IT News
Imphal, Mar. 30:
Yumnam Rajeshwor Singh, a war historian along with a serviceman from the Royal Gurkha Signal Regiment will have the honour to call the roll of honour of all the Indian soldiers who died at Kanglatongbi during World War II at the Burma Star Memorial, National Memorial Arboratum at Straffordshire, UK on April 7, 2024. The service will be led by the Reverend Dr Andrew Sangster a military historian and prolific writer of note.
While the 70th and 75th anniversaries of the Battle of Imphal were marked in 2014 and 2019 respectively, with significant international participation, the upcoming 80th anniversary commemoration, scheduled for this year, faces challenges due to ongoing ethnic conflicts. The grand commemoration event for the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Kanglatongbi will be held at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, UK. Yumnam Rajeshwor Singh, a resident of Chingmeirong, Imphal, will have the privilege of calling the roll of honour of the names of 75 Indian soldiers who fell at the Battle of Kanglatongbi.
This commemoration in the UK marks a historic first, as it will be the inaugural occasion anywhere in the world where the names of the fallen will be publicly recited. Families from across the UK, including two whose patriarchs were recipients of the Military Cross, will gather to pay their respects. Faith leaders representing Sikh, Hindu, Muslim, and Christian communities will offer prayers for the fallen soldiers. The ceremony will also feature serving soldiers and veterans on parade, accompanied by a bugler and a bagpiper.
During the tumultuous years of the Second World War (1942-1945), when the marauding Japanese forces sought to breach the lines to Imphal, a valiant detachment from the 221 Advance Ordnance Depot mounted a staunch defence. Their resilience halted the enemy’s advance and turned the tide of battle on the night of April 6, 1944.
The night of April 6-7, 1944, saw intense fighting as Japanese forces launched a heavy assault on the depot. Despite overwhelming odds, the defenders, including a Bren Gun Section positioned in a strategically camouflaged bunker, repelled the enemy’s attack, inflicting significant casualties and forcing a retreat.
In recognition of their exemplary courage, bravery, and sacrifice, a war memorial was erected to commemorate the Battle of Kanglatongbi, also known as the Battle of Lion Box.
