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The Army in Burma Reserve of Officers ( A.B.R.O.)
A Project by Vivian Rodrigues


Introduction

The Army in Burma Reserve of Officers (ABRO) was a British colonial army formation of volunteers that saw service during the Second World War (WW2) in South East Asia (particularly India and Burma).

Appointments, promotions (to Captain, Major etc), and Citations for Valour, were approved by King George VI, and published in the London Gazette.

The commencement of the ABRO is not on record; a suggested date is the separation of India and Burma in 1937. Prior to then, there was the “Army in India Reserve of Officers”, which co-existed during the Second World War and whose officers also served in the India and Burma.

The Army in Burma Reserve of Officers (ABRO) did not serve as a single fighting unit, but were distributed across the British/Indian fighting formations, including the Burma Regiment, The Burma Rifles, the Kachin Levies and the Chin Levies.

Many were engaged in support of the fighting forces, in line of communications tasks, including in Military Intelligence, Field Security, Transport and Medical services, Radio Communications, Road and Bridge building.

Others officered Force 136 (Burma Section), supported V Force and acted as liaison officers to the American forces (OSS Detachment 101) that was active in North Burma.

The Army in Burma Reserve of Officers ceased to exist on 4 January 1948 - the day of transfer of power to Burma (London Gazette 2/1/1948).

This is a comprehensive list of the Army in Burma Reserve of Officers that includes; their names, appointments & relinquishment dates, citations for valour and pre-war occupation (if they were Class1 officials as listed in the India & Burma Civil Lists of 1939).

A memorial page lists ABRO officers who lie in Commonwealth War Grave Cemeteries in South East Asia.

This data was transcribed from the London Gazette, The Commonwealth War Graves Commission and the India & Burma Civil Lists (1939).

Dedication

This work is dedicated in memory of:

  • My father, Vivian Aloysius Rodrigues, ABRO 837, T/Major and Garrison Engineer - 939 IWS, also Sub-Divisional Officer, Burma Public Works Department – Buildings & Roads.

  • The 1617 civilians in Burma, who volunteered for War Service in the Army in Burma Reserve of Officers (ABRO).

  • The 54 ABRO officers interred in the Commonwealth War Grave Cemeteries in Burma, India and elsewhere.

  • © Vivian Rodrigues.     11/12/2011.

     8 December 1941War declared with Japan.
     23 December 1941Rangoon bombed by Japanese.
    Defence of Burma7 March 1942Rangoon evacuated by British forces.
     20 May 1942Burma Army crossed the border at Tamu and ceased to exist as a Command.
      
     December 19421st Arakan Front.
    Defence of IndiaFebruary to May1St Chindit Operations in North Burma 1943
     March – July 1944Battles for Kohima & Imphal.
      2nd Chindit Operations in North Burma.
      US Army operations in North Burma (CBI).
      
     1 March 1945Battle for Meiktila.
    Re-conquest of Burma20 March 1945Battle for Mandalay.
     3 May 1945Battle for Rangoon.
     15 August 1945Surrender of Japan.
      
    Army Administration1945Civil Administration Service – Burma (CAS-B).
    Restoration of Civil20 October 1945(1) Governor of Burma – Sir Reginald Dorman-Smith.
    Government (2) Governor of Burma – Sir Hubert Elwin Rance.
    Independent Burma4 January 1948Transfer of power to Burma

    Historical Context

    The Second World War in the Asia Pacific Region commenced in December 1941 by the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and then the Philippines, Malaya, Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia and lastly Burma.

    The British / American / Dutch / Australian response was initially ineffective resulting in the Japanese extension of their war gains into Burma which was generally completed by June 1942.

    Between about February 1942 and June 1942 the British Army in Burma (including elements of an American /Chinese army) fought a losing battle to stem the Japanese advances but went on to hold the frontier at the border state of Assam and the Chin Hills in North Western Burma.

    The retreat from Burma resulted in a civilian population seeking refuge in India by an evacuation of epic proportions.
    The Governor of Burma, Sir Reginald Dorman Smith, established an administration at Simla in India (Burma Office)
    It was in these circumstances that volunteers were enrolled in the Army of Burma Reserve of Officers (ABRO).

    Army in Burma Reserve of Officers mainly consisted of civilians:

  • Burma Civil Service (ICS and BCS) personnel;
  • Burma Forestry Services personnel;
  • Burma Medical Services;
  • Burma Police and Military Police;
  • Burma Frontier Services;
  • Public Works Department engineers;
  • Telegraph and Radio personnel;
  • · Senior personnel from commercial organizations, for example:

  • McGregor & Co;
  • Bombay Burma Trading Corporation
  • Steel Brothers
  • Irrawaddy Flotilla Company
  • Burma Railways
  • Burma Oil Company.


    © Vivian Rodrigues.     11/12/2011.

  • Arrangement of data sets

    The data sets are arranged in the following manner:

    APPOINTMENT LIST

  • First Column – Publication Date in London Gazette.
  • Second Column – Appointment Date (note that in many cases the publication in the London Gazette may be months and years behind the
       actual date of appointment to a command).
  • Third Column – Surname in the case of British or Anglo Indian/ Burman. In the case of Burmese, Indian, Chinese, Kachin, Chin, and
       Karen and similar, the full name has been used.
      • In the case of persons with medical degrees, the principal degree is shown (ie MB BS).
      • In the case of an award the designation is highlighted (examples are OBE, MBE, MM).
  • Fourth Column – Christian name (not applicable for Burmese, Indian Karen and similar; unless a Christian name is show in records.
  • Fifth Column – Appointment (example Captain).
  • Sixth Column – Civil Occupation as shown in the India & Burma Civil List for 1939 (we used this list to establish the level of competency,
       social standing and demographics of the cohort that comprised those appointed to the ABRO).
  • NOTES: Some names may appear more than once and this is because the London Gazette published promotions from the entryrank of Second Lieutenant to higher grades of Captain and Major. Generally, officers were promoted to higher ranks but not all were published in the London Gazette. Refer to the Relinquishment List for final rank and entitlement to honorary rank.
  • RELINQUISHMENT LIST

  • First Column – Publication Date in London Gazette.
  • Second Column – Date of Relinquishment of Command.
  • Third Column – Surname in the case of British or Anglo Indian/ Burman. In the case of Burmese, Indian, Chinese, Kachin, Chin, Karen
       and similar, the full name has been used.
  • Fourth Column – Christian name (not applicable for Burmese, Indian Karen and similar; unless a Christian name is shown in records.
  • Fifth Column – ABRO Service Number.
  • Sixth Column – Rank.
  • Grant of Honorary Military Title.

  • NOTES: The grant of an honorary military title was related to a matter of precedence at formal functions , such as the appearance before the Governor of Burma or at Regal Occasions ( See India Burma Civil Lists).
  • GALLANTRY AWARD LIST

  • First Column – Publication Date in London Gazette.
  • Second Column – – Surname in the case of British or Anglo Indian/ Burman. In the case of Burmese, Indian, Chinese, Kachin, Chin,    Karen and similar, the full name has been used.
  • Third Column – Christian name (not applicable for Burmese, Indian Karen and similar; unless a Christian name is shown in records.
  • Fourth Column – Rank at time of award, ABRO Number, attached command.
  • Fifth Column – Citation details as published in the London Gazette.
  • NOTES: Names may appear on multiple occasions. This is because of the method of publishing the award in the London Gazette. For example an officer “Mentioned in Dispatches” may later be granted a Military Medal (MM) or an MBE/OBE at a later date.


    © Vivian Rodrigues.     11/12/2011.

    MEMORIAL LIST

  • First Column – Data source (Commonwealth War Graves Commission).
  • Second Column – Surname in the case of British or Anglo Indian/ Burman. In the case of Burmese, Indian, Chinese, Kachin, Chin, Karen
       and similar, the full name has been used.
  • Fourth Column – Rank and ABRO Serial No. - Details from Commonwealth War Graves Commission records.
  • Fifth Column – Cemetery details, nearest kin, age, and deceased date - from Commonwealth War Graves Commission records.
  • Demographics - General

    An immense quantity of books and publications has been written about the WW2 in Burma.

    In the 1950’s and 60’s, these books were the reflections and narratives of the Generals, Brigade and Battalion Commanders of the regular army (British and Indian Army), and as a consequence there is little written about the Army in Burma Reserve of Officers.

    The role of the Force 136 -Burma Section; (the name by which Special Operations Executive was known in SE Asia) is not so well documented as its counterpart the Malaya Section.

    Louis Allen’s “Burma the Longest War 1941-45”, published in 1984, and was unique in bringing together both the British and Japanese perspectives, the Burmese political scene at the time and a brief narrative of Force 136 -Burma Section.

    Force 136 -Burma Section was commanded by John Ritchie Gardiner, OBE, Lt. Colonel, and ABRO 624.

    Below is a brief resume of demographics of the Army in Burma Reserve of Officers.

    Demographics – Recruitment and Occupation (1939 - Civil Service Class1 and Other)

    YearNoCivil ServicePolicePWDForestMedicalPost / TelOther
    193973011100061
    19403200501908
    19412243031494164
    194247715044113413
    19431911139532158
    194423313125340188
    19452891654470226
    19461      1
    Totals151229272827163191219
      1.9%1.8%1.9%1.8%10.8%1.3%80.6%

    The Class 1, Public Service Officers were identified from the Combined India and Burma Civil List – 1939. This was an elite service consisting mainly of graduates from British Universities and to a lesser extent from Indian or Burmese Universities.

    The following table taken from the same data set shows the participation rate for Class 1 Burma Public Service Officers.

    Medical professionals have been excluded (see Demographics - Medical).

    Burma Public Service – Class 1 Officers – September 1939

     Civil ServicePolicePWDForestPost / TelTotals
    No. in Service14193617951425
    Enrolled in ABRO2927282719130
     20.6%29%45.9%34.2%37.3%30.6%


    © Vivian Rodrigues.     11/12/2011.

    Demographics – Medical Services

    Medical professionals (doctors and surgeons) in the ABRO numbered about 163 personnel.

  • Approximately 50 were of European extraction, but practicing in Burma (based on names);
  • Approximately 60 were Indian (meaning names attributable to India & Pakistan), but practicing in Burma;
  • Approximately 10 were Chinese residents in Burma;
  • The remainders (43) were of Burmese (and ethnic minorities of Burma).
  • While we have no statistics of the number of medical practitioners in Burma at the time, the number enrolled in the ABRO is substantial and enough to conclude that the British Authorities must have made a significant effort to extricate as many medical professionals as possible, and to the extent that this must have had severe implications to the health and welfare of the population that remained under Japanese occupation in Burma from 1942 to 1945.

    Demographics – Other

    Approximately 80% of ABRO officers are classified as “other” because their occupations are not currently verifiable. We would expect that they were employed in commercial and technical roles that included:

    · The Subordinate Civil Lists for:

  • The Civil Service (examples are Sub divisional Officers, Township Officers, Registrars etc); The Police (examples are Inspectors, Sergeants, etc);
  • Post and Telegraphs (Postmasters, Telegraph masters etc);
  • Public Works (Sub divisional officers, assistant engineers);
  • · Those employed by commercial firms; some examples are:

    McGregor & Co;
  • Bombay Burma Trading Corporation;
  • Steel Brothers;
  • Irrawaddy Flotilla Company;
  • Burma Railways;
  • Burma Oil Company;
  • Rangoon Corporation;
  • Rangoon Electricity Trust’
  • Demographics – Ethnic Distribution
    The table below has been compiled from given names and is merely intended to suggest that ethnicity did not appear to be the criteria in selection for this Reserve of Officers.

    The grouping is quite general, for example it is impossible to distinguish between British / European and Anglo – Indians or Anglo-Burmese etc.

    British / European / Anglo Indian / Anglo Burmese120368.2%
    Burmese1488.4%
    Chinese241.4%
    Karen291.6%
    Shan, Kachin, Chin281.6%
    Sub Continent (India, Pakistan, Nepal )33118.8%
    Total1763100%


    © Vivian Rodrigues.     11/12/2011.

    Relinquishment of Command

    The London Gazette lists which is duplicated in this study of the Army in Burma Reserve of Officers, lists some 590 names, which is about 33% of the names in the recruitment list (about 1763).

    Notable in this list of officers relinquishing their command are those officers granted Honorary Military Titles of Lt Colonel, Major, Captain, etc.

    The reasons for Honorary Military Titles are obscure, but may be related to the order of appearance before the Governor of Burma during official functions. (Refer to Combined India and Burma Civil List for 1939 – Warrants of Precedence).

    Below is a summary of the annual attrition rate from the Relinquishment of Command data record.

    The relinquishment of command of 100 officers in 1942 may be attributed to age (the majority) and those that perished during the retreat and evacuation of Burma.

    Year Relinquishment of Command,Period
     Resigned, Services dispensed 
    19391Prior to WW2 in Burma
    194019Prior to WW2 in Burma
    19412Prior to WW2 in Burma
    1942100Commencement of hostilities
    194319Defence of India
    194421Defence of India
    194517WW2 – end of hostilities
    1946374WW2 – start of civil administration
    194734 
    1948All others on 4/1/1948 (approximately1462)Transfer of power to independent Burma

    Awards for Valour and Distinguished Service

    The London Gazette lists 189 names of officers in Army in Burma Reserve of Officers who were given awards for distinguished service. Approximately 10% of those enrolled in the ABRO were awarded for services.

    The table below shows the awards list statistics.

    George MedalMilitary CrossBar to Military CrossDSOCBEOBEMBEMentioned in Dispatches
      Cross    Dispatches
    1262432831130

    SOE Force 136 (Burma)

    The purpose of SOE - Force 136 in South East Asia, was to carry out sabotage and subversive operations behind enemy lines.
    The Officer Commanding - Force 136 (Burma) was Lt-Colonel John Ritchie Gardiner, GM, OBE (ABRO 624).

    ABRO officers included: Major James Russell Nimmo, DSO (ABRO 274), Captain Eric John McCrindle, MID (ABRO 459), Kumje Tawng Wha, OBE, BGM (ABRO 835), Lt. Ba Gyaw, MID (ABRO 888), Saw Butler, MC, DSO, MID (ABRO 626), among others.

    REFERENCES:

    http://www.burmastar.org.uk/136hist.htm

    www.specialforcesroh.com


    © Vivian Rodrigues.     11/12/2011.

    US ARMY OSS Detachment 101

    The United States war effort in Northern Burma is variously described in published documents as “China Burma India Theater of Operations” and by early 1942, the Office of Strategic Services was established for clandestine operations.

    The principal US Army officers responsible for Detachment 101 were Capt. Carl W. Eifler and Lt. William R. "Ray" Peers.

    ABRO officers included Captain Jack Barnard, MC, (ABRO 672), Captain Patrick "Red" Maddox, MC, (ABRO 83).

    REFERENCES:

    http://www.history.army.mil/books/wwii/70-42/70-425.html

    Rpt, Eifler to Donovan, 24 Nov 42, OSS, History Office Files; Roosevelt, War Report of the OSS, 2: 372-73; Peers, "Guerrilla Operations in Northern Burma," 28 June 1948): 14-15; History of OSS Detachment 101, OSS, History Office Files, Entry 99, Box 50, Folder 403, RG 226, NARA; History of Communications for OSSSU Detachment 101, OSS, Special Forces, Entry 103, Box 1, Folder 1, RG 226, NARA; Peers and Brelis, “Behind the Burma Road”, pp. 60-63; Dunlop, “Behind Japanese Lines”, pp. 122-23, 132.

    2nd Burma Rifles Battalion

    The Second Burma Rifles was considered elite among the locally recruited volunteers of the Burma Rifles and the Burma Regiment.

    In August 1943, the 2nd Burma Rifles joined 3 Indian Infantry Division (Special Force), and provide reconnaissance sections for each Chindit Column. The Battalion was at the time commanded by Lieut. Colonel Wheeler.

    From December 1944 to the end of WW2 in 1945, the battalion provided three detachments to join Special Force for operations in Burma and was under the command of Lieut. Colonel Peter Carstairs Buchanan, MC (ABRO).

    Of the 56 officers in 1944, 30 were ABRO and among those included, Major William Douglas Griffiths, MC, Major Walter Rigby Andrews, Captain William Dare Hardless, MC, Captain Saw Lader and Captain Sein Tun.

    The Anglo Burmese Library website has a photo of these men taken 1944.

    Civil Administration Service – Burma (CAS-B)

    The Civil Affairs Service -Burma (CAS-B.) came into being in February 1943, with the appointment of a Chief Civil Affairs Officer.

    Lt General Sir George Giffard reported as below:

    “Originally under the control of the Commander-in-Chief, India, it was transferred to the South-East Asia Command, as part of 11 Army Group, on the 1st January 1944.

    On 1st January 1944,the Supreme Allied Commander, South-East Asia Command, assumed full judicial, legislative, executive and administrative responsibility for all the territories of Burma which were then occupied, or might at any future time be occupied, by the forces under his command, and he delegated to the Chief Civil Affairs Officer, full authority to conduct on his behalf the military administration of the civil population in these territories.”

    The replacement of the Government of Burma Directorate of Supply by a CAS(B). Lines of Communication organization became effective in November 1943. Only in exceptional cases is this organization allowed to purchase locally in the open market; normally, it obtains its requirements from Army depots.

    Early in 1944, the Inspector General of Police, Burma, joined the CAS (B) as Chief of Police, bringing with him a large part of the organization he had built up since the evacuation. The Intelligence Bureau, established for the collection of information concerning civilians in enemy occupied territory, was absorbed into the CAS (B), but the Burma Police Depot (in India) remained for the time being under the Government of Burma.

    REF: Supplement to The London Gazette 13th March, 1951, Operations in Burma and North East India from 16th November, 1943 to 22nd June,1944 - GENERAL SIR GEORGE J.GIFFARD, G.C.B., D.S.O., A.D.C., Commander-in-Chief, 11 Army Group, South-East Asia Command.


    © Vivian Rodrigues.     11/12/2011.

    ABRO officers who participated in CAS (B) at executive level include: Brigadier Kenneth James Hume Lindop (ABRO 956), Brigadier Frank Siegfried Vernon Dennison (ABRO 1071), Brigadier Richard Gordon Bathgate Prescott, CGM, OBE, (ABRO 981) Lt. Colonel Ernest Gordon Stackhouse Apedaile (ABRO 958), Lt. Colonel James Barrington (ABRO 1092)., among others.

    ABRO Officers - After the Transfer of Power to independent Burma in 1948.

    Below is a list of examples.

                Name   WW2 (Burma, India)                                          After 1947 / 1948
    Fred Allsop, MID. Burma Forestry ServiceLt. Colonel, ABRO 1013Emigrated to New Zealand. Director of Forestry Management at Wellington, NZ during the 1960’s
    Ernest Gordon Stackhouse Apedaile. OBE. ICS, Burma Civil ServiceLt. Colonel, ABRO 958 CAS (B)Returned to the UK in 1947. Secretary of the Association of British Chambers of Commerce 1972-82. Deceased 2001. Heritage listed correspondence in the British Library, Oriental & India Office Collection Mss Eur F260.
    Jack Bernard, MC., McGregor & CoMajor, ABRO 672. OSS Detachment 101 (US Army). SOE Force 136He wrote of his experience: “The Hump - The Incredible Courage of War Weary Men in the Last Evacuation of Burma” Corgi. 1961
    James Barrington, MID ICS, Burma Civil ServiceLt. Colonel, ABRO 1092 CAS (B)Burmese Ambassador to the United Nations. Retired in USA.
    Raymond Campagnac. Burma RiflesMajor, ABROLt Colonel, Burma Rifles. See: The Autobiography of Charles Haswell Campagnac Published by Sandra Campagnac Carney
    John Ritchie Gardiner, OBE., McGregor & Co., Lt. Colonel, ABRO 624, Commander SOE Force 136 (Burma)Contributed to Louis Allen’s “Burma – The Longest War 1941 – 1945”
    Cyril Arthur Hare, Burma Forestry ServiceLt, ABROConservator, Forest Services, Burma. Emigrated to Australia in 1968
    Edward Law-YoneLt, ABROEditor & Publisher – “The Nation”. See: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Michael_Law-Yone
    Thomas Charles Matthews. Burma Civil ServiceMajor, ABRO? CAS (B)Deputy Commissioner, Minbu Division, Burma. Emigrated to Australia in 1968
    Bertram Langford Denis Rae. Burma PoliceLt. Colonel, ABRO 1370, CAS (B)District Superintendent of Police. See: http://www.whitehound.co.uk/
    Vivian Aloysius Rodrigues, Public Works DepartmentMajor, ABRO 837Sub Divisional Officer, PWD, (Building and Roads) and later District Engineer, Katha, Burma.
    Henry Noel Cochrane Stevenson, OBE. ICS, Burma Frontier ServiceLt. Colonel, ABRO 349 Force 136, CAS (B)Advisor to the Government of Burma . Forgotten armies: the fall of British Asia, 1941-1945” By: Christopher Alan Bayly, Timothy Norman Harper

    © Vivian Rodrigues.     11/12/2011.


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