Battle of Elephant Point
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Elephant Point was an airborne operation conducted by a composite Gurkha
airborne battalion that took place on 1 May 1945. In March 1945, plans were made for an assault on Rangoon, the capital of Burma, as a stepping-stone on the way to recapturing Malaya
and Singapore
. Initial plans for the assault on the city had called for a purely land-based approach by British Fourteenth Army
, but concerns about heavy Japanese resistance led to this being modified with the addition of a joint amphibious-airborne assault. This assault, led by 26th Indian Division
, would sail up the Rangoon River, but before it could do so, the river would have to be cleared of Japanese and British mines. In order to achieve this, coastal defences along the river would have to be neutralized, including a battery at Elephant Point.
This task was given to 44th Indian Airborne Division
, but the divisions was in the middle of a reorganization, and as such a composite battalion was formed from two Gurkha parachute battalions. The battalion assembled and then trained throughout April, and then early in the morning of 1 May was dropped near Elephant Point. As it advanced towards the battery one of the battalion's companies was attacked by American bombers, causing a number of casualties. Despite this, and torrential rain, the battalion successfully assaulted Elephant Point and neutralized the battery there after a fierce firefight. It remained around Elephant Point until 2 May, when 26th Indian Division conducted its amphibious assault and secured Rangoon.
in Burma, attended by senior Allied military figures including Admiral Lord Mountbatten
, the commander in chief of the Allied South East Asia Command
, and General
William Slim, commander of Fourteenth Army
. The object of the conference was to discuss future Allied strategy in South East Asia in the aftermath of Meiktila and Mandalay, including the reconquest of Burma and the retaking of Malaya
and then Singapore
. In order to secure these objectives however, Rangoon, the capital of Burma, would have to be captured before the onset of the monsoon
rains, which would impede any Allied advance over land; the Allied Chiefs of Staff worked on the assumption that this would occur before June. After Rangoon had fallen, a force of between four and five divisions would be landed in Western Malaya in an operation code-named Zipper
, which would itself be followed by Mailfist, the capture of Singapore.
To accommodate all of these goals, Mountbatten insisted that Rangoon be taken by May. Slim had initially planned to take the city in a pincer movement, with XXXIII Corps
advancing towards the city down the east bank of the Irrawaddy river via Hlegu
, and IV Corps taking a shorter route along the Sittang River valley to the east. Slim believed that the Japanese had insufficient forces to block both thrusts, and one of the corps would therefore be able to capture Rangoon. However, Mountbatten was unsure that a purely overland advance would be successful, and that a joint airborne-amphibious assault would therefore be the better option. Slim and others, such as Slim's superior, General Oliver Leese
(commander of Allied Land Forces, South East Asia), initially opposed such an operation, fearing that it would divert vital resources from Fourteenth Army. By the time of the meeting at Monywa, however, Slim had come around to Mountbatten's way of thinking, fearing that a purely overland advance would meet fierce Japanese resistance, as it had at Meiktila, and be delayed at the end of an overextended supply line. As such, a combined airborne and amphibious assault would be ideal as Fourteenth Army neared Rangoon, Slim arguing that it would be "a hammering at the back door while I burst in at the front." On 2 April orders were issued for the operation to go ahead, with the proviso that Rangoon be in Allied hands by 5 May at the latest.
, under the command of Admiral
Arthur Power
, who was responsible for the amphibious portion of the assault on Rangoon. Several problems had to be overcome during the planning for the operation. The first, and the least likely, was that the amphibious assault would be intercepted by elements of the Imperial Japanese Navy
as it neared Rangoon. To ensure that the amphibious elements would remain unmolested, 21 Carrier Squadron, commanded by Commodore
G.N. Oliver was attached to provide fight cover for the landings; the squadron consisted of four escort carriers, two cruisers and four destroyers. Operating further out would be 3rd Battle Squadron
, commanded by Vice Admiral Walker, which was formed of two battleships, HMS Queen Elizabeth
and the Free French battleship Richelieu, as well another two escort carriers, four cruisers and six destroyers. Two days prior to Dracula taking place, this "massive naval screen" bombed several ports and airfields, and also engaged a Japanese troop convoy transporting more than one thousand Japanese troops to nearby Moulmein, sinking all the vessels. The Royal Air Force
would provide support in the form of two RAF long-range fighter Wings, and the United States Army Air Force with eight B-24 Liberator
and four B-25 Mitchell
bomber squadrons.
More of a concern to Dracula's planners, however, were the land-based threats to the landing craft carrying the assault troops of 26th Indian Division
. Air support was deemed to be vital to the operation's success, and a number of Japanese airfields around Toungoo were captured in the days leading up to Dracula. There was also the problem of the defences in and around the River Rangoon, up which the landing craft were to sail. The river itself was heavily mined, a result of Japanese defensive measures as well as RAF offensive operations earlier in the conflict, and it would have to be swept and cleared of mines before any amphibious assault could take place. Before this could occur, however, the coastal defences along the banks of the river would have to be neutralized; a particular worry was the presence of an artillery battery at Elephant Point on the west bank of the river. The geography of the area ensured that the battery could not be destroyed through artillery bombardment or airstrikes, and weather conditions precluded an early amphibious assault. As such, it was decided that a day before Dracula began on 2 May, a parachute battalion would be dropped near Elephant Point with the task of assaulting and destroying the battery.
The task was given to 44th Indian Airborne Division
, but this presented several problems. The division was in the middle of a reorganization, and many of its officers were on leave, as were two Gurkha airborne battalions; another, the 3rd Gurkha Parachute Battalion
, was about to transfer to 77th Indian Parachute Brigade
. With no one unit available, a composite force was put together for the operation. The Headquarters Company was formed of men from 2nd and 3rd Gurkha Parachute Battalions, and each battalion provided a further two companies – A and B from 2nd Gurkha Parachute Battalion and C and D from 3rd Gurkha Parachute Battalion. A mortar platoon and machine gun platoon augmented the ad hoc formation. The battalion was formed in early April, and came under the command of Major Jack Newland. After its initial formation it transferred to Chaklala, where its strength was augmented by Field Ambulance and Indian Engineers
sections and it undertook training for the operation. When was this was completed it was transported to Midnapore, where for ten days it assembled its equipment and conducted a rehearsal exercise. Finally, on 29 April it was flown to Akyab on the Burmese coast, approximately 200 miles north of Rangoon, and was soon joined by a 200-strong reserve force formed of men from both Gurkha battalions and the 152nd Indian Parachute Battalion
. The battalion would be transported in 40 C-47 Skytrain
transport aircraft belonging to 1st
and 2nd United States Air Commando Group.
to carry out a preliminary bombing attack on the battery. Unfortunately, despite officers and other ranks wearing yellow recognition panels and carrying orange umbrellas to identify themselves, C Company was bombed and strafed by the bombers, causing a number of casualties.Sources disagree on the exact number of casualties. Allen (p. 479) states that 'over thirty casualties' were caused, whilst both Tugwell (p. 284) and Latimer (p. 414) give the figure of 'forty casualties.' Harclerode (p. 640) provides the exact figures of fifteen killed and thirty wounded. As a result, a Forward Air Controller attached to the battalion ordered a halt to all further bombing runs on the battery.
After moving through torrential rain, the battalion reached Elephant Point at 16:00, and close-quarters fighting then took place, with flame-throwers being used against several Japanese bunkers guarding the battery. About forty Japanese soldiers and gunners were killed during the assault, and the battalion also sustained several casualties.Once again, the figures given for Japanese casualties and prisoners vary. Tugwell (p. 285) states that forty-three Japanese soldiers were killed, while Harclerode (p. 461) states thirty-seven. Allen (p. 479) gives the figure of thirty-seven, but says that thirty-six were killed and one taken prisoner. British casualties are also varied. Tugwell (p. 285) gives the figure of seven casualties during the assault, and Harclerode (p. 461) a total of forty-one during the entire action, including the casualties caused by friendly fire. After the battery had been secured the battalion dug in around Elephant Point and awaited the arrival of the relief force, which landed at Thaungang at 15:30, with a supply drop following it several minutes later. As it neared the position of the battalion, the surgical team accompanying the relief force was accidentally fired upon by the Gurkhas, causing four members of the team to be wounded. The battalion remained where it was through the night, although high tides submerged a number of trenches and forced the battalion to higher ground. By the dawn of 2 May, after it had cleared a number of nearby bunkers, the battalion was able to watch as minesweepers cleared the Rangoon river for the columns of landing craft following behind them.
. On 3 May the composite battalion moved to Sadainghmut, and two days later, leaving one company behind, it was transferred to Rangoon where it conducted anti-looting operations and also searched for Japanese stragglers remaining in the city. It left the city on 16 May and travelled to India by ship, where it rejoined 44th Indian Airborne Division. It had been the division's first major airborne operation.
Gurkha
Gurkha are people from Nepal who take their name from the Gorkha District. Gurkhas are best known for their history in the Indian Army's Gorkha regiments, the British Army's Brigade of Gurkhas and the Nepalese Army. Gurkha units are closely associated with the kukri, a forward-curving Nepalese knife...
airborne battalion that took place on 1 May 1945. In March 1945, plans were made for an assault on Rangoon, the capital of Burma, as a stepping-stone on the way to recapturing Malaya
British Malaya
British Malaya loosely described a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the Island of Singapore that were brought under British control between the 18th and the 20th centuries...
and Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
. Initial plans for the assault on the city had called for a purely land-based approach by British Fourteenth Army
British Fourteenth Army
The British Fourteenth Army was a multinational force comprising units from Commonwealth countries during World War II. Many of its units were from the Indian Army as well as British units and there were also significant contributions from West and East African divisions within the British Army.It...
, but concerns about heavy Japanese resistance led to this being modified with the addition of a joint amphibious-airborne assault. This assault, led by 26th Indian Division
Indian 26th Infantry Division
The 26th Indian Infantry Division, was part of the Indian Army during World War II. It fought in the Burma Campaign.-History:When the Japanese invaded Burma in 1942, the various units in training or stationed around Barrackpur near Calcutta in India were hastily formed into the "Calcutta" Division...
, would sail up the Rangoon River, but before it could do so, the river would have to be cleared of Japanese and British mines. In order to achieve this, coastal defences along the river would have to be neutralized, including a battery at Elephant Point.
This task was given to 44th Indian Airborne Division
44th Airborne Division (India)
The Indian 44th Airborne Division was a formation of the Indian Army during World War II, created in 1944. It provided a parachute battalion for one minor airborne operation but the war ended before the complete formation could take part...
, but the divisions was in the middle of a reorganization, and as such a composite battalion was formed from two Gurkha parachute battalions. The battalion assembled and then trained throughout April, and then early in the morning of 1 May was dropped near Elephant Point. As it advanced towards the battery one of the battalion's companies was attacked by American bombers, causing a number of casualties. Despite this, and torrential rain, the battalion successfully assaulted Elephant Point and neutralized the battery there after a fierce firefight. It remained around Elephant Point until 2 May, when 26th Indian Division conducted its amphibious assault and secured Rangoon.
Background
On 22 March, as the joint battles of Meiktila and Mandalay were drawing to a close, a conference was held at MonywaMonywa
Monywa is a city in Sagaing Division, Myanmar, located 136 km northwest of Mandalay on the eastern bank of the River Chindwin.-Transport:...
in Burma, attended by senior Allied military figures including Admiral Lord Mountbatten
Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma
Admiral of the Fleet Louis Francis Albert Victor Nicholas George Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma, KG, GCB, OM, GCSI, GCIE, GCVO, DSO, PC, FRS , was a British statesman and naval officer, and an uncle of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
, the commander in chief of the Allied South East Asia Command
South East Asia Command
South East Asia Command was the body set up to be in overall charge of Allied operations in the South-East Asian Theatre during World War II.-Background:...
, and General
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
William Slim, commander of Fourteenth Army
British Fourteenth Army
The British Fourteenth Army was a multinational force comprising units from Commonwealth countries during World War II. Many of its units were from the Indian Army as well as British units and there were also significant contributions from West and East African divisions within the British Army.It...
. The object of the conference was to discuss future Allied strategy in South East Asia in the aftermath of Meiktila and Mandalay, including the reconquest of Burma and the retaking of Malaya
British Malaya
British Malaya loosely described a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the Island of Singapore that were brought under British control between the 18th and the 20th centuries...
and then Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
. In order to secure these objectives however, Rangoon, the capital of Burma, would have to be captured before the onset of the monsoon
Monsoon
Monsoon is traditionally defined as a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation, but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with the asymmetric heating of land and sea...
rains, which would impede any Allied advance over land; the Allied Chiefs of Staff worked on the assumption that this would occur before June. After Rangoon had fallen, a force of between four and five divisions would be landed in Western Malaya in an operation code-named Zipper
Operation Zipper
During the Second World War, Operation Zipper was a British plan to capture either Port Swettenham or Port Dickson, Malaya as staging areas for the recapture of Singapore. However, due to the end of the war in the Pacific, it was never fully executed. Some of the proposed landings on Penang went...
, which would itself be followed by Mailfist, the capture of Singapore.
To accommodate all of these goals, Mountbatten insisted that Rangoon be taken by May. Slim had initially planned to take the city in a pincer movement, with XXXIII Corps
XXXIII Corps (British India)
The British Indian XXXIII Corps was a formation of the British Indian Army during World War II. It was disbanded and the headquarters was recreated as an Army headquarters in 1945.-Formation:...
advancing towards the city down the east bank of the Irrawaddy river via Hlegu
Hlegu
Hlegu Township is a township in Yangon Division, Burma . It is northeast of the city Yangon and is largely rural.The township's Paunglin Dam and Ngamoeyeik Reservoir supply water to over 28,300 hectares of farmland between Hlegu and Yangon, and nearly 340 million liters of water a day to the...
, and IV Corps taking a shorter route along the Sittang River valley to the east. Slim believed that the Japanese had insufficient forces to block both thrusts, and one of the corps would therefore be able to capture Rangoon. However, Mountbatten was unsure that a purely overland advance would be successful, and that a joint airborne-amphibious assault would therefore be the better option. Slim and others, such as Slim's superior, General Oliver Leese
Oliver Leese
Lieutenant-General Sir Oliver William Hargreaves Leese, 3rd Baronet, KCB, CBE, DSO was a British general during World War II.-Early years:...
(commander of Allied Land Forces, South East Asia), initially opposed such an operation, fearing that it would divert vital resources from Fourteenth Army. By the time of the meeting at Monywa, however, Slim had come around to Mountbatten's way of thinking, fearing that a purely overland advance would meet fierce Japanese resistance, as it had at Meiktila, and be delayed at the end of an overextended supply line. As such, a combined airborne and amphibious assault would be ideal as Fourteenth Army neared Rangoon, Slim arguing that it would be "a hammering at the back door while I burst in at the front." On 2 April orders were issued for the operation to go ahead, with the proviso that Rangoon be in Allied hands by 5 May at the latest.
Planning
The joint operation was christened Dracula, and its schedule was decided by the Royal NavyRoyal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
, under the command of Admiral
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
Arthur Power
Arthur Power
Admiral of the Fleet Sir Arthur John Power GCB, GBE, CVO was an officer of the Royal Navy, who saw service in World War I and World War II.-Naval career:Power joined the Royal Navy in 1909 and served in World War I...
, who was responsible for the amphibious portion of the assault on Rangoon. Several problems had to be overcome during the planning for the operation. The first, and the least likely, was that the amphibious assault would be intercepted by elements of the Imperial Japanese Navy
Imperial Japanese Navy
The Imperial Japanese Navy was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1869 until 1947, when it was dissolved following Japan's constitutional renunciation of the use of force as a means of settling international disputes...
as it neared Rangoon. To ensure that the amphibious elements would remain unmolested, 21 Carrier Squadron, commanded by Commodore
Commodore (Royal Navy)
Commodore is a rank of the Royal Navy above Captain and below Rear Admiral. It has a NATO ranking code of OF-6. The rank is equivalent to Brigadier in the British Army and Royal Marines and to Air Commodore in the Royal Air Force.-Insignia:...
G.N. Oliver was attached to provide fight cover for the landings; the squadron consisted of four escort carriers, two cruisers and four destroyers. Operating further out would be 3rd Battle Squadron
3rd Battle Squadron (United Kingdom)
The British Royal Navy 3rd Battle Squadron was a naval squadron consisting of battleships and other vessels, active from at least 1914 to 1945. The 3rd Battle Squadron was initially part of the Royal Navy's Home Fleet. During the First World War, the Home Fleet was renamed the Grand Fleet...
, commanded by Vice Admiral Walker, which was formed of two battleships, HMS Queen Elizabeth
HMS Queen Elizabeth (1913)
HMS Queen Elizabeth was the lead ship of the Queen Elizabeth-class of dreadnought battleships, named in honour of Elizabeth I of England. She saw service in both World Wars...
and the Free French battleship Richelieu, as well another two escort carriers, four cruisers and six destroyers. Two days prior to Dracula taking place, this "massive naval screen" bombed several ports and airfields, and also engaged a Japanese troop convoy transporting more than one thousand Japanese troops to nearby Moulmein, sinking all the vessels. The Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
would provide support in the form of two RAF long-range fighter Wings, and the United States Army Air Force with eight B-24 Liberator
B-24 Liberator
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber...
and four B-25 Mitchell
B-25 Mitchell
The North American B-25 Mitchell was an American twin-engined medium bomber manufactured by North American Aviation. It was used by many Allied air forces, in every theater of World War II, as well as many other air forces after the war ended, and saw service across four decades.The B-25 was named...
bomber squadrons.
More of a concern to Dracula's planners, however, were the land-based threats to the landing craft carrying the assault troops of 26th Indian Division
Indian 26th Infantry Division
The 26th Indian Infantry Division, was part of the Indian Army during World War II. It fought in the Burma Campaign.-History:When the Japanese invaded Burma in 1942, the various units in training or stationed around Barrackpur near Calcutta in India were hastily formed into the "Calcutta" Division...
. Air support was deemed to be vital to the operation's success, and a number of Japanese airfields around Toungoo were captured in the days leading up to Dracula. There was also the problem of the defences in and around the River Rangoon, up which the landing craft were to sail. The river itself was heavily mined, a result of Japanese defensive measures as well as RAF offensive operations earlier in the conflict, and it would have to be swept and cleared of mines before any amphibious assault could take place. Before this could occur, however, the coastal defences along the banks of the river would have to be neutralized; a particular worry was the presence of an artillery battery at Elephant Point on the west bank of the river. The geography of the area ensured that the battery could not be destroyed through artillery bombardment or airstrikes, and weather conditions precluded an early amphibious assault. As such, it was decided that a day before Dracula began on 2 May, a parachute battalion would be dropped near Elephant Point with the task of assaulting and destroying the battery.
The task was given to 44th Indian Airborne Division
44th Airborne Division (India)
The Indian 44th Airborne Division was a formation of the Indian Army during World War II, created in 1944. It provided a parachute battalion for one minor airborne operation but the war ended before the complete formation could take part...
, but this presented several problems. The division was in the middle of a reorganization, and many of its officers were on leave, as were two Gurkha airborne battalions; another, the 3rd Gurkha Parachute Battalion
Brigade of Gurkhas
The Brigade of Gurkhas is the collective term for units of the current British Army that are composed of Nepalese soldiers. The brigade, which is 3,640 strong, draws its heritage from Gurkha units that originally served in the British Indian Army prior to Indian independence, and prior to that of...
, was about to transfer to 77th Indian Parachute Brigade
44th Airborne Division (India)
The Indian 44th Airborne Division was a formation of the Indian Army during World War II, created in 1944. It provided a parachute battalion for one minor airborne operation but the war ended before the complete formation could take part...
. With no one unit available, a composite force was put together for the operation. The Headquarters Company was formed of men from 2nd and 3rd Gurkha Parachute Battalions, and each battalion provided a further two companies – A and B from 2nd Gurkha Parachute Battalion and C and D from 3rd Gurkha Parachute Battalion. A mortar platoon and machine gun platoon augmented the ad hoc formation. The battalion was formed in early April, and came under the command of Major Jack Newland. After its initial formation it transferred to Chaklala, where its strength was augmented by Field Ambulance and Indian Engineers
Indian Army Corps of Engineers
The Indian Army Corps of Engineers has a long and illustrious history dating back to the mid-18th century. The earliest existing subunit of the Corps dates back to 1777 while the Corps officially recognises its birth as 1780 when the senior most group of the Corps, the Madras Sappers were...
sections and it undertook training for the operation. When was this was completed it was transported to Midnapore, where for ten days it assembled its equipment and conducted a rehearsal exercise. Finally, on 29 April it was flown to Akyab on the Burmese coast, approximately 200 miles north of Rangoon, and was soon joined by a 200-strong reserve force formed of men from both Gurkha battalions and the 152nd Indian Parachute Battalion
44th Airborne Division (India)
The Indian 44th Airborne Division was a formation of the Indian Army during World War II, created in 1944. It provided a parachute battalion for one minor airborne operation but the war ended before the complete formation could take part...
. The battalion would be transported in 40 C-47 Skytrain
C-47 Skytrain
The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota is a military transport aircraft that was developed from the Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II and remained in front line operations through the 1950s with a few remaining in operation to this day.-Design and...
transport aircraft belonging to 1st
1st Air Commando Group
The 1st Air Commando Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the Army Service Forces, based at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey. It was inactivated on 3 November 1945....
and 2nd United States Air Commando Group.
Battle
At 02:30 on 1 May, two C-47 transport aircraft took off from Akyab, transporting several pathfinder teams and a platoon tasked with defending the initial drop zone at Tawhai. The rest of the composite battalion boarded thirty-eight Dakotas and took off thirty minutes later, and at 05:45 jumped over the drop zone; there were only a few casualties, one being a medical officer attached to the battalion. It encountered no Japanese opposition, and after it had rallied, advanced towards Elephant Point and the artillery battery. It halted 3,000 yards in front of the battery to allow B-24 Liberators from the USAAFUnited States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
to carry out a preliminary bombing attack on the battery. Unfortunately, despite officers and other ranks wearing yellow recognition panels and carrying orange umbrellas to identify themselves, C Company was bombed and strafed by the bombers, causing a number of casualties.Sources disagree on the exact number of casualties. Allen (p. 479) states that 'over thirty casualties' were caused, whilst both Tugwell (p. 284) and Latimer (p. 414) give the figure of 'forty casualties.' Harclerode (p. 640) provides the exact figures of fifteen killed and thirty wounded. As a result, a Forward Air Controller attached to the battalion ordered a halt to all further bombing runs on the battery.
After moving through torrential rain, the battalion reached Elephant Point at 16:00, and close-quarters fighting then took place, with flame-throwers being used against several Japanese bunkers guarding the battery. About forty Japanese soldiers and gunners were killed during the assault, and the battalion also sustained several casualties.Once again, the figures given for Japanese casualties and prisoners vary. Tugwell (p. 285) states that forty-three Japanese soldiers were killed, while Harclerode (p. 461) states thirty-seven. Allen (p. 479) gives the figure of thirty-seven, but says that thirty-six were killed and one taken prisoner. British casualties are also varied. Tugwell (p. 285) gives the figure of seven casualties during the assault, and Harclerode (p. 461) a total of forty-one during the entire action, including the casualties caused by friendly fire. After the battery had been secured the battalion dug in around Elephant Point and awaited the arrival of the relief force, which landed at Thaungang at 15:30, with a supply drop following it several minutes later. As it neared the position of the battalion, the surgical team accompanying the relief force was accidentally fired upon by the Gurkhas, causing four members of the team to be wounded. The battalion remained where it was through the night, although high tides submerged a number of trenches and forced the battalion to higher ground. By the dawn of 2 May, after it had cleared a number of nearby bunkers, the battalion was able to watch as minesweepers cleared the Rangoon river for the columns of landing craft following behind them.
Aftermath
Operation Dracula was a complete success, as Japanese forces had actually vacated Rangoon several days prior to the amphibious landing; 36th Indian Infantry Brigade was able to occupy the city without encountering any Japanese opposition. Shortly after Rangoon's occupation Japanese forces called for a cease-fire, and plans for the amphibious landing in Western Malaya and an advance into Singapore were cancelled. Instead, British and Commonwealth forces landed unopposed and liberated those areas, and also temporarily occupied ThailandThailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
. On 3 May the composite battalion moved to Sadainghmut, and two days later, leaving one company behind, it was transferred to Rangoon where it conducted anti-looting operations and also searched for Japanese stragglers remaining in the city. It left the city on 16 May and travelled to India by ship, where it rejoined 44th Indian Airborne Division. It had been the division's first major airborne operation.