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Burma had been administered from India until April, 1937. After separation the country had achieved a degree of self-government though was still effectively controlled by the British through the Governor. The Government of Burma was responsible for the defence of the country and for financing the armed forces and acquiring stores and equipment from the British War Office. The strategic significance of Burma for the defence of the region was not lost on British senior commanders and from 1937 onwards it was argued that forces in Burma should be controlled by the Commander-in Chief in India. This was not finally decided on until 11th December, 1941 by Prime Minister Churchill and the Chiefs of Staff. The Military Before Separation Before separation, the defence of Burma had been the responsibility of Burma District, part of India Command. Military units serving under District command were:
The units were grouped into areas:
There were also nine battalions of the Burma Military Police, a para-military force under the command of the Inspector-General of Police, Burma. Reinforcement in time of serious internal unrest was expected to come from India. Separation After separation from India in April 1937, responsibility for the defence of Burma lay with the Government of Burma. The Burma Army (Burma Army Command, Burma Command or Army in Burma) became a small, independent military command formed by the transfer of units from the Indian Army. The headquarters was very small for the size of the forces under command, being no larger than a second class district headquarters in India. The first commander of Burma Army was Major General DK McLeod. The separation resulted in the transfer of The Burma Rifles, the retention of the two British regular battalions (for internal security) and the temporary retention of Indian Army units. It was intended that the Indian Army units would ultimately be withdrawn. The two Indian Army infantry battalions soon left but the mountain battery (the 2nd) and company of engineers (13th Field Company, Madras Sappers and Miners) remained. On formation of the 1st Field Company, Burma Sappers and Miners, the Indian company was also withdrawn in early 1940. Six of the battalions of the Burma Military Police became the Burma Frontier Force, administered by the Defence Department and under the command of the GOC, Burma Army. The Auxiliary and Territorial units were embodied in the newly formed Burma Auxiliary Force and the Burma Territorial Force. An embryonic Burma Army Signals Unit was authorised in early 1939 but was to take a long time to reach full operational size and efficiency. Wartime Expansion 1939 - 1941 On the outbreak of war in September 1939, the formation began of Garrison Companies for carrying out specific guard duties. The men were either ex-regular soldiers or recruits who had failed to pass the entrance standards for other units. Later, the companies were formed into two administrative Garrison Battalions. The Burma Rifles were expanded, their strength being doubled, as was the Burma Frontier Force. Recruiting for the Burma Auxiliary Force was made easier by the Governor's edict allowing all British subjects in Burma to join. Steps were taken to enlarge the pool of officers. A light machine gun anti-aircraft battery of the Burma Auxiliary Force was disbanded when, in 1941, 1st Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, BAF, was raised. Guns for this unit did not arrive until after the start of the war with Japan. The Maymyo Infantry Brigade Area was split into the Maymyo Infantry Brigade and Upper Burma Area. As the Japanese threat grew, the brigade moved to the southern Shan States to defend the frontier and units were later regrouped under Southern Shan Area and 1 Burma Brigade Group. In the south, units moving in to defend Tenasserim were formed firstly into Tenasserim Brigade Area, later supplanted by 2 Burma Brigade Group. Arrival of Reinforcements from India - 1st Burma Division In April 1941, 13th Indian Infantry Brigade arrived in Burma and were stationed initially in Mandalay. The three brigade groups in the country were formed into 1st Burma Division in July 1941, with divisional HQ at Toungoo, under the command of Major General J Bruce Scott. At the end of November, 16th Indian Infantry Brigade began arriving from Calcutta and was placed under direct command of Burma Army HQ. The brigade was the last reinforcement to arrive before the Japanese invasion. 07 July, 2002 |
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