British Fourteenth Army
The British Fourteenth Army was formed in 1943 in eastern India. Its commander was the brilliant General William Slim. It is referred to as the forgotten army because its operations were often overlooked by the contemporary press, and have remained more obscure than those of the corresponding formations in Europe to this day.
Many plans for offensives from India to recapture Burma from the Japanese had been formed since British forces had been ejected from the country unceremoniously in 1942. However, they had all floundered for lack of resources. Since the UK was fully engaged in fighting in the Mediterranean and European Theatres, it could not spare many resources for SE Asia. By late 1943, it was felt that enough resources had been assembled to go over to the offensive. This was not to be a general offensive, but a more limited push along the Arakan coast of Burma. The attack proceeded, but a Japanese counterstroke halted its progress relatively quickly.
With the offensive in the Arakan blunted, and indeed in danger of being cut off from the rear, the main Japanese threat materialised. They attacked the centre of Fourteenth Army, at Kohima and Imphal. During March and April 1944, large numbers of British and Indian troops were cut off in those two enclaves. They were supplied by air in the largest operation of its type. The Japanese forces were cut off from their supplies by air attack, and gradually the roles were reversed. The besiged garrisons broke out and pursued the Japanese back to the border.
With the Japanese attack broken, a general advance was ordered. The original idea had been to capture Rangoon, the capital of Burma, from the sea and then link up Fourteenth Army troops advancing from the north. However, due to lack of landing craft, the landing could not be pursued.
Fourteenth Army had to be supplied from the air. In a brilliantly successful campaign, they made it to Rangoon from the north before a deadline when the American transport aircraft, upon whose support the offensive rested, were reassigned. The capture of Rangoon, a large port, made it possible to supply Fourteenth Army by sea, and thus no disasters ensued. Rangoon was captured at the beginning of May, and with its fall most of Burma, outside of a small area down towards the Kra Isthumus, was recaptured.
The Army headquarters was then relieved of responsibility for operations in Burma. IV Corps from Fourteenth Army remained in Burma, and took over operations against the remaining Japanese formations. A new Army headquarters, Twelfth Army, was raised to take over command of Burma.
Offensive operations under the command of Fourteenth Army then paused for the rest of the war, whilst an offensive to retake Malaya by amphibious landing, Operation Zipper, was planned. Fourteenth Army was low profile, but within its limited powers, it made a good contribution towards Allied victory over Japan
Fourteenth Army was renamed Malaya Command on 1 November 1945.
