Battle of Phum Preav
สมรภูมิบ้านพร้าว
Battle of Phum Preav ("สมรภูมิบ้านพร้าว/Battle of Ban Phrao" by Thailand) was a battle involving the Vichy French Indochinese Forces against the Thai Forces, which occurred on 16 January 1941.
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Officers of the 3rd Infantry Battalion. Seated, Left to Right:
Brevet 2nd Lieutenant Phorn Thanaphumi (CO, 3rd Company)
Captain Khun Thorngkraijitt (CO, 4th Company)
Major Khun Nimmankolnlayuth (Battalion's Leader/Commander)
Captain Amporn Suaphaithuln (CO, 2nd Company)
Captain Udom Wannasiri (CO, 1st Company)
Background
The Kingdom of Thailand wanted the boundary change, which Thailand wanted the border to be drawn based on the Mekong River, but also some parts on the right bank, especially Pakse and Luang Prabang.
However, Vichy France refused to accept the proposals, and as a result, the Franco-Thai War began as a border dispute lasting from October 1940 to 5 January 1941. This period saw frequent clashes, artillery exchanges, and aerial bombardments.
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On 17th of October, 1940. Luang Wichitwathakan went to give a lecture to teachers and students of the Royal Thai Army Education Department
"The history of the Thai nation It is a history of bloodshed. The way our ancestors built the country is a legacy that has been passed down to us today. He did not bathe in sweat but bathed in different blood. We overcome all obstacles with blood. We have survived as Thais until now because of our blood. Therefore, it's believed that if we want to continue to progress and grow. Or let the Thai nation remain Thai. We also need blood. (This) it's not intended to confirm that we will fight or go to war but for the benefit of preparation. I want to invite you to join all nations. Especially those of you who are sitting here listening to me. Let us accept now that we must fight."
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After putting pressure on the French, the hope for boundary change vanished diplomatically. And so, on the 5th of January 1941, Thailand invaded French Indochina with the Isan Army attacking Northern Cambodia and Southern Laos (Champasak), Phayap "Division" attacking Northern Laos (Vientiane and Luang Prabang) and the Burapha Army attacking Cambodia.
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Maps of Cambodia and Laos along with the French Units dispositions.
(The Thais Units in the Maps are largely based on the French Intelligence, therefore may not be true)
The Army of Burapha's main objective is to capture Phnom Penh through Poipet, Sisophon, and Battambang. The Army consists of the Lopburi Division, Watthana Nakhon Division, Phra Nakhon Division, and Chanthaburi Division.
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NOTE: "Division" is actually Regiment Size
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The Invasion of Cambodia
The invasion began with the Lopburi Division attacks on the Poipet border checkpoint led by the 6th Infantry Battalion. French defense was stiff, and it took two days for Thai troops to capture Poipet with the cost of "many casualties".
The invasion continued as Thai's 8th and 4th Infantry Battalion advanced along the Poipet-Sisophon Road. After 20 kilometers, the Thai again faced another strong opposition along the road, blocked by barbed wires, stacks of logs, and trenches.
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The 8th Battalion requested reinforcement as they were pinned down in front of the French's defensive line, it worsened as the 8th Battalion encountered an unexpectedly heavy Artillery bombardment from the French, and the 6th Infantry Battalion arrived to aid the desperate 8th Infantry Battalion.
The 6th Infantry Battalion then moved to the left flank of the French defensive line, virtually encircling the French in the process. The French managed to break away from the encirclement and retreated to the outskirts of Sisophon.
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Phra Nakhon Division on the Attack
Meanwhile, the Phra Nakhon Division (Bangkok Division) entered French Indochina on the 10th-11th of January, with the 1st Infantry Battalion attacking the Yeang Dang Khum (Ban Yang). After a brief skirmish, the 1st Infantry Battalion managed to take Yeang Dang Khum.
The 3rd Infantry Battalion, which stood adjacent to the 1st Infantry Battalion on the south, captured Phum Preav without resistance.
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Map of the Thai-French Indochina Border, 17km Northeast of Poipet
The 3rd Infantry Battalion has deployed patrols to locate any suspicions/any enemy sightings. On 13 January, the Battalion's Patrol reported an abandoned French camp some few kilometers west of Phum Preav and also Artillery Targets/Markers within the village and along the road on the east, meaning if the French were to attack Phum Preav, the French artillery would rain down on those specific targets, which could potentially be dangerous for the 3rd Infantry Battalion and the invasion plan too.
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On the evening of January 14th, a French platoon launched a raid against the 3rd Battalion in Phum Preav. The 1st Company suffered one casualty as a result. Officers from the 3rd Battalion are being summoned to the emergency meeting.
The 3rd Infantry Battalion's commander, Major Khun Nimmankolnlayuth, deduced that the French knew the village well and had placed Artillery Targets in the villages.
Major Khun Nimmankolnlayuth asked the Divisional HQ to relocate the Battalion to the dried creek 3 kilometers east of Phum Preav, and the Divisional Commander agreed with the decision. However, the General Staff of the Burapha Army was against this move, thinking the Battalion's commander was disobeying orders.
Major Nimmankolnlayuth wanted his unit to relocate to the dried creek with a road leading to Phum Preav, as he looking to take this opportunity to draw the French into a killing zone/an ambush.
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On the following day (15th of January), the 3rd Infantry Battalion silently moved from Phum Preav village 3 kilometers to the east, digging in the defensive positions on the bridge and the creek with Machine Guns and Infantry Guns.
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French
Order of Battle
During the border skirmish period, the French established several Battle Groups and Defensive Sectors around the Thailand-Indochina border. Battle Groups are called Groupement with one letter from the Groupement Commander's first letter from their surname.
The French deployed 3 Battle Groups in the Cambodia Zone; Groupement J, Groupement N, and Groupement F.
Groupement J was to retake both Yeang Dang Khum and Phum Preav.
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Groupement J Order of Battle
(Credit to Battle Order for Symbols and Template)
Colonel Jacomy divides his Battle Group into 2 Sub-groups. Groupement C, under the command of Colonel Cadoudal, consists of: IV/19e RMIC, II/16e RMIC, and III/11e RIC. Colonel Jacomy's Battle Group was largely III/5e REI.
Groupement C's IV/19e RMIC and II/16e RMIC were to attack Yeang Dang Khum directly, and III/11e RIC was to attack the southern end of Yeang Dang Khum and the northern end of Phum Preav. Meanwhile, Groupement J's III/5e REI was to attack Phum Preav directly.
RMIC=Mixed Colonial Infantry Regiment
RIC=Colonial Infantry Regiment
REI=Foreign Infantry Regiment (French Foreign Legion)
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Counter-Offensive Plan
Thailand
Order of Battle
Combat formations of Thailand's Infantry Battalion consisted of 3 Infantry Companies, 1 Machine Gun Company, and 1 Infantry Gun Platoon. Alongside them are 3 Non-Combat units; Signals Platoon, Medical Platoon (?), and Luggage(?)/Supply and Admin Units
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Organization of Thailand's Infantry Battalion
(screenshotted from 2483 Reenactment group video)
Positions of the 3rd Battalion's units for the Defense
The Battle
The Thai reported that the expected French attack was at midnight, 16th January. The French began to move out from Phum Kandal (supposedly staging area) in the late night of 15th January.
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The French Trucks appeared at 03:00 midnight, with headlights on, approaching the Thai's position. In the north, gunfights occurred in Yeang Dang Khum as the French attacked the village.
Colonel Thanorm Phothongnakh said about the events:
"They (the French) came to a halt about 500 meters away in front of us. It was still dark then, and very little of the enemy could see. The enemy (the French) were carried on Trucks, and dropped to form marching columns.”
At 04:00, the French began sending out Scouts to survey the creek consisting of 3 Soldiers and 2 Dogs. The French almost caught the Thai at a certain point of 20-50 meters from the Thai's position, with 2 Dogs sniffing the Thai Soldiers who remained silent. For some reason, the Dogs did not bark as they failed to detect anything suspicious and returned to their handlers, which the French left the area to report that the creek was safe.
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An hour later, at 05:00. The Thai saw the French marching column approaching the creek, The French's 3rd Battalion/5th Foreign Infantry Regiment (Foreign Legion) was advancing to Phum Preav. The Thai allowed the advance guard to pass as they fixated their attention on the column's main body, Thai soldiers were distracted by the battle in Yeang Dang Khum, but they managed to hold their fires.
The Legionnaires were walking nonchalantly, smoking cigarettes, and chatting.
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French Soldiers walking
Colorized version of the photo
2nd Lieutenant Yong-na Nakhorn's machine gun fired the first bullet, signaling for the entire 3rd Infantry Battalion to open fire. Confusion immediately spread among the Foreign Legionnaires, and the Legionnaires frantically try responded to the Thai's fires. The Legionnaires called on the Artillery, of which the Artillery fire was inaccurate and therefore ineffective.
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Thai's Machine Gun Crews with Vickers Machine Gun (Type 77)
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The heavy fighting ensued as the lights of gunfights illuminated the dark pre-dawn sky. Meanwhile, Captain Aguesse's Détachement Motorisé de Cochinchine, who came to support the Legionnaires in their advance, came under fire from the 1st Lieutenant Rakpholn Manit's Infantry Gun Platoon, losing three vehicles in the process.
As the fighting ensued, 2 Vickers 6-Ton tanks, commanded by Captain Sanit Hongprasong and Corporal Khanueng, arrived from Poipet to support the defensive effort.
As soon as the tanks arrived, they encountered 2nd Lieutenant Phaithuln Khajoraphanth's platoon, dug in the forest edge, and came under friendly fire from the Vickers tanks, who thought the French had crossed the creek and captured the forest edge.
Realizing the platoon was under friendly fire from their tanks, they deployed a signal, which the tank commanders saw the signal, stopped firing and began to chase the Legionnaires.
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Drawing of the Thai's Vickers Tanks with Infantry Support, pursuing the retreating French.
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The Legionnaires panicked and retreat as Thailand's Vickers tanks pursued the panicking Legionnaires, while a platoon of Legionnaires led by Lieutenant Guy de Cros-Peronard, which hadn't retreated yet, came under fire from both Machine Guns and now Tanks, which resulted in the platoon virtually destroyed after Lieutenant Cros-Peronard killed in action from tank shells.
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"Death of Lieutenant de Cros Péronard of the 5th REI, facing the Thai tanks", drawing by Louis Rollet
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The Foreign Legionnaires responded to the existence of Thai Vickers Tanks with 25mm Hotchkiss Mle 1934 AT Guns, later reinforced with 75mm Guns. Thailand responded with infantry support on their tanks, initiated by 1st Lieutenant Phaithuln and his platoon.
"We advanced some 200 meters forward to find one of our tanks stuck in a ditch, its engine still running. We dug a ramp on parts of the ditch with our spades. (All the while) The other tank covered us, delivering continued fires at the enemy.”
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Illustration of French responding to the Thai's Vickers tanks with 25mm Anti-Tank Guns. Credit to the respective owner
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​1st Lieutenant Phaithuln's platoon began to clear the surrounding area from the French, where they stumble upon a Battalions Croix de Guerre Flag. Some Foreign Legionnaires surrendered upon realizing it was SO JOEVER and there were no escapes, but most were retreating in disorder. The retreating 3rd Battalion, 5th Foreign Infantry Regiments would join IV/19e RMIC, II/16e RMIC, and III/11e RIC retreat to Phum Kandal.
The battle ended at 07:00.
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Captured Foreign Legionnaires escorted by Thais Police
Hua Lamphong Train Station, Bangkok
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Aftermath
The next day, 2 French soldiers crossed the Thai line bearing a white flag, who turned out to be Germans. Upon being questioned about how their superiors had ordered them to take the village in which they thought the Thais location, they are aware of how the Thais lacked machine guns and artillery, a fact confirmed by documents taken off the body of a French officer. They were surprised by the strength of the Thai ambush.
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The Aftermath of the Battle of Phum Preav:
Thais Soldiers (standing) inspecting the dead Legionnaires
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The Thais suffered 1 Killed in Action (Private Jon Priphong) and 2 Wounded.
The French suffered around 20 Legionnaires Killed, 10 Wounded, and (supposedly) 20 Captured.
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(The French claimed Thais suffered 300 dead.
whilst Thailand claimed the Foreign Legionnaires suffered 49-58 dead, and 110 wounded.)
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Rear Admiral Yuthasartkosoln, Major General Plaek Phibunsongkhram (the Prime Minister), and Colonel Luang Swasdironarong inspecting the captured Foreign Legion Battalion's Flag
Closer look of the Foreign Legion's Flag.
Captain Amporn Suaphaithuln, Commander of the 2nd Company, 3rd Infantry Battalion said:
"It was taken to the prisoners, whose expressions were downcast. Some even wept/cried at the sight of the flag."
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Sources:
- Organization of Thai's Infantry Battalion
- Short Film about the Battle of Phum Preav
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THAILAND AND THE SECOND WORLD WAR
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Nowfel Leulliot's website (Indochina Section)
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Honorable Mentions:​
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Project_SUN on Twitter (thanks for the images btw)
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