Eighty years ago, February 1945 saw the XIVth Army mount an offensive in Central Burma which would defeat the main Imperial Japanese forces in the centre of the country. On 19 February 1945, 20 Squadron played a key part in the battle to cross the Irrawaddy River west of Mandalay by destroying a number of enemy tanks. In this article the 20 Squadron historian recounts a red-letter day in the Squadron’s history.
In February 1945, the XIV Army, supported by No 221 Group Royal Air Force, executed a bold plan to defeat enemy forces in central Burma. To the north, XXXIII Corps would cross the Irrawaddy River in two locations north and west of the city of Mandalay. The aim of this assault was not just to capture the city, but to draw the bulk of enemy forces northwards towards the river. In the meantime, IV Corps would cross the Irrawaddy about 75 miles southwest of Mandalay and drive rapidly to capture Meiktila, some 70 miles south of Mandalay and a key road and rail junction linking the south and north of Burma. With Meiktila in Allied hands, the bulk of the Japanese forces would be trapped between the two Corps, isolated from their supplies, and ultimately defeated.
Above: Sketch map from the 20 Squadron Operational Record Book, showing the operational area in February 1945.
Crossing the Irrawaddy River would not be easy. There river was anywhere between ½ and 1 ½ miles wide and the enemy held the southern bank; any landings and beachheads could expect to be subject to the strongest possible enemy attacks. The Allied plan required large volumes of air support, in which 20 Squadron, equipped with its specialist ground attack Hurricanes, would play a notable part.
Above: A DUKW amphibious vehicle crossing the Irrawaddy River near Mandalay. The width of the river is apparent in the photograph. (Imperial War Museum SE1556)
In early February 1945 20 Squadron was equipped with two variants of the Hurricane. The first was the Mark II D, carrying two 40mm cannons which were excellent weapons against tanks and other vehicles; the Squadron also had notable successes with them against enemy supply vessels in the numerous waterways of Burma. In late 1944 A Flight had re-equipped with the Mark IV, which mounted eight rocket projectiles (RPs). As well as being effective against tanks and other vehicles, the rockets could also destroy buildings, such as enemy bunkers.
Above: A Hurricane II D with underwing 40mm cannons.
Above: Hurricane IV being rearmed with Rocket Projectiles at an airstrip in central Burma (both from 20 Squadron archives)
The early part of February wasn’t the easiest time for the Squadron. On 13 February, the Squadron moved forward from Thazi, near Kalemyo, to Monywa, closer to the Irrawaddy crossings. Due to lack of all-weather roads in Burma at the time and the tactical need for rapid deployment, the normal process by then was for Squadron ground crew and supplies to be moved forward by transport aircraft. This usually required seventeen Dakota loads of personnel and equipment. When the Hurricanes flew forward, the rest of the Squadron was only assigned thirteen Dakota flights; the remaining personnel and supplies would not arrive at Monywa until the 22 February.
Above: Although not 20 Squadron, this picture shows part of another RAF fighter squadron awaiting their airlift from a Burmese airstrip. The Dakota taking off behind them carries another load from their squadron. This scene would have been very familiar to the ground personnel supporting 20 Squadron’s operations in Central Burma. (Imperial War Museum CF518)
To add to the problems, there was a theatre-wide shortage of RPs; A Flight flew with half-loads of four rockets and were under strict orders to use them only when targets were positively identified, and the probability of a successful attack was extremely high.
By 19 February, 20 Division of XXXIII Corps had crossed the Irrawaddy to the west of Mandalay but were subject to heavy counter-attacks from enemy forces, with the village of Talingon becoming the centre of the fighting. 20 Squadron had been providing regular air support in the wider Mandalay area since 11 February but by then were solely dedicated to support 20 Division in a pleasing piece of numerical symmetry! Squadron patrols operated in conjunction with Visual Control Posts (VCPs) with callsigns ‘Greenclad’ and ‘Moorings’; these VCPs were pilots embedded with the Army on the ground who could talk to ground attack aircraft by radio and control them onto their targets in close proximity to friendly forces. Enemy forces had tanks in the area which had been used in various attacks on Talingon, but air reconnaissance had yet to locate them. Late on the night of 18 February, army personnel in Talingon heard the distinctive noise of tanks coming up to the enemy front lines and, the following morning, 20 Squadron was tasked with some urgency to look for them in what was known as an ‘Armed Offensive Patrol’. Experience told them that this would not be easy; throughout all operations in Burma, the enemy had proved extremely adept at camouflage from the air.
The first pair of Hurricanes, piloted by Pilot Officer Hallett and Warrant Officer Birch, did not spot any tanks but, under VCP control, strafed several bashas in the vicinity. The next pair to arrive was flown by Flying Officers Farquharson and Ballard; Farquharson made the breakthrough, detecting the first tank with the pair destroying two well-camouflaged tanks. Suspecting more tanks in the area, the Squadron Commanding Officer, Squadron Leader Millar, dispatched more pairs of aircraft including the Mark IVs with their precious stock of RPs. Flying Officer Parr and Pilot Officer Lee were next to arrive; Flying Officer Parr recalls the action:
"For once we had excellent R/T [radio] plain language to the Army, right on our side of the river. They told me that there was an enemy tank about 1,000 yards from the river that had already been clobbered, but there are others, over the ridge, probably only a mile or so away. So we went looking, and spent the better part of an hour combing an area of about two square miles. Eventually, circling, searching low down, lo and behold, there was a tank, beautifully camouflaged, hidden under bushes in a gulley. Two or three pairs [of shells] from my 40mm guns and it was immediately on fire. Then, another tank, only a few hundred yards away, equally cunningly camouflaged. It was soon on fire from another two or three pairs from my 40mm. A third one was also spotted, fired upon and hit, but it wouldn’t flame. By then we were out of ammo and had to return".
Above: A 40mm cannon shell as used by Hurricane II Ds. The size of the shell is apparent when set beside the ‘standard’ .303 machine gun bullets and how it might only take a pair of these fired from the Squadron Hurricanes to destroy an enemy tank. (20 Sqn archives)
The Squadron continued to fly pairs during the day to provide continuous coverage over the area. By sunset, it had flown 29 sorties. The achievements of the day were impressive, even by the standards of the time. The Squadron had: destroyed twelve tanks by itself; damaged a thirteenth, which was subsequently finished off by an American P-47 Thunderbolt; uncovered an enemy 105mm artillery unit and led 60 Sqn Hurricanes to bomb the exact location; and had destroyed a number of enemy lorries. The task of finding static, camouflaged tanks was extremely difficult, requiring intense concentration while flying at low-level over enemy-held territory; several Hurricanes returned with bullet holes from ground fire. The Sqn pilots who found the tanks were Squadron Leader Millar, Flight Lieutenant Fockler (Canada), Flying Officer Anderson, Flying Officer Farquharson (Jamaica), Flying Officer Parr (South Africa) and Pilot Officer Thompson. For his skill and determination on the day, Fg Off Farquharson was immediately recommended for, and awarded, a Distinguished Flying Cross.
Above: A Flight pilots beside a Hurricane IV armed with Rocket Projectiles, somewhere in central Burma, early 1944. Flt Lt McMillan (standing, first left), Sqn Ldr Millar (standing, third left), Flt Lt Fockler (sitting, fourth left), Flying Officer Parr (standing, third from right) and Pilot Officer Jenkins (standing, first on right) were all involved in the Squadron action on the 19 February 1945.
Above: Flying Officer Farquharson, who uncovered the first camouflaged tank. (Mr John Fockler & Mr Ian Turner)
The actions of 20 Squadron on the day were considered so important that they were included in the British Official War History; the destruction of enemy tanks was described as ‘a serious blow to the enemy who had by this time expended the greater part of their limited resources in armour, but it was fortunate for the defenders of Talingon’.
The signal sent that night from the Headquarters of the Army’s 20 Division to the Headquarters of 20 Squadron summed up the day’s work with slightly more informal wording:
"Enemy Ironware Corporation has gone bust!! Nice work 20 Squadron.
“Tanks” repeat “Tanks” a million".
Sources:
20 Squadron Operational Record Book (F540 & F541) – February 1945
History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series; The Royal Air Force 1939-1945 Vol III ‘The Fight is Won’. HMSO 1954
History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series; The War Against Japan: Volume IV: ‘The Reconquest of Burma’. HMSO 1965.
The Flying Hours, Andrew Miller. Fighting High, 2015.
Unpublished memoires, Flt Lt Richard Parr.
