IDSM Group for Burma

[Paul L Murphy]

This is one of my favourite groups awarded for fighting against the Japanese (Yes, I sit on both sides of the fence). It consists of a Indian Distinguished Service Medal, 1939-45 Star, Burma Star, War Medal, India War Medal and Western Command India Small Arms Association Silver Shooting Medal. They were awarded to Havlidar Harhabahadur Limbu of the 1/7 Gurkha Rifles.

The citation for the IDSM is dated LG 28/10/42 and reads : -

This NCO was the Pl Hav of the left Pl in the counter attack by B Coy 1/7 GR at Kyaukse on 29 Apr 42. This platoon was to cross a stretch of open ground to gain a road which was known to be held by the enemy. He was seen to dash across the open and threw grenades into a culvert with great effect killing at least 4 Japs. After leading his sec over the open, he went over the ?????? To which the road ran within 50 yards of the enemy and threw grenades into a nullah which was the only covered line for the enemy withdrawal. He then came back for more grenades and again went over. Throughout the action he showed great bravery and controlled his men well, using his initiative to great effect and was instrumental in causing heavy casualties upon the enemy.

This action took place as the Allied forces were retreating from the advancing Japanese. The action action at Kyaukse is described by General Slim in Defeat into Victory (pages 84 to 86) as follows :

In Kyaukse, we found 48 Brigade settled into a strong defensive position. The small town had been badly bombed and burnt out; many of its inhabitants with their cattle were lying dead in the

streets. It was surrounded by paddy fields giving a good field of fire, but there were banana groves and some thick jungle on the banks of the river that ran round the southern and western outskirts. Brigadier Cameron, commanding 48 Brigade, had four weak battalions of Gurkhas, twelve guns, a troop of anti-tank two-pounders, and some Sappers, in all about eighteen hundred men. He was not strong enough to occupy the whole of the long pagoda-dotted ridge that ran out from the town to the east, but in true mountain warfare style he had placed picquets along it. While we were there, the last of the Chinese, footsore stragglers, were being passed through. Cameron had infantry in lorries and a few tanks well to the flanks and to the south to help bring in 63 Brigade, due that night, and to ambush any Japanese who might follow. I left feeling 48 Brigade would give a good account of itsel? It did.

During the night, 63 Brigade with its tanks came through and moved on to hold the Myitnge crossings. Early on the 29th, flank patrols had brushes with armed Burmans and rescued more Indian refugees, but not before some had suffered atrocities. There was a brisk little action between our own and Japanese tanks, some ten miles down the main road, in which one enemy tank was destroyed and ours were bombed from the air. However, with the arrival of large Japanese reinforcements, our detachments fell slowly back to Kyaukse. At 2200 hours in bright moonlight, the Japanese launched a fierce attack on our positions astride the road. The Gurkhas held their fire until their yelling assailants were a hundred and fifty yards away and then let them have it. The attack withered away, leaving many dead. At midnight, a Japanese column of motor transport and bullock carts blundered almost on to our defences, and was heavily shelled and mortared. Half an hour later another attack was met with close-range fire and destroyed. At 0515 hours next morning in pitch darkness, a third attack was flung back in confusion. At dawn on the 30th April, tanks and Gurkhas sallied out and cleared a burnt-out village in front of our lines. Many Japanese in it were killed and several mortars and light automatics captured. The Gurkhas were particularly pleased at trapping thirty-eight of the enemy who had taken refuge in a culvert under the road. The enemy belonged to the 18th Division-one we had not previously met. The general opinion in 48 Brigade was that, compared with their old opponents, the 33rd Division, these newcomers were much inferior in both courage and fighting skill. The Japanese throughout the day shelled our positions heavily but not very effectively, except Brigade Headquarters which they appeared to have located exactly. It was clear during the 30th that the whole 18th Division

was deploying for a renewal of the attack and that the usual out-flanking movements were starting. The brigade was, therefore, ordered to withdraw through 63 Brigade that night. At 1530 hours yet another attack was repulsed, at 1700 hours our men were dive-bombed but suffered no casualties, and at 1800 hours they pulled out covered by one battalion and some tanks. 48 Brigade embussed in the dark a few miles up the road and then went straight through, across the Ava bridge to Myinmu. The action at Kyaukse was a really brilliant example of rearguard work. It not only enabled the last of the Chinese to cross the Ava bridge without molestation and gave us all a breathing space, but it inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy at extremely small cost to ourselves.

What I particularly like about this is that the specific small unit action is mentioned in the book written by the army commander. How often does that happen !

[Ed_Haynes]

A really REALLY nice Gorkha group here, Paul!

Is the full group named (WM and ISM too)?

Let me see what else I can find for you.

[Paul L Murphy]

Hi Ed,

I knew you would like it

All five medals are named. If you can dig out any more information I would appreciate it.

Cheers,

Paul