82nd (West Africa) Division

The 82nd (West Africa) Division was a Second World War infantry formation raised under British control from units recruited in British West Africa. It was created for service against Japan and became one of the principal West African formations employed in the Burma theatre. Its personnel were drawn chiefly from the Nigeria Regiment and the Gold Coast Regiment, supported by West African artillery, engineers, medical, transport, signals, service and bearer units. The division's creation reflected the wider wartime expansion of Britain's African forces. General George Giffard, who had commanded East African troops and later led Britain's West Africa Command, strongly supported the use of African colonial troops outside Africa. After becoming commander of the Eastern Army in India, he requested that the West African divisions being organised for overseas service be assigned to the Burma front. The 82nd followed the 81st (West African) Division in the numbering of British war-raised infantry divisions. Its headquarters was established on 1 August 1943 and assumed control of its subordinate formations on 1 November. The initial structure consisted of the 1st (West Africa) Infantry Brigade, the 2nd (West Africa) Infantry Brigade and the newly formed 4th (West Africa) Infantry Brigade. The first two brigades had already served in the East African Campaign. In August 1944, the division's supporting arms were consolidated under divisional control, and in October it was reorganised from brigade groups into a more conventional infantry-division structure. The division sailed for Ceylon on 20 May 1944 and completed its concentration there in July. It trained for jungle and mountain operations and operated on a head-load basis, with porters carrying much of the formation's heavy equipment and supplies. Although many soldiers came from the savannah regions of northern Nigeria and the Gold Coast, the division developed an effective capability in difficult jungle terrain. Its main combat service came during the third Arakan campaign in western Burma. Under XV Indian Corps, it captured Buthidaung on 15 December 1944 and established a bridgehead over the Kalapanzin River. This operation opened the Maungdaw–Buthidaung route and allowed hundreds of river craft to be moved by road through railway tunnels for the support of Allied forces in the Mayu Range. The division subsequently crossed steep, jungle-covered country toward Myohaung, helping force Japanese units to abandon the Mayu Peninsula. In early 1945 the division advanced through the Arakan hills while receiving supplies by air and through its carrier units. It suffered heavy losses while opening routes toward Kaw and Kyweguseik and during fighting around Dalet Chaung. It captured Dalet Chaung and the important supply base at Tamandu in cooperation with Indian formations. Japanese counterattacks later compelled the 2nd (Gold Coast) Brigade to withdraw temporarily from Letmauk, but the 1st (Nigerian) Brigade used long-range patrols and flank pressure to help retake An on 13 May 1945. Other divisional advances secured Kindaungyyi, Taungup and Sandoway before the monsoon brought major operations to a close. The division recorded 2,085 casualties during the third Arakan campaign, the highest total among formations serving with XV Indian Corps. The war ended before it undertook further major operations. It remained in Burma after the Japanese surrender and was disbanded there between May and September 1946. Memorials and the names of barracks in Nigeria and the Gold Coast later preserved the memory of its campaigns and component formations.

The 82nd (West Africa) Division emerged from Britain's wartime effort to expand and deploy military forces recruited in its West African colonies. General George Giffard was an important advocate of this policy. Having gained experience with East African troops and later becoming head of West Africa Command, he supported the use of African soldiers in overseas operations. When he took command of the Eastern Army in India, he requested the assignment of the West African divisions then being organised to the Burma front, where Allied forces were fighting the Japanese in exceptionally difficult jungle and mountain conditions. The divisional headquarters was created on 1 August 1943 and took operational control of its subordinate units on 1 November. Its initial brigades were the 1st (West Africa) Infantry Brigade, the 2nd (West Africa) Infantry Brigade and the 4th (West Africa) Infantry Brigade. The 1st and 2nd brigades had previously fought in the East African Campaign, while the 4th was formed from Nigerian units. The division included battalions of the Nigeria Regiment and Gold Coast Regiment, as well as West African artillery, engineers, medical, transport, signals, service and bearer formations. Its formation sign depicted crossed spears and a porter's headband on a yellow shield. The division departed for Ceylon on 20 May 1944 and assembled there by 20 July. During the following months it trained for operations in the Burma environment. Its organisation initially used brigade groups, with many supporting arms distributed among the brigades. In August 1944, these supporting elements were brought more directly under divisional headquarters, and an October reorganisation produced a standard divisional structure. The formation's logistical system relied heavily on porters carrying supplies and equipment, a method suited to terrain where roads and vehicles were scarce. The division entered the third Arakan campaign in December 1944 as part of XV Indian Corps. On 15 December it captured Buthidaung on the Kalapanzin River and secured a bridgehead on the eastern bank. The success opened the contested Maungdaw–Buthidaung road and enabled Allied forces to move approximately 650 river craft by road through railway tunnels to support operations in the Mayu Range. The division then crossed the Arakan mountain barrier toward Myohaung, coordinating with the 81st (West African) Division. Their advance contributed to the Japanese evacuation of the Mayu Peninsula, which Japanese forces had held for several years. As the campaign moved south, the division operated against Japanese positions connected with the An and Taungup routes across the Arakan Hills. It advanced toward Dalet Chaung and Kaw while relying increasingly on air supply and on its own carrier battalions. The 1st and 4th Nigerian Brigades suffered substantial casualties during the fighting and route-opening operations, and the 4th Brigade lost two commanders. By March 1945 the division had taken Dalet Chaung and Tamandu in cooperation with Indian units. The 2nd (Gold Coast) Brigade later faced strong Japanese counterattacks around Letmauk and was forced to withdraw under pressure, covered by the 1st (Nigerian) Brigade. Nigerian long-range patrols attacked Japanese flanks and helped compel the opposing force to retreat. An was retaken on 13 May 1945. With the 22nd (East African) Brigade temporarily under command, the main body advanced south from Tamandu and captured Kindaungyyi, Taungup and Sandoway. The monsoon then halted major campaigning, and Japan's surrender ended the division's active combat operations. The formation suffered 2,085 casualties during the third Arakan campaign. Some dead were buried near the battlefield, while others are commemorated at Taukkyan War Cemetery, the Rangoon War Memorial and local cemeteries near Dalet Chaung and Tamandu. Its service was also remembered through barracks names in Nigeria and the Gold Coast, including references to Buthidaung, An, Myohaung, Arakan, Dalet, Kalapanzin and related campaign sites. The 82nd remained in Burma after the war and was disbanded there between May and September 1946.

• 1946

  Disbandment

  [1]82nd (West Africa) Divisionen.wikipedia.org

  The division was disbanded in Burma between May and September 1946.

• 1945

  Capture of Dalet Chaung and Tamandu

  [1]82nd (West Africa) Divisionen.wikipedia.org

  The division secured Dalet Chaung and the supply base at Tamandu while advancing through the Arakan terrain with Indian formations.

• 1945

  Retaking of An

  [1]82nd (West Africa) Divisionen.wikipedia.org

  The 1st (Nigerian) Brigade helped force a Japanese withdrawal and retook An on 13 May.

• 1944

  Deployment to Ceylon

  [1]82nd (West Africa) Divisionen.wikipedia.org

  The division sailed on 20 May and completed its assembly in Ceylon by 20 July for training and preparation for operations against Japan.

• 1944

  Capture of Buthidaung

  [1]82nd (West Africa) Divisionen.wikipedia.org

  On 15 December, the division captured Buthidaung and established a bridgehead over the Kalapanzin River during the third Arakan campaign.

• 1943

  Divisional headquarters established

  [1]82nd (West Africa) Divisionen.wikipedia.org

  The headquarters of the 82nd (West Africa) Division was created on 1 August, and it assumed control of its component formations on 1 November.

Second World War West African infantry formation serving under British command in the Burma theatre

• Infantry brigade · 1943

  1st (West Africa) Infantry Brigade

  A Nigerian-led brigade containing the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Battalions of the Nigeria Regiment, supported by West African artillery, engineers, medical and service elements. It played a major role in the advance through the Arakan hills and in the pressure that led to the retaking of An.

• Infantry brigade · 1943

  2nd (West Africa) Infantry Brigade

  The Gold Coast-led brigade comprised the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Battalions of the Gold Coast Regiment, together with supporting West African units. It fought at Letmauk and endured intense Japanese counterattacks during the 1945 Arakan operations.

• Infantry brigade · 1943

  4th (West Africa) Infantry Brigade

  A Nigerian brigade formed from the 5th, 9th and 10th Battalions of the Nigeria Regiment. It participated in route-opening operations toward Kaw and Kyweguseik and suffered heavy losses during the division's advance across difficult Arakan terrain.

• 1945Arakan advance toward An, Taungup and Sandoway

  Burma

  The division crossed difficult hills while supplied by air and by its carrier battalions, captured Dalet Chaung and Tamandu, resisted Japanese counterattacks around Letmauk and helped retake An before advancing south.

  Outcome. Kindaungyyi, Taungup and Sandoway were captured before the monsoon and the end of the war halted major operations.

  Source
• 1944Third Arakan campaign

  Burma

  Serving with XV Indian Corps, the division captured Buthidaung, secured a bridgehead over the Kalapanzin River and helped open the Maungdaw–Buthidaung route. It then crossed the Arakan range toward Myohaung, contributing to the Japanese withdrawal from the Mayu Peninsula.

  Outcome. Allied forces gained important routes and Japanese forces retreated from the Mayu Peninsula.

  Source

• 1944

  Reorganisation into a standard infantry divisionStrategy

  Background

  The formation initially operated through brigade groups, with supporting arms distributed among the brigades. Wartime experience led to greater central control of artillery and other divisional services.

  Action taken

  In October, the division was reorganised from brigade groups into a standard divisional structure, following earlier consolidation of supporting arms under divisional headquarters.

  Aftermath

  The revised structure supported the division's subsequent operations in the Arakan campaign.

  Source

1. 182nd (West Africa) Divisionen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Fighting with the Fourteenth Army in Burmapen-and-sword.co.uk