THE BATTLE OF THE GARRISON HILL & TENNIS COURT:THE GREAT 2 INDIAN DIVISION

 


 

Lt Gen Mutagachi Renya ,the Commander of Japanese 15 Army with 157.000 men under command  was under the impression that The Indian National Army would easily overthrow the British Raj in a "March on Delhi'.Mutagachi was so obsessed with invading India that he did not listen to his fellow senior Japanese officers. Mutagachi totally underestimated the administrative & logistical problems  that his three divisions would face.He planned to capture the well stocked British Base at Imphal. After defeating the 2 Indian Division at Imphal,he intended to cut the Bengal-Assam railway.

The British command had failed to note that 31 Japanese Division had advanced rapidly from the Chindwin North towards Kohima. But the 50 Indian Parachute Brigade held them up in a magnificent week long struggle around Sangshak.

Kohima was a small hill station,1520 metres up in the Naga Highlands.It had white colonial bungalows and a mission chapel with a red roof - all imposing against the backdrop of lush green forest & blue sky.The Deputy Commissioner's bungalow was located at the Garrison Hill.It had a clay tennis court which became no-man's land in the fiercest battle to come.

The battle fought by 50 Indian Parachute Brigade had given Slim time to redeploy some of his reinforcements.But on 6 April,when the Japanese arrived,Kohima was defended by only the 4th Royal West Kents, a detachment of Rajputs, Assam Rifles,a mountain battery and some Sappers.Once the Japanese encircled the town and blocked the road to Dimapur,they were cut off.

The battle for the Garrison Hill &  tennis Court was savage.The Indian Troops fought with vengeance and along with other British troops, they together fought with unparalleled bravery & tenacity. Mutagachi's forces were running out of rations since Mutagachi had planned on capturing the well stocked 'Churchill's Supplies' at Kohima. But it was not to be !The 2 Indian Division advancing from the road from Dimapur began to fight through to relieve the defenders of Kohima. Although the West Kents & Indian Troops holding on to Kohima were relieved,the battle for Kohima continued for another four weeks.

Mutagachi continued to reinforce failures and he asked his Divisional Commanders for continued attacks but these orders were ignored. Mutagachi's 15 Army had lost about 55,500 men. The Allied Casualties during the battles of Imphal & Kohima amounted to about 17,500 killed and wounded.

Both General Kawabe Masakusu,the C in C of the Burma Area Army ,and Mutagachi were relieved of their commands

The battle of Imphal & Kohima  showed the mettle of Indian Troops.