Crew of an Ordnance QF 25-pounder field gun prepare emplacements in Kota, Northern Burma.

The guns of the 156th Battery, 178th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery have to be manhandled into the gun pits and often the battery go into action straight away, on the job of blasting out the Japanese. The battery are in the village of Kota shelling Japanese positions two miles away. Bombardier Bill Jenkinson wipes sweat from his face after some hard digging. A 25-pounder is set up. After an emplacement is dug by hand the base plate is positioned, also by hand, and then the gun is manoeuvered into place and sights set. The gun is fired.

Notes

Dopesheet gives the unit at 156th Battery. However, the 36th Divisional history's order of battle does not show a 156th Battery as part of 178th Field Regiment. Possibly a mistyping of 516th Battery.

The 178th Field Regiment was part of 36th Division. At this point 36th Division (commanded by Major-General F W Festing) was part of Northern Combat Area Command (NCAC) under the American Lieutenant-General Daniel Sultan. NCAC was a multi-national force comprising Mars Task Force (American and Chinese) and two Chinese Armies (New First Army and New Sixth Army) in addition to 36th British Division.