Jungle operations in Burma have revealed the very great value of organized and aggressive patrolling. In more than one instance, the failure to make a thorough reconnaissance of a Japanese position prior to an attack has proved costly, while active patrolling often has paid premiums. The types, sizes, equipment, and tasks of British Indian patrols in the Arakan are outlined in the following report by a U.S. observer. The tactics employed very effectively in nuisance raids designed to harass and confuse the enemy in a prepared position are of special interest.

British Indian patrols in the Arakan have one or more of three missions—to gain information, to kill, or to deceive. Most of the patrolling is carried out in daylight, although some special mission patrols operate at night.

A forward observer frequently accompanies a patrol. He is equipped with a radio set which allows him to call for artillery fire on such targets as enemy artillery pieces, supply dumps, unit headquarters, or personnel. Very often patrols find groups of Japanese resting, bathing, or carrying on some other activity which allows a forward observer ample time to order artillery fire and thus cause violent upset to their leisure.

RECONNAISSANCE PATROLS

The strength of a reconnaissance patrol normally is one officer or noncommissioned officer and one to three men. The leader usually is armed with a Thompson submachine gun, while each of the other men is armed with a rifle and 50 rounds of ammunition. Each member of the patrol also carries a grenade.

Ordinary green two-piece cotton uniforms are worn. Since white skin shows up very plainly in the jungle, all British personnel paint their faces and hands with a black or green water-soluble paint to prevent themselves from being observed too readily. Reconnaissance patrols sent out in daytime wear ordinary issue leather shoes, while night patrols usually wear physical training shoes to maintain silence. Leather shoes give much better protection against panjis (see pages 88 to 92 of this issue) and against the heat. However, since silence is imperative at night, patrol members wear their sneakers and take a chance on not encountering panjis. U.S. Army mosquito repellent is used on night patrols.

COMBAT PATROLS

Most combat patrols are sent out at night to perform specific missions, which usually are assigned on the basis of information obtained by reconnaissance patrols. The size of the patrol depends upon the mission, but its strength generally is one platoon. The arms of a platoon-strength patrol include three Bren guns (caliber .303 light machine guns) with 10 magazines of ammunition for each gun, a 2-inch mortar with 12 rounds of high explosive, three grenade dischargers, and a Very pistol. Three Thompson submachine guns are carried by patrol and section leaders, and a rifle and 50 rounds of ammunition by each of the remaining men; each member of the platoon also is armed with one grenade.

Occasionally, combat patrols have suffered considerable casualties when assaulting Japanese positions in the Arakan. The Japanese frequently place long strings of grenade booby traps around their positions at night. The grenades are strung on long wires attached to partly pulled safety pins and laid across the best approaches to the positions.

THE AMBUSH PARTY

The ambush party is a form of combat patrol. However, it is extremely seldom that an ambush party should consist of as many men as a platoon, which is too difficult to control as an ambush party in the jungle. Usually, an ambush in the Arakan consists of an officer or noncommissioned officer and 10 men. Such a group generally is armed with a Bren gun with 10 filled magazines, two Thompson submachine guns, rifles, and one or two grenades per man.

British Indian ambush parties have used a Very pistol to some advantage when on a night ambush. The patrol leader fires the Very light directly into the approaching Japanese party. It is claimed by patrol leaders that this blinds the Japanese for at least a minute and serves as a signal to the ambush party to commence firing. However, it would seem that unless the members of the ambush party are trained to close their eyes when the flare is fired, they also would be blinded temporarily. They then would have only the sense of hearing upon which to depend in locating their target and in delivering accurate fire.

NUISANCE RAIDS

Both small and large "nuisance parties" have been used to a considerable advantage in the Arakan to harass and mislead the Japanese.

The small party usually consists of a noncommissioned officer and 8 to 10 men. They are armed with a Bren gun, a grenade discharger, two Thompson submachine guns, a 2-inch mortar with six rounds of high explosive, three smoke shells, three parachute flares, and rifles. A Very pistol is carried by the leader. This type of party is assigned various missions, one of which is setting fire to the jungle undergrowth on hills occupied by Japanese. This is done by firing 2-inch mortar smoke shells onto the hill or by removing the parachute from a flare bomb and firing it into the jungle. This illuminating flare makes an excellent incendiary when fired without the parachute attached. These small nuisance parties also set fire to native villages occupied by the Japanese. In addition, the parties go out on various types of harassing missions. They may approach a Japanese position and make various noises in an effort to draw fire from hostile weapons. This, of course, indicates what types of weapons the enemy is using in a particular position. Frequently, Japanese bunkers have been located by this method.

The large nuisance party performs similar missions, but on a larger scale. Such a party may be composed of as many as 50 men, and has been used very successfully in a fake attack on a Japanese position. A fake attack is begun by occupying a jungle-covered rise near a Japanese hill position at night. Afterward, during daylight hours, a few men dig foxholes or gun emplacements at points where they can be observed by the Japanese. A few fires are built in the jungle so that several columns of smoke can be seen by the Japanese. Various noises, such as coughing, pounding stakes into the ground, or chopping wood, are made for the benefit of the listening enemy. The next night, after all this activity has taken place on this hill, an artillery concentration suddenly is placed on the hostile position at a prearranged time. When the artillery stops firing, the nuisance party opens fire on the Japanese position with a few automatic weapons, and fires for 1 or 2 minutes. The party shouts loud battle cries. By this time, the enemy has come out of his holes, and has begun to fire on the British position. Suddenly another artillery preparation falls on the Japanese feature.

This procedure has been repeated two and three times a night. In some cases it has been varied by actual attacks on the Japanese position after one or two fake attacks. The attacking force may be the original nuisance party, or may be an entirely different unit attacking from another direction.