大象传媒

The Battalion was formed in June 1940 in West Cumberland as a "holding Battalion" to provide reinforcements for the existing Regular Territorial Battalions. In practice it consisted of a cadre of a few Regular, Reservists, and Territorial Officers and Senior Ranks, and Drafts from Carlisle of newly enlisted men aged 25 and 27 years.
By February 1941 the Battalion was sufficiently trained to man Beach Defences on the Northumberland Coast. At the same time as manning these defences , the Battalion took part in Exercises up to Brigade level. By April 1942 it was officially recognised as an efficient Service Battalion and was one of the few newly formed wartime units to be selected for Service Overseas.
The following month it sailed for India on HMT Orcades, transhipping at Durban, disembarking at Bombay entraining to Calcutta, where, on arrival in early August, much to its disappointment, it became a Garrison Battalion on Internal Security duties. However, in spite of its rather passive role, under the able leadership of Lieut-Colonel Cottrell-Hill, it gained useful grounding in jungle warfare.
In July 1943 it joined the 17th Indian Light Division (The Black Cats), commanded by Major General "Punch" Cowan. The 17th Div composed mainly of Gurkha Regiments, had fought in Burma for more than 18 months. The role of the Light Division was to fight in some of the most difficult and mountainous country in the world. The Battalion at last felt its long wait and arduous training had been worthwhile.
Soon it was stationed in the Chin Hills in Burma and became part of Slim`s newly formed 14th Army. It was in the Chin Hills it gained its first battle experience patrolling in mountainous country along jungle tracks often involving climbs and descents of 3,000 to 4,000 feet. Several successful fighting patrols were carried out, not without casualties.
Early in March 1944 the Japanese started their offensive. Their aim was to capture the Imphal Plain, some 160 miles north of the Battalion position,to cut the Dimapore - Imphal road at Kohima, and establish themselves on the main railway line in North East India.
Initially they met with some success, but Slim was determined to hold on to the Imphal Plain and the Garrison at Kohima. Very heavy fighting followed and it was not until July that the Japanese gave up their offensive and withdrew back into Burma. So badly mauled were they, that they never really recovered, and the campaign of 1944 paved the way for the Allied advance into Burma during 1945.
The 9th Battalion The Border Regiment took a full part in these operations fighting back from Kennedy Peak to Imphal, breaking the enemies attempts to outflank them at Sakawng and Vanglai, it reached Imphal intact. Meanwhile Lieut-Col C.M.R. Spedding had assumed command.
On the Imphal Plain and in its surroundind hills the Battalion fought at Llango near Palel and at Potsangbam,(Pots and pans) O.P. Hill and on the Silchar Track in the Bishenpur area.
During this period of fighting the Battalion`s casualty list was 7 officers and 81 Other Ranks killed and 12 Officers and 245 Other Ranks wouned.
Then followed a period of leave and rest at Ranchi in Bihar, followed by the training of reinforcements.
By January 1945 the Battalion was at full strength again and on its way back at Imphal, this time no longer in its Light role, but as Motorised Infantry working with Probyn`s Horse of 255 Tank Brigade.
The objective was Meiktila, some 550 miles further South, and in February 1945 it crossed the Irrawaddy near Pagan.and swept on to Meiktila, where, after some severe fighting with the remainder of the 17th Division it established itself and cut off the Japanese`s main communication with Mandalay.
General Cowan was not the man to sit tight and let the enemy attack him. Instead he sought to destroy the enemy before they were ready to attack, and this he achieved by attacking them in their forming up places , with combined Infantry and Tank Battle Groups.
The 9th Battalion The Border Regiment took part in several such actions, notably at Wetlet, Yindaw, Kinde and Pywabwe. It was after the last battle that the enemy finally broke and made for the Sittang River, abandoning its hold on Rangoon. The Battalion persued the enemy some 200 miles to Pegu when it gave up the chase with the onset of the monsoon and the conequent flooding of the Pegu River. It then returned northwards to Penwegon to prevent some 15,000 of the enemy, who were cut off by our rapid advance, from crossing the main Meikila/Pegu road, and from reaching safety on the east bank of the Sittang River.
By the beginning of August 1945 the Battalion was stationed at Waw, just west of the Sittang River, where it received the welcome, but to them the unbelieveable news of the Japanese Surrender. By then a further 5 Officers and 69 Other Ranks had lost their lives, and 9 Officers and 122 Other Ranks had been wounded.
In September the Battalion began the task of disarming some 2,000 Japanese and controlling the activity of dacoits on the Mokpalin and Bilin areas. On the 1st December 1945 the Battalion amalgamated with the 4th Battalion, taking on the name of the latter.
Thus after five and a half years the Battalion ceased to exist.
During its short life the Battalion contributed to the adding of 6 Battle Honours to the Regiments List.

This short history is by the late Lt Col John Petty. (Long John, in George MacDonald Fraser`s book Quartered Safe Out Here)

Lt Col John Petty was awared the M.C. when Major of "B" Company 9 Border at PYAWBWE.
His citation said,
During the whole engagement Major Petty`s tactical skill, flexibility in planning, and personal example were outstanding. He seemed to be having the time of his life and all ranks in his Company were imbued with the highest confidence in themselves and in their Company Commander.

The casualty figures for "B" Company for the day were 92 Japs killed for 10 wounded in the Company, six of them in the shelling before "H" hour.

Major-General Ian Lyall Grant,MC,MA (Royal Engineers, Sappers and Miners,said of the 9th Battalion the Border Regiment,
In 1943 and 1944 the war in Burma was primarily an Infantry war, and to fight in mountains and forests against a first-class enemy requires a very high standard of fighting skill. The 9th Borders were fortunate in joining the battle-experienced 17 Division as they moved up to Tiddim, and for the next six months were able both to become extremely fit and to enhance their skills by deep patrolling into Japanese - held territory in the Chin Hills.
My most vived personal memory of 9 Border was during the withdrawal from Tiddim to Imphal. The Japanese had captured our main supply depot at milestone 109 and blocked the only road to Imphal. If Imphal were to be successfully defended, it was for 17 Division to break through this formidable block quickly. The Japanese held a long ridge covering the supply depot,some 2,000 feet lower down, and blocking the roed at Sakawng. 48 Brigade was given the task of breaking through and recapturing the depot. The enemy positions were unknown, for their side of the ridge, and the top, was covered in forest, while our side was very steep and without any cover.After very limited artillery support the 1st/7th Gurkhas attacked the ridge on the left and the 9th Borders on the right. Both battalions climbed the steep slope and attacked the crest with great spirit,but met murderous fire from automatic weapons at very short range as they reached the false crest.
Reserves were committed and gallant attempts were made throughout the day to bomb their way forward with hand grenades, but both battalions were unsuccessful, or so it seemed to them. However, the Japanese had not only suffered many casualties, but even more important, the attacks had revealed a gap in their defences. The next morning, the 2/5 Gurkhas climbed the hill, went through the gap, and attacked the position facing the the 9th Border Regiment from behind, killing everyone in it who was stillalive. That evening the Borders, accompanied by 70 Field Company, climbed over the ridge and spent the night in the forest half-way down to the supply depot. Their position outflanked the remainder of the Japanese battalion who alarmed by this turn of events, took advantage of a heavy rainstorm that night to pull out and abandon the depot. Although there was more fighting to come , this very quick recapture of the supply depot dismayed the Japanese. It was the prelude and inspiration for the successful break-back to Imphal by 17 Division with all its equipment. It was a notable feat of arms of which the 9th Borders may be justly proud.

The other attack I remember was on the Imphal plain, just before 48 Brigade`s march to Torbung. A Japanese raiding force had by-passed our defences in the Shenam Pass and was threatening Palel.48 Brigade was asked to deal with it. The Borders and two Gurkha battalions climbed up the long and steep high ridge on which the enemy were ensconced and in a very short time drove them off in confusion. The retreating Japanese were ambushed by the Brigade`s Commando company, which included a 9 Border platoon, and suffered heavy casualties. It was a brilliant and important little operation, and typical of many which go unrecored in the history books.

This letter was sent by Major-General Ian Lyall Grant to one of 9th Border Regiments Reunions.