page_title: Battle of Pokoku and Irrawaddy River operations
section_title: Irrawaddy River operations
hierarchical_section_title: Battle of Pokoku and Irrawaddy River operations / Battle of Pakokku / Irrawaddy River operations
caption_attribution_description: English: Men of the Dorset Regiment, 2nd Division, crossing the Irrawaddy river at Ngazun, Burma, 28 February 1945. Men of the Dorset Regiment, 2nd Division, crossing the Irrawaddy river at Ngazun in a boat with outboard motor, 28 February 1945.
context_page_description: The Battle of Pakokku and Irrawaddy River operations were a series of battles fought between the British Indian Army and the Imperial Japanese Army and allied forces over the successful Allied Burma Campaign on the China Burma India Theater during World War II. The battles and operations were instrumental in facilitating the eventual capture of Rangoon in summer 1945.
context_section_description: After the 7th Indian Infantry Division had captured Pakokku, on 14 February, the Allied forces crossed the Irrawaddy River at Nyaung U, north of ancient Burmese capital of Pagan. The 7th Division's crossing was made on a wide front. Both the main attack at Nyaung U and a secondary crossing at Pagan (the former capital, and the site of many Buddhist temples) were initially disastrous. Pagan and Nyaungu were defended by two battalions of the Indian National Army's 4th Guerrilla Regiment, with one held in reserve. The 7th Indian Division suffered heavy losses as their assault boats broke down under machine-gun fire which swept the river. Eventually, support from tanks of the Gordon Highlanders firing across the river and massed artillery forced the defenders at Nyaungu to surrender. At Pagan, the defending troops, the INA's 9th Battalion took a heavy toll offering resistance to the (1/11th Sikh Regiment) before they withdrew to Mount Popa.
  By 20 February, most of the forces crossed the river and captured Meiktila, as planned. The capture of Pakokku by 4/5 GR opened the way for further operations by the 17th Indian Infantry Division. On 19 February, 4/5 GR cleared an island, 5 miles (8.0 km) long and 3 miles (4.8 km) broad, in the Irrawaddy River, off Pakokku, which was interfering with forward movement.
  On 24 February, the Gurkhas moved south of Pakokku, crossed Irrawaddy River and took over part of Nyaung U bridgehead. On 25 February, a squadron of the 116th Regiment RAC (Gordon Highlanders), part of the 255th Indian Tank Brigade, supported the assault of the battalion and the village was soon secured; seven Japanese, including one officer, were killed. Throughout the month of April, the Allies continued to engage the Japanese in the area and this led to the capture of Letse and Seikpyu. On the morning of 24 April, leading troops were pinned down with heavy fire from a ridge with a prominent Golden Pagoda and a monastery. The objective was captured by a company from 4/5 GR, under Captain G W Maycock, supported by a heavy artillery concentration. Thirty-nine Japanese bodies were recovered. By 30 April, 4/5 GR secured Pwinbu and then moved to clear the Japanese position at Pagan village. Between 5 and 8 May concerted assaults were launched on Japanese positions which formed a ring around the position from the south: on 6th, roadblock in the rear of the Japanese on 7th and assault launched on Pagan Village on 8th.
caption: Men of the Dorset Regiment crossing the Irrawaddy River
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