大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by Graham Lewis for Three Counties Action on behalf of Mr Edward L. Hancock and has been added to the site with his permission. Mr Hancock fully understands the site鈥檚 terms and conditions

We (that is 17th Indian Division) eventually left Meiktila, leap-frogging another division as we swept towards Rangoon, to arrive there before the monsoon made the roads impassable. We arrived at Pegu, 40 miles north of Rangoon. Our engineers built a pontoon across the Irrawaddy River but it was swept away during one night. It took several days to rebuild, during which time the remnants of the Japanese army made their escape from Rangoon. 26th Indian Division, with Mountbatten, landed in Rangoon from the sea and captured it without a fight, there being no Japanese left.

Prisoners from the notorious jail had also made their escape and walked up the road to meet the 17th Indian Division at Pegu. The sight of some hundreds of human scarecrows sitting mute in a field on their heels was never to be forgotten.

I was returned home immediately after this on compassionate leave, as my father was terminally ill. He died a month before I reached home.

17th Indian Division met, smashed and slaughtered three Japanese divisions in their turn: the 18th, 33rd and 55th.

Slim acknowledged that Cowan's capture of Meiktila and holding off wave after wave of frantic Japanese attacks was a master stroke, securing the success of Operation Extended Capital. The Japanese commander said it was the masterpiece of Allied strategy in the battle for Burma. Historian Louis Allen regarded it as Slim's greatest triumph; it put the final reconquest of Burma within his grasp.

The defeat of the Japanese forces at Imphal and Kohima had foiled their bid to invade India. The extent of the defeat enabled Slim to pursue the reconquest of Burma.

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