2nd Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment

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THE ATTACK ON KIN-U VILLAGE
By
Lieut. C. Besly, M.C., B.A.
Page 1

 

....On January the 6th 1945 my battalion was advancing South down the main road which runs through the length of Burma.
We were a British Infantry Battalion in the 19th Indian Division, and on that day we were leading the advance. The Japanese had withdrawn rapidly in front of us, and we did not expect any opposition until we reached the village of Kin-U, some miles ahead. We had an easy march down the road until we were two miles from the village. Then 'B' Company— in which I was a Platoon Commander— were ordered to strike off on their own, and approach the village down the railway, which at this point runs parallel to the road about a mile to the West of it.
The rest of the battalion continued down the main road.

....We reached the outskirts of the village (which had been deserted a long time) but as soon as we entered it we were fired on. So the Company Commander, Major Hill, ordered us to dig in around the big cross-roads beside the railway, while we carried out further reconnaissance. This went on all afternoon, and cost us two casualties. We discovered that there was quite an extensive enemy position in the centre of the village, and we thought there were other positions outside. By dark we were well dug in, and although we were so close to the enemy we passed an uneventful night.

....Next morning we awoke with that familiar feeling of longing for a rest. But, as usual, we were disappointed. During breakfast the Company received orders to put in a full scale attack on the enemy position in the middle of the village. This was a very different proposition from anything we had ever done before, this was the moment to all our training, and all the preliminary skirmishing of the last few days led up. It was the real thing at last. But there was so much to do that we had little time for thinking, which was just as well. First came a reconnaissance under Major Hill, then preparing my orders, then giving them out to my Section Commanders— a matter of considerable moment— and lastly, getting the platoon keyed up, and in position on the start-line. The attack was timed for 11.30 a.m.

....The object of this attack was to pass straight through the village to the Eastern edge. Mine was the left-hand platoon and we had to keep South of the Broad Road, our objective being The Pagoda. The other platoon were to keep level with us on our right, and their objective was the White House. There were only two platoons in the Company because we were so under strength. This was a colossal task for one company of 70 men, and, to cover the front at all, we simply had to spread out in a single line, with no 'follow-up troops' whatever, which was very bad. The only reserve which the Company Commander had was one section of men taken from my Platoon.

....We had several minutes to wait on the start-line until the end of the mortar-barrage, which preceded our attack. We had been told (we knew not on what authority) that the enemy were only in open fox-holes, so this mortar-fire looked devastating to us. The men showed no outward signs of emotion; they were just quite, and tried not to catch each other's eyes. The mortar-fire stopped, and in we went.

....We were all fresh troops, so the men were at first rather lacking in dash and personal aggressiveness. They were not quite confident that they were fully on top of the job. But they went in with a good steady determination nevertheless.
I am not very clear what happened in the next few minutes, but we soon found ourselves right amongst the enemy positions. The area was a confused mass of derelict huts and undergrowth, ideal for camouflage, and a defender's Paradise. And far from being in open fox-holes, the Japs were in bunkers, or covered slit trenches, which was a different matter altogether.

P 1 :: P 2 :: P 3 :: P 4 :: P 5 :: P 6 :: P 7 :: P 8 :: P 9

 

 

 

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Map
Map of Kin-u village.


Platoon Commander Mjr. Charles Besly's 9 Page account at Kin-U.

sword
Japanese Katana obtained by Mjr. Charles Besly Burma 1945. A sword was once owned by Mr. Tenshu Fukumoto.

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