The Burma Campaign

Burma Army - Order of Battle - 1st February 1942

 

Based on The National Archives File, WO212/543 with minor amendments.

 

A. 1st Burma Infantry Division

     Artillery

         Mountain Regiments

           27th Mountain Regiment, Indian Artillery                                     HQ

         Mountain Batteries

           23rd Mountain Battery, Indian Artillery

           2nd Mountain Battery, Indian Artillery                                         

           5th Field Battery, Royal Artillery, Burma Auxilliary Force           

     Engineers

         Field Companies

           56th Field Company, Queen Victoria's Own Madras Sappers and

            Miners

         Field Park Companies

           50th Field Park Company, Queen Victoria's Own Madras

           Sappers and Miners

     Brigades

           13th Indian Infantry Brigade                                          

                     5th Battalion, 1st Punjab Regiment (5/1st Punjab)

                     2nd Battalion, 7th Rajput Regiment (2/7th Rajput)

                     1st Battalion, 18th Royal Garhwal Rifles (1/18th R Garh Rif)     

           1st Burma Brigade Group   (The Maymyo Infantry Brigade)                     

                     2nd Battalion, The King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry detached to 46 Indian Infantry Brigade        

                     1st Battalion, The Burma Rifles

                     5th Battalion, The Burma Rifles                                          

 

B. 17th Indian Infantry Division

     Artillery

         Mountain Batteries

           5th Mountain Battery, Indian Artillery                                            detached to 16 Indian Infantry Brigade

           12th Mountain Battery, Indian Artillery                                          detached to 46 Indian Infantry Brigade

     Engineers

         Field Companies

           60th Field Company, Queen Victoria's Own Madras Sappers and     

            Miners

           The Malerkotla State Field Company, Indian States Forces

           1st Burma Field Company, Burma Sappers and Miners

     Brigades

           2nd Burma Brigade Group                                                             attached from 1 Burma Division

                     7th (Burma Police) Battalion, The Burma Rifles                

                     8th (Frontier Force) Battalion, The Burma Rifles               reassigned to 16 Indian Infantry Brigade early Feb-42

                     4th Battalion, 12th Frontier Force Regiment (4/12th FFR)           attached from 16 Indian Infantry Brigade

                    12th Mountain Battery, Indian Artillery                                attached

                    Section, Field Company 

           16th Indian Infantry Brigade                                                        

                     4th Battalion, 12th Frontier Force Regiment (4/12th FFR)           detached to 2 Burma Bde Grp, from 01-Feb-42

                      1st Battalion, 9th Jat Regiment (1/9th Jat)

                     1st Battalion, 7th Gurkha Rifles (1/7th Gurkha Rifles) 

                     3rd Battalion, 7th Gurkha Rifles (3/7th Gurkha Rifles)      attached

                     2nd Battalion, The Burma Rifles                                         

                    5th Mountain Battery, Indian Artillery              attached

           46th Indian Infantry Brigade                                          

                     2nd Battalion, The King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry attached from 1 Burma Bde Grp

                     7th Battalion, 10th Baluch Regiment (7/10th Baluch)       

                     5th Battalion, 17th Dogra Regiment (5/17th Dogra)                    

                     3rd Battalion, 7th Gurkha Rifles (3/7th Gurkha Rifles)      detached to 16 Indian Infantry Brigade


            48th Indian Infantry Brigade                                                        in Burma Army Reserve (waiting for transport)

                      1st Battalion, 3rd Queen Alexandra's Own Gurkha Rifles          

                      (1/3rd Gurkha Rifles)

                      1st Battalion, 4th Prince of Wales's Own Gurkha Rifles  

                      (1/4th Gurkha Rifles)

                      2nd Battalion, 5th Royal Gurkha Rifles (Frontier Force)           

                      (2/5th Gurkha Rifles)

 

C. Line of Communication

            1st Battalion, The West Yorkshire Regiment                             

            1st Battalion, The Gloucestershire Regiment                             

            6th Battalion, The Burma Rifles                                                     possibly only a company in strength remaining

                                                                                                                   

D.  Anti-Aircraft Artillery

            1st Heavy Antiaircraft Regiment, RA, Burma Auxiliary Force

            8th Heavy Antiaircraft Battery, RA

            8th Indian Heavy Antiaircraft Battery, Indian Artillery                less two sections

            3rd Indian Light Antiaircraft Battery, Indian Artillery             

 

E. Other Troops

            Burma Frontier Force

                      7 X “infantry battalions”:-

                      Bhamo Battalion

                      Chin Hills Battalion

                      Myitkyina Battalion

                      Northern Shan States Battalion

                      Southern Shan States Battalion

                      Kokine Battalion

                      Reserve Battalion

 

            Burma Auxiliary Force

                      4 infantry battalions

                      [presumed to be:

                      The Burma Railways Battalion, Burma Auxiliary Force

                      The Rangoon Battalion, Burma Auxiliary Force

                      The Upper Burma Battalion, Burma Auxiliary Force

                      The Tenasserim Battalion, Burma Auxiliary Force]

 

                      The Rangoon Field Brigade, Royal Artillery, Burma Auxiliary Force

 

            Burma Rifles

                      3rd Battalion, The Burma Rifles                                         

                      4th Battalion, The Burma Rifles

                      9th (Reserve) Battalion, The Burma Rifles

                      10th (Training) Battalion, The Burma Rifles

                      11th Battalion, The Burma Rifles

                      12th (Lower Burma) Battalion, The Burma Rifles

                      13th (Shan States) Battalion, The Burma Rifles

                      Six anti-tank troops                                                            (forming)

                      12 garrison companies                                                      (7 formed) [not identified]

                     

[Note: the official document (WO212/543) excludes a number of minor units such as the FF Columns, aerodrome guards, levies and others.]

29 November 2017