Burma Rifles The Burma Rifles were a regiment of the British Indian Army created in 1917 . The regiment re - used the name of an unrelated earlier unit , the 10th Regiment ( 1st Burma Rifles ) Madras Infantry , which evolved into the 10th Princess Mary ' s Own Gurkha Rifles . Origins of the regiment . Early history . The expansion of the British Indian Army during World War I led to the raising of two companies of Burma Pioneers in Mandalay in November 1916 . Burmese of all groups were recruited for these units . After expanding to four companies , the Pioneers became the 70th Burma Rifles in September 1917 . The 85th Burman Rifles were raised from the Burma Military Police in July 1917 . A second battalion of 70th Burma Rifles was raised in January 1918 and both battalions served in the Middle East in 1918 - 20 . Two more battalions were raised during 1918 . According to John Gaylor in his history : " Sons of John Company - The Indian & Pakistan Armies 1903 - 1991 " , the 3 / 70th Burma Rifles , raised in April 1918 , went to Southern India to suppress the Moplah Rising whilst the 4 / 70th , raised in May 1918 , remained in Burma . 1922 reorganisation of the British Indian Army . In the 1922 reorganisation of the British Indian Army the 70th Burma Rifles and the 85th Burman Rifles were merged to form the 20th Burma Rifles . The new regiment numbered four regular battalions . A new battalion , the 11th ( territorial ) battalion was also formed in 1922 . The Burman element in the regiment was mustered out after 1927 , although Burmans continued to serve in the Burma Military Police . Personnel drawn from the hill - tribes of Burma and other groups ( Karens , Kachins and Chin ) continued to serve and in 1940 Burmans were again recruited , although the Anglo - Burmese tended to be overly represented in the Burma Rifles and the Burma Military Police . Separation from India . After the British formally separated Burma from India in 1937 the 20th Burma Rifles was allocated to Burma and renamed the Burma Rifles . The intention was for officers to be drawn from the British Army . However the majority of the British officers already serving with the regiment chose to remain with their units on secondment from the British Indian Army . World War II . The regiment was expanded during the Second World War to a total of 14 battalions and served through the Japanese invasion of Burma during the Burma Campaign . Eight Battalions of Infantry were raised along with a holding battalion , a training battalion and four territorial battalions . The men of the territorial battalions were under no obligation to serve outside the borders of Burma . After the British Burma Army ' s retreat from Burma , a reconstituted 2nd Battalion continued to take part in the Burma Campaign . The remaining highly weakened battalions were disbanded although many of the non - Burmese nationals ( Indians and Gurkhas ) from them went to form battalions of the Burma Regiment created in September 1942 . The 2nd battalion participated in the 1st and 2nd Chindit expeditions into Burma . In his official report following the first expedition Orde Wingate the Chindit commander wrote : As a result , for the 1943 Chindit operation , the battalion was expanded and broken down into reconnaissance platoons for the Chindit columns . In 1944 , the battalion was broken down into sections among the Chindit force . In 1945 , the 2nd Burma Rifles was reconstituted as an infantry battalion . In July 1945 , the 1st battalion was re - raised in Burma . Over the following three years leading up to Burmese independence , the 3rd through 6th battalions were re - raised . Uniform and insignia . The mess uniform of the Burma Rifles was rifle green with scarlet facings and the regimental badge was a male Burmese peacock displaying over a title - scroll " BURMA RIFLES " in white metal ( silver or silver gilt for officers ) . In Volume 2 of his work " Indian Army Uniforms " W . Y . Carman describes a full dress uniform in the same colours , noting that it was worn by officers and other ranks forming part of the Coronation Contingent of 1937 . It is not however known on what other occasions ( if any ) it was used . The last surviving Burma Rifles Officer , Major Neville Hogan MBE noted the following further insignia distinctions from the World War II period : Shoulder titles : rifle green with " BURMA RIFLES " in red . Collar dogs : a ( male ) Burmese peacock ( displaying ) over a title - scroll " BURMA RIFLES " in white metal ( officers silver or silver gilt ) . Officers pips : silver for full dress , black for service dress . Black embroidered onto red worsted ( after the traditions of the 60th Rifles / KRRC ) . Enlisted stripes & crowns : black embroidered onto rifle green worsted ( after the traditions of the 95th Rifles / Rifle Brigade ) . This unusual mix was noted and verified by photographs in Major Hogan ' s collection .