The Lion, Driven CBI (id:#66873)

(ASL Action Pack #19 Roads to Rangoon ID: AP208)   [next]   [previous]

Payathonzu, Burma 1942-03-07 (7 others)

Overview:

The Hlegu roadblock put a huge wrench in the Commonwealth evacuation plan. With Japanese forces cutting the roads to the north and south, the main Commonwealth troop concentrations in Burma were encircled like a lion in a beater line. The Imperial Lion was not toothless however, and plans were put into motion that would demonstrate that even while being driven, he remained dangerous. After the liberation of Pegu and the trail line on 6 March, the Commonwealth units in the area turned their attention to the roadblock to the south. A plan was formed to attack down the Pegu road at first light on 7 March. Early morning fog rising from the river forced a delayed jumping off, and the attack did not begin until 0830. A short, mostly ineffective shelling of the area surrounding the roadblock announced the beginning of the action. The roadblock was made of a couple of hastily positioned lorries and various pieces of debris. The tanks barreled at the wreckage blocking the road with the lead tank ramming headlong into the pile. Japanese defenders flung Molotov cocktails at the tank, forcing the crew to bail out.

Defender: Japanese (Company 6, 7 and 8, 2nd Battalion, 112th Infantry Regiment, 55th Infantry Division)  

Errata (source)