Brigade HQ reported that the majority of 63 Brigade was safely away, and instructed B Squadron and the Essex Yeomanry to bring out the remainder on their tanks and gun limbers. No sooner had this move started than A Squadron reported that the enemy had started his attack, and that it was being led by tanks.
Captain Dumas at once returned to the position with four B Squadron tanks, and joined in A Squadron’s battle in the fading light. Hits were obtained on the enemy vehicles, * without loss or damage to either squadron, and the Japanese broke contact.
Throughout the night 2 RTR continued to ferry the infantry northwards, passing through 7th Hussars’ position at Kyaukse, and going into leaguer at 0600.
The morning of 28th April found the Hussars’ C Squadron patrolling south from Kyaukse. SSM Ainley’s troop encounteredanother enemy transport column, destroying several vehicles before the rest turned tail. The Japanese then brought up their guns, forcing C Squadron to withdraw slightly, and their dive-bombers, one of which destroyed a tank in Lt Allen’s troop with a direct hit.
During the night 7th Hussars’ leaguer was shelled, and the following morning the enemy mounted several heavy attacks on 48 Brigade’s position at Kyaukse. Everyone in 7th Armoured Brigade had a tremendous admiration for these Gurkhas, who were holding an excellent position on a big hill west of the town, fronted by a belt of sharpened bamboo stakes, each capable of disembowelling a man.
The Japanese came on through the artillery’s shell bursts and the Gurkhas steady fire until they were shot flat, and then they tried again. B Squadron added their weight of fire to the defence, and as each Stuart mounted three Browning machine guns, one in the hull, one co-axially and one in an AA mounting on the turret roof, the resulting fire-storm was more than flesh and blood could stand. The Japanese turned and ran, and after them went the Gurkhas, kukris swinging as they tore down the hill in a savage counter attack. When it was over, a quick body count showed approximately 300 enemy dead carpeting the ground. The Gurkhas had lost one man.
48 Brigade pulled out during the evening, covered by Lt Patteson’s troop. As the infantry were moving off, Patteson observed that the Japanese were beginning to deploy out of some woodland, and waited until they were nicely arranged before laying into them with his troop’s 12 Brownings. As they went down in heaps, Patteson felt a justifiable pleasure in balancing the account opened with his treatment at the Shwedaung road block.
Lt Palmer, meanwhile, had been sent back to Kyaukse to prevent the enemy following up the Gurkhas’ withdrawal.
‘The place was a ghastly sight. It was a wooden town and was on fire from end to end. There were dead all over the place, and the stench was appalling.’
During the day, C Squadron had been patrolling the road to the north to keep it open. However, the check imposed on the enemy was so severe that he was in no position to interfere with the withdrawal to the Ava bridge, which the rearguard, including 7th Armoured Brigade, crossed that night. As the tanks motored through the grey dawn light, a thunderous explosionannounced the destruction of the bridge, which was so badly damaged that it was beyond the capacity of the Japanese to repair.
Once beyond the Irrawaddy, it might have been felt that Burma Corps was safe from immediate contact with the enemy, but this was not so. The Japanese had pushed an amphibious force up the Chindwin, the Irrawaddy’s major tributary, and during 30th April this had all but captured Corps HQ at Monywa, and now had 63 Brigade cornered.
C Squadron 7th Hussars was despatched at once, followed by the rest of the regiment. The approach march was a long one, something like 140 miles, but C Squadron was in action almost as soon as it arrived.
By the morning of 2nd May, the regiment was six miles north of Monywa, but was in contact with
Captain Dumas at once returned to the position with four B Squadron tanks, and joined in A Squadron’s battle in the fading light. Hits were obtained on the enemy vehicles, * without loss or damage to either squadron, and the Japanese broke contact.
Throughout the night 2 RTR continued to ferry the infantry northwards, passing through 7th Hussars’ position at Kyaukse, and going into leaguer at 0600.
The morning of 28th April found the Hussars’ C Squadron patrolling south from Kyaukse. SSM Ainley’s troop encounteredanother enemy transport column, destroying several vehicles before the rest turned tail. The Japanese then brought up their guns, forcing C Squadron to withdraw slightly, and their dive-bombers, one of which destroyed a tank in Lt Allen’s troop with a direct hit.
During the night 7th Hussars’ leaguer was shelled, and the following morning the enemy mounted several heavy attacks on 48 Brigade’s position at Kyaukse. Everyone in 7th Armoured Brigade had a tremendous admiration for these Gurkhas, who were holding an excellent position on a big hill west of the town, fronted by a belt of sharpened bamboo stakes, each capable of disembowelling a man.
The Japanese came on through the artillery’s shell bursts and the Gurkhas steady fire until they were shot flat, and then they tried again. B Squadron added their weight of fire to the defence, and as each Stuart mounted three Browning machine guns, one in the hull, one co-axially and one in an AA mounting on the turret roof, the resulting fire-storm was more than flesh and blood could stand. The Japanese turned and ran, and after them went the Gurkhas, kukris swinging as they tore down the hill in a savage counter attack. When it was over, a quick body count showed approximately 300 enemy dead carpeting the ground. The Gurkhas had lost one man.
48 Brigade pulled out during the evening, covered by Lt Patteson’s troop. As the infantry were moving off, Patteson observed that the Japanese were beginning to deploy out of some woodland, and waited until they were nicely arranged before laying into them with his troop’s 12 Brownings. As they went down in heaps, Patteson felt a justifiable pleasure in balancing the account opened with his treatment at the Shwedaung road block.
Lt Palmer, meanwhile, had been sent back to Kyaukse to prevent the enemy following up the Gurkhas’ withdrawal.
‘The place was a ghastly sight. It was a wooden town and was on fire from end to end. There were dead all over the place, and the stench was appalling.’
During the day, C Squadron had been patrolling the road to the north to keep it open. However, the check imposed on the enemy was so severe that he was in no position to interfere with the withdrawal to the Ava bridge, which the rearguard, including 7th Armoured Brigade, crossed that night. As the tanks motored through the grey dawn light, a thunderous explosionannounced the destruction of the bridge, which was so badly damaged that it was beyond the capacity of the Japanese to repair.
Once beyond the Irrawaddy, it might have been felt that Burma Corps was safe from immediate contact with the enemy, but this was not so. The Japanese had pushed an amphibious force up the Chindwin, the Irrawaddy’s major tributary, and during 30th April this had all but captured Corps HQ at Monywa, and now had 63 Brigade cornered.
C Squadron 7th Hussars was despatched at once, followed by the rest of the regiment. The approach march was a long one, something like 140 miles, but C Squadron was in action almost as soon as it arrived.
By the morning of 2nd May, the regiment was six miles north of Monywa, but was in contact with
Similar Books
