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33 CORPS
CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE PERSONNEL PAGES The
first Badge of the 33rd Indian Corps was a Black Silhouette of
the Head of the Duke of Wellington on a Green background within a Red
Circle. The
Badge was chosen by the then Corps Commander Lieut/Gen
Alexander Frank Philip
Christison ( C.S.I.
C.B. D.S.O. M.C.) because the Operational Area allocated to the formation
covered most of the territory over which the Duke of Wellington fought whilst in
India (1800-1805). The
Corps was raised in November 1942
to Command the 19th. & 25th. Indian Divisions, the 251st Indian
Tank Brigade & other units & formations allocated to the Defence
of Southern India. As
they were intended as an Amphibious Expeditionary Force, the New Badge was made
up of the "Trident" for the Royal Navy, the "Sword" for the
Army & the "Wings" for the Royal Air Force,
(a similar
motif as Combined Operations) . A
Sword & Trident crossed & superimposed on Geometrical Wings in White on
a Black background, the Badge was also worn on a Corps colour background of Red.
White. & Red. History From
April 3rd 1944 to the 27th May 1945, the 33rd Corps travelled a distance of
27,127 miles from Jorhat to Rangoon, liberating some 55,500 square
miles of enemy held
territory. The
Corps had the Task of halting the Northern most Japanese drive at Kohima,
following the reopening of the land route to Imphal, by continuous action
through the 1944-1945 monsoons the Japanese 15th Army were driven back across
the Chindwin, from where the drive to the Irrawaddy was launched culminating in
the Capture of Mandalay on the 19th March 1945. Operating
South of the line of the Irrawaddy the Corps cleared the Oilfields Area around
Yenaugyaung to link with the Troops pushing North from Rangoon on the 15th May
1945. The
Corps was reassigned to the Twelfth Army on the 2nd May 1945. They were
COMMANDED by Lieut/Gen Sir M. Stopford (C.B. D.S.O. M.C.)
Stopford, General Sir Montagu - British 1892-1971
ORDER OF BATTLE Lieut.-General Sir Montague
Stopford
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