Part 1 and 2 of Loyalty and Honour are available on Amazon for a rather high price. I could not find Part 3 there.
Reading the official history 'The War Against Japan' again I note when the 20th Indian Division was withdrawn from Saigon, at Christmas the 32nd Brigade left for Borneo (pg. 354), landing within days, then left in May 1946 and the 80th Brigade began to move to the Celebes in January 1946, arriving on 1st February 1946 (see pg.305). They left after some issues in August 1946, although the Dutch took control in mid-July (pg. 355). There is no reference to the 16th Light Cavalry (Indian Armoured Corps) in the Appendix listing the units forming the 20th Division (Pg. 526). However they are shown as landing in Saigon, with their armoured cars, on 14-17th October 1945 (pg. 303). From: The War Against Japan: The surrender of Japan
Thanks for repsonses I have a tentative OoB for 20th Div's deployment. I am happy to post if anyone would like to see. Regarding divisional Artillery my notes suggest that 2nd (field) IAR did not deploy, it having drafted away in Aug 45, and only 114th RA and 23rd Mountain went. I have included all support formations, including notes on 16th Cav but there seems no indication which none combat arms actually took part in Masterdom. John
Yes, please post it here. Not only for posterity, other researchers may come along and add their information.
ok here goes davidbfpo 20th Indian Infantry Division as deployed Divisional HQ Sept - HQ elements + HQ Employment Pl Oct Main Div HQ Divisional Infantry assets · Divisional ‘HQ Battalion’ (17th Dogra Regt) · Reconnaissance Bn (4/2nd Gurkha Rifles – Wiki: 2/8th Punjab – Burma Star) · Machine Gun Battalion (9th Jat Regt) 32nd Indian Inf Bde · 9/14th Punjab Regt · 1/1st Gurkha Rifles* · 3/8th Gurkha Rifles 80th Indian Inf Bde · 9/12th Frontier Force Regt · 1/19th Hyderabad Regt* · 3/1st Gurkha Rifles 100th Indian Inf Bde · 2/8th Punjab Regt* · 14/13th Frontier Force Rifles · 4/10th Gurkha Rifles Divisional Artillery · 114th (Sussex) Field Regt RA - 24 x 25pdrs · 23rd Mountain Regt IA - 12 x 3.7” Howitzers Divisional Services · Engineers 92nd, 481st (Royal Bombay) and 422nd (Queen Victoria’s Own Madras) Field Companies, Indian Engineers 309th (Queen Victoria’s Own Madras) Field Company, Indian Engineers 322nd (King George’s Own) Field Park Company, Indian Engineers 9th Bridging Section Indian Engineers · Signals 20th Indian Infantry Division Signal Regiment · Medical 42nd, 55th & 59th Indian Field Ambulances · Divisional Units o 20th Indian Division Provost Unit, inc. 604th Field Security Section o Indian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers 63rd, 64th & 134th Infantry Workshop Companies 20th Indian Division Recovery Company o 120th Ordnance Field Park, Indian Army Ordnance Corps o Royal Indian Army Service Corps 30th, 43rd, 55th & 75th Animal Transport Companies (Mule) 37th, 38th, 39th & 45th Composite Units 100th, 102nd, 122nd & 125th Group Transport Companies ATTACHMENTS · 16th Light Cavalry – Armoured Car Regiment Notes The * Infantry Battalions had swapped out from 36th Indian Division Apr-AUG 1945 I don't believe the Animal Transport Companies were still in the Division, see next note. Also 23rd Ind Mtn Arty did not bring theirs. At least two Brigades had integral MT (from 2nd Division on departure of much of its personnel due to Python) I have possible TOE for Infantry, Div Reece, MG Bn and 16th Light Cavalry.
This is what I have; 32 Ind Bde - 3/8 GR, 4/2 GR, 9/14 Punjab 80 Ind Bde - 1 Kumaon, 3/1 GR, 4 Dogra 100 Ind Bde- 1/1 GR, 14 FF Rif, 4/10 GR Div HQ Bn - 9 FFR Recce Bn - 2/8 Punjab MG Bn - 9 Jat MG BN There was no 309 Ind Fd Coy; 309 Ind Fd Pk Coy was no longer with the division - it had been replaced by 322 Ind Fd Pk Coy. I think they were Indian Composite Platoons by this stage. They were Companies RIASC (General Transport) by this stage, but 122 and 125 Coys were in Malaya and Burma respectively, not FIC.
If anyone is interested, I do have the Indian Armed Forces in World War II volume on Occupation Forces in Japan and Southeast Asia. It has about 28 pages on French-Indo China with units mentioned.
Thanks I take the Services Support from the time they were a Jungle Division (A&MT) as opposed to the later iteration as an MT pattern. Equally it could have reorganised along the lines of the new 'Standard' (late 44) pattern Inf Bn with its own A&MT element Although my reading of notes I've come across suggests that they were never a wholly MT division. More individual brigades had a capability. I have not cross referenced against service units in 36th Div and I have no idea why I put 2nd Infantry earlier. My thoughts on the 23rd Mtn IA is that they had pneumatic tyres for the guns and were towed by Jeep. Probably two jeeps per Gun with one towing ammo limber the other, as mentioned, the gun.
Personally I would very much like to see this. That's a load of work you're volunteering for - really appreciate it. Could those pages but put into a PDF? I don't get fully uploading etc.
Thanks for that Jitter Party, I'll update my own OoB accordingly. I had taken the Services Support from the time they were a Jungle Division (A&MT) as opposed to the later iteration as a largely MT pattern. I do wonder if the individual Inf Bn took this time (late 44/earlt45) to reorganise along the lines of the new 'Standard' (late 44) pattern Inf Bn with its own A&MT element. My reading of notes I've come across suggests that they were never a wholly MT division. More individual brigades had a capability. I have not cross referenced against service units of 36th Div - I believe the 20th acquired their MT here as 36th pulled out; around the same time British Infantry Battalions were swapped out. And I have no idea why I put 2nd Infantry earlier. My thoughts on the 23rd Mtn IA; the history (Indian Mountain Artillery, Graham) definitely states Mules left behind, three gun batteries (3rd, 8th & 31st), didn't fire artillery just policing duties and 20th Div 'fully' motorised. I speculate they used the pneumatic tyre variant and were towed by Jeep. Probably two jeeps per Gun section with one towing ammo limber the other, as mentioned, the gun.
Laochra Beag, No problem, MarkN via PM stated where they came from. I have just done screenshots from the British Official History for the TOE 20th Indian Division when deployed to Indo-China, on the attachment.
Thanks for that. Reassuringly familiar. I got RAF unit details from the YouTube video which was informative. Again those details I had matched info I had from other sources. I have a ToE for the Service Commando Unit. Also, again moving off topic, I have some info on initial RN deployment.
So this is what I have from naval-history.net Initial shipping Dep Singapore 26th Sept, arr Saigon 30th o HMS Waveney River Class Frigate SO Advance Group W2 (Captain T Ian Scott-Bell RN, embarked) o Force 12, 8 or 9 x British Yard Minesweepers o HM Survey Ship Challenger – war duties as convoy escort o HM Repair Ship Corbrae - M/S Depot vessel o LCI(L) 4, 166 & 252 o MV BELA Tanker – Shell Tankers UK – IMO1180549 Naval Parties in support Op. Masterdom 2422 SO Assault Group W2. Formed for Op. Zipper. HMS Waveney 09/45, Saigon 09/45 04/46. Merges with Docks Party (2479) 03/46 2427 Dep SO Assault Group W2. Formed for Op. Zipper. HMS Waveney 09/45 – 02/46, Saigon 03/46. Not listed 04/46 2479 Port Party Saigon Formed Colombo 08-09/45, Saigon 10/45 – 10/46. Disbanded 11/46 2486 Naval Section. Advance Inter-service Mission for Saigon Formed Colombo 09/45, Saigon 09/45 – 10/46. Not listed 11/46 4166 LSTP/B U 16 Formed Dundonald 05/45, LST 3007 06-10/45, Saigon 11-12/45. Disbanded 01/46 Notes 1. Ship's Landing Parties; would have been formed but not sizable. Probably dockyard and officer protection only. Standard small arms available: - .38 Revolver, Mk4 No1 Rifle and rarely STEN or (even less likely) Lanchester SMG. 2. Small Craft Various small ex-IJN craft; Coasters, launches, sampans and junks. Some briefly commandeered for in service by RN with mixed IJN/RN crews before being handed over to French MN.
