laststandonzombieisland

A Stuart light tank of an Indian cavalry regiment during the advance on Rangoon, Burma, in April 1945.

The above Stuart is likely of the 5th Probyn’s Horse: King Edward’s Own Lancers, the light tracks of the 255th Indian Tank Brigade as opposed to the brigade’s two Sherman units (9th Royal Deccan Horse and 116th Royal Armoured Corps (Gordon Highlanders)). Balanced by the motorized infantry from the 4th bn/4th Bombay Grenadiers and 6th bn/7th Rajput Regiment, Priest SP guns of the 18th Field Regiment RA, along with detachments of armored cars, engineers, bridging troops, and medical units, the 255th was a rare armored fist in the liberation of Burma in 1944-45 and later became the 1st (Indian) Armoured Brigade in 1946.

Post-war, the Indian Army still showed much love to its Stuarts, even though the 15-ton light tank, sporting a scant 0.375-inches of armor over much of its hull, was arguably obsolete for most purposes other than reconnaissance even while it was sill in production.

They fought hard against the Pakistanis in 1947-48, setting what is believed (at least by the Indian Army) to be an attitude record for tank combat during the capture of Zola in November 1948. Carefully disassembled and transported to the pass in great secrecy during the build-up, they were reassembled and ran amok at 11,500 feet ASL, much like Hannibal’s war elephants.