Page 29 - Seniors Today - January Issue
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preparing the case for the Battle of Imphal ‘Start of Imphal Siege’ at Kangla Tongbi
and Kohima, notes that Imphal- Kohima on 7th April, where the Japanese forces
was one of the four turning-point battles planned to capture the large supply
of the Second World War; the Battles at depot. A handful of non-combatants of
Stalingrad, El Alamein, and in the Pacific mostly Ordnance soldiers belonging to
between the US and Japanese navies were the Advance Ordnance Depot led by Maj
the other three. The Victoria Cross (VC), Boyd repulsed a series of attacks of the
the highest British military decoration for Japanese forces before troops from the
bravery, was awarded to five personnel erstwhile 14 Punjab and 9 Jat Regiments
during the Battle of Imphal and two could arrive. This epic stand enabled
during the Battle of Kohima. the Allies sufficient time in moving
back 4000 tons of war-like stores. The
Events during the Commemorations Depot was selected to accompany the
Battle of Sangshak: The commemoration British Commonwealth Occupation Force
of the prominent battles started with to Japan after the war. Today Kangla
the ‘Battle of Sangshak’ on 26th March, Tongbi War Memorial is a revered shrine
where troops from 152 Para Bn with visited by all. A tradition still followed
4/5 Maratha held the garrison against a by all young AOC officers is that upon
strong Japanese force. While 152 Para Bn commissioning they first visit the
later fell back to the Imphal plains, 4/5 memorial at Kangla Tongbi.
Maratha (now 4 Maratha LI) was ordered Battle of Nungsigum: The ‘Battle of
to hold the defences around Sangshak. Nungsigum’ was commemorated on April
The delay imposed by the battalion on the 13, where Jemadar Abdul Hafiz of 9 Jat
advance of the Japanese Army enabled the Regiment had won the first VC on Indian
Allies to land forces by air at Imphal and soil at Runaway Hill on 6th April 1944.
reinforce Kohima by land, thereby saving This 1000-feet massif located North East
the fall of these two important locations. of Imphal town which dominated several
The first battle fought on Indian soil from road junctions and the vital Koirenge
March 21-26, 1944, it was a prelude to the airstrip, was recaptured by the Allies
famous battles of Kohima and Imphal. on April 13 after its fall to the Japanese
Start of Imphal Seige: The next was the forces.
INA Day: On April 14, the INA day was
commemorated at Moirang, 45 kms from
Imphal. Col Shaukat Ali Malik of INA
had hoisted the Indian tricolour for the
first time in India at Moirang on 14th
April 1944, where the INA Memorial
and Museum stands today. It was very
heartening to know that while we in India
had forgotten the role played by the INA
in our freedom struggle, the INA Day was
proudly commemorated in Moirang every
Inside the INA Museum year.
SENIORS TODAY | ISSUE #19 | JANUARY 2021 29
