United Kingdom Japan Second Sino-Japanese War The Battle of Pakokku and Irrawaddy River operations were a series of battles fought between the British Indian Army and the Imperial Japanese Army and allied forces over the successful Allied Burma campaign on the China Burma India Theater during World War II.

The new situation required a different plan, revolving under surprise and crossing of the Irrawaddy River for fighting major battles in the plains around Mandalay and in the low hills of Meiktila.

The next operation across the Irrawaddy River was to be a magnificent stroke of bravery and deception, that was to make possible the destruction of the Japanese army in Burma.

The 7th Indian Infantry Division and other formations were to seize a bridgehead on Irrawaddy at Pakokku by 15 February 1945 and move southeast with mechanised forces.

The operations of the 7th Division were initiated by 114 Indian Infantry Brigade, which was led by the 4th Battalion, 5 Royal Gurkha Rifles (Frontier Force) (4/5 GR).

On 5 February, three companies of 4/5 GR, led by Captain Fisher, Major I.M Brown MC* and the commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel J H Turner, made an encircling move on the village of Kahnla.

One of the battalion's wounded was CHM Bhagta Bahadur Gurung, whose outstanding courage and leadership in the attack later saw him awarded the Indian Order of Merit (IOM).

The main attack planned for early morning hours of 10 February, was pressed without any aerial support due to bad weather.

After the 7th Indian Infantry Division had captured Pakokku, on 14 February, the Allied forces crossed the Irrawaddy River at Nyaung U, north of ancient Burmese capital of Pagan.

[2] Eventually, support from tanks of the Gordon Highlanders firing across the river and massed artillery forced the defenders at Nyaungu to surrender.

At Pagan, the defending troops, the INA's 9th Battalion took a heavy toll offering resistance to the (1/11th Sikh Regiment) before they withdrew to Mount Popa.

On 25 February, a squadron of the 116th Regiment RAC (Gordon Highlanders), part of the 255th Indian Tank Brigade, supported the assault of the battalion and the village was soon secured; seven Japanese, including one officer, were killed.

While these subsidiary operations, minor in comparison, had been taking place west of the Irrawaddy River, the Battle of Mandalay had been fought out.

The Japanese Army in Burma except for those troops still east of Sittang River had ceased to exist as an organised and integrated force.