Another WW-II battle ground discovered
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 03 2013 : The Second World War Imphal Campaign Foundation has discovered another site of the Battle of Kamong, one of the episodes of the Manipur theatre of the war, at Nongren hill range.

In addition, a number of weapons and equipment of Second World War era have been discovered from the battle site.

A research team of the Se-cond World War Imphal Campaign Foundation went to Nongren today and marked the site where the Battle of Kamong was fought between the Japanese Army and British Army on April 4, 1944 .

The battle was fought between 17th Dogra, A Coy of the British Army against 15th Division of the Japanese Army in which 98 Japanese soldiers were killed.

Bunkers constructed by British Army at the hill top, pieces of bombs and guns were discovered at the battle site.

Nongren hill range located about 3 Kms South of Lamlai police station in Imphal East district is 400 metres above mean sea level.

A general view of the WW-II battle ground at Nongren hill range

The Battle of Kamong was a battle fought between the Japanese Army whose strategy was to capture Nongren hill range on their march to Imphal.

But Nongren hill range was then held by British Army, said founder of the Foundation Yumnam Rajesh-war who is also member of the Burma Campaign Society.

Japanese troops attacked the British soldiers who were holding Nongren hills at 3 am of April 4, 1944 .

This resulted in a fierce fighting.

Later in the day, 46 Japanese soldiers were found dead and entangled in barbed wire.

The battle raged on till April 5.The Japanese soldiers seemed intended to fight a protracted battle as indicated in the diaries.

They were also found carrying rice, Rajeshwar said.

Had the Japanese soldiers won the Battle of Kamong, British Army's Kangla airfield, located to the East of Sajiwa Jail might have fallen in the hands of the Japanese Army.

The Japanese soldiers killed in the battle were buried together in a huge grave, Rajeshwar said.

On being asked about the renewed efforts to find out battle fields of World War II, Rajeshwar said that they are preparing to observe platinum jubilee of the Second World War next year.

Whatever materials related to Second World War discovered in the course of the research work would be displayed in a museum.

The foundation is being assisted by both British and Japanese war veterans by providing their war diaries and maps.

Apart from identifying the battle ground where the Japanese Army and British Army fought for the first time in Second World War at Herbakhanglai, Ukhrul, the foundation has already discovered some other important battle sites, Rajeshwar added.