10th Battalion, Indian Engineers
INFANTRY
1st Burma Regiment, Burma Army
1st Chaman Regiment
1st Assam Regiment
Shere Regiment (Nepalese)
Mahindra Dal Regiment (Nepalese)
2ND INFANTRY DIVISION
ARTILLERY
10th Assault Field Regiment, Royal Artillery
16th Assault Field Regiment, Royal Artillery
99th Assault Field Regiment, Royal Artillery
100th Light Anti-Aircraft/Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery
ENGINEERS
5th Field Company, Royal Engineers
208th Field Company, Royal Engineers
506th Field Company, Royal Engineers
21st Field Park Company, Royal Engineers
SIGNALS
2nd Divisional Signals
INFANTRY
2nd Reconnaissance Regiment
2nd Manchester Regiment (Machine-Gun Battalion)
143rd Special Service Company
4th Infantry Brigade:
Brigadier W. H. Goschen until 7th May 1944, then Brigadier J. A Theobalds until 4th June 1944, then Brigadier R. S. McNaught
1st Royal Scots
2nd Royal Norfolk Regiment
1st/8th Lancashire Fusiliers
5th Infantry Brigade:
Brigadier V. F. S. Hawkins until 16th May 1944, then Brigadier M. M.
Alston-Roberts-West
7th Worcestershire Regiment
2nd Dorsetshire Regiment
1st Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders
6th Infantry Brigade:
Brigadier J. D. Shapland until 30th May 1944, then Brigadier W. G. Smith
1st Royal Welch Fusiliers
1st Royal Berkshire Regiment
2nd Durham Light Infantry
MEDICAL
4th Field Ambulance
5th Field Ambulance
6th Field Ambulance
161st Indian Infantry Brigade
4th Queen’s Own Royal West Kent Regiment
1st/1st Punjab Regiment
4th/7th Rajputana Rifles
33rd Indian Infantry Brigade
1st Queen’s Royal Regiment (West Surrey)
4th/15th Punjab Regiment
4th/1st Gurkha Rifles
(23rd [Long Range Penetration] Indian Infantry Brigade are not included here as they did not take part in the battle proper. 268th Indian Brigade, which appeared on the final days of the battle, are not included either.)
JAPANESE FORMATIONS
31ST DIVISION
Right (Northerly) Column
One battalion of the 13 8th Infantry Regiment with one battery of 31st Mountain Artillery Regiment, engineers, signals and medical detachments
Centre Column
Advanced Guard
The 13 8th Infantry Regiment, less one battalion, and one battalion of the 31st Mountain Artillery Regiment less the troops used in the
Right Column
Main Body
H.Q. 31st Division
124th Infantry Regiment with the H.Q. and one battalion of 31st Mountain Artillery Regiment, together with engineers, signals, a field hospital and a transport unit
Left (Southern) Column
H.Q. 31st Infantry Group with the 58th Infantry Regiment, one battalion of the 31st Mountain Artillery Battalion, engineers, signals and medical detachments
Bibliography
A.J. Barker, The March on Delhi. Faber, 1963.
Brigadier F. V. R. Bellers, History of the 1st King George V’s Own Gurkha Rifles, Vol. 2, 1920–47. Gale & Polden, 1956.
Brigadier Gordon Blight, The Royal Berkshire Regiment 1920–47. Staples, 1953.
Ursula Graham Bower, Naga Path. John Murray, 1950.
Antony Brett-James, Ball of Fire. Gale & Polden, 1951.
Historical Records of the Queen s Own Cameron Highlanders. William Blackwood, 1952.
Major E. B. Stanley Clarke and Major A. T. Tillott, From Kent to Kohima: Being the History of the 4th Battalion the Queen’s Own West Kent Regiment (T.A.). Gale & Polden, 1951.
John Ehrman, History of the Second World War: Grand Strategy, Vol. 5. H.M.S.O., 1956.
Sir Geoffrey Evans and Antony Brett-James, Imphal. Macmillan, 1964.
Major R. C. G. Foster, History of the Queens Royal Regiment, Vol. 8, 1924–48. Gale & Polden, 1953.
Saburo Hayashi (with Alan D. Coox), Koguun: The Japanese Army in the Pacific War. The Marine Corps Assoc., Quantico, 1959.
J. H. Hutton, The Angami Nagas. Macmillan, 1921.
Toshikazu Kase, The Eclipse of the Rising Sun (Ed. David Nelson). Cape, 1951.
Lieut-Commander P. K. Kemp, History of the Royal Norfolk Regiment 1919–51, Vol. 8. Royal Norfolk Regiment, 1957.
Lieut.-Commander P. K. Kemp and John Graves, The Red Dragon (Story of the Royal Welch Fusiliers 1919–45). Gale & Polden, 1960.
R. G. Kent, United States Army in World War II (China-Burma-India Theatre). Historical Div. Dept. of the Army, 1955.
Major-General S. Woodburn Kirby, ‘History of the Second World War’, The War Against Japan, Volume III. H.M.S.O., 1961.
Major M. A. Lowry, An Infantry Company in Arakan and Kohima. Gale & Polden, 1950.
Henry Maule, Spearhead Generai. Odhams Press, 1961.
Vice-Admiral the Earl Mountbatten of Burma, Report to the Combined Chiefs of Staff—South-East Asia 1943–45. H.M.S.O., 1951.
Augustus Muir, The First of Foot (The History of the Royal Scots). The Royal Scots History Committee, 1961.
Ray Murphy, The Last Viceroy. Jarrolds, 1948.
Frank Owen, The Campaign in Burma. H.M.S.O., 1946.
Major Mohammed Ibrahim Qureshi, History of the First Punjab Regiment 1759–10.56. Gale & Polden, 1958.
David Rissick, The D.L.I, at War. D.L.I., 1953.
Brigadier M. R. Roberts, D.S.O., Golden Arrow (Story of the 7th Indian Division in the Second World War, 1939–45). Gale & Polden, 1952.
Colonel L. W. Shakespear, History of the Assam Rifles. Macmillan, 1929.
Field-Marshal the Viscount Slim, Defeat into Victory. Cassell, 1956.
Captain Peter Steyn, The History of the Assam Regiment, Vol. 1, 1941–1947. Orient Longmans, 1959.
Colonel Masanobu Tsuji (Trans. Margaret E. Lake), Singapore: The Japanese Version. Constable, 1962.
Major-General R. P. Pakenham Walsh, The History of the Royal Engineers, Vol. 9. Institution of Royal Engineers, 1958.
Lieut.-Colonel O. G. W. White, Straight on for Tokyo (The Story of the 2nd Bn. The Dorsetshire Regiment, 1939–47). Gale & Polden, 1948.
TRANSLATIONS FROM:
Toshiro Takagi, Imphal. Tokyo, 1949.
Takahide Hasegawa, Again the Genghis Khan Dream. Yamicuri Press, 1960.
Takeo Komatsu, Imphal Tragedy. Yukihiko Imai, To and from Kohima. Tokyo, 1953.
Colonel Iwaichi Fujiwara, The Tragic Imphal Operation.
Toichiro Imanishi, Burma Front Diary. Tokyo, 1961.
Officers and Men of the 58th Infantry Regiment, The Burma Front. Tokyo, 1964.
Index
Formations: under Brigades, Divisions, etc.
Regiments: British and Indian under their names; Japanese (numbered) under Regiments.
Air drops, 82, 90–1, 100, 119, 125, 130, 139–40, 168, 175, 247, 249
Air supply to 4th Corps, 56
Allen, Capt. Robert (D.L.I.), 100
Alston–Roberts–West, Brigadier, see West
Americans and China, 19, 20, 21
Angami, Naik Dilhu, 91
Anniversary celebrations in Tokyo, 253–4
Aradura Ridge, 119–20, 129–30, 142, 231, 237; map of, 213; appreciation of battle, 237–8
Aradura Spur, 10, 33, 54–7, 97, 138, 148, 185, 201, 208–9, 211–22, 232, 237, 255; map of, 213
Aradura village, 211
Arakan, the (Burma coastal sector), 8, 22, 24, 27–30, 38, 41, 100, 173, 212, 225, 248
Armies (of) India, Eastern, 19;
Southern, 16
Armies, Japanese, 15th, 6, 22–3, 64, 93, 185–6, 230, 240–1, 244–5; Burma (Southern), 8, 22, 64, 242
Army, 14th (British), xiv, 1, 4, 16, 29, 32, 55, 70
Army Group, 11th (Giffard’s), 1, 5, 20, 24
Arnold, General H. H. (American C. of S.), 36
Artillery, British, see Royal Artillery
Artillery, Indian, 5th/22nd Medium Battery, 208; 20th Mountain Battery, 60, 197; 25th Mountain Regiment, 188
Artillery, Japanese, 31st Mountain Regiment, 5, 43, 97
Artillery support, 249
Askew, Major (I.A.), 39
Assam, as theatre of war, xiii; climate of, 10; terrain and topography of, 7, 10–11, 13, 74, 78, 110, 121–2; history of, 11, 13–14; defence of, 24, 38; Valley, 55; scenery of, 142
Assam Barracks (area), 231, 254, 255; map of, 233
Assam Regiment, 1st, 25–7, 29; at Jessami, 31–3, 35–8, 41–2, 45–6, 48 n; ‘last man’ order to, 37–8, 42–43, 48–9; at Kharasom, 48 & n; at Dimapur, 53–4; survivors from Jessami and Kharasom, 56; at Kohima, 56, 58–00, 68, 72, 91–2, 102–3, 250; Memorial, 255
Assam Rifles, 3rd, 11, 16, 25, 26, 33, 38, 53, 60, 195, 250, 254; and Assam Regiment survivors from Jessami and Kharasom, 56; and I.G.H. Spur, 72, 74; and F.S.D., 82–3; and D.C.’s Bungalow, 91–2; Memorial, 255
Auchinleck, General (later Field-Marshal) Sir Claude (‘the Auk’, last C.-in-C. India), 32, 46; quoted, 32, 46
Baldwin, Air Vice-Marshal Sir John, 153
Bamboo as smokeless fuel, 122–3
Barbed wire, shortage of, 57
Barker, Lieut.-Colonel A. J., quoted, 9–10, 208, 250 bis
Basha Spur, 216, 217, 218, 224, 225, 227
Bath unit at Zubza, 175
Berens, Capt. Stanley, 208, 209, 222
Bickford, Lieut.-Colonel Wilbur, 102, 126, 137, 211–16, 218–21; quoted, 102–3, 174, 215, 221–2
Big Tree Hill, 231–4, 254
Bishenpur track, 239
Black, Lieut. Colin, M.C., 147
‘Black 7th, the’, 171–88; situation, 183–4
‘Black 13th, the’, 81–6
Bokajan, 51, 73
Bombay Grenadiers, 232–3; Memorial, 255
Booty from Bunker Hill, 89
Borrowman, Lieut.-Colonel (I.A.), 34, 55, 67
Bose, Subas Chandra (see also Indian National Army), 22, 24; his ‘Special Order’, 25
Bowles, Captain John, 132–3, 135, 150
Boxes, defensive, at Kohima (see also under names), 33–4
Bradford, Lieut.-Colonel J. M. K., 232
Braithwaite, Lieut.-Colonel, 109, 211, 219, 220; quoted, 219, 220 bis
Brett-James, Antony, xiv
Brigade, British: 4th (Infantry), 108, 119, 121, 123, 137–9, 142–4, 148, 161, 166–7, 169, 172–3, 177–8, 183, 201, 207–8, 211, 222, 232, 237, 247, 250
Brigade. British: 5th (Infantry), 38, 40, 51–2, 71, 76–7, 80, 86, 88–9, 106, 108, 115, 118, 123–9, 132–42, 145, 151, 158, 161, 166–7, 169, 175–178, 194, 204–5, 232, 236–7, 240, 247–8; and Merema, 110–25; life in Naga Village box, 179–80; Staff Captain’s reports: on Dimapur (quoted), 51–2; on booty, 89; on Naga coolies, 116–17; on Pfuchama panorama, 236
Brigade, British: 6th (Infantry), 90–2, 99, 106, 118–19, 138–9, 142, 161, 166, 168–9, 178, 208, 211–12, 218, 221–2, 232
Brigades, Indian: 14th (L.R.P.), 27–8; 23rd (L.R.P.), 27–8, 40, 171, 186; 33rd (Infantry), 38, 55, 135, 144, 170–3, 183, 188, 229, 231, 246, 248; 50th (Parachute), 24, 26–7, 30, 36; 77th (L.R.P.), 27; 114th (Infantry), 232; 161st (Infantry), 30, 37–8, 40, 44, 48–9, 55, 75, 78, 89, 119, 138, 167–8, 188, 229, 246; 268th (Infantry), 171, 232; Lushai, 55, 171
Brown, Lieut.-Colonel (D.L.I.), 162, 194
Brown, Lieut.-Colonel ‘Bruno’, 25–6, 37, 39, 42–3, 47, 56, 92
Brown, Lieut. (Assam Reg’t), 60
Brunel-Hawes, Lieut. (R.E.), 134
Bulldozers, 79–80, 133, 135, 196, 254
Bunker Hill, 80–1, 84, 86, 88–9, 106, 135, 158, 172–4, 183, 232, 247
Bunting, Lieut.-Colonel John, 123
Burke, Brigadier ‘Pat’ (C.R.A. 2 Div.), 78, 102, 136, 149
Burma, terrain of, 6; map of, 7; Japanese offensive in, 18–24
Burma Regiment, 1st, 26, 30, 211, 214, 219, 220; 2nd, 37; 5th 53, 72; Memorial, 255
Burma Road, 20
Burrell, Major Frank, 124–5
Burt, Sergeant (Queen’s), 182
Butler, Captain, on Naga villages (quoted), 15
Callaghan, Lieut. (R.W.F.), 92
Callistan, Major, 91
Cameron Highlanders, 1st (Queen’s Own), 2, 51, 88, 100; and Khabvuma, 78–9; and Bunker Hill, 80–1, 84–7, 232, 247; and Merema, 106, 110–11, 123, 125, 132; and Naga Village, 144–6, 154–7, 179–80; and Church Knoll and Hunter’s Hill, 165–6, 204–5, 209; and the Pimple, 234–6; officers’ patrols, 248; Memorial, 255
Cameron, Lieut. Peter (C.H.), 205, 248
Canteen at Zubza, 175
Carbonell, Lieut. (C.H.), 100, 105
Carr, Captain (4/1 Gurkhas), 227
Cavalry, 45th, 109, 132
Cemetery at Kohima (War Graves Commission), 254–5
Charapunge, 10
Charles Hill, 217, 218
Chedema, 10
‘Cherry Society’, 10, 63
Cheswema-Merema ridge, 90, 97
Chettle, Major Clive, 198, 233, 235
Chezumi, 37
Chiang Kai-shek, 19, 21, 105
Chiefs of Staff, Combined (Washington), 21, 35, 36, 55, 130, 143, 239
Chiefs of Staff, United States, 29
Chin Hills, 10
China, 19–22, 24, 35
Chindits (see also Wingate), 31, 143, 230
Chindwin, River, 5, 6, 8, 23, 26, 29, 37, 55, 63, 64, 93, 129, 240, 242, 243
Chittagong, 29
Christison, Lieut.-General Sir Philip, 22
Church Knoll (Point 5120), 145, 146, 155–8, 165–7, 201, 204–6, 208, 222–4, 226, 229, 231; map of, 155
Churchill, Sir Winston S., 21, 24, 153
Clausewitz, quoted, 64
Club area (Kohima), 68
Comilla, 29, 32, 36, 40, 44, 45
Command, complications and difficulties of, 20–1
Conder, Major Henry, 115, 120–1, 160–1, 167
Congress Hill, 138–9, 167, 170–2, 180–1, 254
Congress Party, Indian, 3, 9, 131, 246
Cook, C.S.M. Tommy (C.H.), 87, 158
Cook, Sergeant (Dorsets), 197
Cooks, devoted, 177
Corlett, Lieut. John, 47, 68
Corps (formations), 4th, 5, 22, 23, 28, 30–1, 34, 37, 40, 43, 46, 97, 143, 171–2, 188, 223, 239, 242; 15th (Indian), 22; 33rd (Indian), 1, 2, 16, 40, 55, 174, 187, 223, 229, 238, 239
‘Courage is expendable’ (Slim), 93
Cowan, Major-General ‘Punch’, 28
D.C.’s Bungalow (box), 53–4, 60, 67–8, 72, 74, 84, 91–2, 96, 98, 106, 108–9, 111–14, 126–8, 132–3, 150, 162–4, 168–9, 193, 196–9, 201; difficulties of its drive, 109–10; 163; terrain of, 126
D.I.S. Ridge (box), 53, 61, 63, 65, 68, 70, 74, 82, 142, 161–3, 181–2, 187, 189–90, 192, 194–6, 255
Daimats, Lieut. Hirobumi, 243; quoted, 243
Daniells, Major Ken (R.E.), 168
Davies, Capt. (Dorsets), 234
‘Death (or Happy) Valley’, 138
‘Deputy Commissioner’s Hill’ (Garrison Hill, q.v.), 63
Derry, C.S.M. (R. Norfolks), 159
Digboi, 25, 26
Dimapur, 10–11, 20, 22, 30, 32, 36–7, 38–9, 40, 73, 75, 129, 174, 250, 253; defence of, 40, 44, 49, 50, 53, 57; 2 Div. arrives at, 51; situation at (1/4/44), 51–3; threatened, 64, 65, 76; rest camps at, 184
Dimapur-Kohima Road (via Zubza), 133–5
Diseases, 11, 175
Division, British, 2nd (Infantry), (‘2 Div.’), 2–3, 5, 16, 17, 24, 29, 38, 40, 50–1, 55, 75, 80, 86 n, 88, 90, 119, 166; its arr
ival at Dimapur, 51–3; and mule transport, 55, 247; artillery of, 90, 99, 102, 103, 104, 150, 181; and relief of Kohima boxes, 95–8, 104; and India troops, 172; rumours of disbanding, 207; and Aradura Spur, 208; exhausted, 226; in pursuit, 238, 240; criticisms and appreciations of, 246–50; Memorial, 254–5
Divisions, India, 5th, 22, 24, 25, 27, 28, 29, 30, 36, 242; 7th, 22, 24, 27, 29, 38, 55, 144, 171, 188, 208, 226; 17th, 8, 22, 24, 27, 28, 30, 36, 58; 20th, 22, 24, 27, 30, 58; 23rd, 18, 22, 25, 58; 23th, 27; 26th, 27
Divisions, Japanese, 15th, 5, 8, 23, 58, 97, 115, 186, 200, 241–2; 31st, 5–6, 8, 17, 22–3, 30, 45, 48 n, 57, 64, 210, 242–4, 252–3; 33rd, 8, 28, 36, 58, 185–6, 200; 55th, 25, 27
Dorsetshire Regiment, 2nd, 2, 51, 88, 89, 107; and Khabvuma, 79; and Kohima, 118; and D.C.’s Bungalow, 125–8, 132–3; and Garrison Hill, 135, 162; and tennis court, 150–1, 163–4, 169, 196–9; and Dyer Hill, 232; and Pfuchama, 235; officers’ patrols, 248; Memorial, 255
Douglas, Major Angus (C.H.), 234
Duncombe, Lieut.-Colonel (Queen’s), 182, 183
Dupont, Lieut. Richard (Dorsets), 204
Durham Light Infantry, 2nd, 2, 90; and Terrace Hill, 100; and D.C.’s Bungalow, 111–14; and Summer-house Hill, 128–9, 139; and F.S.D. Ridge, 162, 168; and Kuki Piquet, 164; to Dimapur, 174; and G.P.T. Ridge, 211; and Burma Reg’t, 219; in pursuit, 241–2; Memorial, 255
Dyer, Brigadier, 232
Dyer Hill, 231–3, 254
Dysentery, 175, 216, 243
Easter Day, 1944, 73
Elliott, Major (Worcesters), 77, 101; quoted, 167, 205, 206, 237
Evans, Sir Geoffrey, xiv
F.S.D. Hill and Ridge (box), 53–4, 63, 65, 72, 82, 84, 88, 92, 94, 103, 106, 108, 138, 161–4, 166, 168–9, 187, 190, 192–5
‘False Crest’, 224, 225, 226
‘Fighting is de-hydrating’, 67
Fighting tactics, British and Japanese, 187
Firs Hill, 136–7, 139, 144–6, 154, 156, 158, 229
Flame-throwers, see ‘Lifebuoys’
‘Flinging divisions…’ not done (Slim), 141
Fowler, Major R. A. J. (‘Raj’), 189, 190, 209
Fox-holes, 179
Franklin, Major (R. West Kents), 67, 68
Frontal attacks, 249
Fukunaga, Colonel, 63, 111, 114, 130, 133
G.H.Q., India, 2, 3, 4, 19, 20, 131, 175
G.P.T. Ridge (box), 53–4, 57–9, 66–7, 70, 73, 82, 95, 102, 138–9, 143, 149, 158–61, 171, 173, 180–3, 190, 195, 201, 211, 214, 246–7, 254–5
Garage Spur, 232, 235, 237
Garrett, Sergeant (R. Berks), 194
Kohima Page 33