inspects troops of the 17th Infantry Division in
Burma, 1944. The division was first raised at
Ahmednagar,
India under the command of Major General H V Lewis in 1941. It consisted then of the
44th,
45th and
46th Indian Infantry Brigades, and was intended to garrison
Iraq. At the end of the year, war with
Imperial Japan broke out and the division was split; 44th and 45th Brigades were despatched to
Malaya where 45th Brigade fought in the
Battle of Muar before both brigades were lost in the
Battle of Singapore. The 46th Brigade and the division HQ went to Burma, where the Division was reinforced by
16th Indian Infantry Brigade and took
2nd Burma Infantry Brigade under command.
1942 The Japanese attacked Burma on 22 January 1942. It was soon apparent that the British and Indian troops in Burma were too few in number, wrongly equipped and inadequately trained for the terrain and conditions. After failing to hold the Kawkareik Pass,
Moulmein and
Kuzeik, the division fell back to the
Bilin River, where it was joined by
48th Indian Infantry Brigade. The Bilin was not a proper defensive position, and the division tried to retreat over the
Sittang River. Air attacks, poor organization and vehicle breakdowns delayed the division, and Japanese parties infiltrated around them to threaten the vital bridge over the Sittang. The division's commander, Major General
"Jackie" Smyth VC, was forced to order the bridge to be destroyed, with most of the division cut off on the far side of the river. Only a few thousand men without equipment succeeded in crossing the river. Smyth was dismissed and replaced by Major General
Cowan. The division was reinforced with
the 63rd Indian Infantry Brigade, and narrowly escaped being trapped in
Rangoon. After trying to hold a front in the
Irrawaddy River valley, the division subsequently retreated north into
Assam just before the monsoon broke, fighting off a Japanese attempt to trap it at
Kalewa.
1943 For the campaigning season of 1943, the division was reorganised as a "Light" formation, with two brigades only (48th and 63rd), supported by mountain artillery, and with mules and jeeps only for transport. It disputed the mountainous and jungle-covered region around
Tiddim, with mixed success. The division was at the end of a long and precarious supply line, and the "light" establishment was found to be inadequate in some respects. Some heavier equipment and transport was restored.
1944 In 1944, the Japanese launched a major invasion of India. During the long
Battle of Imphal, the 17th Division first successfully fought its way out of encirclement at Tiddim, and then disputed the vital Bishenpur sector south of Imphal (with
32nd Indian Infantry Brigade temporarily under command). In July, the Japanese were broken by heavy casualties and starvation, and retreated. Some units of the 17th Division had suffered nearly 100% casualties. During the late monsoon season, the division was temporarily withdrawn to India and reorganised once again. The 48th and 63rd Brigades were fully equipped with vehicles to become
Motorized infantry.
The 99th Indian Infantry Brigade was added to the division, equipped to be transported by
Douglas DC-3 aircraft.
1945 In late February 1945, the motor elements of the division, with the bulk of
255th Indian Tank Brigade under command, crossed the
Irrawaddy River and advanced on the vital Japanese communications centre of
Meiktila. Joined by
the 99th Indian Infantry Brigade which was flown into the captured airfield at
Thabutkon, they captured Meiktila in only four days. Reinforced by
the 9th Indian Infantry Brigade which was flown into the airfields around Meiktila, they subsequently withstood a Japanese siege. This
Battle of Meiktila largely destroyed the Japanese armies in Central Burma. The division now broke the last Japanese defensive position at
Pyawbwe, and advanced south on
Rangoon. At
Pegu, it pushed Japanese rearguards aside, but was still short of its objective when the
monsoon broke. Rangoon fell to an assault from the sea,
Operation Dracula. In the last months of the campaign, the division participated in the mopping up of Japanese stragglers in Burma. After the war ended, elements of it formed part of the
Commonwealth Occupation force in Japan (under Cowan). The division was disbanded in India in 1946. ==Order of Battle, as of 1 May 1944==