| Regiment | 1st Royal Berkshire |
|---|---|
| Location | MAUNGDAUNG, Burma |
| Entry | The Bn is to break out of he Divisions bridgehead today, and advance and capture NYAUNGYIN 1253. The advance is on a two Coy front: A right, C left, with Tac HQ following behind these two Coys, followed by B, Main HQ, D Coys. Start time 0830 hrs. Route: 105575, chaung 1157, road at approx 125545, along road SOUTH to NYAUNGYIN (1253). First bound: mullah and tck junc 115554. 1000 hrs. Leading Coys report "reached first bound" no opposition. Ordered to push on. 1130 hrs. C and A Coys astride track at 125545. A on right, C on left, Tac HQ with C Coy. D Coy area 123548, B Coy 124546. A Coy ordered to push a patrol of 1 officer and 12 ORs slowly and carefully down the axis of the road to recce the village. Rest of Coy to edge forward behind the patrol. 1300 hrs. A Coy patrol at 124540, with rest of Coy about 400 yds north of it. 1310 hrs. Patrol sniped from north side of village. They report that the area is definitely occupied by a number of Japs (definite no. not estimated). 1315 hrs. More sniping from 124538 and EAST side of village. 1400 hrs. The CO, in consultation with the Brigadier, made the following plan for assaulting the village. It was obvious now that the village is held in some strength, with a forward sniper screen. A and D Coys to assault (A right, B left) down the axis of the road, with 2 tps of tanks in support. The Divisional arty to crash the village from 1500 to 1515 hrs. Tanks and infantry then assault. 1515 hrs. Arty cove started. 1530 hrs. Arty finished. Troops and tanks advance. A Coy front. Snipers rather troublesome but using blitz tactics, tanks and infantry pushed forward fairly quickly, and finally cleared the WESTERN side of the village. D Coy front. Snipers very troublesome at once. The axis of advance initially was down mullah running SE from 125535. Here the Japs had dug themselves into the side of the mullah in strength, and the advancing infantry had to push tanks ahead to blast them out, before mopping up. Well camouflaged and sited foxholes made progress slow, but with the aid of tanks progress was made. In some cases Japs lay low until the tanks had passed by, and then sniped the infantry. During the initial stages of this battle CAPT ACTON (D Coy Cdrs) was wounded. His sten jammed, and he jumped into a Jap filled trench and attacked with his bare hands. As D moved slowly down to the mulla junc 130529, a large party of Japs (about 120 strong)* ran EAST from the mullah towards PYAWBE (1352). Tank guns jammed at this time and only a few were killed. A small arty barage was put down on the place soon after. 1645 hrs. Battle finished. Coys disposed as follows: BHQ and B Coy at mulla and tek junc 125536, A Coy 122531, C Coy 123529 astride track. D Coy 128531. Jap casualties : 103 killed. Own casualties : 2 ORs killed. 1 officer 11 ORs wounded. Quiet night except for the death of one Jap who walked into a Bren in B Coy area at 1915 hrs. Identified as 124 Regt 31 Div. Total score of Japs killed today is now 104. Remarks: * 3 DG tanks that intercepted placed the party as 30 strong. See [ ] app 'P' page 4 [ ] Killed 5387413 Pte SALTER E. 5342016 Cpl COOKE . W. Wounded. 130145 CAPT ACTON G.D. 5341027 Pte DIETCHMAN 14403486 Pte MACARTHY 5339305 Pte HUMBLES 5348045 L/Cpl FIELDS 5344673 L/Cpl PAGE 1525819 L/Cpl KNAGGS 5339525 Pte WATERMAN 14370102 Pte SCOTT J. 5190401 Pte LEDGER |
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