the success of the British indian Army and especially the 15th Division.
My interest stems from the fact that my late father (God bless him) fought in this brutal campaign against the invading Japanese army.
Shortly l will provide more details of this campaign and to me the most dramatic incident was my father meeting a former British officer who was his comrade in arms in the same battalion of the 15th Div in the early 70s. Imagine a telcon between the two gentlemen almost 30 years after the war ended and they recognised each other. Gave me goosebumps. The British officer also wrote and published a booklet on the campaign which he provided a copy to my father. It is one of the most cherished books in my small library.
More on this soon.....

 

[RescueRanger]

The Burma campaign from 1942 to 44 was the highlight of the success of the British indian Army and especially the 15th Division.
My interest stems from the fact that my late father (God bless him) fought in this brutal campaign against the invading Japanese army.
Shortly l will provide more details of this campaign and to me the most dramatic incident was my father meeting a former British officer who was his comrade in arms in the same battalion of the 15th Div in the early 70s. Imagine a telcon between the two gentlemen almost 30 years after the war ended and they recognised each other. Gave me goosebumps. The British officer also wrote and published a booklet on the campaign which he provided a copy to my father. It is one of the most cherished books in my small library.
More on this soon.....

Awaiting your write up on this. Plenty of mention in dispatches and MC's were awarded for action in Burma.

 

[Third eye]

The Burma campaign fought by the’ forgotten army’ is indeed a very interesting campaign to read and study. A masterpiece of improvisation on both sides.

Books like Defeat into Victory by Slim were keenly read & formed a vital part of Military History books prescribed as must reads for us in the days gone by.

 

[HAIDER]

The Burma campaign from 1942 to 44 was the highlight of the success of the British indian Army and especially the 15th Division.
My interest stems from the fact that my late father (God bless him) fought in this brutal campaign against the invading Japanese army.
Shortly l will provide more details of this campaign and to me the most dramatic incident was my father meeting a former British officer who was his comrade in arms in the same battalion of the 15th Div in the early 70s. Imagine a telcon between the two gentlemen almost 30 years after the war ended and they recognised each other. Gave me goosebumps. The British officer also wrote and published a booklet on the campaign which he provided a copy to my father. It is one of the most cherished books in my small library.
More on this soon.....

It is fact, lots of Indian lost in that war, British used local as cannon fodder. Every family who had served Royal British army lost someone on this front. Whereabouts still unknown of those soldiers. Almost 90,000 Indian soldiers lost in WW2, its rough estimate, can be more then that.

 

[RescueRanger]

It is fact, lots of Indian lost in that war, British used local as cannon fodder. Every family who has served Royal British army lost someone on this front. Whereabouts till unknown of those soldiers. Almost 90,000 Indian soldiers lost in WW2, its rough estimate, can be more then that.

Yes and No, yes the Imperial or "Royal" Army did indeed use the commonwealth soldiers like cannon fodder, this was not limited to soldiers from the "Indian Army" but also from Australia/New-Zealand and outer colonies.

The soldiers from India and Africa were able to make the Japanese suffer their worst ever combat defeat. This was partially due to the ingenious use of the Mueller corps from the RIASC.

Rise of the Phoenix: The Burma Campaign of 1945 | National Army Museum

Join esteemed academic Daniel Marston at this exclusive members’ event as he discusses his latest work on the 1945 Burma Campaign and the transformation of the British Indian Army.

www.nam.ac.uk

Probably one of the finest books written on the subject:

WAR AGAINST JAPAN VOLUME IV; The Reconquest of Burma HISTORY OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR: UNITED KINGDOM MILITARY SERIES: OFFICIAL CAMPAIGN HISTORY - Naval & Military Press

www.naval-military-press.com

 

[VCheng]

Yes and No, yes the Imperial or "Royal" Army did indeed use the commonwealth soldiers like cannon fodder, this was not limited to soldiers from the "Indian Army" but also from Australia/New-Zealand and outer colonies.

The soldiers from India and Africa were able to make the Japanese suffer their worst ever combat defeat. This was partially due to the ingenious use of the Mueller corps from the RIASC.

Rise of the Phoenix: The Burma Campaign of 1945 | National Army Museum

Join esteemed academic Daniel Marston at this exclusive members’ event as he discusses his latest work on the 1945 Burma Campaign and the transformation of the British Indian Army.

www.nam.ac.uk

Probably one of the finest books written on the subject:

WAR AGAINST JAPAN VOLUME IV; The Reconquest of Burma HISTORY OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR: UNITED KINGDOM MILITARY SERIES: OFFICIAL CAMPAIGN HISTORY - Naval & Military Press

www.naval-military-press.com

My taya fought in the jungles of Burma. His stories were riveting in my childhood.

 

[Waz]

Grandfather, all his cousins all fought in this campaign. Most redeployed after North Africa was won.
Legendary men the BIA.

 

[VCheng]

Grandfather, all his cousins all fought in this campaign. Most redeployed after North Africa was won.
Legendary men the BIA.

Imagine the stories they must have told their kids and grandkids!

 

[Olympus81]

I know of a family friend who fought during the Burma campaign.

He re-settled a town near Burma / Thailand border and decided to have a family there.

Had his roots from KP, but never had a chance to talk to him in detail.

 

[VCheng]

One particular story I still remember:

In order to break the morale of the British forces, the Japanese used to torture their captives in a particularly gruesome way. In a suitable clearing where they could have a clear view for sniping, they would tie a prisoner over a few young bamboo plants. The sharp tip of the plant would take a day or three, depending on how much rain, to grow through the body of the prisoner. He would scream in excruciating pain the whole time it would take to die, quite often over several days. Anyone attempting a rescue would be killed.

 

[moonaman.varavayi]

A part of the Burma campaign, the battle of Kohima has been voted by military historians as Britain's greatest battle:

Britain's greatest battle?

Battle of Kohima

Together with the battle of Imphal, they proved to be the turning point for Britain's success in the east in WW2.

Battles of Imphal and Kohima

The Naga regiment and Asssam regiment fought their hearts out to prevent the Imperial Japanese army from entering India.

The official marching regimental song of the Assam regiment today is "Badluram ka badan", which purports to refer to incidents that happened in the Battle of Imphal.

Badluram ka badan

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

@Fatman17 : Which regiment did your father serve in?

 

[Fatman17]

A part of the Burma campaign, the battle of Kohima has been voted by military historians as Britain's greatest battle:

Britain's greatest battle?

Battle of Kohima

Together with the battle of Imphal, they proved to be the turning point for Britain's success in the east in WW2.

Battles of Imphal and Kohima

The Naga regiment and Asssam regiment fought their hearts out to prevent the Imperial Japanese army from entering India.

The official marching regimental song of the Assam regiment today is "Badluram ka badan", which purports to refer to incidents that happened in the Battle of Imphal.

Badluram ka badan

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

@Fatman17 : Which regiment did your father serve in?

1st Punjab Regiment.

 

[Whirling_dervesh]

The Burma campaign from 1942 to 44 was the highlight of the success of the British indian Army and especially the 15th Division.
My interest stems from the fact that my late father (God bless him) fought in this brutal campaign against the invading Japanese army.
Shortly l will provide more details of this campaign and to me the most dramatic incident was my father meeting a former British officer who was his comrade in arms in the same battalion of the 15th Div in the early 70s. Imagine a telcon between the two gentlemen almost 30 years after the war ended and they recognised each other. Gave me goosebumps. The British officer also wrote and published a booklet on the campaign which he provided a copy to my father. It is one of the most cherished books in my small library.
More on this soon.....

my father fought in this campaign too. he was in signals

 

[Whirling_dervesh]

through my maternal grandparents side one of their brothers and his comrades escaped a Japanese prisoner of war camp deep in Burma and walked all the way to borders of India over weeks surviving on fruit and vegetation and fish. took weeks but they finally got home to kashmir.

most my maternal and paternal side became officers in pak army and served long after.

 

[Third eye]

Imphal to Kohima: the meeting at Mile Stone 109 of the 7th Cavalry and 33 Corps.

Nb Ris Karnail Singh of 7th Cavalry shakes hands with Major AC T Brotherton, a staff officer of 33 Corps