When we were just setting down in the first week of January 1944, 221 AOD was ordered to move to Coxes Bazar (within Arakan area now in Bangladesh) covering about 800 miles through the Assam and Bengal jungles by a metre-gauge train. When we were still in transit at Chittagong, Coxes Bazar fell to the Japanese. The 221 AOD was, therefore, ordered back to Kangla-Tongbi. We arrived back on March 7, 1944 and occupied the familiar site.

The Japanese offensive on this front commenced on March 15, 1944. They soon cut in behind 17 Indian Infantry Division, surrounded and out-manoeuvred Imphal plains and the garrison at Kohima. On March 25/26, we at Kangla-Tongbi had the first taste of the Japanese offensive. The Japanese put up loudspeakers on feature overlooking our camp. They used to exhort the Indians to defect.

On receipt of information that the Japanese had established the road block at MS 109, Maj Boyd was appointed the in-charge of the operation. A death squad was created consisting of both British and Indian personnel under his command which moved to the area of road block. They kept the enemy at bay and constantly passed information to us to enable readjustment of our defences. To meet the operational situation, orders were received to move depot to an alternative site. The Japanese attacked Kangle-Tongbi on the night of April 3/4. The attack was repulsed. Meanwhile, evacuation of stores, vehicles and 4000 tonnes of ammunition were going on simultaneously and deliveries to dependent units/formations continued uninterrupted. Accurate support from our artillery and mortar fire kept the enemy silenced.

We evacauted the old site within two days and established defensive positions. While the evacuation was going on, the Japanese were harassing the movement of stores with ambushes. After we had evacuated the old site, the Japanese occupied it on the same night. In the evening of April 6, when we were in a conference with the CO, small-arms fire went through the tent. The firing continued for the whole night and the Japanese launched attack next morning from the north side. Luckily we had well camouflaged bunker manned by Hav Basant Singh with bren-gun covering the enemy approach. As the view was not very clear, he put the bren-gun on top of the bunker. As soon as the enemy came within range they came under direct and accurate fire. The enemy suffered heavy casualties and the attack was repulsed. Reinforcement from British Armoured Regiment arrived on the morning of April 7. They entered old site to recover some vital documents from CO’s office but they could not dislodge the enemy and returned with casualties of tanks and personnel.

This continued till the morning of April 7 when orders were received to withdraw to "keep depot" near Imphal, 19 miles down south. While, on the one hand, evacuation of ammunition and warlike stores were being carried, on the other, the Japanese were being kept at bay and our personnel burnt bulk stores of clothing and tentage to avoid falling in enemy hands. This was a gallant glorious battle action by all ranks of 221 AOD, majority of whom were clerks, store keepers and GD personnel.