indian 2nd mountain battery in ww2

[Guest pikemedals]

Can anybody give me any information on the 2nd Mountain Battery and let me know which campaigns they served in in WW2. Many thanks Paul

[Gunner 1]

The 2nd (Derajat) Indian Mountain Battery (four 3.7-inch howitzers) arrived at Maymyo in March 1938 and in December 1941 was at a practice camp in the Shan State of Laikha. They were ordered to move immediately to Loimwe, about 300 miles away at the junction of the borders of China, Laos, Thailand and Burma. After a long and treacherous march they arrived at Loimwe just before Christmas 1941 (there is an article about this march by Major P. Hartley in Tales of the Mountain Gunners). In February 1942, the Battery was ordered to Takaw and then to Taunggyi where they joined the 27th Mountain Regiment under the command of Lt-Col. W G Constable. At that time the battery was under the command of Major P. Hartley, with the other officers being: Capt. A. B. Howard, Lt J. Nettelfield and Lt F. W. Graham. During this period the Battery was part of the 1st Burma Division (Mountain Battery by Pat Carmichael who was Orderly Officer of the 27th Mountain Regiment during this period has quite a bit of information about the Regiment and the 2nd (Derajat) Mountain Battery during the 1st Burma Campaign).

On 11 Mar 42 the Battery took part in an attack on the flank of the Japanese at Pyuntaza and the Battery was almost overrun but finally beat off the attack by firing their guns at point blank range and the gunners firing with rifles. On 22 March the Battery entrained at Toungoo to move to the Irrawaddy. By May 1942 the Battery marched out of Burma with their guns and most of their equipment and went into reserve at Imphal.

During the 2nd Arakan Campaign in 1944 the Battery in May 1944 joined the 26th Indian Division but in December 1944 it was posted to 24th Indian Mountain Regiment in the 5th Indian Division at Kohima, and later, Jotsoma. During the siege of Kohima Lt J. S. Punia and his FOO party slipped into Kohima and called in fire missions to the Battery that was at Jotsoma. At this time the Battery was commanded by Major J. Nettelfield. The Battery in 1945 took part in the crossing of the Irrawaddy and the capture of Mandalay. (The History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery: The Far East Theatre 1941-46 has numerous references to the role of the Battery in the campaigns in Burma.)

On 1 November 1945 the Battery arrived in Singapore on the destroyer Caron and took part in the reoccupation of that city as part of 5th Indian Division.

Regards, Gunner 1

[Guest pikemedals]

thank you very much paul