The 20th Burma Rifles 1923 - 1937

The 20th Burma Rifles were a recently raised regiment that started life as the 70th Burma Rifles and 85th Burman Rifles, raised in WW1. The 70th came from two companies of Burma Pioneers raised in Mandalay in 1916, recruiting all Burmese races. These were increased to 4 companies and converted to the 70th Burma Rifles in September 1917.

The 85th Burman Rifles was raised in July 1917 from the Burma Military Police. After the War they were reconstituted with three companies of Kachins and one of Chins.

In January 1918 a second battalion of the 70th was raised and both battalions served in the Middle East. A third battalion was raised in April 1918 and was employed in quelling the Moplah Rising in Southern India. Two more battalions were formed so that the 70th Burma Rifles then had 5 battalions, but at the end of the war the 3rd and 4th were disbanded. In 1920 the 1st/70th Burma Rifles returned to Burma and was sent to Malaya.

However, the reconstituted 85th Burman Rifles was absorbed into the 70th as a replacement 3rd (Kachin) Battalion.

The 20th Burma Rifles came into being in 1923, based at Maymyo. The 1st/70th became the 1st Battalion 20th Burma Rifles, the 2nd/70th became the 2nd Battalion, and the 3rd (Kachin) Battalion 70th became the 3rd Battalion. The 5th/70th Burma Rifles became the 10th Training Battalion 20th Burma Rifles.

Recruiting of Burmans was discontinued after 1927, although they were allowed into the Burma Military Police. So the regular battalions comprised Kachins, Chins and Karens. In 1937 Burma was formally separated from India and the one foreign-service station garrisoned by the 20th Burma Rifles in Malaya was closed. The Burma Rifles continued but the number ’20th’ was removed, and British officers transferred to other Indian regiments.