In my research on the Dutch Tiger Brigade on Java. I am very interested in getting information on especially 49th Brigade and 5th Airborne Brigade and their time on Mid Java 1945-1946.
The last volume of the British official history of the war in Asia contains a fair amount of material on Java. The unit histories that I own that have the most information on the conflict are the unit histories of the 23rd Indian Division and the 5th Indian Division.
Regarding 49th Indian Infantry Brigade: In 1945 the brigade went to Malaya, Landing at Port Dickson on 12th September and then moving to Pahang where it remained until being sent to the Dutch East Indies, landing at Sourabaya on 25th October 1945. The brigade came under attack from the 29th and casualties were taken both in the brigade in the civilian convoys they were protecting. A cease-fire was attempted but on the 30th October the Brigade Major was killed whilst trying to negotiate and that evening Brigadier Mallaby was shot whilst trying to enforce the cease-fire with the Indonesian authorities. From 9th to 27th November the brigade was under command 5th Division at Sourabaya the reverted to 23rd Division and moved to Semerang then to Batavia and Bandoeng from 14th January 1946, leaving the DEI on 10th September 1946 and moving to Malaya in advance of 23rd Division. Source: Chris Kempton: Loyalty & Honour : The Indian Army September 1939 – August 1947. Vol. II. (2003). P. 50. Same source has no mention of a 5th Indian Airborne Brigade. I can create an OBB of the 49th Indian Infantry Brigade for the period if you want me to.
Have you the article "Unexpected Allies Java 1945-1946With the 5th Parachute Brigade"? http://www.britains-smallwars.com/RRGP/Java.htm There is also a book called "The British occupation of Indonesia 1945-1946 " by Richard McMillan (Routledge, 2005. ISBN: 0415355516). The table of contents: Introduction Chapter I: The Arrival of British Forces in Indonesia Planning the British occupation of Indonesia The British deployment in West Java The British deployment in Central Java Chapter II: The Battle of Surabaya The British creation of an internee problem and British plans for the occupation of Surabaya The arrival of 49th Indian Infantry Brigade at Surabaya The dropping of leaflets and the outbreak of fighting The death of Brigadier Mallaby 49th Indian Infantry Brigade regroups 5th Indian Division arrives at Surabaya The failure of negotiations at the local level 5th Indian Division occupies Surabaya Chapter III: Anglo-Indonesian relations in the aftermath of Surabaya The consolidation of British power in West Java Casualties, reprisals and atrocities Anglo-Indonesian co-operation Chapter IV: Anglo-Dutch relations and the British withdrawal from Java The tensions of Anglo-Dutch military co-operation in the Batavia area British relations with Dutch internees The Dutch takeover in Central and East Java The Dutch takeover in West Java Chapter V: The British Occupation of Sumatra The arrival of British forces in Sumatra The deterioration of Anglo-Indonesian relations Anglo-Indonesian co-operation The British and the Social Revolution in Northern Sumatra The deployment of the Japanese Anglo-Dutch relations and the British withdrawal from Sumatra Chapter VI: Morale The morale of British officers in British and Indian battalions The morale of British other ranks Political repercussions of the use of Indian troops in Indonesia The morale of Indian other ranks in Indonesia Conclusion Appendix 1 Structure of Indian Divisions in Indonesia Diagram 1 Composition of 23rd Indian Division in October 1945 Diagram 2 Composition of 26th Indian Division in October 1945 Diagram 3 Composition of 5th Indian Division in October 1945 Notes to Diagrams 1, 2 and 3 Appendix 2 Typical Brigade Headquarters Appendix 3 Typical structure of a battalion Appendix 4 Chronology of the British Occupation of Indonesia Appendix 5 Chronology of events in Surabaya: 25 October 1945 - 29 November 1945 Appendix 6 Dramatis Personae Appendix 7 British, Indian, Dutch, Japanese and Indonesian casualties Map 1 South East Asia, showing the extension of the boundaries of South East Asia Command Map 2 Malaya and Sumatra Map 3 Java, Bali, Lombok and Borneo Map 4 The Outer Islands of the Netherlands East Indies Plan 1 Town plan of Surabaya Plan 2 Town plan of Medan Plan 3 Town plan of Padang Plan 4 Town plan of Palembang Bibliography
Now long ago I interviewed a Rhodesian born, British Indian Army officer, who served in a Gurkha infantry battalion in WW2 and he descried the fighting in DEI as the toughest they had faced. Before DEI his unit had been in Saigon, French Indo-China, under General Gracey's command and remarked the Viet Minh (Nationalist-Communist) had been a tough opponent.
I could not currently access the article, but found an archived version of the article. https://web.archive.org/web/20140302115529/http://www.britains-smallwars.com:80/RRGP/Java.htm Richard McMillan's book was based on a 2002 PhD Thesis (Royal Holloway, University of London) which may be downloaded from British Library EThOS. British Library EThOS: The British occupation of Indonesia : 1945-1946 Cheers Maureen
Do you know maybe which regiment he was in? 20th Indian Division returned to India after French Indochina. 4/2nd Gurkha Rifles was sent to British Borneo and I think that they were at some time in DEI. Both battalions of 1st Gurkha Rifles returned to India, I think that 3/8th Gurkha Rifles also went home, not sure about 4/10th Gurkha Rifles.
My original notes are not readily available and to be fair my focus was on other, far later matters. Digging away I found a South African historian, J.R.T. Wood, in one of his books on Rhodesia refers to him being commissioned in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment and the 8th Gurkha Rifles. I see this 20th Infantry Division (India) - Wikipedia refers to the 3rd Battalion, 8th Gurkha Rifles being part of the 20th Indian Division. Plus the Division returned to India after Indo-China; where later the 8th Gurkha Rifles transferred to the Indian Army. I have researched the officer on the Web and cannot help further, though I did find a few items unknown to me.
Yes, 3/8th Gurkha Rifles was posted to Saigon with 32nd Indian Brigade of the 20th Indian division. After Saigon brigade was posted to the North Borneo. If you want I can check his name in the Indian Army List?
The Indian Official History volume "Post -War Occupation Forces: Japan and South-East Asia" by Rajendra Singh has Chapter XV entitled "Restoration of Law and Order in the Netherlands East Indies". It is about 27 pages. It details the forces involved. The volume is available here for $36 US. https://www.amazon.com/Official-His...1983/ref=mt_paperback?_encoding=UTF8&me=&qid=
Just checked my Excel which I believe is the best ORBAT for the British/Indian Army in NEI. Only battalion from the 8 Gurkhas to serve I believe was 1/8 Gurkhas. I am not 100% because I do not have all the WD in my collection. But 80 INF BDE was posted to the Greater East (NEI minus Java and Sumatra). And was they not part of the 20 IND INF DIV? In that case the only Gurkha unit to serve in both FIC and NEI will be 3/1 Gurkha Rifles. In case any of you have any information on the British/Indian in NEI I am still eager to hear about it.
Yes. While 20th Indian Division returned to India, two of its brigades were sent elsewhere. 32nd Brigade was sent to Borneo, seems only in British part of the island, and 80th Brigade to Celebes. 3/1st Gurkha Rifles was based in Makassar and had quite peaceful time while there. Regimental history doesn't mention any serious incident during battalion time in DTI.
My list of casualties mention two: Naik Harka Baradur Gurung 3 June 46 Rifleman Jit Baradur Gurung 13 May 46
Possibly in accidents. Official history don't mention any losses or any fight with rebels. You can download official history of 1st KGV's Own Gurkha Rifles from here for more info 1956 History of the 1st King George V’s Own Gurkha Rifles vol 2 1920-1947 by Bellers s
This is how activity started on this thread and now I have found some of the letters exchanged with Robert Adair Goodacre Prentice, who was commissioned in the Warwickshire Regiment (no dates) and then transferred to the 3/8th Gurkha Battalion for the duration of WW2, becoming a Company C.O. On reflection my memory was amiss about the battalion being in the NEI; perhaps he meant the toughest fighting was in French Indo-China? Did a little research yesterday and confirmed that after Saigon the 32nd Brigade served in Borneo from January 1946. In 1946 when a VIP visited the 3/8th formed they part of the guard of honour. Alas no film, just a pointer to the newsreel which is held at the Imperial War Museum (2 mins); GENERAL SIR MILES DEMPSEY VISITS TROOPS IN BORNEO | colonialfilm The two other brigades went onto the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia) see: Phlitt | Operations & Codenames of WWII The imperial War Museum (IWM) Oral History Collection has an interview with an officer from the 3/8th and Reel 5 refers to the time in Saigon. Alas it is not available online: Bainbridge, Harry (Oral history) The 3/8th transferred to the Indian Army upon independence in August 1947: 8th Gorkha Rifles - Wikipedia I will try to add some of this research to a thread on the 20th Division post-VJ day intervention in French Indo-China, mainly around Saigon. Robert 'Bob' Prentice after WW2 emigrated to Rhodesia, he finally became a brigadier and retired in the late 1970's before the insurgency was widespread - this part of his life is for another place and time.
As the 'main' thread on this period I recommend this 2010 article 'the Death Knell of the British Empire' by Patrick Heren, whose father Louis Heren served in Force 136 in the Netherlands east Indies, now Indonesia: http://www.standpointmag.co.uk/feat...tish-empire-patrick-heren-indonesian-war-1945 The last three paragraphs are even more appropriate for the UK and others are recent events in Afghanistan: