The 254th Indian Tank Brigade was an
armoured
Armour (Commonwealth English) or armor (American English; see spelling differences) is a covering used to protect an object, individual, or vehicle from physical injury or damage, especially direct contact weapons or projectiles during combat ...
brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military unit, military formation that typically comprises three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment. Two or more brigades may constitute ...
of the
Indian Army during World War II
The Indian Army during World War II, a British force also referred to as the British Indian Army, began the war, in 1939, numbering just under 200,000 men.Sumner, p.25 By the end of the war, it had become the largest volunteer army in history, ...
.
This brigade was originally raised at the cavalry depot at Risalpur in India with effect from 1 April 1941 as the 4th Indian Armoured Brigade. In October 1941, the brigade was redesignated as the 254th Indian Armoured Brigade, and then from 10 September 1942 it was retitled as the 254th Indian Tank Brigade.
The brigade was part of the
Fourteenth Army and saw action in the
Burma Campaign
The Burma campaign was a series of battles fought in the British colony of British rule in Burma, Burma as part of the South-East Asian theatre of World War II. It primarily involved forces of the Allies of World War II, Allies (mainly from ...
. The 254th Tank Brigade's tactical sign was a symbol that looks like black railway tracks disappearing into the distance, on a red triangle.
The brigade fought with the
5th and
7th Indian Infantry Division
The 7th Infantry Division is a war-formed infantry Division (military), division, part of the British Indian Army that saw service in the Burma Campaign.
History
The division was created on 1 October 1940 at Attock, under the command of Major-ge ...
s in
Burma
Myanmar, officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar; and also referred to as Burma (the official English name until 1989), is a country in northwest Southeast Asia. It is the largest country by area in Mainland Southeast Asia and ha ...
and was involved in the Battles at
Imphal
Imphal (; , ) is the capital city of the Indian state of Manipur. The metropolitan centre of the city contains the ruins of Kangla Palace (officially known as Kangla Fort), the royal seat of the former Kingdom of Manipur, surrounded by a ...
,
Kohima
Kohima (; Tenyidie: Kewhira ()) is the capital of the North East Indian state of Nagaland. With a resident population of almost 100,000, it is the second largest city in the state. Kohima constitutes both a district and a municipality. The m ...
,
Kyaumaung Bridgehead,
Meiktila
Meiktila (; ) is a city in central Burma on the banks of Meiktila Lake in the Mandalay Region at the junctions of the Bagan- Taunggyi, Yangon- Mandalay and Meiktila-Myingyan highways. Because of its strategic position, Meiktila is home to Myanm ...
, and the
Rangoon Road.
In June 1945, the brigade moved back to India. The Brigade's designation changed to 3rd Indian Independent Armoured Brigade on 1 December 1945, then in June 1946 to 3rd Indian Armoured Brigade
ndependentwhich was the designation in August 1947 at the time of Indian Independence.
Formation (1944)
*
3rd Carabiniers
The 3rd Carabiniers (Prince of Wales's Dragoon Guards) was a cavalry regiment of the British Army. It was formed in 1922 as part of a reduction in the army's cavalry by the amalgamation of the 3rd Dragoon Guards (Prince of Wales's) and the Cara ...
,
Lee tanks
*
149th Regiment Royal Armoured Corps, Lee and Sherman tanks, raised from 7th Battalion of the
King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
The King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (KOYLI) was a Light infantry, light infantry regiment of the British Army. It officially existed from 1881 to 1968, but its predecessors go back to 1755. In 1968, the regiment was amalgamated with the Somers ...
*150th Royal Armoured Corps Regiment, Lee tanks, raised from 10th Bn
York and Lancaster Regiment
*
7th Light Cavalry,
Stuart tanks
*3/
4th Bombay Grenadiers
Commanders
*Brigadier WT Gill Apr 1941 – 17 Nov 1943
*Brigadier
RL Scoones 18 Nov 1943 – 14 Mar 1945
*Brigadier WWA Loring 15 Mar 1945 - Aug 1947
See also
*
List of Indian Army Brigades in World War II
References
Further reading
* Moreman, Tim. (2005). ''The Jungle, the Japanese and the British Commonwealth Armies at War, 1941–45''. Routeledge. {{ISBN, 978-0-7146-4970-2.
Armoured brigades of the British Indian Army
Military units and formations in Burma in World War II