ul . ▁ ▁From ▁July ▁to ▁October , ▁the ▁division ▁re group ed ▁near ▁Koh ima , ▁and ▁ 8 9 th ▁Brigade ▁rejo ined . ▁Late ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁Major ▁General ▁Mess erv y ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁command ▁IV ▁Corps ▁and ▁was ▁replaced ▁in ▁command ▁of ▁the ▁division ▁by ▁Major ▁General ▁Geoff rey ▁Charles ▁Evans . ▁Now ▁commanded ▁by ▁IV ▁Corps , ▁the ▁division ▁advanced ▁down ▁the ▁Gang aw ▁Valley ▁west ▁of ▁the ▁Ch ind win ▁River , ▁with ▁the ▁ 2 8 th ▁( E ast ▁Africa ) ▁Brigade ▁under ▁command , ▁screen ed ▁until ▁P au k ▁was ▁reached ▁by ▁the ▁light ly ▁equ ipped ▁L ush ai ▁Brigade . ▁During ▁late ▁February ▁ 1 9 4 5 , ▁the ▁division ▁captured ▁vital ▁bridge head s ▁across ▁the ▁Ir raw addy ▁River ▁near ▁Pak ok ku . ▁During ▁March , ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁decis ive ▁Battle ▁of ▁Central ▁Bur ma , ▁the ▁division ▁was ▁involved ▁in ▁several ▁batt les ▁at ▁My ing yan ▁and ▁Y en ang ya ung . ▁ ▁During ▁April , ▁the ▁division ▁once ▁again ▁came ▁under ▁command ▁of ▁XXX III ▁Corps ▁and ▁advanced ▁down ▁the ▁west ▁bank ▁of ▁the ▁Ir raw addy . ▁After ▁R ango on , ▁the ▁capital , ▁was ▁captured ▁in ▁early ▁May , ▁the ▁division ▁was ▁directly ▁commanded ▁by ▁the ▁new ▁headquarters ▁of ▁Tw elf th ▁Army ▁and ▁resist ed ▁Japanese ▁di version ary ▁attacks ▁across ▁the ▁S itt ang ▁River ▁during ▁the ▁mon so on .