The Glory Road CBI (id:#57607)

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(Revision: CH: Rout Pak I RP 2)

Asun, Malaya 1941-12-12 (5 others)

Overview:

The Japanese drive into Malaya, only a few days old, was meeting with great initial success. General Matsui Takuro’s 5th Division brushed aside the numerically superior British, pushing forward in motorized columns with speed and excellent tactics. Slowed by British resistance north of the important road junction city of Jitra on December 12th, Matsui attached additional tanks and engineers to Lt. Col. Saeki’s 5th Armored Reconnaissance Detachment and sent them straight down the main truck road. Moving through sheets of rain, the 5th encountered the fixed defenses of a battalion of Punjab troops. The Punjabs knocked out the first tank, but others found a loop road and succeeded in outflanking the defenders, who were overwhelmed, then scattered by the dismounted Japanese infantry. With night approaching, Saeki’s men drove on toward the bridge at Asun which was held by inexperienced Gurkhas.

Defender: Gurkha (2/1 Gurkhas, 28th Brigade, 11th Indian Division)  

Errata (source)