WW2 Military Cross & Second award Bar, with named GSM, Major, 9/14th Punjab Regt. MC for the crossing of the Irrawaddy 1945 Bar for the advance on Mandalay

Military Cross, (GVI), dated ‘1945’, with Second Award Bar, dated ‘1945’, 1939/1945 Star, Burma Star, Defence Medal, War Medals, G.S.M. clasp, S. E. Asia (Major 9/14 Punjab R.), ; U.N. Korea,,

Major M. J. Smith, 9/14 Punjab Regiment

mounted as worn

M.C. L.G. 23/5/1945, recommendation states:

”For conspicuous gallantry in action in the Trans Irrawaddy bridgehead at Kanlan Ywathit on the 12th – 13th and 14th February 1945.

Major Smith was ordered to take his company across the Irrawaddy on the night 12/13th February 1945 in country boats to create a diversion to the crossing of 100 and 32 Inf Brigades.
Major Smith organized country boats, selected a suitable spot and skilfully crossed his company unseen in the night. As however the company formed up and left the beach it was attacked by a Japanese patrol in the dark.
Major Smith however steadied the man and organized a counterattack. This successfully drove off the Japanese and the company proceeded towards Kanlan Ywathit. As the leading elements came near the village they came under heavy M.M.G. fire. Major Smith made a quick reconnaissance and decided to push round to the left. In doing so he again came under heavy fire. As it was now getting late in the afternoon he decided to halt and dig in. He was locate by the Japanese who ranged a Battalion gun on him and unsuccessfully tried to burn the company out. Major Smith however kept the situation in hand and by nightfall was well dug in. The whole night the Japanese patrols were active and at 0200 hrs on the 14th they put in a determined attack. Without any artillery support, the artillery wireless set had failed, Major Smith’s company beat off the attack and drove off the Japanese who left 3 dead in his position.

On the morning of the 14th his patrols located troops of 100 Brigade and Major Smith skilfully extricated his company joined forces with them.’

Second Award Bar L.G.  21/6/1945,  recommendation states:

‘Major Smith and his company of Pathans were under command this Battalion during the Kanlan Ywathit operations from 18 to 22 February 1945, and again during the break through, to the Kyigon Bridghead 1st to 4th March 1945. During periods this officer showed himself to be an exceptional leader whose coolness and courage under most trying conditions of shelling and enemy attacks, won the admiration of everyone.

During the operations against Mayogon this officer at one time commanded two companies of this Battalion in addition to his own.
All ranks had the most implicit trust in his leadership and military skill, and it was largely due to this that heavy casualties were inflicted on the enemy, and that the breakthrough was successfully completed. His courage, cheerfulness, and complete imperturbability under fire were an inspiration to everyone, and deserving of the highest praise.’

Michael Johnstone Smith was born in India in 1921. He was commissioned to the unattached list for the Indian Army from the Royal Academy Sandhurst Officer Cadet Training Unit on 31 December 1939. Transferred to the Indian Army as 2nd Lieutenant on 25 February 1941 he was posted to the 9/14th Punjab Regiment.

Advanced to the rank of temporary Major during the war he was commanding a company during the crossing of the Irrawaddy River on 12 February 1945. The Battalion was part of the famous 19th ‘Dagger’ Division,

The Burma Star Association describes the action the Division faced:

‘On 14 Jan, at night, the crossing was made, and the build-up followed nightly and rapidly in spite of all Japanese efforts to throw our troops back over the river. Infantry, gunners, sappers, and HQs-all were involved and the fierce fighting for the Bridgeheads was on.

Gradually the Daggers extended their hold. Important heights were seized and all the while the Japs reacted violently and concentrated against the Division the heaviest concentration of Jap artillery yet produced in Burma.

Fanatical attacks were thrown back-at times they charged screaming; at others, they attempted to get in after crawling silently to hand grenade range and then charging regardless of losses.

After one charge 69 Jap corpses were picked up in front of one of our localities. Grenades, bayonets, kukries and even stones were freely used, but our men hung on to their hard-won ground with a dogged determination that was magnificent. The RAF gave unstinted and decisive support, and, in due course, the Divisional Commander considered our lodgement firm and started to cross the hulk of the Division over, including tanks, which now joined the Division for the first time, ready for the advance on Mandalay. The Bridgehead fighting cost the Japanese 1,000 dead.

For our break-out from the Bridgehead, it had to be enlarged to gain more room for manoeuvre. A lake and waterlogged ground limited the exits for tanks to two narrow necks of dry going, both defended by the Japs.

A series of hammer blows, with tank support, secured the vital objectives. The Bridgehead was extended along the river to Singu and deep into the plain to the East.

The Engineers, the Administrative Services and the Staff were working at full pressure getting everything over the Irrawaddy ready for the break-out and the advance on Mandalay.

By a series of thrusts in different directions, Japs were again bemused and showed every sign of nervousness and their commander finally cast the die and lost,. He chose to hold on to the baking arid slopes of the Gawuntaung ridge and kept the bulk of his troops there in the East, covering the main road to Mandalay.

One of our brigades. with the minimum of guns and a few light tanks, fought him back grimly there in extreme heat, often very – short of water. But the decisive blow was not meant for the East side. The point of the Dagger, with full weight of guns and tanks behind it, struck in the West down a little used track hugging the Irrawaddy.

Village after village was captured or by-passed. Before the dazed Japs knew what had hit them the great Pinle-in hill-feature was passed. Chaungmagyi Chaung crossed at an unguarded bullock-cart ford, and our leading brigade was fighting in the streets of Madaya, having forestalled the Jap main body.

Bewildered bands of enemy were directed by their commanders to reform in places which, unknown to them. were already in our hands. Confusion reigned in their ranks and we took due toil of them.

Meanwhile, our Mobile Force, named Stiletto, (Tanks. Infantry and Guns) was working its way rapidly southwards along the East bank of the Irrawaddy by tracks the Jap had never dreamed would be used.

And so at dawn on 8 March 45, the leading British troops entered the Northern corner of Mandalay. Down the two approaches from the North 19 Div was in full cry and by the afternoon had joined Stiletto, now fighting hard.

The famous Mandalay Hill, pagoda-covered and revered by all Buddhists was now unfortunately brought into the fight. At first, it was hoped that the Japs would not continue to fight from it. However, they did, and eventually we opened fire on it. Only after much hard fighting did we capture it.

The seizure of the summit was achieved by a brilliantly executed night move which got round the flank; a precipitous climb in the dark and a dashing assault in the grey dawn which routed the Japs on the summit. The key to Mandalay was ours.

During the next few days, in stubborn fighting we worked down the remainder of the hill, clearing Japs from concrete cellars and pagodas and the enemy was finally ejected.’

After the Division seized Mandalay the advance continued inch by inch until they had forced the Japanese Burma. Smith continued to serve until the end of the war, being confirmed Captain (the temporary rank in which he had been serving) on 7 May 1948. Further advanced Major on 31 December 1952 he retired on 30 September 1960, Died, October 1997