Take A Long Walk CBI (id:#62467)

(China-Burma-India: The Lost Theater Part 1 ID: STL7)   [next]   [previous]

Paung, Burma 1942-02-09 (1 other)

Overview:

The Japanese had captured Moulmein and their next task was to cross the Salween River. Since most of the length of the river was shrouded in dense jungle, the only two obvious crossing locations were at Martaban, across the river from Moulmein, and at Pa-an, 25 miles north of Martaban. The Japanese 55th Division would cross at Martaban where the 3/7th Gurkhas and a company of the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry were positioned. On the night of February 8th, a Japanese detachment of the 143rs Regiment crossed the Salween eleven miles north of the city. Then they set up a roadblock on the retreat route and cut the phone lines connecting Martaban to Brigade HQ in Thaton, 37 miles to the north. On the morning of February 9th, the defenders discovered the roadblock and that the Japanese were crossing the Salween in force.

Defender: Japanese (143rd Regiment Detachment, 55th Division)  

Errata (source)