ID Parade. Can we name these men?
I have been fortunate enough over the last few years to have been sent many photographs and images of Chindit men. This gallery is devoted to finding out the names of some of the unknown men featured in these photos. Sometimes you can sit too close to things and not spot the obvious or miss a connection, so here are a few of the groups I possess, shown with the view of putting some names to faces.
The first group of four (shown below) are from the collection of Sgt. Dennis Brown, a member of Column 8 on Operation Longcloth. (Images by kind permission and copyright of Peter Brydon).
All these photos look to have been taken at the training camp in Saugor, India. They show a group of NCO's, both British and Gurkha Rifle mixing together during a quieter moment that year, which would have been 1942. Dennis appears in all four photographs and is positioned in each one on the far left as we look, with the bush hat securely fastened by his chin strap. But who are his array of Chindit pals? To enlarge the photograph, simply click on the image in question with your mouse.
Update 15/10/2013.
I received an email contact from Sheila Johns informing me that the man seen in the white singlet vest in the bottom two photographs is her father Sergeant Eric Johns of the Sherwood Foresters. Sheila explained that Eric was an instructor at the Saugor Camp, where he trained many men in the use of 'small arms' weaponry. Eric moved around India quite a bit during WW2 and did not get home until well after the war had ended.
Update 27/01/2019.
On the 29th December 2018, I was delighted to receive the following email contact from Laurence Tippey:
Just to put a name to the picture of three soldiers in your Gallery ID pages (shown below top right). My father, John Tippey is the man on the right. He was from Birkenhead in Cheshire and passed away in 1997. In the larger picture of the the group (below top left) he is second from the right in the back row. I hope this helps your research and adds further information for your records. After demobilisation, my father went back to work for British Railways as a driver at the local distribution depot until the early 1960's. He then worked for B.O.C. (British Oxygen Company) as a HGV driver delivering oxygen to hospitals. His final job was with R Whites the lemonade company until his retirement in 1984.
Update 12/03/2022.
I was delighted to receive an email from Marieanne Holbourne, who informed me that the man pictured in the centre of the back row, in the lower two photographs shown below, is her grandfather, Sgt. George McCool. George served with the Royal Ulster Rifles earlier in the war before his transfer to the 13th King's and posting to No. 8 Column for the first Wingate expedition. He is also shown sitting behind the centre Gurkha soldier in the first photograph below.
The first group of four (shown below) are from the collection of Sgt. Dennis Brown, a member of Column 8 on Operation Longcloth. (Images by kind permission and copyright of Peter Brydon).
All these photos look to have been taken at the training camp in Saugor, India. They show a group of NCO's, both British and Gurkha Rifle mixing together during a quieter moment that year, which would have been 1942. Dennis appears in all four photographs and is positioned in each one on the far left as we look, with the bush hat securely fastened by his chin strap. But who are his array of Chindit pals? To enlarge the photograph, simply click on the image in question with your mouse.
Update 15/10/2013.
I received an email contact from Sheila Johns informing me that the man seen in the white singlet vest in the bottom two photographs is her father Sergeant Eric Johns of the Sherwood Foresters. Sheila explained that Eric was an instructor at the Saugor Camp, where he trained many men in the use of 'small arms' weaponry. Eric moved around India quite a bit during WW2 and did not get home until well after the war had ended.
Update 27/01/2019.
On the 29th December 2018, I was delighted to receive the following email contact from Laurence Tippey:
Just to put a name to the picture of three soldiers in your Gallery ID pages (shown below top right). My father, John Tippey is the man on the right. He was from Birkenhead in Cheshire and passed away in 1997. In the larger picture of the the group (below top left) he is second from the right in the back row. I hope this helps your research and adds further information for your records. After demobilisation, my father went back to work for British Railways as a driver at the local distribution depot until the early 1960's. He then worked for B.O.C. (British Oxygen Company) as a HGV driver delivering oxygen to hospitals. His final job was with R Whites the lemonade company until his retirement in 1984.
Update 12/03/2022.
I was delighted to receive an email from Marieanne Holbourne, who informed me that the man pictured in the centre of the back row, in the lower two photographs shown below, is her grandfather, Sgt. George McCool. George served with the Royal Ulster Rifles earlier in the war before his transfer to the 13th King's and posting to No. 8 Column for the first Wingate expedition. He is also shown sitting behind the centre Gurkha soldier in the first photograph below.
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In the next batch of four photographs (below) you can see much larger groups of 13th Kingsmen, shown at various times during their stay in India in WW2.
Top left, is an image of the 13th Kings 'Guard of Honour' for Archibald Wavell in February 1944. The men shown include: John Edward Price (sitting crossed legged on the floor, second from left) and Sergeant John Thornborrow MM (seated third from right in the second row). I have now discovered that the officer sat in the middle of the second row is Lieutenant Bill Edge, who was 5 Column's Cipher Officer on Operation Longcloth. Viceroy Lord Wavell, as he was by then had maintained a special link with the battalion ever since he famously saluted them as they marched away and into Burma the year before. (Photo courtesy and copyright of the Price family).
Update 06/09/2020.
I was delighted to receive an email from Adrian Heywood in relation to the Guard of Honour photograph below. His grandfather, Frank Brierley is the soldier in the middle row, second from the right as we look. Frank served with the King's Regiment from early on in the war (July 1940) and travelled with them to India. He was then posted to the Cameronians in February 1943 and spent one year with this unit before rejoining the King's in early 1944. He completed his Army service in April 1946, serving at that time with the Border Regiment.
Top right, sees the battalion cricket team circa 1945. This was possibly taken in Karachi, where the men were stationed at the Napier Barracks. The man on the far right and not dressed in whites is Dennis Brown, while Sgt. J. McCartney can be seen seated on the extreme left.
Top left, is an image of the 13th Kings 'Guard of Honour' for Archibald Wavell in February 1944. The men shown include: John Edward Price (sitting crossed legged on the floor, second from left) and Sergeant John Thornborrow MM (seated third from right in the second row). I have now discovered that the officer sat in the middle of the second row is Lieutenant Bill Edge, who was 5 Column's Cipher Officer on Operation Longcloth. Viceroy Lord Wavell, as he was by then had maintained a special link with the battalion ever since he famously saluted them as they marched away and into Burma the year before. (Photo courtesy and copyright of the Price family).
Update 06/09/2020.
I was delighted to receive an email from Adrian Heywood in relation to the Guard of Honour photograph below. His grandfather, Frank Brierley is the soldier in the middle row, second from the right as we look. Frank served with the King's Regiment from early on in the war (July 1940) and travelled with them to India. He was then posted to the Cameronians in February 1943 and spent one year with this unit before rejoining the King's in early 1944. He completed his Army service in April 1946, serving at that time with the Border Regiment.
Top right, sees the battalion cricket team circa 1945. This was possibly taken in Karachi, where the men were stationed at the Napier Barracks. The man on the far right and not dressed in whites is Dennis Brown, while Sgt. J. McCartney can be seen seated on the extreme left.
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Cpl. George Bagot.
Seen above to our left, is a Company photograph circa 1945. This is another image from the collection belonging to Dennis Brown (pictured far right, second row), with Sgt. J. McCartney seen sitting in the front row, far left as we look. The officers seen sitting 5th and 6th from the right are Peter Bennett and Robert Wilkinson respectively.
Update 21/01/2017. The soldier pictured in the back row of the photograph, far right as we look is Cpl. George Bagot from Marton (Blackpool) in Lancashire. I recently received an email contact from Cpl. Bagot's son, Alan. He told me that the photograph depicted the Administration Company Officers and NCO's from the 13th King's, probably at Karachi in 1945.
Above to the right is a photo of the battalion band as seen in Secunderabad in 1942. In the front row we see Captain David Hastings (second left) and next to him the battalion C/O, Lieutenant Colonel WM Robinson. It is possible that the man standing in the third row, third from the right is Corporal George Lee, who was the cipher clerk from column 5 on operation Longcloth. (Image courtesy of Georgina Livingstone).
Update 21/01/2017. The soldier pictured in the back row of the photograph, far right as we look is Cpl. George Bagot from Marton (Blackpool) in Lancashire. I recently received an email contact from Cpl. Bagot's son, Alan. He told me that the photograph depicted the Administration Company Officers and NCO's from the 13th King's, probably at Karachi in 1945.
Above to the right is a photo of the battalion band as seen in Secunderabad in 1942. In the front row we see Captain David Hastings (second left) and next to him the battalion C/O, Lieutenant Colonel WM Robinson. It is possible that the man standing in the third row, third from the right is Corporal George Lee, who was the cipher clerk from column 5 on operation Longcloth. (Image courtesy of Georgina Livingstone).
The next section of photographs show some Other Ranked Chindits in small groups, all these images were probably taken in India during the early weeks of training.
Below to the left, we have a group photo taken during Chindit training in 1942, probably at Saugor. Seen in the front row third right we have James Frederick Woodhouse and next to him (third left) Michael Patrick Downey. But who are the other men with them?
Update 03/06/2012: I have since learnt that the man in the centre of the back row is Patrick Quinn, who was attached to column 5 in 1942/43, and then served again with the Cameronians in 1944. This information was sent to me by his son Rod.
Update 27/08/2012: The man sitting in the front row, crossed legged, with the bandage on his arm is Frank Holland. He went on to serve in column 8 in 1943. This information was sent to me by his son Gerry.
Below to the right is Norman Lambert and some of his pals from 1942. This photo has been around for many years now and can be seen on the Burma Star Association website in the family enquiries pages. Norman was in platoon 17 of column 8 in 1943 and was wounded during the protection of the supply drop at a place called Baw. He was very fortunate to be amongst the men flown out of the jungle in late April that year, in what became known as the 'Piccadilly Dakota landing'. It would be wonderful to name the other men. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
Below to the left, we have a group photo taken during Chindit training in 1942, probably at Saugor. Seen in the front row third right we have James Frederick Woodhouse and next to him (third left) Michael Patrick Downey. But who are the other men with them?
Update 03/06/2012: I have since learnt that the man in the centre of the back row is Patrick Quinn, who was attached to column 5 in 1942/43, and then served again with the Cameronians in 1944. This information was sent to me by his son Rod.
Update 27/08/2012: The man sitting in the front row, crossed legged, with the bandage on his arm is Frank Holland. He went on to serve in column 8 in 1943. This information was sent to me by his son Gerry.
Below to the right is Norman Lambert and some of his pals from 1942. This photo has been around for many years now and can be seen on the Burma Star Association website in the family enquiries pages. Norman was in platoon 17 of column 8 in 1943 and was wounded during the protection of the supply drop at a place called Baw. He was very fortunate to be amongst the men flown out of the jungle in late April that year, in what became known as the 'Piccadilly Dakota landing'. It would be wonderful to name the other men. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
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Above left is my Grandfather (seen crouching) and two of his mates from Chindit training in India in 1942. By an amazing set of circumstances in 2010, we learned that the man standing to the left in the darker shorts was none other than Fred Walker from East London. A relative of his had picked up a copy of the Burma Star magazine in his dentist's waiting room and stumbled upon an article I had written in 2009! He told us that Fred had survived both Wingate expeditions and severe malaria to return home to his family in late 1945. So, can we now name the other man?
Above right. This photo was sent to me by the family of William Royle (seen pictured bottom right). William was killed in action whilst attempting to cross the Irrawaddy River on the 29th March 1943. The photo was almost certainly taken back in India in 1942, but can anybody name the other men?
Above right. This photo was sent to me by the family of William Royle (seen pictured bottom right). William was killed in action whilst attempting to cross the Irrawaddy River on the 29th March 1943. The photo was almost certainly taken back in India in 1942, but can anybody name the other men?
The next batch of four photographs are of various NCO's and officers. Below to our left is a photograph of a group of Sergeants probably taken at the Napier Barracks in Karachi in 1944. The man second to the left is Sgt. George Atkinson. Below right is a group of Lance Corporals, one of whom is James Ambrose, but can any of the other men be identified? Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
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Above left are three very young officers pictured back in England in 1940/41. Any help identifying these gentlemen would be greatly appreciated.
Above to the right are the main group of officers for column 5, seen here in October/November 1942. In the front row we have Bernard Fergusson pictured centre, with Flight Lieutenant Denny Sharp second left and Duncan Campbell Menzies third right, with Tommy Roberts far right as we look. In the back row Philip Stibbe is seen second from the right, with John Murray Kerr mirroring him, second left. Although I can guess the names of the other men present, I cannot put definite names to definite faces.
Above to the right are the main group of officers for column 5, seen here in October/November 1942. In the front row we have Bernard Fergusson pictured centre, with Flight Lieutenant Denny Sharp second left and Duncan Campbell Menzies third right, with Tommy Roberts far right as we look. In the back row Philip Stibbe is seen second from the right, with John Murray Kerr mirroring him, second left. Although I can guess the names of the other men present, I cannot put definite names to definite faces.
The next section of photographs are of groups actually in Burma itself. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
Top left, we have Wingate's HQ dispersal group, seen here in the Burmese jungle probably just after the disrupted attempt to re-cross the Irrawaddy on March 29th 1943. As we look, back row, second from left is Eric Hutchins, third from left is Cecil Longmore (wearing bush hat), with Wingate centrally placed. Paddy Dermody is fourth right and next to Wingate, with Major Jeffries seen furthest to the right. Once again it might be possible to guess who some of the others are, but any help would be greatly appreciated.
Top right is an image of some of the journalists who were able to join 77th Brigade during the early part of Operation Longcloth. They travelled with the special force for most of the journey through Assam and were still with the Chindits several days after crossing the Chindwin River.
Update 03/12/2013.
A piece of good fortune has enabled me to name the men in this photograph.
From left to right as we look: Stuart Emeny of the News Chronicle, who perished the following year in the air crash which claimed the life of Orde Wingate.
Martin Moore of the Daily Telegraph, who went on to wrote numerous books in the 1950's. The next man is possibly, Wilfred Burchett. He is more well known for his radical journalistic work during the Korean and Viet Nam Wars. Burchett lost both his British and Australian citizenship as a result of his socialist political ideology and died aged 72 in Sofia, Bulgaria. The last man is Antony Beauchamp, the press photographer who married Sarah Churchill and famously photographed Marilyn Monroe.
Update 28/02/2014.
It now seems more likely that the man third left is not actually Wilfred Burchett, but is in fact Captain Jack Potter of the Daily Express. This information comes from the book 'A Traveller's War' by Alaric Jacob, who was the fifth journalist with this group and possibly took the photograph. Jacob was working for Reuters and then the Daily Express and covered many theatres of conflict in WW2, most notably, Tobruk, El Alamein and Moscow.
Top left, we have Wingate's HQ dispersal group, seen here in the Burmese jungle probably just after the disrupted attempt to re-cross the Irrawaddy on March 29th 1943. As we look, back row, second from left is Eric Hutchins, third from left is Cecil Longmore (wearing bush hat), with Wingate centrally placed. Paddy Dermody is fourth right and next to Wingate, with Major Jeffries seen furthest to the right. Once again it might be possible to guess who some of the others are, but any help would be greatly appreciated.
Top right is an image of some of the journalists who were able to join 77th Brigade during the early part of Operation Longcloth. They travelled with the special force for most of the journey through Assam and were still with the Chindits several days after crossing the Chindwin River.
Update 03/12/2013.
A piece of good fortune has enabled me to name the men in this photograph.
From left to right as we look: Stuart Emeny of the News Chronicle, who perished the following year in the air crash which claimed the life of Orde Wingate.
Martin Moore of the Daily Telegraph, who went on to wrote numerous books in the 1950's. The next man is possibly, Wilfred Burchett. He is more well known for his radical journalistic work during the Korean and Viet Nam Wars. Burchett lost both his British and Australian citizenship as a result of his socialist political ideology and died aged 72 in Sofia, Bulgaria. The last man is Antony Beauchamp, the press photographer who married Sarah Churchill and famously photographed Marilyn Monroe.
Update 28/02/2014.
It now seems more likely that the man third left is not actually Wilfred Burchett, but is in fact Captain Jack Potter of the Daily Express. This information comes from the book 'A Traveller's War' by Alaric Jacob, who was the fifth journalist with this group and possibly took the photograph. Jacob was working for Reuters and then the Daily Express and covered many theatres of conflict in WW2, most notably, Tobruk, El Alamein and Moscow.
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The photo seen above left is of some British Other ranks, probably from column 7 in 1943. They are pictured somewhere on operation Longcloth, most likely towards the end of March or early April that year. (Image taken from Wingate's Raiders, by WG Burchett).
The last photo seen on the right is a group of 13th Kings back home in Liverpool in 1945. James Frederick Woodhouse can be seen in the front row, second from the right. (Image courtesy of the Woodhouse family).
The last photo seen on the right is a group of 13th Kings back home in Liverpool in 1945. James Frederick Woodhouse can be seen in the front row, second from the right. (Image courtesy of the Woodhouse family).
Seen below is another group photo from the Chindit training camp at Saugor in India. This photo was taken by Lance Corporal James Ambrose and is of a group of 13th King's posing with three of their Gurkha comrades. (Image courtesy of Val Gornell).
13th King's and Gurkhas at Saugor Camp 1942.
Update 19/10/2013.
Seen below is a new image of four (13th) Kingsmen, probably taken in the town of Secunderabad, India in 1942. This comes from the family collection of Pte. Henry James Ackerman, a member of No. 5 Column on Operation Longcloth and who sadly died as a prisoner of war in Rangoon Central Jail. Does anyone recognise the other three men, Henry Ackerman is the man furthest right as we look.
Update 16/09/2020. Thanks to confirmation from his daughter Judith, we now know that the man second from the right as we look is Sgt. George Atkinson from South Shields in County Durham.
Seen below is a new image of four (13th) Kingsmen, probably taken in the town of Secunderabad, India in 1942. This comes from the family collection of Pte. Henry James Ackerman, a member of No. 5 Column on Operation Longcloth and who sadly died as a prisoner of war in Rangoon Central Jail. Does anyone recognise the other three men, Henry Ackerman is the man furthest right as we look.
Update 16/09/2020. Thanks to confirmation from his daughter Judith, we now know that the man second from the right as we look is Sgt. George Atkinson from South Shields in County Durham.
Henry Ackerman and three pals at Secunderabad in 1942.
Update 10/05/2014.
Seen below is a photograph sent to me by the family of Pte. Elias Roberts who served in Northern Group Head Quarters during Operation Longcloth. Elias did not make it back to India and became a prisoner of war, he sadly died in Block 6 of Rangoon Jail on the 27th August 1943 and was buried at the English Cantonment Cemetery. The photograph was almost certainly taken in Bombay during the King's final leave period in late November 1942. Elias is the soldier in the centre of the picture, the question is, who are the other four gentleman? Please click on the image to bring it forward on the page.
Update 11/08/2022.
In July 2022, I was delighted to receive an email contact from Ian Rudge who recognised his father as the man on the far left as we look from the photograph below. To read more about Edward Rudge and his wartime experiences, please click on the following link and scroll down the page alphabetically:
Roll Call P-T
Seen below is a photograph sent to me by the family of Pte. Elias Roberts who served in Northern Group Head Quarters during Operation Longcloth. Elias did not make it back to India and became a prisoner of war, he sadly died in Block 6 of Rangoon Jail on the 27th August 1943 and was buried at the English Cantonment Cemetery. The photograph was almost certainly taken in Bombay during the King's final leave period in late November 1942. Elias is the soldier in the centre of the picture, the question is, who are the other four gentleman? Please click on the image to bring it forward on the page.
Update 11/08/2022.
In July 2022, I was delighted to receive an email contact from Ian Rudge who recognised his father as the man on the far left as we look from the photograph below. To read more about Edward Rudge and his wartime experiences, please click on the following link and scroll down the page alphabetically:
Roll Call P-T
Elias Roberts (centre) with pals, on leave in Bombay in 1942.
Update 19/07/2014.
The photograph below was sent to me by the daughter of Driver Harry Roberts of 419th Infantry Brigade Coy, R.A.S.C. Harry was at one time a driver for Orde Wingate during the period of the Chindit expeditions. The photograph was clearly taken in an Indian photographic studio at some point between early 1942 and late 1944. Can we name any of the other three men? Harry Roberts is the man sitting to our right.
To read more about Driver Harry Roberts, please follow the link below: Harry Roberts, Wingate's Driver
The photograph below was sent to me by the daughter of Driver Harry Roberts of 419th Infantry Brigade Coy, R.A.S.C. Harry was at one time a driver for Orde Wingate during the period of the Chindit expeditions. The photograph was clearly taken in an Indian photographic studio at some point between early 1942 and late 1944. Can we name any of the other three men? Harry Roberts is the man sitting to our right.
To read more about Driver Harry Roberts, please follow the link below: Harry Roberts, Wingate's Driver
Driver Harry Roberts, R.A.S.C. (front right) and three pals from his time in India.
Update 10/09/2014.
The photograph featured below was sent to me by the son of Pte. Joseph Edward Lewis a former soldier from the Royal Welch Fusiliers, who was one of a draft of men from that regiment (possibly the 8th Battalion) to join the first Chindit Operation in 1942. Joseph was a member of Column 5 on Operation Longcloth and a part of Captain Tommy Roberts' Support Platoon.
Pte. Lewis was captured by the Japanese on the 14th April 1943 and eventually taken down to Rangoon Jail where he spent the next two years as a prisoner of war. Joseph was one of the few Chindit Other Ranks to survive their time in Rangoon and was liberated in late April 1945.
It was only when I was recently reminded about this photograph by Joseph's son Peter, that I realised that three of the last four additions to this page on my website concerned the men of the Royal Welch Fusiliers. Both Henry Ackerman and Elias Roberts, whose group photographs can be seen above were also from the draft of men sent by the RWF to the Chindit training camp at Saugor in mid-1942.
Of course it makes you wonder how many of these men knew each other or were in fact long time friends. In the photograph below, taken at some point in India during 1942, Pte. Joseph Lewis can be seen on the left as we look, but can anyone name the other men?
Please click on the image to bring it forward on the page.
Update 28/08/2017.
I was extremely pleased to receive another email contact from Peter Lewis. He now believes that the men featured in this photograph alongside his father are, Tommy 'Ginger' Byrne (centre) and possibly Albert Blease (right as we look). Albert was captured along with Pte. Joseph Lewis in May 1943, sadly Albert perished inside Block 6 of Rangoon Jail in January 1944 suffering from the effects of beri beri. Tommy Byrne had been captured by the Japanese a little earlier on the 19th March, but much like Joseph Lewis, he survived his time as a prisoner of war and returned home to his family after the war.
The photograph featured below was sent to me by the son of Pte. Joseph Edward Lewis a former soldier from the Royal Welch Fusiliers, who was one of a draft of men from that regiment (possibly the 8th Battalion) to join the first Chindit Operation in 1942. Joseph was a member of Column 5 on Operation Longcloth and a part of Captain Tommy Roberts' Support Platoon.
Pte. Lewis was captured by the Japanese on the 14th April 1943 and eventually taken down to Rangoon Jail where he spent the next two years as a prisoner of war. Joseph was one of the few Chindit Other Ranks to survive their time in Rangoon and was liberated in late April 1945.
It was only when I was recently reminded about this photograph by Joseph's son Peter, that I realised that three of the last four additions to this page on my website concerned the men of the Royal Welch Fusiliers. Both Henry Ackerman and Elias Roberts, whose group photographs can be seen above were also from the draft of men sent by the RWF to the Chindit training camp at Saugor in mid-1942.
Of course it makes you wonder how many of these men knew each other or were in fact long time friends. In the photograph below, taken at some point in India during 1942, Pte. Joseph Lewis can be seen on the left as we look, but can anyone name the other men?
Please click on the image to bring it forward on the page.
Update 28/08/2017.
I was extremely pleased to receive another email contact from Peter Lewis. He now believes that the men featured in this photograph alongside his father are, Tommy 'Ginger' Byrne (centre) and possibly Albert Blease (right as we look). Albert was captured along with Pte. Joseph Lewis in May 1943, sadly Albert perished inside Block 6 of Rangoon Jail in January 1944 suffering from the effects of beri beri. Tommy Byrne had been captured by the Japanese a little earlier on the 19th March, but much like Joseph Lewis, he survived his time as a prisoner of war and returned home to his family after the war.
Pte. Joseph Edward Lewis (left) and two of his pals in India, 1942.
Update 09/11/2014.
The photographs shown below come from the collection kept by Pte. Syd Campbell and were kindly sent to me by his son, also named Syd, this October. Pte. Campbell was a member of Column 4 in 1943 and was part of their 142 Commando Platoon. The first two photographs are probably the best I have ever seen in terms of showing larger groups pictured during Chindit training and were probably taken at the Saugor Camp in late 1942. Some of the men's faces are not overly clear, but hopefully we can identify at least one or two from these images over time. Please click on either photo to bring it forward on the page.
The photographs shown below come from the collection kept by Pte. Syd Campbell and were kindly sent to me by his son, also named Syd, this October. Pte. Campbell was a member of Column 4 in 1943 and was part of their 142 Commando Platoon. The first two photographs are probably the best I have ever seen in terms of showing larger groups pictured during Chindit training and were probably taken at the Saugor Camp in late 1942. Some of the men's faces are not overly clear, but hopefully we can identify at least one or two from these images over time. Please click on either photo to bring it forward on the page.
The next photograph shows Syd Campbell with another five men, two of which are his pals, Ren Nicholl and 'Robbo' Robson. All three of these men were members of Column 4 Commando in 1943, they were also all former bricklayers from the Northeast of England. Syd is the man seen standing on the far right as we look, Ren Nichol is the man crouching in front of him and 'Robbo' Robson is the taller man, standing on the far left.
The final image is a large Company photograph which I think was taken at the Napier Barracks at Karachi, possibly in 1944 or early 1945. I have named Syd Campbell on the photo and believe that the very tall man in the middle of the top row is Sgt. J. McCartney. Syd was a very talented marksman and represented the battalion in shooting competitions, I wonder if the trophies shown in this image were from these contests? Hopefully in time we can put names to a few more of these men. Please click on either photograph to bring it forward on the page.
My great thanks go to Syd Campbell's son for allowing me to reproduce these images on this website. To read more about Syd Campbell and his comrades in Column 4 Commando, please click here: The Bricklayers of Column 4 Commando
The final image is a large Company photograph which I think was taken at the Napier Barracks at Karachi, possibly in 1944 or early 1945. I have named Syd Campbell on the photo and believe that the very tall man in the middle of the top row is Sgt. J. McCartney. Syd was a very talented marksman and represented the battalion in shooting competitions, I wonder if the trophies shown in this image were from these contests? Hopefully in time we can put names to a few more of these men. Please click on either photograph to bring it forward on the page.
My great thanks go to Syd Campbell's son for allowing me to reproduce these images on this website. To read more about Syd Campbell and his comrades in Column 4 Commando, please click here: The Bricklayers of Column 4 Commando
Update 20/11/2016.
I can now add three more photographs in relation to the group of men who formed part of the Commando Platoon for No. 4 Column in 1943. These images were sent to me by the daughter of Pte. William Ormston, a member of the commando platoon and a longtime friend of Syd Campbell, Ren Nicholl and William 'Robbo' Robson.
William's daughter, Susan told me:
Unfortunately, I don't know a great deal about my Dad's time in the Army as he would never speak about it, other than to tell us how he survived in the jungle eating insects and anything else they could find when their rations ran out. He was born in North Shields in 1920 and attended the Jubilee School. He then became a bricklayer working alongside his friends Syd Campbell, Ren Nicholl and Robbo Robson. He enlisted into the Army in 1941 and his regiments included the Durham Light Infantry from late 1941 until July 1942, followed by a short period with the Yorks and Lancs, before joining the King's Regiment on the 30th September 1942. He remained with the King's until his demob in April 1946.
Seen below are three of the photographs from Pte. Ormston's collection. Two of these show some of Bill's Chindit comrades enjoying a swim at one of the many public open-air swimming baths which were such a feature of Army recreational life in India. The other image pictures Bill with another large group of men from the King's Regiment. I am confident that this third photograph was taken after the first Wingate expedition and possibly at the Napier Barracks in Karachi. My main reason for surmising this is the presence of the Divisional cloth insignia, representing the Sind District of India which is visible on some of the soldier's uniforms.
I can now add three more photographs in relation to the group of men who formed part of the Commando Platoon for No. 4 Column in 1943. These images were sent to me by the daughter of Pte. William Ormston, a member of the commando platoon and a longtime friend of Syd Campbell, Ren Nicholl and William 'Robbo' Robson.
William's daughter, Susan told me:
Unfortunately, I don't know a great deal about my Dad's time in the Army as he would never speak about it, other than to tell us how he survived in the jungle eating insects and anything else they could find when their rations ran out. He was born in North Shields in 1920 and attended the Jubilee School. He then became a bricklayer working alongside his friends Syd Campbell, Ren Nicholl and Robbo Robson. He enlisted into the Army in 1941 and his regiments included the Durham Light Infantry from late 1941 until July 1942, followed by a short period with the Yorks and Lancs, before joining the King's Regiment on the 30th September 1942. He remained with the King's until his demob in April 1946.
Seen below are three of the photographs from Pte. Ormston's collection. Two of these show some of Bill's Chindit comrades enjoying a swim at one of the many public open-air swimming baths which were such a feature of Army recreational life in India. The other image pictures Bill with another large group of men from the King's Regiment. I am confident that this third photograph was taken after the first Wingate expedition and possibly at the Napier Barracks in Karachi. My main reason for surmising this is the presence of the Divisional cloth insignia, representing the Sind District of India which is visible on some of the soldier's uniforms.
Update 22/02/2015.
The following photographs were sent to me by the son of Lance Corporal Leonard Coffin. Leonard was a member of Northern Group Head Quarters on Operation Longcloth, which was the command centre for Columns 3, 4, 5, 7 and 8 within the 77th Indian Infantry Brigade and was led by Lieutenant-Colonel S.A. Cooke, formerly of the Lincolnshire Regiment.
Northern Group HQ spent most of its time in Burma in close proximity to Column 8 commanded by Major Walter Purcell Scott of the King's Regiment and were also never too far away from Wingate's own Brigade Head Quarters. On the 29th March 1943, Wingate's HQ, Chindit Columns 7 and 8 and Northern Group's Head Quarters were all gathered on the eastern banks of the Irrawaddy River close to the Burmese village of Inywa.
A bridgehead party was formed and began crossing the mile wide river in hired country boats, which were manned and piloted by local Burmese villagers. A Japanese patrol on the western banks opened up on the leading boats with machine gun and mortar fire and many casualties were taken. Wingate and his column commanders decided to abandon the crossing and moved back in to the scrub jungle close to the riverside.
Wingate decided to break his Brigade up into smaller groups after the disaster at the Irrawaddy on the 29th March. Colonel Cooke and Major Scott merged their units and headed back eastward towards the Shweli River. However, Leonard Coffin did not go with them, teaming up instead with Captain Hosegood and the twenty or so men in his dispersal party.
After spending the best part of the next four weeks moving up and down the eastern banks of the Irrawaddy hoping to find a suitable crossing point, Hosegood and his men, by now totally exhausted, were forced to give themselves up to the Japanese. Leonard was taken prisoner near the Burmese village of Tigyaing on the 2nd May. He ended up spending the next two years as a prisoner of war inside Rangoon Central Jail, before his liberation in late April 1945 close to the Burmese town of Pegu. To read more about his time in India and Burma during 1942-43, please click on the following link: Pte. Leonard Coffin
The first two photographs show Leonard with some of his Chindit comrades in India, probably enjoying some hard-earned leave in the bustling city of Bombay. Please click on either image to bring it forward on the page.
The following photographs were sent to me by the son of Lance Corporal Leonard Coffin. Leonard was a member of Northern Group Head Quarters on Operation Longcloth, which was the command centre for Columns 3, 4, 5, 7 and 8 within the 77th Indian Infantry Brigade and was led by Lieutenant-Colonel S.A. Cooke, formerly of the Lincolnshire Regiment.
Northern Group HQ spent most of its time in Burma in close proximity to Column 8 commanded by Major Walter Purcell Scott of the King's Regiment and were also never too far away from Wingate's own Brigade Head Quarters. On the 29th March 1943, Wingate's HQ, Chindit Columns 7 and 8 and Northern Group's Head Quarters were all gathered on the eastern banks of the Irrawaddy River close to the Burmese village of Inywa.
A bridgehead party was formed and began crossing the mile wide river in hired country boats, which were manned and piloted by local Burmese villagers. A Japanese patrol on the western banks opened up on the leading boats with machine gun and mortar fire and many casualties were taken. Wingate and his column commanders decided to abandon the crossing and moved back in to the scrub jungle close to the riverside.
Wingate decided to break his Brigade up into smaller groups after the disaster at the Irrawaddy on the 29th March. Colonel Cooke and Major Scott merged their units and headed back eastward towards the Shweli River. However, Leonard Coffin did not go with them, teaming up instead with Captain Hosegood and the twenty or so men in his dispersal party.
After spending the best part of the next four weeks moving up and down the eastern banks of the Irrawaddy hoping to find a suitable crossing point, Hosegood and his men, by now totally exhausted, were forced to give themselves up to the Japanese. Leonard was taken prisoner near the Burmese village of Tigyaing on the 2nd May. He ended up spending the next two years as a prisoner of war inside Rangoon Central Jail, before his liberation in late April 1945 close to the Burmese town of Pegu. To read more about his time in India and Burma during 1942-43, please click on the following link: Pte. Leonard Coffin
The first two photographs show Leonard with some of his Chindit comrades in India, probably enjoying some hard-earned leave in the bustling city of Bombay. Please click on either image to bring it forward on the page.
The last two photographs are possibly from the days spent training at the Saugor Camp in the Central Provinces of India. It would be fantastic to put names to some of these faces. Many thanks to Mike Coffin for letting me use these photographs of his father's time in India during 1942.
Update 19/05/2015.
Mike Coffin contacted me again to say, that his Mum now thinks that the large man standing in the centre of both these photographs is Harry Aldous, possibly from Romford in Essex. Harry is a brand new name to my research, it would be fantastic to have this information confirmed by his family at some point in the future.
Update 20/08/2017.
From a nominal roll found within the War diary of the 1st Battalion, the King's Regiment dated 9th October 1945, I have discovered the following information about Harry Aldous:
Award of the Defence Medal to Lance Sergeant 5628366 H. Aldous, C' Company of the 1st King's Liverpool Regiment, presently stationed at Dehra Dun in India.
Update 19/05/2015.
Mike Coffin contacted me again to say, that his Mum now thinks that the large man standing in the centre of both these photographs is Harry Aldous, possibly from Romford in Essex. Harry is a brand new name to my research, it would be fantastic to have this information confirmed by his family at some point in the future.
Update 20/08/2017.
From a nominal roll found within the War diary of the 1st Battalion, the King's Regiment dated 9th October 1945, I have discovered the following information about Harry Aldous:
Award of the Defence Medal to Lance Sergeant 5628366 H. Aldous, C' Company of the 1st King's Liverpool Regiment, presently stationed at Dehra Dun in India.
Leonard Coffin (far right seated) and some Chindit colleagues in India.
The same group, this time with Leonard seen standing second right.
Update 28/11/2015.
I received an email via my website contact page from the son of Pte. 2756408 James Rennie Dick of the 2nd Battalion, the Black Watch. Jim told me that his father had enlisted into the Army with his best friend, George Cunningham at Dundee and that both men were under age at that time. James and George served with the 2nd Black Watch in Crete, North Africa and eventually Burma, where the battalion formed the greater part of Chindit Columns 42 and 73 in the 14th British Infantry Brigade during the second Chindit expedition in 1944. However, it is also believed that James may have been involved on Operation Longcloth.
As with many veterans from WW2 and especially the Burma campaign, James did not speak openly to his family about his experiences during the war, although it is known that he suffered from both tuberculosis and malaria after returning home and had endured at least two wounds from his service in North Africa. In 1948, James made the decision to emigrate to Australia.
The reason for the families contact, was in connection to the photographs shown above and the striking resemblance of the man standing on the far right of both images with that of Pte. James Rennie Dick. Undoubtedly, the similarity is quite striking and can be seen in the photographs shown below, where I have placed an asterisk on the man featured in Leonard Coffin's photograph and added in the gallery a portrait of James in his Black Watch uniform. Please click on any of the images to bring them forward on the page. If anyone has information in regards to this update, then please do get in touch using the contact form on the website Home Page.
I received an email via my website contact page from the son of Pte. 2756408 James Rennie Dick of the 2nd Battalion, the Black Watch. Jim told me that his father had enlisted into the Army with his best friend, George Cunningham at Dundee and that both men were under age at that time. James and George served with the 2nd Black Watch in Crete, North Africa and eventually Burma, where the battalion formed the greater part of Chindit Columns 42 and 73 in the 14th British Infantry Brigade during the second Chindit expedition in 1944. However, it is also believed that James may have been involved on Operation Longcloth.
As with many veterans from WW2 and especially the Burma campaign, James did not speak openly to his family about his experiences during the war, although it is known that he suffered from both tuberculosis and malaria after returning home and had endured at least two wounds from his service in North Africa. In 1948, James made the decision to emigrate to Australia.
The reason for the families contact, was in connection to the photographs shown above and the striking resemblance of the man standing on the far right of both images with that of Pte. James Rennie Dick. Undoubtedly, the similarity is quite striking and can be seen in the photographs shown below, where I have placed an asterisk on the man featured in Leonard Coffin's photograph and added in the gallery a portrait of James in his Black Watch uniform. Please click on any of the images to bring them forward on the page. If anyone has information in regards to this update, then please do get in touch using the contact form on the website Home Page.
Update 15/04/2015.
The photograph shown below is of a group of Chindits that made their way out of Burma via Fort Hertz, the military base in the north of the country and the only territory still in Allied hands by mid-summer 1943. This location was the dispersal aim of several units from Operation Longcloth, including the Burma Rifles Brigade Head Quarters, Major George Dunlop and the remnants of Chindit Column 1 and Lieutenant Musgrave-Wood's dispersal party from Column 7. Can we name any of these men?
Update 08/12/2015.
Kim Taylor, whose father Pte. 3714445 Henry Taylor of 8 Column, contacted me to say that the man on the far left as we look is his Dad's mate Bill Davis. Pte. Davis was from Croston, a village about 8 miles south-west of Preston in Lancashire. Henry Taylor was one of the fortunate soldiers from 8 Column to make it back to India, after being swept away in a boat on the Shweli River in April 1943. To read more about Henry Taylor, please click on the following link:
Pte. Henry Taylor
The photograph shown below is of a group of Chindits that made their way out of Burma via Fort Hertz, the military base in the north of the country and the only territory still in Allied hands by mid-summer 1943. This location was the dispersal aim of several units from Operation Longcloth, including the Burma Rifles Brigade Head Quarters, Major George Dunlop and the remnants of Chindit Column 1 and Lieutenant Musgrave-Wood's dispersal party from Column 7. Can we name any of these men?
Update 08/12/2015.
Kim Taylor, whose father Pte. 3714445 Henry Taylor of 8 Column, contacted me to say that the man on the far left as we look is his Dad's mate Bill Davis. Pte. Davis was from Croston, a village about 8 miles south-west of Preston in Lancashire. Henry Taylor was one of the fortunate soldiers from 8 Column to make it back to India, after being swept away in a boat on the Shweli River in April 1943. To read more about Henry Taylor, please click on the following link:
Pte. Henry Taylor
A group of men from Operation Longcloth, seen at Fort Hertz in May/June 1943.
Update 29/06/2015.
I was recently contacted by the daughter of Sergeant Thomas Vann, who was an original member of the 13th Battalion the King's Regiment in 1941, when they voyaged to India aboard the troopship 'Oronsay'. Joyce has shared several photographs from her father's time in India and Burma, two of which can be seen below. Firstly, an image of Thomas (centre) with two of his pals aboard the troopship 'Oronsay', probably taken in January 1942, then another photograph of the 13th King's enjoying a swim, possibly at Secunderabad. Please click on either image to bring it forward on the page.
I was recently contacted by the daughter of Sergeant Thomas Vann, who was an original member of the 13th Battalion the King's Regiment in 1941, when they voyaged to India aboard the troopship 'Oronsay'. Joyce has shared several photographs from her father's time in India and Burma, two of which can be seen below. Firstly, an image of Thomas (centre) with two of his pals aboard the troopship 'Oronsay', probably taken in January 1942, then another photograph of the 13th King's enjoying a swim, possibly at Secunderabad. Please click on either image to bring it forward on the page.
Update 17/08/2015.
I noticed a post on the Burma Star website forum in relation to the draft recognition code RZGHA, which was the code for the compilation of the 142 Commandos in June 1942. The post was placed by Malcolm King in reference to his father's service in India and Burma during WW2.
Corporal 3248164 John M. King, formerly of the Cameronian Regiment and 6 Commando had been sent to India and attached to the 2nd Green Howard's at Jubbulpore on the 15th June 1942. This group of men were seconded by Brigadier Wingate to form the basis of his 142 Commando section within the 77th Indian Infantry Brigade.
Corporal King took part in Chindit training, at least up until the latter months of 1942, after which he was transferred to Intelligence/Field Security duties at India Command. John continued to serve in both India and Burma throughout the war, before returning to the United Kingdom as part of the Cameronian's (SR) 9th Infantry Holding Battalion, based at Ayr.
Shown below are three images depicting John's time in India, I wonder if we can name any of the other men featured in the photographs. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
I noticed a post on the Burma Star website forum in relation to the draft recognition code RZGHA, which was the code for the compilation of the 142 Commandos in June 1942. The post was placed by Malcolm King in reference to his father's service in India and Burma during WW2.
Corporal 3248164 John M. King, formerly of the Cameronian Regiment and 6 Commando had been sent to India and attached to the 2nd Green Howard's at Jubbulpore on the 15th June 1942. This group of men were seconded by Brigadier Wingate to form the basis of his 142 Commando section within the 77th Indian Infantry Brigade.
Corporal King took part in Chindit training, at least up until the latter months of 1942, after which he was transferred to Intelligence/Field Security duties at India Command. John continued to serve in both India and Burma throughout the war, before returning to the United Kingdom as part of the Cameronian's (SR) 9th Infantry Holding Battalion, based at Ayr.
Shown below are three images depicting John's time in India, I wonder if we can name any of the other men featured in the photographs. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
Update 10/03/2016.
I was recently contacted by the granddaughter of Sergeant Harold Palmer, a soldier with 8 Column on Operation Longcloth and a survivor of Rangoon Jail. Harold was an original member of the 13th Battalion the King's Regiment and voyaged to India aboard the troopship Oronsay in December 1941. The photograph below, sent by Claire McHenry, was possibly taken aboard the Oronsay and shows a group of officers and men posing beneath one of the ship's lifeboats.
Harold Palmer is the soldier sitting in the first row with his Wolsley helmet at his feet, furthest right as we look.
From the middle row we have seated left to right: Lt. Brian P. Horncastle (2nd left), Captain JSF. Coughlan (3rd left), Captain Alexander I. MacDonald (4th left), Major Walter Purcell Scott (5th left) and next to him, Lt. I.W. Thorpe.
The question is as always, can we identify any of the other soldiers from this photograph?
I was recently contacted by the granddaughter of Sergeant Harold Palmer, a soldier with 8 Column on Operation Longcloth and a survivor of Rangoon Jail. Harold was an original member of the 13th Battalion the King's Regiment and voyaged to India aboard the troopship Oronsay in December 1941. The photograph below, sent by Claire McHenry, was possibly taken aboard the Oronsay and shows a group of officers and men posing beneath one of the ship's lifeboats.
Harold Palmer is the soldier sitting in the first row with his Wolsley helmet at his feet, furthest right as we look.
From the middle row we have seated left to right: Lt. Brian P. Horncastle (2nd left), Captain JSF. Coughlan (3rd left), Captain Alexander I. MacDonald (4th left), Major Walter Purcell Scott (5th left) and next to him, Lt. I.W. Thorpe.
The question is as always, can we identify any of the other soldiers from this photograph?
Officers and men of the 13th Battalion, the King's Regiment, aboard the troopship Oronsay.
Update 14/05/2016.
The photograph seen below was sent to me by the great-niece of Pte. Arthur Almond, who served with Wingate's Brigade Head Quarters on Operation Longcloth. Arthur was captured alongside Captain Graham Hosegood and men from his dispersal party at the Irrawaddy River on the 30th April 1943. He spent the next two years as a prisoner of war in Rangoon Jail, before being liberated on the 29th April 1945 at a small village close to the Burmese town of Pegu.
Great-niece, Jo Walsh told me:
My cousins and I were told he had been a Japanese POW and that his fingernails had been pulled out because he was a Signaller and Radio Operator. I am afraid to say that we spent all our time trying to catch a glimpse of these and indeed they were jagged stumps of nails. At Christmas, when he came to our house, he would speak a little about his time in Burma and we remember him saying after a few drinks, that the mules were the real heroes.
My Aunt recalls him saying that he survived being a POW because as he came from a very poor family, he hadn't been used to eating much anyway and it was those who thought of pork chops and were used to lots of food who found it hard and sometimes perished. We were all aware that he had been captured and had said he was attached to Orde Wingate's group too. That was pretty much all we knew.
The photograph shown was probably taken at one of the Indian training camps in the late summer of 1942. It might well be that the Indian gentleman seated bottom right, was a bearer for the group. Each soldier normally paid an Indian servant to look after his kit, washing and mess duties etc. Often one servant took care of four or five men and became an integral part of barrack room life. The man standing on the right seems to be sporting an Orange Order sash as worn by the Loyalist Community of Northern Ireland during the marching season every summer, culminating on the 12th July each year. If this is correct, then the number depicted, 658 refers to the Greencastle Loyal Orange Lodge.
Can we name any of the other men with Arthur, who is standing in the centre of the back row.
The photograph seen below was sent to me by the great-niece of Pte. Arthur Almond, who served with Wingate's Brigade Head Quarters on Operation Longcloth. Arthur was captured alongside Captain Graham Hosegood and men from his dispersal party at the Irrawaddy River on the 30th April 1943. He spent the next two years as a prisoner of war in Rangoon Jail, before being liberated on the 29th April 1945 at a small village close to the Burmese town of Pegu.
Great-niece, Jo Walsh told me:
My cousins and I were told he had been a Japanese POW and that his fingernails had been pulled out because he was a Signaller and Radio Operator. I am afraid to say that we spent all our time trying to catch a glimpse of these and indeed they were jagged stumps of nails. At Christmas, when he came to our house, he would speak a little about his time in Burma and we remember him saying after a few drinks, that the mules were the real heroes.
My Aunt recalls him saying that he survived being a POW because as he came from a very poor family, he hadn't been used to eating much anyway and it was those who thought of pork chops and were used to lots of food who found it hard and sometimes perished. We were all aware that he had been captured and had said he was attached to Orde Wingate's group too. That was pretty much all we knew.
The photograph shown was probably taken at one of the Indian training camps in the late summer of 1942. It might well be that the Indian gentleman seated bottom right, was a bearer for the group. Each soldier normally paid an Indian servant to look after his kit, washing and mess duties etc. Often one servant took care of four or five men and became an integral part of barrack room life. The man standing on the right seems to be sporting an Orange Order sash as worn by the Loyalist Community of Northern Ireland during the marching season every summer, culminating on the 12th July each year. If this is correct, then the number depicted, 658 refers to the Greencastle Loyal Orange Lodge.
Can we name any of the other men with Arthur, who is standing in the centre of the back row.
Pte. Arthur Almond (centre of back row) and some pals from the 13th King's, India 1942.
Update 11/03/2017.
The photograph seen below was sent to me by Tom and Fiona French:
I would like to send you a photograph of Chindit Jim Kerbey, from Alperton in Middlesex. I am married to his niece Fiona. Jim Kerbey is the man on the right of this photo. I'm afraid we have no knowledge of who the other two men are or where the photograph was taken.
And so the question is as always, can we name the other soldiers depicted, or where the photograph was taken?
The photograph seen below was sent to me by Tom and Fiona French:
I would like to send you a photograph of Chindit Jim Kerbey, from Alperton in Middlesex. I am married to his niece Fiona. Jim Kerbey is the man on the right of this photo. I'm afraid we have no knowledge of who the other two men are or where the photograph was taken.
And so the question is as always, can we name the other soldiers depicted, or where the photograph was taken?
Chindit Jim Kerbey (right), with two other comrades.
Update 14/08/2018.
I was delighted to receive the following email contact from Michelle Leonard, granddaughter of Thomas Henry Kerbey:
Hi Stephen
Following my email last week, I would like to send you some pictures of my Grandad, Thomas Henry Kerbey. We have quite a few pictures of him, but we have sent just a few of our favourites. We have sent away for his full service record, but this is what we know about him in the meantime.
Thomas Henry Kerbey, known to some as Jim was born in Alperton in 1919 and grew up there. He was married to Dorothy Ethel Rose Bee in 1945 and they had two daughters, my Mum Brenda her sister Linda. He sadly passed away in 1970. My Grandad was in service with The Royal Engineers and the Chindits during WW2. Here are a couple of pictures of him we would like to share. The first one is a portrait of him in his Army uniform, showing his Chindit badge. The second photograph shows him with his mother, but sadly we do not know who the rest of his Army pals are in the picture. The third image shows Grandad in his tent with all his equipment around him and displaying all his family photographs from home.
We have also attached a photograph of another Chindit and friend of my Grandad; he is named as Sapper P. Raymond who we have identified from a group photo which has names written on the back. We do not have any other information about him, but thought you might like to add him to your website. Many thanks for your time.
Kind regards, Michelle and Brenda Leonard.
I would like to thank Michelle and Brenda for sending me these wonderful photographs. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
I was delighted to receive the following email contact from Michelle Leonard, granddaughter of Thomas Henry Kerbey:
Hi Stephen
Following my email last week, I would like to send you some pictures of my Grandad, Thomas Henry Kerbey. We have quite a few pictures of him, but we have sent just a few of our favourites. We have sent away for his full service record, but this is what we know about him in the meantime.
Thomas Henry Kerbey, known to some as Jim was born in Alperton in 1919 and grew up there. He was married to Dorothy Ethel Rose Bee in 1945 and they had two daughters, my Mum Brenda her sister Linda. He sadly passed away in 1970. My Grandad was in service with The Royal Engineers and the Chindits during WW2. Here are a couple of pictures of him we would like to share. The first one is a portrait of him in his Army uniform, showing his Chindit badge. The second photograph shows him with his mother, but sadly we do not know who the rest of his Army pals are in the picture. The third image shows Grandad in his tent with all his equipment around him and displaying all his family photographs from home.
We have also attached a photograph of another Chindit and friend of my Grandad; he is named as Sapper P. Raymond who we have identified from a group photo which has names written on the back. We do not have any other information about him, but thought you might like to add him to your website. Many thanks for your time.
Kind regards, Michelle and Brenda Leonard.
I would like to thank Michelle and Brenda for sending me these wonderful photographs. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
Update 26/03/2017.
Chindit Pte. John Bromley was the husband of Sara Elizabeth Bromley, of Chorley in Lancashire. I was very fortunate to make contact with the Bromley family back in April 2009, where I was able to speak in person to his son, Jim and his granddaughter Elaine. The family were generous enough to provide me with a photograph of John and three other men from the 13th King's (seen below), from their time aboard the troopship Oronsay in late 1941 and early 1942. Elaine also transcribed entries from John's pocket diary, which proved invaluable to me, especially in regards to the early movements of the battalion on arrival in India.
Pte. John Bromley, known to all as 'Jack', was a member of 8 Column on Operation Longcloth. After dispersal was called in late March, he was with a platoon of soldiers commanded by Captain Raymond Edward Williams. In early April 1943 this group had forded the Shweli River as the bridgehead protection platoon for 8 Column in order to cover the continued crossing for the rest of the unit. However, the boats which were ferrying the other men across were lost and swept away down stream, leaving Captain Williams and his men stranded on the opposite bank.
As daylight was running out and the chance of enemy interference was high, Williams moved his men away and into the jungle scrub a few yards from the river, where they remained overnight. The next morning there was no sign of Major Scott or the rest of 8 Column, and so Captain Williams decided to push on with his men, heading for the rendezvous point previously agreed by Major Scott and the other officers two days earlier. The two groups never saw each other again. Only one man from Williams' platoon managed to reach the safety of India that year and Jack Bromley was sadly killed in action whilst the group were preparing to cross the Irrawaddy River near the Burmese town of Zinbon.
To read more about Jack Bromley and the other members of Captain Williams' platoon, please click on the following link: Captain Williams and Platoon 18
Chindit Pte. John Bromley was the husband of Sara Elizabeth Bromley, of Chorley in Lancashire. I was very fortunate to make contact with the Bromley family back in April 2009, where I was able to speak in person to his son, Jim and his granddaughter Elaine. The family were generous enough to provide me with a photograph of John and three other men from the 13th King's (seen below), from their time aboard the troopship Oronsay in late 1941 and early 1942. Elaine also transcribed entries from John's pocket diary, which proved invaluable to me, especially in regards to the early movements of the battalion on arrival in India.
Pte. John Bromley, known to all as 'Jack', was a member of 8 Column on Operation Longcloth. After dispersal was called in late March, he was with a platoon of soldiers commanded by Captain Raymond Edward Williams. In early April 1943 this group had forded the Shweli River as the bridgehead protection platoon for 8 Column in order to cover the continued crossing for the rest of the unit. However, the boats which were ferrying the other men across were lost and swept away down stream, leaving Captain Williams and his men stranded on the opposite bank.
As daylight was running out and the chance of enemy interference was high, Williams moved his men away and into the jungle scrub a few yards from the river, where they remained overnight. The next morning there was no sign of Major Scott or the rest of 8 Column, and so Captain Williams decided to push on with his men, heading for the rendezvous point previously agreed by Major Scott and the other officers two days earlier. The two groups never saw each other again. Only one man from Williams' platoon managed to reach the safety of India that year and Jack Bromley was sadly killed in action whilst the group were preparing to cross the Irrawaddy River near the Burmese town of Zinbon.
To read more about Jack Bromley and the other members of Captain Williams' platoon, please click on the following link: Captain Williams and Platoon 18
John Bromley (second left) aboard the troopship 'Oronsay'. With L-R, Eric Horton, Pte. Williams and Stanley Howard.
In the early summer of 2016, granddaughter Elaine Livesey made contact for a second time and subsequently sent over some more photographs of Jack Bromley and many of his Chindit comrades. Most of these images are from the 13th King's time in India during 1942, leading up to their move to the Central Provinces and the Chindit training camp at Saugor. As you can see, there are some wonderful photographs depicted, but can we add any new names to the soldiers who feature within them? Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
The next group of photographs show not only Jack Bromley and some more of his Chindit colleagues, but also one of the exercises they took part in during Chindit training. In this instance building a rope pulley system across a small river and teaching the men how to get over the sort of obstacles they might encounter in Burma. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
Seen below is my favourite photograph from the Bromley collection. It shows Jack, seen in the second row, far right as we look, with a large group of his mates from the 13th King's battalion. This image was sent home by Jack in a letter dated, 8th December 1942. There are some familiar faces amongst the soldiers depicted, but only Tommy Vann, seen to Jack's immediate right can be identified with any certainty. It would be great to be able to identify some of the other men in time. I would like to thank Elaine, for allowing me to use these photographs on my website pages.
Tommy Lowles.
Update 07/08/2017.
In relation to the large group photograph shown above, I received the following email from Chindit son, Ken Lowles:
Hello Steve, what a surprise when I saw my Dad looking out at me from what you describe as "your favourite photograph from the Bromley collection" shown at the bottom of the page. My Dad is sitting in the middle row second from the left and has the centre hair parting. He was Tommy Lowles from the 13th King's Battalion (Liverpool). He survived the war and I was born in 1946. I will be very interested to read more of your website pages and receive any further information you can provide, as Tommy never spoke a word about his Chindit experiences. I have one or two photographs of my Dad from his Army days, which I can scan and send over and you can choose which of these you might want to use.
Although I had no specific paperwork or details about Tommy Lowles within my research files, I was able to furnish Ken with as much information about his likely involvement with the Chindits and the first Wingate expedition into Burma. Ken replied shortly afterwards and as promised sent me a couple of photographs of his father from his time with the 13th King's:
Steve, I want to acknowledge the value of your website as, for the first time, I am beginning to get some idea of Tommy's lifestyle during his four years on the sub-continent, and that is thanks to you and your large network of contributors. Sadly, my Dad died in 1974, aged just 58. I have started writing some text, but right now I am sending you my favourite photograph of Tommy and pal in a large-wheeled carriage somewhere in India. If you can cast any light on the finely dressed gentleman on the left in the wonderful head-dress then that would be appreciated.
The second photo must be aboard the troopship Oronsay, as my Dad has dated it December 1941, so within 3 weeks of his having left Liverpool on the 8th. The man alongside my Dad in the pony & trap is the same man who is seen in the middle of the Oronsay image. I should add that I have no names for anyone seen in the photos I possess; so maybe you or your readers can identify this particular soldier, as clearly he and my Dad seem to have become friends. With best wishes, Ken.
The photographs Ken has contributed can be seen in the gallery below. The image of Tommy and his pal in the rickshaw, operated by the man in the ornate head-dress and costume was actually taken at Durban in South Africa, which was the stop-over location for the troopship Oronsay in early January 1942, as the 13th King's continued their voyage to India. Please click on either image to bring it forward on the page. I would like to thank Ken Lowles for allowing me to place the photographs of his father on these website pages.
In relation to the large group photograph shown above, I received the following email from Chindit son, Ken Lowles:
Hello Steve, what a surprise when I saw my Dad looking out at me from what you describe as "your favourite photograph from the Bromley collection" shown at the bottom of the page. My Dad is sitting in the middle row second from the left and has the centre hair parting. He was Tommy Lowles from the 13th King's Battalion (Liverpool). He survived the war and I was born in 1946. I will be very interested to read more of your website pages and receive any further information you can provide, as Tommy never spoke a word about his Chindit experiences. I have one or two photographs of my Dad from his Army days, which I can scan and send over and you can choose which of these you might want to use.
Although I had no specific paperwork or details about Tommy Lowles within my research files, I was able to furnish Ken with as much information about his likely involvement with the Chindits and the first Wingate expedition into Burma. Ken replied shortly afterwards and as promised sent me a couple of photographs of his father from his time with the 13th King's:
Steve, I want to acknowledge the value of your website as, for the first time, I am beginning to get some idea of Tommy's lifestyle during his four years on the sub-continent, and that is thanks to you and your large network of contributors. Sadly, my Dad died in 1974, aged just 58. I have started writing some text, but right now I am sending you my favourite photograph of Tommy and pal in a large-wheeled carriage somewhere in India. If you can cast any light on the finely dressed gentleman on the left in the wonderful head-dress then that would be appreciated.
The second photo must be aboard the troopship Oronsay, as my Dad has dated it December 1941, so within 3 weeks of his having left Liverpool on the 8th. The man alongside my Dad in the pony & trap is the same man who is seen in the middle of the Oronsay image. I should add that I have no names for anyone seen in the photos I possess; so maybe you or your readers can identify this particular soldier, as clearly he and my Dad seem to have become friends. With best wishes, Ken.
The photographs Ken has contributed can be seen in the gallery below. The image of Tommy and his pal in the rickshaw, operated by the man in the ornate head-dress and costume was actually taken at Durban in South Africa, which was the stop-over location for the troopship Oronsay in early January 1942, as the 13th King's continued their voyage to India. Please click on either image to bring it forward on the page. I would like to thank Ken Lowles for allowing me to place the photographs of his father on these website pages.
 Tommy Lowles (right) in Durban, South Africa.
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 Tommy Lowles (right) and pals aboard the troopship Oronsay.
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Jack Case.
Update 15/06/2024.
In regards to the larger group photograph shown above, I was delighted to receive the following email contact from Michael Waddington:
I believe the soldier on the front row of the group photograph, second from the right and wearing the cap, is my late uncle, John Joseph Case (known as Jack). He was born 1st December 1917 in Ormskirk, where his father William Case was a Police Sergeant.
He had an older sister and a younger brother. His mother, Elizabeth, died when he was just six years old and his father remarried a year later, going on to have two more daughters with his second wife. By the start of the war, John, who was a porcelain enameler by trade and the family were living in Prescot and he joined the King's and eventually found himself with the Chindits. He never spoke about the war - ever!
He was out of contact with his family for around nine months during the retreat from Burma with the Chindits and eventually got back to Blackburn and thence to Aldershot to be de-mobbed. Along the way, and possibly even before his Burma service, he met his future wife Joan, who was from the Malvern area and worked in the NAAFI at one of the Army bases there. They married in 1946. They settled in Malvern/Worcester and Cheltenham areas over the next few years, starting a small business and working in one of the local hospitals. He suffered badly from recurring malaria (contracted on Operation Longcloth) during these years and eventually retired with ill health. Ultimately, they moved to Bishop's Cleeve, a small village near Cheltenham. Sadly, John died suddenly of a heart attack in March 1981 at the age of 65.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank Michael for his contact and for bringing his uncle Jack Case, to my attention and for enabling me to add yet another Longcloth Chindit to my roll of honour.
In regards to the larger group photograph shown above, I was delighted to receive the following email contact from Michael Waddington:
I believe the soldier on the front row of the group photograph, second from the right and wearing the cap, is my late uncle, John Joseph Case (known as Jack). He was born 1st December 1917 in Ormskirk, where his father William Case was a Police Sergeant.
He had an older sister and a younger brother. His mother, Elizabeth, died when he was just six years old and his father remarried a year later, going on to have two more daughters with his second wife. By the start of the war, John, who was a porcelain enameler by trade and the family were living in Prescot and he joined the King's and eventually found himself with the Chindits. He never spoke about the war - ever!
He was out of contact with his family for around nine months during the retreat from Burma with the Chindits and eventually got back to Blackburn and thence to Aldershot to be de-mobbed. Along the way, and possibly even before his Burma service, he met his future wife Joan, who was from the Malvern area and worked in the NAAFI at one of the Army bases there. They married in 1946. They settled in Malvern/Worcester and Cheltenham areas over the next few years, starting a small business and working in one of the local hospitals. He suffered badly from recurring malaria (contracted on Operation Longcloth) during these years and eventually retired with ill health. Ultimately, they moved to Bishop's Cleeve, a small village near Cheltenham. Sadly, John died suddenly of a heart attack in March 1981 at the age of 65.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank Michael for his contact and for bringing his uncle Jack Case, to my attention and for enabling me to add yet another Longcloth Chindit to my roll of honour.
Update 28/08/2017.
The photograph below was sent to me by the family of Pte. Thomas Worthington, a member of 7 Column on Operation Longcloth and a survivor of his time as a prisoner of war inside Rangoon Jail.
The image depicts eight POW's from Rangoon and was taken shortly after their liberation at the village of Waw on the 29th April 1945. Tom Worthington is the tall man, seen third from the right as we look. In front of him (second right) is Tommy Byrne and I believe, although I cannot be 100% certain, that the man seen third from the left is Leon Frank. It would be fantastic if over the course of time, we could identify the rest of the group.
Update 01/09/2023.
From the Liverpool Echo newspaper dated 28th May 1945 in which the image below appears:
When the Japanese realised that the recapture of Rangoon was imminent they collected all Allied POWs from Rangoon Jail and carried them, with the exception of the sick, towards Pegu. The photograph shown is of eight such men, all hailing from Liverpool and all liberated at Pegu. They are (L-R):
Pte. John Hibble and Pte. Charles Riley (1st King's), both captured during the second Chindit expedition, Pte. Frank Blanchard (13th King's) of 5 Column on Operation Longcloth, Pte. Ellis Caplan (13th King's) 2 Group HQ on Operation Longcloth, Pte. Charles Broadhurst (13th King's) 5 Column, Pte. Thomas Worthington (13th King's) 7 Column, Pte. Thomas Byrne (13th King's) 5 Column and Fusilier Michael Finn of the 10th Lancashire Fusiliers.
The photograph below was sent to me by the family of Pte. Thomas Worthington, a member of 7 Column on Operation Longcloth and a survivor of his time as a prisoner of war inside Rangoon Jail.
The image depicts eight POW's from Rangoon and was taken shortly after their liberation at the village of Waw on the 29th April 1945. Tom Worthington is the tall man, seen third from the right as we look. In front of him (second right) is Tommy Byrne and I believe, although I cannot be 100% certain, that the man seen third from the left is Leon Frank. It would be fantastic if over the course of time, we could identify the rest of the group.
Update 01/09/2023.
From the Liverpool Echo newspaper dated 28th May 1945 in which the image below appears:
When the Japanese realised that the recapture of Rangoon was imminent they collected all Allied POWs from Rangoon Jail and carried them, with the exception of the sick, towards Pegu. The photograph shown is of eight such men, all hailing from Liverpool and all liberated at Pegu. They are (L-R):
Pte. John Hibble and Pte. Charles Riley (1st King's), both captured during the second Chindit expedition, Pte. Frank Blanchard (13th King's) of 5 Column on Operation Longcloth, Pte. Ellis Caplan (13th King's) 2 Group HQ on Operation Longcloth, Pte. Charles Broadhurst (13th King's) 5 Column, Pte. Thomas Worthington (13th King's) 7 Column, Pte. Thomas Byrne (13th King's) 5 Column and Fusilier Michael Finn of the 10th Lancashire Fusiliers.
Eight surviving POW's are liberated at the village of Waw near Pegu, 29th April 1945.
Update 15/10/2017.
The next image is an unusual one in certain respects, as we already know the identity of the two soldiers depicted. These two photographs appeared in the Kingsman Journal, Summer 1985 edition and show Sgt. William Hoddant and CSM Lennie Moore in their Chindit uniforms and slouch hats. The caption suggests they served on the first Chindit expedition, however the date of the photograph, July 1944, makes it far more likely that they served with the 1st King's on Operation Thursday. Either way, can anyone add any more information about these two soldiers. Please click on the image to bring it forward on the page.
The next image is an unusual one in certain respects, as we already know the identity of the two soldiers depicted. These two photographs appeared in the Kingsman Journal, Summer 1985 edition and show Sgt. William Hoddant and CSM Lennie Moore in their Chindit uniforms and slouch hats. The caption suggests they served on the first Chindit expedition, however the date of the photograph, July 1944, makes it far more likely that they served with the 1st King's on Operation Thursday. Either way, can anyone add any more information about these two soldiers. Please click on the image to bring it forward on the page.
Update 22/03/2018.
I recently received an email contact from Sue Harris, the daughter of Chindit, Walter Albert Harlow:
My father was born on the 26th July 1919 in Derby and was christened, Albert Walter Harlow, however he was always know as Walter by the time he got married in 1941. Like so many men who fought in Burma, he never talked about his time in the Army. All I know is that he was a Chindit and came home with a Gurkha knife and suffered many bouts of malaria. I have placed the photographs shown below on other websites in the hope of discovering more about his time during WW2, but with no luck. I don't know which Regiment he was in before he became a Chindit, or what happened to him afterwards. I did apply to the MOD for his service records, but no records were found. I am hoping that someone may recognise him or one of the other men from the photographs and that this may give a clue to his Regiment or service. My father sadly died in 1996.
Any help or assistance in identifying details of Walter Harlow's war service, or any of the other men in the following gallery would be very much appreciated.
Update 12/05/2020.
I was pleased to receive another email communication from Sue Harris in relation to her father's service in Burma. Added to the gallery below is another photograph of her father, Walter Harlow, clearly showing the cap badge of the 45th Reconnaissance Regiment. This unit comprised Chindit Columns nos. 45 and 54 on Operation Thursday in 1944.
Update 21/10/2018.
I recently received an email contact from Chris Norris, the grandson of Chindit, Wallace J. Norris:
I'm interested in any information you might have on my grandfather Wallace J. Norris, affectionately know as Wal or Wally, and who served in Burma as part of the second Chindits. I believe he was with the Kings (Liverpool) Regiment. I have couple of photos from his time in India and I have seen him in a newsreel video, where General Wingate is inspecting the troops. This is really the extent of my knowledge, but I'd love to learn more. With regards to the newsreel, apparently my great grandmother, who had assumed she'd never see her son alive again, saw this without warning at the local cinema while he was away.
Please click on either image to bring it forward on the page.
I recently received an email contact from Chris Norris, the grandson of Chindit, Wallace J. Norris:
I'm interested in any information you might have on my grandfather Wallace J. Norris, affectionately know as Wal or Wally, and who served in Burma as part of the second Chindits. I believe he was with the Kings (Liverpool) Regiment. I have couple of photos from his time in India and I have seen him in a newsreel video, where General Wingate is inspecting the troops. This is really the extent of my knowledge, but I'd love to learn more. With regards to the newsreel, apparently my great grandmother, who had assumed she'd never see her son alive again, saw this without warning at the local cinema while he was away.
Please click on either image to bring it forward on the page.
Update 26/11/2018.
Seen below is a wonderful photograph of Pte. John Shaw (centre) from West Derby, Liverpool and two of his pals from the King's Liverpool Regiment. The photograph was taken in India during 1942 and I do know that John was originally with the 13th Battalion of the King's and had taken part on Operation Longcloth in 1943.
John became one of the very few Kingsmen to serve with the Chindits for a second time during Operation Thursday. Sadly, his participation was to be short-lived, when the glider he was aboard crashed in the Burmese jungle on the 5th March 1944 and the majority aboard, including Pte. Shaw were killed. His body was never recovered from Glider 20B and for this reason John is remembered upon Face 6 of the Rangoon Memorial. The question as always, is can we identify either of this Chindit pals?
Seen below is a wonderful photograph of Pte. John Shaw (centre) from West Derby, Liverpool and two of his pals from the King's Liverpool Regiment. The photograph was taken in India during 1942 and I do know that John was originally with the 13th Battalion of the King's and had taken part on Operation Longcloth in 1943.
John became one of the very few Kingsmen to serve with the Chindits for a second time during Operation Thursday. Sadly, his participation was to be short-lived, when the glider he was aboard crashed in the Burmese jungle on the 5th March 1944 and the majority aboard, including Pte. Shaw were killed. His body was never recovered from Glider 20B and for this reason John is remembered upon Face 6 of the Rangoon Memorial. The question as always, is can we identify either of this Chindit pals?
Pte. John Shaw, (centre) with two of his King's Regiment pals in India, 1942.
Update 20/01/2019.
Taken from a selection of stills, seen below are images of Operation Longcloth survivors at the 19th Casualty Clearing Station, Imphal. These were probably taken around the beginning of May 1943. Can we identify any of the men depicted? Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
Taken from a selection of stills, seen below are images of Operation Longcloth survivors at the 19th Casualty Clearing Station, Imphal. These were probably taken around the beginning of May 1943. Can we identify any of the men depicted? Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
Update 04/05/2019.
The following photographs come from a large collection in relation to the Chindit service of RAF Sergeant Maurice Holmes. They are from the training period in the Central Provinces of India during the latter months of 1942 and include an image of another RAF Sergeant as well as three group photographs. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
The following photographs come from a large collection in relation to the Chindit service of RAF Sergeant Maurice Holmes. They are from the training period in the Central Provinces of India during the latter months of 1942 and include an image of another RAF Sergeant as well as three group photographs. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
Update 14/09/2019.
The image below was sent to me by John Ashmore. It shows a soldier named James Hartless (centre) and four of his Army comrades in India from 1942 or possibly 1943. Can anyone identify any of the other men featured?
The image below was sent to me by John Ashmore. It shows a soldier named James Hartless (centre) and four of his Army comrades in India from 1942 or possibly 1943. Can anyone identify any of the other men featured?
Update 12/01/2020.
The image below is of Pte. Noel 'Sailor' Thompson (second left) of No. 5 Column on Operation Longcloth, with three of his mates from the first Wingate expedition during leave in Bombay in late 1942. Can anyone identify any of the other men featured? To read more about Pte. Thompson, please click o the following link: Lt. John Musgrave-Wood
The image below is of Pte. Noel 'Sailor' Thompson (second left) of No. 5 Column on Operation Longcloth, with three of his mates from the first Wingate expedition during leave in Bombay in late 1942. Can anyone identify any of the other men featured? To read more about Pte. Thompson, please click o the following link: Lt. John Musgrave-Wood
Pte. Frederick Griffiths MM RAMC
I was delighted recently (November 2020), to receive a family enquiry from Sue Langabeer, who has been researching her father's WW2 pathway which included service with the 77th Indian Infantry Brigade from October 1943.
Sue told me:
Hi Steve, I am enclosing some photos for your information and interest as promised. Dad was Private Frederick Griffiths, his Army number was 7383239 and he served with the Royal Army Medical Corps.
He enlisted in July 1940 as a medic and spent two years with the 6th Field Ambulance in the UK before being attached to 2nd Battalion, Durham Light Infantry and embarked overseas aboard the TMS Dempo part of convoy WS18, leaving Liverpool on the 15th April 1942. He was then attached to the 1st Battalion, the Royal Berkshire Regiment (part of the 26th Indian Infantry Division) and in March 1943 was awarded the Military Medal during an action in the Arakan region of Burma.
I believe it was this gallantry award that saw him joining 77th Indian Infantry Brigade in October 1943 and I am still researching and detailing his actions from this point onwards. I know that he was admitted to the 62nd Indian General Hospital at Dacca in May 1943, where he remained until September but have no idea why he was admitted. His records then have a long gap until March 1945, where he reports to the 2nd Training Wing, Special Force and remains until April 1945. In June 1945, he is sent to the Deolali Transit Camp and the Homeward Bound Trooping Depot. His records then say that in July 1945 he embarked from Bombay for the UK but as yet I have no details of the ship. I hope this information will be of interest to you.
As Sue mentions, Fred was awarded the Military Medal for his efforts in the Arakan during late March 1943. This was one of the most inhospitable areas of Burma consisting of razor-sharp mountainous ridges and malarial mangrove swamps. The Japanese had dug themselves into deep and impenetrable bunkers throughout the Arakan and removing them from these proved both arduous and costly in human life.
The Award of the Military Medal (Immediate).
Pte. Fred Griffiths-RAMC:
ATET NANRA PASS, MAYU PENINSULA, BURMA – 28 March 1943
The following eyewitness account is by Captain C.S. Smalley, 6 Field Ambulance, RAMC.
While moving up the Atet Nanra Pass, Mayu Peninsula on 28th March 1943, at about 10.30 hrs, with a Company of the 1st R. Berks, the Section under my command in company with the leading two platoons of the R. Berks came under fire from Japanese machine guns and grenades at close range. A Sergeant of the 1st R. Berks was wounded in the chest in the open ground some distance on our left flank. Pte. Griffiths, without orders, went out alone under fire and dragged him back to another stretcher party. He displayed the utmost initiative and coolness in this fact and undoubtedly saved this NCO’s life. In view of the above account, I have no hesitation in recommending Pte. Griffiths for the Military Medal.
Recommended 19th May 1943 (London Gazette 22nd July 1943).
I was delighted recently (November 2020), to receive a family enquiry from Sue Langabeer, who has been researching her father's WW2 pathway which included service with the 77th Indian Infantry Brigade from October 1943.
Sue told me:
Hi Steve, I am enclosing some photos for your information and interest as promised. Dad was Private Frederick Griffiths, his Army number was 7383239 and he served with the Royal Army Medical Corps.
He enlisted in July 1940 as a medic and spent two years with the 6th Field Ambulance in the UK before being attached to 2nd Battalion, Durham Light Infantry and embarked overseas aboard the TMS Dempo part of convoy WS18, leaving Liverpool on the 15th April 1942. He was then attached to the 1st Battalion, the Royal Berkshire Regiment (part of the 26th Indian Infantry Division) and in March 1943 was awarded the Military Medal during an action in the Arakan region of Burma.
I believe it was this gallantry award that saw him joining 77th Indian Infantry Brigade in October 1943 and I am still researching and detailing his actions from this point onwards. I know that he was admitted to the 62nd Indian General Hospital at Dacca in May 1943, where he remained until September but have no idea why he was admitted. His records then have a long gap until March 1945, where he reports to the 2nd Training Wing, Special Force and remains until April 1945. In June 1945, he is sent to the Deolali Transit Camp and the Homeward Bound Trooping Depot. His records then say that in July 1945 he embarked from Bombay for the UK but as yet I have no details of the ship. I hope this information will be of interest to you.
As Sue mentions, Fred was awarded the Military Medal for his efforts in the Arakan during late March 1943. This was one of the most inhospitable areas of Burma consisting of razor-sharp mountainous ridges and malarial mangrove swamps. The Japanese had dug themselves into deep and impenetrable bunkers throughout the Arakan and removing them from these proved both arduous and costly in human life.
The Award of the Military Medal (Immediate).
Pte. Fred Griffiths-RAMC:
ATET NANRA PASS, MAYU PENINSULA, BURMA – 28 March 1943
The following eyewitness account is by Captain C.S. Smalley, 6 Field Ambulance, RAMC.
While moving up the Atet Nanra Pass, Mayu Peninsula on 28th March 1943, at about 10.30 hrs, with a Company of the 1st R. Berks, the Section under my command in company with the leading two platoons of the R. Berks came under fire from Japanese machine guns and grenades at close range. A Sergeant of the 1st R. Berks was wounded in the chest in the open ground some distance on our left flank. Pte. Griffiths, without orders, went out alone under fire and dragged him back to another stretcher party. He displayed the utmost initiative and coolness in this fact and undoubtedly saved this NCO’s life. In view of the above account, I have no hesitation in recommending Pte. Griffiths for the Military Medal.
Recommended 19th May 1943 (London Gazette 22nd July 1943).
After his recuperation from serving in the Arakan, Fred was posted to the 77th Indian Infantry Brigade in the autumn of 1943 and began training for the second Chindit expedition, codenamed Operation Thursday. 77th Brigade was the senior Chindit Brigade on Operation Thursday and was commanded by the inspirational, Mad Mike Calvert. At the outset of the expedition in early March 1944, the Brigade was made up of the 1st King’s Liverpool Regiment, 1st Lancashire Fusiliers, 1st South Staffordshire Regiment, 3rd Battalion of the 6th Gurkha Rifles and the 3rd Battalion of the 9th Gurkha Rifles, with each unit providing personnel for two Chindit Columns. It is likely that Fred was attached in his role as Army Medic to one of these sub-units.
Annoyingly, due to the secretive nature of Operation Thursday, it is very common for no entries over the period November 1943/October 1944 to appear on soldier’s service records and this proved to be the case with Fred's papers. Also, with Fred being a member of an attached unit (Royal Army Medical Corps), it is unlikely that he would be named in any of the battalion war diaries or nominal rolls. Hopefully, more information about his Chindit experiences will come to light soon.
Seen below is a gallery of images in relation to this narrative, including a wonderful photograph of Fred alongside his WW2 medals. I would like to thank Sue Langabeer for sharing her father's story and for allowing me to include it here on these website pages. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
Annoyingly, due to the secretive nature of Operation Thursday, it is very common for no entries over the period November 1943/October 1944 to appear on soldier’s service records and this proved to be the case with Fred's papers. Also, with Fred being a member of an attached unit (Royal Army Medical Corps), it is unlikely that he would be named in any of the battalion war diaries or nominal rolls. Hopefully, more information about his Chindit experiences will come to light soon.
Seen below is a gallery of images in relation to this narrative, including a wonderful photograph of Fred alongside his WW2 medals. I would like to thank Sue Langabeer for sharing her father's story and for allowing me to include it here on these website pages. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
Update 26/11/2022.
I was delighted to receive the group photograph featured below from the family of Pte. Thomas James Hazeldine, who served with No. 8 Column on Operation Longcloth, but sadly died as a prisoner of war in Rangoon Jail. The image shows a large group of men from the 13th Battalion, The King's Regiment, probably at the Saugor training camp in July/August 1942. Tommy Hazeldine is seen on the extreme left of the photograph as we look at it. The only other man that can be identified so far, is Lt. Gordon Foulds who is seated centre wearing his full Army drill dress uniform. So the question is, can we identify any of the other men?
I was delighted to receive the group photograph featured below from the family of Pte. Thomas James Hazeldine, who served with No. 8 Column on Operation Longcloth, but sadly died as a prisoner of war in Rangoon Jail. The image shows a large group of men from the 13th Battalion, The King's Regiment, probably at the Saugor training camp in July/August 1942. Tommy Hazeldine is seen on the extreme left of the photograph as we look at it. The only other man that can be identified so far, is Lt. Gordon Foulds who is seated centre wearing his full Army drill dress uniform. So the question is, can we identify any of the other men?
Update 01/09/2023.
I was delighted to receive the following photographs from the family of CSM Thomas Thompson MM, who served with No. 8 Column on Operation Longcloth. The images shown take the 13th King's through their entire WW2 journey, from their time aboard the troopship Oronsay in late 1941, training in India and ultimately at the Napier Barracks in Karachi post Longcloth. The question as always is, can we identify any of the men featured in the photographs? Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
I was delighted to receive the following photographs from the family of CSM Thomas Thompson MM, who served with No. 8 Column on Operation Longcloth. The images shown take the 13th King's through their entire WW2 journey, from their time aboard the troopship Oronsay in late 1941, training in India and ultimately at the Napier Barracks in Karachi post Longcloth. The question as always is, can we identify any of the men featured in the photographs? Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
Update 07/10/2024.
In late September 2024, the following message was posted on the WW2 Talk online discussion forum:
Hi, I am trying to find information about my late father, Thomas Percy Tideswell (4918930) who served with the South Stafford's in India and Burma. He survived the war, but seldom spoke of his experiences, however I have managed to collect a few stories about him from my family. I am fairly confidant that he was at White City with Calvert's original force in March 1944, as I remember as a young man showing him a copy of The Victor boys comic which featured Lt. Cairns VC and asking if he was there - his solitary answer was yes! My eldest sister tells me that he was reported missing sometime in 1944, but had in fact made his way back to India with a small group of other men. He was then hospitalised for a period suffering from malaria, dysentery and exhaustion, the effects of which troubled him for the rest of his life. I have a number of photographs of him taken in India. My father had never learned to swim and told a story of crossing a river in Burma on two occasions by hanging onto a mule's tail. He was released from the Army at Hereford on the 9th March 1946.
Later, in email conversation, John Tideswell told me:
Hi Steve, my father was from Stoke-on-Trent and volunteered for Army service joining the North Staffordshire Regiment in 1940, even though he had been in a protected industry. He served on coastal defence duties at Great Yarmouth early in the war, before transferring to the South Staffords and then serving in India and later being dropped into Burma as part of 77 Brigade. He was reported missing in May 1944, but somehow made his way back to India where he recuperated from malaria, dysentery and a tapeworm before returning to England in 1946. My mother said when she answered the door to him on his return she did not recognise him! My eldest sister, who was a young girl at the time, recalled being frightened by his many recurring bouts of malaria which would take place over the following years. Seldom talking about his time in the war, he would only mention small snippets of his time in Burma, like the crossing of rivers holding onto a mule's tail, his hatred of leeches and how he enjoyed sharing exotic food with the Gurkhas. Poor health plagued my father throughout the remainder of his life, with him suffering badly from stomach ulcers and a chest condition until his death in 1983. I wondered whether placing some of his photographs up on your website might enable other families to identify the men pictured alongside him.
Seen below are some of the photographs mentioned by John in the above narrative. Apart from his father, I wonder if anyone can identify any of the other three soldiers shown? Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
In late September 2024, the following message was posted on the WW2 Talk online discussion forum:
Hi, I am trying to find information about my late father, Thomas Percy Tideswell (4918930) who served with the South Stafford's in India and Burma. He survived the war, but seldom spoke of his experiences, however I have managed to collect a few stories about him from my family. I am fairly confidant that he was at White City with Calvert's original force in March 1944, as I remember as a young man showing him a copy of The Victor boys comic which featured Lt. Cairns VC and asking if he was there - his solitary answer was yes! My eldest sister tells me that he was reported missing sometime in 1944, but had in fact made his way back to India with a small group of other men. He was then hospitalised for a period suffering from malaria, dysentery and exhaustion, the effects of which troubled him for the rest of his life. I have a number of photographs of him taken in India. My father had never learned to swim and told a story of crossing a river in Burma on two occasions by hanging onto a mule's tail. He was released from the Army at Hereford on the 9th March 1946.
Later, in email conversation, John Tideswell told me:
Hi Steve, my father was from Stoke-on-Trent and volunteered for Army service joining the North Staffordshire Regiment in 1940, even though he had been in a protected industry. He served on coastal defence duties at Great Yarmouth early in the war, before transferring to the South Staffords and then serving in India and later being dropped into Burma as part of 77 Brigade. He was reported missing in May 1944, but somehow made his way back to India where he recuperated from malaria, dysentery and a tapeworm before returning to England in 1946. My mother said when she answered the door to him on his return she did not recognise him! My eldest sister, who was a young girl at the time, recalled being frightened by his many recurring bouts of malaria which would take place over the following years. Seldom talking about his time in the war, he would only mention small snippets of his time in Burma, like the crossing of rivers holding onto a mule's tail, his hatred of leeches and how he enjoyed sharing exotic food with the Gurkhas. Poor health plagued my father throughout the remainder of his life, with him suffering badly from stomach ulcers and a chest condition until his death in 1983. I wondered whether placing some of his photographs up on your website might enable other families to identify the men pictured alongside him.
Seen below are some of the photographs mentioned by John in the above narrative. Apart from his father, I wonder if anyone can identify any of the other three soldiers shown? Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
Update 31/10/2024.
Seen below is a photograph of two Chindits in India. One can be identified as Sgt. F. Lawton (possibly Fred), but the other soldier, shown to the left of the image is unknown. Can anyone shed any light on who this man might be?
Seen below is a photograph of two Chindits in India. One can be identified as Sgt. F. Lawton (possibly Fred), but the other soldier, shown to the left of the image is unknown. Can anyone shed any light on who this man might be?
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