| Regiment | 2nd Royal Berkshire |
|---|---|
| Location | Kabwet, Burma |
| Entry | Preparations for attack on Pt 280. Attacking Force - Comd Major R.G. Dickson. Under Command - 'A' Coy Coy Assam Regt 1 Pl 11 Sikh (M.M.G.) in Reserve - 'D' Coy. In support - 4 Sqdns B 25 (Mitchell Bombers) & 20 Thunderbolts 1000 lb bombs. 1 Sqdn Hurribombers - bombing & strafing. 1 Flight Spitfires - straffing To neutralise area - Unit 3 mtrs. 1 25 pdr firing over open sights. 1000 hrs. 'D' Coy arrived in Bn HQ area to follow up 'A' Coy. 1115. 'A' Coy moved out to assembly area in chaung. 1200. B 25s arrived over target. Air Strike 1200 (Earthquake 1212. B 25s bombed target from West to East. 1213. Thunderbolts over target - 3 bombed area remainder West of Area . 1220. 'A' Coy ordered to move fwd to 2nd assambly area. 1222. Hurribombers arrived over target. 1228. 1st wave bombed from N.W. to S.E. Succeeding aircraft held their bombs for orders from V.C.P. 1242 & 1248 Hurribombers straffed target. 1248. 'B' Coy ordered to move forward & re-occupy origional posns. 1250 & 1306. Spitfires called in to carry out straffing and dummy runs. 1st on village near Pt 280. then on Western edge of 15r and along ridge. 1256. A Coy crossed S.L. 1259. C.O. went forward with Bn Tac. H.Q. REMARKS. 1st Flight. B 25 bombed Western edge of target. Dust from explosion drifted Westwards and bombing appeared to follow smoke. Subsequent sqdns apparently ignored the white indicator smoke and continued to bomb outside the target area to the Westward. THUNDERBOLTS. First 3 bombed to Westward of target area, next ones were directed on to target area by V.C.P. Later ones bombed outside target area to Westward again. HURRIBOMBERS & SPITFIRES. Put their bombs & cannon fire exactly as directed by V.C.P. on the target area. 1314 hrs. 1st Platoon 'A' Coy reported on objective. 2nd Pl following close behind. 1130 hrs. Div Comdr and Bde Comd arrived to watch the attack. After the second platoon came in some enemy fire was encountered from a Banana grove on the right. Res platoon was ordered to commence a right hook with a Pl of Assams in support. Coy Comdr, Major R.G. Dickson went forward to recce posn and was wounded by an enemy sniper. In meanwhile 'D' Coy advanced along track from direction of village of KABWET towards Banana Grove from West. Armd cars moved up with 'D' Coy with object of clearing way for Pl of M.M.Gs. (11 Sikhs) C.O. of 11 Sikhs was killed as he went forward at head of Armd cars. 'D' Coy linked up with 'A' Coy about 1700 hrs. Enemy positions were then pin-pointed to about 2 bunker posns probably manned by a few desperate enemy. 'A' Coy left in position with Pl of Assam Regt to contain enemy for night, and to occupy any enemy positions left unoccupied. 'D' Coy returned to Bn H.Q. area for night. Air bombing made huge craters in the ground. Only a few enemy dead were found, most of them killed by our small arms fire. Other enemy casualties must have been buried in debris. Reference to Appendice: Appx A.5. Sitrep up to 1930 hrs (Original only). Appx I.4 AFW-3008-9 dated 28 Jan 45. (Original only). |
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