Indian 20th Infantry Division
Encyclopedia
The Indian 20th Infantry Division was an infantry division of the Indian Army during World War II, formed in India, and took part in the Burma Campaign
during World War II
. In the immediate aftermath of the War, the bulk of the division reoccupied French Indochina
.
in April, 1942. It was commanded by Major General Douglas Gracey and at first it consisted of the Indian 32nd
, 51st
and 53rd
Brigades. In July that year, the 51st and 53rd Brigades were detached to form the Indian 25th Infantry Division, and replaced by the Indian 80th Infantry Brigade and Indian 100th Infantry Brigade (the latter brigade being transferred from the 34th Division which had recently disbanded in Ceylon
). The division was intended from the start for operations in jungle and mountain and was on a Mixed Animal and Mechanical Transport establishment for maintenance in rough country.
The division's insignia was a hand wielding a tulwar, in white on black.
After training in Southern India and Ceylon, the Division joined Indian XV Corps
at Ranchi
in Bihar
in December, but from July, 1943, it was transferred to IV Corps in Imphal
.
. To avoid being cut off, it retreated to the Shenam Saddle in the hills surrounding the Imphal Plain. Because Indian 17th Infantry Division was in difficulty in its sector, 32nd Brigade was temporarily detached to 17th Division. With other detachments, 20th Division was reduced to only five battalions to defend the Saddle against the Japanese Yamamoto Force.
During April and the first part of May, 20th Division held the saddle against attacks by infantry, tanks and heavy artillery. It was then relieved in place, and ordered to counter-attack north-east from Imphal to Ukhrul
. The monsoon had broken, and movement was very difficult. After several Japanese counter-attacks, at the start of July the division was transferred to Indian XXXIII Corps
and slowly eliminated large numbers of Japanese in and around the village (which had been made into a Japanese communication and logistic centre).
. As the monsoon ended, it moved into a bridgehead across the Chindwin River
at Kalewa
. It attacked southward on December 4, and cleared Japanese rearguards from Monywa
.
On 13 February 1945, the division made a crossing of the Irrawaddy River 20 miles west of Mandalay
. The boats used were leaky, and other items of equipment already worn out. The first precarious footholds were counterattacked every night for a week, but were eventually linked up into a single solid bridgehead. On 13 March, 20th Division attacked southward, gaining immediate success against the understrength Japanese 31st Division. A column formed from the divisional reconnaissance unit and an attached tank unit, known as Claudecol, reached far into the Japanese rear before turning north and mopping up the disorganised enemy.
by acquiring the vehicles from the British 2nd Infantry Division
which was being withdrawn to India. The division fought its way southward along the east bank of the Irrawaddy until linking up with units of the Indian XV Corps which had occupied Rangoon in Operation Dracula
.
During this period the 22nd (East Africa) Infantry Brigade was attached to the division, from 28 June to 11 August 1945.
and Nagasaki. The Allied South East Asia Command's area of responsibility was expanded to embrace several countries including French Indochina.
While Chinese troops occupied the northern part of the country, Gracey's division occupied the southern part in what was codenamed Operation Masterdom. The division's tasks were the release of former Allied prisoners of war
and the disarming and repatriation of occupying Japanese units. Later, the division was instructed to hand over to the returning French regime before returning to India. There were several battles with Viet Minh
who were intent on achieving independence. Gracey, never one to mince his words, criticised the French for their dismissive attitude towards his Indian and Gurkha units.
The division was disbanded in India in 1946.
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...
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...
. In the immediate aftermath of the War, the bulk of the division reoccupied French Indochina
French Indochina
French Indochina was part of the French colonial empire in southeast Asia. A federation of the three Vietnamese regions, Tonkin , Annam , and Cochinchina , as well as Cambodia, was formed in 1887....
.
Formation
The division was formed at BangaloreBangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
in April, 1942. It was commanded by Major General Douglas Gracey and at first it consisted of the Indian 32nd
32nd Indian Infantry Brigade
The 32nd Indian Infantry Brigade was an Infantry formation of the Indian Army during World War II. It was formed in January 1941, in India and assigned to the HQ Western Independent District until April 1942...
, 51st
51st Indian Infantry Brigade
The 51st Indian Infantry Brigade was an formation of the Indian Army during World War II. It was formed in December 1941, in India, and initially assigned to HQ Rawalpindi District...
and 53rd
53rd Indian Infantry Brigade
The 53rd Indian Infantry Brigade was an infantry formation of the Indian Army during World War II. It was formed in March 1942, in India. In April 1942, it was assigned to the 20th Indian Infantry Division but was soon after in August 1942 transferred to the 25th Indian Infantry Division, staying...
Brigades. In July that year, the 51st and 53rd Brigades were detached to form the Indian 25th Infantry Division, and replaced by the Indian 80th Infantry Brigade and Indian 100th Infantry Brigade (the latter brigade being transferred from the 34th Division which had recently disbanded in Ceylon
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
). The division was intended from the start for operations in jungle and mountain and was on a Mixed Animal and Mechanical Transport establishment for maintenance in rough country.
The division's insignia was a hand wielding a tulwar, in white on black.
After training in Southern India and Ceylon, the Division joined Indian XV Corps
XV Corps (British India)
The XV Corps was a formation of the British Indian Army, which was formed in India during World War II. It took part in the Burma Campaign and was disbanded after the end of the war.-World War II:...
at Ranchi
Ranchi
-Climate:Ranchi has a humid subtropical climate. However, due to its position and the forests around the city, it is known for its pleasant climate. Its climate is the primary reason why Ranchi was once the summer capital of the undivided State of Bihar...
in Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
in December, but from July, 1943, it was transferred to IV Corps 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....
.
Battle of Imphal
At the start of the Battle, 20th Division was deployed forward to Tamu in the Kabaw ValleyKabaw Valley
The Kabaw Valley is a highland valley in northern Burma , western Sagaing division. It is drained by the Mu River. The valley is the home of a number of ethnic minorities including the Zo, the Mizo, the Kadu and the Kanan.-History:...
. To avoid being cut off, it retreated to the Shenam Saddle in the hills surrounding the Imphal Plain. Because Indian 17th Infantry Division was in difficulty in its sector, 32nd Brigade was temporarily detached to 17th Division. With other detachments, 20th Division was reduced to only five battalions to defend the Saddle against the Japanese Yamamoto Force.
During April and the first part of May, 20th Division held the saddle against attacks by infantry, tanks and heavy artillery. It was then relieved in place, and ordered to counter-attack north-east from Imphal to Ukhrul
Ukhrul
Ukhrul is a town in Ukhrul district in the state of Manipur, India. It is the administrative headquarter of the Ukhrul district. There are also four Sub-Divisions in the district for administering the villages in and around it. The villages however are govern by the 'Church' and the 'Village...
. The monsoon had broken, and movement was very difficult. After several Japanese counter-attacks, at the start of July the division was transferred to Indian XXXIII Corps
Indian XXXIII Corps
XXXIII Corps is a corps of the Indian Army. It draws sort of its heritage from the British Indian XXXIII Corps which was formed in 1942, but disbanded in 1945.-Reformation 1962:...
and slowly eliminated large numbers of Japanese in and around the village (which had been made into a Japanese communication and logistic centre).
Battle of Central Burma
During the remainder of the monsoon, the division rested around DimapurDimapur
Dimapur in Nagaland is bounded by Kohima district on the south and east, Karbi Anglong district of Assam on the West, the Karbi Anglong and stretch of Golaghat District of Assam, in the west and the north...
. As the monsoon ended, it moved into a bridgehead across the Chindwin River
Chindwin River
The Chindwin River is a river in Burma , and the largest tributary of the country's chief river the Ayeyarwady . It flows entirely within Burma and is known as Ning-thi to the Manipuris.-Source:...
at Kalewa
Kalewa
Tahan is a town at the confluence of the Chindwin River and the Myittha River in Kale District, Sagaing Division of northwestern Burma...
. It attacked southward on December 4, and cleared Japanese rearguards from Monywa
Monywa
Monywa is a city in Sagaing Division, Myanmar, located 136 km northwest of Mandalay on the eastern bank of the River Chindwin.-Transport:...
.
On 13 February 1945, the division made a crossing of the Irrawaddy River 20 miles west of Mandalay
Mandalay
Mandalay is the second-largest city and the last royal capital of Burma. Located north of Yangon on the east bank of the Irrawaddy River, the city has a population of one million, and is the capital of Mandalay Region ....
. The boats used were leaky, and other items of equipment already worn out. The first precarious footholds were counterattacked every night for a week, but were eventually linked up into a single solid bridgehead. On 13 March, 20th Division attacked southward, gaining immediate success against the understrength Japanese 31st Division. A column formed from the divisional reconnaissance unit and an attached tank unit, known as Claudecol, reached far into the Japanese rear before turning north and mopping up the disorganised enemy.
Southern Burma
In early April, two of the division's brigades were converted to lorried infantryMotorised infantry
In NATO and most other western countries, motorised infantry is infantry which is transported by trucks or other motor vehicles. It is distinguished from mechanized infantry, which is carried in armoured personnel carriers, infantry combat vehicles, or infantry fighting vehicles...
by acquiring the vehicles from the British 2nd Infantry Division
British 2nd Infantry Division
The 2nd Division is a regular division of the British army, with a long history. It dates its existence as a permanently embodied formation from 1809, when it was established by Lieutenant General Sir Arthur Wellesley , as part of the Anglo-Portuguese Army, for service in the Peninsular War...
which was being withdrawn to India. The division fought its way southward along the east bank of the Irrawaddy until linking up with units of the Indian XV Corps which had occupied Rangoon in Operation Dracula
Operation Dracula
During World War II, Operation Dracula was the name given to an airborne and amphibious attack on Rangoon by British and Indian forces, part of the Burma Campaign. When it was launched, the Imperial Japanese Army had already abandoned the city.-Background:...
.
During this period the 22nd (East Africa) Infantry Brigade was attached to the division, from 28 June to 11 August 1945.
Indochina
In August, 1945, the Japanese surrendered after two atomic weapons were dropped on HiroshimaHiroshima
is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture, and the largest city in the Chūgoku region of western Honshu, the largest island of Japan. It became best known as the first city in history to be destroyed by a nuclear weapon when the United States Army Air Forces dropped an atomic bomb on it at 8:15 A.M...
and Nagasaki. The Allied South East Asia Command's area of responsibility was expanded to embrace several countries including French Indochina.
While Chinese troops occupied the northern part of the country, Gracey's division occupied the southern part in what was codenamed Operation Masterdom. The division's tasks were the release of former Allied prisoners of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
and the disarming and repatriation of occupying Japanese units. Later, the division was instructed to hand over to the returning French regime before returning to India. There were several battles with Viet Minh
Viet Minh
Việt Minh was a national independence coalition formed at Pac Bo on May 19, 1941. The Việt Minh initially formed to seek independence for Vietnam from the French Empire. When the Japanese occupation began, the Việt Minh opposed Japan with support from the United States and the Republic of China...
who were intent on achieving independence. Gracey, never one to mince his words, criticised the French for their dismissive attitude towards his Indian and Gurkha units.
The division was disbanded in India in 1946.
Order of Battle (as of March 1, 1944)
- General Officer Commanding: Major General Douglas Gracey
- Commander, Royal ArtilleryCommander, Royal ArtilleryCommander, Royal Artillery was a military appointment in Commonwealth infantry and armoured divisions in the 20th Century. The CRA was the senior artillery officer in the division and commanded the regiments of field, anti-aircraft and anti-tank artillery, and provided specialist artillery and...
: Brigadier J.A.E. Hirst
- 32nd Indian Infantry Brigade32nd Indian Infantry BrigadeThe 32nd Indian Infantry Brigade was an Infantry formation of the Indian Army during World War II. It was formed in January 1941, in India and assigned to the HQ Western Independent District until April 1942...
(Brigadier David Alexander Laurance Mackenzie)- 1st Bn, Northamptonshire RegimentNorthamptonshire RegimentThe Northamptonshire Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army from 1881 to 1960. Its lineage is now continued by The Royal Anglian Regiment.-Formation:The regiment was formed as part of the reorganisation of the infantry by the Childers reforms...
- 9th 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....
- 3rd Bn, 8th Gurkha Rifles
- 1st Bn, Northamptonshire Regiment
- 80th Indian Infantry Brigade80th Indian Infantry BrigadeThe 80th Indian Infantry Brigade was an Infantry formation of the Indian Army during World War II. It was formed in April 1942, in India and assigned to the 20th Indian Infantry Division until the end of the war.-Composition:...
(Brigadier Stuart GreevesStuart GreevesMajor-General Sir Stuart Greeves KBE CB DSO and Bar MC and Bar was a British Indian Army officer.Born in 1897, Stuart Greeves was educated at Northampton School....
)- 1st Bn, Devonshire Regiment
- 9th Bn, 12th Frontier Force Regiment12th Frontier Force RegimentThe 12th Frontier Force Regiment was part of the British Indian Army. It was formed in 1922. It consisted of five regular battalions; numbered 1 to 5 and the 10th Battalion. During the Second World War a further ten battalions were raised. In 1945 the prenomial "12th" was dropped when the British...
(Major Mian HayauddinMian HayauddinMajor General Mian Hayaud Din HJ, MBE, MC was an army officer of the Pakistan Army. He was the eminent soldier and a government official in the early years of Pakistan's existence.-Family history:...
MBEOrder of the British EmpireThe Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
) - 3rd Bn, 1st Gurkha Rifles
- 100th Indian Infantry Brigade100th Indian Infantry BrigadeThe 100th Indian Infantry Brigade was an Infantry formation of the Indian Army during World War II. It was formed in April 1941, at Jhansi. The brigade was assigned to the 34th Indian Infantry Division until June 1943, when it was transferred to the 20th Indian Infantry Division until the end of...
(Brigadier William Arthur Lester James)- 2nd Bn, Border RegimentBorder RegimentThe Border Regiment was an infantry regiment of the line in the British Army, formed in 1881 by the amalgamation of the 34th Regiment of Foot and the 55th Regiment of Foot....
- 14th 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:...
- 4th Bn, 10th Gurkha Rifles
- 2nd Bn, Border Regiment
- Divisional Units
- 4th Bn, 3rd Madras Regiment3rd Madras RegimentThe 3rd Madras Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army formed after the World War I reforms of the Indian Army. The infantry regiments were converted into large regiments with four or five battalions in each regiment plus a training battalion, always numbered the 10th The...
(Divisional reconnaissance unit) - MG 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:...
(Divisional Machine gun unit) - 9 Field Regiment, RARoyal ArtilleryThe Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
- 23 Mountain Regiment, IA
- 55 Light Anti-Aircraft/Anti-Tank Regiment, RA
- 92, 422, 481 Field Companies, IE
- 309 Field Park Company, IE
- 20 Indian Infantry Division Signal Regiment
- 604 Field Security Section
- 4th Bn, 3rd Madras Regiment