Lushai Brigade
Encyclopedia
The Lushai Brigade was an improvised fighting formation of the British Indian Army
which was formed during World War II
. It participated in the Battle of Imphal
and the Burma Campaign
.
invaded India. As the available British and Indian forces were besieged in Imphal
, there was a danger that Japanese units would infiltrate through the Lushai Hills
, which were rugged and heavily forested, but not guarded other than by lightly armed levies and guerillas of V Force
.
To guard against this threat, the commander of the British Fourteenth Army
, Lieutenant General
William Slim, formed four independent Indian infantry battalions into an ad-hoc brigade, the Lushai Brigade. The commander was Brigadier P. C. Marindin. The brigade lacked artillery, engineers, transport, signals.
The Japanese did not try to cross the Lushai Hills
, instead concentrating their force in this sector at Bishenpur, south of Imphal
. Their lines of communications ran along a rough track from Tiddim. In July, Slim ordered the Lushai Brigade to interfere with these Japanese communications.
The brigade crossed the trackless hills on a wide front, during the worst of the monsoon
rains. Its light equipment allowed it to cross terrain which heavier units would find impassable. Most of its transport consisted of locally enlisted porters. Two battalions laid ambushes along the road used by the Japanese. A third was able to occupy impregnable positions on one side of the Manipur River
and shoot up all traffic which tried to use the road on the other side. The fourth battalion, with some home guard
units (the Lushai and Chin Levies) and several hundred guerillas enlisted by V Force, reoccupied the Chin Hills
, which had not been under British authority since 1942 when the Japanese had first moved onto the frontier between Burma and India.
As the monsoon ended, the brigade began moving south along the Gangaw Valley, to cover the right flank of Fourteenth Army. The Japanese Army withdrew south of the Irrawaddy River and the Gangaw Valley became Fourteenth Army's main axis of advance. The Lushai Brigade now led the advance and screened the presence of heavier units following up. The town of Gangaw
, which was held by Japanese rearguards, was destroyed by heavy bombers before being occupied by the Brigade.
After this, the brigade was withdrawn for rest in India. It later moved to Burma.
British Indian Army
The British Indian Army, officially simply the Indian Army, was the principal army of the British Raj in India before the partition of India in 1947...
which was formed during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. It participated in the Battle of Imphal
Battle of Imphal
The Battle of Imphal took place in the region around the city of Imphal, the capital of the state of Manipur in North-East India from March until July 1944. Japanese armies attempted to destroy the Allied forces at Imphal and invade India, but were driven back into Burma with heavy losses...
and the Burma Campaign
Burma Campaign
The Burma Campaign in the South-East Asian Theatre of World War II was fought primarily between British Commonwealth, Chinese and United States forces against the forces of the Empire of Japan, Thailand, and the Indian National Army. British Commonwealth land forces were drawn primarily from...
.
History
In March 1944, the Imperial Japanese ArmyImperial Japanese Army
-Foundation:During the Meiji Restoration, the military forces loyal to the Emperor were samurai drawn primarily from the loyalist feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū...
invaded India. As the available British and Indian forces were besieged in Imphal
Imphal
Imphal is the capital of the Indian state of Manipur.In the heart of the town and surrounded by a moat, are ruins of the old Palace of Kangla. Kangla Fort used to be the home of the Assam Rifles, a paramilitary force and on November 2004 it was handed over to state of Manipur by Prime minister Dr....
, there was a danger that Japanese units would infiltrate through the Lushai Hills
Lushai hills
The Lushai Hills are part of the Patkai range in Mizoram and partially in Tripura, India.-Flora & Fauna:The hills are for the most part covered with dense bamboo jungle and rank undergrowth; but in the eastern portion, owing probably to a smaller rainfall, open grass-covered slopes are found, with...
, which were rugged and heavily forested, but not guarded other than by lightly armed levies and guerillas of V Force
V Force
V Force was a reconnaissance and intelligence-gathering organisation established by the British during the Burma Campaign in World War II.-Establishment and organisation:...
.
To guard against this threat, the commander of the British Fourteenth Army
British Fourteenth Army
The British Fourteenth Army was a multinational force comprising units from Commonwealth countries during World War II. Many of its units were from the Indian Army as well as British units and there were also significant contributions from West and East African divisions within the British Army.It...
, Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
William Slim, formed four independent Indian infantry battalions into an ad-hoc brigade, the Lushai Brigade. The commander was Brigadier P. C. Marindin. The brigade lacked artillery, engineers, transport, signals.
The Japanese did not try to cross the Lushai Hills
Lushai hills
The Lushai Hills are part of the Patkai range in Mizoram and partially in Tripura, India.-Flora & Fauna:The hills are for the most part covered with dense bamboo jungle and rank undergrowth; but in the eastern portion, owing probably to a smaller rainfall, open grass-covered slopes are found, with...
, instead concentrating their force in this sector at Bishenpur, south of Imphal
Imphal
Imphal is the capital of the Indian state of Manipur.In the heart of the town and surrounded by a moat, are ruins of the old Palace of Kangla. Kangla Fort used to be the home of the Assam Rifles, a paramilitary force and on November 2004 it was handed over to state of Manipur by Prime minister Dr....
. Their lines of communications ran along a rough track from Tiddim. In July, Slim ordered the Lushai Brigade to interfere with these Japanese communications.
The brigade crossed the trackless hills on a wide front, during the worst of the monsoon
Monsoon
Monsoon is traditionally defined as a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation, but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with the asymmetric heating of land and sea...
rains. Its light equipment allowed it to cross terrain which heavier units would find impassable. Most of its transport consisted of locally enlisted porters. Two battalions laid ambushes along the road used by the Japanese. A third was able to occupy impregnable positions on one side of the Manipur River
Manipur River
-See also:*List of rivers of Burma...
and shoot up all traffic which tried to use the road on the other side. The fourth battalion, with some home guard
Home Guard
-Military:*British Home Guard*Combat Groups of the Working Class *Confederate Home Guard, during the American Civil War*Croatian Home Guard and Imperial Croatian Home Guard*Danish Home Guard...
units (the Lushai and Chin Levies) and several hundred guerillas enlisted by V Force, reoccupied the Chin Hills
Chin Hills
The Chin Hills are a range of mountains in Chin State, northwestern Burma , that extends northward into India's Manipur state. They are part of the Arakan Mountain Range . The highest peak in the Chin Hills is Nat Ma Taung, or Khonumthung , in southern Chin State, which reaches 3,053 meters...
, which had not been under British authority since 1942 when the Japanese had first moved onto the frontier between Burma and India.
As the monsoon ended, the brigade began moving south along the Gangaw Valley, to cover the right flank of Fourteenth Army. The Japanese Army withdrew south of the Irrawaddy River and the Gangaw Valley became Fourteenth Army's main axis of advance. The Lushai Brigade now led the advance and screened the presence of heavier units following up. The town of Gangaw
Gangaw
Gangaw is a town of Gangaw Township in Gangaw District in the Magway Division in Myanmar. Gangaw is also known as the City of Yaw, a certain region in Myanmar including Gangaw, Tilin, Saw and villages around them...
, which was held by Japanese rearguards, was destroyed by heavy bombers before being occupied by the Brigade.
After this, the brigade was withdrawn for rest in India. It later moved to Burma.
Order of battle
- 1st Bn. 9th Jat Regiment9th Jat RegimentThe 9th Jat Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was formed in 1922, after the Indian government reformed the army, moving from single battalion regiments to multi battalion regiments.-World War II:...
- 8th Bn. 13th Frontier Force Rifles13th Frontier Force RiflesThe 13th Frontier Force Rifles was part of the British Indian Army, and after 1947, Pakistan Army. It was formed in 1922 by amalgamation of five existing regiments and consisted of five regular battalions.-History:...
- 7th Bn. 14th Punjab Regiment14th Punjab RegimentThe 14th Punjab Regiment was a regiment of the British Indian Army from 1922 to 1947. It was transferred to the Pakistan Army on Partition of India in 1947, and amalgamated with the 1st, 15th and 16th Punjab Regiments in 1956, to form the Punjab Regiment....
- 1st Bn. Bihar RegimentBihar RegimentThe Bihar Regiment is an infantry regiment of the Indian Army. The regiment can trace its origins back to the British Indian Army. The Bihar Regiment was formed in 1941 by regularising the 11th Battalion, 19th Hyderabad Regiment, and raising new battalions.- History :In India, Hindu, Buddhist and...
- Lushai and Chin Levies (atttached)
- Falam Hills Battalion (attached)
- Lushai Detachment, V Force (attached)
Sources
- Jon LatimerJon LatimerJonathan David Latimer was an historian and writer based in Wales. His books include Operation Compass 1940 , Tobruk 1941 , Deception in War , Alamein , Burma: The Forgotten War and 1812: War with America which won a...
, Burma: The Forgotten War, London: John Murray, 2004 ISBN 0-7195-6576-6 - William Slim, Defeat into Victory, London: Cassell, 1955