M3 Lee “Cossack” of ‘C’ Squadron, 150th Regiment RAC in Burma
In 1942, the M3 medium tanks – both Grants and Lees – were dispatched to India in significant numbers to bolster defenses against a possible Japanese attack and to support operations in Burma. In this theater, the M3 was more than adequate against Japanese tanks, and its combination of the 37mm and 75mm guns proved highly effective for infantry close-support. The 37mm gun’s canister round was particularly devastating against Japanese infantry, while the 75mm gun was versatile enough to take on bunkers and other fortifications. Even after Sherman tanks arrived in the theater, the Grants and Lees continued to serve until the end of the war.
Deployment and Service in India
In 1941, as the Indian Army began to mechanize, small numbers of Grant and Lee tanks were supplied to Indian units.
- The 1st Indian Armoured Brigade (later 251st Indian Armoured Brigade) received some Grants in April 1941.
- The 2nd Indian Armoured Brigade (later 252nd Indian Armoured Brigade) was equipped with both Lee and Grant tanks.
By June 1942, the 252nd Indian Armoured Brigade was deployed in Persia (modern-day Iran) as part of the 31st Armoured Division and had two of its regiments equipped with Grants. This brigade was later moved to Iraq near Basra, but was re-equipped with Sherman tanks in May 1943 after being transferred to Egypt.
The 254th Indian Tank Brigade began receiving Grant and Lee tanks for two of its regiments in the summer of 1943. This brigade included:
- The 3rd Carabiniers
- The 150th Regiment Royal Armoured Corps (RAC)
Key Operations and Battles
The 3rd Carabiniers and 150th Regiment RAC played crucial roles in the fighting at Kohima and Imphal in Burma during 1944-45.
- The Brigade was commanded by Brigadier R. Scoones, brother of the 4 Corps commander Lieutenant General G. P. Scoones, who argued against the conventional wisdom that tanks had no place in the jungles of Burma.
During the second Arakan offensive along the Burmese coast in January 1944, the 25th Dragoons, equipped with Lee tanks, supported the attack.
- In February 1944, the Japanese launched the Ha-Go offensive and nearly overwhelmed the 7th Division’s headquarters, which retreated to the administrative “box” at Sinzewa. Two squadrons of Lee tanks from the 25th Dragoons played a key role in the defense of the box, which eventually was relieved by the 5th Division.
- The Lees’ involvement was pivotal in turning back the Japanese Ha-Go offensive, marking a significant turning point in the Burma campaign. During this fighting, some Japanese magnetic mines were captured and tested against a knocked-out Lee tank. Although the mines were ineffective against the tank’s side armor, they could penetrate the thinner roof armor, leading British and Indian units to experiment with mesh screens over the engine decks to counter this threat.
In March 1944, the Japanese 15th Army launched the U-Go offensive in central Burma, aiming to cut the road north of Imphal at Kohima.
- Brigadier Scoones’ theories about the effectiveness of tanks in the Burmese jungles were put to the test, with the 3rd Carabiniers and 7th Indian Light Cavalry (equipped with Stuarts) being deployed at Imphal.
- On March 20, 1944, during one of the few tank-vs-tank encounters in Burma, a column from A Squadron, 3rd Carabiniers was ambushed by six Type 95 light tanks. Despite one Lee being knocked out due to its fuel tank being penetrated through its thin side armor, the heavier firepower of the Lees destroyed five of the Japanese tanks. The Lees continued to provide critical close support in the ongoing infantry battles on the Imphal plain, despite the Japanese resorting to close-range attacks due to their lack of effective anti-tank weapons.
Legacy and Continued Use
The success of the 3rd Carabiniers led to calls for additional tank support. The Lees of the 150th Regiment RAC and later the 149th Regiment RAC were deployed around Kohima, playing an instrumental role in the infantry’s success in destroying bunkers and other defensive positions that were otherwise difficult to breach.
By June 1944, the tank units from Kohima had linked up with those on the Imphal plain, marking the defeat of the Japanese U-Go offensive, which was the greatest defeat the Japanese forces sustained in Burma.
Tanks continued to be vital in the subsequent fighting in Burma, although the Shermans gradually took over much of the heavy lifting in tank combat. However, some units, like the 3rd Carabiniers and 150th Regiment, remained with their Lees. Additionally, new Lee units, such as the 146th Regiment RAC, were deployed later in the campaign. While some Grants were used in this theater, the majority of the tanks in service were Lees.