dagul

This battle which was fought by the allied British and Indian forces against the Imperial Japan, is one of the most bloody in the Asia Pacific theater, but seems to be forgotten, because the British media, concentrated their reports on the progress of war in North Africa.

The M3 Medium tank was the weapon of choice that broke the stalemate. Your thoughts in this, folks.

SPERRO

My father fought at Imphal in the Artillery. His opinion during the time of his life, was that the Commonwealth Artillery had a big hand in the outcome.

dagul

I see, thank you for sharing that.

Nemowork

I'd kind of go along with the idea that it was the artillery that was more important. The seige was broken when they finally managed to get a tank up onto the residency to break apart japanese trench lines and bunkers but without the mostly Indian gunners they would never have been able to hold the japanese off during the seige or blast them out of the jungle to get the tank up there during the counter-offensive.

pablo668

I think it also helped that the Japanese were right at the end of their tether, and the end of a long supply line. They weren't in a condition to advance any further and fight but they did anyway, because their superiors told them to.
I believe that the Brits had a good idea when and where the Japanese were coming from and set up a strong defence, finally getting to grips with fighting the Japanese and fighting in asia.
The Brits had previously got some measure of the Japanese previously fighting them in a battle called the 'Admin Box'.

dagul

I agree, finally, the British were able to avenge their defeat in Singapore and Malaysia, against Imperial Japan. The Indians like the Filipinos fought for their colonial powers during that war.

SPERRO

I would quote from a conversation about this action, which was eeked out of my father some years ago:-

" We were emplaced where we could be re-supplied with ammunition (25lb guns) with relative ease. Our bombardment was relentless, the battery was in action for hours on end and the noise was excrutiating. The empty shell cases piled up to such a degree that our reserves were brought in to stack them up. The cases were stacked at a ridiculous height ( around 20 feet high), making it eventually harder and harder to replenish ammunition stocks. My ears were shot, bleeding incessently causing permanent damage and continuous tinitus. The tenacity of the enemy was unbelievable, we could not shift him, our forward observation posts reporting no sign of evacuation. The enemy here was on his last legs and at the end of his tether. He could not retreat because everything would be lost, the whole Japanese campaign rested on this action but he could not go further. His supply lines were stretched beyond belief. His only course of action was to die where he stood"

My father has long since passed away, and this conversation was the result of continued pestering on my part. Hope it is of interest and imparts some of the ferocity involved in this battle.

Nemowork

Remind me somewhere close to the 22nd June (the offical ending) to lay a poppy on the local DLI monument.

The only living DLI veterans i know are 1943 Italy (excused from the war for being exploded when he wasnt expecting it at Monte Cassino) and 1953 Korea (yes, i know stella now isnt what you paid in LSD on 1948 Berlin foreign service but these are the prices now)

Unless your wearing Chelsea pensioner red, i might just sub you a free beer!

Anybody else pays cash