The 82nd (West African) Division[2] was formed under British control during the Second World War. It took part in the later stages of the Burma Campaign and was disbanded in Burma between May and September 1946.[3]
History
Formation
The inspiration for the division's formation came from General George Giffard. He had extensive experience of leading East African troops, and early in the Second World War became the commander of Britain's West Africa Command. He was eager for troops from Britain's African colonies to play their part in the war. When he was subsequently appointed to command the Eastern Army in India, facing the Imperial Japanese Army on the frontier between India and Burma, he requested that the two divisions being organised in West Africa be used in the Burma campaign.
On 20 May 1944, the division sailed for Ceylon, where the division was assembled on 20 July. In August the organisation was slightly changed, with supporting arms which had previously been distributed between the brigades being controlled centrally by the division HQ. The division was organised on a "head load" basis, with porters carrying all heavy equipment and supplies. Although many of the troops were from the savannah of northern Ghana and Nigeria, they were well-trained and effective when operating in jungle and mountains.
After further training, the division took part in the third Arakan campaign in December 1944 under XV Indian Corps. On 15 December the Division captured Buthidaung on the Kalapanzin River and created a bridgehead on the east bank of the river. This allowed allied troops to control the Maungdaw–Buthidaung road which had been contested for three years and enabled the transport of 650 river craft by road through railway tunnels to Buthidaung to supply Indian troops in the Mayu Range.
The 82nd (West African) Division (supported by 28th Anti-tank Regiment RIA and 33rd Mountain Artillery Regiment RIA) then crossed a steep and jungle-covered mountain range to converge with the British 81st (West African) Division on Myohaung near the mouth of the Kaladan River. This move forced the Japanese to evacuate the Mayu peninsula which they had held for almost four years and retreat south along the coast. As they retreated, troops from the 3rd Commando Brigade and units of the 25th Indian Infantry Division landed in inlets and chaungs ahead of them. Caught between the troops landing from the sea and the 82nd (West African) Division, the Japanese suffered many casualties.
At this point, air supply was withdrawn from the Arakan front to allow the transport aircraft to supply the Allied forces in Central Burma. The 82nd (West African) Division's carrier battalions carried all supplies and equipment for the division from this point. The Japanese 54th Division holding the Arakan was divided into two detachments holding the roads across the Arakan Hills leading from An and Taungup. The 82nd (West African) Division was asked to cross the Dalet Chaung and hilly terrain to approach the An Pass from the north west, while being supplied by air. The 1st and 4th (Nigerian) Brigades suffered many casualties in opening the routes to Kaw and Kyweguseik in late February. The 4th (Nigerian) Brigade even lost two of its commanding officers. By March, the division captured Dalet Chaung and the strategic supply base of Tamandu, in coordination with Indian units.
The 2nd (Gold Coast) Brigade based at Letmauk subsequently became the target of intense Japanese counter-attacks, suffering many casualties. They were forced to withdraw, covered by the 1st (Nigerian) Brigade. By sending long distance fighting patrols to harass the Japanese flanks, the Nigerian unit was able to force a Japanese retreat and retake An on 13 May 1945. The main body of the division, with the 22nd (East African) Brigade under command, advanced south from Tamandu. By the end of May Kindaungyyi, Taungup and Sandoway had been captured. Campaigning ceased during the monsoon rains and the war ended a few weeks later.
Memorials
During the third Arakan campaign, the 82nd Division suffered 2,085 casualties, the highest of any unit in XV Corps. Some of those killed were buried in jungle tracts, but many Nigerian graves remain in cemeteries at the Dalet Chaung near Tamandu and the Taukkyan War Cemetery. Others are remembered at the War Memorial in Rangoon. Other commemorations of the division's (and its component formations') service are the names of Dodan, An, Myohaung, Arakan and Marda Barracks in Lagos, Letmauk Barracks in Ibadan, Dalet, Mogadishu, Colito and Kalapanzin Barracks in Kaduna, the Chindit Barracks in Zaria, Arakan Barracks in Accra and Myohaung Barracks in Takoradi.
Order of Battle
General Officer Commanding : Major General George McIlree Stanton Bruce (replaced due to illness by Major General Hugh Charles Stockwell 12 January 1945)
On formation
The division's brigades were originally organised as infantry brigade groups.[4][5]
Luto, James (2013). Fighting with the Fourteenth Army in Burma. Pen and Sword Military. pp. 204–218. ISBN978-1-78303-031-6.
Cole, Howard (1973). Formation Badges of World War 2. British Commonwealth and Empire. Arms and Armour Press.
Notes
^Composed of soldiers who acted as porters and pioneers. Numbering approximately 2,000 men organised into four companies ~500 were armed and acted as the unit's protection.[6]
