page_title: Battle of Mogaung
section_title: Lakum
hierarchical_section_title: Battle of Mogaung / Battle / Lakum
caption_attribution_description: Allied Third Burma Campaign, Apri l- May 1945
context_page_description: The Battle of Mogaung was a series of engagements that was fought in the Burma Campaign of World War II between 6 and 26 June 1944 at the Burmese town of Mogaung. In brutal fighting, the 77th 'Chindit' Brigade under Brigadier Michael Calvert, later assisted by Chinese forces of Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek, fought for and captured the town from the occupying forces of Imperial Japan.
  The battle was part of a major Chindit campaign called Operation Thursday which later amalgamated with the Siege of Myitkyina by Chinese and US forces led by Joseph Stilwell who was in overall command of the Chindits. The capture of Mogaung was the first place in Burma to be liberated from the Japanese, and it was the last major Chindit campaign of the war. Two Victoria Crosses were awarded during the battle.
context_section_description: The march was difficult – thick jungle intersected by deep ravines and the occasional sporadic firefight with the Japanese. Nevertheless, on 2 June the South Staffordshires and the Gurkhas captured the village of Lakum after a fierce encounter with the Japanese. The village was a low laying hill overlooking the plain two miles south west of Mogaung. On the following day, another series of bitter encounters forced the Japanese off the surrounding hills – the Gurkhas seized a hamlet, later dubbed 'Gurkha Village', after wiping out the forty strong garrison there. They captured intact a large ammunition dump, fifteen lorries and a camouflaged hospital full of medical supplies, as well as many sick Japanese soldiers. Many of these tried to escape without success and many more committed suicide.
  Calvert had his headquarters operational just south of Lakum and a small airstrip was hastily laid from which supplies were arranged to be flown in and dropped by C-47's. The wounded and sick could be flown out by using Sentinel aircraft and even the new Sikorsky R-4 helicopters. An RAF liaison officers set up a position from which to use air support from the US 1st Air Commando Group for further combat sorties in taking Mogaung. Calvert also built up a store of medical, food and military supplies before any major attack went in. At the same time local Kachin groups led by former Burma Rifles officers who had established control of the area joined Calvert's men to provide vital intelligence on Japanese movements. The following day two platoons of the Lancashire fusiliers captured a vital point on the Mogaung river known as the Tapaw Ferry that would prove useful if the Chindits needed an escape route.
  The villages of Mahaung, Natgyigon and the Pinhmi bridge on the outskirts of Mogaung were key positions in its defence; once these had fallen the Japanese hold on the town would become untenable. In Mogaung itself the courthouse and railway station were potential areas for heavy resistance as they were the two main all brick buildings. Over the next few days the brigade got supplied – they were delivered PIAT anti tank weapons as well as flamethrowers, 3 inch and 4.2 inch mortars with thousands of rounds as the only means of heavy fire support. Japanese artillery was causing casualties but Calvert was eventually able to call in P-51 Mustangs of 1st Air Commando in an attempt to silence the Japanese positions.
caption: Location of Mogaung in Northern Burma
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