▁ 1 3 th , ▁ 1 4 th ▁and ▁ 1 6 th ▁Indian ▁Infantry ▁Brig ades , ▁but ▁within ▁eigh teen ▁months , ▁both ▁the ▁ 1 3 th ▁and ▁ 1 6 th ▁Brig ades ▁were ▁removed ▁and ▁dispatch ed ▁to ▁Bur ma , ▁where ▁both ▁fought ▁during ▁the ▁Japanese ▁con quest ▁of ▁Bur ma . ▁The ▁ 1 4 th ▁Brigade ▁was ▁ren umber ed ▁the ▁ 1 1 4 th ▁Indian ▁Infantry ▁Brigade ▁and ▁remained ▁with ▁the ▁division . ▁ ▁During ▁ 1 9 4 2 , ▁the ▁ 3 3 rd ▁and ▁ 8 9 th ▁Brig ades ▁were ▁added ▁to ▁the ▁division . ▁The ▁division ▁trained ▁for ▁operations ▁in ▁the ▁desert s ▁in ▁the ▁Middle ▁East ▁but ▁by ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁year , ▁the ▁North ▁African ▁Camp aign ▁was ▁clearly ▁at ▁an ▁end . ▁In ▁early ▁ 1 9 4 3 , ▁the ▁division ▁was ▁re ass igned ▁to ▁the ▁Bur ma ▁Camp aign . ▁Major ▁General ▁Frank ▁Mess erv y ▁was ▁appointed ▁to ▁command . ▁ ▁After ▁extensive ▁re training ▁and ▁prepar ation , ▁ 7 th ▁Division ▁took ▁part ▁in ▁an ▁off ensive ▁in ▁A rak an , ▁the ▁coast al ▁province ▁of ▁Bur ma . ▁Starting ▁in ▁December ▁ 1 9 4 3 , ▁the ▁division ▁advanced ▁down ▁the ▁Kal ap anz in ▁River ▁valley ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁XV ▁Corps . ▁In ▁February ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁Japanese ▁troops ▁in fil tr ated ▁through ▁the ▁division ' s ▁front ▁and