Battle of Yenangyaung
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Second Sino-Japanese War |
|---|
| Major engagements in bold Mukden - Manchuria -(Jiangqiao - Nenjiang Bridge - Chinchow - Harbin) -Shanghai (1932) -Pacification of Manchukuo - Operation Nekka - ( Rehe - Great Wall) - Suiyuan - Marco Polo Bridge - Beiping-Tianjin - Chahar - Shanghai (1937) (Sihang Warehouse) - Beiping-Hankou Railway - Tianjin-Pukou Railway - Taiyuan - (Pingxingguan) - Xinkou - Nanjing - Xuzhou- Taierzhuang - N.-E.Henan - (Lanfeng) - Amoy - Wuhan-(Wanjialing)- Canton - (Hainan) - (Xiushui River) - Nanchang - Suixian-Zaoyang - (Swatow) - 1st Changsha - S.Guangxi- (Kunlun Pass) - Winter Offensive -(Wuyuan) - Zaoyang-Yichang - Hundred Regiments - French Indochina - C. Hupei - S.Henan - W. Hopei - Shanggao - S.Shanxi - 2nd Changsha - 3rd Changsha - Yunnan-Burma Road-(Yenangyaung)- Zhejiang-Jiangxi - W.Hubei - N.Burma-W.Yunnan - Changde - C.Henan - 4th Changsha - Guilin-Liuzhou - W.Henan-N.Hubei - W.Hunan- 2nd Guangxi edit |
The Battle of Yenangyaung (Chinese: 仁安羌大捷, Great Victory at Yenangyaung) was fought in Burma, now Myanmar during World War II.
[edit] The Battle
The battle for the Yenangyaung oil fields started on 11th April and continued for a week and one of the most desperate actions was against 48th Indian Brigade at Kokkogwa. The enemy attacked fanatically and in strength on a pitch-dark night lit by violent thunderstorms. At dawn on 12th April 'B' and 'C' Squadrons, 2 RTR, were in action. Unfortunately, some of the 7th Hussars' tanks captured in the Shwedaung battle had been repaired and went into action with Japanese crews. 2 RTR were again in action near Magwe and had brisk actions at Thadodan and Alebo.
From 13th to 17th April 1942, 2 RTR were kept busy day and night. They ferried the KOYLI (2nd Battalion, The King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry) up the main road to Milestones 310, then 336 and killed 50 enemy in the village of Tokson and one tank was destroyed when it was hit six times at very close range by a 75mm gun. On several occasions a dangerous alternating sandwich situation occurred as Japanese roadblocks split in three a force consisting of elements of the Burma Frontier Force, 1st Burma Division, 7th Armoured Brigade HQ and of course 2 RTR. At one stage the situation was so critical that General Alexander 'asked' Lieutenant-General Joe Stilwell to move the Chinese 38th Division 'at once' into the Yenaungyaung area.
The battle of Yenaungyaung was fought in an area of about 20 square miles formed to the north by the Pin Chaung and the south by the Yin Chaung. The Japanese 33rd Division had cut the Magwe road between Slim's two divisions, who were about 50 miles apart, 1st Burma Division retreated northwards bombed and machine-gunned by the Japanese air force.
On April 16th, 1942, almost 7000 British soldiers, and 500 prisoners and civilians were encircled by equal number of Japanese soldiers from the Japanese 33rd Division at Yenangyaung an oil field in Burma. A rescue request came over the phone from Major General Scott (British) to General Sun Li Jen soon after the New 38th Division entered Burma from China. General Sun requested to lead the entire New 38th Division to the rescue mission, but the Chinese Field Commander Gen. Lo Cho-ying refused. On April 17th General Sun instead led the 113th Regiment with only 1121 men for the rescue mission.
However, the Chinese had no artillery or tanks of their own and Lt-Gen Slim decided to offer what artillery and tanks he could, to support Sun's attack. Brigadier Anstice, commanding 7th Armoured Brigade, got on with Lt-Gen Sun, as Sun, inexperienced with tanks, would consult with Anstice before employing them. By now Lt-General Slim's only link with Major-General Bruce Scott (GOC 1st Burma Division) was by radio from 7th Armoured Brigade HQ to the command tank of 'A' Squadron 2 RTR.
During the fighting, 'C' Squadron, 2 RTR were part of a small mixed brigade supporting the Chinese infantry division in the area of the Magwe oil fields. It was agreed that 2 RTR tanks would carry 10-15 Chinese soldiers on each tank, then penetrate as far into the jungle as possible before dropping them off and covering their attack with all tank weapons and RHA 25-pdr guns. For the next three days the Chinese New 38th Division, with 'B' and 'C' Squadrons, 2 RTR, attacked southwards.
Meanwhile, led by their GOC, Major-General Bruce Scott, 1st Burma Division formed up in a column, with guns in front, wounded in ambulances, trucks next, with a spearhead of Stuart tanks and infantry until the track turned to sand, and with abandoned transport the Division fought their way to and across the Pin Chaung. Once there the survivors concentrated around Gwegyo. On 19th April the two divisions met near the Pin Chaung river after heavy casualties on both sides.
On 19th April the Chinese 38th Division, with the British tank and artillery support, took Twingon, a key suburb of Yenangyaung, rescuing 200 prisoners and wounded men from 1st Bn. Inniskilling Fusiliers. On the next day with 2 RTR they put in such an attack on the rest of Yenaungyaung and Pinchaung that the Japanese suffered heavy casualties. But the Allied forces were too weak to hold the oil fields and were obliged to retreat. 1st Burma Division was withdrawn 40 miles north to reorganise, having lost most of its equipment, 7th Armoured Brigade covered its withdrawal.
For the next week 'C' Squadron, 2 RTR, and a troop of Essex Yeomanry 25-pdrs remained with the Chinese New 38th Division and the tanks of 2 RTR carried many of the wounded infantry in their Stuarts.
[edit] Reference
Hsu Long-hsuen and Chang Ming-kai, History of The Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945), 2nd Ed. ,1971. Translated by Wen Ha-hsiung , Chung Wu Publishing; 33, 140th Lane, Tung-hwa Street, Taipei, Taiwan Republic of China. Pg. 377
