Nanmekhon Battle

In December, 1949, the "C" Company (about 150 soldiers) of the 2nd Burma Rifles Battalion marched towards Kayah State to pursue the retreating KNDO insurgent force. Za Kaia and the "C" company departed Nyaunglebin (ညောင်လေးပင်) town in central Burma to frontier area of eastern Burma and soon engaged in a ferocious battle at Nanmekhon village, approximately 6.5miles west of Loikaw on 12 December 1949. As the KNDO force consisted of about 800^[2] soldiers there, "C" Company of 2nd Burma Rifles was soon surrounded as the KNDO force were superiors in both soldier numbers and weapons. Za Kaia bravely fought rebelling force and showed tremendous courage and skill of a good soldier. Za Kaia and his comrades made defensive line and constantly engage with the rebelling force. They fought back while the KNDO troops shot them mercilessly. The condition was hopeless as the "C" company were pinned down and KNDO soldiers fired relentlessly.

He then reported to his immediate officer that:

"Captain, if we take defensive position like this, we all will soon be killed and annihilated. So, all of our troop better fall back while me and my section will remain in this defensive position to cover your retreat. I and my section will sacrifice our life so that you can save other soldiers and fight on another day".^[1]

The company commander then gave a retreat order as Za Kaia suggested. Za Kaia and his section hold their position and resisted the rebelling force while the whole company was retreating to safety line. He took ammunitions of his fallen comrades and continued shooting, shooting and shooting. The enemy soldiers shouted to him to surrender but he and his section never surrendered and resisted until they all are killed. He and his section had sacrificed their life for their comrades.