Wikipedia

Burma Corps

TheBurma Corps('Burcorps') was anArmy Corpsof theIndian Army during the Second World War.It was formed inProme,Burma,on 19 March 1942, took part in theretreat through Burma,and was disbanded on arrival in India in May 1942.[1]

Burma Corps
Active19 March – 20 May 1942
CountryBritish RajBritish India
BranchBritish Indian Army
TypeArmy Corps
Part ofArmy in Burma
Nickname(s)Burcorps
EngagementsJapanese conquest of Burma
Shwedaung
Prome
Yenangyaung
Shwegyin
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Lt-GenWilliam Slim

History

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Lt-Gen William 'Uncle Bill' Slim.

Burcorps was created on 13 March 1942 to take control of the scatteredBritish,Indianand local troops retreating throughBurmain the face of a sustainedJapanese offensive.The main fighting components of this force were two infantry divisions,17th Indian Divisionand1st Burma Division,but7th Armoured Brigade Grouphad recently arrived atRangoonas reinforcements from theMiddle East.[2]Major-GeneralWilliam Slimwas brought back fromIraqwhere he was commanding10th Indian Infantry Divisionand promoted to ActingLieutenant-Generalto take command of the new corps. He had to improvise a corps staff, including Captain Brian Montgomery, younger brother of GeneralBernard Montgomery,who filled a number of junior staff roles simultaneously in the early days.[3][4][5][6]

By the time Slim arrived atMagweon 19 March, Rangoon had already fallen after theBattle of Peguand Burcorps was retreating toProme,though 17th Indian Division carried out a number of raids as it withdrew, and the motorised 1st BattalionGloucestershire Regimentmade a surprise attack onLetpadan,temporarily driving the Japanese out. 1st Burma Division in theSittang Valleyretired through the lines of200th Chinese DivisionnearTaungoo,and then moved west by train to join Burcorps around Prome in theIrrawaddy Valleyand cover theYenangyaung oilfields.On 26 March Burcorps was ordered to stage a demonstration on the Prome front to coincide with a Chinese attack along the Sittang. A striking force was assembled but on 29 March was outflanked and forced to fight its way back throughShwedaungto Prome (theBattle of Shwedaung). Burcorps' HQ was moved back 35 miles (56 km) from Prome toAllanmyo.[7][8][9][10]

The Japanese conquest of Burma, April–May 1942.

Prome came under attack at midnight on 1 & 2 April (theBattle of Prome), and Burcorps was forced to retreat through a series of delaying positions while theThayetmyooilfields were destroyed and essential stores evacuated. By 8 April the corps was at theYin Chaung,defending a 40 miles (64 km) front some 20 miles (32 km) south of the Yenangyaung oilfields. 1st Burma Division was organised as the Corps' Striking Force to hold the western part of this front, while 17th Indian Division atTaungdwingyiwas aligned north–south on its eastern flank and 2nd Burma Brigade was further west across the Irrawaddy. Slim moved Burcorps' HQ to Taungdwingyi in an attempt to maintain links with the Chinese. An observation line was established some 16 miles (26 km) to the south of Burcorps' main position, and, patrol clashes on 10 April indicated that the Japanese were moving against the centre of the position. Serious attacks began on 12 April and it became clear that the Japanese were attempting to work around 13th Indian Brigade. Slim ordered a force across the Irrawaddy to Magwe ('Magforce'). By 14 April elements of the corps were surrounded and having to fight their way back to the Yin Chaung, Magwe airfield was being prepared for destruction, and Burcorps was planning to fall back 40 miles (64 km) to the next defensible line on the Pin Chaung.[11][12][13]

The destruction of the Yenangyaung oil installations, 16 April 1942.

On 15 April Slim gave orders for the destruction of the Yenangyaung oilfields; demolition was completed by the afternoon of 16 April, after which the storage tanks were set on fire. 1st Burma Division had attempted to hold on to the Yin Chaung for one more day, and as a result Japanese columns had infiltrated between its scattered units. The Japanese attack came on 16 April and 1st Burma Division resumed its fighting retreat, with Magforce acting as a covering force, but the Japanese cut the line of retreat at Yenangyaun, driving the garrison (1st Gloucesters) southwards. Next day the engineers were used to reinforce 1st Gloucesters and Magforce was given the motor transport to act as an advanced guard for the retreating 1st Burma Division and attempt a roadblock by-pass. On 18 and 19 April Magforce fought its way across the Yenangyaun plain, followed by 1st Burma Division while 7th Armoured Brigade and 38th Chinese Division made diversionary attacks (theBattle of Yenangyaung). 1st Burma Division struggled across the Pin Chaung with the wounded carried on tanks, but most of the transport and artillery had to be destroyed. [14][15][16]

On 21 April the decision was made to evacuate Burma. All the troops would cross the Irrawaddy, then Burcorps would cover the route to India, while 7th Armoured Brigade helped the Chinese. The Irrawaddy crossing was completed by the evening of 30 April, theAva Bridgewas destroyed andMandalaywas abandoned. The fighting portions of Burcorps continued towards theChindwin River,preceded by an undisciplined mob of refugees and rear-echelon troops. Corps HQ was atBudalin,nearMonywa.Once again the retreat was threatened by infiltration, when a Japanese battalion seized Monywa on 1 May. However, the Japanese were unable to exploit this, and Burcorps (including 7th Armoured Brigade) was able to regroup atYe-U.[17][18][19]

The retreat now turned into a race between Burcorps and the Japanese forShwegyinbefore theMonsoonrains broke in mid-May. Japanese air superiority prevented casualties being airlifted out, so 2300 wounded and sick had to be moved along the Ye-U–Shwegyin track, as well as thousands of refugees who were being fed by the army and moved by army transport where possible. From Shwegyin all the troops, motor vehicles and guns had to be ferried across the Chindwin up toKalewa,while the refugees made their way by a riverside path. The Chindwin was protected from Japanese river craft by a boom manned by theRoyal Marines.The ferrying operation was covered by a rearguard formed of 17th Indian Division and 7th Hussars, who manned a series of lay-back positions and flank guards. By 10 May the only troops remaining east of the river were HQ 7th Armoured Brigade, 48th Indian Brigade, and part of 1st Battalion 9th Royal Jats. By now the Japanese were pressing forward, the boom had been destroyed by air attack and Shwegyin was being bombed. On the morning of 10 May the ferrying point came under fire. Counter-attacks failed to dislodge the enemy, and the rearguard had to take to the riverside path after destroying all tanks, vehicles and stores. The gunners fired off as much ammunition as they could before disabling their guns.[20][21][22]

Luckily, the Japanese failed to press the rearguard, and the fighting was over. The troops from Kalewa went toSittaungby river steamer, arriving on 14 May, and then destroyed the boats before marching toTamu,where troops ofEastern Armywere holding the Indian frontier. 2nd Burma Brigade, which had marched independently along a poor bullock-track to the west, covering 216 miles (348 km) in 14 days, made contact with the Chin Hills Battalion nearKalemyoon 12 May and was evacuated to Tamu by motor transport supplied byIV Corps.17th Indian Division marched up theKabaw Valleythrough the rains and reached Tamu on 17 May. The final rearguard, 63rd Indian Bde, marched in on 19 May. The following day IV Corps assumed operational control of all the units from Burma and Burcorps was disbanded.[23][24][25]

Order of Battle

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At its creation on 13 March 1942, Burma Corps comprised the following formations and units:[9][26][27][28]

Staff

  • General Officer Commanding (GOC): A/Lt-GenWilliam Slim
  • Commander, Corps Royal Artillery:BrigadierGodfrey de Vere Welchman[29]
  • Brigadier, General Staff: H.G. 'Taffy' Davies
  • General Staff Officer (GSO3):Walter Walker

Corps Troops

1st Burma Division

17th Indian Division

Army Troops

  • HQ 28th Indian Mountain Regiment, IA (5th, 15th, 28th Indian Mountain batteries absent re-equipping at Mandalay)
  • 1st Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Burma Auxiliary Force (BAF)
  • Detachment, Rangoon Field Brigade, BAF
  • Depot, British Infantry
  • 10th Battalion Burma Rifles
  • BhamoBattalion, BFF
  • Chin HillsBattalion, BFF (less detachment)
  • MyitkyinaBattalion, BFF
  • NorthernShan StatesBattalion, BFF
  • Southern Shan States Battalion, BFF
  • Reserve Battalion, BFF
  • Kokine Battalion, BFF (less detachments)
  • KarenLevies

Line of Communication Troops

  • 2nd Indian Anti-Tank Regiment, IA (less two batteries) (8 x 2-pounders)
  • 8th Indian Heavy Anti-Aircraft Battery, IA
  • One Troop 3rd Indian Anti-Aircraft Battery, IA (4 x 40 mm Bofors guns)
  • Rangoon Field Brigade, BAF (less detachment)
  • 3rd Battalion Burma Rifles
  • 4th Battalion Burma Rifles
  • 6th Battalion Burma Rifles
  • 11th Battalion Burma Rifles, Burma Territorial Force (BTF)
  • 12th Battalion Burma Rifles, BTF
  • 13th Battalion Burma Rifles, BTF
  • 14th Battalion Burma Rifles, BTF
  • TenasserimBattalion, BAF
  • Burma Railways Battalion, BAF
  • Upper Burma Battalion, BAF
  • MandalayBattalion, BAF
  • Detachments Kokine Battalion, BFF
  • Detachment Chin Hills Battalion, BFF
  • Mounted Infantry Detachment, BFF
  • 1st–9th Garrison Companies

There were a number of reallocations of these units within Burcorps during its short existence and severalad hocforces were also formed for specific operations:[8][9][42]

Striking Force

For counter-attack at Shwedaung 26–29 March[b]

  • HQ 7th Armoured Brigade (Brig J.H. Anstice)
    • 7th Hussars
    • 414th Battery, RHA
    • 14th Field Company,Royal Engineers
    • 1st Cameronians
    • 2nd Duke of Wellington's
    • 1st Gloucesters
    • One Company, 1st West Yorkshires

Corps Striking Force

Holding line in front of the Yin Chaung from 6 April

  • 1st Burma Division
    • 2nd Indian Field Battery
    • 27th Mountain Regiment
      • HQ, 2nd and 23rd Batteries
    • 56th and Malerkotla Field Companies
    • 50th Field Park Company
    • 48th Indian Brigade
      • 1/3rd & 2/5th Gurkha Rifles
      • 1/4th Gurkha Rifles
      • 1/7th & 3/7th Gurkha Rifles
    • 13th Indian Brigade
      • 1st Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
      • 2nd KOYLI
      • 1/18th Royal Gharwal Rifles
    • 1st Burma Brigade
      • 2/7th Rajputs
      • 1st Burma Rifles
      • 5th Burma Rifles

Magforce

Sent to Magwe 12 April

    • 5th Mountain Battery
    • 1st Cameronians
    • 7th Burma Rifles
    • 12th Burma Rifles

Footnotes

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  1. ^FF units consisted of HQ, two troops of mounted infantry and three infantry columns of about 100 men.[38]
  2. ^The infantry battalions were considerably under-strength, and only equivalent to about one-and-a-half battalions in total.[8]

Notes

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  1. ^"Burma Corps".OOB. Archived fromthe originalon 2007-07-06.Retrieved2009-10-11.
  2. ^abPlayfair, Vol III, p. 125.
  3. ^Lewin, pp. 82–5.
  4. ^Duncan Anderson, 'Slim', in Keegan (ed.), pp. 298–322.
  5. ^Slim at Generals of WWII.
  6. ^Woodburn Kirby, Vol II, pp. 147–8.
  7. ^Woodburn Kirby, Vol II, pp. 148–9, Map 8.
  8. ^abcWoodburn Kirby, Vol II, pp.157–9
  9. ^abcFarndale, pp. 94–6, Map 20.
  10. ^Lewin, pp. 85–8.
  11. ^Woodburn Kirby, Vol II, pp. 159–67.
  12. ^Farndale, pp. 97–8.
  13. ^Lewin, pp. 88–92.
  14. ^Woodburn Kirby, Vol II, pp. 167–73.
  15. ^Farndale, pp. 98–100.
  16. ^Lewin, pp. 92–6.
  17. ^Woodburn Kirby, Vol II, pp. 178–84, 200–3, Map 9.
  18. ^Farndale, pp. 100–3.
  19. ^Lewin, pp. 98–101.
  20. ^Woodburn Kirby, Vol II, pp. 205–9, Sketch 8.
  21. ^Farndale, pp. 103–5.
  22. ^Lewin, pp. 101–3.
  23. ^Woodburn Kirby, Vol II, pp. 204, 210.
  24. ^Farndale, p. 105.
  25. ^Lewin, pp. 103–6.
  26. ^Lewin, p. 84.
  27. ^Woodburn Kirby, Appendix 13.
  28. ^Farndale, Annexes G & J.
  29. ^Welchman at Generals of WWII.
  30. ^Joslen, pp. 158–9.
  31. ^Anstice at Generals of WWII.
  32. ^Joslen, p. 521.
  33. ^Kempton, p. 332.
  34. ^Scott at Generals of WWII.
  35. ^Kempton, pp. 38–41.
  36. ^Kempton, pp. 60–1.
  37. ^Kempton, p. 349.
  38. ^Woodburn Kirby, Appendix 1, fn.
  39. ^Cowan at Generals of WWII.
  40. ^Kempton, p. 65.
  41. ^Kempton, p. 56.
  42. ^Woodburn Kirby, p. 166, Appendices 15 & 17.

References

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  • Gen SirMartin Farndale,History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery: The Far East Theatre 1939–1946,London: Brasseys, 2002,ISBN1-85753-302-X.
  • Joslen, H. F. (2003) [1960].Orders of Battle: Second World War, 1939–1945.Uckfield, East Sussex: Naval and Military Press.ISBN978-1-84342-474-1.
  • John Keegan(ed.),Churchill's Generals,London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson/New York Grove Weidenfeld, 1991,ISBN0-8021-1309-5.
  • Chris Kempton,A Register of Titles of The Units of the H.E.I.C. and Indian Armies, 1666–1947',(British Empire & Commonwealth Museum Research Paper Number 1), Bristol: British Empire & Commonwealth Museum, 1997,ISBN0-9530174-0-0.
  • Ronald Lewin,Slim:The Standardbearer,London: Leo Cooper, 1976, ISBN, 0-85052-446-6.
  • I.S.O. Playfair,History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series: The Mediterranean and Middle East,Vol III:(September 1941 to September 1942) British Fortunes reach their Lowest Ebb,London: HMSO, 1960 /Uckfield, Naval & Military Press, 2004,ISBN1-845740-67-X
  • Stanley Kirby,History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series: The War Against JapanVol II,India's Most Dangerous Hour,London: HM Stationery Office, 1958/Uckfield: Naval & Military, 2004,ISBN1-845740-61-0.

External sources

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