[This current draft is “under construction” and based only on findings to date.Acknowledgement is made to the Families in British India Society (FIBIS)and their excellent research guide “Researching Ancestors in the Indian Army, 1858-1947” by Peter A. Suffolk Regiment's role in WWII Medals from the Far East campaign which included action in Malaysia and Burma . The majority of the formations deployed in Burma were Indian Army formations, albeit most contained units from the British Army within their establishment. In response, General Sir Archibald Wavell, in supreme command of the Far Eastern theatre, formed two scratch divisions, the 1st Burma and 17th Indian, into Burma corps … 38 thoughts on “ The Buffs Royal East Kent Regiment WW2 North Africa Campaign and Burma Campaign ” Brian Dean 12th September 2017 at 8:22 pm. The 7th Battalion were the first to see action arriving in April 1944 in the Assam region. 8th Punjab Regiment; 9th Deccan Horse; 9th Gorkha Rifles; 9th Jat Regiment; 10th Baluch Regiment; 10th Princess Mary's Own Gurkha Rifles; 11th Cavalry (Frontier Force) 11th Sikh Regiment; 12th Frontier Force Regiment; 13th Frontier Force Rifles; 15th Punjab Regiment; 16th Light Cavalry; 16th Punjab Regiment; 17th Dogra Regiment; 18th Royal Garhwal Rifles The 3,000 man brigade, nicknamed ‘the Chindits’, included British Army and Gurkha regiments and eight RAF sections and signalers. My late father also served in the ‘Buffs’ and went to the same places and received the same medals, his name was Thomas Dean and he had a friend named Roy Gabbatiss who died in Newton Abbott, Devon in 1942. They faced against the invading forces of Imperial Japan, who were supported by the Thai Phayap Army, as well as two collaborationist independence movements and armies, the first being the Burma Independence Army, which spearheade… There would've been one artillery battalion ("regiment" may have been word used) in each brigade and three brigades per division. Bickington This category has the following 2 subcategories, out of 2 total. Burma’s participation in World War I was limited mainly to the provision of troops and engineering units to the Palestine and Mesopotamian Fronts as well as labourers to the Western Front and hosting Turkish and German prisoners-of-war. The Japanese quickly pushed the British forces out of … burma 1943-45 The fall of Singapore in February 1942 was followed by Japanese invasion of Burma, and the small British and Indian force in that country was obliged to make an exhausting and hard fought withdrawal through the jungle and mountains to the Indian frontier, where in May they turned to face the enemy and, under General Bill Slim, prepared for their return to Burma. It was disbanded in India after the war. Devon EX31 2PJ The first British divisional formation sent to the Far East was the 18 Infantry Division. These fascinating images show the men and women who served in the Royal Airforce in India and Burma during World War II, taken by an RAF Corporal and uncovered by his daughter. Service History. It came under command of Southern Army, but one brigade was detached to serve in the Arakan during the First Arakan Campaign in late 1942 and early 1943. In North West Europe ‘The Warwicks’, as the members of the RWR were known, played significant roles in North West Europe. For the purposes of these research notes, "Burma Army" is loosely applied to include: - The Burma Rifles - Burma Auxiliary F… Help please. Formed and lead by Major-General Orde Wingate DSO, they fought behind enemy lines in Northern Burma during 1943 and 1944 in the War against Japan. It sailed for Persia on 20 August to face the threat of invasion by German forces through the Caucasus mountains. A patrol of British soldiers from the Queen’s Own Royal West Kent Regiment wade through a flooded paddy field, looking for the enemy. » 70 Infantry Division 2-inch mortar team of 2nd Battalion, UK East Lancashire Regiment near Pinbaw, Dec 1944: Aerial view of Camp Landis from a L-5 liaison aircraft flown by Lieutenant Sittner of US 5332nd Brigade (Provisional), Kachin, Burma, Dec 1944 at Carlisle for the King’s Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster), the Border Regiment and the Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire); No. The training of these units was carried out initially by Army NCOs, and the assault course at Secunderabad gained the reputation for being the most exacting in the Far East. 414 Battery, RHA. » 36 Infantry Division During the Second World War (1939-45), 2nd Battalion served with distinction in North Africa (1940-41), Syria (1941), Ceylon (1942), India (1943) and Burma (1942-45), where it fought with the Chindits. The 5 Infantry Division arrived in India on 21 May 1942, although two brigades were located on Madagascar at this time. Here you can post questions and ask for information from many of our followers and get advice on how to find out about an individuals service in the Burma Campaign of WWII. The first British divisional formation sent to the Far East was the 18 Infantry Division. In 1942, 414 Battery from 104th Regiment RHA was sent to Burma with the 7th Armoured Brigade to cover the withdrawal from Rangoon to Imphal. During the Second World War some 375,000 men and women from African countries served in the Allied forces. Can I suggest that you take a look at my Facebook page dedicated to the men and women of the Burma Star Association. The following 200 pages are in this category, out of approximately 204 total. On January 30, 1942, when the Japanese were poised for their attack on Burma, the War Office signalled General Wavell, Commander-in-Chief India, offering his services, as he had carried out guerrilla operations in Palestine and Abyssinia with great success, and it was thought that there might be a role for him in Burma or China. The Royal Warwickshire Regiment was one of the largest infantry regiments in the Second World War. Prior to WW2, there were 20 Indian regiments of regular infantry (this number included the Burma Rifles) and ten of the Gurkha. My mum (now sadly deceased) told me he was in a Signals regiment, did his training in or near Huddersfield in W Yorks, was at Nijmegan during Operation Market Garden and sometime in early 1945 was sent to Burma where he was separated from the rest of his regiment possibly during a battle, … British Indian Army and Britain's Allies. They attempted to cut the Burma Road behind the Japanese 56th Division. 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