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11th East Africa Division
The 11th (East Africa) Infantry Division was a British Empire colonial unit formed in February 1943 during the Second World War. Formation In 1943, the 11th (East Africa) Division was formed primarily of troops from British East Africa. The division should not be confused with the earlier 11th (African) Division which was composed of brigades both from British East Africa and from Nigeria in British West Africa, fought in the East African Campaign and was disbanded in late 1941. Combat history The Division was composed of troops from Kenya, Uganda, Nyasaland, Tanganyika, Southern Rhodesia, Northern Rhodesia, and from Belgian Congo. The 11th (East Africa) Division fought with the Fourteenth Army in Burma during the Burma Campaign. In the later part of 1944, the division pursued the Japanese retreating from Imphal down the Kabaw valley and established bridgeheads over the Chindwin River. In 1945, elements of the division played a part in the Battle of Meiktila and Mandalay. Co ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Divisional Insignia Of The British Army
Formation signs at the division level were first introduced in the British Army in the First World War. They were intended (initially) as a security measure to avoid displaying the division's designation in the clear. They were used on vehicles, sign posts and notice boards and were increasingly, but not universally, worn on uniform as the War progressed. Discontinued by the regular army after 1918, only a few Territorial divisions continued to wear them before 1939. Reintroduced officially in late 1940 in the Second World War, divisional formation signs were much more prevalent on uniforms and were taken up by many other formations, independent brigades, corps, armies, overseas and home commands, military districts and lines of communication areas. The sign could be based on many things, geometry (simple or more complex), heraldry, regional or historical associations, a pun, the role of the division or a combination. First World War Until 1916, unit names were written on vehicl ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Southern Rhodesia
Southern Rhodesia was a landlocked self-governing British Crown colony in southern Africa, established in 1923 and consisting of British South Africa Company (BSAC) territories lying south of the Zambezi River. The region was informally known as south Zambesia until annexed by Britain at the behest of Cecil Rhodes's British South Africa Company, for whom the colony was named. The bounding territories were Bechuanaland (Botswana), Northern Rhodesia (Zambia), Moçambique (Mozambique), and the Transvaal Republic (for two brief periods instead the British Transvaal Colony, from 1910 the Union of South Africa, and then from 1961 the Republic of South Africa). This southern region, known for its extensive gold reserves, was first purchased by the BSAC's Pioneer Column on the strength of a Mineral Concession extracted from its Matabele overlord, Lobengula, and various majority Mashona vassal chiefs in 1890. Though parts of the territory were laid claim to by the Bechuana and Po ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Northern Rhodesia Regiment
The Northern Rhodesia Regiment (NRR) was a multi-battalion British colonial regiment raised from the protectorate of Northern Rhodesia. It was formed in 1933 from elements of the Northern Rhodesia Police, which had been formed during Company rule in 1912. Made up of black other ranks and white officers, its motto was "Different in Race, Equal in Fidelity". This motto may have been adopted following native African porters during the First World War being recognised and compensated as couriers by the British. The NRR fought in the Second World War in Somaliland, Madagascar, the Middle East, Ceylon and Burma. The 1st Battalion served with distinction in the Malayan Emergency from 1953 to 1955. Between 1953 and 1963, during federation with Southern Rhodesia and Nyasaland, it made up part of the Federal armed forces. On Northern Rhodesia's independence as Zambia in 1964, the NRR was renamed the Zambia Regiment and integrated into the new Zambian Defence Force. History The Nort ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nigeria Regiment
The Nigeria Regiment, Royal West African Frontier Force, was formed by the amalgamation of the Northern Nigeria Regiment and the Southern Nigeria Regiment on 1 January 1914. At that time, the regiment consisted of five battalions: *1st Battalion - ex 1st Bn, Northern Nigeria Regiment *2nd Battalion - ex 2nd Bn, Northern Nigeria Regiment *3rd Battalion - ex 3rd Bn, Northern Nigeria Regiment *4th (Lagos) Battalion - ex 2nd Bn, Southern Nigeria Regiment *5th Battalion - ex 1st Bn, Southern Nigeria Regiment World War I The regiment served throughout the First World War in the Cameroons (1914-1916), and in East African Campaign (1916-1918). In the Second World War, the regiment saw service in the East African Campaign where it carried out the fastest advance in military history against Italian forces and in Burma where it provided the bulk of the 81 and 82 West African divisions. In addition 3 West African Brigade was attached throughout the Second Chindits operation of 1944. In 1 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
King's African Rifles
The King's African Rifles (KAR) was a multi-battalion British colonial regiment raised from Britain's various possessions in East Africa from 1902 until independence in the 1960s. It performed both military and internal security functions within the colonial territories, and served outside these territories during the World Wars. The rank and file ( askaris) were drawn from native inhabitants, while most of the officers were seconded from the British Army. When the KAR was first raised there were some Sudanese officers in the battalions raised in Uganda, and native officers were commissioned towards the end of British colonial rule. Uniforms Until independence, the parade uniform of the KAR comprised khaki drill, with tall fezzes and cummerbunds. Both of the latter items were normally red, although there were some battalion distinctions with Nyasaland units, for example, wearing black fezzes. Prior to 1914, the regiment's field service uniforms consisted of a dark blue j ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
William Alfred Dimoline
Major General William Alfred Dimoline, (6 July 1897 – 24 November 1965) was a senior British Army officer who saw service during the First and Second World Wars. His nickname was "Dimmy." Early career Dimoline was educated at Dean Close School, Cheltenham, where he was a member of the Officer Training Corps. Following the outbreak of the First World War, he was commissioned into the King's Regiment (Liverpool) (Territorial Force) as a second lieutenant in 1914. He was promoted to lieutenant in 1915, seconded to the Divisional Artillery Signals on 15 March 1917, and promoted to captain. In 1920 he was given a backdated regular army commission in the East Surrey Regiment from July 1916, as a second lieutenant, having transferred to the regiment as a lieutenant in 1918. He was awarded the Military Cross in January 1918. Between the world wars Dimoline transferred to the Royal Signal Corps. He commanded a Divisional Signal Company as an acting captain for a period up to ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Robert Mansergh
General Sir Eric Carden Robert Mansergh, (12 May 1900 – 8 November 1970) was a senior British Army officer during and after the Second World War. Military career Robert Mansergh was born in Cape Colony and educated at the Rondebosch Boys' High School in Cape Town and the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich.Who Was Who, 1951–1970,pg 748 He was commissioned into the Royal Field Artillery in 1920. He served with the British Military Mission to Iraq between 1931 and 1935, being awarded the Military Cross in 1932. During the Second World War, Mansergh served with the Royal Artillery in Eritrea, Abyssinia, the Western Desert of Libya, the Middle East, Persia, Iraq, Arakan, Assam and Burma. Having been promoted acting major general in 1944, he commanding the 11th (East Africa) Division and the 5th Indian Infantry Division. Promoted acting lieutenant general in 1946, Mansergh commanded the XV Indian Corps and was then appointed Commander-in-Chief of Allied Forces in the Netherland ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Charles Christopher Fowkes
Major-General Charles Christopher Fowkes (4 December 1894 – 1 July 1966) was an officer in the British Army during the Second World War. His nickname was "Fluffy." Military career Fowkes was born in Lewisham, Kent, England, in 1894. He was educated at Dulwich College and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. He was commissioned in the South Wales Borderers, at the start of the First World War. He won the Military Cross in 1918 and was wounded four times throughout the war. He then served in North Russia during the Russian Civil War. Fowkes was highly critical of fascism; during the 1930s he criticised both Hitler's Nazi government and Mussolini's Fascist regime in Italy.Mead, Richard (2007). Churchill's Lions: a biographical guide to the key British generals of World War II. Stroud (UK) Brigadier Fowkes participated in the East African Campaign commanding 22nd (East Africa) Infantry Brigade, part of Lieutenant-General Alan Cunningham's force based in Kenya. In August 1941 h ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Battle Of Meiktila And Mandalay
The concurrent Battle of Meiktila and Battle of Mandalay were decisive engagements near the end of the Burma campaign during World War II. Collectively, they are sometimes referred to as the Battle of Central Burma. Despite logistical difficulties, the Allies were able to deploy large armoured and mechanised forces in Central Burma, and also possessed air supremacy. Most of the Japanese forces in Burma were destroyed during the battles, allowing the Allies to later recapture the capital, Rangoon, and reoccupy most of the country with little organised opposition. Background Japanese situation In 1944, the Japanese had sustained several defeats in the mountainous frontier regions of Burma and India. In particular, at the Battle of Imphal and Battle of Kohima, the Japanese Fifteenth Army had suffered disastrous losses, mainly resulting from disease and starvation. The heavy Japanese defeat prompted them to make sweeping changes among their commanders and senior staff officers in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chindwin River
, , image = Homalin aerial.jpg , image_size = , image_caption = The Chindwin at Homalin. The smaller, meandering Uyu River can be seen joining the Chindwin. , map = Irrawaddyrivermap.jpg , map_size = , map_alt = , map_caption = , source1_location = Hukawng Valley, Kachin State , subdivision_type1 = Country , subdivision_name1 = Myanmar , length = , source1_elevation = , mouth_location = Irrawaddy River , mouth_elevation = , mouth_coordinates = , discharge1_avg= The Chindwin River (also called the Ningthi River) is a river flowing entirely in Myanmar, and the largest tributary of the country's main river, the Ayeyarwady. Its official name is also spelled Chindwinn. Sources The Chindwin originates in the broad Hukawng Valley of Kachin State of Burma, roughly , where the Tanai, the Tabye, the Tawan, and the Taron (also known as Turong or Towang) rivers meet. The headwaters of the Tanai are at about on the Shwedaunggyi peak of th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kabaw Valley
The Kabaw Valley also known as Kubo valley is a highland valley in Myanmar's western Sagaing division, close to the border with India's Manipur. The valley is located between Heerok or Yoma ranges of mountains, which constitute the present day border of Manipur, and the Chindwin River (also called the Ningthi River). The valley is home to a number of ethnic groups including the Meitei (Kathe and Paona), the Maring tribe, the Thadou people, Kuki people, the Mizo, the Kadu and the Kanan. During the First Anglo-Burmese War, the Manipuri prince Gambhir Singh conquered the Kabaw valley from Burma. It remained under Manipur control for several years. But the Burmans were able to prove to the British Resident, Major Burney, that the valley had been ceded to Burma by the former Manipur King Marjit Singh in 1813. The British were persuaded to hand the valley back to Burma in 1834. The British compensated Manipur for the loss of territory by annual subsidy. Lai (Hakha) History Kaba ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Battle Of Imphal
) , partof = the Operation U-Go during the Burma Campaign in the South-East Asian theatre of World War II , image = Imphalgurkhas.jpg , image_size = 300 , caption = Gurkhas advancing with Grant tanks to clear the Japanese from Imphal-Kohima road in North Eastern British India , date = 8 March – 3 July 1944 , place = Imphal, Manipur, India , coordinates = , result = British Indian victory , combatant1 = British Empire * India , combatant2 = Japan , commander1 = William Slim Geoffry Scoones Jack Baldwin , commander2 = Masakasu Kawabe Renya Mutaguchi Subhas C. Bose , strength1 = 4 Infantry Divisions1 Armoured Brigade1 Parachute Brigade , strength2 = 3 Infantry Divisions1 Tank Regiment2 Indian regiments , casualties1 = 12,603 killed and woundedLouis Allen, ''Burma: The Longest War'', p. 638 , casualties2 = 54,879 ki ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
