Battle of Pegu

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Battle of Pegu
Part of the Burma campaign, the South-East Asian theatre of World War II and the Pacific Theater of World War II
Date 6 March 1942 – 7 March 1942 Location Pegu, Burma Result Japanese victory British retreat continued
Belligerents
United Kingdom India	Japan
Commanders and leaders
John Anstice DSO	Shōjirō Iida
Strength
1 armoured brigade	2 divisions
Casualties and losses
Unknown 3 light tanks destroyed 3 light tanks damaged	Unknown 4+ light tanks destroyed 1 light tank abandoned 4 anti-tank guns captured

The Battle of Pegu was an engagement in the Burma campaign in the Second World War. Fought on 6 and 7 March 1942, it concerned the defence of Rangoon (now Yangon) in Burma (now Myanmar). Japanese forces closed in on the British Indian Army who were deployed near Pegu (now Bago).

With the 17th Infantry Division decimated and scattered, the forces available for the whole of Burma were the 1st Burma Division and the 7th Armoured Brigade, equipped with American-made Stuart or "Honey" light tanks. The British commanders had already decided not to contest Rangoon, but their new strategy relied on convincing the Japanese that Rangoon would be heavily defended.^[1]

British/Indian forces fighting at Pegu were the 7th Queen's Own Hussars, the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles), 2nd Battalion, 12th Frontier Force Regiment, and surviving elements of the 17th Infantry; the West Yorkshire Regiment, 1st Battalion, 4th Prince of Wales's Own Gurkha Rifles, 7th Duke of Edinburgh's Own Gurkha Rifles, and the 4th Battalion, 12th Frontier Force Regiment.^[2]