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Jungle Commandos: The Battle for Arakan, Burma 1945
Drawing on unpublished first-hand accounts, this is a gripping history of the experiences of the Commandos and their unsung allies in one of the bloodiest battles of the Burma Campaign.
Following the battles of Kohima and Imphal in mid-1944, the tide was turning against the Imperial Japanese Army. By the end of that fateful year, the Allies were preparing to launch an offensive in the Arakan region of Burma, to deliver a knockout blow to the increasingly desperate Japanese 28th Army. This fascinating new history details the actions of 3 Commando Brigade, who would spearhead this attack in a series of daring amphibious landings into the depths of the Burmese jungle, culminating in the brutal fight for Hill 170.
They would be the only Commando Brigade to serve in the Far East, yet their story has never before been told in detail. With access to previously unseen primary sources, this book is the story of the men who volunteered for a fight against a fearless enemy, 5000 miles away from home in one of the most unforgiving environments in the world. Thrown into combat with limited jungle training and scant resources, it would be a baptism of fire, but the Commandos, alongside the brave men of the Indian and West African Divisions of XV Corps, would inflict a terrible defeat on an enemy once thought to be unbeatable.
Written by a granddaughter of a Commando veteran who fought at Arakan, this new book shines a light on a largely forgotten yet crucial battle of World War II.
Following the battles of Kohima and Imphal in mid-1944, the tide was turning against the Imperial Japanese Army. By the end of that fateful year, the Allies were preparing to launch an offensive in the Arakan region of Burma, to deliver a knockout blow to the increasingly desperate Japanese 28th Army. This fascinating new history details the actions of 3 Commando Brigade, who would spearhead this attack in a series of daring amphibious landings into the depths of the Burmese jungle, culminating in the brutal fight for Hill 170.
They would be the only Commando Brigade to serve in the Far East, yet their story has never before been told in detail. With access to previously unseen primary sources, this book is the story of the men who volunteered for a fight against a fearless enemy, 5000 miles away from home in one of the most unforgiving environments in the world. Thrown into combat with limited jungle training and scant resources, it would be a baptism of fire, but the Commandos, alongside the brave men of the Indian and West African Divisions of XV Corps, would inflict a terrible defeat on an enemy once thought to be unbeatable.
Written by a granddaughter of a Commando veteran who fought at Arakan, this new book shines a light on a largely forgotten yet crucial battle of World War II.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published October 9, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
October 4, 2025
The story of Lieutenant-General William Slim’s brilliant campaign to drive the Japanese out of Burma in 1945 has rightfully captured the imagination of military history students. Set against that, the simultaneous operation to reclaim the crucial coastal Arakan region has been seen as something of a sideshow. In this new book from Osprey Publishing, Lucy Betteridge-Dyson rescues the fight for the Arakan from the shadows, highlighting an equally stunning victory without which Slim’s campaign might have stalled or maybe have even been defeated.
The Arakan campaign in 1945 was built on lessons learned from previous failures. This time, the campaign would have better commanders leading better trained troops in a combined arms operation some had doubted could succeed. At the forefront of the drive south to entrap and destroy the Japanese 28th Army were the Royal Marine and Army Commandos, in which Betteridge-Dyson’s grandfather fought, more than ably assisted by West African and Indian infantry. Betteridge-Dyson describes the formation of the Commandos and the raising of the West-African and Indian Divisions, and relates the myriad problems they faced, particularly from the unforgiving Burmese terrain, which included the familiar jungles and knife-edge mountains and adds the almost impassable mangrove swamps found along the Arakan coastline. And then there were the highly experienced and often fanatical Japanese soldiers determined to hold their ground to the last drop of blood. Yet Britain’s imperial forces out-manoeuvred and outfought the Japanese in a series of bloody fights culminating in the all-out struggle for Hill 170 at Kangaw.
Jungle Commandos is an excellent narrative history that brings the Arakan campaign fully into the light and easily earns its place on the Burma War bookshelf alongside Fergal Keane’s Road of Bones and James Holland’s Burma ’44. Betteridge-Dyson takes a while to set-up the campaign, but then the narrative flows, leading to the crescendo at Kangaw. The author also keeps the events grounded in the soldiers’ experiences, on both sides, allowing her readers to follow individual soldiers, their trials and tribulations, and their courage. She is particularly adept at emphasising the contributions from Indian and African soldiers, when most Anglocentric historians had relegated them to support forces. Betteridge-Dyson integrates those soldier’s stories seamlessly into the broader operational narrative. All in all, this is a first class narrative of which Betteridge-Dyson’s grandfather would be proud.
The Arakan campaign in 1945 was built on lessons learned from previous failures. This time, the campaign would have better commanders leading better trained troops in a combined arms operation some had doubted could succeed. At the forefront of the drive south to entrap and destroy the Japanese 28th Army were the Royal Marine and Army Commandos, in which Betteridge-Dyson’s grandfather fought, more than ably assisted by West African and Indian infantry. Betteridge-Dyson describes the formation of the Commandos and the raising of the West-African and Indian Divisions, and relates the myriad problems they faced, particularly from the unforgiving Burmese terrain, which included the familiar jungles and knife-edge mountains and adds the almost impassable mangrove swamps found along the Arakan coastline. And then there were the highly experienced and often fanatical Japanese soldiers determined to hold their ground to the last drop of blood. Yet Britain’s imperial forces out-manoeuvred and outfought the Japanese in a series of bloody fights culminating in the all-out struggle for Hill 170 at Kangaw.
Jungle Commandos is an excellent narrative history that brings the Arakan campaign fully into the light and easily earns its place on the Burma War bookshelf alongside Fergal Keane’s Road of Bones and James Holland’s Burma ’44. Betteridge-Dyson takes a while to set-up the campaign, but then the narrative flows, leading to the crescendo at Kangaw. The author also keeps the events grounded in the soldiers’ experiences, on both sides, allowing her readers to follow individual soldiers, their trials and tribulations, and their courage. She is particularly adept at emphasising the contributions from Indian and African soldiers, when most Anglocentric historians had relegated them to support forces. Betteridge-Dyson integrates those soldier’s stories seamlessly into the broader operational narrative. All in all, this is a first class narrative of which Betteridge-Dyson’s grandfather would be proud.
January 3, 2026
Jungle Commandos tells the story of XV Corps’ campaign in Arakan, Operation Romulus, in late 1944 and 1945, with a focus on the 3 Commando Brigade (but also providing good coverage of the experiences of 25 and 25 Indian and 81 and 82 West African Divisions). Being a book mostly about land operations, it’s something I’m not terribly well-placed to comment on from an accuracy perspective, but it’s an excellent read, accessible to someone who isn’t particularly well-read about Army operations. The book focusses on the Allied experience but does provide some Japanese perspectives as well.
The book is very well-written, with a high standard of editing for grammar and consistency – while there are a few minor typos (or autocorrect issues) I only noticed a handful and at no point was the meaning unclear. The style of writing is accessible and the text flows well, making it very easy to read. While I’m not in any position to comment on the factual side of the military operations, the limited naval elements discussed in the work had clearly been well-researched.
Indeed, the book draws heavily on primary sources, while making good use of secondary works and oral history as well, and sources discussing the Japanese side of the campaign. The standard of research is very high. The discussion has a good number of excerpts from participants and primary documents, including some from the Japanese side.
As well as the text, the book contains four maps, a plates section with 20 photos, a bibliography and an index, a chronology of the Burma theatre in WW2, and high-level (broadly, battalion and above) orders of battle for each of the key formations engaged in the campaign, on both sides.
I only read a land-warfare focussed title every few years, and I’m very happy that I chose this one – it is of a very high standard, of a little-known campaign that has many features of interest. I’m in no position to compare it to other land warfare-based titles, but as a book on military history more broadly I can happily recommend it.
The book is very well-written, with a high standard of editing for grammar and consistency – while there are a few minor typos (or autocorrect issues) I only noticed a handful and at no point was the meaning unclear. The style of writing is accessible and the text flows well, making it very easy to read. While I’m not in any position to comment on the factual side of the military operations, the limited naval elements discussed in the work had clearly been well-researched.
Indeed, the book draws heavily on primary sources, while making good use of secondary works and oral history as well, and sources discussing the Japanese side of the campaign. The standard of research is very high. The discussion has a good number of excerpts from participants and primary documents, including some from the Japanese side.
As well as the text, the book contains four maps, a plates section with 20 photos, a bibliography and an index, a chronology of the Burma theatre in WW2, and high-level (broadly, battalion and above) orders of battle for each of the key formations engaged in the campaign, on both sides.
I only read a land-warfare focussed title every few years, and I’m very happy that I chose this one – it is of a very high standard, of a little-known campaign that has many features of interest. I’m in no position to compare it to other land warfare-based titles, but as a book on military history more broadly I can happily recommend it.
November 22, 2025
Listened to the audiobook.
The book undoubtedly adds to the literature on the campaign in Burma. The use of British and Japanese first hand accounts are to be commended.
However, the choice of narrator was incredibly poor. Attempting to narrate the different voices of Commando members was very jarring and the general dull monotone of the narrator meant that it was not an enjoyable listen.
The audiobook also came without any maps. This was entirely inadequate given the region is so unknown to most general readers and the action was hard to follow.
I do think the author failed to keep the reader abreast of the bigger picture and explain the relevance and necessity of these actions. Yes there is some commentary in the introduction and conclusion but it's really insufficent to understand why they were conducting these operations.
I also think that the author's instinctive distate for the British Empire slips into the text with unnecessary jibes, non-sequiters and faulty logic. She states that it is "inexplicable" that a particular Indian solider was not awarded the VC, indicative (we're told) of a dislike for Britain to award gallantry awards to colonial soldiers. However, this assertion is wedged between chapters in which she describes several Indians awarded the VC (and queries if one of them deserved the award).
The book undoubtedly adds to the literature on the campaign in Burma. The use of British and Japanese first hand accounts are to be commended.
However, the choice of narrator was incredibly poor. Attempting to narrate the different voices of Commando members was very jarring and the general dull monotone of the narrator meant that it was not an enjoyable listen.
The audiobook also came without any maps. This was entirely inadequate given the region is so unknown to most general readers and the action was hard to follow.
I do think the author failed to keep the reader abreast of the bigger picture and explain the relevance and necessity of these actions. Yes there is some commentary in the introduction and conclusion but it's really insufficent to understand why they were conducting these operations.
I also think that the author's instinctive distate for the British Empire slips into the text with unnecessary jibes, non-sequiters and faulty logic. She states that it is "inexplicable" that a particular Indian solider was not awarded the VC, indicative (we're told) of a dislike for Britain to award gallantry awards to colonial soldiers. However, this assertion is wedged between chapters in which she describes several Indians awarded the VC (and queries if one of them deserved the award).
December 4, 2025
Really well researched. There are a lot of names of multiple cultures and those were difficult to keep organized, but that's more of a me thing and not the fault of the author.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews