General Forms And Documents
Return To General Documents Index
THE DIVS TELL THEIR OWN STORY
Taken from the Part II of the S.E.A.C. Souvenir Newspaper
Donated By
The Burma Star Association.
....AFTER one of the longest periods
of training that any formation has been given in this war, the 19th Indian
Division—now famous as the Dagger Division—had its baptism of fire
in the advance across the Chindwin in November, 1944. Within seven weeks
the Division had marched 400 miles and fought 18 battles, against elements
of three different Japanese divisions.
....While one Brigade Group, on pack basis, forced back Jap rearguards through
some of the most difficult hills and jungles in the world, the rest of the
Division moved further North by a rough mountain road hewn by the Japs through
these mountains.
....The enemy was surprised and given no time to concentrate or put any serious
demolition scheme into execution. Only air supply and the marching fitness
of the troops made possible the speed and the success of the operations: and,
before December, 19 Div poured into the North Burma Plain and joined hands
with 36 -Div, which had come down the Railway Corridor from the North. The
Japs had thus been driven out of Northern Burma.
....Now 19 Div moved clown the Rai1way Corridor and the North Burma Plain,
and by Christmas had driven back Jap rearguards and captured the Kawlin-Wuntho
airfields. These were soon repaired enough to land light aircraft for
evacuating casualties and then large transport aircraft carrying ammunition
and supplies.
....Jap resistance steadily increased. Individually, the enemy fought in his
positions to the end, and retired only when, at times, his Higher Command ordered
a rearward move. At Leiktu, Kin-U, and Sadwingyi, particularly, hard actions
were fought until, with 2 Div, we drove the Japs out of Shwebo and mauled the
retreating enemy.
....At the same time, the Division had established itself into two areas on
the East bank of the Irrawaddy- Thabeikkyin in the North, and Kyaukmyaung in
the South. opposite Shwebu.
....The drive from the Chindwin to the Irrawaddy had been hard and far. Considerable
casualties had been inflicted on the enemy; the Division’s own were
not heavy, and the morale of the Daggers was high as they faced the task of
forcing another crossing of the broad river Irrawaddy.
....Preparations proceeded secretly and methodically, and Jap attempts to operate
West of the river were liquidated in some brisk fighting. Meanwhile, bold patrolling
across the Irrawaddy bemused the Jap and made him dissipate his forces along
the considerable stretch involved.
....On 14 Jan, at night, the crossing was made, and the build-up followed nightly
and rapidly in spite of all Japanese efforts to throw our troops back over
the river. Infantry, gunners, sappers, and HQs—all were involved
and the fierce fighting for the Bridgeheads was on.
....Gradually the Daggers extended their hold. Important heights were seized
and all the while the Japs reacted violently and concentrated against the Division
the heaviest concentration of Jap artillery yet produced in Burma.
....Fanatical attacks were thrown back—at times they charged screaming;
at others, they attempted to get in after crawling silently to hand grenade
range and then charging regardless of losses.
....After one charge 69 Jap corpses were picked up in front of one of our localities.
Grenades, bayonets, kukries and even stones were freely used, but our
men hung on to their hard-won ground with a dogged determination that was magnificent.
The RAF gave unstinted and decisive support, and, in due course, the Divisional
Commander considered our lodgement firm and started to cross the hulk of the
Division over, including tanks, which now joined the Division for the first
time, ready for the advance on Mandalay. The Bridgehead fighting cost the Japanese
1,000 dead.
....For our break-out from the Bridgehead, it had to be enlarged to gain
more room for manoeuvre. A lake and waterlogged ground limited the exits for
tanks to two narrow necks of dry going, both defended by the Japs.
....A series of hammer blows, with tank support, secured the vital objectives.
The Bridgehead was extended along the river to Singu and deep into the plain
to the East.
....The Engineers, the Administrative Services and the Staff were working at
full pressure getting everything over the Irrawaddy ready for the break-out
and the advance on Mandalay.
....By a series of thrusts in different directions, Japs were again bemused
and showed every sign of nervousness and their commander finally cast the die
and lost,. He chose to hold on to the baking arid slopes of the Gawuntaung
ridge and kept the bulk of his troops there in the East, covering the main
road to Mandalay.
....One of our brigades. with the minimum of guns and a few light tanks, fought
him back grimly there in extreme heat, often very - short of water. But the
decisive blow was not meant for the East side. The point of the Dagger, with
ful1 weight of guns and tanks behind it, struck in the West down a little used
track hugging the Irrawaddy.
....Village after village was captured or by-passed. Before the dazed Japs
knew what had hit them the great Pinle-in hill-feature was passed. Chaungmagyi
Chaung crossed at an unguarded bullock-cart ford, and our leading brigade was
fighting in the streets of Madaya, having forestalled the Jap main body.
....Bewildered bands of enemy were directed by their commanders to reform
in places which, unknown to them. were already in our hands. Confusion reigned
in their ranks and we took due toil of them.
....Meanwhile, our Mobile Force, named Stiletto, (Tanks. Infantry and Guns)
was working its way rapidly southwards along the East bank of the Irrawaddy
by tracks the Jap had never dreamed would be used.
....And so at dawn on 8 March 45, the leading British troops entered the Northern
corner of Mandalay. Down the two approaches from the North 19 Div was in full
cry and by the afternoon had joined Stiletto, now fighting hard.
....The famous Mandalay Hill, pagoda-covered and revered by all Buddhists was
now unfortunately brought into the fight. At first, it was hoped that the Japs
would not continue to fight from it. However, they did, and eventually we opened
fire on it. Only after much hard fighting did we capture it.
....The seizure of the summit was achieved by a brilliantly executed night
move which got round the flank; a precipitous climb in the dark and a dashing
assault in the grey dawn which routed the Japs on the summit. The key to Mandalay
was ours.
....During the next few days, in stubborn fighting we worked down the
remainder of the hill, clearing Japs from concrete cellars and pagodas and
the enemy was finally ejected.
....Below the bill lay Fort Dufferin — with old fashioned 25ft high walls,
very thick, and a 75ft moat. A gallant probing attack and stout patrolling
showed the Jap was determined to hold on and had ample MGs covering the approaches.
....Aircraft and every modern weapon were brought to bear to reduce Fort Dufferin.
The stratagems of the Middle Ages were revived; an underground water channel
was discovered through which men could pass with difficulty.
....Simultaneously in the city, bitter house-to-house fighting enabled us eventually
to cast a net right round the Fort while we had another, wider cast, some miles
further South. The Japs decided to evacuate, and began dribbling out in small
parties by night.
....Some escaped and some were intercepted and killed by our men who captured
many guns. On 10 March 45, two men, bearing a Union Jack and a white flag were
seen in the Fort. They were Anglo-Burman refugee prisoners. The Japs had fled
and the whole of Mandalay and its Fort were once more in the hands of the British.
....Meanwhile, even before Madaya, one, brigade has moved Eastward, leaving
its MT behind and taking mountain guns. Moving very fast, much by night and
travelling far to the south-east by, smugglers’ paths and jungle hill
tracks it suddenly appeared in Maymyo. formerly HQ of Jap 15 Army,
completely surprising the Japs who fled. We caught most of their MT and inflicted
many casualties in a model night ambush.
....The 19th Indian Division had come far and fast. Heat and dust had been
extremely trying and the fighting had been severe. As is the case in such hard
fighting, our casualties had not been light. But sheer guts and determination
had carried the men through, and their morale was terrific.
....Infantry, gunners, sappers, tanks, and the other Services had all played
their part. Worcesters. Welch. Royal Berkshires, Rajputana Rifles. Frontier
Force Regiment, Baluchis, 15 Punjab Regt. Gurkhas, the Assam Regiment, RA and
Indian Artillery. Madras and Bombay Sappers. Tanks of the 150 RAC (Y and L)
and Indian Light Cavalry. RIASC. Medical. EME and all Services and the Staff
had given of their best and were justly proud of their successes. After Mandalay
there was no rest for them, and having liquidated Japs left North of the Myitnge
River they moved South, joining 4 Corps for the Rangoon operations.
....While the Armoured Brigade, with 5 and 17 Divisions swept on in the van,
19 Div ferried and footslogged hard, catching up during the pauses, and liquidating
en route many Japs overrun by the leading troops. Some of it proved stiff fighting.
....And further North, 19 Div troops were pushing on towards Kalaw, in determined
fighting in some of the thickest jungle in Burma. They drove back the Japanese
15 Div and other troops trying to hold on near Toungoo to allow their main
bodies to ecape.
Contributed By
The Burma Star Association
www.burmastar.org.uk
Research