The 1/8th Battalion of the Lancashire Fusiliers fought at Kohima in 1944 as part of the British 2nd Infantry Division, taking part in some of the most intThe battalion was heavily engaged on the Kohima Ridge, one of the decisive turning points of the Burma Campaign. First‑hand accounts describe:

Assaults on Japanese bunker systems, often at extremely close range.

Heavy casualties during attacks on features such as Merema Ridge and other contested positions.

Fierce Japanese counterattacks, including bayonet charges and sniper fire.

Sustained fighting from April 1944, with multiple officers and NCOs killed or wounded.

One NCO, John Cooke, recalled being flown into Burma in April 1944, fighting at Kohima with a Sten gun and grenades, and being bayoneted by a Japanese soldier during the battle. His account highlights the brutal, close‑quarters nature of the fighting.ense close‑quarters fighting of the Burma Campaign