The Longcloth Roll Call
Surname P-T
This section is an alphabetical roll of the men from Operation Longcloth. It takes its inspiration from other such formats available on the Internet, websites such as Special Forces Roll of Honour and of course the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC). The information shown comes from various different documents related to the first Chindit Operation in 1943. Apart from more obvious data, such as the serviceman's rank, number and regimental unit, other detail has been taken from associated war diaries, missing in action files and casualty witness statements. The vast majority of this type of information has been located at the National Archives and the relevant file references can be found in the section Sources and Knowledge on this website.
Sometimes, if the man in question became a prisoner of war more detail can be displayed showing his time whilst in Japanese hands. Other avenues for additional information are: books, personal diaries, veteran audio accounts and subsequent family input via letter, email and phone call.
The idea behind this page, is to include as many Longcloth participants as possible, even if there is only a small amount of information about their contribution to hand. Please click on any of the images to hopefully bring them forward on the page.
All information contained on this page is Copyright © Steve Fogden April 2014.
Sometimes, if the man in question became a prisoner of war more detail can be displayed showing his time whilst in Japanese hands. Other avenues for additional information are: books, personal diaries, veteran audio accounts and subsequent family input via letter, email and phone call.
The idea behind this page, is to include as many Longcloth participants as possible, even if there is only a small amount of information about their contribution to hand. Please click on any of the images to hopefully bring them forward on the page.
All information contained on this page is Copyright © Steve Fogden April 2014.
The Ford Motor Car Plant, Dagenham.
PALMER, EDWARD JOSEPH
Rank: Private
Service No: 3780709
Age: 30
Regiment/Service: 13th Bn. The King's Regiment (Liverpool)
Chindit Column: Northern Group Head Quarters.
Other details:
Edward Palmer was born on the 10th March 1913 and lived and worked in Dagenham, Essex. At the time of his service with the 13th King's he lived with his wife Isabella at 56 Vincent Road in Dagenham. He 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.
Northern Group HQ spent most of its time in Burma in close association with Column 8 commanded by Major Walter Purcell Scott of the King's Regiment. When the time came to return to India, Colonel Cooke decided to disperse with Column 8 and the two groups merged to form one large unit of approximately 400 personnel. By mid-April the decision was made to break the column up into smaller dispersal parties, this was organised and many of the groups separated at this point.
Scott and Cooke remained together and were in the area around the Kaukkwe Chaung when they were ambushed by the Japanese whilst crossing the narrow, but fast flowing river close to the village of Okthaik. Many men were killed and others wounded at Kaukkwe Chaung on the 30th April 1943, the survivors quickly formed up into small dispersal groups and headed off westwards. It is very possible that this is where Edward Palmer became detached from the main party of Column 8.
Nothing much is known about this period of time in regard to Pte. Palmer or the other men with him. However, in the missing in action lists for the 13th King's and more precisely, those for Northern Group HQ, it is possible to link together a group of 5/6 men. These men have the same missing date, 10/07/1943. This date was given to soldiers who were missing, but known to have later become prisoners of war. The date does not really relate to an exact time of capture for the individual, rather that he had become a POW and was now present at Rangoon Jail.
The men who may well have been with Edward at the point of dispersal after the action at the Kaukkwe Chaung are:
Pte. E. Caplan
Pte. L. Coffin
Pte. D. Holland
Pte. E. Roberts
Pte. J. Taylor
'Sid' Caplan, Leonard Coffin and Ted Palmer all survived their time as prisoners of war, Douglas Holland and Elias Roberts sadly perished inside Rangoon Jail and John Taylor was lost to the group somewhere close to the Irrawaddy River and was never seen again.
Seen below are four images, one is a map of the area around the Kaukkwe Chaung, which was the location of the action with the Japanese on the 30th April. The other is a list of men shown in the missing in action files for the 13th King's, including the men mentioned above. The fact that they are listed together could be significant, or, it could just be coincidental. Also shown are two photographs sent to me by Mike Coffin, the son of Pte. Leonard Coffin. Perhaps some of the other men mentioned in this story are present in the group image. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
NB. It is now known (May 2015), that Leonard Coffin was not with the group of men that crossed the Kaukkwe Chaung on the 30th April 1943 and instead had been part of Wingate's own Brigade Head Quarters on Operation Longcloth. To read more about his story please click on the following link: Pte. Leonard Coffin
Rank: Private
Service No: 3780709
Age: 30
Regiment/Service: 13th Bn. The King's Regiment (Liverpool)
Chindit Column: Northern Group Head Quarters.
Other details:
Edward Palmer was born on the 10th March 1913 and lived and worked in Dagenham, Essex. At the time of his service with the 13th King's he lived with his wife Isabella at 56 Vincent Road in Dagenham. He 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.
Northern Group HQ spent most of its time in Burma in close association with Column 8 commanded by Major Walter Purcell Scott of the King's Regiment. When the time came to return to India, Colonel Cooke decided to disperse with Column 8 and the two groups merged to form one large unit of approximately 400 personnel. By mid-April the decision was made to break the column up into smaller dispersal parties, this was organised and many of the groups separated at this point.
Scott and Cooke remained together and were in the area around the Kaukkwe Chaung when they were ambushed by the Japanese whilst crossing the narrow, but fast flowing river close to the village of Okthaik. Many men were killed and others wounded at Kaukkwe Chaung on the 30th April 1943, the survivors quickly formed up into small dispersal groups and headed off westwards. It is very possible that this is where Edward Palmer became detached from the main party of Column 8.
Nothing much is known about this period of time in regard to Pte. Palmer or the other men with him. However, in the missing in action lists for the 13th King's and more precisely, those for Northern Group HQ, it is possible to link together a group of 5/6 men. These men have the same missing date, 10/07/1943. This date was given to soldiers who were missing, but known to have later become prisoners of war. The date does not really relate to an exact time of capture for the individual, rather that he had become a POW and was now present at Rangoon Jail.
The men who may well have been with Edward at the point of dispersal after the action at the Kaukkwe Chaung are:
Pte. E. Caplan
Pte. L. Coffin
Pte. D. Holland
Pte. E. Roberts
Pte. J. Taylor
'Sid' Caplan, Leonard Coffin and Ted Palmer all survived their time as prisoners of war, Douglas Holland and Elias Roberts sadly perished inside Rangoon Jail and John Taylor was lost to the group somewhere close to the Irrawaddy River and was never seen again.
Seen below are four images, one is a map of the area around the Kaukkwe Chaung, which was the location of the action with the Japanese on the 30th April. The other is a list of men shown in the missing in action files for the 13th King's, including the men mentioned above. The fact that they are listed together could be significant, or, it could just be coincidental. Also shown are two photographs sent to me by Mike Coffin, the son of Pte. Leonard Coffin. Perhaps some of the other men mentioned in this story are present in the group image. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
NB. It is now known (May 2015), that Leonard Coffin was not with the group of men that crossed the Kaukkwe Chaung on the 30th April 1943 and instead had been part of Wingate's own Brigade Head Quarters on Operation Longcloth. To read more about his story please click on the following link: Pte. Leonard Coffin
For more information about the battle at Kaukkwe Chaung, please follow the link provided below:
Frank Lea, Ellis Grundy and the Kaukkwe Chaung
According to Edward's POW records in the form of his prisoner index card, he was captured on the 7th May 1943 close to the banks of the Chindwin River. This means he was at large in the Burmese Jungle for about a week after the action at Kaukkwe and presumably had moved steadily in a westward direction before being captured at this final hurdle. He was taken to the POW concentration camp at Maymyo, before being sent down to Rangoon Jail by train in late May or early June.
He received his own unique POW number of 371 when he arrived at Rangoon, he would learn how to recite this number in Japanese at tenko roll calls every morning and evening for the rest of his time as a prisoner of war. All the captured Chindits were initially held in Block 6 of the prison, suffering very cramped and insanitary conditions, some, already malnourished and exhausted from their tribulations in Burma perished almost immediately.
For more information about Rangoon Jail and Maymyo Camp, please follow the link below:
Chindit POW's
Ted Palmer was not destined to be one of these unfortunate men. He slowly settled down to prison life in Rangoon and is in fact mentioned in one of the books written by a surviving Chindit Officer from Operation Longcloth. Lieutenant Philip Stibbe, in his book entitled 'Return via Rangoon' remembered Pte. Palmer and more specifically his engineering expertise:
"All the men in three block with any mechanical ability were made to work in Japanese workshops some distance outside of Rangoon. They all lived in the same room in the block and formed what was known as the mechanics platoon.
Graham Hosegood was the officer in charge of them, but he fell ill at the end of 1944 and had to return to 6 Block. He had always been most solicitous for the welfare of the men and he was widely mourned when he died in early 1945; his patience and cheerful friendliness had made him universally popular. When Graham went over to 6 Block I was put in charge of the mechanics platoon or the 'scruffs' as they called themselves after I had lectured them about their personal appearance and reproved them for being 'scruffy'.
Sergeant Smeraldo became my platoon Sergeant and we made ourselves most unpopular for a week or two by carrying on a 'smartening up' campaign in the platoon. However, after a certain amount of unpleasantness the scruffs seemed to settle down to the new regime quite well.
One of the mechanics was a Private Palmer, of Dagenham, a thoroughly good man from Wingate's Brigade. He provided Ted Horton and myself with a cut-throat razor made by grinding down an old car spring which he had picked up in the Japanese workshops. Ted and I used it every other day, and though he would never trust me to shave him, he used to shave me regularly."
It should be understood that it is very unusual for a Private soldier to be mentioned in a book or diary written about those times, especially by an officer, so it would appear that Pte. Palmer's skill in fashioning the razor must have had a lasting effect on Lieutenant Stibbe during his time as a prisoner of war.
As the war began to go against the Japanese, Allied war planes in the skies over Rangoon became a morale boosting sight for the beleaguered POW's. However, this situation came at a cost. Here is another quote taken from Philip Stibbe's book;
"Eventually Allied bombing raids became more frequent and heavier, they seemed to be concentrated on the Japanese dumps and workshops on the outskirts of Rangoon and on Mingladon Airfield. We had a very good view of the massed daylight raids : sometimes nearly 150 Fortresses came over, but our exhilaration at the sight of so much destruction was often marred by the knowledge that the mechanics platoon were working in workshops in the middle of the target area."
So, as you can see Ted Palmer was in constant danger whilst performing his role with the Rangoon Jail mechanics and in actual fact the prison itself received a direct hit from 'friendly fire' in late November 1943 where several prisoners and some Japanese guards were killed.
In the spring of 1945, as the the advancing 14th Army led by Bill Slim were closing in on Rangoon, an order was given for the occupying Japanese garrison to evacuate the city and the decision was made to take the fittest of the prisoners inside Rangoon Jail with them. Edward Palmer was amongst the 400 men chosen by the jail guards and the march commenced on the 25th April.
After four arduous days marching, the Japanese finally gave up the idea of trying to take the Allied POW's with them, as they attempted to exit Burma and cross the border into Siam. The 400 men were given their freedom on the 29th April at a village called Waw, near the town of Pegu. After an uncomfortable night spent in the scrub-jungle and some near misses with yet more 'friendly-fire', the men were liberated by a company of the West Yorkshire Regiment. Eventually Dakota planes were organised and the POW's were flown out to India and received hospital treatment for their various ailments and diseases. A period of rest and recuperation followed before the men were returned to their various Regimental units.
Pte. Edward Palmer would have returned to the 13th King's who by this time were garrisoned at Karachi. Eventually, he was repatriated back home to the United Kingdom.
Seen below are some photographs and images relating to the above story, please click on any image to bring it forward on the page or simply click on the forward arrow to view the next image in the gallery.
Frank Lea, Ellis Grundy and the Kaukkwe Chaung
According to Edward's POW records in the form of his prisoner index card, he was captured on the 7th May 1943 close to the banks of the Chindwin River. This means he was at large in the Burmese Jungle for about a week after the action at Kaukkwe and presumably had moved steadily in a westward direction before being captured at this final hurdle. He was taken to the POW concentration camp at Maymyo, before being sent down to Rangoon Jail by train in late May or early June.
He received his own unique POW number of 371 when he arrived at Rangoon, he would learn how to recite this number in Japanese at tenko roll calls every morning and evening for the rest of his time as a prisoner of war. All the captured Chindits were initially held in Block 6 of the prison, suffering very cramped and insanitary conditions, some, already malnourished and exhausted from their tribulations in Burma perished almost immediately.
For more information about Rangoon Jail and Maymyo Camp, please follow the link below:
Chindit POW's
Ted Palmer was not destined to be one of these unfortunate men. He slowly settled down to prison life in Rangoon and is in fact mentioned in one of the books written by a surviving Chindit Officer from Operation Longcloth. Lieutenant Philip Stibbe, in his book entitled 'Return via Rangoon' remembered Pte. Palmer and more specifically his engineering expertise:
"All the men in three block with any mechanical ability were made to work in Japanese workshops some distance outside of Rangoon. They all lived in the same room in the block and formed what was known as the mechanics platoon.
Graham Hosegood was the officer in charge of them, but he fell ill at the end of 1944 and had to return to 6 Block. He had always been most solicitous for the welfare of the men and he was widely mourned when he died in early 1945; his patience and cheerful friendliness had made him universally popular. When Graham went over to 6 Block I was put in charge of the mechanics platoon or the 'scruffs' as they called themselves after I had lectured them about their personal appearance and reproved them for being 'scruffy'.
Sergeant Smeraldo became my platoon Sergeant and we made ourselves most unpopular for a week or two by carrying on a 'smartening up' campaign in the platoon. However, after a certain amount of unpleasantness the scruffs seemed to settle down to the new regime quite well.
One of the mechanics was a Private Palmer, of Dagenham, a thoroughly good man from Wingate's Brigade. He provided Ted Horton and myself with a cut-throat razor made by grinding down an old car spring which he had picked up in the Japanese workshops. Ted and I used it every other day, and though he would never trust me to shave him, he used to shave me regularly."
It should be understood that it is very unusual for a Private soldier to be mentioned in a book or diary written about those times, especially by an officer, so it would appear that Pte. Palmer's skill in fashioning the razor must have had a lasting effect on Lieutenant Stibbe during his time as a prisoner of war.
As the war began to go against the Japanese, Allied war planes in the skies over Rangoon became a morale boosting sight for the beleaguered POW's. However, this situation came at a cost. Here is another quote taken from Philip Stibbe's book;
"Eventually Allied bombing raids became more frequent and heavier, they seemed to be concentrated on the Japanese dumps and workshops on the outskirts of Rangoon and on Mingladon Airfield. We had a very good view of the massed daylight raids : sometimes nearly 150 Fortresses came over, but our exhilaration at the sight of so much destruction was often marred by the knowledge that the mechanics platoon were working in workshops in the middle of the target area."
So, as you can see Ted Palmer was in constant danger whilst performing his role with the Rangoon Jail mechanics and in actual fact the prison itself received a direct hit from 'friendly fire' in late November 1943 where several prisoners and some Japanese guards were killed.
In the spring of 1945, as the the advancing 14th Army led by Bill Slim were closing in on Rangoon, an order was given for the occupying Japanese garrison to evacuate the city and the decision was made to take the fittest of the prisoners inside Rangoon Jail with them. Edward Palmer was amongst the 400 men chosen by the jail guards and the march commenced on the 25th April.
After four arduous days marching, the Japanese finally gave up the idea of trying to take the Allied POW's with them, as they attempted to exit Burma and cross the border into Siam. The 400 men were given their freedom on the 29th April at a village called Waw, near the town of Pegu. After an uncomfortable night spent in the scrub-jungle and some near misses with yet more 'friendly-fire', the men were liberated by a company of the West Yorkshire Regiment. Eventually Dakota planes were organised and the POW's were flown out to India and received hospital treatment for their various ailments and diseases. A period of rest and recuperation followed before the men were returned to their various Regimental units.
Pte. Edward Palmer would have returned to the 13th King's who by this time were garrisoned at Karachi. Eventually, he was repatriated back home to the United Kingdom.
Seen below are some photographs and images relating to the above story, please click on any image to bring it forward on the page or simply click on the forward arrow to view the next image in the gallery.
On the 3rd November 2013 I was fortunate to receive a contact email from Suzanne Bass, who is one of Ted Palmer's grandchildren. Here is what Suzanne had to say in her email correspondence:
Hello Steve,
My mother would dearly love to gather any information about her father Edward Joseph Palmer, of the 13th Kings Regiment who survived Burma and his time as a prisoner of war. Thanking you in advance for any information or guidance you might be able to give.
Later on Suzanne told me that:
Ted Palmer was a devoted husband and father to his three daughters, Doreen, June and my mum Sylvia. I am one of nine grandchildren and he was loved and still is loved by us all, he will always be in our hearts.
My Granddad was a private man and did not speak about the war very much, he and his wife, Isabella, my Nan, had a wonderful marriage, we were and still are a very close knit family and used to spend most of our weekends at my Nan and Granddads home. My Granddad worked at Ford Motors at Dagenham for forty years and to my knowledge never took a day off sick.
When I read the quote from the book you sent over, I thought how typical it was of Ted, grinding down an old car spring to make it into a cut throat razor, I feel very proud and privileged that my Granddad was so highly thought of. I showed a college friend of mine the POW paper work for Ted and he said he would try to get the Japanese translated for me, we were always under the impression the he was a prisoner of war for five years?
Eventually Suzanne shared all the new information with her mother, Sylvia and the rest of the family. She told me that:
Words cannot express my gratitude to you for finding the information on my beloved Grandfather that my mum and I have so desperately wanted over the years. We had the family over for lunch on Sunday, St Patrick's day, and we were very exited to share the news that we have gathered about Ted.
I'd like to take this opportunity to thank Suzanne and Sylvia, for all their help in bringing this story to these pages.
Copyright © Steve Fogden July 2014.
Hello Steve,
My mother would dearly love to gather any information about her father Edward Joseph Palmer, of the 13th Kings Regiment who survived Burma and his time as a prisoner of war. Thanking you in advance for any information or guidance you might be able to give.
Later on Suzanne told me that:
Ted Palmer was a devoted husband and father to his three daughters, Doreen, June and my mum Sylvia. I am one of nine grandchildren and he was loved and still is loved by us all, he will always be in our hearts.
My Granddad was a private man and did not speak about the war very much, he and his wife, Isabella, my Nan, had a wonderful marriage, we were and still are a very close knit family and used to spend most of our weekends at my Nan and Granddads home. My Granddad worked at Ford Motors at Dagenham for forty years and to my knowledge never took a day off sick.
When I read the quote from the book you sent over, I thought how typical it was of Ted, grinding down an old car spring to make it into a cut throat razor, I feel very proud and privileged that my Granddad was so highly thought of. I showed a college friend of mine the POW paper work for Ted and he said he would try to get the Japanese translated for me, we were always under the impression the he was a prisoner of war for five years?
Eventually Suzanne shared all the new information with her mother, Sylvia and the rest of the family. She told me that:
Words cannot express my gratitude to you for finding the information on my beloved Grandfather that my mum and I have so desperately wanted over the years. We had the family over for lunch on Sunday, St Patrick's day, and we were very exited to share the news that we have gathered about Ted.
I'd like to take this opportunity to thank Suzanne and Sylvia, for all their help in bringing this story to these pages.
Copyright © Steve Fogden July 2014.
Pte. Martin Parkes.
PARKES, MARTIN
Rank: Private
Service No: 6287635
Date of Death: 15/07/1943
Age: 22
Regiment/Service: 13th Bn. The King's Regiment (Liverpool)
Memorial: Rangoon War Cemetery, Grave 9.B.12.
CWGC link: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2261059/parkes,-martin/
Chindit Column: 8
Other details:
Martin Parkes was born in April 1912 and was the son of Martin (Senior) and Ellen Parkes from 76 Burlington Street in Liverpool. From his Army service number it can be ascertained that he had been originally posted to the Royal East Kent Regiment (known as the Buffs) during the earlier years of the war. By mid-1942 he had been sent overseas and transferred to the 13th Battalion of the King's (Liverpool) Regiment, who were training for the first Chindit expedition at Saugor in the Central Provinces of India. Pte. Parkes was allocated to No. 8 Column under the command of Major Walter Purcell Scott.
According to the official missing in action listings for No. 8 Column, Pte. Parkes was reported as last seen on the 18th April 1943. The column, alongside Northern Group Head Quarters had recently split up into smaller dispersal parties and were congregated close to the Irrawaddy River at a place called Myale. It is not known how Pte. Parkes became lost to his unit, or for how long he roamed alone in the jungle around the Irrawaddy. What is known, is that he was captured by the Japanese sometime afterwards and became a prisoner of war.
Eventually, all Chindit POWs were gathered together and sent down to Rangoon during the months of May and June 1943. It is not known when Martin Parkes arrived at Rangoon Central Jail, but sadly, we do know that he died in Block 6 of the prison on the 15th July. I would imagine that a combination of exhaustion and malnutrition suffered from the privations of the expedition and the fact that the Japanese did nothing to assist these men in any kind of recovery, were the main cause of his death at Rangoon. He had been allocated the POW number 509 in the jail and he was buried originally at the English Cantonment Cemetery in Grave no. 66, which shared with Pte. John Henry Taylor of No. 5 Column.
After the war was over, all burials at the English Cantonment Cemetery were moved across to the newly constructed Rangoon War Cemetery, located close to the city docks and this is where Martin Parkes lies today, alongside many of his Chindit comrades. To read more about the various Chindit related cemeteries and memorials, please click on the following link: Memorials and Cemeteries
Seen below is a gallery of images in relation to this story including an entry from the 8 Column war diary for the 18th April 1943. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
Rank: Private
Service No: 6287635
Date of Death: 15/07/1943
Age: 22
Regiment/Service: 13th Bn. The King's Regiment (Liverpool)
Memorial: Rangoon War Cemetery, Grave 9.B.12.
CWGC link: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2261059/parkes,-martin/
Chindit Column: 8
Other details:
Martin Parkes was born in April 1912 and was the son of Martin (Senior) and Ellen Parkes from 76 Burlington Street in Liverpool. From his Army service number it can be ascertained that he had been originally posted to the Royal East Kent Regiment (known as the Buffs) during the earlier years of the war. By mid-1942 he had been sent overseas and transferred to the 13th Battalion of the King's (Liverpool) Regiment, who were training for the first Chindit expedition at Saugor in the Central Provinces of India. Pte. Parkes was allocated to No. 8 Column under the command of Major Walter Purcell Scott.
According to the official missing in action listings for No. 8 Column, Pte. Parkes was reported as last seen on the 18th April 1943. The column, alongside Northern Group Head Quarters had recently split up into smaller dispersal parties and were congregated close to the Irrawaddy River at a place called Myale. It is not known how Pte. Parkes became lost to his unit, or for how long he roamed alone in the jungle around the Irrawaddy. What is known, is that he was captured by the Japanese sometime afterwards and became a prisoner of war.
Eventually, all Chindit POWs were gathered together and sent down to Rangoon during the months of May and June 1943. It is not known when Martin Parkes arrived at Rangoon Central Jail, but sadly, we do know that he died in Block 6 of the prison on the 15th July. I would imagine that a combination of exhaustion and malnutrition suffered from the privations of the expedition and the fact that the Japanese did nothing to assist these men in any kind of recovery, were the main cause of his death at Rangoon. He had been allocated the POW number 509 in the jail and he was buried originally at the English Cantonment Cemetery in Grave no. 66, which shared with Pte. John Henry Taylor of No. 5 Column.
After the war was over, all burials at the English Cantonment Cemetery were moved across to the newly constructed Rangoon War Cemetery, located close to the city docks and this is where Martin Parkes lies today, alongside many of his Chindit comrades. To read more about the various Chindit related cemeteries and memorials, please click on the following link: Memorials and Cemeteries
Seen below is a gallery of images in relation to this story including an entry from the 8 Column war diary for the 18th April 1943. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
PEYTON, ALFRED WIILIAM
Rank: Lieutenant
Service No: 201786
Date of Death: 15/04/1943
Age: 25
Regiment/Service: Royal Army Veterinary Corps attached 13th Bn. The King's Regiment (Liverpool)
Memorial: Face 19 of the Rangoon Memorial
CWGC link: www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2521442/alfred-william-peyton/
Chindit Column: Not known
Other details:
Alfred William Peyton was the son of Alfred and Nellie Peyton from Barham in Kent. He had graduated from the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (London) on the 17th December 1937 and began his carer as a vet in general practice. From the small amount of paperwork available in relation to his time with the Chindits, we do know that he posted to 77 Brigade Head Quarters in his capacity as a vet, but we cannot be certain that he went into Burma on Operation Longcloth with this section of the Brigade.
Alfred was lost on the 15th April 1943, during the early stages of 77 Brigade's return journey to India. The columns of Northern Section and Wingate's Brigade HQ had amassed on the banks of the Irrawaddy River at a place called Inywa on the 29th March with the view of crossing in one block. The Japanese appeared on the west bank and opened fire on the leading Chindit boats, resulting in the abandonment of the crossing. After this Wingate ordered the Brigade to break up into small dispersal parties and make their way back to Allied lines in this format. It is likely that Alfred was placed as an officer into one of these dispersal groups of around 25-30 personnel and began his journey back to India.
Sadly, nothing more is known about his time on Operation Longcloth or his death on the 15th April. After the war no grave was found for Lt. Peyton and for this reason he is remembered upon Face 19 of the Rangoon Memorial at Taukkyan War Cemetery. This monument is the centre-piece structure at the cemetery and displays the names of over 26,000 casualties from the Burma campaign who have no known grave. Alfred's estate was settled in May 1947, with all proceeds going to his father Alfred Peyton Senior, a builder by trade.
As a footnote to this story, the medals of Alfred Peyton were offered for sale on eBay in February 2017, selling in the end for just £110. Seen below is a part listing for officers lost on Operation Longcloth including Alfred Peyton. Please click on the image to bring it forward on the page.
Rank: Lieutenant
Service No: 201786
Date of Death: 15/04/1943
Age: 25
Regiment/Service: Royal Army Veterinary Corps attached 13th Bn. The King's Regiment (Liverpool)
Memorial: Face 19 of the Rangoon Memorial
CWGC link: www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2521442/alfred-william-peyton/
Chindit Column: Not known
Other details:
Alfred William Peyton was the son of Alfred and Nellie Peyton from Barham in Kent. He had graduated from the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (London) on the 17th December 1937 and began his carer as a vet in general practice. From the small amount of paperwork available in relation to his time with the Chindits, we do know that he posted to 77 Brigade Head Quarters in his capacity as a vet, but we cannot be certain that he went into Burma on Operation Longcloth with this section of the Brigade.
Alfred was lost on the 15th April 1943, during the early stages of 77 Brigade's return journey to India. The columns of Northern Section and Wingate's Brigade HQ had amassed on the banks of the Irrawaddy River at a place called Inywa on the 29th March with the view of crossing in one block. The Japanese appeared on the west bank and opened fire on the leading Chindit boats, resulting in the abandonment of the crossing. After this Wingate ordered the Brigade to break up into small dispersal parties and make their way back to Allied lines in this format. It is likely that Alfred was placed as an officer into one of these dispersal groups of around 25-30 personnel and began his journey back to India.
Sadly, nothing more is known about his time on Operation Longcloth or his death on the 15th April. After the war no grave was found for Lt. Peyton and for this reason he is remembered upon Face 19 of the Rangoon Memorial at Taukkyan War Cemetery. This monument is the centre-piece structure at the cemetery and displays the names of over 26,000 casualties from the Burma campaign who have no known grave. Alfred's estate was settled in May 1947, with all proceeds going to his father Alfred Peyton Senior, a builder by trade.
As a footnote to this story, the medals of Alfred Peyton were offered for sale on eBay in February 2017, selling in the end for just £110. Seen below is a part listing for officers lost on Operation Longcloth including Alfred Peyton. Please click on the image to bring it forward on the page.
Officer's listing for men lost on Operation Longcloth.
Casualty listings 13th King's Officers.
PICKERING, JOHN FRANCIS
Rank: Lieutenant
Service No: 207772
Date of Death: 15/06/1943
Age: 32
Regiment/Service: Royal Sussex/13th Bn. The King's Regiment (Liverpool)
Memorial: Kohima War Cemetery, Grave Reference 11.A.24.
CWGC link: http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2601938/PICKERING,%20JOHN%20FRANCIS
Chindit Column: Northern Group Head Quarters.
Other details:
John Francis Pickering was the son of John William and Catherine Pickering, of Paddington, London. He had been brought up in the London borough and lived with his parents at 87 Nutbourne Street in Queens Park for most of the years leading up to the war. With the coming of war, John decided to enlist and was posted originally to the London Irish Rifles. Later, he was transferred to the Royal Sussex Regiment. In the spring of 1942 he found himself aboard the troopship 'Athlone Castle' with a small draft of fellow officers from the Royal Sussex Regiment and bound for the tropical shores of the sub-continent.
After disembarkation from the port of Bombay the young 2nd Lieutenants from the Sussex Regiment, namely, Pickering, Stibbe, Bennett, Rowlands and Borrow were taken up to the Chindit training area of Patharia in the Central Provinces of India. They arrived during the second week in July and were quickly assimilated into various Chindit units, with John being posted to the Northern Section's HQ.
Promotion to Lieutenant quickly followed for all the new recruits and John was then sent down to the Indian town of Rawalpindi for training courses related to the requirements and duties of a new special forces officer.
On the operation in Burma, Northern Group HQ commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel S.A. Cooke shadowed Brigadier Wingate's own Brigade HQ for the majority of the time. They also worked in close harmony with Column's 7 and 8. When the call to return to India was given in late March 1943, Cooke and Column 8 commander, Major Walter Purcell Scott decided they would attempt to head back together. Unfortunately, after several brushes with Japanese patrols over the next ten days or so, these plans had to be somewhat abandoned and the units were broken down into smaller dispersal parties.
Amongst other duties within Northern Group HQ, Lieutenant Pickering had been given the task of preparing the supply drop locations in readiness for forthcoming air supply. This included choosing a suitable location, creating a sensible pathway for the supplies to land on and being responsible for illuminating the area in order for the aircraft to identify the supply drop zone or SD. In early April his HQ and Column 8 received one such supply drop from which the men not only restocked on much needed rations, but also took on new boots, uniforms, ammunition and most vitally of all, a new battery for the wireless set.
Approximately one week later, and after some minor engagements with the enemy, Scott and Colonel Cooke made the decision to break up their force into dispersal parties. From the book 'Wingate's Lost Brigade', author Phillip Chinnery describes events:
On 12th April, the front of the column was approaching a newly built bamboo bridge over a chaung when they bumped into a couple of Japs who turned and bolted back into the jungle. Intense firing broke out and Sergeant Bridgeman and Private Beard were killed, while Privates Lawton and Witheridge were both seriously wounded.
Most of the column turned around and disappeared along the track they had come down, leaving Major Scott and a small party isolated. It was not until the evening that the column reassembled and it was discovered that Lieutenant Horncastle and 14 others were missing. It was thought that they might have moved off as a separate party.
The column was up and moving at 0430 hours the next morning. The going was quite good but they now had three wounded on stretchers to carry with them. Major Scott and Lieutenant Colonel Cooke held an officers' conference and it was decided that they would request one last supply drop before breaking up into dispersal groups to cross the Irrawaddy.
The dispersal groups were arranged as follows:
Lieutenant Colonel Cooke, Lieutenant Borrow and half of Group Headquarters;
Lieutenants Pickering, Pearce and Bennett and the other half of Group Headquarters;
Major Scott with Column Headquarters, 17 Platoon and two sections of 16 Platoon;
Captain Whitehead and his Burma Rifles, less those already allocated to assist other dispersal groups, plus Flying Officer Wheatley and a section of 16 Platoon;
Lieutenants Carroll, Hamilton-Bryant with Support Group and 19 Platoon;
Lieutenants Neill and Sprague with the Gurkha Platoon and 142 Commando Platoon.
On 15th April, Captain Whitehead and his dispersal group, together with the stretcher party under Sergeant Parsons and the Medical Officer, Captain Heathcote, left the column. They planned to move to the east of Bhamo, thence north of Myitkyina to Fort Hertz. If this plan failed they would cross the Irrawaddy north of Bhamo and then go west towards the Chindwin. On the way they intended to leave the wounded at a friendly Kachin village.
Captain Whitehead's party had great difficulty getting down the eastern slopes of the mountains to the Bhamo Plain and the first villages they visited were deserted. The escort party under Lieutenant Hamilton-Bryant returned after a couple of days, anxious not to lose contact with the column. The decision of the Medical Officer to remain with Whitehead's group was rather controversial as it left the bulk of the column without a doctor. It was also a fateful decision as the party would be ambushed by the Japs on their journey out of Burma and many of the men were killed or taken prisoner.
Meanwhile the column received their supply drop on 17th April: four days' rations, corned beef and mutton, and another charged radio battery. The following day Lieutenants Neill, Sprague and Gillow left with their dispersal group, intending to drop on to the plain before heading for Myale where they proposed to cross the Irrawaddy.
Lieutenants Pickering, Pearce and Bennett and their group left for Watto on the Irrawaddy, and half an hour later Major Scott and the rest of the column continued on their journey to Sinkan. It had been decided that Lieutenant Colonel Cooke's dispersal group, together with that of Lieutenant Carroll, would remain with Scott for the time being, making a large party of six officers and 170 men, plus one mule with the wireless set.
Rank: Lieutenant
Service No: 207772
Date of Death: 15/06/1943
Age: 32
Regiment/Service: Royal Sussex/13th Bn. The King's Regiment (Liverpool)
Memorial: Kohima War Cemetery, Grave Reference 11.A.24.
CWGC link: http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2601938/PICKERING,%20JOHN%20FRANCIS
Chindit Column: Northern Group Head Quarters.
Other details:
John Francis Pickering was the son of John William and Catherine Pickering, of Paddington, London. He had been brought up in the London borough and lived with his parents at 87 Nutbourne Street in Queens Park for most of the years leading up to the war. With the coming of war, John decided to enlist and was posted originally to the London Irish Rifles. Later, he was transferred to the Royal Sussex Regiment. In the spring of 1942 he found himself aboard the troopship 'Athlone Castle' with a small draft of fellow officers from the Royal Sussex Regiment and bound for the tropical shores of the sub-continent.
After disembarkation from the port of Bombay the young 2nd Lieutenants from the Sussex Regiment, namely, Pickering, Stibbe, Bennett, Rowlands and Borrow were taken up to the Chindit training area of Patharia in the Central Provinces of India. They arrived during the second week in July and were quickly assimilated into various Chindit units, with John being posted to the Northern Section's HQ.
Promotion to Lieutenant quickly followed for all the new recruits and John was then sent down to the Indian town of Rawalpindi for training courses related to the requirements and duties of a new special forces officer.
On the operation in Burma, Northern Group HQ commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel S.A. Cooke shadowed Brigadier Wingate's own Brigade HQ for the majority of the time. They also worked in close harmony with Column's 7 and 8. When the call to return to India was given in late March 1943, Cooke and Column 8 commander, Major Walter Purcell Scott decided they would attempt to head back together. Unfortunately, after several brushes with Japanese patrols over the next ten days or so, these plans had to be somewhat abandoned and the units were broken down into smaller dispersal parties.
Amongst other duties within Northern Group HQ, Lieutenant Pickering had been given the task of preparing the supply drop locations in readiness for forthcoming air supply. This included choosing a suitable location, creating a sensible pathway for the supplies to land on and being responsible for illuminating the area in order for the aircraft to identify the supply drop zone or SD. In early April his HQ and Column 8 received one such supply drop from which the men not only restocked on much needed rations, but also took on new boots, uniforms, ammunition and most vitally of all, a new battery for the wireless set.
Approximately one week later, and after some minor engagements with the enemy, Scott and Colonel Cooke made the decision to break up their force into dispersal parties. From the book 'Wingate's Lost Brigade', author Phillip Chinnery describes events:
On 12th April, the front of the column was approaching a newly built bamboo bridge over a chaung when they bumped into a couple of Japs who turned and bolted back into the jungle. Intense firing broke out and Sergeant Bridgeman and Private Beard were killed, while Privates Lawton and Witheridge were both seriously wounded.
Most of the column turned around and disappeared along the track they had come down, leaving Major Scott and a small party isolated. It was not until the evening that the column reassembled and it was discovered that Lieutenant Horncastle and 14 others were missing. It was thought that they might have moved off as a separate party.
The column was up and moving at 0430 hours the next morning. The going was quite good but they now had three wounded on stretchers to carry with them. Major Scott and Lieutenant Colonel Cooke held an officers' conference and it was decided that they would request one last supply drop before breaking up into dispersal groups to cross the Irrawaddy.
The dispersal groups were arranged as follows:
Lieutenant Colonel Cooke, Lieutenant Borrow and half of Group Headquarters;
Lieutenants Pickering, Pearce and Bennett and the other half of Group Headquarters;
Major Scott with Column Headquarters, 17 Platoon and two sections of 16 Platoon;
Captain Whitehead and his Burma Rifles, less those already allocated to assist other dispersal groups, plus Flying Officer Wheatley and a section of 16 Platoon;
Lieutenants Carroll, Hamilton-Bryant with Support Group and 19 Platoon;
Lieutenants Neill and Sprague with the Gurkha Platoon and 142 Commando Platoon.
On 15th April, Captain Whitehead and his dispersal group, together with the stretcher party under Sergeant Parsons and the Medical Officer, Captain Heathcote, left the column. They planned to move to the east of Bhamo, thence north of Myitkyina to Fort Hertz. If this plan failed they would cross the Irrawaddy north of Bhamo and then go west towards the Chindwin. On the way they intended to leave the wounded at a friendly Kachin village.
Captain Whitehead's party had great difficulty getting down the eastern slopes of the mountains to the Bhamo Plain and the first villages they visited were deserted. The escort party under Lieutenant Hamilton-Bryant returned after a couple of days, anxious not to lose contact with the column. The decision of the Medical Officer to remain with Whitehead's group was rather controversial as it left the bulk of the column without a doctor. It was also a fateful decision as the party would be ambushed by the Japs on their journey out of Burma and many of the men were killed or taken prisoner.
Meanwhile the column received their supply drop on 17th April: four days' rations, corned beef and mutton, and another charged radio battery. The following day Lieutenants Neill, Sprague and Gillow left with their dispersal group, intending to drop on to the plain before heading for Myale where they proposed to cross the Irrawaddy.
Lieutenants Pickering, Pearce and Bennett and their group left for Watto on the Irrawaddy, and half an hour later Major Scott and the rest of the column continued on their journey to Sinkan. It had been decided that Lieutenant Colonel Cooke's dispersal group, together with that of Lieutenant Carroll, would remain with Scott for the time being, making a large party of six officers and 170 men, plus one mule with the wireless set.
Map showing the direction of Column 8 and Northern Group HQ once over the Irrawaddy in April 1943.
John Pickering must have gained some comfort to be paired with his former Royal Sussex comrade, Peter Bennett, in the dispersal group which would be led by Lieutenant H.S. Pearce. Not much has been written about the fate of this group in the books and diaries I have read, but, fortunately one member of the unit did put his experiences down on paper.
Lance Corporal George Bell throws some light on the story:
"After taking another supply drop, the decision was made to split up into smaller dispersal parties. Some headed for China, while others stayed together and marched due west. Our party under Lieutenant Pearce, about fifty strong, went north-north-west. Before splitting up we shook hands with all our pals in the other groups, several of them we would never see again. Our party included three officers and two Burmese who were in the Burma Rifles and could speak both English and Burmese. They saved our lives, as they were able to enter villages and obtain information about the whereabouts of the Japs. Apart from the one occasion when they got drunk as newts in one village on rice wine.
After leaving the other groups we made for a small village on the Irrawaddy, only to find as we arrived there that the village had been moved to the other bank a few years before. It was then that we realised that our maps had been drawn up in 1912 and were extremely out of date. We made off for another village further towards the north, but got bogged down in thick jungle and so decided to halt and sleep for a few hours. This turned out to be a stroke of good luck, as it transpired that a Jap patrol had spent the night in the village and had only just moved out. From that moment on I always felt that someone above was looking out for us.
As soon as it was dark we started to cross over in a boat with a villager rowing, the water came right up to the top of the sides, I couldn't swim and so was pleased to reach the other side still afloat. Throughout the night the boat crossed and re-crossed the river until everyone was over. By that time we had no way of contacting our air base and had to rely on local villages for food, boiled rice with no salt for breakfast, lunch and dinner! We had also become lousy and our clothes were disgusting. Leeches became a real problem, they got everywhere and I mean everywhere. We were told to use a lighted cigarette to burn them off, but this advice presumed we had cigarettes, which by then we did not. At one stage the heavy smokers amongst our group bought local tobacco from a village and used one of the lads bible for roll-up papers.
We marched sometimes 20 miles in a day, re-crossing the railway and two more minor rivers. One day we came across a Burmese man who could speak English, his story did not ring true to us and so we kept him with us under guard. After collecting more rice in the next village the headman warned us that this man had recently been in the company of a Jap patrol. It was decide that it was too dangerous to let him go and that he should be shot. My section took him away from the main group and one of the Burma Rifle soldiers shot him through the head. This left us with the feeling of being judge, jury and executioner.
We slogged on for a few more days, by which time our food supplies had completely run out. I brewed up with a tea bag that must have been used at least twenty times before. Around midday we were walking along a dried-up river bed when we saw some parachutes caught up in a group of trees. We approached them carefully concerned it might be a Jap ambush or booby trap, but it was a definite ration dropping, presumably for another of our parties. The packs gave us eight days rations per man, exactly eight days later we were in a small village when a British plane came over and spotted us on the ground. They dropped a message canister asking if we needed supplies, we answered them using cut parachute strips to mark out our numbers and needs. We waited for almost two days hoping they would return, but reluctantly we moved on, worried about the dangers of staying put in one place for too long.
Not long after that incident two of our lads whose feet were in an awful state needed time to rest and bathe their feet in a stream. The order was given to move off, but the two men said they wanted to remain for a short while longer and would attempt to catch us up later. They never returned to the main group and we heard later that they had been killed by the Japanese.
We pushed on again and eventually reached the Chindwin River. Some Burmese boatmen ferried us across near Tamanthi which was occupied by the enemy at that time. We marched quickly westward and came to an Assam Rifles outpost. Here we shaved off our beards which showed us how thin we had become, losing two or three stones in weight. After a few days rest in the camp we set off again, this time knowing we were safe.
Remarkably this seemed to make matters worse for some of the men. Our incentive to keep going was no longer there, physiologically we were in a poorer state and many of the lads health began to go down hill. Eventually we hit the road and were transported to the hospital at Kohima. It was here that Lieutenant Pickering and Private Sullivan sadly died, after all we had been through it was heartbreaking."
Lance Corporal George Bell throws some light on the story:
"After taking another supply drop, the decision was made to split up into smaller dispersal parties. Some headed for China, while others stayed together and marched due west. Our party under Lieutenant Pearce, about fifty strong, went north-north-west. Before splitting up we shook hands with all our pals in the other groups, several of them we would never see again. Our party included three officers and two Burmese who were in the Burma Rifles and could speak both English and Burmese. They saved our lives, as they were able to enter villages and obtain information about the whereabouts of the Japs. Apart from the one occasion when they got drunk as newts in one village on rice wine.
After leaving the other groups we made for a small village on the Irrawaddy, only to find as we arrived there that the village had been moved to the other bank a few years before. It was then that we realised that our maps had been drawn up in 1912 and were extremely out of date. We made off for another village further towards the north, but got bogged down in thick jungle and so decided to halt and sleep for a few hours. This turned out to be a stroke of good luck, as it transpired that a Jap patrol had spent the night in the village and had only just moved out. From that moment on I always felt that someone above was looking out for us.
As soon as it was dark we started to cross over in a boat with a villager rowing, the water came right up to the top of the sides, I couldn't swim and so was pleased to reach the other side still afloat. Throughout the night the boat crossed and re-crossed the river until everyone was over. By that time we had no way of contacting our air base and had to rely on local villages for food, boiled rice with no salt for breakfast, lunch and dinner! We had also become lousy and our clothes were disgusting. Leeches became a real problem, they got everywhere and I mean everywhere. We were told to use a lighted cigarette to burn them off, but this advice presumed we had cigarettes, which by then we did not. At one stage the heavy smokers amongst our group bought local tobacco from a village and used one of the lads bible for roll-up papers.
We marched sometimes 20 miles in a day, re-crossing the railway and two more minor rivers. One day we came across a Burmese man who could speak English, his story did not ring true to us and so we kept him with us under guard. After collecting more rice in the next village the headman warned us that this man had recently been in the company of a Jap patrol. It was decide that it was too dangerous to let him go and that he should be shot. My section took him away from the main group and one of the Burma Rifle soldiers shot him through the head. This left us with the feeling of being judge, jury and executioner.
We slogged on for a few more days, by which time our food supplies had completely run out. I brewed up with a tea bag that must have been used at least twenty times before. Around midday we were walking along a dried-up river bed when we saw some parachutes caught up in a group of trees. We approached them carefully concerned it might be a Jap ambush or booby trap, but it was a definite ration dropping, presumably for another of our parties. The packs gave us eight days rations per man, exactly eight days later we were in a small village when a British plane came over and spotted us on the ground. They dropped a message canister asking if we needed supplies, we answered them using cut parachute strips to mark out our numbers and needs. We waited for almost two days hoping they would return, but reluctantly we moved on, worried about the dangers of staying put in one place for too long.
Not long after that incident two of our lads whose feet were in an awful state needed time to rest and bathe their feet in a stream. The order was given to move off, but the two men said they wanted to remain for a short while longer and would attempt to catch us up later. They never returned to the main group and we heard later that they had been killed by the Japanese.
We pushed on again and eventually reached the Chindwin River. Some Burmese boatmen ferried us across near Tamanthi which was occupied by the enemy at that time. We marched quickly westward and came to an Assam Rifles outpost. Here we shaved off our beards which showed us how thin we had become, losing two or three stones in weight. After a few days rest in the camp we set off again, this time knowing we were safe.
Remarkably this seemed to make matters worse for some of the men. Our incentive to keep going was no longer there, physiologically we were in a poorer state and many of the lads health began to go down hill. Eventually we hit the road and were transported to the hospital at Kohima. It was here that Lieutenant Pickering and Private Sullivan sadly died, after all we had been through it was heartbreaking."
The village of Tamanthi on the Chindwin, where John Pickering and his dispersal party crossed over to the safety of Allied held territory.
John Francis Pickering died on the 15th June 1943 in the Indian General Hospital at Kohima, on the informational listing for Longcloth casualties this is noted as 53 I.G.H. followed by the cause of death, in John's case; Acute Suppurative Parotitis, Malaria, B.T. (R) and Inanition.
Inanition is the exhausted condition that results from the lack of regular food and water, which can be no great surprise considering the privations most of the Chindits experienced that year.
Suppurative parotitis is an acute infection of the parotid gland which can be caused by a variety of bacteria and viruses. Acute bacterial suppurative parotitis is most commonly caused by severe debilitation, dehydration, and poor oral hygiene. The parotid glands are located on the sides of the face, anterior to the external auditory canal, superior to the angle of the mandible, and inferior to the zygomatic arch. The condition can be further aggravated by the loss of saliva production in the mouth, a symptom common during the dehydration process.
Once again we seem to witness a man's life or death struggle to survive the terrors and hardship of the first Chindit expedition and with a determination to escape Burma in one piece, only for his body to give out once he relaxes in the apparent safety of an Allied Hospital bed.
Lieutenant Pickering was buried at Kohima War Cemetery, he was joined there by Pte. George Sullivan a former member of Column 8 on Operation Longcloth, who had also died whilst in Kohima Hospital. George was suffering from exhaustion and fatigue like most others, but his cause of death was recorded as 'uraemic infection and kidney failure.'
In his official Army Will, John Pickering had decided to leave all his estate and personal effects to 'spinster', Kathleen Pickering, presumably his paternal Aunt.
Seen below are a selection of images in relation to John Francis Pickering and his story, including some photographs of the men he served with during his time in India and Burma. There is also an official communique from the CWCG to all families of casualties from the Burma campaign, explaining why the style of memorial plaque was chosen. Please click on each image to bring them forward.
Inanition is the exhausted condition that results from the lack of regular food and water, which can be no great surprise considering the privations most of the Chindits experienced that year.
Suppurative parotitis is an acute infection of the parotid gland which can be caused by a variety of bacteria and viruses. Acute bacterial suppurative parotitis is most commonly caused by severe debilitation, dehydration, and poor oral hygiene. The parotid glands are located on the sides of the face, anterior to the external auditory canal, superior to the angle of the mandible, and inferior to the zygomatic arch. The condition can be further aggravated by the loss of saliva production in the mouth, a symptom common during the dehydration process.
Once again we seem to witness a man's life or death struggle to survive the terrors and hardship of the first Chindit expedition and with a determination to escape Burma in one piece, only for his body to give out once he relaxes in the apparent safety of an Allied Hospital bed.
Lieutenant Pickering was buried at Kohima War Cemetery, he was joined there by Pte. George Sullivan a former member of Column 8 on Operation Longcloth, who had also died whilst in Kohima Hospital. George was suffering from exhaustion and fatigue like most others, but his cause of death was recorded as 'uraemic infection and kidney failure.'
In his official Army Will, John Pickering had decided to leave all his estate and personal effects to 'spinster', Kathleen Pickering, presumably his paternal Aunt.
Seen below are a selection of images in relation to John Francis Pickering and his story, including some photographs of the men he served with during his time in India and Burma. There is also an official communique from the CWCG to all families of casualties from the Burma campaign, explaining why the style of memorial plaque was chosen. Please click on each image to bring them forward.
Copyright © Steve Fogden April 2014. With thanks to Phil Chinnery.
Captain John Swafer Pickering MC
PICKERING, JOHN SWAFER
Rank: Captain
Service No: 135798
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Chindit Column: 7
Other details:
John Swafer Pickering, known as Jacksie to his Army comrades, joined the ranks of the 13th King's as a 2nd Lieutenant, on the 4th September 1940 whilst the battalion were stationed at Glasgow. He soon settled in to his new surroundings and was steadily promoted within the King's, eventually reaching the rank of Captain in late 1941, as the battalion were readying themselves for overseas duties.
John travelled with the King's aboard the troopship Oronsay, which took the unit to South Africa, arriving at Durban in early January 1942 for a five-day stop-over, before the battalion were transferred to another ship (RMS Andes) for the final leg of their voyage to India.
Captain Pickering was posted as second in command to Chindit Column No. 7, under the overall leadership of Major Kenneth Gilkes, formerly of the North Staffordshire Regiment. Towards the end of Operation Longcloth it was decided by Gilkes to take his column out of Burma via the Chinese borders. Captain Pickering took on the command of the column in early May 1943, as it marched northeast into Yunnan Province and was at the head of the column as it entered into Paoshan on the 4th June. Meanwhile, Major Gilkes and a small party of other officers had pushed on ahead to make contact with Chinese troops and arrange food and lodging for the rest of the column.
To read more about No. 7 Column's experiences in 1943, please click on the following link: Leslie Randle Cottrell
For his efforts on the first Wingate expedition, John Pickering was awarded the Military Cross:
Rank and Name: Captain 135798 John Swaffer Pickering
Action for which recommended:
Operations in Burma, March - April 1943
On 29th March 1943 an attempt was being made to ferry a force of about 1,000 men across the Irrawaddy River at Inywa. Two platoons had successfully crossed when fire was opened from the bank to which the crossing was taking place. Captain Pickering had just begun passage of the river in a native boat when the firing broke out, but he continued the crossing undeterred by the constant fire from enemy snipers and light machine guns and succeeded in landing his party.
He then, unaccompanied, paddled the boat back across the river to the far bank regardless of the fire which was now being concentrated upon himself. The boat was heavy and his progress extremely slow, and the river was 1,000 yards wide. He arrived at the bank untouched and willing to make a further crossing. His coolness and complete disregard of danger was remarkable throughout.
Award: Military Cross
Recommended By: Major K.D. Gilkes, Column Commander
77th Indian Infantry Brigade Group
Signed Off By: Brigadier O.C. Wingate, Commander, 77 Indian Infantry Brigade.
(London Gazette 16.12.1943).
News of John Pickering's award reached home immediately after the announcement in the London Gazette. In the Birmingham Mail the following day (17th December 1943) came the following short report:
MC medal for Birmingham Officer
The London Gazette announces the award of the Military Cross, to Birmingham born Captain J.S. Pickering of the King's Regiment. This is in recognition of his gallant and distinguished service during operations in Burma from February-May 1943. Captain Arthur Hill of Rugeley (Lincolnshire Regiment) has received the same award.
Rank: Captain
Service No: 135798
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Chindit Column: 7
Other details:
John Swafer Pickering, known as Jacksie to his Army comrades, joined the ranks of the 13th King's as a 2nd Lieutenant, on the 4th September 1940 whilst the battalion were stationed at Glasgow. He soon settled in to his new surroundings and was steadily promoted within the King's, eventually reaching the rank of Captain in late 1941, as the battalion were readying themselves for overseas duties.
John travelled with the King's aboard the troopship Oronsay, which took the unit to South Africa, arriving at Durban in early January 1942 for a five-day stop-over, before the battalion were transferred to another ship (RMS Andes) for the final leg of their voyage to India.
Captain Pickering was posted as second in command to Chindit Column No. 7, under the overall leadership of Major Kenneth Gilkes, formerly of the North Staffordshire Regiment. Towards the end of Operation Longcloth it was decided by Gilkes to take his column out of Burma via the Chinese borders. Captain Pickering took on the command of the column in early May 1943, as it marched northeast into Yunnan Province and was at the head of the column as it entered into Paoshan on the 4th June. Meanwhile, Major Gilkes and a small party of other officers had pushed on ahead to make contact with Chinese troops and arrange food and lodging for the rest of the column.
To read more about No. 7 Column's experiences in 1943, please click on the following link: Leslie Randle Cottrell
For his efforts on the first Wingate expedition, John Pickering was awarded the Military Cross:
Rank and Name: Captain 135798 John Swaffer Pickering
Action for which recommended:
Operations in Burma, March - April 1943
On 29th March 1943 an attempt was being made to ferry a force of about 1,000 men across the Irrawaddy River at Inywa. Two platoons had successfully crossed when fire was opened from the bank to which the crossing was taking place. Captain Pickering had just begun passage of the river in a native boat when the firing broke out, but he continued the crossing undeterred by the constant fire from enemy snipers and light machine guns and succeeded in landing his party.
He then, unaccompanied, paddled the boat back across the river to the far bank regardless of the fire which was now being concentrated upon himself. The boat was heavy and his progress extremely slow, and the river was 1,000 yards wide. He arrived at the bank untouched and willing to make a further crossing. His coolness and complete disregard of danger was remarkable throughout.
Award: Military Cross
Recommended By: Major K.D. Gilkes, Column Commander
77th Indian Infantry Brigade Group
Signed Off By: Brigadier O.C. Wingate, Commander, 77 Indian Infantry Brigade.
(London Gazette 16.12.1943).
News of John Pickering's award reached home immediately after the announcement in the London Gazette. In the Birmingham Mail the following day (17th December 1943) came the following short report:
MC medal for Birmingham Officer
The London Gazette announces the award of the Military Cross, to Birmingham born Captain J.S. Pickering of the King's Regiment. This is in recognition of his gallant and distinguished service during operations in Burma from February-May 1943. Captain Arthur Hill of Rugeley (Lincolnshire Regiment) has received the same award.
Captain Pickering (far left) receives his Military Cross alongside four other gallantry medal winners from Operation Longcloth. Karachi 13th March 1944.
After Operation Longcloth concluded in June 1943, the surviving members of 13th King's were sent to various hospitals in India followed by a long period of rest and recuperation. The battalion was eventually reorganised and stationed for the rest of it's time in India, at the Napier Barracks in Karachi. As one of the more senior officers, Captain Pickering was tasked with various administrational duties. This included having to write to the families of the many soldiers who had not returned from Burma after the first Wingate expedition. Shown below is a letter (dated 2nd September 1943) written by Pickering to the mother of Lieutenant Thomas Arthur Stock, an officer serving with No. 7 Column who had been captured by the Japanese shortly after the aborted crossing of the Irrawaddy on the 29th March 1943.
Dear Mrs. Stock,
The powers that be have instructed me to look after your son's things, and on going through his box this morning I came across a couple of unsigned letters which I think you may like to have. I am also sending a list of his correspondence, which seems to give the names of people in whom he was interested. His actual kit is of no particular value, being mostly uniform of one sort or another. I have packed it up, and it will be sent off to the 2nd Echelon (Jhansi), who look after these things.
I should like to say how very sorry I was to hear that your son was missing. I know for a fact that he had joined up with other officers and men on the morning of the 29th March on the west banks of the Irrawaddy. I did not see him afterwards, as I had to rejoin the bulk of the column who were still on the eastern side of the river. It seems that Tom and one or two men got separated from their party a few days later, and I think it very likely that they may all be prisoners. I know that the Japanese hold quite a number of prisoners, and you must continue to hope that he is among them. I want you to know what a stout show Tom put up in Burma. As you know, he only joined us at the eleventh hour, and in consequence missed all the strenuous training. In spite of this disadvantage and it was a big handicap, as our activities were pretty searching both mentally and physically, he was settling down well, and becoming more useful every day.
Our column eventually landed in China, and we were flown home in an hour and three quarters! The Chinese and Americans couldn't do too much for us. Since then we have had a spell of anti-malaria treatment in hospital, a month's leave, and we are now shaking down again as a battalion. You may depend that I shall do what I can for your son's things, and if there is anything I can do for you please don't hesitate to ask.
Yours sincerely, J.S. Pickering.
As mentioned previously, the 13th King's remained at Karachi for the rest of war and on the 1st March 1945, the newly promoted Major Pickering assumed command of the battalion for a period of three weeks, while Lieutenant-Colonel A.J. Newall was away on other duties. The battalion was disbanded on the 5th December 1945, after all personnel had either been transferred to other units, or been repatriated to the United Kingdom. The battalion war diary stated that:
On the 10th July 1945: Majors J.S. Pickering (MC), J. Coughlan, H. Cotton and Lieutenant Quartermaster W. Livingstone, left for repatriation to the UK after long service with the battalion.
Seen below is a gallery of images in relation to this story, including the original citation for John Pickering's Military Cross, please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
Cap badge of the Royal Engineers.
PIKE, RONALD
Rank: Corporal
Service No: 1873420
Regiment/Service: Royal Engineers att. The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Chindit Column: 5
Other details:
Ronald Pike was from Sidmouth in Devon and had served with the Royal Engineers during the early years of WW2, before being posted overseas. On the 8th September 1942, he joined the ranks of 142 Commando at their Abchand training camp in the Central Provinces of India and began his involvement with the Chindits.
Ronald was posted to No. 5 Column Commando Platoon under the command, firstly of Lt. David Whitehead of the Royal Engineers and ultimately in Burma under the leadership of Captain Jim Harman of the Gloucestershire Regiment. No. 5 Column was commanded by Major Bernard Fergusson of the Black Watch, and it is from his book, Beyond the Chindwin, that we learn most about Corporal Pike's contribution on Operation Longcloth.
Fergusson's main task in 1943, was to organise the demolition of the Mandalay-Myitkhina railway line close to the village of Bonchaung. His commandos were set their objectives and went about their business in a methodical and professional manner. Fergusson recalled:
As time went on, I became more and more anxious to hurry to Bonchaung, and so I told Gerry (Roberts) to come on with men and animals as fast as he could, while I pushed on ahead with Peter Dorans. We got there just after five o'clock on the 6th March, to find everybody in position. David Whitehead, Corporal Pike, and various other sappers were sitting on the bridge with their legs swinging, working away like civvies.
I found Duncan Menzies, who told me that Jim Harman (and Sgt. Pester) had had a bad time in the jungle, and had turned up at Bonchaung half an hour before, having got hopelessly bushed: he had now set off down the railway line towards the gorge. David hoped to have the bridge ready for blowing at half-past eight or nine; he had already laid a "hasty" demolition, which we could blow if interrupted. Until he was ready there was nothing whatever to be done, bar have a cup of tea and I had several. Duncan had everybody ready to move at nine, mules loaded and all. David gave us five minutes warning, and told us that the big bang would be preceded by a little bang. The little bang duly went off, and there was a short delay; then ……..
The flash illumined the whole hillside. It showed the men standing tense and waiting, the muleteers with a good grip of their mules; and the brown of the path and the green of the trees preternaturally vivid. Then came the bang. The mules plunged and kicked, the hills for miles around rolled the noise of it about their hollows and flung it to their neighbours. Mike Calvert and John Fraser heard it away in their distant bivouacs; and all of us hoped that John Kerr and his little group of abandoned men, whose sacrifice at Kyaik-in had helped to make it possible, heard it also, and knew that we had accomplished that which we had come so far to do. Four miles farther on we met Alec MacDonald's guides; and just as we were going into bivouac we heard another great explosion, and knew that Jim Harman had blown the gorge.
Seen below is a gallery of images in relation to the first part of the story, including the nominal roll for No. 5 Column's commando Platoon. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
Rank: Corporal
Service No: 1873420
Regiment/Service: Royal Engineers att. The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Chindit Column: 5
Other details:
Ronald Pike was from Sidmouth in Devon and had served with the Royal Engineers during the early years of WW2, before being posted overseas. On the 8th September 1942, he joined the ranks of 142 Commando at their Abchand training camp in the Central Provinces of India and began his involvement with the Chindits.
Ronald was posted to No. 5 Column Commando Platoon under the command, firstly of Lt. David Whitehead of the Royal Engineers and ultimately in Burma under the leadership of Captain Jim Harman of the Gloucestershire Regiment. No. 5 Column was commanded by Major Bernard Fergusson of the Black Watch, and it is from his book, Beyond the Chindwin, that we learn most about Corporal Pike's contribution on Operation Longcloth.
Fergusson's main task in 1943, was to organise the demolition of the Mandalay-Myitkhina railway line close to the village of Bonchaung. His commandos were set their objectives and went about their business in a methodical and professional manner. Fergusson recalled:
As time went on, I became more and more anxious to hurry to Bonchaung, and so I told Gerry (Roberts) to come on with men and animals as fast as he could, while I pushed on ahead with Peter Dorans. We got there just after five o'clock on the 6th March, to find everybody in position. David Whitehead, Corporal Pike, and various other sappers were sitting on the bridge with their legs swinging, working away like civvies.
I found Duncan Menzies, who told me that Jim Harman (and Sgt. Pester) had had a bad time in the jungle, and had turned up at Bonchaung half an hour before, having got hopelessly bushed: he had now set off down the railway line towards the gorge. David hoped to have the bridge ready for blowing at half-past eight or nine; he had already laid a "hasty" demolition, which we could blow if interrupted. Until he was ready there was nothing whatever to be done, bar have a cup of tea and I had several. Duncan had everybody ready to move at nine, mules loaded and all. David gave us five minutes warning, and told us that the big bang would be preceded by a little bang. The little bang duly went off, and there was a short delay; then ……..
The flash illumined the whole hillside. It showed the men standing tense and waiting, the muleteers with a good grip of their mules; and the brown of the path and the green of the trees preternaturally vivid. Then came the bang. The mules plunged and kicked, the hills for miles around rolled the noise of it about their hollows and flung it to their neighbours. Mike Calvert and John Fraser heard it away in their distant bivouacs; and all of us hoped that John Kerr and his little group of abandoned men, whose sacrifice at Kyaik-in had helped to make it possible, heard it also, and knew that we had accomplished that which we had come so far to do. Four miles farther on we met Alec MacDonald's guides; and just as we were going into bivouac we heard another great explosion, and knew that Jim Harman had blown the gorge.
Seen below is a gallery of images in relation to the first part of the story, including the nominal roll for No. 5 Column's commando Platoon. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
Immediately after the demolition work at Bonchaung had been concluded, the various sections of 5 Column moved away to the southeast. Jim Harman, Corporal Pike and the commando section became separated from the main body of the column for several days and did not catch up with Major Fergusson until the 10th March. The following day the Chindits reached the outskirts of Tigyaing village on the Irrawaddy and began their preparations to cross the river at this point. Harman and his men in conjunction with Lt. Stibbe and his platoon and Lt. John Fraser of the Burma Rifles, threw a protective cordon around the village in readiness against any Japanese attack.
Over the next few hours, Fergusson's men re-stocked their food supplies from the helpful and willing villagers and secured enough boats to get the 350 Chindits across the mile-wide river. Lt. Harman and his platoon were first across to secure the east bank and form a bridgehead, into which the rest of the column safely passed having negotiated the river without interference from the enemy.
After two weeks of marching and counter-marching to little effect, 5 Column were given orders to create a diversion for the rest of the Chindit Brigade, which was now trapped in a three-sided bag between the Irrawaddy and Shweli Rivers to the west and north and the Mongmit-Myitson motor road to the south. Brigadier Wingate had instructed Fergusson to "trail his coat" and lead any Japanese pursuers away from the general direction of the Irrawaddy and in particular the area around the town of Inywa, where Wingate and the rest of his columns had hoped to re-cross.
By March 28th, No. 5 Column had reached the village of Hintha which was situated in an area of thick and tight-set bamboo scrub. Any attempt to navigate around the settlement proved impossible, reluctantly, Fergusson decided to enter the village by the main track and check for the presence of any enemy patrols. He unluckily stumbled upon such a patrol and a fire-fight ensued. Jim Harman and his commandos were heavily involved in the fighting that day and assisted in clearing the Japanese from the main track through the centre of the village.
Eventually, the column were able to disengage from the action at Hintha and moved away to the north east. Casualties were many and included Jim Harman, who had been wounded twice, once in the head and again in the shoulder. Not long afterwards Major Fergusson split the remainder of his column into three dispersal groups of roughly twenty-five men in each. Corporal Pike and the commandos were chosen to stay with the Major and they set off to re-cross the Irrawaddy in their quest to regain the safety of Allied held territory. Corporal Pike's main job on the return journey was to look after Lt. Harman.
From the pages of Beyond the Chindwin:
About a mile outside of Seiktha, we all sat down in a wooded area and cooked our rice. Corporal Pike, a broad-shouldered and thickset Devonian, asked me how long I thought it would take to reach the Chindwin. Pike had made himself responsible for the well-being of Jim Harman, and looked after him day and night. Jim was making no complaint, but he was looking even more drawn than most and was obviously suffering a good deal. Pike cooked for him, carried most of the contents of his pack and eased him along in a jolly Devonshire fashion like an indulgent Nanny. Even so, Pike still managed to perform his own duties as a NCO, and woe betide any shirker from the commando platoon, if the rough eye of Corporal Pike should fall upon him.
At one stage on the march back to the Chindwin, Major Fergusson feared that he might have to leave Lt. Harman behind. On the 16th April, the dispersal party had reached the Burmese village of Pinmadi and negotiations were underway with the Headman to see if he would take on Fergusson's wounded and infirm. In the end it was decided to keep the group together and fortunately the four or five worrying cases began to steadily regain their strength. On the 24th April, Major Fergusson and his dispersal party re-crossed the Chindwin River close to the village of Sahpe; he and all his men were quickly moved up to the 19th Casualty Clearing Station at Imphal, where they were all hospitalised under the watchful eye of Matron Agnes McGearey.
Over the next few hours, Fergusson's men re-stocked their food supplies from the helpful and willing villagers and secured enough boats to get the 350 Chindits across the mile-wide river. Lt. Harman and his platoon were first across to secure the east bank and form a bridgehead, into which the rest of the column safely passed having negotiated the river without interference from the enemy.
After two weeks of marching and counter-marching to little effect, 5 Column were given orders to create a diversion for the rest of the Chindit Brigade, which was now trapped in a three-sided bag between the Irrawaddy and Shweli Rivers to the west and north and the Mongmit-Myitson motor road to the south. Brigadier Wingate had instructed Fergusson to "trail his coat" and lead any Japanese pursuers away from the general direction of the Irrawaddy and in particular the area around the town of Inywa, where Wingate and the rest of his columns had hoped to re-cross.
By March 28th, No. 5 Column had reached the village of Hintha which was situated in an area of thick and tight-set bamboo scrub. Any attempt to navigate around the settlement proved impossible, reluctantly, Fergusson decided to enter the village by the main track and check for the presence of any enemy patrols. He unluckily stumbled upon such a patrol and a fire-fight ensued. Jim Harman and his commandos were heavily involved in the fighting that day and assisted in clearing the Japanese from the main track through the centre of the village.
Eventually, the column were able to disengage from the action at Hintha and moved away to the north east. Casualties were many and included Jim Harman, who had been wounded twice, once in the head and again in the shoulder. Not long afterwards Major Fergusson split the remainder of his column into three dispersal groups of roughly twenty-five men in each. Corporal Pike and the commandos were chosen to stay with the Major and they set off to re-cross the Irrawaddy in their quest to regain the safety of Allied held territory. Corporal Pike's main job on the return journey was to look after Lt. Harman.
From the pages of Beyond the Chindwin:
About a mile outside of Seiktha, we all sat down in a wooded area and cooked our rice. Corporal Pike, a broad-shouldered and thickset Devonian, asked me how long I thought it would take to reach the Chindwin. Pike had made himself responsible for the well-being of Jim Harman, and looked after him day and night. Jim was making no complaint, but he was looking even more drawn than most and was obviously suffering a good deal. Pike cooked for him, carried most of the contents of his pack and eased him along in a jolly Devonshire fashion like an indulgent Nanny. Even so, Pike still managed to perform his own duties as a NCO, and woe betide any shirker from the commando platoon, if the rough eye of Corporal Pike should fall upon him.
At one stage on the march back to the Chindwin, Major Fergusson feared that he might have to leave Lt. Harman behind. On the 16th April, the dispersal party had reached the Burmese village of Pinmadi and negotiations were underway with the Headman to see if he would take on Fergusson's wounded and infirm. In the end it was decided to keep the group together and fortunately the four or five worrying cases began to steadily regain their strength. On the 24th April, Major Fergusson and his dispersal party re-crossed the Chindwin River close to the village of Sahpe; he and all his men were quickly moved up to the 19th Casualty Clearing Station at Imphal, where they were all hospitalised under the watchful eye of Matron Agnes McGearey.
After a long period of rest and recuperation most returning Chindits went back to their parent units. It is not known whether Corporal Pike remained with the 13th King's or returned to his original unit, the Royal Engineers. It is also not clear if he went on to serve during the second Wingate expedition in 1944, Operation Thursday.
For his efforts on Operation Longcloth, Ronald Pike was awarded the British Empire Medal.
Sapper (acting Corporal) R.W. Pike
Brigade-77th Indian Infantry Brigade
Unit-142 Commando att. 13th King's Liverpool
Date of Recommendation-June 1943
Regimental No.1873420
Action for which recommended :-
Operations in Burma, February - May 1943
On 6th March 1943, this N.C.O. was instrumental in blowing up two spans of the railway bridge at Bonchaung station under the direction of Lt. Whitehead R.E. This bridge, a vital point on the main Myitkhina line, was completely destroyed and may prove irreparable in time of war. On 28th March, he was a leading figure in the attempt to force a passage through the village of Hintha. An experienced and dauntless N.C.O. he inspired his men without intermission throughout the campaign; and during the latter stages cheerfully undertook the care of his officer (Lt. Harman), who had been seriously wounded in the head and shoulder, carrying his officer's kit and rations in addition to his own on an arduous march of nearly three hundred miles.
Recommendation- Major B.E. Fergusson, (D.S.O.), Column Commander, 77 Indian Infantry Brigade.
Honour or Reward-British Empire Medal
Signed By- Brigadier O.C. Wingate, Commander, 77 Indian Infantry Brigade.
London Gazette-25th January 1944.
For his efforts on Operation Longcloth, Ronald Pike was awarded the British Empire Medal.
Sapper (acting Corporal) R.W. Pike
Brigade-77th Indian Infantry Brigade
Unit-142 Commando att. 13th King's Liverpool
Date of Recommendation-June 1943
Regimental No.1873420
Action for which recommended :-
Operations in Burma, February - May 1943
On 6th March 1943, this N.C.O. was instrumental in blowing up two spans of the railway bridge at Bonchaung station under the direction of Lt. Whitehead R.E. This bridge, a vital point on the main Myitkhina line, was completely destroyed and may prove irreparable in time of war. On 28th March, he was a leading figure in the attempt to force a passage through the village of Hintha. An experienced and dauntless N.C.O. he inspired his men without intermission throughout the campaign; and during the latter stages cheerfully undertook the care of his officer (Lt. Harman), who had been seriously wounded in the head and shoulder, carrying his officer's kit and rations in addition to his own on an arduous march of nearly three hundred miles.
Recommendation- Major B.E. Fergusson, (D.S.O.), Column Commander, 77 Indian Infantry Brigade.
Honour or Reward-British Empire Medal
Signed By- Brigadier O.C. Wingate, Commander, 77 Indian Infantry Brigade.
London Gazette-25th January 1944.
POLLARD, S.C. (MR)
Rank: N/A
Service No: N/A
Regiment/Service: District Officer
Chindit Column: Honorary 8
Other details:
In May 1943, a large section of No. 8 Column under the leadership of Major Scott had reached the Chindwin Valley and were close to the salvation of Allied held territory. At a place called Nam Pagan on the Chindwin River the party rested for the night and ate the last of the food in their packs. The next day the party enters the village of Swekawngaw, where they received a warm welcome and were well fed by the villagers. The Chindits were then ferried down to Tamanthi by boat and the Headman of this village, Ba Maing gave up his house to accommodate the three officers present. A message was sent to Layshi announcing the arrival of the party and their intended route inland.
The first party of 25 Chindits left Tamanthi on the 14th May and were met at Hlangpi by District Officer, Mr. S.C. Pollard and a doctor named McFarlane. The men were fed and watered and the doctor attended to the sick. The following day, Major Scott and his lead party were met at Layshi by a Captain Stevenson from 23 Detachment and District Commissioner Mr. O.C. Ogden. From Layshi the men were sent north to Tamu and eventually the 19th Casualty Clearing Station at Imphal. To read the 8 Column diary entry for this period, please click on the image above.
Rank: N/A
Service No: N/A
Regiment/Service: District Officer
Chindit Column: Honorary 8
Other details:
In May 1943, a large section of No. 8 Column under the leadership of Major Scott had reached the Chindwin Valley and were close to the salvation of Allied held territory. At a place called Nam Pagan on the Chindwin River the party rested for the night and ate the last of the food in their packs. The next day the party enters the village of Swekawngaw, where they received a warm welcome and were well fed by the villagers. The Chindits were then ferried down to Tamanthi by boat and the Headman of this village, Ba Maing gave up his house to accommodate the three officers present. A message was sent to Layshi announcing the arrival of the party and their intended route inland.
The first party of 25 Chindits left Tamanthi on the 14th May and were met at Hlangpi by District Officer, Mr. S.C. Pollard and a doctor named McFarlane. The men were fed and watered and the doctor attended to the sick. The following day, Major Scott and his lead party were met at Layshi by a Captain Stevenson from 23 Detachment and District Commissioner Mr. O.C. Ogden. From Layshi the men were sent north to Tamu and eventually the 19th Casualty Clearing Station at Imphal. To read the 8 Column diary entry for this period, please click on the image above.
Map of the area around the Chindwin River at Tamanthi.
POWELL, JOHN
Rank: Private
Service No: 5114104
Date of Death: 29/03/1943
Age: 24
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Memorial: Face 6 of the Rangoon Memorial, Taukkyan War Cemetery.
CWGC link: www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2521646/john-powell/
Chindit Column: 5
Other details:
John Powell was the son of Harry and Elizabeth Powell from Nuneaton in Warwickshire. Pte. Powell had previously served with the 7th Battalion of the Warwickshire Regiment, before his transfer to the 13th King's in India. He was allocated to No. 5 Column and served with this unit on Operation Longcloth in Burma. Very little is known about his time in Burma apart from the official missing lists for the battalion which state that he was last seen 2-3 miles northeast of the village of Hintha on the 28th March 1943.
No. 5 Column had fought a long and attritional battle with the Japanese at Hintha and after breaking contact with the enemy, turned and marched away northeast. Unfortunately, just a few miles later the column were ambushed once again by the Japanese and around 100 men were separated from the main body of the column. From a witness statement given by Company Quartermaster Sergeant Ernest Henderson, we know that John Powell was one of the soldiers separated at the second contact with the enemy:
In regards to:
3777480 Pte. F.B. Townson
4198452 Pte. J. Fitzpatrick
3186149 Corp. W. McGee
5119278 Pte. J. Donovan
3779346 Pte. D. Clarke
3779444 Pte. T. A. James
4202370 Pte. W. Roche
3779364 Sgt. R.A. Rothwell BEM.
3777998 Pte. R. Hulme
4195166 Pte. E. Kenna
5114059 Pte. N.J. Fowler
3781718 Pte. E. Hodnett
5114104 Pte. J. Powell
3779270 Pte. W.C. Parry
5119069 L. Corp. T. Jones
3523186 Pte. F.C. Fairhurst
I was with number five Column of the 77th Indian Infantry Brigade, during operations in Burma in 1943. The above-mentioned British Other Ranks were in my dispersal group all the way through the campaign until we made contact with the enemy in a village in Burma called Hintha. After the action in that village was over, the above-mentioned soldiers were still in my dispersal group, which was then commanded by Flight Lieutenant Sharp of the RAF. We halted and unsaddled our mules so we could go ahead much quicker.
After starting off from that halt, which was approximately 2 miles from Hintha, we were attacked by a Japanese patrol. This caused a gap in the column, but we kept marching for approximately another 4 miles and then stopped, we waited for these people to catch up, but they must have gone wrong way, because they did not rejoin us again. I saw all the above-mentioned men for the last time approximately two and a half miles north east of Hintha. They were all alive, and last seen on 28th March 1943.
Pte. Norman Fowler, another soldier from No. 5 Column who was separated at the second engagement with the Japanese to the northeast of Hintha gave a small amount of information about Pte. Powell over two years later. On his release as a prisoner of war and after repatriation to the United Kingdom, Fowler sent a letter dated 19th November 1945, to the Army Investigation Bureau with information about a number of missing men from Operation Longcloth, including the following passage about John Powell:
Pte. 5114104 John Powell; ex 1/7th Royal Warwickshire's. Stout or broad shouldered, about 5' 6" tall and a native of Nuneaton. Last seen on 30th April 1943 by a (soldier who would become a) POW in Rangoon, who stated to me that he was killed whilst attempting to escape the Japanese somewhere in the vicinity of the River Chindwin, or should I say the ground that lies approximately 100-150 miles south of Yamur between the Chindwin and Irrawaddy Rivers.
It is possible, from the information given by Norman Fowler that John Powell was not killed on the 29th March 1943, but had survived for over a month and had attempted, in the company of other Chindits, to make his own way back to India, failing in this quest somewhere between the Irrawaddy and Chindwin Rivers. Sadly, after the war no grave could be located for John Powell and for this reason he is remembered upon Face 6 of the Rangoon Memorial, the centre-piece structure at Taukkyan War Cemetery. This monument was constructed to honour the casualties from the Burma campaign that have no known grave.
Rank: Private
Service No: 5114104
Date of Death: 29/03/1943
Age: 24
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Memorial: Face 6 of the Rangoon Memorial, Taukkyan War Cemetery.
CWGC link: www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2521646/john-powell/
Chindit Column: 5
Other details:
John Powell was the son of Harry and Elizabeth Powell from Nuneaton in Warwickshire. Pte. Powell had previously served with the 7th Battalion of the Warwickshire Regiment, before his transfer to the 13th King's in India. He was allocated to No. 5 Column and served with this unit on Operation Longcloth in Burma. Very little is known about his time in Burma apart from the official missing lists for the battalion which state that he was last seen 2-3 miles northeast of the village of Hintha on the 28th March 1943.
No. 5 Column had fought a long and attritional battle with the Japanese at Hintha and after breaking contact with the enemy, turned and marched away northeast. Unfortunately, just a few miles later the column were ambushed once again by the Japanese and around 100 men were separated from the main body of the column. From a witness statement given by Company Quartermaster Sergeant Ernest Henderson, we know that John Powell was one of the soldiers separated at the second contact with the enemy:
In regards to:
3777480 Pte. F.B. Townson
4198452 Pte. J. Fitzpatrick
3186149 Corp. W. McGee
5119278 Pte. J. Donovan
3779346 Pte. D. Clarke
3779444 Pte. T. A. James
4202370 Pte. W. Roche
3779364 Sgt. R.A. Rothwell BEM.
3777998 Pte. R. Hulme
4195166 Pte. E. Kenna
5114059 Pte. N.J. Fowler
3781718 Pte. E. Hodnett
5114104 Pte. J. Powell
3779270 Pte. W.C. Parry
5119069 L. Corp. T. Jones
3523186 Pte. F.C. Fairhurst
I was with number five Column of the 77th Indian Infantry Brigade, during operations in Burma in 1943. The above-mentioned British Other Ranks were in my dispersal group all the way through the campaign until we made contact with the enemy in a village in Burma called Hintha. After the action in that village was over, the above-mentioned soldiers were still in my dispersal group, which was then commanded by Flight Lieutenant Sharp of the RAF. We halted and unsaddled our mules so we could go ahead much quicker.
After starting off from that halt, which was approximately 2 miles from Hintha, we were attacked by a Japanese patrol. This caused a gap in the column, but we kept marching for approximately another 4 miles and then stopped, we waited for these people to catch up, but they must have gone wrong way, because they did not rejoin us again. I saw all the above-mentioned men for the last time approximately two and a half miles north east of Hintha. They were all alive, and last seen on 28th March 1943.
Pte. Norman Fowler, another soldier from No. 5 Column who was separated at the second engagement with the Japanese to the northeast of Hintha gave a small amount of information about Pte. Powell over two years later. On his release as a prisoner of war and after repatriation to the United Kingdom, Fowler sent a letter dated 19th November 1945, to the Army Investigation Bureau with information about a number of missing men from Operation Longcloth, including the following passage about John Powell:
Pte. 5114104 John Powell; ex 1/7th Royal Warwickshire's. Stout or broad shouldered, about 5' 6" tall and a native of Nuneaton. Last seen on 30th April 1943 by a (soldier who would become a) POW in Rangoon, who stated to me that he was killed whilst attempting to escape the Japanese somewhere in the vicinity of the River Chindwin, or should I say the ground that lies approximately 100-150 miles south of Yamur between the Chindwin and Irrawaddy Rivers.
It is possible, from the information given by Norman Fowler that John Powell was not killed on the 29th March 1943, but had survived for over a month and had attempted, in the company of other Chindits, to make his own way back to India, failing in this quest somewhere between the Irrawaddy and Chindwin Rivers. Sadly, after the war no grave could be located for John Powell and for this reason he is remembered upon Face 6 of the Rangoon Memorial, the centre-piece structure at Taukkyan War Cemetery. This monument was constructed to honour the casualties from the Burma campaign that have no known grave.
Pte. John Powell's inscription upon Face 6 of the Rangoon Memorial.
Army Chaplain cap badge.
POWELL, L.M.S.
Rank: Chaplain
Service No: Not known.
Regiment/Service: Army Chaplain Corps.
Other details:
L.M.S. Powell was the Chaplain of Jhansi and oversaw the funerals and burials of some of the Chindit soldiers that unfortunately died in this area, including L/Cpl. Percy Finch and Alfred McCann. Both men were buried in the Cantonment Cemetery at Jhansi in the first instance, but were later re-buried at Kirkee War Cemetery after the war.
To read more about L/Cpl. Finch and his sad demise, please click on the following link: Lance Corporal Percy Finch
Alfred McCann, from Longsight in Manchester died on 28th December 1942, just a few days before 77 Brigade were due to begin their journey from Jhansi to the Chindwin River. From information found in the India Office records for burials, we know that Alfred died from heart failure, stated as a secondary symptom from the effects of severe malaria. From entries in the India Burial records for the time, the Reverend L.M.S. Powell conducted both funerals at St. Martin's Church, Jhansi.
Seen below is an image of the burial records for the period October-December 1942, as completed by Chaplain Powell at Jhansi. Please click on the image to bring it forward on the page.
Rank: Chaplain
Service No: Not known.
Regiment/Service: Army Chaplain Corps.
Other details:
L.M.S. Powell was the Chaplain of Jhansi and oversaw the funerals and burials of some of the Chindit soldiers that unfortunately died in this area, including L/Cpl. Percy Finch and Alfred McCann. Both men were buried in the Cantonment Cemetery at Jhansi in the first instance, but were later re-buried at Kirkee War Cemetery after the war.
To read more about L/Cpl. Finch and his sad demise, please click on the following link: Lance Corporal Percy Finch
Alfred McCann, from Longsight in Manchester died on 28th December 1942, just a few days before 77 Brigade were due to begin their journey from Jhansi to the Chindwin River. From information found in the India Office records for burials, we know that Alfred died from heart failure, stated as a secondary symptom from the effects of severe malaria. From entries in the India Burial records for the time, the Reverend L.M.S. Powell conducted both funerals at St. Martin's Church, Jhansi.
Seen below is an image of the burial records for the period October-December 1942, as completed by Chaplain Powell at Jhansi. Please click on the image to bring it forward on the page.
Burial records for the period October-December 1942, as completed by Chaplain Powell at Jhansi.
Cap badge of the Middlesex Regiment.
PRIDDY, W.
Rank: Sergeant
Service No: 6195275
Age: Not known
Regiment/Service: 142 Commando attached The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Chindit Column: Not known.
Other details:
Sgt. W. Priddy, christian name unknown, served originally with the Middlesex Regiment, before being transferred to 142 Commando at the Abchand Camp in the autumn of 1942. His involvement with 77 Brigade is confirmed by a communique sent on the 20th September 1942, with instructions that after a move from Abchand to Saugor on the 24th September, Sgt. Priddy was to open the Company Head Quarters office at the Saugor Encampment.
In a second document sent on the 21st December, it is stated that Sgt. Priddy was to make himself available as a witness at a court martial (circumstances unknown). The document also infers that he is now eligible for repatriation to the United Kingdom alongside four other soldiers. With this in mind it seems unlikely the Priddy took part in Operation Longcloth. Seen below is the order notice in regards setting up the new Company Office at Saugor on the 24th September 1942. Please click on the image to bring it forward on the page.
Rank: Sergeant
Service No: 6195275
Age: Not known
Regiment/Service: 142 Commando attached The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Chindit Column: Not known.
Other details:
Sgt. W. Priddy, christian name unknown, served originally with the Middlesex Regiment, before being transferred to 142 Commando at the Abchand Camp in the autumn of 1942. His involvement with 77 Brigade is confirmed by a communique sent on the 20th September 1942, with instructions that after a move from Abchand to Saugor on the 24th September, Sgt. Priddy was to open the Company Head Quarters office at the Saugor Encampment.
In a second document sent on the 21st December, it is stated that Sgt. Priddy was to make himself available as a witness at a court martial (circumstances unknown). The document also infers that he is now eligible for repatriation to the United Kingdom alongside four other soldiers. With this in mind it seems unlikely the Priddy took part in Operation Longcloth. Seen below is the order notice in regards setting up the new Company Office at Saugor on the 24th September 1942. Please click on the image to bring it forward on the page.
Company order dated 20th September 1942.
13th King's War Diary December-January 1945.
PUCKETT, GEORGE THOMAS WHITFIELD
Rank: Lance Corporal
Service No: 5627223
Date of Death: 06/01/1945
Age: 32
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Memorial: Karachi War Cemetery, Grave Reference 1.B.9.
CWGC link: http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2178483/PUCKETT,%20GEORGE%20THOMAS%20WHITFIELD
Chindit Column: Not known.
Other details:
Lance Corporal George Puckett began his WW2 service with the Devonshire Regiment. In late September 1942 a draft of men from this regiment were posted to the Indian town of Saugor and joined the rest of the 77th Indian Infantry Brigade in their preparations for Operation Longcloth.
George was named after his father, George Thomas Whitfield Puckett senior who had himself served during WW1 as a Mercantile Marine. His family were based in Maldon, Essex during the years of the war, but had originally come from east London. Lance Corporal Puckett had married Edith May Marguerite Kirner in 1940 in the London district of West Ham, but had settled in Maldon, living at 224 Fambridge Road. I have tried to find where George is remembered in regards to a hometown memorial, but sadly, to no avail.
It is difficult to know whether George actually served in Burma with the Chindits, or had remained in India and continued to carry out policing and garrison duties in Secunderabad and Karachi. According to the battalion War Diary for January 1945 in an entry for the 6th (see image above), George Puckett died in Karachi General Hospital suffering from malaria and was buried the following day at Karachi Military Cemetery.
There now follows a short extract from the memoirs of another Kingsman, Pte. Frank Holland who served with Column 8 on Operation Longcloth. Frank remembers suffering with malaria and that several other men had died from the disease:
"After a month we set off for Karachi. During the journey I developed malaria and by the time we arrived I was an ambulance case and went to hospital. Your first dose of malaria really puts you down, temperatures you’ve never heard of, deliriums and the quinine playing havoc with everything. The hospital in Karachi was a nice place and they did some important operations in the main building. Malaria, jaundice, typhoid and dysentery cases were kept in detached huts, but not isolated from one another.
If you could walk with malaria you had to fetch your bedding and mattress from the store and make the bed. There was one bright thing to it, malaria cases were given one bottle of beer each day for free. Back in barracks you were allowed one bottle per month on a coupon which you paid for. Napier Barracks were old regular Army barracks. They were two storey brick buildings with verandahs upstairs and down to draw the air in, because we had no fans or punkhas. Life was pretty good there, as we so called convalescents had been built up to full fitness."
Some time later Frank Holland recalls:
"Malaria was still pestering me, in and out of hospital quite regular. We buried a few of our lads as a result of it. We agreed to have photos taken of their graves and sent back to relatives, small comfort, but we always got letters of thanks back."
NB: By matching up the date of death and with location of burial noted as Karachi War Cemetery, I believe the following men from the 13th King's all died from malaria as described in Frank Holland's memoir:
George Alcock
Francis Ball
Thomas Charles Grigg
William George Jones
John Francis Wright
Update 12/09/2014.
From information found in the India Office records for burials, I now know that George Puckett died from cerebral malaria at Karachi Hospital and his funeral service was conducted by Chaplain G. Huntley. Seen below is a photograph of George's grave at Karachi War Cemetery and another image of the cemetery's general panorama. Please click on either image to bring it forward on the page.
Rank: Lance Corporal
Service No: 5627223
Date of Death: 06/01/1945
Age: 32
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Memorial: Karachi War Cemetery, Grave Reference 1.B.9.
CWGC link: http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2178483/PUCKETT,%20GEORGE%20THOMAS%20WHITFIELD
Chindit Column: Not known.
Other details:
Lance Corporal George Puckett began his WW2 service with the Devonshire Regiment. In late September 1942 a draft of men from this regiment were posted to the Indian town of Saugor and joined the rest of the 77th Indian Infantry Brigade in their preparations for Operation Longcloth.
George was named after his father, George Thomas Whitfield Puckett senior who had himself served during WW1 as a Mercantile Marine. His family were based in Maldon, Essex during the years of the war, but had originally come from east London. Lance Corporal Puckett had married Edith May Marguerite Kirner in 1940 in the London district of West Ham, but had settled in Maldon, living at 224 Fambridge Road. I have tried to find where George is remembered in regards to a hometown memorial, but sadly, to no avail.
It is difficult to know whether George actually served in Burma with the Chindits, or had remained in India and continued to carry out policing and garrison duties in Secunderabad and Karachi. According to the battalion War Diary for January 1945 in an entry for the 6th (see image above), George Puckett died in Karachi General Hospital suffering from malaria and was buried the following day at Karachi Military Cemetery.
There now follows a short extract from the memoirs of another Kingsman, Pte. Frank Holland who served with Column 8 on Operation Longcloth. Frank remembers suffering with malaria and that several other men had died from the disease:
"After a month we set off for Karachi. During the journey I developed malaria and by the time we arrived I was an ambulance case and went to hospital. Your first dose of malaria really puts you down, temperatures you’ve never heard of, deliriums and the quinine playing havoc with everything. The hospital in Karachi was a nice place and they did some important operations in the main building. Malaria, jaundice, typhoid and dysentery cases were kept in detached huts, but not isolated from one another.
If you could walk with malaria you had to fetch your bedding and mattress from the store and make the bed. There was one bright thing to it, malaria cases were given one bottle of beer each day for free. Back in barracks you were allowed one bottle per month on a coupon which you paid for. Napier Barracks were old regular Army barracks. They were two storey brick buildings with verandahs upstairs and down to draw the air in, because we had no fans or punkhas. Life was pretty good there, as we so called convalescents had been built up to full fitness."
Some time later Frank Holland recalls:
"Malaria was still pestering me, in and out of hospital quite regular. We buried a few of our lads as a result of it. We agreed to have photos taken of their graves and sent back to relatives, small comfort, but we always got letters of thanks back."
NB: By matching up the date of death and with location of burial noted as Karachi War Cemetery, I believe the following men from the 13th King's all died from malaria as described in Frank Holland's memoir:
George Alcock
Francis Ball
Thomas Charles Grigg
William George Jones
John Francis Wright
Update 12/09/2014.
From information found in the India Office records for burials, I now know that George Puckett died from cerebral malaria at Karachi Hospital and his funeral service was conducted by Chaplain G. Huntley. Seen below is a photograph of George's grave at Karachi War Cemetery and another image of the cemetery's general panorama. Please click on either image to bring it forward on the page.
Cap badge of the 3rd Gurkha Rifles.
PURCELL, HERBERT GERARD JOSEPH
Rank: Lieutenant
Service No: Unknown
Age: 33
Regiment/Service: Air Liaison Rear HQ attached 77 Brigade
Chindit Column: Rear Base HQ.
Other details:
From his obituary discovered on line in September 2011:
Lieutenant-Colonel Herbert 'Percy' Purcell, who has died aged 90, had the unusual distinction of serving both as a pilot in the RAF and an infantry officer in the Indian Army during a career which saw him in action against the Pathans, the Japanese, and the Viet Minh.
Having joined the RAF in 1929 and served in England and India, Purcell was compelled to leave the service in 1934 owing to a shortage of Permanent Commissions. Transferring to the 3rd Gurkha Rifles in 1935, he saw action with them on the North West Frontier in 1938. In 1943, while serving as Air Liaison Officer to Wingate's Chindit Rear Headquarters, he contracted malaria and typhus, but by July 1944 was fit enough to join the 4th/1st Gurkha Rifles as second-in-command.
This Battalion, part of the 7th Indian Division, remained in close contact with the enemy for weeks at a time during the hard jungle fighting that characterised Slim's advance into Burma. On February 14 1945 the Battalion took part in the crossing of the 2,000-yard wide Irrawaddy river at Nyaungu, the longest opposed river crossing of the Second World War. In June 1945 Purcell took over command of the 3rd/1st Gurkha Rifles and in September his battalion flew into French Indo-China where, in the wake of the Japanese surrender, fighting between the French and the Viet Minh had already started. Politically, the situation was highly sensitive. Purcell, who was appointed Commander, Southern Sector, Saigon, found himself leading a force comprising his own Battalion, the 1/19th Hyderabad Regiment, elements of 4th/17th Dogras and the French police.
After accepting the sword of surrender from a Japanese commander, he re-assumed command of his own battalion, which was charged with the defence of Khanh Hoi Island, including the vital docks area. A period of heavy street fighting and river clearance operations against the Viet Minh ensued. In 1947 Purcell took command of the 3rd/3rd Gurkha Rifles in Malaya, and for the next few months assisted the civil power in reducing smuggling on the Siam-Malaya borders and rounding up armed irregulars who had grouped together as bandits. Learning, in 1948, that only four Gurkha regiments were to continue under the Crown after Independence, and that his own 3rd Gurkhas was not to be one of them, Purcell decided to retire from the Army.
Herbert Gerard Joseph Purcell was born on February 10 1910 in Dublin and educated at Belvedere College, Dublin, and Beaumont College, Windsor. His older brother had been shot down and wounded flying with the RFC in the Great War. But, despite his mother's resistance, Purcell joined No 2 Flying Training School at RAF Digby in 1929 as a pilot officer on a short-service commission. Eighteen months later he went to India as a flying officer to join 28 Squadron where he flew Avro Beaux Fighters and Atlas ACR 33s. Transferring into the Indian Army in 1935 he joined the 3rd Gurkhas. After serving with them on the North West Frontier, he was one of a team who set up the OCTU at Mhow at the outbreak of the Second World War.
In 1943, after attending the Staff College, Quetta, he was posted as Intelligence Liaison Officer to an RAF Wing in Southern India. Staff appointments at HQ Eastern Air Command (American) and Wingate's Chindit Rear HQ followed. He then joined the 4th/1st Gurkha Rifles in Burma. After commanding the 3/1st Gurkhas in Burma and French Indo-China, and the 3rd/3rd Gurkhas in Malaya, Purcell retired from the Army and returned to Dublin with an offer to manage Leopardstown racecourse. Instead, having already been a Master of Hounds at Mhow, he decided to hunt his way round Ireland. This he did for a couple of seasons until he answered a call from his elder brother to help out in the family grain business in Dublin. A week's help turned into a career lasting 35 years, until his retirement at the age of 74.
A kind and generous man, guided by strong Christian principles, Purcell did much to help the widows and families of ex-servicemen. He was always ready with advice and practical help for their children, two of whom lived for several years with his own children as part of the family. He was President of the Dun Laoghaire Branch of the British Legion from 1985 to 1993, and chairman and then president of the Burma Star Association (Southern Ireland) between 1988 and 1998. For his contribution to ex-servicemen's welfare he was appointed MBE in 1995.
Throughout his life Purcell was an outstanding sportsman. A first-class tennis player he was also, when on leave from India, a member of the Landsdowne (Dublin) Rugby Club 1st XV at a time when all his fellow backs were Irish Internationals. In the opinion of contemporaries he would have played for Ireland himself but for his absence in India. He took great pride, in the late 1980s, in seeing his youngest son Peter capped for Ireland six times. He won many trophies at boxing and was both RAF and Inter-Services featherweight champion. He also won numerous caps as an amateur jockey both at point-to-point and on the flat, and was an accomplished polo player. He married in, 1950, Beatrice Drummond, of Rathaldron Castle, Co Meath; she survives him, together with three sons and a daughter.
Rank: Lieutenant
Service No: Unknown
Age: 33
Regiment/Service: Air Liaison Rear HQ attached 77 Brigade
Chindit Column: Rear Base HQ.
Other details:
From his obituary discovered on line in September 2011:
Lieutenant-Colonel Herbert 'Percy' Purcell, who has died aged 90, had the unusual distinction of serving both as a pilot in the RAF and an infantry officer in the Indian Army during a career which saw him in action against the Pathans, the Japanese, and the Viet Minh.
Having joined the RAF in 1929 and served in England and India, Purcell was compelled to leave the service in 1934 owing to a shortage of Permanent Commissions. Transferring to the 3rd Gurkha Rifles in 1935, he saw action with them on the North West Frontier in 1938. In 1943, while serving as Air Liaison Officer to Wingate's Chindit Rear Headquarters, he contracted malaria and typhus, but by July 1944 was fit enough to join the 4th/1st Gurkha Rifles as second-in-command.
This Battalion, part of the 7th Indian Division, remained in close contact with the enemy for weeks at a time during the hard jungle fighting that characterised Slim's advance into Burma. On February 14 1945 the Battalion took part in the crossing of the 2,000-yard wide Irrawaddy river at Nyaungu, the longest opposed river crossing of the Second World War. In June 1945 Purcell took over command of the 3rd/1st Gurkha Rifles and in September his battalion flew into French Indo-China where, in the wake of the Japanese surrender, fighting between the French and the Viet Minh had already started. Politically, the situation was highly sensitive. Purcell, who was appointed Commander, Southern Sector, Saigon, found himself leading a force comprising his own Battalion, the 1/19th Hyderabad Regiment, elements of 4th/17th Dogras and the French police.
After accepting the sword of surrender from a Japanese commander, he re-assumed command of his own battalion, which was charged with the defence of Khanh Hoi Island, including the vital docks area. A period of heavy street fighting and river clearance operations against the Viet Minh ensued. In 1947 Purcell took command of the 3rd/3rd Gurkha Rifles in Malaya, and for the next few months assisted the civil power in reducing smuggling on the Siam-Malaya borders and rounding up armed irregulars who had grouped together as bandits. Learning, in 1948, that only four Gurkha regiments were to continue under the Crown after Independence, and that his own 3rd Gurkhas was not to be one of them, Purcell decided to retire from the Army.
Herbert Gerard Joseph Purcell was born on February 10 1910 in Dublin and educated at Belvedere College, Dublin, and Beaumont College, Windsor. His older brother had been shot down and wounded flying with the RFC in the Great War. But, despite his mother's resistance, Purcell joined No 2 Flying Training School at RAF Digby in 1929 as a pilot officer on a short-service commission. Eighteen months later he went to India as a flying officer to join 28 Squadron where he flew Avro Beaux Fighters and Atlas ACR 33s. Transferring into the Indian Army in 1935 he joined the 3rd Gurkhas. After serving with them on the North West Frontier, he was one of a team who set up the OCTU at Mhow at the outbreak of the Second World War.
In 1943, after attending the Staff College, Quetta, he was posted as Intelligence Liaison Officer to an RAF Wing in Southern India. Staff appointments at HQ Eastern Air Command (American) and Wingate's Chindit Rear HQ followed. He then joined the 4th/1st Gurkha Rifles in Burma. After commanding the 3/1st Gurkhas in Burma and French Indo-China, and the 3rd/3rd Gurkhas in Malaya, Purcell retired from the Army and returned to Dublin with an offer to manage Leopardstown racecourse. Instead, having already been a Master of Hounds at Mhow, he decided to hunt his way round Ireland. This he did for a couple of seasons until he answered a call from his elder brother to help out in the family grain business in Dublin. A week's help turned into a career lasting 35 years, until his retirement at the age of 74.
A kind and generous man, guided by strong Christian principles, Purcell did much to help the widows and families of ex-servicemen. He was always ready with advice and practical help for their children, two of whom lived for several years with his own children as part of the family. He was President of the Dun Laoghaire Branch of the British Legion from 1985 to 1993, and chairman and then president of the Burma Star Association (Southern Ireland) between 1988 and 1998. For his contribution to ex-servicemen's welfare he was appointed MBE in 1995.
Throughout his life Purcell was an outstanding sportsman. A first-class tennis player he was also, when on leave from India, a member of the Landsdowne (Dublin) Rugby Club 1st XV at a time when all his fellow backs were Irish Internationals. In the opinion of contemporaries he would have played for Ireland himself but for his absence in India. He took great pride, in the late 1980s, in seeing his youngest son Peter capped for Ireland six times. He won many trophies at boxing and was both RAF and Inter-Services featherweight champion. He also won numerous caps as an amateur jockey both at point-to-point and on the flat, and was an accomplished polo player. He married in, 1950, Beatrice Drummond, of Rathaldron Castle, Co Meath; she survives him, together with three sons and a daughter.
Cap badge of the East Kent Regiment.
PURDY, LESLIE ALBERT
Rank: Private
Service No: 6296508
Date of Death: 15/04/1943
Age: 22
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Memorial: Face 6 of the Rangoon Memorial, Taukkyan War Cemetery.
CWGC link: http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2521993/PURDY,%20LESLIE%20ALBERT
Chindit Column: Wingate's Brigade Head Quarters.
Other details:
Lance Corporal Leslie Albert Purdy was the son of Violet May Purdy from Walthamstow in Essex. Leslie, originally a soldier in the Buffs (East Kent Regiment) had joined 142 Commando on the 30th September 1942 at the Chindit training camp in Saugor. He was posted to Wingate's Head Quarters later that year. The CWGC have Leslie's date of death recorded as the 14th April 1943, however, all documents in relation to his disappearance on Operation Longcloth show his missing in action date as the 30th April. Fellow Commando, Pte. James Dixon gave a witness statement after his liberation from Rangoon Jail, stating that he last saw Lance Corporal Purdy on the 30th April attempting to cross the Irrawaddy River.
In late March 1943 Brigadier Wingate called general dispersal and ordered all the Chindit columns to make their way back to India. He broke up his own Head Quarters into five dispersal groups, Leslie Purdy found himself with Intelligence Officer, Graham Hosegood and Cipher Officer, Willie Wilding. Like so many, this group struggled to cross the Irrawaddy River in the first few days after dispersal and became trapped in the area of land between the confluence of the Irrawaddy and Shweli Rivers.
From the pages of his memoirs, Lieutenant Wilding remembered this time:
We spent the next couple of weeks resting and preparing for another attempt to cross the Irrawaddy. One of the Burmese Jemadars was wounded and captured during a recce to Inywa (the nearest large town) and a British Private got lost while out searching for water and was presumed captured.
Our party made some more rafts and set out for the Irrawaddy. However we found ourselves in a mangrove swamp and could not get through. We then decided to try to go east, cross the Shweli where it was but a stream, swing north and go into the Kachin Hills and there sweat out the monsoon.
Burma Riflemen Orlando and Tunnion were from this part of Burma and hoped to lead the dispersal group to their own village in the Kachin Hills and remain there until the monsoon had ended. It was only eighty miles, but we had hardly any supplies left, so we decided to find a village and obtain some food. There was not much food to be found, but the Headman offered to put us over the river for a consideration, a very considerable consideration.
Wilding remembered : "That evening, the 21st April, the Headman and his "brother" took us at racing speed to the river. It was night and we were not exactly sure where we were. We embarked, paddled round one island and disembarked, handed over nearly all of our money and set out for the hills to the west. Alas we found a wide stretch of water between us and the hills; it was the main river, we had literally been sold up the river.
The next six days are very confused in my mind. We searched the island, it was about a mile long and half a mile wide. We found a village and persuaded the villagers to sell us a meal, but this only occurred once. I had two black-outs which were alarming. When travelling in a hot country beware when the sweat getting into your eyes stops stinging as this denotes that you need salt.
On the 29th April we found a boat that floated. We decided that Second Lieutenant Pat Gordon, Lance-Corporal Purdie and Signalman Belcher, with Burma Riflemen Orlando and Tunnion as paddlers, should make the first trip. They reached the other side, then we heard Pat rallying his men and a good deal of firing and then silence. Orlando and Tunnion survived but the others were all killed. I was very sad. I thought that the first boat load would have the best chance, but I was wrong.
To read more about this group and their tribulations in April 1943, please click on the following link: Lt. Robin Patrick Gordon
Another member of Wingate's Brigade Head Quarters, Pte. George Walter Lee, gave a short witness statement in regards to Lance-Corporal Purdy and his last known movements in 1943. In a letter dated 6th November 1945, written to the Army Investigation Bureau for missing persons in Burma, he wrote:
6296508 Lance-Corporal L.A. Purdy
Sir, a Purdy was attached to my party of 26 when Brigadier Wingate split us up into small party's, but I do not know if it is the same one you mention. This man was in the 142 Commandos and was in Brigade Head Quarters. He was killed whilst trying to re-cross the Irrawaddy River with me. He is one of a few names I know here, the others died in Rangoon Jail, but I do not know all their numbers or regiment details.
Pte. Lee, was also a surviving POW from Rangoon Jail and went on to give many similar witness statements to the Investigation Bureau after his liberation in 1945. Seen below are some images in relation to this story, please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
Rank: Private
Service No: 6296508
Date of Death: 15/04/1943
Age: 22
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Memorial: Face 6 of the Rangoon Memorial, Taukkyan War Cemetery.
CWGC link: http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2521993/PURDY,%20LESLIE%20ALBERT
Chindit Column: Wingate's Brigade Head Quarters.
Other details:
Lance Corporal Leslie Albert Purdy was the son of Violet May Purdy from Walthamstow in Essex. Leslie, originally a soldier in the Buffs (East Kent Regiment) had joined 142 Commando on the 30th September 1942 at the Chindit training camp in Saugor. He was posted to Wingate's Head Quarters later that year. The CWGC have Leslie's date of death recorded as the 14th April 1943, however, all documents in relation to his disappearance on Operation Longcloth show his missing in action date as the 30th April. Fellow Commando, Pte. James Dixon gave a witness statement after his liberation from Rangoon Jail, stating that he last saw Lance Corporal Purdy on the 30th April attempting to cross the Irrawaddy River.
In late March 1943 Brigadier Wingate called general dispersal and ordered all the Chindit columns to make their way back to India. He broke up his own Head Quarters into five dispersal groups, Leslie Purdy found himself with Intelligence Officer, Graham Hosegood and Cipher Officer, Willie Wilding. Like so many, this group struggled to cross the Irrawaddy River in the first few days after dispersal and became trapped in the area of land between the confluence of the Irrawaddy and Shweli Rivers.
From the pages of his memoirs, Lieutenant Wilding remembered this time:
We spent the next couple of weeks resting and preparing for another attempt to cross the Irrawaddy. One of the Burmese Jemadars was wounded and captured during a recce to Inywa (the nearest large town) and a British Private got lost while out searching for water and was presumed captured.
Our party made some more rafts and set out for the Irrawaddy. However we found ourselves in a mangrove swamp and could not get through. We then decided to try to go east, cross the Shweli where it was but a stream, swing north and go into the Kachin Hills and there sweat out the monsoon.
Burma Riflemen Orlando and Tunnion were from this part of Burma and hoped to lead the dispersal group to their own village in the Kachin Hills and remain there until the monsoon had ended. It was only eighty miles, but we had hardly any supplies left, so we decided to find a village and obtain some food. There was not much food to be found, but the Headman offered to put us over the river for a consideration, a very considerable consideration.
Wilding remembered : "That evening, the 21st April, the Headman and his "brother" took us at racing speed to the river. It was night and we were not exactly sure where we were. We embarked, paddled round one island and disembarked, handed over nearly all of our money and set out for the hills to the west. Alas we found a wide stretch of water between us and the hills; it was the main river, we had literally been sold up the river.
The next six days are very confused in my mind. We searched the island, it was about a mile long and half a mile wide. We found a village and persuaded the villagers to sell us a meal, but this only occurred once. I had two black-outs which were alarming. When travelling in a hot country beware when the sweat getting into your eyes stops stinging as this denotes that you need salt.
On the 29th April we found a boat that floated. We decided that Second Lieutenant Pat Gordon, Lance-Corporal Purdie and Signalman Belcher, with Burma Riflemen Orlando and Tunnion as paddlers, should make the first trip. They reached the other side, then we heard Pat rallying his men and a good deal of firing and then silence. Orlando and Tunnion survived but the others were all killed. I was very sad. I thought that the first boat load would have the best chance, but I was wrong.
To read more about this group and their tribulations in April 1943, please click on the following link: Lt. Robin Patrick Gordon
Another member of Wingate's Brigade Head Quarters, Pte. George Walter Lee, gave a short witness statement in regards to Lance-Corporal Purdy and his last known movements in 1943. In a letter dated 6th November 1945, written to the Army Investigation Bureau for missing persons in Burma, he wrote:
6296508 Lance-Corporal L.A. Purdy
Sir, a Purdy was attached to my party of 26 when Brigadier Wingate split us up into small party's, but I do not know if it is the same one you mention. This man was in the 142 Commandos and was in Brigade Head Quarters. He was killed whilst trying to re-cross the Irrawaddy River with me. He is one of a few names I know here, the others died in Rangoon Jail, but I do not know all their numbers or regiment details.
Pte. Lee, was also a surviving POW from Rangoon Jail and went on to give many similar witness statements to the Investigation Bureau after his liberation in 1945. Seen below are some images in relation to this story, please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
Patrick Quinn, circa 1950's.
QUINN, PATRICK
Rank: Private
Service No: Not known.
Age: 22
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Chindit Column: 5
Other details:
In the summer of 2012, I received the following email contact from Rod Quinn, the son of Chindit Pte. Patrick Quinn.
Thank you for this wonderful website. I have identified a Chindit from one of your photos of the King's, as my late father, Patrick Quinn. He can be seen in the middle of the back row of the image of the King's at Saugor. Dad was in the Seaforth Highlander's at the time and would have been the ripe old age of 22. He was in 5 Column with Major Fergusson. He took part in both Chindit campaigns and was wounded whilst with Cameronian's in 1944.
Dad enlisted in 1939, was evacuated from the beaches at Dunkirk in 1940 and stayed on as a career soldier until 1963 when we emigrated to Australia. Thank you for taking the time to present such a wonderful tribute to these men, it is great to find someone so passionate about recording their story, as their seems to be much less information about the first expedition available. I am visiting my sister later this month and will collate some more information and a photo or two to send over. I also have a few anecdotes which he told me about that I can also share with you. Unfortunately, we are still awaiting detailed records from the MOD in the UK and so I do not know his Army number or his platoon with 5 Column.
We are planning a trip to the United Kingdom next year (2013) and I plan to spend some time at Kew Gardens. I have a family photo of Dad and two other Chindits if you are interested. Incidentally, I go to the ANZAC Day dawn service every year, where there is a memorial cairn to Duncan Campbell Menzies of 5 Column. I imagine it is one of the few memorials in Australia to these special men.
Kind Regards, Rod Quinn, Adelaide, Australia.
Seen below is the photograph mentioned by Rod, from which he first spotted his father. This image was probably the first I ever came across which depicted men from the 13th King's Regiment at the Saugor training camp, located in the Central Provinces of India. As you can see, no fewer than five men have so far been identified from this photograph. Also shown is the memorial stone at Prospect, South Australia in honour of Lt. Duncan Campbell Menzies, formerly of the Black Watch Regiment. Please click on either image to bring it forward on the page.
Rank: Private
Service No: Not known.
Age: 22
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Chindit Column: 5
Other details:
In the summer of 2012, I received the following email contact from Rod Quinn, the son of Chindit Pte. Patrick Quinn.
Thank you for this wonderful website. I have identified a Chindit from one of your photos of the King's, as my late father, Patrick Quinn. He can be seen in the middle of the back row of the image of the King's at Saugor. Dad was in the Seaforth Highlander's at the time and would have been the ripe old age of 22. He was in 5 Column with Major Fergusson. He took part in both Chindit campaigns and was wounded whilst with Cameronian's in 1944.
Dad enlisted in 1939, was evacuated from the beaches at Dunkirk in 1940 and stayed on as a career soldier until 1963 when we emigrated to Australia. Thank you for taking the time to present such a wonderful tribute to these men, it is great to find someone so passionate about recording their story, as their seems to be much less information about the first expedition available. I am visiting my sister later this month and will collate some more information and a photo or two to send over. I also have a few anecdotes which he told me about that I can also share with you. Unfortunately, we are still awaiting detailed records from the MOD in the UK and so I do not know his Army number or his platoon with 5 Column.
We are planning a trip to the United Kingdom next year (2013) and I plan to spend some time at Kew Gardens. I have a family photo of Dad and two other Chindits if you are interested. Incidentally, I go to the ANZAC Day dawn service every year, where there is a memorial cairn to Duncan Campbell Menzies of 5 Column. I imagine it is one of the few memorials in Australia to these special men.
Kind Regards, Rod Quinn, Adelaide, Australia.
Seen below is the photograph mentioned by Rod, from which he first spotted his father. This image was probably the first I ever came across which depicted men from the 13th King's Regiment at the Saugor training camp, located in the Central Provinces of India. As you can see, no fewer than five men have so far been identified from this photograph. Also shown is the memorial stone at Prospect, South Australia in honour of Lt. Duncan Campbell Menzies, formerly of the Black Watch Regiment. Please click on either image to bring it forward on the page.
Update 19/01/2019.
I was delighted to receive another contact from Rod Quinn in early January 2019:
Hi Steve,
I contacted you a few years ago with brief info on my father, Patrick Quinn of No. 5 Column. I was wondering if you could help me in regards travelling to Burma and visiting the area of operations for No. 5 Column. I understand it is a bit problematic with access and security right now. I see that you have travelled to Burma before and wondered if you had any insights or advice. I guess that organised family trips are no longer taking place. I was looking to take my son with me and we would be departing from Australia. Any help you can provide would be much appreciated. Please find attached two photographs of my Dad. The image with my Dad and the two other Chindits (seen above) had the inscription 'Jap Killers' on the back. A bit indelicate, but they were different times during the war weren't they.
Kind Regards, Rod.
I hope I was able to assist Rod with his plans to visit Burma and some of the places his father frequented during the Chindit campaigns of 1943 and 1944. I look forward to hearing about his trip in the near future.
I was delighted to receive another contact from Rod Quinn in early January 2019:
Hi Steve,
I contacted you a few years ago with brief info on my father, Patrick Quinn of No. 5 Column. I was wondering if you could help me in regards travelling to Burma and visiting the area of operations for No. 5 Column. I understand it is a bit problematic with access and security right now. I see that you have travelled to Burma before and wondered if you had any insights or advice. I guess that organised family trips are no longer taking place. I was looking to take my son with me and we would be departing from Australia. Any help you can provide would be much appreciated. Please find attached two photographs of my Dad. The image with my Dad and the two other Chindits (seen above) had the inscription 'Jap Killers' on the back. A bit indelicate, but they were different times during the war weren't they.
Kind Regards, Rod.
I hope I was able to assist Rod with his plans to visit Burma and some of the places his father frequented during the Chindit campaigns of 1943 and 1944. I look forward to hearing about his trip in the near future.
Cap badge of the 4th Gurkha Rifles.
QUAYLE, DOUGLAS MICHAEL
Rank: Lieutenant
Service No: E/C 15528
Age: 19
Regiment/Service: 4th Gurkha Rifles, attached 77th Indian Infantry Brigade.
Chindit Column: 1
Other details:
Douglas Michael Quayle was born on the 20th January 1924 and was the son of Catherine Quayle from Aberdeen in Scotland. After being posted overseas he attended the Officer Training Centre at Bangalore in India, from where he was commissioned into the 4th Gurkha Rifles on the 4th October 1942. A few weeks later he was posted to the 3/2 Gurkha Rifles at the Saugor training camp and was allocated to No. 1 Column commanded by Major George Dunlop MC, formerly of the Black Watch Regiment.
Dougie, as he was known to his Chindit comrades did well in Burma and led his section of Gurkhas with flair and no small skill during Operation Longcloth. No. 1 Column formed part of Southern Section in 1943, in combination with No. 2 Column and Southern Section Head Quarters. These Gurkha units were ordered by Brigadier Wingate to act as a decoy for the other five Chindit columns and march overtly through the jungles of Northern Burma during the early weeks of the expedition. It was not long before they attracted the attention and wrath of their Japanese opponents and No. 2 Column suffered an ambush on the 2nd March at a place called Kyaikthin.
By the time that dispersal was called in late March 1943, the remnants of No. 2 Column together with Major Dunlop's men found themselves the furthest east of all the Chindit columns. The group endured an arduous and exhausting march back to India, re-crossing both the Irrawaddy and Chindwin rivers before re-gaining the safety of Allied held territory.
Unfortunately, Lt. Quayle did not make it back across the Chindwin and was taken prisoner by the Japanese on the 9th May 1943, just a few short miles from safety. Major Dunlop remembered in his diary:
That evening (8th May) Lt. Nealon my Commando officer asked if he might try his luck at getting food at Ywatha village, as his British troops could not go on without it. With the remnants of my command being somewhat pathetic, I said yes, thinking that they might at least have a chance. He set off with his party and an hour later we heard a fight at the village, very short and sharp.
There followed a few more days of hunger and climbing those infernal hills. One night all the mule Jemadar's party disappeared, leaving me with the doctor Captain Stocks, Lts. Clarke, Fowler, MacHorton, the No. 2 Guerrilla Platoon Officer, two Signallers and three or four Gurkhas, including my clerk who could speak both English and Burmese. Eventually we found and killed a buffalo on the Katun Chaung.
While cutting it up we were approached by a party of Burmans armed with rifles and war dahs. They told us that no Japanese were about, but, as we heard mortar fire earlier on from the direction of the Chindwin, I did not believe them. We disarmed them and they fled up a spur. Much shouting followed and I guessed that their Japanese masters were also up there. I gave the order to scatter from the open paddy.
It is possible that Dougie was the Guerrilla Platoon Officer mentioned by Major Dunlop as being present at the Katun Chaung? All we really know is that Dougie was captured the very next day close to the village of Auktaung on the Chindwin River. Shown below is a map of the area around the Katun Chaung, please click on the map to bring forward on the page.
Rank: Lieutenant
Service No: E/C 15528
Age: 19
Regiment/Service: 4th Gurkha Rifles, attached 77th Indian Infantry Brigade.
Chindit Column: 1
Other details:
Douglas Michael Quayle was born on the 20th January 1924 and was the son of Catherine Quayle from Aberdeen in Scotland. After being posted overseas he attended the Officer Training Centre at Bangalore in India, from where he was commissioned into the 4th Gurkha Rifles on the 4th October 1942. A few weeks later he was posted to the 3/2 Gurkha Rifles at the Saugor training camp and was allocated to No. 1 Column commanded by Major George Dunlop MC, formerly of the Black Watch Regiment.
Dougie, as he was known to his Chindit comrades did well in Burma and led his section of Gurkhas with flair and no small skill during Operation Longcloth. No. 1 Column formed part of Southern Section in 1943, in combination with No. 2 Column and Southern Section Head Quarters. These Gurkha units were ordered by Brigadier Wingate to act as a decoy for the other five Chindit columns and march overtly through the jungles of Northern Burma during the early weeks of the expedition. It was not long before they attracted the attention and wrath of their Japanese opponents and No. 2 Column suffered an ambush on the 2nd March at a place called Kyaikthin.
By the time that dispersal was called in late March 1943, the remnants of No. 2 Column together with Major Dunlop's men found themselves the furthest east of all the Chindit columns. The group endured an arduous and exhausting march back to India, re-crossing both the Irrawaddy and Chindwin rivers before re-gaining the safety of Allied held territory.
Unfortunately, Lt. Quayle did not make it back across the Chindwin and was taken prisoner by the Japanese on the 9th May 1943, just a few short miles from safety. Major Dunlop remembered in his diary:
That evening (8th May) Lt. Nealon my Commando officer asked if he might try his luck at getting food at Ywatha village, as his British troops could not go on without it. With the remnants of my command being somewhat pathetic, I said yes, thinking that they might at least have a chance. He set off with his party and an hour later we heard a fight at the village, very short and sharp.
There followed a few more days of hunger and climbing those infernal hills. One night all the mule Jemadar's party disappeared, leaving me with the doctor Captain Stocks, Lts. Clarke, Fowler, MacHorton, the No. 2 Guerrilla Platoon Officer, two Signallers and three or four Gurkhas, including my clerk who could speak both English and Burmese. Eventually we found and killed a buffalo on the Katun Chaung.
While cutting it up we were approached by a party of Burmans armed with rifles and war dahs. They told us that no Japanese were about, but, as we heard mortar fire earlier on from the direction of the Chindwin, I did not believe them. We disarmed them and they fled up a spur. Much shouting followed and I guessed that their Japanese masters were also up there. I gave the order to scatter from the open paddy.
It is possible that Dougie was the Guerrilla Platoon Officer mentioned by Major Dunlop as being present at the Katun Chaung? All we really know is that Dougie was captured the very next day close to the village of Auktaung on the Chindwin River. Shown below is a map of the area around the Katun Chaung, please click on the map to bring forward on the page.
Map of the area around the Katun Chaung located three miles from the Chindwin River.
From his POW index card we know that Dougie spent just under two years as a prisoner of war in Rangoon Jail. His POW number in the prison was 42. That represented the 42nd officer held in the prison between the years 1942 and 1945. One of his great friends in the jail was Denis Gudgeon, also a Gurkha officer from Operation Longcloth where he had served with No. 3 Column commanded by the infamous Mad Mike Calvert. Denis and Dougie shared a cell along with twenty or so other officers, firstly in Block 6 and finally in Block 3 of the prison.
In late April 1945, 400 prisoners from Rangoon were marched out of the jail by their Japanese guards and proceeded to travel northeast towards the Burmese town of Pegu. After about four days march on the 29th April, the POWs were released by their captors on the road outside a village called Waw. To read more about this incident and about the Chindits time in Rangoon Jail more generally, please click on the following link: Chindit POW's
After their liberation at Waw, the British and American POW's were flown back to India aboard USAAF Dakota aircraft and sent to hospital in Calcutta. From here most spent three or four weeks rest and recuperation in the Himalayan retreats of northern India, before returning to their original regimental centres, in Lt. Quayle's case the 4th Gurkha Rifles centre at Bakloh.
To conclude this short narrative, in the Winter 1992 issue of the Burma Star Association's Dekho magazine came this interesting obituary for Douglas Quayle, written by Martin Fuller, himself a former officer with both the 2nd and 4th Gurkha Regiments:
Douglas Michael Quayle died in New South Wales, Australia on 9th August 1991 aged 67. He was born on 20th January 1924 and attended OTS Bangalore from where he was commissioned into 4 GR on 4th October 1942. Almost immediately he was posted to 3/2 GR who were preparing to take part in the first Chindit expedition, Operation Longcloth. He entered Burma with No. 1 Column of the 77th Infantry Brigade in January 1943.
Denis Gudgeon of 3/2 GR (No. 3 Column) first met Dougie at the (1942) Battalion Christmas party in Jhansi prior to going into Burma. He next met him in No. 6 Block of Rangoon Gaol in May 1943. Dougie is not mentioned in Volume III of the Regimental History but was taken prisoner in 1943 near the village of Auktaung on the east bank of the River Chindwin.
Denis Gudgeon and Willie Wilding (3 GR) have both told me that despite Dougie's 19 years when taken, he never lost his panache as a prisoner. He developed a defiant swagger wearing his fundoshi (loin cloth) and Gurkha felt hat. He was debonair! Although he had no real experience of British soldiers, those in Rangoon Gaol soon held him in very high regard, to the extent that on his 21st birthday he was presented with a key of the door by the Senior British Officer, Brigadier Hobson. The British soldiers had the key made outside the gaol and smuggled it in for presentation at the conclusion of morning Tenko (roll call) which caused the Japs to be very suspicious of what might happen next. Dougie had a steady nerve and was much respected by his fellow POWs.
I met him after his release from Rangoon in April 1945 during his leave in India, after which he rejoined the Regimental Centre of 4 GR in Bakloh. He left the Indian Army on release in November 1946 having been a very respected Adjutant. He remained in India after partition, entering business in both Delhi and Calcutta. He moved to Australia in 1956 and became an Australian citizen in 1966. He joined the Burma Star Association (New South Wales Branch) and his death was reported in their summer 1992 issue of the Dekho magazine and this was spotted by David Purves who then told Denis Wood, who in turn asked me to write this tribute. He is survived by his wife, Colleen and daughter Cathy to whom we offer our heartfelt sympathy.
Seen below is a gallery of images in relation to this story, including the POW index card for Douglas Quayle and a sketch drawing of his cell in Block 3 of Rangoon Jail. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
Pte. Austin Peter Randle.
RANDLE, AUSTIN PETER
Rank: Private
Service No: 3779934
Age: 27
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Chindit Column: 8
Other details:
In June 2018, I was delighted to receive the following email in relation to Chindit Austin Randle:
Hello from Perth, Western Australia.
Recently I came across your website and for various reasons was moved to contact you. I have a long lingering interest in the 1943 operation and its personnel ever since reading Bernard Fergusson's classic, Beyond the Chindwin as a teenager in the 1960s. I am married to a Rochdale girl whose uncle was a Longcloth Chindit. His name was Austin Randle and he was born on the 19th October 1916 in Rochdale, Lancashire. His younger brother, my late father-in-law Frank, told me a little about him as soon as he knew I had an abiding interest in the Chindits. My guess is that Austin who was nicknamed 'Sonny', was in No. 8 Column under Major Scott, as Frank once sent me a UK newspaper cutting about Scott's passing. Austin thought Scottie he was a great man.
I was wondering if you had any information at all on Austin and his time in Burma? In common with a lot of active servicemen, he rarely talked about his experiences, but a TV news item once prompted a comment about how Wingate would talk to his soldiers as they trudged along 'to keep their spirits up'. Austin was a great admirer of Orde Wingate.
We know Austin did some training in Whitley Bay in early 1941. He then received compassionate leave to come home to see his new-born son (born 24/3/41). He obviously had some very narrow escapes in Burma which clearly affected him for the rest of his life. The family always remarked that when he finally returned home, he looked wild and haunted. In civilian life Austin worked as a barber and he died on the 8th November 1979 at Bath City Hospital.
Thank you for creating this wonderful website commemorating the flesh and blood people who did extraordinary things during WW2 and their families back home who had to carry on, much like your own Nan.
Regards, John Murray.
I would like to thank John Murray for his email and all the information he has supplied about Pte. Austin Randle. Although I had no extra details about his service, from the family stories and his Army service number, it is clear that Austin served on Operation Longcloth and most likely with No. 8 Column under the command of Major Walter Purcell Scott. Seen below is the families framed photograph of Austin and his medal entitlement from WW2.
Rank: Private
Service No: 3779934
Age: 27
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Chindit Column: 8
Other details:
In June 2018, I was delighted to receive the following email in relation to Chindit Austin Randle:
Hello from Perth, Western Australia.
Recently I came across your website and for various reasons was moved to contact you. I have a long lingering interest in the 1943 operation and its personnel ever since reading Bernard Fergusson's classic, Beyond the Chindwin as a teenager in the 1960s. I am married to a Rochdale girl whose uncle was a Longcloth Chindit. His name was Austin Randle and he was born on the 19th October 1916 in Rochdale, Lancashire. His younger brother, my late father-in-law Frank, told me a little about him as soon as he knew I had an abiding interest in the Chindits. My guess is that Austin who was nicknamed 'Sonny', was in No. 8 Column under Major Scott, as Frank once sent me a UK newspaper cutting about Scott's passing. Austin thought Scottie he was a great man.
I was wondering if you had any information at all on Austin and his time in Burma? In common with a lot of active servicemen, he rarely talked about his experiences, but a TV news item once prompted a comment about how Wingate would talk to his soldiers as they trudged along 'to keep their spirits up'. Austin was a great admirer of Orde Wingate.
We know Austin did some training in Whitley Bay in early 1941. He then received compassionate leave to come home to see his new-born son (born 24/3/41). He obviously had some very narrow escapes in Burma which clearly affected him for the rest of his life. The family always remarked that when he finally returned home, he looked wild and haunted. In civilian life Austin worked as a barber and he died on the 8th November 1979 at Bath City Hospital.
Thank you for creating this wonderful website commemorating the flesh and blood people who did extraordinary things during WW2 and their families back home who had to carry on, much like your own Nan.
Regards, John Murray.
I would like to thank John Murray for his email and all the information he has supplied about Pte. Austin Randle. Although I had no extra details about his service, from the family stories and his Army service number, it is clear that Austin served on Operation Longcloth and most likely with No. 8 Column under the command of Major Walter Purcell Scott. Seen below is the families framed photograph of Austin and his medal entitlement from WW2.
Cap badge of the 9th Gurkhas.
REDFERN, ARTHUR JOHN
Rank: Lieutenant
Service No: Not known
Age: 25
Regiment/Service: 9th Gurkha Rifles attached 13th Battalion, the King's Liverpool Regiment
Chindit Column: Unknown
Other details:
Arthur Redfern joined the Territorial Army in 1939 and served with the BEF in France the following year with the 2/6th East Surrey Regiment. In 1941 he was an officer cadet at the 9th Gurkha Rifles training depot at Dehra Dun. In late 1942 he had an unexpected meeting with Orde Wingate and was attached to the 13th King's at the Saugor training camp in the Central Provinces of India. Not much is known about his time on Operation Longcloth, but we do know he contracted severe dysentery on the expedition and was immediately hospitalised at Mussoorie on his return to India.
Later in the war, Arthur was posted to the 1/9th Gurkha Rifles and served in Egypt and then in Italy, fighting at both Taranto and Monte Cassino. He then travelled with this unit to Greece in 1944 and performed the role of Battalion Liaison Officer. He remained in the general area of the Albanian-Yugoslavian-Greek border until the end of the war.
Rank: Lieutenant
Service No: Not known
Age: 25
Regiment/Service: 9th Gurkha Rifles attached 13th Battalion, the King's Liverpool Regiment
Chindit Column: Unknown
Other details:
Arthur Redfern joined the Territorial Army in 1939 and served with the BEF in France the following year with the 2/6th East Surrey Regiment. In 1941 he was an officer cadet at the 9th Gurkha Rifles training depot at Dehra Dun. In late 1942 he had an unexpected meeting with Orde Wingate and was attached to the 13th King's at the Saugor training camp in the Central Provinces of India. Not much is known about his time on Operation Longcloth, but we do know he contracted severe dysentery on the expedition and was immediately hospitalised at Mussoorie on his return to India.
Later in the war, Arthur was posted to the 1/9th Gurkha Rifles and served in Egypt and then in Italy, fighting at both Taranto and Monte Cassino. He then travelled with this unit to Greece in 1944 and performed the role of Battalion Liaison Officer. He remained in the general area of the Albanian-Yugoslavian-Greek border until the end of the war.
REED, ARTHUR
Rank: Private
Service No: 5192278
Age: 23
Regiment/Service: 13th Battalion, the King's Liverpool Regiment
Chindit Column: 8
Other details:
Arthur Reed was born on the 16th December 1920 and was the son of Henry and Bessie Reed from Skinner Lane in central Birmingham. In civilian life he had worked as a chromian metal polisher before he enlisted into the Army, joining the Gloucestershire Regiment in September 1940. After three months, Arthur was transferred to the Devonshire Regiment and he served with this regiment until he was posted overseas to India in the summer of 1942. After a period of time at the Deolali Reinforcement Centre just north of Bombay, he was transferred again, this time to the 13th Battalion of the King's Liverpool Regiment. Arthur arrived at the Saugor Camp, located in the Central Provinces on India, on the 26th September 1942 and began his Chindit training.
In May this year (2020), I was delighted to receive an email contact from Arthur's grandson, Dan Causon:
Steve, I just came across your website while doing some research on my grandad Pte. 5192278 Arthur Reed. I saw his name was mentioned in providing a witness statement for another soldier. Stirring stuff reading that. He himself told a similar story, where he was left behind due to malaria with two guns and some grenades, but the next day two brothers from Birmingham came back for him as they had just received a supply drop of quinine. Very lucky!
I have been digging through some old photos and old documents and have found both his release book and record of service. He was born on 16th December 1920 in Birmingham to Bessie and Henry Reed. It was a large family of boys and they lived in a road where the Bullring Shopping Centre is today. He moved to Exeter just as the war started and met my Nan (Joyce Allen). Originally I thought he must have fought with the Devonshire Regiment in India, so it was fascinating to find out otherwise!
He remained in Exeter after the war and married my Nan. He continued his trade as a metal polisher until the trade died down a bit. He then went to work at Willy’s Printing and finally Roneo Vickers which was also a printing company and he remained there until he retired. He passed away on the 6th December 2003 after suffering multiple strokes. I believe he had four medals from the war, which I understand were buried somewhere in his garden by his sons who liked to play with them, although they were told not to do so.
Thanks again for your email and the information you have sent. My mother has also passed on her thanks to you. Dan.
Rank: Private
Service No: 5192278
Age: 23
Regiment/Service: 13th Battalion, the King's Liverpool Regiment
Chindit Column: 8
Other details:
Arthur Reed was born on the 16th December 1920 and was the son of Henry and Bessie Reed from Skinner Lane in central Birmingham. In civilian life he had worked as a chromian metal polisher before he enlisted into the Army, joining the Gloucestershire Regiment in September 1940. After three months, Arthur was transferred to the Devonshire Regiment and he served with this regiment until he was posted overseas to India in the summer of 1942. After a period of time at the Deolali Reinforcement Centre just north of Bombay, he was transferred again, this time to the 13th Battalion of the King's Liverpool Regiment. Arthur arrived at the Saugor Camp, located in the Central Provinces on India, on the 26th September 1942 and began his Chindit training.
In May this year (2020), I was delighted to receive an email contact from Arthur's grandson, Dan Causon:
Steve, I just came across your website while doing some research on my grandad Pte. 5192278 Arthur Reed. I saw his name was mentioned in providing a witness statement for another soldier. Stirring stuff reading that. He himself told a similar story, where he was left behind due to malaria with two guns and some grenades, but the next day two brothers from Birmingham came back for him as they had just received a supply drop of quinine. Very lucky!
I have been digging through some old photos and old documents and have found both his release book and record of service. He was born on 16th December 1920 in Birmingham to Bessie and Henry Reed. It was a large family of boys and they lived in a road where the Bullring Shopping Centre is today. He moved to Exeter just as the war started and met my Nan (Joyce Allen). Originally I thought he must have fought with the Devonshire Regiment in India, so it was fascinating to find out otherwise!
He remained in Exeter after the war and married my Nan. He continued his trade as a metal polisher until the trade died down a bit. He then went to work at Willy’s Printing and finally Roneo Vickers which was also a printing company and he remained there until he retired. He passed away on the 6th December 2003 after suffering multiple strokes. I believe he had four medals from the war, which I understand were buried somewhere in his garden by his sons who liked to play with them, although they were told not to do so.
Thanks again for your email and the information you have sent. My mother has also passed on her thanks to you. Dan.
The short Army service history for Pte. Arthur Reed.
Arthur Reed was allocated to No. 8 Column during the training period at Saugor. His commander was Major Walter Purcell Scott of the King's Regiment. Arthur's actual placement within the column is not known, but it is clear that he was still with Scott's unit on the 30th April 1943, when the column were attempting to cross a fast flowing river called the Kaukkwe Chaung on their journey back to India. Unfortunately, a Japanese patrol caught up with the Chindits at the river and a long and hard-fought engagement took place, with the Chindits taking heavy casualties.
To read more about the action at the Kaukkwe Chaung, please click on the following link: Frank Lea, Ellis Grundy and the Kaukkwe Chaung
Thankfully, Pte. Reed was not amongst these casualties and successfully made his way back to Allied held territory a few weeks later. After recovering from the trials and tribulations of Operation Longcloth, Arthur Reed assisted the Army Investigation Bureau with their endeavours to record what had happened to the many soldiers who did not return from the first Wingate expedition. In conjunction with one of his commanding officers, Lieutenant George Borrow, Arthur gave this short witness statement about Pte. Joseph Cooke, also from No. 8 Column in 1943.
3772261 Pte. J. Cooke
The above mentioned British Other Rank was missing from his column after an engagement on the Kaukkwe Chaung, half a mile east of the village of Okthaik on April 30th 1943. No. 5192278 Pte. A. Reed saw Cooke when firing opened up at 1615 hours. He was sitting down and getting ready to move off. He was not seen after that, although parties remained in the area until that evening.
Certified true statement. Signed G.H. Borrow-13th King's Regiment.
To read more about Pte. Joseph Cooke, please click on the following link and scroll down alphabetically: Roll Call A-E
After a period of rest and recuperation in the northern hill stations of India, the survivors from Operation Longcloth rejoined their various Army units. For Arthur Reed and the other men from the 13th King's, this involved a journey across the width of India to Karachi, where the battalion had made their new home at the Napier Barracks located in the outskirts of the city. The 13th King's remained at Karachi, performing garrison and internal security duties until the battalion was disbanded on the 5th December 1945 and the majority of the men repatriated to the United Kingdom. NB. After the partition of India during August 1947, Karachi became a major city within the newly created state of Pakistan.
Arthur Reed was released from the Army in July 1946. His Army record states that his conduct had been exemplary and goes on to say that Arthur was: a man of high intelligence who can be relied on to carry out his work without supervision. He is most careful and meticulous and has a good knowledge of clerical work. He is completely honest and trustworthy and of sober habits.
Seen below is a gallery of images in relation to this story including a copy of the original witness statement given by Arthur about Pte. Cooke. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page. I would like to thank Dan Causon for his help in bringing his grandfather's story to these website pages.
RHODES, JACK CRAWFORD
Rank: Gunner
Service No: Unknown
Age: 35
Regiment/Service: Royal Artillery-Driver/Mechanic
Chindit Column: 5
Other details:
In March 2019, I was delighted to receive an email contact from Jacqueline Prestwich, in relation to her father's service in Burma during WW2:
Dear Steve, congratulations on your brilliant website, which has been extremely helpful. My father Jack Crawford Rhodes volunteered in June 1941 and joined the Royal Artillery. He was born in 1908 so would have been in his early thirties at the time of the Chindits. He left England on 10th January 1942 on the Britannic troopship and his destination was originally Singapore. However, after Singapore surrendered on February 15th, the Britannic's orders were changed and my father arrived in Bombay on March 4th. He then spent sometime in the main transit camp at Deolali.
I think that my father may have taken part on Operation Longcloth. As a child in the 1950's, I was aware that Dad had taken part in something quite unusual and had adventures somewhere far away. Mum told me of a letter she had received during the war telling her that Dad was missing in action somewhere. This letter may have been one of those templates featured on your website. She did not hear anything for several months and then one day went to the cinema with her friend and they believed that they saw Dad on a newsreel film. They asked the projectionist to run the reel again so that they could check it.
Shortly afterwards she received all his letters. My father had a great admiration for Orde Wingate and always told me about Wingate's love of onions. Dad loved them too and frequently ate them chopped up in vinegar. He also told me that Wingate was a biblical scholar and told them that Sundays could be on any other day of the week! He also spoke highly of Mad Mike Calvert and another commander who was a toff and wore a monocle. I have read Beyond the Chindwin by Bernard Fergusson, Wingate’s Lost Brigade by Philip Chinnery and also Burma, The Longest War by Louis Allen, all excellent books.
Just before my father died in 1987, he told me that he had walked over 1000 miles and mentioned the Shan States. He also told me that he was in Column 5 and not to forget it. My father got rid of several photographs, but I managed to retrieve one of him wearing a bush hat and another which looks like a Chindit patrol. He also brought home a Gurkha knife. He was a driver mechanic in the Royal Artillery and also had badges for the 33rd Indian Corps and the 14th Army. He left India on 8th October 1945, having been told that he had done enough and that it was time for them all to go home.
My father seemed to have quite an active war and he found settling down afterwards extremely difficult. As a child I remember his attacks of malaria and his bad dreams. I can remember many times my mum would complain that your dad has been fighting enemy Japs all night again.
He was 5ft 5inches tall and always commented that it was easier to manage in the jungle if you were small and wiry and that it was harder for the taller people. He sent for his medals just before he died and has the Burma Star, The Defence Medal, 1939-45 Star and the War Medal. I am pleased that via websites like yours the contribution of these men is being acknowledged and recorded. Much like the Gurkhas who fought with them, they were the bravest of the brave. I think that Dad came home on a hospital-ship. He told me that there were people from the POW camps on the ship with him and in particular some nurses who were very weak. This upset him a great deal. He was in a military hospital in London for a time and had an operation for a hernia.
Thank you for your interest in my father, you are a great advocate for these men. Best wishes Jacqueline.
Rank: Gunner
Service No: Unknown
Age: 35
Regiment/Service: Royal Artillery-Driver/Mechanic
Chindit Column: 5
Other details:
In March 2019, I was delighted to receive an email contact from Jacqueline Prestwich, in relation to her father's service in Burma during WW2:
Dear Steve, congratulations on your brilliant website, which has been extremely helpful. My father Jack Crawford Rhodes volunteered in June 1941 and joined the Royal Artillery. He was born in 1908 so would have been in his early thirties at the time of the Chindits. He left England on 10th January 1942 on the Britannic troopship and his destination was originally Singapore. However, after Singapore surrendered on February 15th, the Britannic's orders were changed and my father arrived in Bombay on March 4th. He then spent sometime in the main transit camp at Deolali.
I think that my father may have taken part on Operation Longcloth. As a child in the 1950's, I was aware that Dad had taken part in something quite unusual and had adventures somewhere far away. Mum told me of a letter she had received during the war telling her that Dad was missing in action somewhere. This letter may have been one of those templates featured on your website. She did not hear anything for several months and then one day went to the cinema with her friend and they believed that they saw Dad on a newsreel film. They asked the projectionist to run the reel again so that they could check it.
Shortly afterwards she received all his letters. My father had a great admiration for Orde Wingate and always told me about Wingate's love of onions. Dad loved them too and frequently ate them chopped up in vinegar. He also told me that Wingate was a biblical scholar and told them that Sundays could be on any other day of the week! He also spoke highly of Mad Mike Calvert and another commander who was a toff and wore a monocle. I have read Beyond the Chindwin by Bernard Fergusson, Wingate’s Lost Brigade by Philip Chinnery and also Burma, The Longest War by Louis Allen, all excellent books.
Just before my father died in 1987, he told me that he had walked over 1000 miles and mentioned the Shan States. He also told me that he was in Column 5 and not to forget it. My father got rid of several photographs, but I managed to retrieve one of him wearing a bush hat and another which looks like a Chindit patrol. He also brought home a Gurkha knife. He was a driver mechanic in the Royal Artillery and also had badges for the 33rd Indian Corps and the 14th Army. He left India on 8th October 1945, having been told that he had done enough and that it was time for them all to go home.
My father seemed to have quite an active war and he found settling down afterwards extremely difficult. As a child I remember his attacks of malaria and his bad dreams. I can remember many times my mum would complain that your dad has been fighting enemy Japs all night again.
He was 5ft 5inches tall and always commented that it was easier to manage in the jungle if you were small and wiry and that it was harder for the taller people. He sent for his medals just before he died and has the Burma Star, The Defence Medal, 1939-45 Star and the War Medal. I am pleased that via websites like yours the contribution of these men is being acknowledged and recorded. Much like the Gurkhas who fought with them, they were the bravest of the brave. I think that Dad came home on a hospital-ship. He told me that there were people from the POW camps on the ship with him and in particular some nurses who were very weak. This upset him a great deal. He was in a military hospital in London for a time and had an operation for a hernia.
Thank you for your interest in my father, you are a great advocate for these men. Best wishes Jacqueline.
Seen below is a gallery of images in relation to this short story, including the photograph of a Chindit patrol mentioned by Jacqueline in her email. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
Pte. Samuel Richardson.
RICHARDSON, SAMUEL
Rank: Private
Service No: 3781599
Date of Death: 15/04/1943
Age: 31
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Memorial: Face 6 of the Rangoon Memorial, Taukkyan War Cemetery.
CWGC link: http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2523608/RICHARDSON,%20SAMUEL
Chindit Column: 8
Other details:
Samuel Richardson was the son of John William and Alice Richardson and husband of G. S. Richardson, of Droylsden in Lancashire. He was an original member of the 13th Battalion that left British shores in early December 1941 aboard the troopship 'Oronsay' and bound for India. Pte. Richardson was part of D' Company within the 13th King's and became a member of Chindit Column 8 in June 1942. On Operation Longcloth, Samuel was part of Platoon 18, led by Captain Raymond Williams also of the King's Regiment.
On the 1st April 1943, 8 Column, led by Major Scott had reached the fast flowing Shweli River close to the area of the Wingaba Cliffs. Captain Williams platoon was chosen to be first across the river and to form a defensive bridgehead on the opposite bank. Here is an excerpt from the Column War diary for that day, explaining the situation in more detail:
"Recce of the River Shweli carried out during the afternoon and we have decided to cross this evening near the Wingaba Cliffs, S.N. 2563. Column moved down to the river at dusk. Rope got across the river which was flowing very fast on the near side. Captain Williams with two other officers, Lieutenants Hobday and Horton and 29 British Other Ranks crossed the river to form a bridgehead. The next party under Sgt. Scruton got in to difficulties and drifted away down-stream. Both boats having been lost, the crossing was called off. Captain Williams and his party moved from the far bank at first light for the next agreed rendezvous. The rope across the river was withdrawn."
Captain Williams and his men would never meet up with the main body of 8 Column again. Over the following three weeks the platoon was ambushed by the Japanese on no fewer than three occasions as they attempted to cross the next watery obstacle, the Irrawaddy River. Samuel Richardson was lost to his platoon on the 14th April 1943, when the unit was attacked by a Japanese patrol for the first time. Corporal 3781695 A. McCann was the only member of Captain Williams' dispersal party to return to India in 1943, although three other men did survive their time as prisoners of war and were liberated from Rangoon Jail in April 1945. McCann gave the following witness statement in regards to the disappearance of Pte. Richardson and the other member with him on the 14th April:
"The above party under the command of L/Sgt. Stephens were left on the east bank of the Irrawaddy on about the 14th April 1943, to guard a raft that had been built. I was in bivouac with the main body, under the command of Captain R. Williams. Firing was heard in the direction of the river, and Ptes. Gray and Franey (since reported missing) who were also with Stephens party had been attacked and overwhelmed. The above NCO and men have not been heard of since."
The true fate of Lance Sergeant William Stephens and his group is somewhat of a mystery, after being ambushed at the river, some men seem to have become POW's, whilst others just disappeared. Sadly, I have come to believe that the Japanese killed the more seriously wounded Chindits that they captured in 1943, rather than make arrangements for their medical care and transport to the larger POW Camps. This is possibly what happened to Samuel. On the missing in action listings for 8 Column, it simply states that Samuel was last seen on the eastern banks of the Irrawaddy River on the 14th April 1943.
To read more about Samuel Richardson and Captain Williams platoon, please click on the following link: Captain Williams and Platoon 18
During the early months of 2015, I was very fortunate to be contacted by Liam Brady, the grandson of another Chindit from 1943, Pte. Gerald Desmond of 5 Column. Gerald Desmond was a commando with 5 Column on Operation Longcloth but was taken prisoner by the Japanese on the same day that Samuel was reported missing (14th April) and spent the best part of two years inside Rangoon Jail.
After the war Gerald took part in many of the Chindit and POW reunions and corresponded with many of his old comrades. In 1996 he received a letter from the son of Samuel Richardson, asking him if he had any information about his father and what had happened to him in Burma. Contained within this letter was the photograph of Samuel Richardson seen at the beginning of this mini-article. I would like to thank Liam for sending me this image and some of the other details about Pte. Richardson.
Seen below are some further images in relation to this story, please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
Rank: Private
Service No: 3781599
Date of Death: 15/04/1943
Age: 31
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Memorial: Face 6 of the Rangoon Memorial, Taukkyan War Cemetery.
CWGC link: http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2523608/RICHARDSON,%20SAMUEL
Chindit Column: 8
Other details:
Samuel Richardson was the son of John William and Alice Richardson and husband of G. S. Richardson, of Droylsden in Lancashire. He was an original member of the 13th Battalion that left British shores in early December 1941 aboard the troopship 'Oronsay' and bound for India. Pte. Richardson was part of D' Company within the 13th King's and became a member of Chindit Column 8 in June 1942. On Operation Longcloth, Samuel was part of Platoon 18, led by Captain Raymond Williams also of the King's Regiment.
On the 1st April 1943, 8 Column, led by Major Scott had reached the fast flowing Shweli River close to the area of the Wingaba Cliffs. Captain Williams platoon was chosen to be first across the river and to form a defensive bridgehead on the opposite bank. Here is an excerpt from the Column War diary for that day, explaining the situation in more detail:
"Recce of the River Shweli carried out during the afternoon and we have decided to cross this evening near the Wingaba Cliffs, S.N. 2563. Column moved down to the river at dusk. Rope got across the river which was flowing very fast on the near side. Captain Williams with two other officers, Lieutenants Hobday and Horton and 29 British Other Ranks crossed the river to form a bridgehead. The next party under Sgt. Scruton got in to difficulties and drifted away down-stream. Both boats having been lost, the crossing was called off. Captain Williams and his party moved from the far bank at first light for the next agreed rendezvous. The rope across the river was withdrawn."
Captain Williams and his men would never meet up with the main body of 8 Column again. Over the following three weeks the platoon was ambushed by the Japanese on no fewer than three occasions as they attempted to cross the next watery obstacle, the Irrawaddy River. Samuel Richardson was lost to his platoon on the 14th April 1943, when the unit was attacked by a Japanese patrol for the first time. Corporal 3781695 A. McCann was the only member of Captain Williams' dispersal party to return to India in 1943, although three other men did survive their time as prisoners of war and were liberated from Rangoon Jail in April 1945. McCann gave the following witness statement in regards to the disappearance of Pte. Richardson and the other member with him on the 14th April:
"The above party under the command of L/Sgt. Stephens were left on the east bank of the Irrawaddy on about the 14th April 1943, to guard a raft that had been built. I was in bivouac with the main body, under the command of Captain R. Williams. Firing was heard in the direction of the river, and Ptes. Gray and Franey (since reported missing) who were also with Stephens party had been attacked and overwhelmed. The above NCO and men have not been heard of since."
The true fate of Lance Sergeant William Stephens and his group is somewhat of a mystery, after being ambushed at the river, some men seem to have become POW's, whilst others just disappeared. Sadly, I have come to believe that the Japanese killed the more seriously wounded Chindits that they captured in 1943, rather than make arrangements for their medical care and transport to the larger POW Camps. This is possibly what happened to Samuel. On the missing in action listings for 8 Column, it simply states that Samuel was last seen on the eastern banks of the Irrawaddy River on the 14th April 1943.
To read more about Samuel Richardson and Captain Williams platoon, please click on the following link: Captain Williams and Platoon 18
During the early months of 2015, I was very fortunate to be contacted by Liam Brady, the grandson of another Chindit from 1943, Pte. Gerald Desmond of 5 Column. Gerald Desmond was a commando with 5 Column on Operation Longcloth but was taken prisoner by the Japanese on the same day that Samuel was reported missing (14th April) and spent the best part of two years inside Rangoon Jail.
After the war Gerald took part in many of the Chindit and POW reunions and corresponded with many of his old comrades. In 1996 he received a letter from the son of Samuel Richardson, asking him if he had any information about his father and what had happened to him in Burma. Contained within this letter was the photograph of Samuel Richardson seen at the beginning of this mini-article. I would like to thank Liam for sending me this image and some of the other details about Pte. Richardson.
Seen below are some further images in relation to this story, please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
Alex Roberts.
ROBERTS, ALEXANDER CYFFIN
Rank: Flight Lieutenant
Service No: 402007
Age: 27
Regiment/Service: RAAF, 146 Squadron.
Chindit Column: 77 Brigade Head Quarters
Other details:
Alexander Roberts was born on the 9th October 1916 at Lismore in New South Wales, Australia. He enlisted into the Royal Australian Air Force on the 28th April 1940 at Sydney with the service number 402007 and trained as a pilot over the coming months, after which he was posted to No. 452 Squadron based in the United Kingdom at Kirkton in Lindsey, Lincolnshire.
Flight Sergeant Roberts was Mentioned in Despatches in July 1941, for his successful evasion from capture (presumably after being shot down) in France after he had been arrested in Lyons and had subsequently escaped from a German POW Camp. After periods of service with both 258 and 146 Squadrons, mostly flying Hurricanes, Roberts volunteered for the second Wingate expedition as an Air Liaison Officer. He was posted to 77 Brigade Head Quarters joining the RAF liaison team led by Flight Officer Robert Thompson.
After returning across the Chindwin River from Burma in July 1944, Alexander enjoyed an extended period of rest and recuperation in northern India, before re-joining the RAF and attaining an advanced flying qualification. He was eventually discharged from the RAF on the 27th June 1945, retaining the rank of Flight Lieutenant.
Contained amongst the pages of Alexander's service papers is the following remark (dated 08/04/1945) in relation to his time as a Chindit, and written by Wing Commander, Robert G. K. Thompson DSO, MC:
This officer did very stout work with 77 Brigade in their operations at the Mawlu road and railway block (White City), 150 miles inside enemy territory and in the subsequent capture of Mogaung in Northern Burma. He was always cheerful and was very popular with everyone and Brigadier J.M. Calvert DSO, the brigade commander, thought very highly of him. He is an officer I would be very glad to have with me again on any operations.
Update 01/05/2021.
From the website RAF Commands (thanks to forum member Col Bruggy), more information about Alexander's experiences in France during 1941:
Sgt. Pilot Roberts was a member of the first course of the Empire Air Training Scheme (Australia) in June 1940. His initial European experience was with 607 Squadron flying Hurricanes in April and May 1941. After being posted to 453 Squadron, he was on a sweep of over one hundred Spitfires in the Dunkirk/St. Omer-Calais area associated with a bombing attack on the Lille railway station. Following an Me 109 attack over St. Omer he lost control of his aircraft and baled out. He landed just outside the German aerodrome and received immediate assistance from the French civilians.
He then attempted to get to Calais, but failed and with help from the French Resistance travelled by bicycle and train to Lyons. However, after six days he was betrayed in Lyons and interned in a Vichy controlled camp at St. Hippolyte. He escaped, and after three months, aided by the Pat O'Leary Line, passed through Spain and reached Gibraltar, finally returning to England in October 1941 aboard H.M.S. Sheffield.
In view of his experience with the French escape line, it was usual practice to cease operational flying over Europe. He therefore transferred to 258 Squadron in India and he later served with the Chindits (possibly on both expeditions).
After his initial training period in Australia, Canada and finally the United Kingdom, Alexander's flying career was as follows:
607 Squadron in the UK - 16/02/41-10/04/41 covering 7 operations.
452 Squadron in the UK - 12/04/41-01/02/42 covering 16 operations.
258 Squadron in the Far East - 19/04/42 until the end of his service, 63 operations.
Alexander Cyffin Roberts died on the 8th August 2007 aged 90 and is remembered alongside his wife, Kelsie May at Lismore Memorial Gardens, New South Wales.
Seen below is a gallery of images in relation to this story, including an image of Alexander's memorial at Lismore Memorial Gardens. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
Rank: Flight Lieutenant
Service No: 402007
Age: 27
Regiment/Service: RAAF, 146 Squadron.
Chindit Column: 77 Brigade Head Quarters
Other details:
Alexander Roberts was born on the 9th October 1916 at Lismore in New South Wales, Australia. He enlisted into the Royal Australian Air Force on the 28th April 1940 at Sydney with the service number 402007 and trained as a pilot over the coming months, after which he was posted to No. 452 Squadron based in the United Kingdom at Kirkton in Lindsey, Lincolnshire.
Flight Sergeant Roberts was Mentioned in Despatches in July 1941, for his successful evasion from capture (presumably after being shot down) in France after he had been arrested in Lyons and had subsequently escaped from a German POW Camp. After periods of service with both 258 and 146 Squadrons, mostly flying Hurricanes, Roberts volunteered for the second Wingate expedition as an Air Liaison Officer. He was posted to 77 Brigade Head Quarters joining the RAF liaison team led by Flight Officer Robert Thompson.
After returning across the Chindwin River from Burma in July 1944, Alexander enjoyed an extended period of rest and recuperation in northern India, before re-joining the RAF and attaining an advanced flying qualification. He was eventually discharged from the RAF on the 27th June 1945, retaining the rank of Flight Lieutenant.
Contained amongst the pages of Alexander's service papers is the following remark (dated 08/04/1945) in relation to his time as a Chindit, and written by Wing Commander, Robert G. K. Thompson DSO, MC:
This officer did very stout work with 77 Brigade in their operations at the Mawlu road and railway block (White City), 150 miles inside enemy territory and in the subsequent capture of Mogaung in Northern Burma. He was always cheerful and was very popular with everyone and Brigadier J.M. Calvert DSO, the brigade commander, thought very highly of him. He is an officer I would be very glad to have with me again on any operations.
Update 01/05/2021.
From the website RAF Commands (thanks to forum member Col Bruggy), more information about Alexander's experiences in France during 1941:
Sgt. Pilot Roberts was a member of the first course of the Empire Air Training Scheme (Australia) in June 1940. His initial European experience was with 607 Squadron flying Hurricanes in April and May 1941. After being posted to 453 Squadron, he was on a sweep of over one hundred Spitfires in the Dunkirk/St. Omer-Calais area associated with a bombing attack on the Lille railway station. Following an Me 109 attack over St. Omer he lost control of his aircraft and baled out. He landed just outside the German aerodrome and received immediate assistance from the French civilians.
He then attempted to get to Calais, but failed and with help from the French Resistance travelled by bicycle and train to Lyons. However, after six days he was betrayed in Lyons and interned in a Vichy controlled camp at St. Hippolyte. He escaped, and after three months, aided by the Pat O'Leary Line, passed through Spain and reached Gibraltar, finally returning to England in October 1941 aboard H.M.S. Sheffield.
In view of his experience with the French escape line, it was usual practice to cease operational flying over Europe. He therefore transferred to 258 Squadron in India and he later served with the Chindits (possibly on both expeditions).
After his initial training period in Australia, Canada and finally the United Kingdom, Alexander's flying career was as follows:
607 Squadron in the UK - 16/02/41-10/04/41 covering 7 operations.
452 Squadron in the UK - 12/04/41-01/02/42 covering 16 operations.
258 Squadron in the Far East - 19/04/42 until the end of his service, 63 operations.
Alexander Cyffin Roberts died on the 8th August 2007 aged 90 and is remembered alongside his wife, Kelsie May at Lismore Memorial Gardens, New South Wales.
Seen below is a gallery of images in relation to this story, including an image of Alexander's memorial at Lismore Memorial Gardens. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
ROBERTS, CHRISTMAS SAMUEL
Rank: Private
Service No: 3777301
Date of Death: 29/03/1943
Age: 26
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Memorial: Rangoon War Cemetery, Grave Special Memorial 9. C. 5.
CWGC link: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2261140/ROBERTS,%20CHRISTMAS%20SAMUEL
Chindit Column: 7
Other details:
Christmas Samuel Roberts was from Birkenhead in Liverpool and had worked for the Shell Mex Company before the war. He became part of Chindit Column No. 7 on Operation Longcloth and served as part of the Vickers machine gun team in Burma. In late March 1943, Brigadier Wingate called a halt to the expedition in Burma, after being instructed by the Army HQ in India to get as many of his now knowledgeable and experienced Chindit Brigade back safely to Allied territory. Wingate's Brigade Head Quarters had been shielded by columns 7 and 8 for most of the operation in 1943 and it was these three groups that found themselves on the eastern banks of the Irrawaddy River on the 29th March, close to the village of Inywa.
Wingate ordered Captain David Hastings to lead a bridgehead party across the river, using some small Burmese country boats they had discovered hidden on the eastern shoreline. As the men, mainly from 7 Column prepared to cross some enemy activity was noticed on the far bank. Wingate and his commanders (Majors Gilkes and Scott) felt that the Japanese posed little threat in their present numbers, and so pressed on with the crossing. Some lead boats did manage to get over, but others including that of Captain Hastings came under heavy mortar and machine gun fire and began to get into difficulties. The crossing was duly abandoned and the remaining Chindits melted away into the jungle on the eastern banks of the Irrawaddy.
Pte. Christmas Roberts was aboard one of these unfortunate boats and was reported missing on the 29th March 1943. After the expedition concluded, two soldiers from 7 Column, Pte. 3781480 George Whalley and Cpl. 3450980 W. Fewings gave the following statement to the Army Investigation Bureau.
We were members of the Support Platoon of No. 7 Column during Brigadier Wingate's Burma Expedition. On the morning of March 29th 1943, 7 Column along with other Brigade troops attempted to cross the Irrawaddy from east to west, just below the Shweli junction. Cpl. 3781521 H. Hodgkinson, Pte. 5620996 R. Hooper and Pte. 3777301 C. Roberts, left the east bank in a boat taking one Vickers machine gun with them. We did not see them reach the other side and very shortly afterwards the Japanese attacked from the west bank.
The men had arms and equipment with them and some of our column had already reached the west bank. Most of these men eventually reached the Chindwin about three weeks later. The above mentioned men did not join any of these troops and to the beat of our knowledge they have not been heard of since.
All three soldiers mentioned by George Whalley and Cpl. Fewings were listed as missing in action on the 29th March 1943 and were subsequently recorded as having died on that day. Both Cpl. Harold Hodgkinson and Pte. Reginald Hooper are remembered upon the Rangoon Memorial at Taukkyan War Cemetery. This monument was constructed to honour all those who fell during the Burma campaign, but who had no known grave. Extremely unusually, Christmas Roberts is remembered at Rangoon War Cemetery, where he has been allocated an individual grave. This would suggest that his body was recovered at some point after the war had ended and that his original grave must have been recorded in some manner, either by his Chindit comrades, or possibly local Burmese villagers.
From the Liverpool Echo newspaper, dated Friday 22nd October 1943 and under the headline Reported Missing:
The following men are reported missing in the various theatres of war:
Private Noel Samuel Roberts, aged 27 of 166 New Ferry Road, Birkenhead, is missing in the Indian theatre of war. Pte. Roberts, who was with the Wingate Expedition in Burma, was an old scholar of Russell Road School in Rock Ferry and had been employed by the Shell Mex Company.
Seen below is a gallery of images in relation to this short story. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
Rank: Private
Service No: 3777301
Date of Death: 29/03/1943
Age: 26
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Memorial: Rangoon War Cemetery, Grave Special Memorial 9. C. 5.
CWGC link: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2261140/ROBERTS,%20CHRISTMAS%20SAMUEL
Chindit Column: 7
Other details:
Christmas Samuel Roberts was from Birkenhead in Liverpool and had worked for the Shell Mex Company before the war. He became part of Chindit Column No. 7 on Operation Longcloth and served as part of the Vickers machine gun team in Burma. In late March 1943, Brigadier Wingate called a halt to the expedition in Burma, after being instructed by the Army HQ in India to get as many of his now knowledgeable and experienced Chindit Brigade back safely to Allied territory. Wingate's Brigade Head Quarters had been shielded by columns 7 and 8 for most of the operation in 1943 and it was these three groups that found themselves on the eastern banks of the Irrawaddy River on the 29th March, close to the village of Inywa.
Wingate ordered Captain David Hastings to lead a bridgehead party across the river, using some small Burmese country boats they had discovered hidden on the eastern shoreline. As the men, mainly from 7 Column prepared to cross some enemy activity was noticed on the far bank. Wingate and his commanders (Majors Gilkes and Scott) felt that the Japanese posed little threat in their present numbers, and so pressed on with the crossing. Some lead boats did manage to get over, but others including that of Captain Hastings came under heavy mortar and machine gun fire and began to get into difficulties. The crossing was duly abandoned and the remaining Chindits melted away into the jungle on the eastern banks of the Irrawaddy.
Pte. Christmas Roberts was aboard one of these unfortunate boats and was reported missing on the 29th March 1943. After the expedition concluded, two soldiers from 7 Column, Pte. 3781480 George Whalley and Cpl. 3450980 W. Fewings gave the following statement to the Army Investigation Bureau.
We were members of the Support Platoon of No. 7 Column during Brigadier Wingate's Burma Expedition. On the morning of March 29th 1943, 7 Column along with other Brigade troops attempted to cross the Irrawaddy from east to west, just below the Shweli junction. Cpl. 3781521 H. Hodgkinson, Pte. 5620996 R. Hooper and Pte. 3777301 C. Roberts, left the east bank in a boat taking one Vickers machine gun with them. We did not see them reach the other side and very shortly afterwards the Japanese attacked from the west bank.
The men had arms and equipment with them and some of our column had already reached the west bank. Most of these men eventually reached the Chindwin about three weeks later. The above mentioned men did not join any of these troops and to the beat of our knowledge they have not been heard of since.
All three soldiers mentioned by George Whalley and Cpl. Fewings were listed as missing in action on the 29th March 1943 and were subsequently recorded as having died on that day. Both Cpl. Harold Hodgkinson and Pte. Reginald Hooper are remembered upon the Rangoon Memorial at Taukkyan War Cemetery. This monument was constructed to honour all those who fell during the Burma campaign, but who had no known grave. Extremely unusually, Christmas Roberts is remembered at Rangoon War Cemetery, where he has been allocated an individual grave. This would suggest that his body was recovered at some point after the war had ended and that his original grave must have been recorded in some manner, either by his Chindit comrades, or possibly local Burmese villagers.
From the Liverpool Echo newspaper, dated Friday 22nd October 1943 and under the headline Reported Missing:
The following men are reported missing in the various theatres of war:
Private Noel Samuel Roberts, aged 27 of 166 New Ferry Road, Birkenhead, is missing in the Indian theatre of war. Pte. Roberts, who was with the Wingate Expedition in Burma, was an old scholar of Russell Road School in Rock Ferry and had been employed by the Shell Mex Company.
Seen below is a gallery of images in relation to this short story. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
Pte. Elias Roberts, India 1942.
ROBERTS, ELIAS
Rank: Private
Service No: 4198208
Date of Death: 27/08/1943
Age: 25
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Memorial: Rangoon War Cemetery, Grave 5.H.4.
CWGC link: http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2261141/ROBERTS,%20ELIAS
Chindit Column: 2GHQ (Northern Group Head Quarters).
Other details:
Elias Roberts joined Chindit training at Saugor with a small draft of men from the Royal Welch Fusiliers in late September 1942. He was placed in to Northern Group Head Quarters, which was the organisational hub of the section of Chindits comprising of Columns 5, 7, 8 plus Wingate's own Brigade HQ. There is no information available which tells us about his role within the Head Quarters.
Sadly, Elias does not have any witness statements from other men telling of his fate in 1943. He is mentioned on two lists, but no extra information is present in the files at the National Archives. He is present on the Casualty lists for Rangoon Jail which shows his date of death in Block 6 of the jail in August 1943. His POW number was 530 and he was recorded as buried in the English Cantonment Cemetery in plot 32.
His Japanese index card is scant in detail and does not show either his date or place of capture, however, the reverse side of the card states:
The cause of death was malnutrition and that the prisoner died at 11.30am in Block 6 of the jail, on the 27th August 1943. He was buried in the Cantonment Cemetery, Rangoon.
I was fortunate enough to be contacted by the great nephew of Elias Roberts in March 2014. This is what Clive Roberts was able to tell me:
I've been trying to find out a bit more about my great uncle Elias Roberts who served with the Chindits in Burma. He ended up a POW and died in captivity in August 1943. His grave is in Rangoon Cemetery. My dad (who died in 1992) said that his family were told after the war by survivors that his uncle Elias had gone to the aid of a fellow prisoner who was being mistreated by the Japanese. He struck one of the guards and was beaten to death. I've no idea if this is accurate. It may be just a family myth but I would like to know more about Elias and his service during WW2. Elias was one of seven children, with three sisters and three brothers, one of whom was my own grandfather. The family were born and brought up in Holywell in North Wales and Elias's name appears on the town's memorial.
After the war was over the Imperial War Graves Commission moved all the British graves from the Cantonment Cemetery over to the newly constructed Rangoon War Cemetery, which is where Elias now lies at rest.
Seen below are some images relevant to the story of Elias Roberts, please click on an image to enlarge.
Rank: Private
Service No: 4198208
Date of Death: 27/08/1943
Age: 25
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Memorial: Rangoon War Cemetery, Grave 5.H.4.
CWGC link: http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2261141/ROBERTS,%20ELIAS
Chindit Column: 2GHQ (Northern Group Head Quarters).
Other details:
Elias Roberts joined Chindit training at Saugor with a small draft of men from the Royal Welch Fusiliers in late September 1942. He was placed in to Northern Group Head Quarters, which was the organisational hub of the section of Chindits comprising of Columns 5, 7, 8 plus Wingate's own Brigade HQ. There is no information available which tells us about his role within the Head Quarters.
Sadly, Elias does not have any witness statements from other men telling of his fate in 1943. He is mentioned on two lists, but no extra information is present in the files at the National Archives. He is present on the Casualty lists for Rangoon Jail which shows his date of death in Block 6 of the jail in August 1943. His POW number was 530 and he was recorded as buried in the English Cantonment Cemetery in plot 32.
His Japanese index card is scant in detail and does not show either his date or place of capture, however, the reverse side of the card states:
The cause of death was malnutrition and that the prisoner died at 11.30am in Block 6 of the jail, on the 27th August 1943. He was buried in the Cantonment Cemetery, Rangoon.
I was fortunate enough to be contacted by the great nephew of Elias Roberts in March 2014. This is what Clive Roberts was able to tell me:
I've been trying to find out a bit more about my great uncle Elias Roberts who served with the Chindits in Burma. He ended up a POW and died in captivity in August 1943. His grave is in Rangoon Cemetery. My dad (who died in 1992) said that his family were told after the war by survivors that his uncle Elias had gone to the aid of a fellow prisoner who was being mistreated by the Japanese. He struck one of the guards and was beaten to death. I've no idea if this is accurate. It may be just a family myth but I would like to know more about Elias and his service during WW2. Elias was one of seven children, with three sisters and three brothers, one of whom was my own grandfather. The family were born and brought up in Holywell in North Wales and Elias's name appears on the town's memorial.
After the war was over the Imperial War Graves Commission moved all the British graves from the Cantonment Cemetery over to the newly constructed Rangoon War Cemetery, which is where Elias now lies at rest.
Seen below are some images relevant to the story of Elias Roberts, please click on an image to enlarge.
Elijah Roberts in Bombay, 1942.
ROBERTS, ELIJAH
Rank: Private
Service No: 3780368
Date of Death: 29/06/1944 (see correction details below).
Age: 29
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Memorial: Rangoon War Cemetery, Collective Grave 6. G. 4-9.
CWGC link: http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2261142/ROBERTS,%20ELIJAH
Chindit Column: 5
Other details:
Pte. Elijah Roberts was born in Royton, Lancashire on the 13th September 1915 and was the son of Benjamin and Lucy Roberts and the husband of Florrie Roberts, from Shaw, a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham. Elijah, a labourer in civilian life married Florrie Bardsley at Middleton in the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale on the 30th September 1939. According to his service records, he enlisted into the British Army on the 24th July 1940 and was originally posted to the 11th Battalion, The King's Regiment. His records also state that Elijah was fairly short in stature, at only 5' 3" tall.
During his time with the 11th King's, Elijah served mostly in the north of the country at places such as Whitley Bay, Durham and Bothal in Northumberland. On the 9th December 1941 he was posted to the 8th King's, before being transferred to the Welsh Regiment (60th Holding Battalion) at Cardiff in May 1942. Just ten days later, he embarked for duties overseas, possibly as part of Convoy WS 19P, which left Liverpool Docks on the 31st May 1942.
After voyaging to India via the Cape of Good Hope, Elijah arrived at the Chindit training camp based at Patharia in the Central Provinces of the country on the last day of July 1942. He was posted to the 13th Battalion of the King's Regiment on the 8th of August and became a member of Chindit Column No. 5, commanded at that time by the amiable and enthusiastic Mancunian, Captain Ted Waugh. Captain Waugh became ill some weeks later and was replaced as commander of 5 Column on the 17th October by Major Bernard Fergusson of the Black Watch.
Column 5 were one of the units designated by Wingate to demolish the Myitkhina-Mandalay Railway at a place called Bonchaung. The column moved quickly over the next few weeks to reach its objective. 5 Column succeeded in demolishing the railway line and the bridge at Bonchaung on the 6th March 1943, before moving on towards the Irrawaddy River and crossing to join the other columns from Northern Group on the eastern side. Once across the Irrawaddy and after three further weeks inside Burma, the Chindits were instructed to return to India and dispersal was ordered by Brigadier Wingate.
Whilst attempting this journey 5 Column had to re-cross not one, but two of the great and expansive Burmese rivers. On April 1st the unit were fording the fast flowing Shweli River. They had managed to reach what they thought was the far bank, but discovered to their horror that they were actually on a large sandbank in the middle of the river, with some 80 yards of fast flowing water still between them and their ultimate goal.
From his book, Beyond the Chindwin, Bernard Fergusson describes the terrors of that last stretch of the Shweli River:
There is no word for it but "nightmare." The roaring of the waters, the blackness of the night, the occasional sucking of a quicksand were bad enough, but the current was devilish. At its deepest, I suppose it was about four feet six or a little more: I am over six foot one, and it was more than breast high on me. The current must have been four to five knots. It sought to scoop the feet from under you and at the same time thrust powerfully at your chest. The only method of progress was to lean against the current, to attempt to keep an intermittent footing, to maintain your angle against the stream, and kick off the ground whenever your feet touched it. If once you lost your vertical position, you knew as a black certainty that you would disappear down the stream for ever.
Frightened and exhausted, this final obstacle proved too much for some of the men and they slumped down on to the sands to rest. Major Fergusson and the other officers urged their men to continue, as they realised that a Japanese patrol were closing in on the now desperate Chindits. A section of Burma Riflemen decide to attempt the crossing, but two of their number were quickly swept away by the foaming waters; this was the final straw for the other men and they refused to carry on. I wonder now, whether Elijah's height (5' 3") had something to do with his reluctance to attempt that last section of the Shweli River?
There are two witness statements given by men after the operation which describe the situation at the Shweli on the 1st April 1943. One from Lieutenant William Edge and the other from Pte. W. Ryan.
Bill Edge recalled:
In the small hours of the 1st April 1943, a dispersal group commanded by Major B. Fergusson crossed the Shweli River from west to east at a point near Tokkin village. Some men were ferried half-way across by boat to a sandbank, but failed to complete the crossing, which involved wading breast-high some fifty yards in a very fast current. These men did not rejoin the Column and have not been seen since.
Pte. Ryan remembered:
I was with No. 5 Column at the crossing of the River Shweli on the 1st April 1943. With Pte. Pierce, I was one of the last to leave the sandbank. On reaching the east bank we lost our way and did not finally leave the river bank until daybreak. Before leaving I saw a group of approximately 40 to 50 British Other Ranks and Gurkhas still on the sandbank. They did not seem to be attempting to cross. They had arms and ammunition.
I had not gone more than thirty yards inland, when I heard a volley of shots close at hand, but I could not tell who was firing. There were Japs in the village just two miles away. We re-joined the Column which was approximately two miles away and were the last men to do so.
Seen below are two images in relation to the incident at the Shweli sandbank on April 1st 1943. Firstly, a map showing 5 Column's journey during the days leading up to the Shweli crossing at Tokkin and secondly, an aerial photograph of the same general area. The sandbank shown in the photograph cannot be confirmed as being the one in question. Please click on either image to bring it forward on the page. To read more about the men lost at the Shweli, please click on the following link: The Men of the Shweli Sandbank
Rank: Private
Service No: 3780368
Date of Death: 29/06/1944 (see correction details below).
Age: 29
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Memorial: Rangoon War Cemetery, Collective Grave 6. G. 4-9.
CWGC link: http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2261142/ROBERTS,%20ELIJAH
Chindit Column: 5
Other details:
Pte. Elijah Roberts was born in Royton, Lancashire on the 13th September 1915 and was the son of Benjamin and Lucy Roberts and the husband of Florrie Roberts, from Shaw, a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham. Elijah, a labourer in civilian life married Florrie Bardsley at Middleton in the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale on the 30th September 1939. According to his service records, he enlisted into the British Army on the 24th July 1940 and was originally posted to the 11th Battalion, The King's Regiment. His records also state that Elijah was fairly short in stature, at only 5' 3" tall.
During his time with the 11th King's, Elijah served mostly in the north of the country at places such as Whitley Bay, Durham and Bothal in Northumberland. On the 9th December 1941 he was posted to the 8th King's, before being transferred to the Welsh Regiment (60th Holding Battalion) at Cardiff in May 1942. Just ten days later, he embarked for duties overseas, possibly as part of Convoy WS 19P, which left Liverpool Docks on the 31st May 1942.
After voyaging to India via the Cape of Good Hope, Elijah arrived at the Chindit training camp based at Patharia in the Central Provinces of the country on the last day of July 1942. He was posted to the 13th Battalion of the King's Regiment on the 8th of August and became a member of Chindit Column No. 5, commanded at that time by the amiable and enthusiastic Mancunian, Captain Ted Waugh. Captain Waugh became ill some weeks later and was replaced as commander of 5 Column on the 17th October by Major Bernard Fergusson of the Black Watch.
Column 5 were one of the units designated by Wingate to demolish the Myitkhina-Mandalay Railway at a place called Bonchaung. The column moved quickly over the next few weeks to reach its objective. 5 Column succeeded in demolishing the railway line and the bridge at Bonchaung on the 6th March 1943, before moving on towards the Irrawaddy River and crossing to join the other columns from Northern Group on the eastern side. Once across the Irrawaddy and after three further weeks inside Burma, the Chindits were instructed to return to India and dispersal was ordered by Brigadier Wingate.
Whilst attempting this journey 5 Column had to re-cross not one, but two of the great and expansive Burmese rivers. On April 1st the unit were fording the fast flowing Shweli River. They had managed to reach what they thought was the far bank, but discovered to their horror that they were actually on a large sandbank in the middle of the river, with some 80 yards of fast flowing water still between them and their ultimate goal.
From his book, Beyond the Chindwin, Bernard Fergusson describes the terrors of that last stretch of the Shweli River:
There is no word for it but "nightmare." The roaring of the waters, the blackness of the night, the occasional sucking of a quicksand were bad enough, but the current was devilish. At its deepest, I suppose it was about four feet six or a little more: I am over six foot one, and it was more than breast high on me. The current must have been four to five knots. It sought to scoop the feet from under you and at the same time thrust powerfully at your chest. The only method of progress was to lean against the current, to attempt to keep an intermittent footing, to maintain your angle against the stream, and kick off the ground whenever your feet touched it. If once you lost your vertical position, you knew as a black certainty that you would disappear down the stream for ever.
Frightened and exhausted, this final obstacle proved too much for some of the men and they slumped down on to the sands to rest. Major Fergusson and the other officers urged their men to continue, as they realised that a Japanese patrol were closing in on the now desperate Chindits. A section of Burma Riflemen decide to attempt the crossing, but two of their number were quickly swept away by the foaming waters; this was the final straw for the other men and they refused to carry on. I wonder now, whether Elijah's height (5' 3") had something to do with his reluctance to attempt that last section of the Shweli River?
There are two witness statements given by men after the operation which describe the situation at the Shweli on the 1st April 1943. One from Lieutenant William Edge and the other from Pte. W. Ryan.
Bill Edge recalled:
In the small hours of the 1st April 1943, a dispersal group commanded by Major B. Fergusson crossed the Shweli River from west to east at a point near Tokkin village. Some men were ferried half-way across by boat to a sandbank, but failed to complete the crossing, which involved wading breast-high some fifty yards in a very fast current. These men did not rejoin the Column and have not been seen since.
Pte. Ryan remembered:
I was with No. 5 Column at the crossing of the River Shweli on the 1st April 1943. With Pte. Pierce, I was one of the last to leave the sandbank. On reaching the east bank we lost our way and did not finally leave the river bank until daybreak. Before leaving I saw a group of approximately 40 to 50 British Other Ranks and Gurkhas still on the sandbank. They did not seem to be attempting to cross. They had arms and ammunition.
I had not gone more than thirty yards inland, when I heard a volley of shots close at hand, but I could not tell who was firing. There were Japs in the village just two miles away. We re-joined the Column which was approximately two miles away and were the last men to do so.
Seen below are two images in relation to the incident at the Shweli sandbank on April 1st 1943. Firstly, a map showing 5 Column's journey during the days leading up to the Shweli crossing at Tokkin and secondly, an aerial photograph of the same general area. The sandbank shown in the photograph cannot be confirmed as being the one in question. Please click on either image to bring it forward on the page. To read more about the men lost at the Shweli, please click on the following link: The Men of the Shweli Sandbank
Some 40 men from 5 Column including Elijah Roberts were captured by the enemy that day and were taken to a jungle holding camp. As the days wore on more and more exhausted Chindits were gathered up by the Japanese and sent on to various POW Camps in the area. Finally, it was decided to send them all down to Rangoon Central Jail and this is where Elijah sadly died.
Pte. Roberts first came to my direct attention, when I was collating together a group of men who had perished inside Rangoon Jail during an outbreak of cholera, this took place around the end of June and beginning of July 1944. Elijah's details, found on documents in relation to his time as a prisoner of war and in particular his date of death, differed from those recorded by the CWGC. On the website of the CWGC, his date of death is recorded as 29th June 1943, whereas on all documentation I have found in relation to his time as a POW, his date of death is listed as 29th June 1944.
On the lists of deaths for Block 6 of Rangoon Jail (see gallery below), kept in the archives of the Imperial War Museum, Elijah is stated as having died on the 29th July 1944. He is recorded with the POW number 347, having perished during the cholera outbreak in Block 6 of the jail, alongside fellow Chindits Lawrence Ashcroft and John Collier. The lists also show that the three unfortunate Chindits were buried in collective grave no. 191 at the English Cantonment Cemetery with two other men, William Brown and John Leisure.
Elijah's POW index card (see gallery below) also shows his date of death as 29th June 1944. The translation of his card, confirms the place of capture as 'an island in the Shweli River' and list the following details in relation to his death:
Died: June 29, 1944
Cause of death: suspected Cholera
Onset of illness: June 29, 1944
Place of death: Burma, Rangoon, Malay POW Camp #6
Body treatment method: Cremation, buried in Burma, Rangoon Cantonment Cemetery.
As one might expect, the Japanese were extremely worried by the unwelcome appearance of cholera inside Rangoon Jail. They placed the affected soldiers into a confinement area, where they were treated only by the Allied doctors held in the jail at that time, assisted by some courageous volunteers from the Other Ranks. Vaccines were eventually brought in by the Japanese and given to the other prisoners; in the end the outbreak was contained to just fifteen cases over a two week period. Full credit must be given to the senior Medical Officers present at that time, namely, Major Raymond Ramsay who was captured during Operation Longcloth and Colonel K. P. MacKenzie, who had been captured in 1942 during the retreat from Burma.
The hysteria shown by the Japanese guards in relation to the disease was again borne out by their insistence in having all the bodies cremated. The men's remains were then removed from the jail grounds and buried in the collective plot (191) at the Cantonment Cemetery, situated to the east of the city near the Royal Lakes. In regards to the discrepancy in the recording of Elijah's date of death; all information in relation to POW's held at Rangoon Jail was collated and recorded by the senior officers of the various regiments represented within the prison at the time. These details were often written down on any scraps of paper the officer in question could lay his hands on and then needed to be kept hidden away from the Japanese prison guards. In the case of the Chindits from Operation Longcloth, the listings involved over 200 names and needed to be concealed for just over two years. So, it can be no real surprise that small errors were made in the collation of these registers.
Seen below is a gallery of images in relation to the first part of this story. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
Pte. Roberts first came to my direct attention, when I was collating together a group of men who had perished inside Rangoon Jail during an outbreak of cholera, this took place around the end of June and beginning of July 1944. Elijah's details, found on documents in relation to his time as a prisoner of war and in particular his date of death, differed from those recorded by the CWGC. On the website of the CWGC, his date of death is recorded as 29th June 1943, whereas on all documentation I have found in relation to his time as a POW, his date of death is listed as 29th June 1944.
On the lists of deaths for Block 6 of Rangoon Jail (see gallery below), kept in the archives of the Imperial War Museum, Elijah is stated as having died on the 29th July 1944. He is recorded with the POW number 347, having perished during the cholera outbreak in Block 6 of the jail, alongside fellow Chindits Lawrence Ashcroft and John Collier. The lists also show that the three unfortunate Chindits were buried in collective grave no. 191 at the English Cantonment Cemetery with two other men, William Brown and John Leisure.
Elijah's POW index card (see gallery below) also shows his date of death as 29th June 1944. The translation of his card, confirms the place of capture as 'an island in the Shweli River' and list the following details in relation to his death:
Died: June 29, 1944
Cause of death: suspected Cholera
Onset of illness: June 29, 1944
Place of death: Burma, Rangoon, Malay POW Camp #6
Body treatment method: Cremation, buried in Burma, Rangoon Cantonment Cemetery.
As one might expect, the Japanese were extremely worried by the unwelcome appearance of cholera inside Rangoon Jail. They placed the affected soldiers into a confinement area, where they were treated only by the Allied doctors held in the jail at that time, assisted by some courageous volunteers from the Other Ranks. Vaccines were eventually brought in by the Japanese and given to the other prisoners; in the end the outbreak was contained to just fifteen cases over a two week period. Full credit must be given to the senior Medical Officers present at that time, namely, Major Raymond Ramsay who was captured during Operation Longcloth and Colonel K. P. MacKenzie, who had been captured in 1942 during the retreat from Burma.
The hysteria shown by the Japanese guards in relation to the disease was again borne out by their insistence in having all the bodies cremated. The men's remains were then removed from the jail grounds and buried in the collective plot (191) at the Cantonment Cemetery, situated to the east of the city near the Royal Lakes. In regards to the discrepancy in the recording of Elijah's date of death; all information in relation to POW's held at Rangoon Jail was collated and recorded by the senior officers of the various regiments represented within the prison at the time. These details were often written down on any scraps of paper the officer in question could lay his hands on and then needed to be kept hidden away from the Japanese prison guards. In the case of the Chindits from Operation Longcloth, the listings involved over 200 names and needed to be concealed for just over two years. So, it can be no real surprise that small errors were made in the collation of these registers.
Seen below is a gallery of images in relation to the first part of this story. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
For many of the families of Chindit prisoners of war, news of their loved ones fate was very difficult to come by as information slowly trickled back from Burma in the form of first-hand witness statements and other anecdotal accounts. Elijah's family made a concerted effort to find out what had happened to him. They wrote to the Army Infantry Offices in late 1943, who in turn moved their enquiry on to the British Red Cross Society at Belgrave Square in London. On the 3rd December 1943, Florrie Roberts received the following letter from the British Red Cross:
Dear Mrs. Roberts,
We have received your enquiry, forwarded to us by the 'Penny-a-Week Fund' asking for news of your husband (Pte. E. Roberts 3780368, King's Regt.). We are very sorry to tell you that none has reached us since he was reported missing in Burma.
We sympathise with you so much in your anxiety for him, but feel that you should not be too discouraged by the lack of news, as information about our men who were reported missing at the time of the fall of Singapore in 1942, has only recently been reaching this country.
From this, you will realise how long it takes to get news from the Far East. We can only assure you that you will be notified immediately there is any definite information about your husband. Please accept once more our sympathy in your anxiety.
Yours sincerely
Margaret Ampthill
The British Army Office then sent another letter to Florrie Roberts dated 21st October 1944. As you can see, news from the Far East was painfully slow; it is sad to think that by the time the following communique was received, Elijah had been dead for almost four months.
Dear Mrs. Roberts,
As it is possible that your husband maybe a Prisoner of War in Japanese hands, it is thought that the enclosed Handbook may be of use to you. Although no official Prisoner of War report has yet been received concerning certain personnel posted as 'Missing' in Burma, you may, if you wish, write to him addressing your letter or card as follows:
Service Prisonniere de Guerre
Prisoner of War Post
3780368 Pte. E. Roberts
Burma
British Prisoner of War
℅ Japanese Red Cross
Tokyo
Further instructions concerning correspondence will be found on Page 12 of the Handbook.
Signed: Officer in charge Infantry Records
Eventually the unhappy news of Elijah's death in Rangoon must have filtered through to his family back home. In March 1946, the Director of Graves Registration wrote to the Roberts family, informing them about the movement of Elijah's remains from the location of his first burial to a new plot (191) in the Rangoon Cantonment Cemetery. This letter can be viewed in the gallery below.
Most of the men who perished inside Rangoon Central Jail were originally buried at the Cantonment Cemetery in the first instance. That being so, with the information available in regards to Pte. Roberts and the men who died as a result of the cholera outbreak in 1944, suggesting that their remains were not taken to the Cantonment Cemetery until much later, leads me to believe that they were actually first interred within the grounds of the jail, probably at the request of the Japanese who were concerned about the contagious nature of the disease from which they had perished. This is of course conjecture on my part and cannot be substantiated.
After the war was over, the Imperial War Graves Commission set up the permanent location for burials from in and around the capital city, including all POW graves from Rangoon Jail. This site is now known as Rangoon War Cemetery. For more information about all the cemeteries mentioned in this story, please click on the following link and scan down the page to the relevant section: Memorials and Cemeteries
Seen below is a final gallery of images in relation to the story of Pte. Elijah Roberts. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
Dear Mrs. Roberts,
We have received your enquiry, forwarded to us by the 'Penny-a-Week Fund' asking for news of your husband (Pte. E. Roberts 3780368, King's Regt.). We are very sorry to tell you that none has reached us since he was reported missing in Burma.
We sympathise with you so much in your anxiety for him, but feel that you should not be too discouraged by the lack of news, as information about our men who were reported missing at the time of the fall of Singapore in 1942, has only recently been reaching this country.
From this, you will realise how long it takes to get news from the Far East. We can only assure you that you will be notified immediately there is any definite information about your husband. Please accept once more our sympathy in your anxiety.
Yours sincerely
Margaret Ampthill
The British Army Office then sent another letter to Florrie Roberts dated 21st October 1944. As you can see, news from the Far East was painfully slow; it is sad to think that by the time the following communique was received, Elijah had been dead for almost four months.
Dear Mrs. Roberts,
As it is possible that your husband maybe a Prisoner of War in Japanese hands, it is thought that the enclosed Handbook may be of use to you. Although no official Prisoner of War report has yet been received concerning certain personnel posted as 'Missing' in Burma, you may, if you wish, write to him addressing your letter or card as follows:
Service Prisonniere de Guerre
Prisoner of War Post
3780368 Pte. E. Roberts
Burma
British Prisoner of War
℅ Japanese Red Cross
Tokyo
Further instructions concerning correspondence will be found on Page 12 of the Handbook.
Signed: Officer in charge Infantry Records
Eventually the unhappy news of Elijah's death in Rangoon must have filtered through to his family back home. In March 1946, the Director of Graves Registration wrote to the Roberts family, informing them about the movement of Elijah's remains from the location of his first burial to a new plot (191) in the Rangoon Cantonment Cemetery. This letter can be viewed in the gallery below.
Most of the men who perished inside Rangoon Central Jail were originally buried at the Cantonment Cemetery in the first instance. That being so, with the information available in regards to Pte. Roberts and the men who died as a result of the cholera outbreak in 1944, suggesting that their remains were not taken to the Cantonment Cemetery until much later, leads me to believe that they were actually first interred within the grounds of the jail, probably at the request of the Japanese who were concerned about the contagious nature of the disease from which they had perished. This is of course conjecture on my part and cannot be substantiated.
After the war was over, the Imperial War Graves Commission set up the permanent location for burials from in and around the capital city, including all POW graves from Rangoon Jail. This site is now known as Rangoon War Cemetery. For more information about all the cemeteries mentioned in this story, please click on the following link and scan down the page to the relevant section: Memorials and Cemeteries
Seen below is a final gallery of images in relation to the story of Pte. Elijah Roberts. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
I would like to personally thank Gary Pickard for his invaluable help in bringing the story of Elijah Roberts to these website pages. I have decided to leave the last word in this story to Bernard Fergusson. On the 1st April 1943 he agonised for many hours whether to stay longer on the east bank of the Shweli, in the hope that the men still stranded on the sandbank would find it in their hearts to attempt that final short, but dangerous crossing. In his book, 'Beyond the Chindwin' he wrote:
In the end I made the decision to come away. I have it on my conscience for as long as live; but stand by that decision and believe it to have been the correct one. Those who think otherwise may well be right. Some of my officers volunteered to stay, but I refused them permission to do so.
Nevertheless, the crossing of the Shweli River will haunt me all my life; and to my mind the decision which fell to me there, was as cruel as any which could fall on the shoulders of a junior commander.
In the end I made the decision to come away. I have it on my conscience for as long as live; but stand by that decision and believe it to have been the correct one. Those who think otherwise may well be right. Some of my officers volunteered to stay, but I refused them permission to do so.
Nevertheless, the crossing of the Shweli River will haunt me all my life; and to my mind the decision which fell to me there, was as cruel as any which could fall on the shoulders of a junior commander.
The Parbold Christ Church Memorial.
RODEN, STANLEY
Rank: Private
Service No: 3865857
Date of Death: 09/05/1943
Age: 23
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Memorial: Face 6 of the Rangoon Memorial, Taukkyan War Cemetery.
CWGC link: http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2523739/RODEN,%20STANLEY
Chindit Column: 1
Other details:
Pte. Stanley Roden was the son of Stanley and Amelia Roden, of Wrightington in Lancashire. He was originally a member of the Loyal Regiment and joined Chindit training at the Saugor Camp on the 30th September 1942. Stanley was posted to the 142 Commando and his section was placed in to Chindit Column 1 under the overall command of Major George Dunlop MC.
He entered Burma in mid-February 1943, crossing the Chindwin River at a place called Auktaung. Column 1 were part of Southern Section on Operation Longcloth, ordered by Brigadier Wingate to act as a decoy for the other units crossing the river further north. Column 1 was a Gurkha Rifle unit with only a handful of British Officers present, the 142 Commando Company would have been the only entirely British sub-unit within the column.
On the 2nd March, sister Column 2 were ambushed at a place called Kyaikthin. The unit was all but destroyed with many men returning immediately to India. Some of Column 2's 142 Commando personnel managed to join up with Dunlop's column a few days later and were amalgamated into the greater unit.
By the time that Wingate called for the Chindits to return home in late March 1943, Column 1 were the furthest east and had to decide whether to try and exit Burma via the Chinese borders, or turn westward once more and head for India. After several days of arduous marching around the vicinity of Mong Mit, and two sharp engagements with the Japanese, Dunlop decided he had no choice but to return the way they had come in. Column 1 had arguably the toughest journey home of all the Chindit Columns and lost many men along the way, especially whilst crossing the two major obstacles that fateful year, the Irrawaddy and Shweli Rivers.
By early May, what was left of Column 1 was approaching the Chindwin Valley and had almost reached the safety of Allied held territory. It was at this point that Stanley Roden sadly lost his life. A witness statement submitted by Lieutenant P.W. MacLagan, originally part of Column 2 Commando, gave some information about what had happened to Stanley and five other men; Ptes. Checkley, Belcher, Williams and Barnes, along with Lance Corporal W. McMurran.
MacLagan remembered:
"On the 8th May 1943 at mid-day, the party under Major Dunlop was attacked on the Katun Chaung about 3 miles from the Chindwin River. Major Dunlop led the party up a dry nullah into the surrounding hills. The above mentioned men were in a group led by Lance Corporal McMurran which went on with Major Dunlop."
The report then goes on to recommend that a statement is obtained from Major Dunlop in order to further clarify what happened to these men. In Dunlop's own debrief documents for 1943 he mentions that in the area close to the east banks of the Chindwin River there were many Japanese and Burmese fighting patrols, all of which were on the lookout for the Chindits attempting to escape back to India.
Judging by the information given by Lieut. MacLagan it seems likely that Stanley was killed on, or shortly after this engagement. Barnes, Belcher, Checkley and McMurran all became prisoners of war, with only the latter two surviving their time in Rangoon Jail and retuning home in 1945. Pte. John Williams was also reported as being killed at the Katun Chaung engagement. Coincidently, Barnes, Belcher, Checkley and Williams were all originally with the Loyal Regiment before being posted to the 13th King's in late September 1942, it must be presumed that Stanley Roden and these men had all travelled to India together.
Stanley's body was never recovered after the war and as a consequence he is remembered upon the Rangoon Memorial at Taukkyan War Cemetery, which honours those casualties from the Burma Campaign who have no known grave. However, as you will see from the images below, Pte. Stanley Roden was certainly not forgotten by his family. Apart from his inscription on Face 6 of the Rangoon Memorial, he is remembered on no fewer than three other memorials back home in Lancashire. From my research into the men who perished whilst serving on the first Chindit operation in 1943, this feat is unequalled.
I would like to thank WW2Talk forum member Paul C, for all his help in photographing the memorials at Parbold, Appley Bridge and Wrightington. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
Update 10/04/2017.
From the pages of the Lancashire Evening Post newspaper, dated 22nd September 1945, under the headline Sad News From the Far East:
Private S. Roden, aged 24, the King's Regiment, of Cottage Hospital Grounds, Wrightington, who was previously posted as missing in Burma, is now reported to have ben killed in action. He enlisted in January 1942, and three months later was drafted to Burma where he served with the Chindits.
Rank: Private
Service No: 3865857
Date of Death: 09/05/1943
Age: 23
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Memorial: Face 6 of the Rangoon Memorial, Taukkyan War Cemetery.
CWGC link: http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2523739/RODEN,%20STANLEY
Chindit Column: 1
Other details:
Pte. Stanley Roden was the son of Stanley and Amelia Roden, of Wrightington in Lancashire. He was originally a member of the Loyal Regiment and joined Chindit training at the Saugor Camp on the 30th September 1942. Stanley was posted to the 142 Commando and his section was placed in to Chindit Column 1 under the overall command of Major George Dunlop MC.
He entered Burma in mid-February 1943, crossing the Chindwin River at a place called Auktaung. Column 1 were part of Southern Section on Operation Longcloth, ordered by Brigadier Wingate to act as a decoy for the other units crossing the river further north. Column 1 was a Gurkha Rifle unit with only a handful of British Officers present, the 142 Commando Company would have been the only entirely British sub-unit within the column.
On the 2nd March, sister Column 2 were ambushed at a place called Kyaikthin. The unit was all but destroyed with many men returning immediately to India. Some of Column 2's 142 Commando personnel managed to join up with Dunlop's column a few days later and were amalgamated into the greater unit.
By the time that Wingate called for the Chindits to return home in late March 1943, Column 1 were the furthest east and had to decide whether to try and exit Burma via the Chinese borders, or turn westward once more and head for India. After several days of arduous marching around the vicinity of Mong Mit, and two sharp engagements with the Japanese, Dunlop decided he had no choice but to return the way they had come in. Column 1 had arguably the toughest journey home of all the Chindit Columns and lost many men along the way, especially whilst crossing the two major obstacles that fateful year, the Irrawaddy and Shweli Rivers.
By early May, what was left of Column 1 was approaching the Chindwin Valley and had almost reached the safety of Allied held territory. It was at this point that Stanley Roden sadly lost his life. A witness statement submitted by Lieutenant P.W. MacLagan, originally part of Column 2 Commando, gave some information about what had happened to Stanley and five other men; Ptes. Checkley, Belcher, Williams and Barnes, along with Lance Corporal W. McMurran.
MacLagan remembered:
"On the 8th May 1943 at mid-day, the party under Major Dunlop was attacked on the Katun Chaung about 3 miles from the Chindwin River. Major Dunlop led the party up a dry nullah into the surrounding hills. The above mentioned men were in a group led by Lance Corporal McMurran which went on with Major Dunlop."
The report then goes on to recommend that a statement is obtained from Major Dunlop in order to further clarify what happened to these men. In Dunlop's own debrief documents for 1943 he mentions that in the area close to the east banks of the Chindwin River there were many Japanese and Burmese fighting patrols, all of which were on the lookout for the Chindits attempting to escape back to India.
Judging by the information given by Lieut. MacLagan it seems likely that Stanley was killed on, or shortly after this engagement. Barnes, Belcher, Checkley and McMurran all became prisoners of war, with only the latter two surviving their time in Rangoon Jail and retuning home in 1945. Pte. John Williams was also reported as being killed at the Katun Chaung engagement. Coincidently, Barnes, Belcher, Checkley and Williams were all originally with the Loyal Regiment before being posted to the 13th King's in late September 1942, it must be presumed that Stanley Roden and these men had all travelled to India together.
Stanley's body was never recovered after the war and as a consequence he is remembered upon the Rangoon Memorial at Taukkyan War Cemetery, which honours those casualties from the Burma Campaign who have no known grave. However, as you will see from the images below, Pte. Stanley Roden was certainly not forgotten by his family. Apart from his inscription on Face 6 of the Rangoon Memorial, he is remembered on no fewer than three other memorials back home in Lancashire. From my research into the men who perished whilst serving on the first Chindit operation in 1943, this feat is unequalled.
I would like to thank WW2Talk forum member Paul C, for all his help in photographing the memorials at Parbold, Appley Bridge and Wrightington. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
Update 10/04/2017.
From the pages of the Lancashire Evening Post newspaper, dated 22nd September 1945, under the headline Sad News From the Far East:
Private S. Roden, aged 24, the King's Regiment, of Cottage Hospital Grounds, Wrightington, who was previously posted as missing in Burma, is now reported to have ben killed in action. He enlisted in January 1942, and three months later was drafted to Burma where he served with the Chindits.
ROOS, LEONARD PAUL
Rank: Corporal
Service No: 3778297
Date of Death: 23/03/1943
Age: 28
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Memorial: Face 5 of the Rangoon Memorial, Taukkyan War Cemetery.
CWGC link: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2523763/roos,-leonard-paul/#&gid=null&pid=1
Chindit Column: 8
Other details:
Leonard Roos was a diamond cutter from Southern Rhodesia, although the few mentions of him in Chindit writings, have him down as a South African national from Durban. He travelled to the United Kingdom aboard the Union Castle passenger liner, the Capetown Castle and disembarked at Liverpool on the 12th June 1940. Nothing more is known about his movements thereafter, but we do know that he married Dorothy May Jones from Walton (Liverpool) towards the end of that same year.
NB. The Capetown Castle was requisitioned after arriving at Liverpool and went into service as a troopship carrier for the rest of the war.
It is possible that Leonard had decided to travel to England in order to enlist into the British Army and fight against the Axis Forces, although it would have been just as easy for him to remain in Southern Africa and join one of the local forces there. In the end he was posted to the 13th Battalion of the King's Regiment and rather ironically made the return journey to South Africa aboard the troopship Oronsay, leaving British shores on the 8th December 1941. In early January 1942, the ship docked at Durban where the 13th King's enjoyed five days shore leave before continuing their journey to India and eventual disembarkation at Bombay.
After performing garrison and internal security duties out of the Gough Barracks in Secunderabad, the 13th King's were given over to Brigadier Wingate in June 1942 and began their involvement with his experimental Long Range Penetration Force. Corporal Roos was posted over to No. 8 Column, commanded by Major Walter Purcell also of the King's Regiment. During the early weeks of the expedition, No. 8 Column were involved in an number a small engagements with the Japanese at place like the Pinlebu-Kame Road on the 6th March 1943.
Leonard Roos would have been active in all these skirmishes with the enemy, as acting with the rank of Corporal, he would most likely have been in charge of a section of men within one of the column's Rifle Platoons. From his CWGC details, we know that Leonard was killed in action on the 23rd March 1943. At this time, No. 8 Column were part of a gathering of Chindit columns organising a large supply drop on the outskirts of a Burmese village called Baw. This supply drop was to be the final combined drop for the columns of Northern Group, comprising Wingate's Brigade HQ and Columns 5, 7 and 8 and after the proposed re-fit, the Chindit columns were to split up and begin the long and difficult journey back to India.
There is really only one piece of written information about Corporal Roos' demise on the 23rd March 1943, and this comes from fellow 8 Column NCO, Sgt. Tony Aubrey. From Aubrey's book, With Wingate in Burma:
We had been ordered to secure one end of the path leading to the village of Baw. The village consisted of about fifteen bashas, or little straw-built houses, raised off the ground on legs and one much bigger house, probably belonging to the village Headman. There was not a sign of life as the men advanced. Only one thing at all unusual was to be seen in the whole length of the village. There was a ham, a large and succulent ham, hanging from the door-post of one of the bashas. This was very quickly spotted, and the men of the leading platoon showed an inclination to go and seize it before it fell into other, less-deserving hands.
But one of their N.C.O.s, Corporal Roos, a South African, stopped them. He smelled a rat. It wasn't like the little yellow men to leave a perfectly good piece of food behind them. One member of his platoon, however, did not see eye to eye with Corporal Roos. He liked ham, and he wasn't going to miss the chance of a bit of this one. He broke ranks, and ran up to the basha. Roos dashed after him, in a last attempt to stop him, but in vain. No sooner had he laid a finger on the ham, than there came the staccato tapping of a machine gun fire, and a hail of bullets killed both him and the corporal. The machine gun was seen to be sited in the Headman's house, and the Chindit attackers took cover while it was pasted with mortar and Vickers fire.
All reply from it was quickly silenced, and a cautious advance was made upon it from all sides. Its garrison, as many as the house would hold, were found to be all dead. They had obviously stayed behind there in the hope of doing considerably more damage than they had in fact done. The remainder of the Japanese force was later caught in the jungle to the east of the village between seven and eight column, and wiped out to a man. The number of Japanese killed in this engagement was 219, and we ourselves lost the two dead already mentioned and seventeen wounded, none of them seriously.
To read more about the battle at Baw, please click on the following link: Arthur Birch and Platoon 17
On all official paperwork for the 13th King's post Operation Longcloth, Corporal Roos is recorded as having been killed in action on the 23rd March 1943 at the village of Baw. After the war, Leonard's grave could not be found and for this reason he is remembered upon Face 5 of the Rangoon Memorial located as the centre-piece structure of Taukkyan War Cemetery.
Seen below is a gallery of images in relation to this story including Leonard's inscription upon Face of the Rangoon Memorial and a map of the area around Baw. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
NB. After receiving the heartbreaking news that her first husband had been killed in Burma during 1943, Dorothy May eventually married Herbert McGrath three years later in 1946.
Rank: Corporal
Service No: 3778297
Date of Death: 23/03/1943
Age: 28
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Memorial: Face 5 of the Rangoon Memorial, Taukkyan War Cemetery.
CWGC link: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2523763/roos,-leonard-paul/#&gid=null&pid=1
Chindit Column: 8
Other details:
Leonard Roos was a diamond cutter from Southern Rhodesia, although the few mentions of him in Chindit writings, have him down as a South African national from Durban. He travelled to the United Kingdom aboard the Union Castle passenger liner, the Capetown Castle and disembarked at Liverpool on the 12th June 1940. Nothing more is known about his movements thereafter, but we do know that he married Dorothy May Jones from Walton (Liverpool) towards the end of that same year.
NB. The Capetown Castle was requisitioned after arriving at Liverpool and went into service as a troopship carrier for the rest of the war.
It is possible that Leonard had decided to travel to England in order to enlist into the British Army and fight against the Axis Forces, although it would have been just as easy for him to remain in Southern Africa and join one of the local forces there. In the end he was posted to the 13th Battalion of the King's Regiment and rather ironically made the return journey to South Africa aboard the troopship Oronsay, leaving British shores on the 8th December 1941. In early January 1942, the ship docked at Durban where the 13th King's enjoyed five days shore leave before continuing their journey to India and eventual disembarkation at Bombay.
After performing garrison and internal security duties out of the Gough Barracks in Secunderabad, the 13th King's were given over to Brigadier Wingate in June 1942 and began their involvement with his experimental Long Range Penetration Force. Corporal Roos was posted over to No. 8 Column, commanded by Major Walter Purcell also of the King's Regiment. During the early weeks of the expedition, No. 8 Column were involved in an number a small engagements with the Japanese at place like the Pinlebu-Kame Road on the 6th March 1943.
Leonard Roos would have been active in all these skirmishes with the enemy, as acting with the rank of Corporal, he would most likely have been in charge of a section of men within one of the column's Rifle Platoons. From his CWGC details, we know that Leonard was killed in action on the 23rd March 1943. At this time, No. 8 Column were part of a gathering of Chindit columns organising a large supply drop on the outskirts of a Burmese village called Baw. This supply drop was to be the final combined drop for the columns of Northern Group, comprising Wingate's Brigade HQ and Columns 5, 7 and 8 and after the proposed re-fit, the Chindit columns were to split up and begin the long and difficult journey back to India.
There is really only one piece of written information about Corporal Roos' demise on the 23rd March 1943, and this comes from fellow 8 Column NCO, Sgt. Tony Aubrey. From Aubrey's book, With Wingate in Burma:
We had been ordered to secure one end of the path leading to the village of Baw. The village consisted of about fifteen bashas, or little straw-built houses, raised off the ground on legs and one much bigger house, probably belonging to the village Headman. There was not a sign of life as the men advanced. Only one thing at all unusual was to be seen in the whole length of the village. There was a ham, a large and succulent ham, hanging from the door-post of one of the bashas. This was very quickly spotted, and the men of the leading platoon showed an inclination to go and seize it before it fell into other, less-deserving hands.
But one of their N.C.O.s, Corporal Roos, a South African, stopped them. He smelled a rat. It wasn't like the little yellow men to leave a perfectly good piece of food behind them. One member of his platoon, however, did not see eye to eye with Corporal Roos. He liked ham, and he wasn't going to miss the chance of a bit of this one. He broke ranks, and ran up to the basha. Roos dashed after him, in a last attempt to stop him, but in vain. No sooner had he laid a finger on the ham, than there came the staccato tapping of a machine gun fire, and a hail of bullets killed both him and the corporal. The machine gun was seen to be sited in the Headman's house, and the Chindit attackers took cover while it was pasted with mortar and Vickers fire.
All reply from it was quickly silenced, and a cautious advance was made upon it from all sides. Its garrison, as many as the house would hold, were found to be all dead. They had obviously stayed behind there in the hope of doing considerably more damage than they had in fact done. The remainder of the Japanese force was later caught in the jungle to the east of the village between seven and eight column, and wiped out to a man. The number of Japanese killed in this engagement was 219, and we ourselves lost the two dead already mentioned and seventeen wounded, none of them seriously.
To read more about the battle at Baw, please click on the following link: Arthur Birch and Platoon 17
On all official paperwork for the 13th King's post Operation Longcloth, Corporal Roos is recorded as having been killed in action on the 23rd March 1943 at the village of Baw. After the war, Leonard's grave could not be found and for this reason he is remembered upon Face 5 of the Rangoon Memorial located as the centre-piece structure of Taukkyan War Cemetery.
Seen below is a gallery of images in relation to this story including Leonard's inscription upon Face of the Rangoon Memorial and a map of the area around Baw. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
NB. After receiving the heartbreaking news that her first husband had been killed in Burma during 1943, Dorothy May eventually married Herbert McGrath three years later in 1946.
Leonard Roos (left) and Sgt. David Halley.
Update 07/05/2023.
In April 2023, I was delighted to receive the following email contact from Kerry Jurgensen:
Good Evening from New Zealand, I hope you are well. I have been given a shoe box of rather fascinating photographs from my father-in-law which contains a photo of one Len Roos, who I believe is listed on your website as a member of 13th King's Regiment. I'd be happy to email a copy to you if it is of any interest. It contains a message written from him to my relative on the back. All the best for now, Kerry.
After receiving the above mentioned photograph scan from Kerry, I replied:
Hello Kerry,
Thank you so much for sending these over to me. It is definitely Leonard Roos, as all the details are exactly correct, including his rank of Corporal and the location of the 13th King's battalion at Secunderabad in India. It is fantastic to finally see an image of Leonard, having only read about him over the years and of course his sad death in Burma.
From reading the reverse of the photograph, I am presuming that the other soldier is Sgt. David Halley, as written in black ink by your father-in-law. There is a book written by a man of the same name about the experiences of No. 8 Column in Burma (also mentioned on the back of the photograph). The book is called, With Wingate in Burma. It had never occurred to me that Halley had also served with the Chindits, as the book is written through the eyes of another soldier, Sgt. Tony Aubrey. Thank you once again for taking the time to make contact and to provide me with such a wonderful piece of history. If you are in agreement, I would obviously like to add the photograph and a short explanation of how I came by it, to Leonard's page on my website.
Kerry then replied:
Good Morning Steve, I’m delighted that things have worked out in such a wonderful way. I’m a bit of a genealogy buff so that is how I’ve ended up with the family photos, but when I saw this - with names etc, I thought there was surely someone out there who would like to see it. Please feel free to put it up on your website. We are South Africans who immigrated to NZ a long time ago. The photos belonged to my husband’s grandfather, there are so many of them that I am slowly making my way through them. If I find any other's with Wingate or Chindit connections, I’ll be happy to send you scans of them. In the meantime, please take care, and I think it’s wonderful that you have worked so hard on this collection - lest we forget.
Best wishes, Kerry.
In April 2023, I was delighted to receive the following email contact from Kerry Jurgensen:
Good Evening from New Zealand, I hope you are well. I have been given a shoe box of rather fascinating photographs from my father-in-law which contains a photo of one Len Roos, who I believe is listed on your website as a member of 13th King's Regiment. I'd be happy to email a copy to you if it is of any interest. It contains a message written from him to my relative on the back. All the best for now, Kerry.
After receiving the above mentioned photograph scan from Kerry, I replied:
Hello Kerry,
Thank you so much for sending these over to me. It is definitely Leonard Roos, as all the details are exactly correct, including his rank of Corporal and the location of the 13th King's battalion at Secunderabad in India. It is fantastic to finally see an image of Leonard, having only read about him over the years and of course his sad death in Burma.
From reading the reverse of the photograph, I am presuming that the other soldier is Sgt. David Halley, as written in black ink by your father-in-law. There is a book written by a man of the same name about the experiences of No. 8 Column in Burma (also mentioned on the back of the photograph). The book is called, With Wingate in Burma. It had never occurred to me that Halley had also served with the Chindits, as the book is written through the eyes of another soldier, Sgt. Tony Aubrey. Thank you once again for taking the time to make contact and to provide me with such a wonderful piece of history. If you are in agreement, I would obviously like to add the photograph and a short explanation of how I came by it, to Leonard's page on my website.
Kerry then replied:
Good Morning Steve, I’m delighted that things have worked out in such a wonderful way. I’m a bit of a genealogy buff so that is how I’ve ended up with the family photos, but when I saw this - with names etc, I thought there was surely someone out there who would like to see it. Please feel free to put it up on your website. We are South Africans who immigrated to NZ a long time ago. The photos belonged to my husband’s grandfather, there are so many of them that I am slowly making my way through them. If I find any other's with Wingate or Chindit connections, I’ll be happy to send you scans of them. In the meantime, please take care, and I think it’s wonderful that you have worked so hard on this collection - lest we forget.
Best wishes, Kerry.
Herbert Roseby.
ROSEBY, HERBERT
Rank: Private
Service No: 3781546
Age: 32
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Chindit Column: 7
Other details:
Herbert Roseby was born on the 21st March 1910 and was the son of Lily Roseby from Wilson Street, Clayton in Manchester. He was an original member of the 13th King's that travelled to India aboard the troopship Oronsay on the 8th December 1941. Pte. Roseby was posted to 7 Column under the command of Major Kenneth Gilkes and began his Chindit training at the Saugor Camp in mid-July 1942.
After the decision to close Operation Longcloth was made in late March 1943, Herbert Roseby was present alongside Major Gilkes and the vast majority of 7 Column as they headed north-east with the intention of exiting Burma via the Chinese Yunnan borders. Sadly, Pte. Roseby became too weak to continue the march towards China and along with two other Chindit comrades, was left in a friendly Kachin village, with the hope that they could recover their strength and proceed with their journey at a later date.
From a witness statement given by Captain Henry Cotton and Captain Leslie Randle Cottrell, Staff Officer and Adjutant of 7 Column during the first Wingate expedition in 1943:
On April 29th 1943, Ptes. Heneghan, Kimpton and Roseby were left in the village of Uma, as they were suffering from general weakness and physically incapable of proceeding with the Column. Their arms (rifles) were given to the village Headman and also some money, with the promise that he would take care of them and help them get to China later. The Kachins in this area were friendly towards us, but the men were still ten days march from Chinese occupied territory. They have not been heard of since.
All three men were posted as missing as of the 29th April, however, it is known from his prisoner of war documentation, that Herbert Roseby was captured by the Japanese on the 3rd July 1943. Whether he had recovered enough to continue his march towards China is unclear at this juncture, it may well be that he and the other men had all remained at Uma and were taken prisoner at the village. Pte. Roseby would at least survive his time as a prisoner of war; after spending just under two years as POW no. 383 in Block 6 of Rangoon Central Jail, he was liberated by Allied forces on the 29th April 1945 close to the Burmese town of Pegu.
In fact, all three men: Roseby, Heneghan and Kimpton would survive their incarceration at Rangoon and make the welcome journey home to their families in England and Ireland.
Pte. 3662003 George Kimpton from Wythenshawe in Manchester, was originally enlisted into the South Lancashire Regiment, before joining the 13th King's in India and taking up a place in 7 Column on Operation Longcloth. George was also captured by the Japanese on the 3rd July 1943 whilst attempting to exit Burma via the Yunnan Provinces of China. Although he survived his time as a prisoner of war (POW no. 385) in Rangoon Jail and made the journey home to Lancashire, he sadly died on the 20th May 1946, barely one year after his liberation at the village of Waw on the Pegu Road.
Pte. 3780692 Patrick Heneghan was born on the 28th February 1914 and was the son of William and Bridget Heneghan from Galway in the Republic of Ireland. He was also a member of 7 Column on Operation Longcloth and was captured, presumably alongside Herbert Roseby and George Kimpton on the 3rd July 1943. Patrick was given the POW number 387 inside Rangoon Jail and was liberated on the 29th April 1945 at the village of Waw on the Pegu Road.
According to a witness statement given by Major Kenneth Gilkes, No. 7 Column commander, Patrick Heneghan was: left in a friendly Kachin village due to exhaustion, but was given money in order to pay for his keep.
Patrick was awarded the Military Medal after his return home to Ireland. This was for gallant and distinguished service whilst a prisoner of war and was recorded in the London Gazette on the 6th June 1946. Anecdotal evidence exists that suggests he had worked tirelessly in the makeshift hospital at Rangoon Jail, including tending the sick and dying during the cholera outbreak in June 1944. It is possibly for this work that he was awarded the MM.
Rank: Private
Service No: 3781546
Age: 32
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Chindit Column: 7
Other details:
Herbert Roseby was born on the 21st March 1910 and was the son of Lily Roseby from Wilson Street, Clayton in Manchester. He was an original member of the 13th King's that travelled to India aboard the troopship Oronsay on the 8th December 1941. Pte. Roseby was posted to 7 Column under the command of Major Kenneth Gilkes and began his Chindit training at the Saugor Camp in mid-July 1942.
After the decision to close Operation Longcloth was made in late March 1943, Herbert Roseby was present alongside Major Gilkes and the vast majority of 7 Column as they headed north-east with the intention of exiting Burma via the Chinese Yunnan borders. Sadly, Pte. Roseby became too weak to continue the march towards China and along with two other Chindit comrades, was left in a friendly Kachin village, with the hope that they could recover their strength and proceed with their journey at a later date.
From a witness statement given by Captain Henry Cotton and Captain Leslie Randle Cottrell, Staff Officer and Adjutant of 7 Column during the first Wingate expedition in 1943:
On April 29th 1943, Ptes. Heneghan, Kimpton and Roseby were left in the village of Uma, as they were suffering from general weakness and physically incapable of proceeding with the Column. Their arms (rifles) were given to the village Headman and also some money, with the promise that he would take care of them and help them get to China later. The Kachins in this area were friendly towards us, but the men were still ten days march from Chinese occupied territory. They have not been heard of since.
All three men were posted as missing as of the 29th April, however, it is known from his prisoner of war documentation, that Herbert Roseby was captured by the Japanese on the 3rd July 1943. Whether he had recovered enough to continue his march towards China is unclear at this juncture, it may well be that he and the other men had all remained at Uma and were taken prisoner at the village. Pte. Roseby would at least survive his time as a prisoner of war; after spending just under two years as POW no. 383 in Block 6 of Rangoon Central Jail, he was liberated by Allied forces on the 29th April 1945 close to the Burmese town of Pegu.
In fact, all three men: Roseby, Heneghan and Kimpton would survive their incarceration at Rangoon and make the welcome journey home to their families in England and Ireland.
Pte. 3662003 George Kimpton from Wythenshawe in Manchester, was originally enlisted into the South Lancashire Regiment, before joining the 13th King's in India and taking up a place in 7 Column on Operation Longcloth. George was also captured by the Japanese on the 3rd July 1943 whilst attempting to exit Burma via the Yunnan Provinces of China. Although he survived his time as a prisoner of war (POW no. 385) in Rangoon Jail and made the journey home to Lancashire, he sadly died on the 20th May 1946, barely one year after his liberation at the village of Waw on the Pegu Road.
Pte. 3780692 Patrick Heneghan was born on the 28th February 1914 and was the son of William and Bridget Heneghan from Galway in the Republic of Ireland. He was also a member of 7 Column on Operation Longcloth and was captured, presumably alongside Herbert Roseby and George Kimpton on the 3rd July 1943. Patrick was given the POW number 387 inside Rangoon Jail and was liberated on the 29th April 1945 at the village of Waw on the Pegu Road.
According to a witness statement given by Major Kenneth Gilkes, No. 7 Column commander, Patrick Heneghan was: left in a friendly Kachin village due to exhaustion, but was given money in order to pay for his keep.
Patrick was awarded the Military Medal after his return home to Ireland. This was for gallant and distinguished service whilst a prisoner of war and was recorded in the London Gazette on the 6th June 1946. Anecdotal evidence exists that suggests he had worked tirelessly in the makeshift hospital at Rangoon Jail, including tending the sick and dying during the cholera outbreak in June 1944. It is possibly for this work that he was awarded the MM.
The family of Herbert Roseby received official notification of his missing in action status in July 1943. This information was then confirmed in the Manchester Evening News dated 22nd July 1943 and under the headline, Prisoners in the Indian War Theatre;
The following are missing in the Indian theatre of war: Fusilier Fred Lowe of Churchill Street, Chorlton-on-Medlock, Pte. C.H. Whiting of Ayres Road, Old Trafford, Pte. Thomas Shurden from Radnor Street, Hulme, Pte. Ellis Caplan of Beckenham Road, Cheetham, Pte. Herbert Roseby of Wilson Street, Clayton and Cpl. Harold Hodgkinson from Sandown Crescent in Gorton.
All the above mentioned soldiers were Chindits on Operation Longcloth and feature in various places on this website. To find out more about any individual, please use the search engine located in the top right hand corner of any page. Seen below is a collection of images in relation to this story, please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
Update 06/05/2017.
After receiving a translation of the Japanese Kanji script recording the place of capture for Herbert Roseby, George Kimpton and Patrick Heneghan, I can now reveal that they were captured at the village of Sadon in Kachin State, located a few miles east of the Irrawaddy River and some distance north of the village of Uma.
The following are missing in the Indian theatre of war: Fusilier Fred Lowe of Churchill Street, Chorlton-on-Medlock, Pte. C.H. Whiting of Ayres Road, Old Trafford, Pte. Thomas Shurden from Radnor Street, Hulme, Pte. Ellis Caplan of Beckenham Road, Cheetham, Pte. Herbert Roseby of Wilson Street, Clayton and Cpl. Harold Hodgkinson from Sandown Crescent in Gorton.
All the above mentioned soldiers were Chindits on Operation Longcloth and feature in various places on this website. To find out more about any individual, please use the search engine located in the top right hand corner of any page. Seen below is a collection of images in relation to this story, please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
Update 06/05/2017.
After receiving a translation of the Japanese Kanji script recording the place of capture for Herbert Roseby, George Kimpton and Patrick Heneghan, I can now reveal that they were captured at the village of Sadon in Kachin State, located a few miles east of the Irrawaddy River and some distance north of the village of Uma.
ROSS, CHARLES
Rank: Private
Service No: 3779454
Date of Death: 02/04/1943
Age: 30
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Memorial: Face 6 Rangoon Memorial, Taukkyan War Cemetery
CWGC link: www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2523788/charles-ross/
Chindit Column: 5
Other details:
Pte. Charles Ross was the son of Charles (senior) and Alice Ross from Bootle in Liverpool. He was allocated to No. 5 Column on Operation Longcloth and served with this unit in Burma up until the column's ill-fated crossing of the Shweli River on the 1-2 April 1943. Having reached the riverside village of Pyinlebin, close to the confluence of the Irrawaddy and Shweli Rivers, Bernard Fergusson, 5 Column's commander realising he had missed his rendezvous with Brigade, decided that his men would turn back east and seek to cross the Shweli, somewhere between the villages of Pyindaunggale and Tokkin. It was here on the night of the 31st March and then subsequently during the following 24 hours, that another 40 or so men were lost to the column. To read more about this incident, please click on the following link: The Men of the Shweli Sandbank
There are two witness statements (shown in the gallery below) given by men after the operation, that describe the situation at the Shweli on the 1st April 1943 and identify the vast majority of those left behind on the sandbank including Pte. Ross. Firstly, from Lieutenant William Edge, the column Cipher Officer:
In the small hours of the 1st April 1943, a dispersal group commanded by Major B. Fergusson crossed the Shweli River from west to east at a point near Tokkin village. Some men were ferried half-way across by boat to a sandbank, but failed to complete the crossing, which involved wading breast-high some fifty yards in a very fast current. These men did not rejoin the Column and have not been seen since.
Secondly from Pte. 3781729 William Ryan, one of the two men who belatedly decided to make the crossing on April 1st:
I was with No. 5 Column at the crossing of the River Shweli on the 1st April 1943. With Pte. Pierce, I was one of the last to leave the sandbank. On reaching the east bank we lost our way and did not finally leave the river bank until daybreak. Before leaving I saw a group of approximately 40 to 50 British Other Ranks and Gurkhas still on the sandbank. They did not seem to be attempting to cross. They had arms and ammunition. I had not gone more than thirty yards inland, when I heard a volley of shots close at hand, but I could not tell who was firing. There were Japs in the village just two miles away. We re-joined the Column which was approximately two miles away and were the last men to do so.
Most of the men lost at the Shweli River were eventually taken prisoner by the Japanese and many of these sadly perished as prisoners of war in Rangoon Jail. From his missing paperwork it is known that Charles Ross was killed at the Shweli on the 2nd April 1943, possibly after resisting his capture by the Japanese at that time. After the war no grave could be found for Charles Ross and for this reason he is remembered upon Face 6 of the Rangoon Memorial located at Taukkyan War Cemetery. The memorial is the centre-piece structure at Taukkyan and remembers over 26,000 casualties from the Burma campaign that have no known grave. Charles is also remembered on his home-town war memorial at Bootle.
Pte. 3781729 William Ryan was from the Oldham Road in Manchester and had joined the 13th King's back in 1941, travelling with the battalion aboard the troopship Oronsay to India on the 8th December that year. As mentioned in his witness statement above, he had found the courage to ford the fast-flowing Shweli River on the 1st April 1943 and eventually made his way out to the safety of Allied held territory.
Seen below is a gallery of images in relation to this story, including Pte. Ryan's witness statement and photographs of Charles Ross' inscriptions on the Rangoon and Bootle War Memorials. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
Rank: Private
Service No: 3779454
Date of Death: 02/04/1943
Age: 30
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Memorial: Face 6 Rangoon Memorial, Taukkyan War Cemetery
CWGC link: www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2523788/charles-ross/
Chindit Column: 5
Other details:
Pte. Charles Ross was the son of Charles (senior) and Alice Ross from Bootle in Liverpool. He was allocated to No. 5 Column on Operation Longcloth and served with this unit in Burma up until the column's ill-fated crossing of the Shweli River on the 1-2 April 1943. Having reached the riverside village of Pyinlebin, close to the confluence of the Irrawaddy and Shweli Rivers, Bernard Fergusson, 5 Column's commander realising he had missed his rendezvous with Brigade, decided that his men would turn back east and seek to cross the Shweli, somewhere between the villages of Pyindaunggale and Tokkin. It was here on the night of the 31st March and then subsequently during the following 24 hours, that another 40 or so men were lost to the column. To read more about this incident, please click on the following link: The Men of the Shweli Sandbank
There are two witness statements (shown in the gallery below) given by men after the operation, that describe the situation at the Shweli on the 1st April 1943 and identify the vast majority of those left behind on the sandbank including Pte. Ross. Firstly, from Lieutenant William Edge, the column Cipher Officer:
In the small hours of the 1st April 1943, a dispersal group commanded by Major B. Fergusson crossed the Shweli River from west to east at a point near Tokkin village. Some men were ferried half-way across by boat to a sandbank, but failed to complete the crossing, which involved wading breast-high some fifty yards in a very fast current. These men did not rejoin the Column and have not been seen since.
Secondly from Pte. 3781729 William Ryan, one of the two men who belatedly decided to make the crossing on April 1st:
I was with No. 5 Column at the crossing of the River Shweli on the 1st April 1943. With Pte. Pierce, I was one of the last to leave the sandbank. On reaching the east bank we lost our way and did not finally leave the river bank until daybreak. Before leaving I saw a group of approximately 40 to 50 British Other Ranks and Gurkhas still on the sandbank. They did not seem to be attempting to cross. They had arms and ammunition. I had not gone more than thirty yards inland, when I heard a volley of shots close at hand, but I could not tell who was firing. There were Japs in the village just two miles away. We re-joined the Column which was approximately two miles away and were the last men to do so.
Most of the men lost at the Shweli River were eventually taken prisoner by the Japanese and many of these sadly perished as prisoners of war in Rangoon Jail. From his missing paperwork it is known that Charles Ross was killed at the Shweli on the 2nd April 1943, possibly after resisting his capture by the Japanese at that time. After the war no grave could be found for Charles Ross and for this reason he is remembered upon Face 6 of the Rangoon Memorial located at Taukkyan War Cemetery. The memorial is the centre-piece structure at Taukkyan and remembers over 26,000 casualties from the Burma campaign that have no known grave. Charles is also remembered on his home-town war memorial at Bootle.
Pte. 3781729 William Ryan was from the Oldham Road in Manchester and had joined the 13th King's back in 1941, travelling with the battalion aboard the troopship Oronsay to India on the 8th December that year. As mentioned in his witness statement above, he had found the courage to ford the fast-flowing Shweli River on the 1st April 1943 and eventually made his way out to the safety of Allied held territory.
Seen below is a gallery of images in relation to this story, including Pte. Ryan's witness statement and photographs of Charles Ross' inscriptions on the Rangoon and Bootle War Memorials. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
Gauhati War Cemetery, Assam.
ROWLEY, FRANK
Rank: Private
Service No: 3781547
Date of Death: 09/07/1943
Age: 33
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Memorial: Gauhati War Cemetery,Grave Reference 4.A.3.
CWGC link: http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2222460/ROWLEY,%20FRANK
Chindit Column: 7
Other details:
Pte. Frank Rowley was the son of John and Amy Rowley, of Gorton, Manchester. During his time as a Chindit he served with Column 7 under the command of Major Kenneth Gilkes. The column had acted as an over-arching unit in 1943, sometimes given the task of shadowing the Brigade Head Quarters and in close proximity to Brigadier Wingate himself, whilst on other occasions sent out to deal with small Japanese outposts or garrisons.
Frank is mentioned in the Column War diary for 1943 and also in the book 'Wingate's Lost Brigade', written by the author Phil Chinnery. After dispersal was called in late March 1943, Major Gilkes carried out his long term goal of vacating Burma via the Chinese border province of Yunnan. He had always planned to exit this way and had weighed up the pros and cons before the operation had begun. By moving through the borders of Yunnan instead of returning due west, he hoped to encounter far fewer Japanese patrols, also he knew he could probably count on the support of the Kachin and Chinese villages along the way.
The trials and tribulations of the operation in 1943 had already worn heavily upon the men of Column 7 and marching along the hill tracts of Yunnan tested these weary warriors still further. Eventually Gilkes's men met up with some Chinese Army units and were treated well by their new hosts.
From the book, 'Wingate's Lost Brigade' and based on the Column 7 War diary for the period:
"The following morning Gilkes and the Chinese guerrilla commander discussed their options and decided that the best course of action was for Gilkes and a small support party to take the shorter route to contact the regular Chinese forces operating south of the Salween. Major Gilkes, Captain Blackburn and ten others left on 10th May to take the direct route to Lunghwankiang. The main body of the column under Captain Pickering would take the safer but longer route to the north-west via Fort Morton, Fort Harrison and Wawchon.
Gilkes and his party had not travelled very far when news reached them of a Japanese attack towards the Mamien Pass and they were advised to wait a couple of days until the Chinese had thrown them back. He sent Captain Blackburn and his escort back to rejoin the column near the headquarters of all the guerrillas in south-west Yunnan. Their commander was a veteran of seven years fighting against the Japs, and had been wounded four times in battle. His men offered the usual hospitality to their guests, although their peace and quiet was disturbed by two days and nights of mourning. A sentry had shot the husband of the cook when he failed to answer his challenge and the clanging of gongs and wailing of relatives kept the men awake.
By 23rd May, the column was reunited with its commander at Tantzu-Pa. A message had been sent to the nearest Chinese Divisional Headquarters and a couple of days later the reply came back that three officers should proceed to the headquarters and make arrangements for the movement of the rest of the column. Gilkes decided to take Petersen and Cottrell with him and before he left he gave Commander Wong, the guerrilla commander, a present of 30 rifles, two tommy guns, a revolver, 1,500 rounds of ammunition and ten grenades. The old veteran was very pleased as his men only had one rifle between every six men. As his men were now under Chinese protection, Gilkes considered it only reasonable to help their new Allies in view of the food and assistance given to them. Before they departed the commander told them, 'We are glad to meet Allied Officers who neither have creases in their trousers, nor ask for beds on which to sleep.'
The journey was beginning to take its toll on some of the men and Lance Corporals Brown and Short, and Privates Allnutt, Dwyer, Rowley, Perrett and McArthur were left at Tantzu-Pa to recover. The next day Sergeant Thompson, Privates Coulson, Rubbock, Sykes and Thornton were left at Hou-Tien under Lieutenant Heald who himself was suffering recurrent bouts of fever.
On 29th May, the column, now 127 strong, arrived at Chiao-Tou where they met Captain Mah, an English-speaking officer with the 36th Chinese Division. His men appeared fit and determined and it was clear that the Chindits were now in safe hands. The following day they crossed the Mamien Pass. At 10,500 feet above sea level it was the stiffest climb and descent of the campaign, but the men did well, and billets and food were waiting for them at the end. On 31st May, they were ferried across the Salween River and the next day arrived at Wen-Shang, headquarters of a Chinese Cavalry Regiment, where they all received a shave and a haircut for the first time in months.
They left Waufangi at 0730 hours on 3rd June, and after a strenuous march of 32 miles they finally reached Paoshan at 1945 hours. They were greeted with flags flying and a band playing military music, and were lodged in the best building in town. They were given baths, new clothes and haircuts, and the Chinese General even advanced Gilkes enough money to pay his men. Then followed a grand feast, given by the General commanding Seventy-First Chinese Army.
The men began the last leg of their journey home on 5th June when they boarded lorries for a drive along the Burma Road to Kunming and thence to Yunani where the American Air Force offered to fly them to Assam at once. On 9th June, Major Gilkes stepped off the train at Manipur Road, heading for Brigade Headquarters, while the rest of his men carried on to Shillong for a well-deserved rest."
Captain Leslie Cottrell, who was Major Gilkes Adjutant in Column 7 in 1943 prepared several reports in regard to the men left behind on the march through Yunnan Province. According to Cottrell, the group mentioned in the War diary above were left in Tantzu-Pa on 25th May and were extremely unwell and physically unfit to continue with the rest of the column. He also recalls that the majority of the group had some form of wound as well as suffering from diseases such as malaria and dysentery.
Eventually the men left at Tantzu-Pa were moved down to the town of Paoshan and into the Chinese run hospital. Sadly, many men perished at Paoshan and were buried by the Chinese in simple graves close to the hospital grounds. At first it was presumed that Frank Rowley had died at Paoshan suffering from chronic dysentery, however, a few weeks later and back in Shillong, Captain Cottrell received a telegram from Area HQ, stating that Pte. F. Rowley had actually died in Jorhat Hospital in Assam on the 8th July.
As seen from the above photograph, Frank was buried at Gauhati War Cemetery in Assam, to my knowledge, he is the only man from Operation Longcloth remembered in that cemetery.
Rank: Private
Service No: 3781547
Date of Death: 09/07/1943
Age: 33
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Memorial: Gauhati War Cemetery,Grave Reference 4.A.3.
CWGC link: http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2222460/ROWLEY,%20FRANK
Chindit Column: 7
Other details:
Pte. Frank Rowley was the son of John and Amy Rowley, of Gorton, Manchester. During his time as a Chindit he served with Column 7 under the command of Major Kenneth Gilkes. The column had acted as an over-arching unit in 1943, sometimes given the task of shadowing the Brigade Head Quarters and in close proximity to Brigadier Wingate himself, whilst on other occasions sent out to deal with small Japanese outposts or garrisons.
Frank is mentioned in the Column War diary for 1943 and also in the book 'Wingate's Lost Brigade', written by the author Phil Chinnery. After dispersal was called in late March 1943, Major Gilkes carried out his long term goal of vacating Burma via the Chinese border province of Yunnan. He had always planned to exit this way and had weighed up the pros and cons before the operation had begun. By moving through the borders of Yunnan instead of returning due west, he hoped to encounter far fewer Japanese patrols, also he knew he could probably count on the support of the Kachin and Chinese villages along the way.
The trials and tribulations of the operation in 1943 had already worn heavily upon the men of Column 7 and marching along the hill tracts of Yunnan tested these weary warriors still further. Eventually Gilkes's men met up with some Chinese Army units and were treated well by their new hosts.
From the book, 'Wingate's Lost Brigade' and based on the Column 7 War diary for the period:
"The following morning Gilkes and the Chinese guerrilla commander discussed their options and decided that the best course of action was for Gilkes and a small support party to take the shorter route to contact the regular Chinese forces operating south of the Salween. Major Gilkes, Captain Blackburn and ten others left on 10th May to take the direct route to Lunghwankiang. The main body of the column under Captain Pickering would take the safer but longer route to the north-west via Fort Morton, Fort Harrison and Wawchon.
Gilkes and his party had not travelled very far when news reached them of a Japanese attack towards the Mamien Pass and they were advised to wait a couple of days until the Chinese had thrown them back. He sent Captain Blackburn and his escort back to rejoin the column near the headquarters of all the guerrillas in south-west Yunnan. Their commander was a veteran of seven years fighting against the Japs, and had been wounded four times in battle. His men offered the usual hospitality to their guests, although their peace and quiet was disturbed by two days and nights of mourning. A sentry had shot the husband of the cook when he failed to answer his challenge and the clanging of gongs and wailing of relatives kept the men awake.
By 23rd May, the column was reunited with its commander at Tantzu-Pa. A message had been sent to the nearest Chinese Divisional Headquarters and a couple of days later the reply came back that three officers should proceed to the headquarters and make arrangements for the movement of the rest of the column. Gilkes decided to take Petersen and Cottrell with him and before he left he gave Commander Wong, the guerrilla commander, a present of 30 rifles, two tommy guns, a revolver, 1,500 rounds of ammunition and ten grenades. The old veteran was very pleased as his men only had one rifle between every six men. As his men were now under Chinese protection, Gilkes considered it only reasonable to help their new Allies in view of the food and assistance given to them. Before they departed the commander told them, 'We are glad to meet Allied Officers who neither have creases in their trousers, nor ask for beds on which to sleep.'
The journey was beginning to take its toll on some of the men and Lance Corporals Brown and Short, and Privates Allnutt, Dwyer, Rowley, Perrett and McArthur were left at Tantzu-Pa to recover. The next day Sergeant Thompson, Privates Coulson, Rubbock, Sykes and Thornton were left at Hou-Tien under Lieutenant Heald who himself was suffering recurrent bouts of fever.
On 29th May, the column, now 127 strong, arrived at Chiao-Tou where they met Captain Mah, an English-speaking officer with the 36th Chinese Division. His men appeared fit and determined and it was clear that the Chindits were now in safe hands. The following day they crossed the Mamien Pass. At 10,500 feet above sea level it was the stiffest climb and descent of the campaign, but the men did well, and billets and food were waiting for them at the end. On 31st May, they were ferried across the Salween River and the next day arrived at Wen-Shang, headquarters of a Chinese Cavalry Regiment, where they all received a shave and a haircut for the first time in months.
They left Waufangi at 0730 hours on 3rd June, and after a strenuous march of 32 miles they finally reached Paoshan at 1945 hours. They were greeted with flags flying and a band playing military music, and were lodged in the best building in town. They were given baths, new clothes and haircuts, and the Chinese General even advanced Gilkes enough money to pay his men. Then followed a grand feast, given by the General commanding Seventy-First Chinese Army.
The men began the last leg of their journey home on 5th June when they boarded lorries for a drive along the Burma Road to Kunming and thence to Yunani where the American Air Force offered to fly them to Assam at once. On 9th June, Major Gilkes stepped off the train at Manipur Road, heading for Brigade Headquarters, while the rest of his men carried on to Shillong for a well-deserved rest."
Captain Leslie Cottrell, who was Major Gilkes Adjutant in Column 7 in 1943 prepared several reports in regard to the men left behind on the march through Yunnan Province. According to Cottrell, the group mentioned in the War diary above were left in Tantzu-Pa on 25th May and were extremely unwell and physically unfit to continue with the rest of the column. He also recalls that the majority of the group had some form of wound as well as suffering from diseases such as malaria and dysentery.
Eventually the men left at Tantzu-Pa were moved down to the town of Paoshan and into the Chinese run hospital. Sadly, many men perished at Paoshan and were buried by the Chinese in simple graves close to the hospital grounds. At first it was presumed that Frank Rowley had died at Paoshan suffering from chronic dysentery, however, a few weeks later and back in Shillong, Captain Cottrell received a telegram from Area HQ, stating that Pte. F. Rowley had actually died in Jorhat Hospital in Assam on the 8th July.
As seen from the above photograph, Frank was buried at Gauhati War Cemetery in Assam, to my knowledge, he is the only man from Operation Longcloth remembered in that cemetery.
Harry Rowson
ROWSON, HARRY
Rank: Sgt.
Service No: unknown
Age: 21
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Chindit Column: unknown
Other details:
A fellow researcher from the WW2 Talk forum found mention of this soldier from the online newspaper archives of the Liverpool Echo and Evening News. Simon Jervis told me:
Steve, I have stumbled across a chap called Harry Rowson, a comedian who billed himself as a Liverpool Chindit and even appeared on the bill of the Liverpool Tivoli theatre as such. It is difficult to say if he did serve with the first Wingate expedition, or was with the 1st King's on Operation Thursday. However, in a later newspaper advert (Thanet Advertiser 25th November 1949), he is described thus:
Principal comedian (in the show) Harry Rowson was with the late Major-General Orde Wingate's column, first to break into enemy territory. He leaves behind his unpleasant memories of the jungle and brings to the foot lights, four amusing sketches of Army life.
So it would seem he was one of your men. Some other newspaper descriptions include:
Entertainment on highest gun site.
Among those who recently climbed 8,000 feet up a Burma border mountain to entertain soldiers on the highest gun site in the world was, Sergeant Harry Rowson, aged 22, of Scarisbrick Drive, Norris Green, Liverpool. He belongs to the Bengal Entertainment Services Association, which is India’s equivalent to E.N.S.A. and before the war, he was a Territorial member of the King’s Regiment (Liverpool). Sergeant Rowson is a versatile amateur artiste, and in addition to singing, plays a one string fiddle and is a ventriloquist. He is an old boy of the Leamington Road School. (Liverpool Evening Express, 9th May 1944).
And:
There is quite a big line up of favourite variety acts in the Pavilion show next week, under the title, Grin and Bare It. Particularly welcome will be Harry Rowson, the Liverpool Chindit comedian with his own company and some uproarious new sketches. Rowson was with the King's Liverpool Regiment who went into Burma with the first Wingate column. (The Liverpool Echo and Evening Express, 19th February 1960).
Harry Rowson became a well known and respected artiste in the long traditional of Liverpool born comics. In a lecture in 2007, given by the late Ken Dodd, Harry was mentioned in amongst some very famous Liverpool based comedians:
Ken Dodd will pay tribute to four of Liverpool's greatest comedians in his special contribution to Capital of Culture year. The squire of Knotty Ash will appear at St. George's Hall's small concert room over two nights in March to showcase the city's comic heritage. He will talk about Arthur Askey, Tommy Handley, Robb Wilton and Ted Ray during the performances. He also revealed he will also shine the light on a host of other comedians and actors produced by the city over more than 100 years.
All proceeds from the March 8th and 9th lectures will go to charity. Doddy who has chalked up more than half a century in show-business himself, said: I was invited to have a look at the concert room at St. George's Hall and I was absolutely overwhelmed, it was so beautiful. I'll be speaking on Liverpool humour and Liverpool comedians and comediennes. Doddy has always admitted a lifelong admiration for Arthur Askey, Ted Ray, Tommy Handley and Robb Wilton who he calls his own special heroes - the four mainstreams of Merseyside comedy.
In November, on the eve of his 80th birthday, Ken unveiled a scroll bearing their names at the Royal Court Theatre. But he will also take the opportunity to talk about many other lesser known comics. These will include: Billy Matchett and Harry Rowson who was known as the Northern Star, and of course Wally Wood who looked after Dodd when he first started out. Ken concluded: There are some very fine women comedians in Liverpool as well such as Beryl Orde and Avril Angers. And there are also people like cartoonist Bill Tidy to consider. I hope we'll have a screen with some pictures of these people, and talk about the Liverpool sense of humour and how different it is from others around the country.
Harry Rowson died in late 1969. From The Stage newspaper 13th November 1969:
Liverpool born Harry Rowson, a favourite northern comedian has died aged 48 at his home in Blackpool after a long illness. He joined the business at the age of just 15 as a ventriloquist with a concert party in New Brighton and later turned to comedy. Probably Mr. Rowson was best known for his comedic sketches under the name, the Liverpool Chindit.
Seen below is a gallery of images in relation to this story including some examples of Harry Rowson's appearances on stage and on radio. Please click on any image to bring forward on the page.
Rank: Sgt.
Service No: unknown
Age: 21
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Chindit Column: unknown
Other details:
A fellow researcher from the WW2 Talk forum found mention of this soldier from the online newspaper archives of the Liverpool Echo and Evening News. Simon Jervis told me:
Steve, I have stumbled across a chap called Harry Rowson, a comedian who billed himself as a Liverpool Chindit and even appeared on the bill of the Liverpool Tivoli theatre as such. It is difficult to say if he did serve with the first Wingate expedition, or was with the 1st King's on Operation Thursday. However, in a later newspaper advert (Thanet Advertiser 25th November 1949), he is described thus:
Principal comedian (in the show) Harry Rowson was with the late Major-General Orde Wingate's column, first to break into enemy territory. He leaves behind his unpleasant memories of the jungle and brings to the foot lights, four amusing sketches of Army life.
So it would seem he was one of your men. Some other newspaper descriptions include:
Entertainment on highest gun site.
Among those who recently climbed 8,000 feet up a Burma border mountain to entertain soldiers on the highest gun site in the world was, Sergeant Harry Rowson, aged 22, of Scarisbrick Drive, Norris Green, Liverpool. He belongs to the Bengal Entertainment Services Association, which is India’s equivalent to E.N.S.A. and before the war, he was a Territorial member of the King’s Regiment (Liverpool). Sergeant Rowson is a versatile amateur artiste, and in addition to singing, plays a one string fiddle and is a ventriloquist. He is an old boy of the Leamington Road School. (Liverpool Evening Express, 9th May 1944).
And:
There is quite a big line up of favourite variety acts in the Pavilion show next week, under the title, Grin and Bare It. Particularly welcome will be Harry Rowson, the Liverpool Chindit comedian with his own company and some uproarious new sketches. Rowson was with the King's Liverpool Regiment who went into Burma with the first Wingate column. (The Liverpool Echo and Evening Express, 19th February 1960).
Harry Rowson became a well known and respected artiste in the long traditional of Liverpool born comics. In a lecture in 2007, given by the late Ken Dodd, Harry was mentioned in amongst some very famous Liverpool based comedians:
Ken Dodd will pay tribute to four of Liverpool's greatest comedians in his special contribution to Capital of Culture year. The squire of Knotty Ash will appear at St. George's Hall's small concert room over two nights in March to showcase the city's comic heritage. He will talk about Arthur Askey, Tommy Handley, Robb Wilton and Ted Ray during the performances. He also revealed he will also shine the light on a host of other comedians and actors produced by the city over more than 100 years.
All proceeds from the March 8th and 9th lectures will go to charity. Doddy who has chalked up more than half a century in show-business himself, said: I was invited to have a look at the concert room at St. George's Hall and I was absolutely overwhelmed, it was so beautiful. I'll be speaking on Liverpool humour and Liverpool comedians and comediennes. Doddy has always admitted a lifelong admiration for Arthur Askey, Ted Ray, Tommy Handley and Robb Wilton who he calls his own special heroes - the four mainstreams of Merseyside comedy.
In November, on the eve of his 80th birthday, Ken unveiled a scroll bearing their names at the Royal Court Theatre. But he will also take the opportunity to talk about many other lesser known comics. These will include: Billy Matchett and Harry Rowson who was known as the Northern Star, and of course Wally Wood who looked after Dodd when he first started out. Ken concluded: There are some very fine women comedians in Liverpool as well such as Beryl Orde and Avril Angers. And there are also people like cartoonist Bill Tidy to consider. I hope we'll have a screen with some pictures of these people, and talk about the Liverpool sense of humour and how different it is from others around the country.
Harry Rowson died in late 1969. From The Stage newspaper 13th November 1969:
Liverpool born Harry Rowson, a favourite northern comedian has died aged 48 at his home in Blackpool after a long illness. He joined the business at the age of just 15 as a ventriloquist with a concert party in New Brighton and later turned to comedy. Probably Mr. Rowson was best known for his comedic sketches under the name, the Liverpool Chindit.
Seen below is a gallery of images in relation to this story including some examples of Harry Rowson's appearances on stage and on radio. Please click on any image to bring forward on the page.
Edward Rudge.
RUDGE, EDWARD HENRY
Rank: Lance Bombardier
Service No: 976713
Age: 23
Regiment/Service: 4th Field Regiment Royal Artillery
Chindit Column: unknown
Other details:
I was delighted to receive an email contact in July 2022 from Ian Rudge, the son of Lance Bombardier Edward Rudge, who served with the 4th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery in India and Burma. I had not come across Edward before in my Chindit related research, but Ian had spotted his father in one of the photographs in my Gallery ID pages in relation to another Chindit, Pte. Elias Roberts. The key to learning more about Edward and his wartime experiences, was that Ian had to hand his father's Army service number and that his Royal Artillery tracer card was available on line at Ancestry. com. These two pieces of information came together to reveal at least some of Edward's service history. From the tracer card we discovered that Edward had served with the 4th Field Regiment RA, after being posted overseas to India from around January 1943, up until he was repatriated to the United Kingdom post war.
It is not known how Edward came to serve with the Chindits, but the 4th Field Regiment RA did see action against the Japanese in the Arakan region of Burma in 1943.They later took part in the battles of Imphal and Kohima in the spring of 1944 and then assisted in the expulsion of the Japanese from Burma in 1945. Ian told me that:
Thank you for your help Steve, dad only told me bits and pieces about his service. He said about being surrounded by the Japanese for five weeks and was given two cups of water a day and five rounds of ammunition; being told not to waste the ammunition and only shoot when you saw the whites of the Japanese' eyes. Then driving an officer out to plot the enemy positions and radioing back the coordinates for the guns to fire on. I know that he always had admiration for the Gurkhas, Australian, New Zealand and African soldiers, but had little time for the Americans.
The story that Ian recounts about his father being surrounded by the enemy for five weeks and running short of ammunition and water, sounds very much like the fighting at Kohima in April-June 1944. Ian also told me that:
Dad was from Islington in North London. He left St. Matthews School at 14 and started as a van boy for British Drug Houses (BDH), delivering drugs to Devon and Cornwall and at 17 years old took the route over as a full driver until his enlistment. He said very little about his service as I mentioned before, he never spoke to mum about it at all, the only time it was mentioned in her presence was when he was suffering from bouts of malaria, which he suffered from for years long after I was born. These must have brought on nightmares as he would sit up in bed shouting attack them or kill them!
He did say that he was presented with a sword from the Indian Army and that he had to throw this over board when he was leaving port on his journey home. He said that his commanding officer asked him if he would consider staying in the Army to train new recruits, with a promise of promotion, but Dad thought he had given enough. On reaching England he returned to the family home in Islington, a house he was born and would eventually die in. On getting back to England he discovered that his mum had given away all his clothes, piano and drum kit. He used to play in a small band before going into the Army. Apparently when she found out where he was posted, her coping method was that no one comes back from over there, so resolved herself that she had lost her only child.
Dad returned working for British Drug Houses and took up evening classes to learn first aid and on completing the course joined the London Ambulance Service. He served with them for the next 22 years, from driving ambulances and then into the control room until he was told he was too ill to work. As a proud man he took this very hard. He apparently still had high levels of malaria in his blood as well as suffering from lung disease and something that tightened his tendons, causing him to have two fingers amputated. His GP said that he only knew one other person to suffer from all the same things and he also served in Burma.
Dad was a member of the 31st Islington Scout Group and returned to this when he came back to England from the war and continued to help youngsters up until his death in 1987 aged 66. We only ever met one person dad served with, when we went to the Royal Tournament and someone walked by and then called out "Teddy Rudge!" Dad appeared pleased to see him and the man said there were a number of other boys in the Burma Star area. He gave us some names and asked dad to join them. Mum said that he should go, but dad said something like that was back then and never went.
He had some close friends who had served in different regiments around the world who all seemed to have an understanding of how bad it was in Burma, one of whom sadly hung himself which was put down to shell shock. A couple were prisoners of war, one with the Japanese who used to go through bouts of depression and lock himself in the school boiler room, and dad would be asked to go around and talk to him as he understood what he had gone through in Burma.
Dad was never a bitter man, I only ever saw him loose his temper on one occasion. He said he done what was needed during the war as it was his duty. But when I was thinking of joining the Armed forces he gave me no encouragement, saying that he had given five years of his life and didn’t want me joining up. Due to the fact that he had become terminally ill at this time I withdrew my application.
Seen below is a gallery of images in relation to the above narrative, including a photograph of Edward Rudge and his WW2 medal entitlement. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Ian and his family for allowing me to add his father's story to these website pages.
Rank: Lance Bombardier
Service No: 976713
Age: 23
Regiment/Service: 4th Field Regiment Royal Artillery
Chindit Column: unknown
Other details:
I was delighted to receive an email contact in July 2022 from Ian Rudge, the son of Lance Bombardier Edward Rudge, who served with the 4th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery in India and Burma. I had not come across Edward before in my Chindit related research, but Ian had spotted his father in one of the photographs in my Gallery ID pages in relation to another Chindit, Pte. Elias Roberts. The key to learning more about Edward and his wartime experiences, was that Ian had to hand his father's Army service number and that his Royal Artillery tracer card was available on line at Ancestry. com. These two pieces of information came together to reveal at least some of Edward's service history. From the tracer card we discovered that Edward had served with the 4th Field Regiment RA, after being posted overseas to India from around January 1943, up until he was repatriated to the United Kingdom post war.
It is not known how Edward came to serve with the Chindits, but the 4th Field Regiment RA did see action against the Japanese in the Arakan region of Burma in 1943.They later took part in the battles of Imphal and Kohima in the spring of 1944 and then assisted in the expulsion of the Japanese from Burma in 1945. Ian told me that:
Thank you for your help Steve, dad only told me bits and pieces about his service. He said about being surrounded by the Japanese for five weeks and was given two cups of water a day and five rounds of ammunition; being told not to waste the ammunition and only shoot when you saw the whites of the Japanese' eyes. Then driving an officer out to plot the enemy positions and radioing back the coordinates for the guns to fire on. I know that he always had admiration for the Gurkhas, Australian, New Zealand and African soldiers, but had little time for the Americans.
The story that Ian recounts about his father being surrounded by the enemy for five weeks and running short of ammunition and water, sounds very much like the fighting at Kohima in April-June 1944. Ian also told me that:
Dad was from Islington in North London. He left St. Matthews School at 14 and started as a van boy for British Drug Houses (BDH), delivering drugs to Devon and Cornwall and at 17 years old took the route over as a full driver until his enlistment. He said very little about his service as I mentioned before, he never spoke to mum about it at all, the only time it was mentioned in her presence was when he was suffering from bouts of malaria, which he suffered from for years long after I was born. These must have brought on nightmares as he would sit up in bed shouting attack them or kill them!
He did say that he was presented with a sword from the Indian Army and that he had to throw this over board when he was leaving port on his journey home. He said that his commanding officer asked him if he would consider staying in the Army to train new recruits, with a promise of promotion, but Dad thought he had given enough. On reaching England he returned to the family home in Islington, a house he was born and would eventually die in. On getting back to England he discovered that his mum had given away all his clothes, piano and drum kit. He used to play in a small band before going into the Army. Apparently when she found out where he was posted, her coping method was that no one comes back from over there, so resolved herself that she had lost her only child.
Dad returned working for British Drug Houses and took up evening classes to learn first aid and on completing the course joined the London Ambulance Service. He served with them for the next 22 years, from driving ambulances and then into the control room until he was told he was too ill to work. As a proud man he took this very hard. He apparently still had high levels of malaria in his blood as well as suffering from lung disease and something that tightened his tendons, causing him to have two fingers amputated. His GP said that he only knew one other person to suffer from all the same things and he also served in Burma.
Dad was a member of the 31st Islington Scout Group and returned to this when he came back to England from the war and continued to help youngsters up until his death in 1987 aged 66. We only ever met one person dad served with, when we went to the Royal Tournament and someone walked by and then called out "Teddy Rudge!" Dad appeared pleased to see him and the man said there were a number of other boys in the Burma Star area. He gave us some names and asked dad to join them. Mum said that he should go, but dad said something like that was back then and never went.
He had some close friends who had served in different regiments around the world who all seemed to have an understanding of how bad it was in Burma, one of whom sadly hung himself which was put down to shell shock. A couple were prisoners of war, one with the Japanese who used to go through bouts of depression and lock himself in the school boiler room, and dad would be asked to go around and talk to him as he understood what he had gone through in Burma.
Dad was never a bitter man, I only ever saw him loose his temper on one occasion. He said he done what was needed during the war as it was his duty. But when I was thinking of joining the Armed forces he gave me no encouragement, saying that he had given five years of his life and didn’t want me joining up. Due to the fact that he had become terminally ill at this time I withdrew my application.
Seen below is a gallery of images in relation to the above narrative, including a photograph of Edward Rudge and his WW2 medal entitlement. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Ian and his family for allowing me to add his father's story to these website pages.
Cap badge of the King's Regiment.
RYDER, ARTHUR
Rank: Private
Service No: 3663253(2)
Age: 21
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool).
Chindit Column: unknown
Other details:
Arthur Ryder was the son of Emily Ryder from Beswick in Manchester. It is not known for sure if Pte. Ryder served on the first Wingate expedition in 1943, but he was asked, in November 1945 to offer up any information he may have had in regards the men lost on Operation Longcloth. We do know that Arthur served with the 1st King's (Liverpool) on Operation Thursday, the second Chindit expedition into Burma in 1944.
He had been a passenger aboard Glider 22P, which crash-landed in the Burmese jungle on the 5th March 1944, during the Chindit air assault that year. He and some of his fellow passengers were then taken prisoner by the Japanese some 20 days later on the 25th March, as they attempted to march to their original destination, the landing strip codenamed Broadway. Arthur spent the next 15 months as a prisoner of war in Rangoon Jail. He was given the POW number, 496 in the jail and had to recite this at every morning and evening roll call.
Another soldier with Arthur Ryder in the stricken glider on March 5th 1944, was Pte. Leslie Robert Davis from Cheltenham in Gloucestershire. On the 20th June 1945, his local newspaper, the Gloucestershire Echo reported on his homecoming and gave some interesting details about his time in Burma and as a prisoner of war:
Prisoner of Japanese returns.
Pte. Leslie Robert Davis, The King’s Regiment, whose home is at Charlton Kings, has just returned home after 15 months as a prisoner of the Japanese. He is the first Cheltenham soldier to return from Japanese captivity. Sick with Beri Beri, and septic sores, and without any medical assistance, the prisoners in Rangoon Gaol, he said, experienced the worst of hardships under their Japanese captors.
Taking part in General Wingate’s operations in 1944, the glider in which Pte. Davis was flying crash-landed before it reached the landing strip, and for 20 days the men marched until they came to a Burmese village. The Burmese promised them food and aid and said that they would give them a boat to continue their journey. However, when they had rested, they found that the villagers had sold them to the Japanese and they were taken prisoner.
No Medicine.
The treatment they received from these soldiers was as good as could be expected under the conditions, but, said Pte. Davis, “when we reached Rangoon Gaol things were different and a bit rougher." Medical treatment was unheard of except from the British doctor, who was also a prisoner, and from the monthly examinations held by the Japanese Medical Officer. There were no medicines.
“Every meal I had for 15 months," he said, “consisted of boiled rice, and more boiled rice. We were put on every sort of labouring imaginable. We had to mend roads, tear down walls and put others up. In fact, before I was taken prisoner some of the captured men were made to dig up unexploded bombs. We had to bow to every Japanese, every time we saw one, and any mistake we made with this was followed by a slap with a bamboo stick."
Language Problem.
“The language was the greatest problem. The guards used to babble at us, and if we didn’t understand, they used to get angry and hit us." Pte. Davis said that this hitting was not extraordinary, for the way discipline is kept in the Japanese Army is by striking a man instead of giving him CB (confined to barracks) as in the British Army. “They definitely had it in for any American airmen who were captured," he said. “Some of them were kept in solitary confinement for eighteen months at a stretch." Speaking of the mentality of the Japanese soldier, Pte. Davis said that they were not over educated and the believed every last bit of propaganda which was fed to them.
Left Behind.
Asked how he was released, Pte. Davis said, “I was sick with Beri Beri at the time. About 50 of us, who were ill were left behind when the Japanese left. They took 400 of our men with them. These were later set free at Pegu. The civilian Japanese were left in charge of us, and after three or four days they left in the night. We immediately set up the Union Jack that we had previously used for burials, and wrote on the roof of the gaol that the Japanese had left, and that we were British. The Air Force spotted the flag and the message but ignored it, thinking it was a Japanese trick. Soon, however, the Navy, which was lying in the bay, sent a launch up the river, and we were released. We were removed to a hospital ship and taken to Calcutta. From Calcutta we left for England."
All Nationalities.
Among the prisoners in the gaol were Chinese, Indians, Australians and Americans. The captors tried to make the Indians join the India National Army, which had been instituted to fight in India, but the majority would have nothing to do with it. The confinement to which the prisoners were subjected was in a small cell, nine feet by six feet, and into which were cast three men at a time. Pte. Davis himself had been in these conditions for 38 days. The last communication which his parents received before he was released was a letter in March 1944.
Aged 30, Pte. Davis now lives with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. W.R. Davis, at Croft Road, Charlton Kings. Before joining the Army in 1940, Pte. Davis worked for 11 years at the Lower High Street branch of the Co-operative Society.
Rank: Private
Service No: 3663253(2)
Age: 21
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool).
Chindit Column: unknown
Other details:
Arthur Ryder was the son of Emily Ryder from Beswick in Manchester. It is not known for sure if Pte. Ryder served on the first Wingate expedition in 1943, but he was asked, in November 1945 to offer up any information he may have had in regards the men lost on Operation Longcloth. We do know that Arthur served with the 1st King's (Liverpool) on Operation Thursday, the second Chindit expedition into Burma in 1944.
He had been a passenger aboard Glider 22P, which crash-landed in the Burmese jungle on the 5th March 1944, during the Chindit air assault that year. He and some of his fellow passengers were then taken prisoner by the Japanese some 20 days later on the 25th March, as they attempted to march to their original destination, the landing strip codenamed Broadway. Arthur spent the next 15 months as a prisoner of war in Rangoon Jail. He was given the POW number, 496 in the jail and had to recite this at every morning and evening roll call.
Another soldier with Arthur Ryder in the stricken glider on March 5th 1944, was Pte. Leslie Robert Davis from Cheltenham in Gloucestershire. On the 20th June 1945, his local newspaper, the Gloucestershire Echo reported on his homecoming and gave some interesting details about his time in Burma and as a prisoner of war:
Prisoner of Japanese returns.
Pte. Leslie Robert Davis, The King’s Regiment, whose home is at Charlton Kings, has just returned home after 15 months as a prisoner of the Japanese. He is the first Cheltenham soldier to return from Japanese captivity. Sick with Beri Beri, and septic sores, and without any medical assistance, the prisoners in Rangoon Gaol, he said, experienced the worst of hardships under their Japanese captors.
Taking part in General Wingate’s operations in 1944, the glider in which Pte. Davis was flying crash-landed before it reached the landing strip, and for 20 days the men marched until they came to a Burmese village. The Burmese promised them food and aid and said that they would give them a boat to continue their journey. However, when they had rested, they found that the villagers had sold them to the Japanese and they were taken prisoner.
No Medicine.
The treatment they received from these soldiers was as good as could be expected under the conditions, but, said Pte. Davis, “when we reached Rangoon Gaol things were different and a bit rougher." Medical treatment was unheard of except from the British doctor, who was also a prisoner, and from the monthly examinations held by the Japanese Medical Officer. There were no medicines.
“Every meal I had for 15 months," he said, “consisted of boiled rice, and more boiled rice. We were put on every sort of labouring imaginable. We had to mend roads, tear down walls and put others up. In fact, before I was taken prisoner some of the captured men were made to dig up unexploded bombs. We had to bow to every Japanese, every time we saw one, and any mistake we made with this was followed by a slap with a bamboo stick."
Language Problem.
“The language was the greatest problem. The guards used to babble at us, and if we didn’t understand, they used to get angry and hit us." Pte. Davis said that this hitting was not extraordinary, for the way discipline is kept in the Japanese Army is by striking a man instead of giving him CB (confined to barracks) as in the British Army. “They definitely had it in for any American airmen who were captured," he said. “Some of them were kept in solitary confinement for eighteen months at a stretch." Speaking of the mentality of the Japanese soldier, Pte. Davis said that they were not over educated and the believed every last bit of propaganda which was fed to them.
Left Behind.
Asked how he was released, Pte. Davis said, “I was sick with Beri Beri at the time. About 50 of us, who were ill were left behind when the Japanese left. They took 400 of our men with them. These were later set free at Pegu. The civilian Japanese were left in charge of us, and after three or four days they left in the night. We immediately set up the Union Jack that we had previously used for burials, and wrote on the roof of the gaol that the Japanese had left, and that we were British. The Air Force spotted the flag and the message but ignored it, thinking it was a Japanese trick. Soon, however, the Navy, which was lying in the bay, sent a launch up the river, and we were released. We were removed to a hospital ship and taken to Calcutta. From Calcutta we left for England."
All Nationalities.
Among the prisoners in the gaol were Chinese, Indians, Australians and Americans. The captors tried to make the Indians join the India National Army, which had been instituted to fight in India, but the majority would have nothing to do with it. The confinement to which the prisoners were subjected was in a small cell, nine feet by six feet, and into which were cast three men at a time. Pte. Davis himself had been in these conditions for 38 days. The last communication which his parents received before he was released was a letter in March 1944.
Aged 30, Pte. Davis now lives with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. W.R. Davis, at Croft Road, Charlton Kings. Before joining the Army in 1940, Pte. Davis worked for 11 years at the Lower High Street branch of the Co-operative Society.
Pte. Arthur Ryder was one of the 400 men mentioned by Pte. Davis in the newspaper article above and was released on the 29th April 1945 on the Pegu Road, near a village called Waw. To read more about the Chindit POW experience, please click on the following link: Chindit POW's
Seen below is a gallery of images in relation to this narrative, including Arthur Ryder's POW index card and the letter sent by the Army Investigation Bureau in regards his knowledge concerning men lost on the first Wingate expedition. It is not known if Arthur replied to this letter, or if he gave any details to the bureau, presumably in relation to men from Operation Longcloth that became prisoners of war and were held at Rangoon. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
Seen below is a gallery of images in relation to this narrative, including Arthur Ryder's POW index card and the letter sent by the Army Investigation Bureau in regards his knowledge concerning men lost on the first Wingate expedition. It is not known if Arthur replied to this letter, or if he gave any details to the bureau, presumably in relation to men from Operation Longcloth that became prisoners of war and were held at Rangoon. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
Robert Morgan 'Bobby' Sanders.
SANDERS, ROBERT MORGAN
Rank: Private
Service No: unknown
Age: 30
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Chindit Column: unknown
Other details:
Robert Morgan Sanders was born in North Wales on the 20th August 1913. He would go on to enjoy a successful career playing for his local football club, Chester FC and also represent England during an Amateur fixture against Wales. Of course Bobby Sanders was not the only Chindit to achieve notoriety as a footballer. Captain Eric Stephenson, an officer with the 3/2 Gurkha Rifles on Operation Longcloth enjoyed an illustrious playing career with Leeds United and England during the 1930's, which was so cruelly cut short after his untimely death fighting the Japanese for a second time in the Arakan region of Burma in September 1944.
Pte. Sanders' time with the Chindits was not known to me until I stumbled across two local newspaper articles about him during one of my research trawls on the internet. Firstly, from the pages of the Manchester Evening News, dated Saturday 24th July 1943, and under the headline, Chindit Had No Bread For Four Months:
Private Robert Morgan Sanders, more familiarly known to Chester football followers as Bobby Sanders, is a member of the Chindits, who under Brigadier Wingate did much to harass Japanese communications in Burma. Bobby, in a letter to his wife (Winifred) who lives at Tomkinson Street, Hoole, wrote:
"This is the first occasion on which I have written for more than four months, so if my letter falls short of your expectations you will have to forgive me, as I am so out of practice. The campaign has been front-page news in the Indian newspapers for more than a week now, and I wonder if anything has appeared in the English newspapers."
Describing the campaign he says that for three months they relied on the RAF for supplies and food. Amongst things they dropped was the most precious of all....the mail.
"They say we marched 1300 miles, but I am sure that in all it was more than 2000. I had neither a haircut nor a shave for four months and not more than two baths and four washes over the same period. We rarely ever knew the date. We did not taste bread over the whole period and had only the absolute minimum of fresh meat." Sanders adds that at the time of writing he and a number of men are undergoing hospital treatment and are also under observation.
Sanders is an international footballer without a cap. Some years ago he played for England as an amateur against Wales, but did not receive a cap because after the game it was discovered by the English F.A. that he had been born in Wales. Efforts were made to secure him his cap, but the F.A. ruled that as he was a native of Wales, he could not receive one.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Later on the same date, 24th July 1943, Bobby Sanders' local newspaper, the Cheshire Observer produced a similar, but more in depth account of his service with the Chindits, under the headline, From Football Field to Burma Jungle:
Stirring letter from Bobby Sanders about his adventures with the Chindits behind Japanese lines, where it is said, the Cheshire Observer was dropped in to him by parachute.
Robert Morgan Sanders once outside-left for Chester F.C. is now serving with the famous Chindits in Burma. Bobby joined the Army three years ago and during his 15 months abroad has had some exciting adventures, particularly during his service with the world-renowned Chindits, the force composed of volunteers who, under General Wingate, spent many months in the hinterland of Burma, worrying the Japanese occupiers, destroying their communications, making friends with the native population and fighting as a guerrilla force.
Here some extracts from a letter Sanders sent home to his wife, who lives at 53 Tomkinson Street in Hoole:
"This is the first occasion on which I have written for more than four months, so if my letter falls short of your expectations you will have to forgive me, as I am so out of practice. It is most difficult to find out exactly how much we are allowed to include in letters concerning the campaign in which we have been engaged. The campaign has been front-page news in the Indian newspapers for more than a week now, and I wonder if anything has appeared in the English newspapers. For some reason or another the Brigade were christened the Chindits and we operated in the back of the Japanese lines for three months.
For supplies and food we relied on the RAF, who did sound work. Among other things they dropped to us was our precious mail. I never failed to get at least a dozen letters at any one dropping, for which I will forever be in your debt. I even had the Observer in one dropping, but am sorry to say that in a skirmish we had late on, I lost everything including all my little keepsakes. I am afraid when I get home you will all be bored stiff with the yarns I am bursting to tell you. They say we marched 1300 miles, but I am sure that in all it was more than 2000. I had neither a haircut nor a shave for four months and not more than two baths and four washes over the same period. We rarely ever knew the date. We did not taste bread over the whole period and had only the absolute minimum of fresh meat. We are at present in hospital undergoing a course of treatment and at the same time we are under observation.They hope to learn much from us, I suppose that will benefit future expeditions of a like nature.
From April onwards we took tablets. The purpose of these is to blanket malaria, so that even if you get the germ in your blood, it is kept dormant until such time as you can get proper treatment. From all this you will see that we have been in many respects, human guinea pigs. The mail and Observers are still coming through grand and from now on you can expect a steady flow of mail from me once again."
The article goes on to say:
Bobby Sanders was one of the most popular of the Chester football players and obtained national publicity on the occasion of Chester's battle with Sheffield Wednesday in the fourth round of the F.A. Cup. It was Sanders who dashed in from the left wing to score the equalising goal and gain a replay for the Stadium. Sanders played for England in an Amateur International against Wales, and had the experience of not receiving the reward to which every footballer who represents his country is entitled.....a cap. After the match, in which he scored a goal, it was discovered by the English F.A. that although he was on the books of the Chester Club, both by birth and residence Sanders was a Welshman. The F.A. ruled that as a native of Wales, he could not be awarded the trophy of a cap.
A native of Leeswood, he received his early football training as a member of the Saltney Ferry Council School team, members of the Flintshire Schools League. On leaving school he became associated with Saltney Ferry Juniors. Sanders next club was Brickfields and it was while playing for the Brickies that he signed for Chester. Sanders refused to relinquish his connection with the railway, and as a consequence was only a part-time footballer. Many football supporters will read of Bobby's thrilling experiences in Burma with great interest and will realise that on the battle field, as on the football field, he has come through with credit. His brother, Edward is serving in a Railway Workshop Company of the Royal Engineers in the Middle East.
Bobby Sanders died on the 20th July 1979 whilst living in Vicar's Cross, Chester. Seen below is a gallery of images in relation to this Chindit story. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
Rank: Private
Service No: unknown
Age: 30
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Chindit Column: unknown
Other details:
Robert Morgan Sanders was born in North Wales on the 20th August 1913. He would go on to enjoy a successful career playing for his local football club, Chester FC and also represent England during an Amateur fixture against Wales. Of course Bobby Sanders was not the only Chindit to achieve notoriety as a footballer. Captain Eric Stephenson, an officer with the 3/2 Gurkha Rifles on Operation Longcloth enjoyed an illustrious playing career with Leeds United and England during the 1930's, which was so cruelly cut short after his untimely death fighting the Japanese for a second time in the Arakan region of Burma in September 1944.
Pte. Sanders' time with the Chindits was not known to me until I stumbled across two local newspaper articles about him during one of my research trawls on the internet. Firstly, from the pages of the Manchester Evening News, dated Saturday 24th July 1943, and under the headline, Chindit Had No Bread For Four Months:
Private Robert Morgan Sanders, more familiarly known to Chester football followers as Bobby Sanders, is a member of the Chindits, who under Brigadier Wingate did much to harass Japanese communications in Burma. Bobby, in a letter to his wife (Winifred) who lives at Tomkinson Street, Hoole, wrote:
"This is the first occasion on which I have written for more than four months, so if my letter falls short of your expectations you will have to forgive me, as I am so out of practice. The campaign has been front-page news in the Indian newspapers for more than a week now, and I wonder if anything has appeared in the English newspapers."
Describing the campaign he says that for three months they relied on the RAF for supplies and food. Amongst things they dropped was the most precious of all....the mail.
"They say we marched 1300 miles, but I am sure that in all it was more than 2000. I had neither a haircut nor a shave for four months and not more than two baths and four washes over the same period. We rarely ever knew the date. We did not taste bread over the whole period and had only the absolute minimum of fresh meat." Sanders adds that at the time of writing he and a number of men are undergoing hospital treatment and are also under observation.
Sanders is an international footballer without a cap. Some years ago he played for England as an amateur against Wales, but did not receive a cap because after the game it was discovered by the English F.A. that he had been born in Wales. Efforts were made to secure him his cap, but the F.A. ruled that as he was a native of Wales, he could not receive one.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Later on the same date, 24th July 1943, Bobby Sanders' local newspaper, the Cheshire Observer produced a similar, but more in depth account of his service with the Chindits, under the headline, From Football Field to Burma Jungle:
Stirring letter from Bobby Sanders about his adventures with the Chindits behind Japanese lines, where it is said, the Cheshire Observer was dropped in to him by parachute.
Robert Morgan Sanders once outside-left for Chester F.C. is now serving with the famous Chindits in Burma. Bobby joined the Army three years ago and during his 15 months abroad has had some exciting adventures, particularly during his service with the world-renowned Chindits, the force composed of volunteers who, under General Wingate, spent many months in the hinterland of Burma, worrying the Japanese occupiers, destroying their communications, making friends with the native population and fighting as a guerrilla force.
Here some extracts from a letter Sanders sent home to his wife, who lives at 53 Tomkinson Street in Hoole:
"This is the first occasion on which I have written for more than four months, so if my letter falls short of your expectations you will have to forgive me, as I am so out of practice. It is most difficult to find out exactly how much we are allowed to include in letters concerning the campaign in which we have been engaged. The campaign has been front-page news in the Indian newspapers for more than a week now, and I wonder if anything has appeared in the English newspapers. For some reason or another the Brigade were christened the Chindits and we operated in the back of the Japanese lines for three months.
For supplies and food we relied on the RAF, who did sound work. Among other things they dropped to us was our precious mail. I never failed to get at least a dozen letters at any one dropping, for which I will forever be in your debt. I even had the Observer in one dropping, but am sorry to say that in a skirmish we had late on, I lost everything including all my little keepsakes. I am afraid when I get home you will all be bored stiff with the yarns I am bursting to tell you. They say we marched 1300 miles, but I am sure that in all it was more than 2000. I had neither a haircut nor a shave for four months and not more than two baths and four washes over the same period. We rarely ever knew the date. We did not taste bread over the whole period and had only the absolute minimum of fresh meat. We are at present in hospital undergoing a course of treatment and at the same time we are under observation.They hope to learn much from us, I suppose that will benefit future expeditions of a like nature.
From April onwards we took tablets. The purpose of these is to blanket malaria, so that even if you get the germ in your blood, it is kept dormant until such time as you can get proper treatment. From all this you will see that we have been in many respects, human guinea pigs. The mail and Observers are still coming through grand and from now on you can expect a steady flow of mail from me once again."
The article goes on to say:
Bobby Sanders was one of the most popular of the Chester football players and obtained national publicity on the occasion of Chester's battle with Sheffield Wednesday in the fourth round of the F.A. Cup. It was Sanders who dashed in from the left wing to score the equalising goal and gain a replay for the Stadium. Sanders played for England in an Amateur International against Wales, and had the experience of not receiving the reward to which every footballer who represents his country is entitled.....a cap. After the match, in which he scored a goal, it was discovered by the English F.A. that although he was on the books of the Chester Club, both by birth and residence Sanders was a Welshman. The F.A. ruled that as a native of Wales, he could not be awarded the trophy of a cap.
A native of Leeswood, he received his early football training as a member of the Saltney Ferry Council School team, members of the Flintshire Schools League. On leaving school he became associated with Saltney Ferry Juniors. Sanders next club was Brickfields and it was while playing for the Brickies that he signed for Chester. Sanders refused to relinquish his connection with the railway, and as a consequence was only a part-time footballer. Many football supporters will read of Bobby's thrilling experiences in Burma with great interest and will realise that on the battle field, as on the football field, he has come through with credit. His brother, Edward is serving in a Railway Workshop Company of the Royal Engineers in the Middle East.
Bobby Sanders died on the 20th July 1979 whilst living in Vicar's Cross, Chester. Seen below is a gallery of images in relation to this Chindit story. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
Cap badge of the King's Regiment.
SAXTON L.
Rank: Sergeant
Service No: 3779137
Age: 30
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Chindit Column: 8
Other details:
Sgt. L. Saxton was a soldier that travelled to India with the original 13th Battalion aboard the troopship Oronsay on the 8th December 1941. He is recorded as being a senior NCO with C Company and was in charge of one of the train transports used to move the battalion from the Gough Barracks at Secunderabad to the Chindit training centre in Saugor.
Sgt. Saxton was posted to No. 8 Column on Operation Longcloth and after the mission was ordered to return in late March 1943, dispersed for India alongside his commander Major Scott after an engagement with the Japanese at the Kaukkwe Chaung on the 30th April. It is known that on the 2nd May 1943, whilst attempting to cross the railway line on the return journey to the Chindwin River, twenty-one men were lost to the main party. Of these twenty-one men, seven were brought back to India by Sgt. Saxton, with the other 14 returning safely under the leadership of Sgt. Puckett of the Royal Signals.
The war diary for No. 8 Column records the following:
Without the Burma Rifles, language presented some difficulty on the return journey, but one or two men knew a few words of Burmese, which enabled rice to be bought and guides obtained at the villages of Hpatwat, Mawatauk and Shiamdabang. At the latter village the headman produced a chit written by Major Fergusson (5 Column) stating that his party had stayed there in early April. This chit was further endorsed by Major Scott. Reaching Saga village the headman provided a good meal and agreed to guide the party across the railway at Natmawk between dusk and dawn. After crossing the railway and reaching the road leading to the Kadu track, a party of 21 men in the rear of the column lost contact.
NB. It is later recorded that Sgt. Puckett's group reached the Chindwin River on the 22nd May and that the group led by Sgt. Saxton arrived four days later on the 26th May.
After returning to India, Sgt. Saxton assisted in giving information on the last known whereabouts of many of the men who had been lost to No. 8 Column on the operations in Burma. One of those men was Pte. 4201223 Thomas Bradley who had fallen out from the column as it marched away from the village of Sonpu on the 29th April 1943.
Pte. Thomas Bradley was born on the 19th September 1917 and was the son of James Edward and Rachael Bradley from Leigh in Lancashire. He had originally enlisted into the Royal Welch Fusiliers at the start of the war, but had been transferred to the 13th King's as a reinforcement in the autumn of 1942. As mentioned in Sgt. Saxton's witness statement, Thomas was marching with his column on the 29th April, when he dropped out of the line to relieve himself. Thomas was suffering from very bad diarrhoea and sadly never managed to rejoin the column after leaving the line of march that day.
From other documents obtained in reference to this soldier, we now know he fell into Japanese hands on the 30th April 1943 and was held as a prisoner of war in Rangoon for just over two years. Thomas, whose POW number was recorded as 323, was one of the more fortunate Chindits to survive his time a POW inside Rangoon Jail and was liberated on the Pegu Road in late April 1945. To read more about the Chindits experiences as prisoners of war, please click on the following link: Chindit POW's
Seen below is a gallery of images in relation to the above narrative, including Sgt. Saxton's full statement regarding Pte. Bradley and Thomas Bradley's POW index card. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
Rank: Sergeant
Service No: 3779137
Age: 30
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Chindit Column: 8
Other details:
Sgt. L. Saxton was a soldier that travelled to India with the original 13th Battalion aboard the troopship Oronsay on the 8th December 1941. He is recorded as being a senior NCO with C Company and was in charge of one of the train transports used to move the battalion from the Gough Barracks at Secunderabad to the Chindit training centre in Saugor.
Sgt. Saxton was posted to No. 8 Column on Operation Longcloth and after the mission was ordered to return in late March 1943, dispersed for India alongside his commander Major Scott after an engagement with the Japanese at the Kaukkwe Chaung on the 30th April. It is known that on the 2nd May 1943, whilst attempting to cross the railway line on the return journey to the Chindwin River, twenty-one men were lost to the main party. Of these twenty-one men, seven were brought back to India by Sgt. Saxton, with the other 14 returning safely under the leadership of Sgt. Puckett of the Royal Signals.
The war diary for No. 8 Column records the following:
Without the Burma Rifles, language presented some difficulty on the return journey, but one or two men knew a few words of Burmese, which enabled rice to be bought and guides obtained at the villages of Hpatwat, Mawatauk and Shiamdabang. At the latter village the headman produced a chit written by Major Fergusson (5 Column) stating that his party had stayed there in early April. This chit was further endorsed by Major Scott. Reaching Saga village the headman provided a good meal and agreed to guide the party across the railway at Natmawk between dusk and dawn. After crossing the railway and reaching the road leading to the Kadu track, a party of 21 men in the rear of the column lost contact.
NB. It is later recorded that Sgt. Puckett's group reached the Chindwin River on the 22nd May and that the group led by Sgt. Saxton arrived four days later on the 26th May.
After returning to India, Sgt. Saxton assisted in giving information on the last known whereabouts of many of the men who had been lost to No. 8 Column on the operations in Burma. One of those men was Pte. 4201223 Thomas Bradley who had fallen out from the column as it marched away from the village of Sonpu on the 29th April 1943.
Pte. Thomas Bradley was born on the 19th September 1917 and was the son of James Edward and Rachael Bradley from Leigh in Lancashire. He had originally enlisted into the Royal Welch Fusiliers at the start of the war, but had been transferred to the 13th King's as a reinforcement in the autumn of 1942. As mentioned in Sgt. Saxton's witness statement, Thomas was marching with his column on the 29th April, when he dropped out of the line to relieve himself. Thomas was suffering from very bad diarrhoea and sadly never managed to rejoin the column after leaving the line of march that day.
From other documents obtained in reference to this soldier, we now know he fell into Japanese hands on the 30th April 1943 and was held as a prisoner of war in Rangoon for just over two years. Thomas, whose POW number was recorded as 323, was one of the more fortunate Chindits to survive his time a POW inside Rangoon Jail and was liberated on the Pegu Road in late April 1945. To read more about the Chindits experiences as prisoners of war, please click on the following link: Chindit POW's
Seen below is a gallery of images in relation to the above narrative, including Sgt. Saxton's full statement regarding Pte. Bradley and Thomas Bradley's POW index card. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
Distinguished Flying Cross.
SCOTT, CHARLES WINTER
Charles Scott was born in Inverness on the 7th January 1892 and was the youngest of five sons. He was educated at the Inverness Royal Academy and then studied natural science at Glasgow University. During WW1 he volunteered for the Royal Naval Air Service and as a sea-plane pilot spent many hours on anti-submarine patrol in the English Channel. He became Commandant of a sea-plane base at Cherbourg in France, after which he rose to the rank of Squadron Leader and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in recognition of his service.
After the war he completed his studies in forestry at Cambridge University and then joined the Indian Forest Services and was posted to Burma in December 1919. He was soon involved again with flying. This time carrying out aerial surveys of the forests around the Irrawaddy Delta and the Tennasserim region. To this end, on a return trip to Scotland a year later, he purchased a Gypsy Moth aircraft and flew this back out to Burma with a Burmese colleague as navigator.
During the 1930 rebellion in Burma, he was asked to undertake jungle patrols in the Insein Division of Lower Burma and for this he was awarded the O.B.E. (Gazetted on the 3rd June 1932). After the Japanese invasion in early 1942, Scott was once again involved with aerial surveillance of enemy positions, until it became too dangerous for his antiquated aircraft to be exposed to the greater air superiority of the Japanese Air Force. It is also anecdotally suggested that he made several flights as pre-operational reconnaissance for the first Wingate expedition in December 1942, checking out Japanese positions and strength on the eastern banks of the Chindwin River.
Charles Winter Scott died aged 74 in Aberdeen on the 13th October 1965. He will be remembered for his life-long services to forestry in Europe, North America and Asia. During his time in the forestry industry he published many books, including:
Reports on Certain Forest Areas, Tavoy and Mergui Districts of Burma. (1924).
The Common Oaks and Chestnuts of Maymyo and Kalaw. (1930).
Fast-Grown Wood, Conifer Planting in the United Kingdom since 1919. (1952).
Pinus Radiata. (1960).
Charles Scott was born in Inverness on the 7th January 1892 and was the youngest of five sons. He was educated at the Inverness Royal Academy and then studied natural science at Glasgow University. During WW1 he volunteered for the Royal Naval Air Service and as a sea-plane pilot spent many hours on anti-submarine patrol in the English Channel. He became Commandant of a sea-plane base at Cherbourg in France, after which he rose to the rank of Squadron Leader and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in recognition of his service.
After the war he completed his studies in forestry at Cambridge University and then joined the Indian Forest Services and was posted to Burma in December 1919. He was soon involved again with flying. This time carrying out aerial surveys of the forests around the Irrawaddy Delta and the Tennasserim region. To this end, on a return trip to Scotland a year later, he purchased a Gypsy Moth aircraft and flew this back out to Burma with a Burmese colleague as navigator.
During the 1930 rebellion in Burma, he was asked to undertake jungle patrols in the Insein Division of Lower Burma and for this he was awarded the O.B.E. (Gazetted on the 3rd June 1932). After the Japanese invasion in early 1942, Scott was once again involved with aerial surveillance of enemy positions, until it became too dangerous for his antiquated aircraft to be exposed to the greater air superiority of the Japanese Air Force. It is also anecdotally suggested that he made several flights as pre-operational reconnaissance for the first Wingate expedition in December 1942, checking out Japanese positions and strength on the eastern banks of the Chindwin River.
Charles Winter Scott died aged 74 in Aberdeen on the 13th October 1965. He will be remembered for his life-long services to forestry in Europe, North America and Asia. During his time in the forestry industry he published many books, including:
Reports on Certain Forest Areas, Tavoy and Mergui Districts of Burma. (1924).
The Common Oaks and Chestnuts of Maymyo and Kalaw. (1930).
Fast-Grown Wood, Conifer Planting in the United Kingdom since 1919. (1952).
Pinus Radiata. (1960).
Keith Gibbon Scott-Farnie 1941.
SCOTT-FARNIE, KEITH GIBBON
Whilst browsing through the family enquiry section of the Burma Star Association magazine (Summer 2008 edition), I noticed this request for information from Jane Murray:
I know this may be a shot in the dark, but I am trying to trace details of my father's war history. His name was Captain Keith Gibbon Scott-Farnie and I know he served in Burma during the Second World War as I am in possession of his medals. He was born in Merthyr Tydfil and I believe he was in the King's Welsh Regiment, this Regiment's name has been passed on to me by a colleague who worked with him in the War Office at the end of the war.
I also know that he trained at Sandhurst. I appreciate that this was all a long time ago, but sadly my father died when I was in my early twenties so I never really got a chance to find out much about his war history. He did, however, often talk about the Forgotten Army so I would like to find out more.
Recognising the unusual surname as one matching an officer present with the 13th King's in late 1941, I made contact with Jane by email and sent over the information I possessed, mostly in the form of references to her father in the battalion war diary for 1942.
At the time of our initial contact, I did not have too much knowledge about Captain Scott-Farnie's wartime pathway, or what his contribution might have been within the ranks of the 13th King's. As more information has come my way, it has enabled me to add a little more detail to his story.
The journal of the London Gazette provided me with the first chronological detail of Keith's Army career, in the form of an entry, dated 5th July 1940, announcing his promotion within the South Wales Borderer's Regiment to the rank of full Lieutenant. He was given the Army service number 138290 at the time of his original commission as an officer and features in The Army Lists for July 1941 which show his promotion, on the 25th October 1940 to the rank of Temporary Captain. Daughter Jane had provided me with a number of photographs depicting his time during the years of WW2 and one of these showed her father at a tented camp along with a group of other men wearing 'Glengarry' style caps complete with ribbons. It is therefore possible that Keith served with a Scottish Regiment during his initial infantry training period, or was a member of the Territorial Army just before the war began and had been posted to a Scottish unit.
Lieutenant Scott-Farnie did not remain long with the South Wales Borderer's, being transferred instead to the 13th Battalion of the King's Liverpool Regiment in late 1940 and joining them at their Jordan Hill Barracks in Glasgow. Here he was given control of the battalion motor transport, which at the time comprised of five motor vehicles and five motor cycles. Fellow King's officer Leslie Cottrell remembered meeting Scott-Farnie for the first time at Glasgow, when he was ordered to report to him for motor-cycle training:
As I couldn't ride a motor-cycle and as all officers were supposed to be able to do so, I was sent one afternoon to the MT Lines to see Captain Scott-Farnie, the Motor Transport Officer, whom I expected to provide a NCO to teach me.
'Can you ride a bicycle' he asked me. 'Yes' I replied.
'Then all you need to know is how to start the bike, change gear, accelerate and stop', he said, pointing quickly in turn to the various controls. 'Take this Norton 350, it is a nice little bike'.
Before I could argue, he had turned and was half-way back to his office. I managed to start the bike and miraculously got going along the road and was soon leaving habituation behind and approaching open country. At first everything went well, but a sudden slope in the road put paid to all that and I fell off. It took me quite a while to steady myself and to get the bike going once more. Not a little abashed, I rode back to Glasgow over revving the engine, lest it stall whenever I had to slow down. I had regained my composure by the time I entered Scott-Farnie's office.
'How did you get on Les?' he asked. I gaped and hesitated. 'How did you know I had fallen off?' I enquired. There was a slight pause, then we looked at each other and burst out laughing.
By the beginning of December 1941, the 13th King's had received notice of their impending posting overseas and had moved up to a holding camp outside Blackburn. They had spent the best part of the previous year performing coastal defence duties at places such as Colchester, Rayleigh in Essex and Felixstowe in Suffolk. Captain Graham Hosegood, the battalion Intelligence Officer and coincidentally also formerly with the South Wales Borderer's, remembered the time just before the King's voyaged to India in 1941.
From his personal diary comes this entry dated Friday 5th December 1941:
Reveille at 3.15am. Very cold, and feeling very grubby as I had my clothes on all night. For breakfast had two cold sausages & a mug of tea. After much parading finally left the mill at 0555 hours and led the first platoon down to the station. Moved very slowly as kit bags heavy, but at last reached the station and got up onto the platform. After some bother we got all the men into compartments and I got into one with Leslie Cottrell, Carroll, Walker, Scott-Farnie, Summerfield, Foulds and Pickering.
We left Blackburn at 7am, 10 minuets late. It was quite dark for the first part of the journey, but later learned that we had passed through Wigan and Warrington. At about 9.15am we got to the Riverside Station at Liverpool, where we detrained. Here I left the company and attached myself to Brigade HQ. The men all piled into buses and Major Lockhart and I remained until the last bus, while the C.O. and David Hastings went in one of the first. Actually the last bus was not a bus, but a three ton lorry.
We drove down through some badly bombed areas to the West Canada Dock. There was a lot of motor transport waiting about on the quay and also our battalion which had formed up into their companys. There were two big ships one on either side of the quay. On the left was the Oronsay and on the right the Andes. We soon discovered that our ship was the Oronsay, she had just come out of dry dock and as we arrived she was coming along side of the quay. We had to wait on the quay until the C.O had secured berth tickets for everyone. We ate some sandwiches and fruit pies while it rained.
I managed to get on board before most of the battalion and Harry Holland showed me my cabin. Four of us were to share it, but it was really comfy. It was on D Deck and nominated cabin M. We had our own bathroom and lavatory and a nice little storeroom. It is a suite and one of the best. We got our lunch about 1.30pm and the food was excellent. After lunch we got the men aboard, got them settled in and then looked for some of our own kit. I found one tin box and my suite-case. Dinner was at 7.30pm and again was another excellent meal. At 8.30 the Officer Commanding the ship gave a short talk to all the officers. After that we went to our cabin and early to bed.
It is not certain if Keith was one of the men who shared Cabin M with Graham Hosegood, but it can be presumed that conditions for all officers aboard were of similar quality. At 14.00 hours on the 8th of December the ship moved out into the Irish Sea and then headed north toward Greenock, before pushing out into the Atlantic at first on a north-westerly course to avoid the unwanted attention of German U-Boats. To read more about the 13th King's voyage to India in 1941-42, please click on the following link: Voyage and Training
Whilst browsing through the family enquiry section of the Burma Star Association magazine (Summer 2008 edition), I noticed this request for information from Jane Murray:
I know this may be a shot in the dark, but I am trying to trace details of my father's war history. His name was Captain Keith Gibbon Scott-Farnie and I know he served in Burma during the Second World War as I am in possession of his medals. He was born in Merthyr Tydfil and I believe he was in the King's Welsh Regiment, this Regiment's name has been passed on to me by a colleague who worked with him in the War Office at the end of the war.
I also know that he trained at Sandhurst. I appreciate that this was all a long time ago, but sadly my father died when I was in my early twenties so I never really got a chance to find out much about his war history. He did, however, often talk about the Forgotten Army so I would like to find out more.
Recognising the unusual surname as one matching an officer present with the 13th King's in late 1941, I made contact with Jane by email and sent over the information I possessed, mostly in the form of references to her father in the battalion war diary for 1942.
At the time of our initial contact, I did not have too much knowledge about Captain Scott-Farnie's wartime pathway, or what his contribution might have been within the ranks of the 13th King's. As more information has come my way, it has enabled me to add a little more detail to his story.
The journal of the London Gazette provided me with the first chronological detail of Keith's Army career, in the form of an entry, dated 5th July 1940, announcing his promotion within the South Wales Borderer's Regiment to the rank of full Lieutenant. He was given the Army service number 138290 at the time of his original commission as an officer and features in The Army Lists for July 1941 which show his promotion, on the 25th October 1940 to the rank of Temporary Captain. Daughter Jane had provided me with a number of photographs depicting his time during the years of WW2 and one of these showed her father at a tented camp along with a group of other men wearing 'Glengarry' style caps complete with ribbons. It is therefore possible that Keith served with a Scottish Regiment during his initial infantry training period, or was a member of the Territorial Army just before the war began and had been posted to a Scottish unit.
Lieutenant Scott-Farnie did not remain long with the South Wales Borderer's, being transferred instead to the 13th Battalion of the King's Liverpool Regiment in late 1940 and joining them at their Jordan Hill Barracks in Glasgow. Here he was given control of the battalion motor transport, which at the time comprised of five motor vehicles and five motor cycles. Fellow King's officer Leslie Cottrell remembered meeting Scott-Farnie for the first time at Glasgow, when he was ordered to report to him for motor-cycle training:
As I couldn't ride a motor-cycle and as all officers were supposed to be able to do so, I was sent one afternoon to the MT Lines to see Captain Scott-Farnie, the Motor Transport Officer, whom I expected to provide a NCO to teach me.
'Can you ride a bicycle' he asked me. 'Yes' I replied.
'Then all you need to know is how to start the bike, change gear, accelerate and stop', he said, pointing quickly in turn to the various controls. 'Take this Norton 350, it is a nice little bike'.
Before I could argue, he had turned and was half-way back to his office. I managed to start the bike and miraculously got going along the road and was soon leaving habituation behind and approaching open country. At first everything went well, but a sudden slope in the road put paid to all that and I fell off. It took me quite a while to steady myself and to get the bike going once more. Not a little abashed, I rode back to Glasgow over revving the engine, lest it stall whenever I had to slow down. I had regained my composure by the time I entered Scott-Farnie's office.
'How did you get on Les?' he asked. I gaped and hesitated. 'How did you know I had fallen off?' I enquired. There was a slight pause, then we looked at each other and burst out laughing.
By the beginning of December 1941, the 13th King's had received notice of their impending posting overseas and had moved up to a holding camp outside Blackburn. They had spent the best part of the previous year performing coastal defence duties at places such as Colchester, Rayleigh in Essex and Felixstowe in Suffolk. Captain Graham Hosegood, the battalion Intelligence Officer and coincidentally also formerly with the South Wales Borderer's, remembered the time just before the King's voyaged to India in 1941.
From his personal diary comes this entry dated Friday 5th December 1941:
Reveille at 3.15am. Very cold, and feeling very grubby as I had my clothes on all night. For breakfast had two cold sausages & a mug of tea. After much parading finally left the mill at 0555 hours and led the first platoon down to the station. Moved very slowly as kit bags heavy, but at last reached the station and got up onto the platform. After some bother we got all the men into compartments and I got into one with Leslie Cottrell, Carroll, Walker, Scott-Farnie, Summerfield, Foulds and Pickering.
We left Blackburn at 7am, 10 minuets late. It was quite dark for the first part of the journey, but later learned that we had passed through Wigan and Warrington. At about 9.15am we got to the Riverside Station at Liverpool, where we detrained. Here I left the company and attached myself to Brigade HQ. The men all piled into buses and Major Lockhart and I remained until the last bus, while the C.O. and David Hastings went in one of the first. Actually the last bus was not a bus, but a three ton lorry.
We drove down through some badly bombed areas to the West Canada Dock. There was a lot of motor transport waiting about on the quay and also our battalion which had formed up into their companys. There were two big ships one on either side of the quay. On the left was the Oronsay and on the right the Andes. We soon discovered that our ship was the Oronsay, she had just come out of dry dock and as we arrived she was coming along side of the quay. We had to wait on the quay until the C.O had secured berth tickets for everyone. We ate some sandwiches and fruit pies while it rained.
I managed to get on board before most of the battalion and Harry Holland showed me my cabin. Four of us were to share it, but it was really comfy. It was on D Deck and nominated cabin M. We had our own bathroom and lavatory and a nice little storeroom. It is a suite and one of the best. We got our lunch about 1.30pm and the food was excellent. After lunch we got the men aboard, got them settled in and then looked for some of our own kit. I found one tin box and my suite-case. Dinner was at 7.30pm and again was another excellent meal. At 8.30 the Officer Commanding the ship gave a short talk to all the officers. After that we went to our cabin and early to bed.
It is not certain if Keith was one of the men who shared Cabin M with Graham Hosegood, but it can be presumed that conditions for all officers aboard were of similar quality. At 14.00 hours on the 8th of December the ship moved out into the Irish Sea and then headed north toward Greenock, before pushing out into the Atlantic at first on a north-westerly course to avoid the unwanted attention of German U-Boats. To read more about the 13th King's voyage to India in 1941-42, please click on the following link: Voyage and Training
The officers of the 13th King's aboard the troopship 'Oronsay' in early 1942. Keith Scott-Farnie can be seen in the back row, fifth from the left as we look.
The 13th King's disembarked from their troopship at Bombay on 30th January 1942 and were sent almost immediately to the Gough Barracks at Secunderabad. These barracks were to be the 13th King's home for five months, during which time the battalion performed garrison and policing duties across the region of Telangana. The Secunderabad Cantonment was founded in 1806 and was one of the largest military bases for the British Army in India. According to the diaries of Pte. Leon Frank, the battalion also spent a period at Meadows Barracks, which also formed part of the Secunderabad Cantonment during the years of WW2.
The 13th King's War diary for 1942 describes the day to day events that befell the battalion during their time at Secunderabad and it is from this document that two clues are given that further chronicle the story of Captain Scott-Farnie.
On the 8th March the diary records: We heard today that Captain Scott-Farnie is being retained at Poona as Assistant Instructor on the P.A.D. course. He will return at the end of the month.
NB. P.A.D. refers to Passive Air Defence, that being: All measures, other than active air defence, taken to minimise the effectiveness of hostile air threats against one's own forces and assets. These measures include camouflage, concealment, deception and early warning systems.
Two months later on the 11th May, the diary states: Captain K.G. Scott-Farnie has been posted as G3 (AD) to Madras District Head Quarters. He is the first officer to be posted away since we arrived in India.
NB. G3 refers to his promotion to General Staff Officer Grade 3 retaining the rank of Captain and AD judging by the previous entry in the war diary, I believe refers to Air Defence.
Captain Scott-Farnie is never mentioned in the 13th King's War diaries from this point on and does not feature in any other documents in relation to the first Wingate operation. It is to be assumed that his transfer to the Madras District was a permanent one and that he never returned to the King's Regiment during his time in India.
However, Keith is mentioned again within the memoir of Captain Leslie Randle Cottrell, famed earlier in this story for crashing the Norton motor-cycle at Glasgow. Cottrell had survived Operation Longcloth whilst serving with 7 Column in Burma and had then worked away from the King's Regiment himself, at a Jungle Warfare School at Mandagadde in the Indian state of Karnataka. In the summer of 1945 Captain Cottrell was given notice that his war service was over and was ordered to make his way down to the reinforcement centre at Deolali in preparation for repatriation to the UK.
The journey proved challenging and at one connecting station he found to his dismay an already overcrowded platform and a train full to capacity. By absolute chance, Captain Scott-Farnie, already ensconced on the train recognised Cottrell and shouted at him to bring his luggage over to his compartment window. Within a few seconds, both officer and luggage was safely stowed aboard and Deolali was reached in good time. It is possible I suppose that Keith was also making his way to Deolali for repatriation to the United Kingdom.
Seen in the gallery below are some of the photographs sent to me by Jane Murray, the daughter of Captain Scott-Farnie. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
I would like to thank Jane Murray for her invaluable help in putting this short story together and for allowing me to use the photographs from her father's war service. I will leave the last word to Jane:
How exciting to finally find out something about my father's time during the war. He died when I was in my early twenties and at that age I did not take the time to talk to him about it all, which I deeply regret. My husband was with the Coldstream Guards and has always been interested to find out what my father did in the war. I do remember him talking about the Forgotten Army and later on, when he was no longer with us I went to the VJ Celebrations on his behalf. These were always the most amazing experiences for me.
I also recall him having a great dislike for the Japanese, which lasted his entire life. He almost had a fit when my Aunt came home having bought a Japanese car!
Copyright © Steve Fogden, December 2015.
How exciting to finally find out something about my father's time during the war. He died when I was in my early twenties and at that age I did not take the time to talk to him about it all, which I deeply regret. My husband was with the Coldstream Guards and has always been interested to find out what my father did in the war. I do remember him talking about the Forgotten Army and later on, when he was no longer with us I went to the VJ Celebrations on his behalf. These were always the most amazing experiences for me.
I also recall him having a great dislike for the Japanese, which lasted his entire life. He almost had a fit when my Aunt came home having bought a Japanese car!
Copyright © Steve Fogden, December 2015.
Sgt. Scuton's grave at Rangoon War Cemetery.
SCRUTON, STANLEY
Rank: Sergeant
Service No: 3781449
Date of Death: 13/05/1944
Age: 30
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Memorial: Grave 5. E. 9. Rangoon War Cemetery
CWGC link: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2261213/SCRUTON,%20STANLEY
Chindit Column. 8
Other details:
Stanley Scruton was the son of William and Mary Ann Scruton and the husband of Lily Scruton, from Gorton in Manchester. Sgt. Scruton was a member of D' Company from within the 13th Battalion of the King's Regiment in 1942. D' Company formed the major part of Chindit Column No. 8 on the first Wingate expedition into Burma in February 1943. For some unexplained reason, Stanley Scruton's story has always been of great interest to me during my research and holds a poignant and special place in the overall narrative of this website.
Stanley and many of his Chindit comrades were lost to their column at the Shweli River on the 1st April 1943. The boats that were ferrying the men across the river were accidentally cut adrift when the power-rope used to guide the boats over was severed. To read the full story of this incident and how the soldiers involved dealt with their plight, please click on the following two links:
Eric Allen and the Lost Boat on the Shweli
Pte. Henry Taylor
After the disaster at the Shweli River crossing, Stanley Scruton, devastated by his part in the debacle took leadership of the small group of men from his boat. It would seem that in his own mind, he felt responsible for the men becoming adrift from the main section on that terrible day. Even after he and some of the men were captured by the Japanese a few weeks later, he worked tirelessly in the makeshift hospital at Rangoon Jail, almost as though this was his way of making amends. For a long time in the jail he was the senior ranked soldier in the so-called hospital, whilst all the actual Medical officers were being held in solitary confinement. Sgt. Scruton (POW no. 98) died of exhaustion combined with the effects of beri beri in Block 6 of Rangoon Jail on 13th May 1944.
NB. According to his POW index card, Stanley Scruton was captured on the 2nd May 1943.
Stanley was buried originally in a shared grave (No. 177) at the English Cantonment Cemetery located close to the Royal Lakes in the eastern sector of the city. His companion in Grave 177 was Pte. Ernest Slaney of the King's Own Scottish Borderer's. After the war, all burials from the Cantonment Cemetery were relocated to the newly constructed Rangoon War Cemetery, situated closer to the dockland area of the city. One of the other Chindit captives at Rangoon Jail in 1944, Lt. Willie Wilding, remembered Sgt. Scruton and his selfless attitude towards his fellow prisoners within the jail:
He (Scruton) was a jewel, although he knew nothing about medicine he possessed great common sense. A bricklayer's labourer by trade, I am sure that his death was at least in part, due to frustration because he could do so little for his charges. He was a splendid chap.
NB. Unfortunately, in all CWGC records, both in document form and on line, Stanley's date of death is stated as 13th May 1943. The year is recorded inaccurately, as he perished exactly one year later on the 13th May 1944.
Back home in Gorton, Stanley's parents, and with concern for their son's wellbeing never far from their minds, placed this touching message within the pages of the Manchester Evening News on the 6th June 1944:
Birthday greetings to 3781449 Sgt. Stan Scruton, King's Regiment, still missing in Burma. Just one of Wingate's Follies. Wherever you are we are thinking of you. With all our love Mam and Dad and brothers and sisters. 18 Woodhouse Street, High Bank, Gorton, Manchester.
It is incredibly sad to think that this message was published just a few short weeks after Stanley had passed away inside Rangoon Jail. The following year and still without news, the family repeated their heartfelt birthday wishes in the same newspaper:
Birthday greeting to our loving son, Sgt. Stan Scruton, No. 3871449 of the King's Regiment, missing in Burma April 1943. Always in our thoughts. Ever in our prayers. From Mother, Dad, brothers and sisters. 18 Woodhouse Street, High Bank, Gorton, Manchester.
In the summer of 2011, I received a contact email from Peter Clarke who had been looking into the family history of the Scruton's and in particular, what had happened to Stanley in WW2. After numerous email exchanges, I wrote back to Peter to inform him about the placement on my website of the story sent in by the family of Eric Allen. This is what he had to say:
Hi Steve,
Thank as always for the information you have found and sent over. What a story Eric Allen had to tell, it's all Boys Own stuff. It's very difficult to imagine the determination these men needed to survive in such conditions, I don't think today's pampered generation would even contemplate it. Just had an email conversation with my cousin Lynne, Stanley's granddaughter and she wants me to go to see her after Christmas to help her apply for Stanley's war records. I'll make sure you get any information we find. Still planning to go to the newspaper library to search for a photograph. Will keep you informed. My wife reckons Eric Allen's and Stanley's mission would make a good film; are you any good at writing screenplays?
In a further email, Peter told me:
I've got various family members working on finding a picture of Stanley and spent a fruitless couple of hours today trawling through the newspaper archives. I also called to see a cousin today who has a number of old family pics. He is going to look through them but it doesn't help that none of us know what Stanley actually looked like. He has one picture that is, I think, of a second world war soldier that he found with lots of other old photos after his mother had died, (she was the sister of Lily, Stanley's widow) we have no idea who he is so maybe it could be Stanley. I have attached a rough copy, I don't recognise the cap badge, do you?
NB. I have placed the photograph Peter refers to in the gallery below. It is of course impossible to be sure whether this is Stanley Scruton or some other soldier from the wider Scruton family. Please click on any image in the gallery to bring it forward on the page. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Peter and all the members of the Scruton family for their help in bringing this important, though sorrowful story to these website pages.
Rank: Sergeant
Service No: 3781449
Date of Death: 13/05/1944
Age: 30
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Memorial: Grave 5. E. 9. Rangoon War Cemetery
CWGC link: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2261213/SCRUTON,%20STANLEY
Chindit Column. 8
Other details:
Stanley Scruton was the son of William and Mary Ann Scruton and the husband of Lily Scruton, from Gorton in Manchester. Sgt. Scruton was a member of D' Company from within the 13th Battalion of the King's Regiment in 1942. D' Company formed the major part of Chindit Column No. 8 on the first Wingate expedition into Burma in February 1943. For some unexplained reason, Stanley Scruton's story has always been of great interest to me during my research and holds a poignant and special place in the overall narrative of this website.
Stanley and many of his Chindit comrades were lost to their column at the Shweli River on the 1st April 1943. The boats that were ferrying the men across the river were accidentally cut adrift when the power-rope used to guide the boats over was severed. To read the full story of this incident and how the soldiers involved dealt with their plight, please click on the following two links:
Eric Allen and the Lost Boat on the Shweli
Pte. Henry Taylor
After the disaster at the Shweli River crossing, Stanley Scruton, devastated by his part in the debacle took leadership of the small group of men from his boat. It would seem that in his own mind, he felt responsible for the men becoming adrift from the main section on that terrible day. Even after he and some of the men were captured by the Japanese a few weeks later, he worked tirelessly in the makeshift hospital at Rangoon Jail, almost as though this was his way of making amends. For a long time in the jail he was the senior ranked soldier in the so-called hospital, whilst all the actual Medical officers were being held in solitary confinement. Sgt. Scruton (POW no. 98) died of exhaustion combined with the effects of beri beri in Block 6 of Rangoon Jail on 13th May 1944.
NB. According to his POW index card, Stanley Scruton was captured on the 2nd May 1943.
Stanley was buried originally in a shared grave (No. 177) at the English Cantonment Cemetery located close to the Royal Lakes in the eastern sector of the city. His companion in Grave 177 was Pte. Ernest Slaney of the King's Own Scottish Borderer's. After the war, all burials from the Cantonment Cemetery were relocated to the newly constructed Rangoon War Cemetery, situated closer to the dockland area of the city. One of the other Chindit captives at Rangoon Jail in 1944, Lt. Willie Wilding, remembered Sgt. Scruton and his selfless attitude towards his fellow prisoners within the jail:
He (Scruton) was a jewel, although he knew nothing about medicine he possessed great common sense. A bricklayer's labourer by trade, I am sure that his death was at least in part, due to frustration because he could do so little for his charges. He was a splendid chap.
NB. Unfortunately, in all CWGC records, both in document form and on line, Stanley's date of death is stated as 13th May 1943. The year is recorded inaccurately, as he perished exactly one year later on the 13th May 1944.
Back home in Gorton, Stanley's parents, and with concern for their son's wellbeing never far from their minds, placed this touching message within the pages of the Manchester Evening News on the 6th June 1944:
Birthday greetings to 3781449 Sgt. Stan Scruton, King's Regiment, still missing in Burma. Just one of Wingate's Follies. Wherever you are we are thinking of you. With all our love Mam and Dad and brothers and sisters. 18 Woodhouse Street, High Bank, Gorton, Manchester.
It is incredibly sad to think that this message was published just a few short weeks after Stanley had passed away inside Rangoon Jail. The following year and still without news, the family repeated their heartfelt birthday wishes in the same newspaper:
Birthday greeting to our loving son, Sgt. Stan Scruton, No. 3871449 of the King's Regiment, missing in Burma April 1943. Always in our thoughts. Ever in our prayers. From Mother, Dad, brothers and sisters. 18 Woodhouse Street, High Bank, Gorton, Manchester.
In the summer of 2011, I received a contact email from Peter Clarke who had been looking into the family history of the Scruton's and in particular, what had happened to Stanley in WW2. After numerous email exchanges, I wrote back to Peter to inform him about the placement on my website of the story sent in by the family of Eric Allen. This is what he had to say:
Hi Steve,
Thank as always for the information you have found and sent over. What a story Eric Allen had to tell, it's all Boys Own stuff. It's very difficult to imagine the determination these men needed to survive in such conditions, I don't think today's pampered generation would even contemplate it. Just had an email conversation with my cousin Lynne, Stanley's granddaughter and she wants me to go to see her after Christmas to help her apply for Stanley's war records. I'll make sure you get any information we find. Still planning to go to the newspaper library to search for a photograph. Will keep you informed. My wife reckons Eric Allen's and Stanley's mission would make a good film; are you any good at writing screenplays?
In a further email, Peter told me:
I've got various family members working on finding a picture of Stanley and spent a fruitless couple of hours today trawling through the newspaper archives. I also called to see a cousin today who has a number of old family pics. He is going to look through them but it doesn't help that none of us know what Stanley actually looked like. He has one picture that is, I think, of a second world war soldier that he found with lots of other old photos after his mother had died, (she was the sister of Lily, Stanley's widow) we have no idea who he is so maybe it could be Stanley. I have attached a rough copy, I don't recognise the cap badge, do you?
NB. I have placed the photograph Peter refers to in the gallery below. It is of course impossible to be sure whether this is Stanley Scruton or some other soldier from the wider Scruton family. Please click on any image in the gallery to bring it forward on the page. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Peter and all the members of the Scruton family for their help in bringing this important, though sorrowful story to these website pages.
The CWGC certificate for John Shaw.
SHAW, JOHN
Rank: Private
Service No: 3778067
Date of Death: 05/03/1944
Age: Unknown
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 1st Bn.
Memorial: Face 6 of the Rangoon Memorial, Taukkyan War Cemetery
CWGC link: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2525218/shaw,-john/
Chindit Column. Unknown.
Other details:
Pte. John Shaw was the son of Richard and Mary Shaw and the husband of Amy Shaw from West Derby in Liverpool. It is known that Pte. Shaw served on Operation Longcloth in 1943, but his column placement is not confirmed at this point. We do know however, that he was one of the very few men who went on to serve on the second Chindit expedition in 1944, codenamed Operation Thursday. For this he transferred from the 13th to the 1st Battalion of the King's Regiment.
The King's in 1944 made up Chindit columns nos. 81 and 82 and were led by Lt-Colonel Walter Purcell Scott, the former commander of No. 8 Column from the previous year. The major difference for the Kingsmen in 1944, was that they were to be flown into Burma this time, aboard United States Airforce gliders, towed in the first instance by Dakota aircraft and released a few miles from the landing area, codenamed Broadway. On the 5th March 1944, an Armada of aircraft took off from the airfield at Lalaghat in India, with some of the Dakotas experimenting in towing two gliders instead of the customary single craft.
According to an official report on proceedings; the weather in India on the night of March 5th was clear, with a full moon, but that over the mountains of the Surma Valley and into Burma, the air was turbulent and a thick haze restricted visibility. Several gliders had to be released early due to the turbulence and unbalanced loads. A few gliders were able to make soft landings on river banks or beaches, but many crashed in the jungle. Every attempt was made to locate these missing gliders, search parties were dispatched and supplies dropped to personnel now attempting to march back to the Chindwin River.
Sadly, Pte. John Shaw was killed aboard Glider 20B, when this aircraft crash-landed in the Burmese jungle. The only survivors of the crash were US Pilot Lt. H. Johnson, Lt. S.F. Holyfield of the South Lancashire Regiment and Pte. Thomas Victor Faulkner of the King's Regiment. According to Pte. Faulkner, all the other men in the glider were killed instantly on impact. He then goes on to say that the Pilot and Lt. Holyfield were both injured from the crash and that Holyfield was then wounded further when the Japanese opened fire on them just before their capture. Thomas Faulkner was eventually taken to Rangoon Jail, where he spent just over one year as a prisoner of war. In the end he was to be the only survivor from Glider 20B.
None of the bodies from the crash site were ever recovered after the war and for this reason, Pte. John Shaw and his comrades from aboard the stricken glider are all remembered upon the Rangoon Memorial, located at Taukkyan War Cemetery on the outskirts of Rangoon. It seems so ironic to me, that John made it out of Burma rather against the odds and on foot in 1943, only to perish whilst flying back in the following year.
Seen below is a gallery of images in relation to this short story. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
Rank: Private
Service No: 3778067
Date of Death: 05/03/1944
Age: Unknown
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 1st Bn.
Memorial: Face 6 of the Rangoon Memorial, Taukkyan War Cemetery
CWGC link: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2525218/shaw,-john/
Chindit Column. Unknown.
Other details:
Pte. John Shaw was the son of Richard and Mary Shaw and the husband of Amy Shaw from West Derby in Liverpool. It is known that Pte. Shaw served on Operation Longcloth in 1943, but his column placement is not confirmed at this point. We do know however, that he was one of the very few men who went on to serve on the second Chindit expedition in 1944, codenamed Operation Thursday. For this he transferred from the 13th to the 1st Battalion of the King's Regiment.
The King's in 1944 made up Chindit columns nos. 81 and 82 and were led by Lt-Colonel Walter Purcell Scott, the former commander of No. 8 Column from the previous year. The major difference for the Kingsmen in 1944, was that they were to be flown into Burma this time, aboard United States Airforce gliders, towed in the first instance by Dakota aircraft and released a few miles from the landing area, codenamed Broadway. On the 5th March 1944, an Armada of aircraft took off from the airfield at Lalaghat in India, with some of the Dakotas experimenting in towing two gliders instead of the customary single craft.
According to an official report on proceedings; the weather in India on the night of March 5th was clear, with a full moon, but that over the mountains of the Surma Valley and into Burma, the air was turbulent and a thick haze restricted visibility. Several gliders had to be released early due to the turbulence and unbalanced loads. A few gliders were able to make soft landings on river banks or beaches, but many crashed in the jungle. Every attempt was made to locate these missing gliders, search parties were dispatched and supplies dropped to personnel now attempting to march back to the Chindwin River.
Sadly, Pte. John Shaw was killed aboard Glider 20B, when this aircraft crash-landed in the Burmese jungle. The only survivors of the crash were US Pilot Lt. H. Johnson, Lt. S.F. Holyfield of the South Lancashire Regiment and Pte. Thomas Victor Faulkner of the King's Regiment. According to Pte. Faulkner, all the other men in the glider were killed instantly on impact. He then goes on to say that the Pilot and Lt. Holyfield were both injured from the crash and that Holyfield was then wounded further when the Japanese opened fire on them just before their capture. Thomas Faulkner was eventually taken to Rangoon Jail, where he spent just over one year as a prisoner of war. In the end he was to be the only survivor from Glider 20B.
None of the bodies from the crash site were ever recovered after the war and for this reason, Pte. John Shaw and his comrades from aboard the stricken glider are all remembered upon the Rangoon Memorial, located at Taukkyan War Cemetery on the outskirts of Rangoon. It seems so ironic to me, that John made it out of Burma rather against the odds and on foot in 1943, only to perish whilst flying back in the following year.
Seen below is a gallery of images in relation to this short story. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
Cap badge of the Royal Engineers.
SIBLEY, FREDERICK WILLIAM
Rank: Acting Captain
Service No: 181473
Age: Not known
Regiment/Service: Royal Engineers attached The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Other details:
Captain Frederick William Sibley of the Royal Engineers was present at the Saugor Training Camp during the latter months of 1942 and was I believe, the original commanding officer for No. 5 Column's Commando Platoon. From the pages of the 142 Commando war diary comes an entry that details Sibley's replacement by Lt. David Whitehead, also of the Royal Engineers on the 30th November 1942. The communique, sent by GHQ, New Delhi, instructs Whitehead to report to No. 142 Company, 77 Brigade at Saugor and for Acting Captain Sibley to leave Saugor and report to the KGV's Own Bengal Sappers & Miner Group at Roorkee. The order (seen below) does not elaborate on the reason for Sibley's move.
Rank: Acting Captain
Service No: 181473
Age: Not known
Regiment/Service: Royal Engineers attached The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Other details:
Captain Frederick William Sibley of the Royal Engineers was present at the Saugor Training Camp during the latter months of 1942 and was I believe, the original commanding officer for No. 5 Column's Commando Platoon. From the pages of the 142 Commando war diary comes an entry that details Sibley's replacement by Lt. David Whitehead, also of the Royal Engineers on the 30th November 1942. The communique, sent by GHQ, New Delhi, instructs Whitehead to report to No. 142 Company, 77 Brigade at Saugor and for Acting Captain Sibley to leave Saugor and report to the KGV's Own Bengal Sappers & Miner Group at Roorkee. The order (seen below) does not elaborate on the reason for Sibley's move.
SLADEN, HUGH FREDERICK LAMBART
Rank: Captain
Service No: 95259
Date of Death: 20/12/1942
Age: 23
Regiment/Service: 5th Battalion The Beds & Herts Regiment.
Memorial: Column 61 The Singapore Memorial
CWGC link: www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2537556/hugh-frederick-lambart-sladen/
Chindit Column: N/A.
Other details:
Captain Hugh Sladen was the son of Hugh (senior) and Catherine Sladen from Esher in Surrey. He had served at the fall of Singapore in February 1942 with the 5th Battalion, the Bedfordshire & Hertfordshire Regiment. He had been ordered to escape capture and had trekked across Sumatra and voyaged to Ceylon aboard a ship with other escapees. On reaching India, he was eventually taken on at General Head Quarters, New Delhi in an advisory role to special forces troops. This is how he came to be involved with the training for the first Wingate expedition in October/November 1942 at the 142 Commando camp at Saugor.
Here he met Captain Graham Hosegood of the 13th King's, in Hosegood's role as Wingate's Intelligence Officer. The two men clearly struck up a decent friendship during this time, as Sladen took the time to write to Hosegood on the 20th November 1942, about his previous efforts in training the Brigade Officers at Saugor, as he himself was journeying back to New Delhi by train:
Dear Hosegood,
You would scarcely believe one, if I told you that since leaving your forest abode ten days ago, I have been back to Delhi, then down to Ceylon and now back to Delhi again. Passing through Bina tonight, there was a British Other Rank of yours on the train, so I am taking this chance of dropping you a line. In my earlier rush I forgot about my promise, but when I get back tomorrow I will see the Intel officer and get him to send you as much as possible of what you asked for. There is no harm in raising the number of learners in the Brigade to twenty, provided you are really satisfied with the instruction given and I hope you, Brazier and Machin are able to keep up to date those men that I started off.
If you get the chance please thank Brigadier Wingate for his support and hospitality, I thoroughly enjoyed my stay and am pretty certain that I learnt far more from you than I was able to teach you myself. I have no hesitation in saying that of all the Special Force formations I have visited in India and Ceylon, I should like to be with 77 Brigade when active service comes along. I am now wrapped up in some other racket for a month or so, but if I get the chance I will have shot of applying to join you, if only as a reinforcement.
There are a number of Staff Wallahs at GHQ, who consider your show as mad, but I think you will have the laugh on them in the long run. Their eyes are dim, they cannot see etc. etc. I must shut up now, or else I shall be accused of subversive propaganda. Let me know if there is anything else I can do, although I'm off in a couple of days. Regards to Molesworth, Machin, Young and all the others, and not forgetting the dairy farm and those therein.
Yours, H. Fred L. Sladen
The racket that Captain Sladen was referring to in his letter was Operation Minerva. This was an operation to insert a MI9 team into Japanese-held Sumatra to locate Allied servicemen still at large in the country and aid their escape. The man who devised this plan and commanded it on the ground was Squadron Leader Basil Russell RAFVR, who had been with the Spears Mission at Dakar and in the Levant. His second-in-command was none other than Captain Fred Sladen and they were joined by Captain Alex Hunter, Royal Engineers, who had worked in Sumatran tea plantations for the previous nine years, Sgt. Richard Keyte from Penang, who had served in the Singapore Royal Artillery and, after the surrender in Singapore, escaped with a group of Australians to Ceylon. The fifth man, originally from Batu Pahat in Johore, was Sgt. Lau Teng Kee, a medical student, who had gained much recent experience with the British Army Advisory Group in China and had twice infiltrated into Japanese-occupied Hong Kong.
On the 20th December 1942, after a diversional flight had taken place, Russell, Sladen and their party were dropped by a Dutch Air Force Catalina 20 miles north of Baroes on the west coast of Sumatra and the five-man party rowed ashore in their dinghies fully laden with food supplies and equipment. All aircraft involved in Operation Minerva returned safely to their bases, but Russell, Sladen and their team were never heard of or seen again. Even though they carried a radio set and batteries, not a single transmission was ever sent. After the war attempts were made to discover the fate of the five men, but nothing ever came of this. For this reason and with no graves found, the three officers names are now remembered upon the Singapore Memorial, with Sgt. Keyte's name appearing on the Rangoon Memorial at Taukkyan War Cemetery. For unknown reasons, sadly Sgt. Lau's name has never been officially recorded on any memorial for WW2.
To read more about Operation Minerva and the follow-up mission in 1943, please click on the following link: www.key.aero/article/no-escape-sumatra
Hugh Fred Sladen is also remembered on the memorial at All Saints Weston, a church close to the family home in Esher, Surrey. Seen below is a photograph of the Singapore Memorial (North West) which contains Column 61 and the inscription for Captain Sladen alongside his former colleagues from the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment. Please click on the image to bring it forward on the page.
Rank: Captain
Service No: 95259
Date of Death: 20/12/1942
Age: 23
Regiment/Service: 5th Battalion The Beds & Herts Regiment.
Memorial: Column 61 The Singapore Memorial
CWGC link: www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2537556/hugh-frederick-lambart-sladen/
Chindit Column: N/A.
Other details:
Captain Hugh Sladen was the son of Hugh (senior) and Catherine Sladen from Esher in Surrey. He had served at the fall of Singapore in February 1942 with the 5th Battalion, the Bedfordshire & Hertfordshire Regiment. He had been ordered to escape capture and had trekked across Sumatra and voyaged to Ceylon aboard a ship with other escapees. On reaching India, he was eventually taken on at General Head Quarters, New Delhi in an advisory role to special forces troops. This is how he came to be involved with the training for the first Wingate expedition in October/November 1942 at the 142 Commando camp at Saugor.
Here he met Captain Graham Hosegood of the 13th King's, in Hosegood's role as Wingate's Intelligence Officer. The two men clearly struck up a decent friendship during this time, as Sladen took the time to write to Hosegood on the 20th November 1942, about his previous efforts in training the Brigade Officers at Saugor, as he himself was journeying back to New Delhi by train:
Dear Hosegood,
You would scarcely believe one, if I told you that since leaving your forest abode ten days ago, I have been back to Delhi, then down to Ceylon and now back to Delhi again. Passing through Bina tonight, there was a British Other Rank of yours on the train, so I am taking this chance of dropping you a line. In my earlier rush I forgot about my promise, but when I get back tomorrow I will see the Intel officer and get him to send you as much as possible of what you asked for. There is no harm in raising the number of learners in the Brigade to twenty, provided you are really satisfied with the instruction given and I hope you, Brazier and Machin are able to keep up to date those men that I started off.
If you get the chance please thank Brigadier Wingate for his support and hospitality, I thoroughly enjoyed my stay and am pretty certain that I learnt far more from you than I was able to teach you myself. I have no hesitation in saying that of all the Special Force formations I have visited in India and Ceylon, I should like to be with 77 Brigade when active service comes along. I am now wrapped up in some other racket for a month or so, but if I get the chance I will have shot of applying to join you, if only as a reinforcement.
There are a number of Staff Wallahs at GHQ, who consider your show as mad, but I think you will have the laugh on them in the long run. Their eyes are dim, they cannot see etc. etc. I must shut up now, or else I shall be accused of subversive propaganda. Let me know if there is anything else I can do, although I'm off in a couple of days. Regards to Molesworth, Machin, Young and all the others, and not forgetting the dairy farm and those therein.
Yours, H. Fred L. Sladen
The racket that Captain Sladen was referring to in his letter was Operation Minerva. This was an operation to insert a MI9 team into Japanese-held Sumatra to locate Allied servicemen still at large in the country and aid their escape. The man who devised this plan and commanded it on the ground was Squadron Leader Basil Russell RAFVR, who had been with the Spears Mission at Dakar and in the Levant. His second-in-command was none other than Captain Fred Sladen and they were joined by Captain Alex Hunter, Royal Engineers, who had worked in Sumatran tea plantations for the previous nine years, Sgt. Richard Keyte from Penang, who had served in the Singapore Royal Artillery and, after the surrender in Singapore, escaped with a group of Australians to Ceylon. The fifth man, originally from Batu Pahat in Johore, was Sgt. Lau Teng Kee, a medical student, who had gained much recent experience with the British Army Advisory Group in China and had twice infiltrated into Japanese-occupied Hong Kong.
On the 20th December 1942, after a diversional flight had taken place, Russell, Sladen and their party were dropped by a Dutch Air Force Catalina 20 miles north of Baroes on the west coast of Sumatra and the five-man party rowed ashore in their dinghies fully laden with food supplies and equipment. All aircraft involved in Operation Minerva returned safely to their bases, but Russell, Sladen and their team were never heard of or seen again. Even though they carried a radio set and batteries, not a single transmission was ever sent. After the war attempts were made to discover the fate of the five men, but nothing ever came of this. For this reason and with no graves found, the three officers names are now remembered upon the Singapore Memorial, with Sgt. Keyte's name appearing on the Rangoon Memorial at Taukkyan War Cemetery. For unknown reasons, sadly Sgt. Lau's name has never been officially recorded on any memorial for WW2.
To read more about Operation Minerva and the follow-up mission in 1943, please click on the following link: www.key.aero/article/no-escape-sumatra
Hugh Fred Sladen is also remembered on the memorial at All Saints Weston, a church close to the family home in Esher, Surrey. Seen below is a photograph of the Singapore Memorial (North West) which contains Column 61 and the inscription for Captain Sladen alongside his former colleagues from the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment. Please click on the image to bring it forward on the page.
The Singapore Memorial (North West).
SMITH, JOCK
Rank: Private
Service No: Not known
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Other details:
This soldier is mentioned in the book, There Was a Man of Genius, by Alice Ivy Hay. On page 124 of her book, the author recalls her conversations with Brigadier Derek Tulloch, a long-time friend of the family and effectively Wingate's second in command and confidant during Operation Thursday in 1944. On the question of the ordinary soldiers' devotion to Wingate and his methods, she recalled:
Jock Smith, one of the sons of our old gardener at Tililiefoure (Lorna Wingate's family home in Aberdeen), was with Wingate in the first Burma campaign. I remember him talking to me about it soon after the war and what he said about his leader. "I can't tell you the hardships we suffered at that time. No words can describe them. But if I had the chance of going through it all again with the General, even if I knew I was not likely to come back alive, I would think myself the luckiest man on earth."
Seen below are two photographs showing Lorna Wingate in her family garden at Tillie Foure in Aberdeen. Please click on either image to bring it forward on the page. Images first appeared in The Sketch periodical dated 30th June 1943.
Rank: Private
Service No: Not known
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Other details:
This soldier is mentioned in the book, There Was a Man of Genius, by Alice Ivy Hay. On page 124 of her book, the author recalls her conversations with Brigadier Derek Tulloch, a long-time friend of the family and effectively Wingate's second in command and confidant during Operation Thursday in 1944. On the question of the ordinary soldiers' devotion to Wingate and his methods, she recalled:
Jock Smith, one of the sons of our old gardener at Tililiefoure (Lorna Wingate's family home in Aberdeen), was with Wingate in the first Burma campaign. I remember him talking to me about it soon after the war and what he said about his leader. "I can't tell you the hardships we suffered at that time. No words can describe them. But if I had the chance of going through it all again with the General, even if I knew I was not likely to come back alive, I would think myself the luckiest man on earth."
Seen below are two photographs showing Lorna Wingate in her family garden at Tillie Foure in Aberdeen. Please click on either image to bring it forward on the page. Images first appeared in The Sketch periodical dated 30th June 1943.
CWGC certificate for Sinclair Smith.
SMITH, SINCLAIR
Rank: Private
Service No: 3781551
Date of Death: 30/12/1941
Age: 31
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Memorial: Panel 9 Column 2 Brookwood 1939-1945 Memorial.
CWGC link: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2148166/smith,-sinclair/
Other details:
Sinclair Smith was the son of George and Sarah Alice Smith of New Street, Altrincham in Cheshire. This soldier was the first member of the 13th King's to perish after the battalion had been given their orders to voyage overseas to India in November 1941. Pte. Smith died on the 29th December that year, aboard the troopship Oronsay and was buried at sea the following day. The troopship had only just left the West African port of Freetown, Sierra Leone and was heading next for the South African ports of Cape Town and Durban. From the battalion War diary for December 1941:
At Sea-29th Dec.
One of our OR's (Other Ranks) died today from peritonitis and was buried at sea. It was hoped to have got him to Capetown for medical attention.
Having been buried at sea, Sinclair Smith is now remembered upon Panel 9, Column 2 of the Brookwood Memorial. The Brookwood 1939-1945 Memorial commemorates nearly 3,500 men and women of the land forces of the Commonwealth who died during the Second World War and have no known grave, the circumstances of their death being such that they could not appropriately be commemorated on any of the campaign memorials for the various theatres of war. The main entrance to Brookwood Military Cemetery sits on the A324 close to the village of Pirbright in Surrey.
Seen below is a small gallery of images in relation to the story of Sinclair Smith. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
Rank: Private
Service No: 3781551
Date of Death: 30/12/1941
Age: 31
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Memorial: Panel 9 Column 2 Brookwood 1939-1945 Memorial.
CWGC link: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2148166/smith,-sinclair/
Other details:
Sinclair Smith was the son of George and Sarah Alice Smith of New Street, Altrincham in Cheshire. This soldier was the first member of the 13th King's to perish after the battalion had been given their orders to voyage overseas to India in November 1941. Pte. Smith died on the 29th December that year, aboard the troopship Oronsay and was buried at sea the following day. The troopship had only just left the West African port of Freetown, Sierra Leone and was heading next for the South African ports of Cape Town and Durban. From the battalion War diary for December 1941:
At Sea-29th Dec.
One of our OR's (Other Ranks) died today from peritonitis and was buried at sea. It was hoped to have got him to Capetown for medical attention.
Having been buried at sea, Sinclair Smith is now remembered upon Panel 9, Column 2 of the Brookwood Memorial. The Brookwood 1939-1945 Memorial commemorates nearly 3,500 men and women of the land forces of the Commonwealth who died during the Second World War and have no known grave, the circumstances of their death being such that they could not appropriately be commemorated on any of the campaign memorials for the various theatres of war. The main entrance to Brookwood Military Cemetery sits on the A324 close to the village of Pirbright in Surrey.
Seen below is a small gallery of images in relation to the story of Sinclair Smith. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
SMITH, THOMAS
Rank: Corporal
Service No: 1871395
Date of Death: 31/05/1943
Age: 29
Regiment/Service: Royal Engineers attached The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Memorial: Face 3 of the Rangoon Memorial
CWGC link: www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2526046/thomas-smith/
Chindit Column: 1
Other details:
Thomas Smith was the son of Mr. and Mrs. T. Smith from County Cork in Ireland. Thomas, who had served with the Royal Engineers upon enlistment into the British Army was posted to 142 Commando at the Abchand Camp on the 8th September 1942, and was allocated to No. 1 Column Commando Platoon under the command of Lt. J.L. Watson of the Black Watch Regiment. Not much is known about Thomas' personal experience in Burma, but he seems to have survived almost the entire return journey to India during April/May 1943.
The vast majority of the Commando Platoon for No. 1 Column, led at this time by Lt. John Nealon had dispersed alongside the column commander, Major George Dunlop and his Gurkha troops to the area around the Chindwin River by the 8th May 1943. It was at this point that Lt. Nealon asked permission to investigate a Burmese village in order to find food for his men. After Nealon and his group had left the main body of the column, Dunlop's party was attacked by a local Burmese militia near a small stream, followed up quickly by a patrol of Japanese soldiers. It was at this point that the men from No. 1 Commando Platoon became separated from their column, either venturing to the village of Ywatha with Lt. Nealon in search of food, or being scattered with Major Dunlop at the ambush at the Katun Chaung.
To read more about No. 1 Column on Operation Longcloth and the above incident, please click on the following link: 'Young Ernie' Belcher
Some of the commandos were killed around this time and some were then prisoner by the Japanese over the coming days, including Lt. John Nealon. Sadly, nothing is known about the fate of Corporal Thomas Smith. He is listing as having died on the 31st May 1943, some three weeks after the ambush at the Katun Chaung. No grave was ever found for Thomas and for this reason he remembered upon Face 3 of the Rangoon Memorial at Taukkyan War Cemetery. The memorial is the centre-piece structure at Taukkyan and commemorates the casualties from the Burma campaign that have no known grave.
Seen below is a gallery of images in relation to this story, including a nominal roll for the men of No. 1 Column Commando and a missing list for Operation Longcloth featuring Thomas Smith. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
Rank: Corporal
Service No: 1871395
Date of Death: 31/05/1943
Age: 29
Regiment/Service: Royal Engineers attached The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Memorial: Face 3 of the Rangoon Memorial
CWGC link: www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2526046/thomas-smith/
Chindit Column: 1
Other details:
Thomas Smith was the son of Mr. and Mrs. T. Smith from County Cork in Ireland. Thomas, who had served with the Royal Engineers upon enlistment into the British Army was posted to 142 Commando at the Abchand Camp on the 8th September 1942, and was allocated to No. 1 Column Commando Platoon under the command of Lt. J.L. Watson of the Black Watch Regiment. Not much is known about Thomas' personal experience in Burma, but he seems to have survived almost the entire return journey to India during April/May 1943.
The vast majority of the Commando Platoon for No. 1 Column, led at this time by Lt. John Nealon had dispersed alongside the column commander, Major George Dunlop and his Gurkha troops to the area around the Chindwin River by the 8th May 1943. It was at this point that Lt. Nealon asked permission to investigate a Burmese village in order to find food for his men. After Nealon and his group had left the main body of the column, Dunlop's party was attacked by a local Burmese militia near a small stream, followed up quickly by a patrol of Japanese soldiers. It was at this point that the men from No. 1 Commando Platoon became separated from their column, either venturing to the village of Ywatha with Lt. Nealon in search of food, or being scattered with Major Dunlop at the ambush at the Katun Chaung.
To read more about No. 1 Column on Operation Longcloth and the above incident, please click on the following link: 'Young Ernie' Belcher
Some of the commandos were killed around this time and some were then prisoner by the Japanese over the coming days, including Lt. John Nealon. Sadly, nothing is known about the fate of Corporal Thomas Smith. He is listing as having died on the 31st May 1943, some three weeks after the ambush at the Katun Chaung. No grave was ever found for Thomas and for this reason he remembered upon Face 3 of the Rangoon Memorial at Taukkyan War Cemetery. The memorial is the centre-piece structure at Taukkyan and commemorates the casualties from the Burma campaign that have no known grave.
Seen below is a gallery of images in relation to this story, including a nominal roll for the men of No. 1 Column Commando and a missing list for Operation Longcloth featuring Thomas Smith. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
Cap badge of the R.A.M.C.
SNALAM, ALFRED HENRY
Alfred Henry Snalam was the Medical Officer for Chindit Column 7 in 1943, affectionately known as 'Bill' he is not mentioned in many of the war diaries or other paperwork in relation to Operation Longcloth. The information that follows was found on line and is taken from a short obituary written in a medical journal back in 1989.
Alfred was born on the 5th January 1914 at Ilkley in West Yorkshire. His latter schooldays were spent at Ilkley Grammar School before he chose to study medicine at Leeds University. Just before he began his studies for his degree, Alfred spent some time in Australia, travelling with William Snalam (presumably his father) to Brisbane in 1932.
William and his eighteen year old son, Alfred, returned to the United Kingdom on the 22nd April 1932 aboard the SS Strathnaver. Coincidently, the Strathnaver was to play her part in WW2, serving as an Allied troopship in the 1940's and transporting troops and supplies to places such as Bombay in India. Bombay was nicknamed the 'Gateway to India' and was almost certainly the disembarkation port when the ship that Alfred was travelling aboard reached the sub-continent.
Alfred passed his exams and achieved his Bachelor of Medicine degree in 1938. Soon after this he took up a position as an Assistant General Practitioner in Reading, Berkshire.
128519 Captain Alfred Henry Snalam R.A.M.C. served his country for the majority of WW2, including the evacuation at Dunkirk in the early summer of 1940. He then travelled overseas to India and became involved with the first Wingate expedition as Column 7's Medical Officer. In January 1943, as the Chindit Brigade were preparing to move down to Imphal and then on into Burma, Alfred was given the responsibility for Chindit Columns 7 and 2, whilst acting as Administration Officer for the train on which they were travelling (see the train administration sheet pictured below). In late 1943, perhaps with the expertise and knowledge from his Chindit experiences, Alfred went on to work at Karachi General Hospital, specialising in the treatment of malaria, a disease he would have encountered and treated many times during Operation Longcloth.
After the war was over, Dr. Snalam returned to General Practice, this time as a full partner in a practice at Maidstone in Kent. Amongst other positions during this period, he was also appointed as Medical Advisor to the South East Gas Board.
Sadly, Alfred passed away on the 13th May 1989 aged 75. A short quote taken from the obituary mentioned above tells us more about Dr. Snalam the man:
Bill was a quiet, thoughtful man. He was a generous and knowledgeable host, and the Christmas Eve party that he and his wife, Jill, held became one of the highlights of the season. His hobbies were gardening, reading, and listening to music, but above all he was a devoted family man, and his grandchildren gave him great pleasure in his latter years. He is survived by Jill, a son, a daughter, and three grandchildren.
Seen below are two images in relation to Alfred Snalam and his time in the RAMC and with the Chindits. Firstly, there is the London Gazette confirmation from May 1940 of his commission to the rank of full Lieutenant in the Royal Army Medical Corps. This entry also shows his Army service number of 128519. The other image comes from the war diary of the 142 Commando unit attached to the Chindit 77th Indian Infantry Brigade in June 1942. The page shown refers to the movements of the Brigade in January 1943, from the Indian railway town of Jhansi to the final stopping point for the Chindits in Assam. Please click on either image to bring it forward on the page.
Alfred Henry Snalam was the Medical Officer for Chindit Column 7 in 1943, affectionately known as 'Bill' he is not mentioned in many of the war diaries or other paperwork in relation to Operation Longcloth. The information that follows was found on line and is taken from a short obituary written in a medical journal back in 1989.
Alfred was born on the 5th January 1914 at Ilkley in West Yorkshire. His latter schooldays were spent at Ilkley Grammar School before he chose to study medicine at Leeds University. Just before he began his studies for his degree, Alfred spent some time in Australia, travelling with William Snalam (presumably his father) to Brisbane in 1932.
William and his eighteen year old son, Alfred, returned to the United Kingdom on the 22nd April 1932 aboard the SS Strathnaver. Coincidently, the Strathnaver was to play her part in WW2, serving as an Allied troopship in the 1940's and transporting troops and supplies to places such as Bombay in India. Bombay was nicknamed the 'Gateway to India' and was almost certainly the disembarkation port when the ship that Alfred was travelling aboard reached the sub-continent.
Alfred passed his exams and achieved his Bachelor of Medicine degree in 1938. Soon after this he took up a position as an Assistant General Practitioner in Reading, Berkshire.
128519 Captain Alfred Henry Snalam R.A.M.C. served his country for the majority of WW2, including the evacuation at Dunkirk in the early summer of 1940. He then travelled overseas to India and became involved with the first Wingate expedition as Column 7's Medical Officer. In January 1943, as the Chindit Brigade were preparing to move down to Imphal and then on into Burma, Alfred was given the responsibility for Chindit Columns 7 and 2, whilst acting as Administration Officer for the train on which they were travelling (see the train administration sheet pictured below). In late 1943, perhaps with the expertise and knowledge from his Chindit experiences, Alfred went on to work at Karachi General Hospital, specialising in the treatment of malaria, a disease he would have encountered and treated many times during Operation Longcloth.
After the war was over, Dr. Snalam returned to General Practice, this time as a full partner in a practice at Maidstone in Kent. Amongst other positions during this period, he was also appointed as Medical Advisor to the South East Gas Board.
Sadly, Alfred passed away on the 13th May 1989 aged 75. A short quote taken from the obituary mentioned above tells us more about Dr. Snalam the man:
Bill was a quiet, thoughtful man. He was a generous and knowledgeable host, and the Christmas Eve party that he and his wife, Jill, held became one of the highlights of the season. His hobbies were gardening, reading, and listening to music, but above all he was a devoted family man, and his grandchildren gave him great pleasure in his latter years. He is survived by Jill, a son, a daughter, and three grandchildren.
Seen below are two images in relation to Alfred Snalam and his time in the RAMC and with the Chindits. Firstly, there is the London Gazette confirmation from May 1940 of his commission to the rank of full Lieutenant in the Royal Army Medical Corps. This entry also shows his Army service number of 128519. The other image comes from the war diary of the 142 Commando unit attached to the Chindit 77th Indian Infantry Brigade in June 1942. The page shown refers to the movements of the Brigade in January 1943, from the Indian railway town of Jhansi to the final stopping point for the Chindits in Assam. Please click on either image to bring it forward on the page.
SOMERVELL, BREHON BURKE
On the 5th February 1943, Sir Archibald Wavell arrived at Imphal with Lieutenant-General Brehon Somervell of the United States Army. He had made it known back at Delhi that he intended to cancel Wingate's planned expedition into Burma, but wanted to discuss this first with Wingate and listen to any counter-arguments. Wavell was worried that with all the other elements (Chinese troops to the north and a British push into the Arakan) of the forthcoming offensive now lost, it would be unwise to send in 77 Brigade on its own and without any back up or support from other units in the field.
After a two-hour discussion with Wingate, Wavell was persuaded to let the expedition go ahead. His last action that day was to ask Lieutenant-General Somervell his opinion on the matter. After some reflection Somervell proclaimed, "Well, I guess I'd let them roll." The rest as they say, is history.
General Brehon Somervell was a major factor in the success of American military forces during WW2. He oversaw the construction of troop-training facilities and the supply of all American forces. As construction division chief of the Army Quartermaster Corps, he was a major influence in the planning and construction of the Pentagon.
Brehon Burke Somervell was born on May 9th 1892, in Little Rock (Pulaski County) Arkansas, the only child of Dr. William Taylor Somervell and teacher Mary S. Burke. In 1906, his family moved to Washington DC. In 1910, Somervell received an appointment to West Point Military Academy upon the recommendation of Representative Charles Reid of Arkansas and, in 1914, graduated sixth in a class of 107. Upon graduation, he was commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
During WW1 he served as a volunteer military attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Paris, France, assisting U.S. citizens attempting to return home. After a month, he returned to Washington DC to an engineer battalion assignment. He was promoted to first lieutenant on February 18th 1915. Somervell participated in the 1916 Punitive Expedition into Mexico. On May 15th 1917, he was promoted to captain, assisting in the organization of the Fifth Engineers, with whom he deployed to Europe in July 1917. For his service with the Fifth, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal. He served temporarily as assistant chief of staff to Colonel John Lee of the 89th Division. After leading a reconnaissance patrol into enemy lines, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. He remained with the 89th as part of the Occupation Army in Germany until 1920. Before returning to the states, he married Anna Purcell, who was working with the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA); they had three daughters. On October 1, 1918, he was given the temporary rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
Around the time of World War II, Somervell embarked upon some of the most significant projects of his career. In 1940, he was appointed as head of the Construction Division of the Quartermasters Department. In this position, Somervell was responsible for the development of the training bases needed to prepare U.S. troops for the war. On January 29th 1941, he was given the temporary rank of Brigadier General. He immediately lobbied for the consolidation of the military high command in a central location. Due to his efforts, the Pentagon was constructed. For his service, an Oak Leaf Cluster was added to his Distinguished Service Medal.
Somervell pushed for the development of a comprehensive Army supply program. On January 28th 1942, he was promoted to the temporary rank of Major General as assistant chief of staff, War Department G4. As head of the Services of Supply (changed to Army Services Forces in 1943), he was in charge of organizing the supply of U.S. military forces on all fronts. He was soon promoted to Lieutenant General for his work. Presidential advisor Bernard Baruch described Somervell as, one of the few Americans who really understands total war.
He worked with Major General R.A. Wheeler in the CBI theatre and this is where he came into contact with Brigadier Wingate in early 1943. Somervell retired from the military on April 30th 1946. In 1948, he was promoted to the permanent rank of four-star general on the retired list. Approximately a month before his retirement became official, he became president of Koppers Company, a producer of industrial machinery and industrial by-products based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Under Somervell’s direction, the company experienced a postwar boom.
Somervell’s health during this period was not good. In the early 1950s, he endured an appendectomy and a hernia operation. In September 1954, after suffering a heart attack, he returned to his home in Ocala, Florida to recover. By early 1955, he had decided not to return to Koppers. On February 13th 1955, Somervell, who once called himself, just a country boy from Arkansas, suffered a fatal heart attack. He is buried at Arlington Cemetery, Virginia.
On the 5th February 1943, Sir Archibald Wavell arrived at Imphal with Lieutenant-General Brehon Somervell of the United States Army. He had made it known back at Delhi that he intended to cancel Wingate's planned expedition into Burma, but wanted to discuss this first with Wingate and listen to any counter-arguments. Wavell was worried that with all the other elements (Chinese troops to the north and a British push into the Arakan) of the forthcoming offensive now lost, it would be unwise to send in 77 Brigade on its own and without any back up or support from other units in the field.
After a two-hour discussion with Wingate, Wavell was persuaded to let the expedition go ahead. His last action that day was to ask Lieutenant-General Somervell his opinion on the matter. After some reflection Somervell proclaimed, "Well, I guess I'd let them roll." The rest as they say, is history.
General Brehon Somervell was a major factor in the success of American military forces during WW2. He oversaw the construction of troop-training facilities and the supply of all American forces. As construction division chief of the Army Quartermaster Corps, he was a major influence in the planning and construction of the Pentagon.
Brehon Burke Somervell was born on May 9th 1892, in Little Rock (Pulaski County) Arkansas, the only child of Dr. William Taylor Somervell and teacher Mary S. Burke. In 1906, his family moved to Washington DC. In 1910, Somervell received an appointment to West Point Military Academy upon the recommendation of Representative Charles Reid of Arkansas and, in 1914, graduated sixth in a class of 107. Upon graduation, he was commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
During WW1 he served as a volunteer military attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Paris, France, assisting U.S. citizens attempting to return home. After a month, he returned to Washington DC to an engineer battalion assignment. He was promoted to first lieutenant on February 18th 1915. Somervell participated in the 1916 Punitive Expedition into Mexico. On May 15th 1917, he was promoted to captain, assisting in the organization of the Fifth Engineers, with whom he deployed to Europe in July 1917. For his service with the Fifth, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal. He served temporarily as assistant chief of staff to Colonel John Lee of the 89th Division. After leading a reconnaissance patrol into enemy lines, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. He remained with the 89th as part of the Occupation Army in Germany until 1920. Before returning to the states, he married Anna Purcell, who was working with the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA); they had three daughters. On October 1, 1918, he was given the temporary rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
Around the time of World War II, Somervell embarked upon some of the most significant projects of his career. In 1940, he was appointed as head of the Construction Division of the Quartermasters Department. In this position, Somervell was responsible for the development of the training bases needed to prepare U.S. troops for the war. On January 29th 1941, he was given the temporary rank of Brigadier General. He immediately lobbied for the consolidation of the military high command in a central location. Due to his efforts, the Pentagon was constructed. For his service, an Oak Leaf Cluster was added to his Distinguished Service Medal.
Somervell pushed for the development of a comprehensive Army supply program. On January 28th 1942, he was promoted to the temporary rank of Major General as assistant chief of staff, War Department G4. As head of the Services of Supply (changed to Army Services Forces in 1943), he was in charge of organizing the supply of U.S. military forces on all fronts. He was soon promoted to Lieutenant General for his work. Presidential advisor Bernard Baruch described Somervell as, one of the few Americans who really understands total war.
He worked with Major General R.A. Wheeler in the CBI theatre and this is where he came into contact with Brigadier Wingate in early 1943. Somervell retired from the military on April 30th 1946. In 1948, he was promoted to the permanent rank of four-star general on the retired list. Approximately a month before his retirement became official, he became president of Koppers Company, a producer of industrial machinery and industrial by-products based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Under Somervell’s direction, the company experienced a postwar boom.
Somervell’s health during this period was not good. In the early 1950s, he endured an appendectomy and a hernia operation. In September 1954, after suffering a heart attack, he returned to his home in Ocala, Florida to recover. By early 1955, he had decided not to return to Koppers. On February 13th 1955, Somervell, who once called himself, just a country boy from Arkansas, suffered a fatal heart attack. He is buried at Arlington Cemetery, Virginia.
Archibald Wavell (left) and Lieutenant-General Somervell discuss the first Wingate expedition in February 1943.
STANLEY, VICTOR
Rank: Lance Corporal
Service No: 2873885
Date of Death: 21/04/1944
Age: 34
Regiment/Service: 1st Battalion, The Seaforth Highlanders Regiment
Memorial: Grave 6.E.8. Rangoon War Cemetery.
CWGC link: www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2261281/victor-stanley/
Chindit Column: N/A
Other details:
Victor Stanley was born on the 11th February 1910 and was the son of Matthew Stanley and Agnes Smith from Wishaw in Scotland. Lance Corporal Stanley was a soldier with the 1st Battalion, the Seaforth Highlanders in Burma. The battalion had been ordered to patrol the area around the Chindwin River, both on the east and west banks during most of the first half of 1943. This included assisting the first Wingate expedition crossing the river on their outward journey and, perhaps more crucially helping the exhausted and malnourished Chindits as they made their way back to Allied held territory some ten weeks later
According to POW records, Victor was captured by the Japanese on the 15th April 1943. He was sent immediately to Rangoon Jail, where he likely shared a cell in Block 6 of the prison with some of the captured Chindits from Operation Longcloth. Victor was given the POW number, 415 at Rangoon and he would have to recite this number at both the morning and evening roll calls. All prisoners at Rangoon were sent out on working parties, often serving as slave labour at the city docks, loading and unloading cargo from Japanese ships.
Sadly, Victor died in Block 6 of Rangoon Jail on 21st April 1944 suffering from the effects of the disease beri beri and was buried in the first instance (grave 174) at the English Cantonment Cemetery, situated near the Royal Lakes in the eastern part of the city. After the war was over, all the graves from the Cantonment Cemetery were moved across to the newly built Rangoon War Cemetery and this is where Lance Corporal Stanley lies today.
Seen below is an image of Victor Stanley's POW index card, showing information such as his date of birth, date of capture, POW number and next of kin details. Please click on the image to bring it forward on the page.
Rank: Lance Corporal
Service No: 2873885
Date of Death: 21/04/1944
Age: 34
Regiment/Service: 1st Battalion, The Seaforth Highlanders Regiment
Memorial: Grave 6.E.8. Rangoon War Cemetery.
CWGC link: www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2261281/victor-stanley/
Chindit Column: N/A
Other details:
Victor Stanley was born on the 11th February 1910 and was the son of Matthew Stanley and Agnes Smith from Wishaw in Scotland. Lance Corporal Stanley was a soldier with the 1st Battalion, the Seaforth Highlanders in Burma. The battalion had been ordered to patrol the area around the Chindwin River, both on the east and west banks during most of the first half of 1943. This included assisting the first Wingate expedition crossing the river on their outward journey and, perhaps more crucially helping the exhausted and malnourished Chindits as they made their way back to Allied held territory some ten weeks later
According to POW records, Victor was captured by the Japanese on the 15th April 1943. He was sent immediately to Rangoon Jail, where he likely shared a cell in Block 6 of the prison with some of the captured Chindits from Operation Longcloth. Victor was given the POW number, 415 at Rangoon and he would have to recite this number at both the morning and evening roll calls. All prisoners at Rangoon were sent out on working parties, often serving as slave labour at the city docks, loading and unloading cargo from Japanese ships.
Sadly, Victor died in Block 6 of Rangoon Jail on 21st April 1944 suffering from the effects of the disease beri beri and was buried in the first instance (grave 174) at the English Cantonment Cemetery, situated near the Royal Lakes in the eastern part of the city. After the war was over, all the graves from the Cantonment Cemetery were moved across to the newly built Rangoon War Cemetery and this is where Lance Corporal Stanley lies today.
Seen below is an image of Victor Stanley's POW index card, showing information such as his date of birth, date of capture, POW number and next of kin details. Please click on the image to bring it forward on the page.
POW index card for Lance Corporal Victor Stanley.
Victor Stanley's grave plaque at Rangoon War Cemetery (asiawargraves.com).
Cap badge of the Devonshire Regiment.
STREVENS, ALFRED JOHN
Rank: Private
Service No: 5628431
Date of Death: 05/04/1943
Age: 28
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Memorial: Face 6 Rangoon Memorial, Taukkyan War Cemetery.
CWGC link: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2526269/strevens,-alfred-john/
Chindit Column: 7
Other details:
Alfred John Strevens was the son of George and Mary Strevens and the husband of Ellen Louisa Strevens from Kentish Town in London. Earlier in the war, Alfred had enlisted into the Devonshire Regiment and was posted to the 12th Battalion and sent overseas to India. After several weeks at the British Base Reinforcement Centre (Deolali), he was transferred on the 26th September 1942, alongside a small draft of men from the Devonshire's to the 13th Battalion of the King's Regiment who were stationed at Saugor, a training camp in the Central Provinces of India. Here, Pte. Stevens was allocated to the ranks of No. 7 Column under the command of Major Kenneth Daintry Gilkes of the King's Regiment and entered Burma with this unit in February 1943.
According to two witness statements, Alfred was wounded by a Japanese mortar bomb during the aborted crossing of the Irrawaddy River on the 29th March 1943. He had been one of the men from 7 Column sent over the river to form a bridgehead in preparation for the rest of the Brigade to cross as part of their return journey to India. The Japanese were waiting on the west bank and opened fire on the boats as they came ashore and this is where Pte. Strevens was wounded.
Corporal Fred Morgan (also originally from the Devonshire Regiment) was alongside Alfred that day and remembered:
This man was with the party that made the bridgehead across the Irrawaddy. After the first ambush I lost touch with Strevens. He originally came from the 12th Devons. He was approximately 5' 5" tall, with a pale complexion and brown hair.
Another soldier from the Devonshire Regiment, Pte. George Lee, also gave a short one-line statement about the fate Alfred Strevens. This information was given by George after his time as a prisoner of war had come to an end in May 1945. He recalled:
5628431 A.J. Strevens. This man was killed on the Irrawaddy River by a mortar bomb. I cannot tell you the exact place or date.
As you will notice, there is a slight difference between the two reports. Fred Morgan states that Strevens was separated from his Chindit comrades at the Irrawaddy, while George Lee claims that he was killed at the river. The official missing in action lists for 7 Column, state that Pte. Strevens was reported lost on the 5th April 1943. This would suggest that he was either wounded at the Irrawaddy on the 29th March and had somehow kept marching with a section of Chindits for several days, until he ultimately perished from his injuries on the 5th April, or that he had not been wounded at the river crossing and had suffered from the effects of a mortar bomb explosion a week later, as the Japanese hunted down the men who had succeeded in crossing the river. Sadly, we will probably never know what actually happened.
Alfred's body or grave was never discovered after the war and for this reason, he is remembered upon Face 6 of the Rangoon Memorial in the grounds of Taukkyan War Cemetery. It is possible that Alfred Strevens is also remembered within a Book of Remembrance for those soldiers lost during WW1 and WW2 from the Kentish Town area. This memorial is kept at the Apostolic Church on the Highgate Road. Seen below are some images in relation to his story including Fred Morgan's short witness statement. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
Rank: Private
Service No: 5628431
Date of Death: 05/04/1943
Age: 28
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Memorial: Face 6 Rangoon Memorial, Taukkyan War Cemetery.
CWGC link: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2526269/strevens,-alfred-john/
Chindit Column: 7
Other details:
Alfred John Strevens was the son of George and Mary Strevens and the husband of Ellen Louisa Strevens from Kentish Town in London. Earlier in the war, Alfred had enlisted into the Devonshire Regiment and was posted to the 12th Battalion and sent overseas to India. After several weeks at the British Base Reinforcement Centre (Deolali), he was transferred on the 26th September 1942, alongside a small draft of men from the Devonshire's to the 13th Battalion of the King's Regiment who were stationed at Saugor, a training camp in the Central Provinces of India. Here, Pte. Stevens was allocated to the ranks of No. 7 Column under the command of Major Kenneth Daintry Gilkes of the King's Regiment and entered Burma with this unit in February 1943.
According to two witness statements, Alfred was wounded by a Japanese mortar bomb during the aborted crossing of the Irrawaddy River on the 29th March 1943. He had been one of the men from 7 Column sent over the river to form a bridgehead in preparation for the rest of the Brigade to cross as part of their return journey to India. The Japanese were waiting on the west bank and opened fire on the boats as they came ashore and this is where Pte. Strevens was wounded.
Corporal Fred Morgan (also originally from the Devonshire Regiment) was alongside Alfred that day and remembered:
This man was with the party that made the bridgehead across the Irrawaddy. After the first ambush I lost touch with Strevens. He originally came from the 12th Devons. He was approximately 5' 5" tall, with a pale complexion and brown hair.
Another soldier from the Devonshire Regiment, Pte. George Lee, also gave a short one-line statement about the fate Alfred Strevens. This information was given by George after his time as a prisoner of war had come to an end in May 1945. He recalled:
5628431 A.J. Strevens. This man was killed on the Irrawaddy River by a mortar bomb. I cannot tell you the exact place or date.
As you will notice, there is a slight difference between the two reports. Fred Morgan states that Strevens was separated from his Chindit comrades at the Irrawaddy, while George Lee claims that he was killed at the river. The official missing in action lists for 7 Column, state that Pte. Strevens was reported lost on the 5th April 1943. This would suggest that he was either wounded at the Irrawaddy on the 29th March and had somehow kept marching with a section of Chindits for several days, until he ultimately perished from his injuries on the 5th April, or that he had not been wounded at the river crossing and had suffered from the effects of a mortar bomb explosion a week later, as the Japanese hunted down the men who had succeeded in crossing the river. Sadly, we will probably never know what actually happened.
Alfred's body or grave was never discovered after the war and for this reason, he is remembered upon Face 6 of the Rangoon Memorial in the grounds of Taukkyan War Cemetery. It is possible that Alfred Strevens is also remembered within a Book of Remembrance for those soldiers lost during WW1 and WW2 from the Kentish Town area. This memorial is kept at the Apostolic Church on the Highgate Road. Seen below are some images in relation to his story including Fred Morgan's short witness statement. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
CWGC certificate for Ernest Sutcliff.
SUTCLIFF, ERNEST ALFRED
Rank: Private
Service No: 5833720
Date of Death: 03/05/1943
Age: 27
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Memorial: Face 6 Rangoon Memorial, Taukkyan War Cemetery.
CWGC link: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2526717/sutcliff,-ernest-alfred/
Chindit Column: 1
Other details:
Ernest Alfred Sutcliff was born on the 12th May 1915 in Islington, North London. According to the 1939 Register, he lived at No. 98 Tufnell Park Road, Holloway with his wife Ellen Sutcliff and was recorded as being employed as a General Labourer. He enlisted into the British Army during the early years of WW2 and was originally posted to the Suffolk Regiment before being sent overseas to serve in India, possibly with the Regiment's 2nd Battalion.
Pte. Sutcliff, alongside a small draft of men from the Suffolk Regiment, transferred to the 13th King's in July 1942 and were allocated to 142 Commando at their training centre at Saugor.
Ernest was posted to No. 1 Column's commando platoon, led at that time by Lt. John Watson formerly of the Black Watch. Here he was joined by three other men from the Suffolk's: L/Cpl. John William Brock, Pte. William McMurran and Pte. Jack Lenton. To read more about commando training and the experiences of No. 1 Column on Operation Longcloth, please click on the following link: John William Brock
According to official records, Ernest was killed on the 3rd May 1943. Unfortunately, there are no witness statements or reports in relation to his death held within the missing in action files (WO361/422) at the National Archives. Around the time of his death, No. 1 Column had reached the approaches to the Chindwin Valley and were searching for food in some of the local villages in that area.
It was at this point that disaster struck No. 1 Column and the Commando Platoon in particular. With some of the platoon away attempting to find food in the village of Ywatha, the column was approached by some local Burmese militia. It was not long afterwards near a small stream called the Katun Chaung, that the Chindits were attacked by the Japanese. The men scattered in all directions, with the majority of the Commandos, along with Major Dunlop moving quickly away in the direction of the nearby hills.
From his own diary report written after the operation, Major George Dunlop remembered this incident:
Towards the Chindwin.
That evening Nealon (by this time the commander of the Commando Platoon) asked if he might try his luck at getting food at Ywatha, as his British troops could not go on without it. The remnants of my command being somewhat pathetic, I said yes, thinking that they might at least have a chance. He set off with his party and an hour later we heard a fight at the village, very short and sharp.
There followed more days of hunger for us climbing those infernal hills. One night all the mule Jemadar's party disappeared, leaving me with the doctor Captain Stocks, Lts. Clarke, Fowler, MacHorton, the No. 2 Guerrilla Platoon Officer, two Signallers and three or four Gurkhas, including my clerk who could speak both English and Burmese.
Eventually we killed a buffalo on the Katun Chaung. While cutting it up we were approached by a party of Burmans armed with rifles and war dahs. They told us that no Japanese were about, but, as we had heard mortar fire earlier on from the direction of the Chindwin, I did not believe them. We disarmed them and they fled up a spur. Much shouting followed and I guessed that their Japanese masters were up there. I gave the order to scatter from the open paddy.
It seems likely that Ernest Sutcliff was with the party of men at Ywatha village with Lt. John Nealon, as he is not listed as being present at the Katun Chaung after Dunlop's men had killed the buffalo. Lt. Nealon was captured at Ywatha and spent the next two years as a prisoner of war inside Rangoon Jail, before being liberated in late April 1945. Sadly, Pte. Ernest Sutcliff has no known grave or resting place in Burma and is therefore remembered upon Face 6 of the Rangoon Memorial, located in the grounds of Taukkyan War Cemetery.
Seen below is a gallery of images in the relation to this short story. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
Rank: Private
Service No: 5833720
Date of Death: 03/05/1943
Age: 27
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Memorial: Face 6 Rangoon Memorial, Taukkyan War Cemetery.
CWGC link: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2526717/sutcliff,-ernest-alfred/
Chindit Column: 1
Other details:
Ernest Alfred Sutcliff was born on the 12th May 1915 in Islington, North London. According to the 1939 Register, he lived at No. 98 Tufnell Park Road, Holloway with his wife Ellen Sutcliff and was recorded as being employed as a General Labourer. He enlisted into the British Army during the early years of WW2 and was originally posted to the Suffolk Regiment before being sent overseas to serve in India, possibly with the Regiment's 2nd Battalion.
Pte. Sutcliff, alongside a small draft of men from the Suffolk Regiment, transferred to the 13th King's in July 1942 and were allocated to 142 Commando at their training centre at Saugor.
Ernest was posted to No. 1 Column's commando platoon, led at that time by Lt. John Watson formerly of the Black Watch. Here he was joined by three other men from the Suffolk's: L/Cpl. John William Brock, Pte. William McMurran and Pte. Jack Lenton. To read more about commando training and the experiences of No. 1 Column on Operation Longcloth, please click on the following link: John William Brock
According to official records, Ernest was killed on the 3rd May 1943. Unfortunately, there are no witness statements or reports in relation to his death held within the missing in action files (WO361/422) at the National Archives. Around the time of his death, No. 1 Column had reached the approaches to the Chindwin Valley and were searching for food in some of the local villages in that area.
It was at this point that disaster struck No. 1 Column and the Commando Platoon in particular. With some of the platoon away attempting to find food in the village of Ywatha, the column was approached by some local Burmese militia. It was not long afterwards near a small stream called the Katun Chaung, that the Chindits were attacked by the Japanese. The men scattered in all directions, with the majority of the Commandos, along with Major Dunlop moving quickly away in the direction of the nearby hills.
From his own diary report written after the operation, Major George Dunlop remembered this incident:
Towards the Chindwin.
That evening Nealon (by this time the commander of the Commando Platoon) asked if he might try his luck at getting food at Ywatha, as his British troops could not go on without it. The remnants of my command being somewhat pathetic, I said yes, thinking that they might at least have a chance. He set off with his party and an hour later we heard a fight at the village, very short and sharp.
There followed more days of hunger for us climbing those infernal hills. One night all the mule Jemadar's party disappeared, leaving me with the doctor Captain Stocks, Lts. Clarke, Fowler, MacHorton, the No. 2 Guerrilla Platoon Officer, two Signallers and three or four Gurkhas, including my clerk who could speak both English and Burmese.
Eventually we killed a buffalo on the Katun Chaung. While cutting it up we were approached by a party of Burmans armed with rifles and war dahs. They told us that no Japanese were about, but, as we had heard mortar fire earlier on from the direction of the Chindwin, I did not believe them. We disarmed them and they fled up a spur. Much shouting followed and I guessed that their Japanese masters were up there. I gave the order to scatter from the open paddy.
It seems likely that Ernest Sutcliff was with the party of men at Ywatha village with Lt. John Nealon, as he is not listed as being present at the Katun Chaung after Dunlop's men had killed the buffalo. Lt. Nealon was captured at Ywatha and spent the next two years as a prisoner of war inside Rangoon Jail, before being liberated in late April 1945. Sadly, Pte. Ernest Sutcliff has no known grave or resting place in Burma and is therefore remembered upon Face 6 of the Rangoon Memorial, located in the grounds of Taukkyan War Cemetery.
Seen below is a gallery of images in the relation to this short story. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
Lieutenant Rodney T. Sympson
SYMPSON, RODNEY
Rank: Lieutenant
Service No: 182031
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Family website link: http://www.benitz.com/BzWilhelm1815_80Vets/WWII_Portraits.html
Chindit Column: Unknown.
Other details:
Rodney Sympson was attached to the 13th King's in 1943 from his parent unit of the Royal Artillery. It is not known which Column he served with on Operation Longcloth, but there were a sprinkling of RA Officers and NCO's, adding their worthy experience and knowledge to the Chindit units in Burma that year.
Although he was not physically wounded in any way during the war, Rodney was quite clearly affected by his experiences and from his family I have learned that he kept meticulous records and journals about his life and especially his service during World War Two. Sadly, these journals, papers and photographs were lost, when his home in Mount Macedon, Victoria State, Australia was destroyed in the 'Ash Wednesday' bush fires on 16th February 1983. Rodney and his wife lost everything they possessed as a result of these terrible fires.
Lieutenant Sympson did recall, when speaking with his family in later years, how the transportation mules had their voice boxes removed to prevent them giving away Chindit positions to the Japanese. He found it amusing to watch these creatures going through the physical action of braying, but of course, with no sound emanating from their larynx. This small anecdote makes me wonder if he also served on the second Chindit expedition in 1944, Operation Thursday, as it was on this operation that the de-braying of mules actually occurred.
Rodney was the oldest of seven siblings, including his younger brother, Hilary, who served in WW2 with the 6th Gurkha Rifles. There are some photographs of Hilary on the family website mentioned above.
Many thanks must go to Moira Greaven and Peter Benitz for their help with this short story.
Update 01/05/2024.
I recently discovered whilst reading the 1945 war diary for the 1st Battalion of the King's Regiment, that Rodney Sympson had served with the King's Own Royal Regiment before arriving in India on the 15th April 1942. The diary also gave up Rodney's Army service number, 182031 and that he was part of the command structure for A Company of the 1st King's at the Clement Town barracks, Dehra Dun. He was awarded the Defence Medal in October 1945 and the following month, on the 5th November was sent to the Homeward Bound encampment at Deolali for his impending repatriation to the United Kingdom.
Rank: Lieutenant
Service No: 182031
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Family website link: http://www.benitz.com/BzWilhelm1815_80Vets/WWII_Portraits.html
Chindit Column: Unknown.
Other details:
Rodney Sympson was attached to the 13th King's in 1943 from his parent unit of the Royal Artillery. It is not known which Column he served with on Operation Longcloth, but there were a sprinkling of RA Officers and NCO's, adding their worthy experience and knowledge to the Chindit units in Burma that year.
Although he was not physically wounded in any way during the war, Rodney was quite clearly affected by his experiences and from his family I have learned that he kept meticulous records and journals about his life and especially his service during World War Two. Sadly, these journals, papers and photographs were lost, when his home in Mount Macedon, Victoria State, Australia was destroyed in the 'Ash Wednesday' bush fires on 16th February 1983. Rodney and his wife lost everything they possessed as a result of these terrible fires.
Lieutenant Sympson did recall, when speaking with his family in later years, how the transportation mules had their voice boxes removed to prevent them giving away Chindit positions to the Japanese. He found it amusing to watch these creatures going through the physical action of braying, but of course, with no sound emanating from their larynx. This small anecdote makes me wonder if he also served on the second Chindit expedition in 1944, Operation Thursday, as it was on this operation that the de-braying of mules actually occurred.
Rodney was the oldest of seven siblings, including his younger brother, Hilary, who served in WW2 with the 6th Gurkha Rifles. There are some photographs of Hilary on the family website mentioned above.
Many thanks must go to Moira Greaven and Peter Benitz for their help with this short story.
Update 01/05/2024.
I recently discovered whilst reading the 1945 war diary for the 1st Battalion of the King's Regiment, that Rodney Sympson had served with the King's Own Royal Regiment before arriving in India on the 15th April 1942. The diary also gave up Rodney's Army service number, 182031 and that he was part of the command structure for A Company of the 1st King's at the Clement Town barracks, Dehra Dun. He was awarded the Defence Medal in October 1945 and the following month, on the 5th November was sent to the Homeward Bound encampment at Deolali for his impending repatriation to the United Kingdom.
Cap badge of the Royal Corps of Signals.
TAYLOR, E.
Below is a letter written by Sgt. E. Taylor once of the 13th King's, to his former commanding officer Captain Graham Hosegood. The letter was dated 04/11/1942 and relays Taylor's progress in his new role in the Signals department at India General Head Quarters in Delhi. Hosegood was to become Brigadier Wingate's Intelligence Officer on Operation Longcloth and was admired for his skill in performing this duty, as well as being universally popular with both his men and fellow officers alike. The men's fondness for Captain Hosegood is very much borne out in Taylor's letter:
3779398 Sgt E Taylor,
Cipher Section,
(SD) Signals G.H.Q,
New Delhi
Dear Sir,
Most likely you will be wanting to know how I have progressed in the present course. Well here they give you a three week course from beginning to final stages, ending up with a final test on which they discuss and consider your qualified grading. Grading goes from A to F, with A - a most proficient operator and recommended for an officers course, B - still a proficient operator capable to take charge of a Cipher Office, C - a good operator who can be trusted, D - good average, E and F - hard results, informed in a nice polite manner that you are returning to your unit.
If you are not cut out for the job you might as well return to your unit before starting. Many people have failed, the majority of these being officers, you may be a man of good education, a bank clerk for instance, yes we even get them and they sometimes fail. Whereas a man without any clerical experience more often than not passes with flying colours, you see it is a completely different system to any type of clerking. I’m afraid you will have to imagine it, but I think you will perhaps have seen it for yourself, for you know I am unable to discuss these things here.
Fraser is here too and he did quite well, he got a B grading, he has just returned from hospital after having malaria, there has been a very severe epidemic here in Delhi. I enjoyed a short stay in Agra, quite a nice little place, the most wonderful sight to be had there is ‘the Taj Mahal’. I was working with Franks and he seemed to be getting along quite well, Glennon was transferred to Poona Just before I arrived here.
I have been down in health a few times here myself, I seem to be worse than in the jungle, but am doing all right at the present moment. A short while ago they asked for volunteers for overseas, naturally I volunteered. I am expecting to go in the near future, at the moment I am recuperating from inoculations and vaccinations, where we are going to, I really don’t know.
If you desire to reply you may do so to this address, trusting I am not putting you to any inconvenience or taking up any of your valuable time. Excuse me Sir, in what I am about to say and it is not because I am away from the Battalion that I say it, but I think I can speak for the rest of the lads in saying you are the decentest and finest person ever in the King’s. It surprising how one misses the Section, after being with one another for a long period. Those days in Blighty, I will never forget and I hope we meet again.
Now for the present I will close with my kindest regards, and the best of luck to you all.
Cheerio
Yours sincerely
Sgt. E. Taylor.
From what I can ascertain and by checking through casualty records; Taylor, Fraser, Glennon and Franks all seemed to have survived the war and returned home to the UK. All these men were members of the original 13th Battalion of the King's Regiment that voyaged to India aboard the troopship 'Oronsay' in December 1941. As already explained on the pages of this website, Graham Hosegood was not to be so fortunate and never returned to his homeland, perishing instead as a prisoner of war inside Rangoon Jail. To read more about his time on Operation Longcloth, please click on the following link: Graham Cowell Hosegood
Below is a letter written by Sgt. E. Taylor once of the 13th King's, to his former commanding officer Captain Graham Hosegood. The letter was dated 04/11/1942 and relays Taylor's progress in his new role in the Signals department at India General Head Quarters in Delhi. Hosegood was to become Brigadier Wingate's Intelligence Officer on Operation Longcloth and was admired for his skill in performing this duty, as well as being universally popular with both his men and fellow officers alike. The men's fondness for Captain Hosegood is very much borne out in Taylor's letter:
3779398 Sgt E Taylor,
Cipher Section,
(SD) Signals G.H.Q,
New Delhi
Dear Sir,
Most likely you will be wanting to know how I have progressed in the present course. Well here they give you a three week course from beginning to final stages, ending up with a final test on which they discuss and consider your qualified grading. Grading goes from A to F, with A - a most proficient operator and recommended for an officers course, B - still a proficient operator capable to take charge of a Cipher Office, C - a good operator who can be trusted, D - good average, E and F - hard results, informed in a nice polite manner that you are returning to your unit.
If you are not cut out for the job you might as well return to your unit before starting. Many people have failed, the majority of these being officers, you may be a man of good education, a bank clerk for instance, yes we even get them and they sometimes fail. Whereas a man without any clerical experience more often than not passes with flying colours, you see it is a completely different system to any type of clerking. I’m afraid you will have to imagine it, but I think you will perhaps have seen it for yourself, for you know I am unable to discuss these things here.
Fraser is here too and he did quite well, he got a B grading, he has just returned from hospital after having malaria, there has been a very severe epidemic here in Delhi. I enjoyed a short stay in Agra, quite a nice little place, the most wonderful sight to be had there is ‘the Taj Mahal’. I was working with Franks and he seemed to be getting along quite well, Glennon was transferred to Poona Just before I arrived here.
I have been down in health a few times here myself, I seem to be worse than in the jungle, but am doing all right at the present moment. A short while ago they asked for volunteers for overseas, naturally I volunteered. I am expecting to go in the near future, at the moment I am recuperating from inoculations and vaccinations, where we are going to, I really don’t know.
If you desire to reply you may do so to this address, trusting I am not putting you to any inconvenience or taking up any of your valuable time. Excuse me Sir, in what I am about to say and it is not because I am away from the Battalion that I say it, but I think I can speak for the rest of the lads in saying you are the decentest and finest person ever in the King’s. It surprising how one misses the Section, after being with one another for a long period. Those days in Blighty, I will never forget and I hope we meet again.
Now for the present I will close with my kindest regards, and the best of luck to you all.
Cheerio
Yours sincerely
Sgt. E. Taylor.
From what I can ascertain and by checking through casualty records; Taylor, Fraser, Glennon and Franks all seemed to have survived the war and returned home to the UK. All these men were members of the original 13th Battalion of the King's Regiment that voyaged to India aboard the troopship 'Oronsay' in December 1941. As already explained on the pages of this website, Graham Hosegood was not to be so fortunate and never returned to his homeland, perishing instead as a prisoner of war inside Rangoon Jail. To read more about his time on Operation Longcloth, please click on the following link: Graham Cowell Hosegood
TAYLOR, FREDERICK ALBERT
Rank: Private
Service No: 3966160
Date of Death: 22/02/1943.
Age: 23
Regiment/Service: 142 Commando attached The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Memorial: Face 6 of the Rangoon Memorial, Taukkyan War Cemetery
CWGC link: www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2526982/frederick-albert-taylor/
Chindit Column: 2
Other details:
Frederick Taylor was the son of R. Alice Taylor from Trealaw in Glamorgan, South Wales. He began his WW2 service with the Welch Regiment before being posted to the 13th King's in India during the autumn of 1942. Frederick was allocated to the Commando Platoon for No. 2 Column, commanded by Lt. William Nimmo formerly of the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders.
No. 2 Column was a predominately Gurkha Rifles unit on Operation Longcloth and formed part of Southern Section in 1943. They entered Burma in mid-February 1943, crossing the Chindwin River at a place called Auktaung. Southern Section had been ordered by Brigadier Wingate to act as a decoy for the other units crossing the river further north. In early March, after a disastrous engagement with the Japanese at the rail station of Kyaikthin, the majority of No. 2 Column returned to India, leaving the remainder of the unit to form up with No. 1 Column, led by Major George Dunlop MC.
It is not known whether Frederick Taylor was part of the section that joined up with Major Dunlop on the 11th March 1943, or had returned to the Chindwin River with No. 2 Column commander, Major Emmett. According to the CWGC website information, Frederick was killed on the 22nd February 1943. This would mean he was not present at the battle of Kyaikthin and had been killed or lost ten days before at some point during his column's approach to the railway line. Another document, the missing listings for the 13th King's on Operation Longcloth states that Pte. Frederick Taylor was last seen on the 30th April 1943, east of the Irrawaddy River.
With this confusion of dates, it is impossible to assess what actually happened to Pte. Taylor in Burma. If the second date (30th April 1943) is correct, then he would have experienced a long and arduous journey on Operation Longcloth and was lost on the return march to the Chindwin River. After the war no grave for Frederick was found and for this reason he is remembered upon Face 6 of the Rangoon Memorial located at Taukkyan War Cemetery. The memorial holds the names of all the casualties from the Burma campaign that have no known grave.
Seen below is a gallery of images in relation to this story, including the missing list mentioned above and Frederick's inscription upon Face 6 of the Rangoon Memorial. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
Rank: Private
Service No: 3966160
Date of Death: 22/02/1943.
Age: 23
Regiment/Service: 142 Commando attached The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Memorial: Face 6 of the Rangoon Memorial, Taukkyan War Cemetery
CWGC link: www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2526982/frederick-albert-taylor/
Chindit Column: 2
Other details:
Frederick Taylor was the son of R. Alice Taylor from Trealaw in Glamorgan, South Wales. He began his WW2 service with the Welch Regiment before being posted to the 13th King's in India during the autumn of 1942. Frederick was allocated to the Commando Platoon for No. 2 Column, commanded by Lt. William Nimmo formerly of the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders.
No. 2 Column was a predominately Gurkha Rifles unit on Operation Longcloth and formed part of Southern Section in 1943. They entered Burma in mid-February 1943, crossing the Chindwin River at a place called Auktaung. Southern Section had been ordered by Brigadier Wingate to act as a decoy for the other units crossing the river further north. In early March, after a disastrous engagement with the Japanese at the rail station of Kyaikthin, the majority of No. 2 Column returned to India, leaving the remainder of the unit to form up with No. 1 Column, led by Major George Dunlop MC.
It is not known whether Frederick Taylor was part of the section that joined up with Major Dunlop on the 11th March 1943, or had returned to the Chindwin River with No. 2 Column commander, Major Emmett. According to the CWGC website information, Frederick was killed on the 22nd February 1943. This would mean he was not present at the battle of Kyaikthin and had been killed or lost ten days before at some point during his column's approach to the railway line. Another document, the missing listings for the 13th King's on Operation Longcloth states that Pte. Frederick Taylor was last seen on the 30th April 1943, east of the Irrawaddy River.
With this confusion of dates, it is impossible to assess what actually happened to Pte. Taylor in Burma. If the second date (30th April 1943) is correct, then he would have experienced a long and arduous journey on Operation Longcloth and was lost on the return march to the Chindwin River. After the war no grave for Frederick was found and for this reason he is remembered upon Face 6 of the Rangoon Memorial located at Taukkyan War Cemetery. The memorial holds the names of all the casualties from the Burma campaign that have no known grave.
Seen below is a gallery of images in relation to this story, including the missing list mentioned above and Frederick's inscription upon Face 6 of the Rangoon Memorial. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
Pte. John Taylor.
TAYLOR, JOHN
Rank: Private
Service No: 3654474
Date of Death: 30/04/1943
Age: 23
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Memorial: Face 6 of the Rangoon Memorial, Taukkyan War Cemetery
CWGC link: www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2526989/john-taylor/
Chindit Column: Northern Group Head Quarters
Other details:
Sadly, very little information exists for this soldier in the records and papers for the first Chindit expedition. John Taylor was the son of Mrs. A. H. Taylor of 50 Sir Thomas White Gardens, Liverpool and from his Army number we can assume that he began his WW2 service with the South Lancashire Regiment, before transferring to the 13th King's in the autumn of 1942. He was allocated to the Northern Group Head Quarters on Operation Longcloth, who travelled throughout the expedition in Burma in the close company of No. 8 Column. The official missing lists for the 13th King's in 1943, record Pte. Taylor as last being seen on the 30th April that year, east of the Irrawaddy River.
The 30th April is a significant date in relation to the dispersal journey of Northern Group HQ and the men from No. 8 Column in 1943. It was at this point that the above units were ambushed by the Japanese as they attempted to cross a fast-flowing river called the Kaukkwe Chaung and many men were killed or wounded during this engagement with the enemy. To read in more detail about the events at the Kaukkwe Chaung, please click on the following link and scroll down to the appropriate section of the story: Sergeant Bert Fitton
After the war no grave for John Taylor was found and for this reason he is remembered upon Face 6 of the Rangoon Memorial located at Taukkyan War Cemetery. The memorial holds the names of all the casualties from the Burma campaign that have no known grave. Seen below is an image of John's inscription upon Face 6 of the Rangoon Memorial. Please click on the image to bring it forward on the page.
Rank: Private
Service No: 3654474
Date of Death: 30/04/1943
Age: 23
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Memorial: Face 6 of the Rangoon Memorial, Taukkyan War Cemetery
CWGC link: www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2526989/john-taylor/
Chindit Column: Northern Group Head Quarters
Other details:
Sadly, very little information exists for this soldier in the records and papers for the first Chindit expedition. John Taylor was the son of Mrs. A. H. Taylor of 50 Sir Thomas White Gardens, Liverpool and from his Army number we can assume that he began his WW2 service with the South Lancashire Regiment, before transferring to the 13th King's in the autumn of 1942. He was allocated to the Northern Group Head Quarters on Operation Longcloth, who travelled throughout the expedition in Burma in the close company of No. 8 Column. The official missing lists for the 13th King's in 1943, record Pte. Taylor as last being seen on the 30th April that year, east of the Irrawaddy River.
The 30th April is a significant date in relation to the dispersal journey of Northern Group HQ and the men from No. 8 Column in 1943. It was at this point that the above units were ambushed by the Japanese as they attempted to cross a fast-flowing river called the Kaukkwe Chaung and many men were killed or wounded during this engagement with the enemy. To read in more detail about the events at the Kaukkwe Chaung, please click on the following link and scroll down to the appropriate section of the story: Sergeant Bert Fitton
After the war no grave for John Taylor was found and for this reason he is remembered upon Face 6 of the Rangoon Memorial located at Taukkyan War Cemetery. The memorial holds the names of all the casualties from the Burma campaign that have no known grave. Seen below is an image of John's inscription upon Face 6 of the Rangoon Memorial. Please click on the image to bring it forward on the page.
Face 6 of the Rangoon Memorial.
CWGC certificate for Sidney Taylor.
TAYLOR, SIDNEY GEORGE
Rank: Private
Service No: 3780726
Date of Death: 10/11/1940.
Age: 27
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Memorial: Section J. 3. Consecrated Grave 391, Lambeth Cemetery, London.
CWGC link: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2429124/taylor,-sidney-george/
Other details:
Sidney George Taylor was baptised on the 5th March 1913, at St Saviour's Church, Brixton Hill and was the son of William and Rose Hannah Taylor and the husband of Florence Jessie Mary Taylor of Bonham Road in Brixton Hill.
Sadly, there is no real information available in relation to Sidney's death whilst serving with the 13th King's at the Felixstowe Army Camp in Suffolk. The War diary entries for the time around the 10th November 1940, record some movements of men away from the battalion due to fitness or medical grounds, but there is no mention of Pte. Taylor. Probate records found on line confirm Sidney's death on war service and that all his estate was to be passed to his wife, Florence Jessie Mary Taylor.
Seem below is a gallery of images in relation to this short story. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page. The image of Pte. Taylor's gravestone is presented courtesy of the TWGPP.
Rank: Private
Service No: 3780726
Date of Death: 10/11/1940.
Age: 27
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Memorial: Section J. 3. Consecrated Grave 391, Lambeth Cemetery, London.
CWGC link: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2429124/taylor,-sidney-george/
Other details:
Sidney George Taylor was baptised on the 5th March 1913, at St Saviour's Church, Brixton Hill and was the son of William and Rose Hannah Taylor and the husband of Florence Jessie Mary Taylor of Bonham Road in Brixton Hill.
Sadly, there is no real information available in relation to Sidney's death whilst serving with the 13th King's at the Felixstowe Army Camp in Suffolk. The War diary entries for the time around the 10th November 1940, record some movements of men away from the battalion due to fitness or medical grounds, but there is no mention of Pte. Taylor. Probate records found on line confirm Sidney's death on war service and that all his estate was to be passed to his wife, Florence Jessie Mary Taylor.
Seem below is a gallery of images in relation to this short story. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page. The image of Pte. Taylor's gravestone is presented courtesy of the TWGPP.
Standard Chindit Airgraph.
TEE, A.E.
Rank: Lieutenant
Service No: Unknown
Regiment/Service: Unit 81 Army Postal Service
Chindit column: N/A
Other details:
Lieutenant Tee formerly of the Royal Engineers, worked on both Chindit campaigns at Rear Base (Agartala on Operation Longcloth) and organised the mail to and from the Chindit soldiers in the field. As you might imagine, this was an extremely vital service for the men fighting behind the Japanese lines in Burma and receiving mail was extremely beneficial for morale. The image to the left is a copy of the standard airgraph letter sent to Chindit families back home in Britain, informing them that their man was unable to write to then for the duration, but at the time of writing all was well. Please click on the image to bring it forward on the page.
Rank: Lieutenant
Service No: Unknown
Regiment/Service: Unit 81 Army Postal Service
Chindit column: N/A
Other details:
Lieutenant Tee formerly of the Royal Engineers, worked on both Chindit campaigns at Rear Base (Agartala on Operation Longcloth) and organised the mail to and from the Chindit soldiers in the field. As you might imagine, this was an extremely vital service for the men fighting behind the Japanese lines in Burma and receiving mail was extremely beneficial for morale. The image to the left is a copy of the standard airgraph letter sent to Chindit families back home in Britain, informing them that their man was unable to write to then for the duration, but at the time of writing all was well. Please click on the image to bring it forward on the page.
Merion's gravestone at Kirkee War Cemetery.
THOMAS, MERION MORRIS
Rank: Private
Service No: 4199534
Date of Death: 06/08/1943
Age: 27
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Memorial: Kirkee War Cemetery, Grave Reference 13.C.2
CWGC link: http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2191166/THOMAS,%20MERION%20MORRIS
Chindit Column: Not Known
Other details:
Merion Morris Thomas was the son of Evan and Keturah Thomas, of Bethesda, Caernarvonshire. He was formerly a soldier with the Royal Welch Fusiliers and joined Chindit training at Saugor in late September 1942. Merion is not mentioned in any books or war diaries in relation to Operation Longcloth or the Chindits of 1943.
From information found in the India Office records for burials, I now know that Merion died on the 6th of August 1943 suffering from inanition, that is a complete exhaustion of the body caused by an extreme lack of food and water. This condition would not be uncommon for Chindits returning from Operation Loncloth, but, due to the lack of documentary evidence, it seems unlikely that Pte. Thomas took part in the expedition. According to the burial records he was interred at the Methodist Church in Kirkee and his funeral service was conducted by Chaplain G.E. Smith.
After the war Merion's grave was moved to the newly constructed Kirkee War Cemetery, his family chose to place the following inscription on to his gravestone:
Rank: Private
Service No: 4199534
Date of Death: 06/08/1943
Age: 27
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Memorial: Kirkee War Cemetery, Grave Reference 13.C.2
CWGC link: http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2191166/THOMAS,%20MERION%20MORRIS
Chindit Column: Not Known
Other details:
Merion Morris Thomas was the son of Evan and Keturah Thomas, of Bethesda, Caernarvonshire. He was formerly a soldier with the Royal Welch Fusiliers and joined Chindit training at Saugor in late September 1942. Merion is not mentioned in any books or war diaries in relation to Operation Longcloth or the Chindits of 1943.
From information found in the India Office records for burials, I now know that Merion died on the 6th of August 1943 suffering from inanition, that is a complete exhaustion of the body caused by an extreme lack of food and water. This condition would not be uncommon for Chindits returning from Operation Loncloth, but, due to the lack of documentary evidence, it seems unlikely that Pte. Thomas took part in the expedition. According to the burial records he was interred at the Methodist Church in Kirkee and his funeral service was conducted by Chaplain G.E. Smith.
After the war Merion's grave was moved to the newly constructed Kirkee War Cemetery, his family chose to place the following inscription on to his gravestone:
May God in his mercy tenderly care, for the soul of a loved one sleeping here.
The Military Medal.
THOMPSON, THOMAS
Rank: Company Sergeant-Major
Service No: 3184355
Age: Unknown
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Chindit Column: Northern Group Head Quarters
Other details:
Thomas Thompson had originally enlisted into the Army at Berwick-upon-Tweed and was posted to the King's Own Scottish Borderer's. He then joined the King's Regiment in late 1940, as part of a large draft of experienced NCO's coming over to the bolster the strength of the newly formed 13th Battalion at the Jordan Hill barracks in Glasgow.
Thomas was posted to Northern Group Head Quarters on Operation Longcloth, commanded by Lt-Colonel S.A. Cooke. The Head Quarters moved through Burma in 1943 in the company of No. 8 Column and often the full Brigade HQ led by Brigadier Wingate. By mid-March 1943, Thomas and his unit were over the Irrawaddy River and found themselves trapped in a three-sided bag of country between the Irrawaddy and Shweli Rivers to the west and north and the Mongmit-Myitson motor road to the south.
By late March, Wingate had decided that the ailing Chindits should return to India and gave the order for general dispersal. Columns 7 and 8, along with Brigade Head Quarter's made for the area around the town of Inywa on the eastern banks of the Irrawaddy. They began to cross on the 29th March, but their progress was blocked by a Japanese patrol and the crossing had to be abandoned. Brigadier Wingate called an emergency meeting with his Column commanders and it was decided that the Chindit units would separate and attempt to make their own way back to India. Wingate withdrew with his HQ into the thickset bamboo jungle nearby and remained in this location for the best part of a week.
Major Scott, the commander of No. 8 Column and Lt-Colonel Cooke led their men away from Inywa and headed roughly south-east towards the Shweli River. After some considerable difficulties they managed to cross this obstacle on the 3rd April. The exhausted Chindits from 8 Column headed north hoping to reach the Irrawaddy once more, this time where the river meandered sharply in a westerly direction, much like the Thames does at Richmond.
On the morning of the 12th April, the column were moving through some bamboo scrub; this jungle proved impenetrable in places and Major Scott called up his Gurkhas to cut a path. The column then approached a chaung or stream which had a newly built bridge straddling its banks, this was close to the Nisan Forest Rest House. The lead group of the column bumped into a small Japanese patrol which, on seeing the Chindits turned round and fled. Most of the column immediately moved off to higher ground, but some fighting patrols were sent back in the direction of the Japanese and a short battle ensued.
This is how the 8 Column War diary describes that moment, through a transcription taken from the book Wingate's Lost Brigade:
On 12th April, the front of the column was approaching a newly built bamboo bridge over a chaung when they bumped into a couple of Japs who turned and bolted back into the jungle. Intense firing broke out and Sergeant Bridgeman and Private Beard were killed, while Privates Lawton and Witheridge were both seriously wounded.
Most of the column turned around and disappeared along the track they had come down, leaving Major Scott and a small party isolated. It was not until the evening that the column reassembled and it was discovered that Lieutenant Horncastle and 14 others were missing. It was thought that they might have moved off as a separate party.
The column was up and moving at 0430 hours the next morning. The going was quite good but they now had three wounded on stretchers to carry with them. Major Scott and Lieutenant Colonel Cooke held an officers' conference and it was decided that they would request one last supply drop before breaking up into dispersal groups to cross the Irrawaddy.
To read more about the aftermath at Nisan and the fate of Lieutenant Horncastle's party, please click on the following link: Lieut. Horncastle's Recce Patrol
Seen below is a gallery of images in relation to this story, including a map of the area around the Nisan Forest Rest House and three pages of the battalion war diary describing the events of the 12-14th April 1943. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
Rank: Company Sergeant-Major
Service No: 3184355
Age: Unknown
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Chindit Column: Northern Group Head Quarters
Other details:
Thomas Thompson had originally enlisted into the Army at Berwick-upon-Tweed and was posted to the King's Own Scottish Borderer's. He then joined the King's Regiment in late 1940, as part of a large draft of experienced NCO's coming over to the bolster the strength of the newly formed 13th Battalion at the Jordan Hill barracks in Glasgow.
Thomas was posted to Northern Group Head Quarters on Operation Longcloth, commanded by Lt-Colonel S.A. Cooke. The Head Quarters moved through Burma in 1943 in the company of No. 8 Column and often the full Brigade HQ led by Brigadier Wingate. By mid-March 1943, Thomas and his unit were over the Irrawaddy River and found themselves trapped in a three-sided bag of country between the Irrawaddy and Shweli Rivers to the west and north and the Mongmit-Myitson motor road to the south.
By late March, Wingate had decided that the ailing Chindits should return to India and gave the order for general dispersal. Columns 7 and 8, along with Brigade Head Quarter's made for the area around the town of Inywa on the eastern banks of the Irrawaddy. They began to cross on the 29th March, but their progress was blocked by a Japanese patrol and the crossing had to be abandoned. Brigadier Wingate called an emergency meeting with his Column commanders and it was decided that the Chindit units would separate and attempt to make their own way back to India. Wingate withdrew with his HQ into the thickset bamboo jungle nearby and remained in this location for the best part of a week.
Major Scott, the commander of No. 8 Column and Lt-Colonel Cooke led their men away from Inywa and headed roughly south-east towards the Shweli River. After some considerable difficulties they managed to cross this obstacle on the 3rd April. The exhausted Chindits from 8 Column headed north hoping to reach the Irrawaddy once more, this time where the river meandered sharply in a westerly direction, much like the Thames does at Richmond.
On the morning of the 12th April, the column were moving through some bamboo scrub; this jungle proved impenetrable in places and Major Scott called up his Gurkhas to cut a path. The column then approached a chaung or stream which had a newly built bridge straddling its banks, this was close to the Nisan Forest Rest House. The lead group of the column bumped into a small Japanese patrol which, on seeing the Chindits turned round and fled. Most of the column immediately moved off to higher ground, but some fighting patrols were sent back in the direction of the Japanese and a short battle ensued.
This is how the 8 Column War diary describes that moment, through a transcription taken from the book Wingate's Lost Brigade:
On 12th April, the front of the column was approaching a newly built bamboo bridge over a chaung when they bumped into a couple of Japs who turned and bolted back into the jungle. Intense firing broke out and Sergeant Bridgeman and Private Beard were killed, while Privates Lawton and Witheridge were both seriously wounded.
Most of the column turned around and disappeared along the track they had come down, leaving Major Scott and a small party isolated. It was not until the evening that the column reassembled and it was discovered that Lieutenant Horncastle and 14 others were missing. It was thought that they might have moved off as a separate party.
The column was up and moving at 0430 hours the next morning. The going was quite good but they now had three wounded on stretchers to carry with them. Major Scott and Lieutenant Colonel Cooke held an officers' conference and it was decided that they would request one last supply drop before breaking up into dispersal groups to cross the Irrawaddy.
To read more about the aftermath at Nisan and the fate of Lieutenant Horncastle's party, please click on the following link: Lieut. Horncastle's Recce Patrol
Seen below is a gallery of images in relation to this story, including a map of the area around the Nisan Forest Rest House and three pages of the battalion war diary describing the events of the 12-14th April 1943. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
Lt. Peter Bennett.
CSM Thompson was heavily involved during the engagement with the enemy at Nisan, firstly in securing the withdrawal of the main body of 8 Column and then in dealing with the Japanese patrols that followed up. He was also part of a small party of Chindits who collected up the wounded and returned these men to the column for much needed medical attention.
In a witness report given by Lt. Peter Bennett (8 Column) on the 15th October 1943, this officer describes how he and a group of NCO's formed a rearguard at Nisan and how they removed the wounded men from the scene and passed them on to the Medical Officer for attention.
On the conclusion of the engagement at the Rest House, I was left behind with the Rear party: CSM Thompson, CQMS Marchbank and Sgt. Lamb. We carried Pte. Lawton to a point where we were met by a stretcher party sent from the Column under the command of Cpl. Martin. This party took Pte. Lawton back to the Column where he received attention from the M.O. Captain Heathcote.
Lawton had been shot in the leg. I later left the Column with Captain Whitehead's group and we carried Ptes. Lawton and Witheridge who had also been wounded in the same action. We eventually left them in a village where our Burma Riflemen arranged that they should be taken care of. This was the last time I saw either of these two men.
To read more about Captain Whitehead's attempt to secure a friendly village in which to leave the wounded men of No. 8 Column, please click on the following link: Captain Nigel Whitehead
Sadly, neither Leonard Lawton or William Henry Witheridge recovered from their wounds and both perished presumably in the village in which they were left. After the war, their graves could not be found and for this reason both men are remembered upon the Rangoon Memorial in Taukkyan War Cemetery.
www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2515790/lawton,-leonard/
www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2528582/witheridge,-william-henry/
In a witness report given by Lt. Peter Bennett (8 Column) on the 15th October 1943, this officer describes how he and a group of NCO's formed a rearguard at Nisan and how they removed the wounded men from the scene and passed them on to the Medical Officer for attention.
On the conclusion of the engagement at the Rest House, I was left behind with the Rear party: CSM Thompson, CQMS Marchbank and Sgt. Lamb. We carried Pte. Lawton to a point where we were met by a stretcher party sent from the Column under the command of Cpl. Martin. This party took Pte. Lawton back to the Column where he received attention from the M.O. Captain Heathcote.
Lawton had been shot in the leg. I later left the Column with Captain Whitehead's group and we carried Ptes. Lawton and Witheridge who had also been wounded in the same action. We eventually left them in a village where our Burma Riflemen arranged that they should be taken care of. This was the last time I saw either of these two men.
To read more about Captain Whitehead's attempt to secure a friendly village in which to leave the wounded men of No. 8 Column, please click on the following link: Captain Nigel Whitehead
Sadly, neither Leonard Lawton or William Henry Witheridge recovered from their wounds and both perished presumably in the village in which they were left. After the war, their graves could not be found and for this reason both men are remembered upon the Rangoon Memorial in Taukkyan War Cemetery.
www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2515790/lawton,-leonard/
www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2528582/witheridge,-william-henry/
For his efforts on Operation Longcloth and in particular at the Nisan Rest House engagement, CSM Thompson was awarded the Military Medal. His citation reads:
Brigade-77th Indian Infantry Brigade
Corps-4th Corps
Unit-13th Battalion, The King's Regiment
Regimental No. 3184355
Rank and Name
Company Sergeant-Major Thomas Thompson
Action for which recommended :-
Operations in Burma, March - April 1943
On 12th April 1943, Headquarters No.2 Group and No. 8 Column Column encountered a strong enemy post at Nisan Forest Rest House, south-west of Bhamo. In the initial encounter the main portion of the column became separated from its senior commander. C.S.M Thompson immediately organised the defence of Group Headquarters and later when the party was withdrawing to a more advantageous position, took charge of an exposed post designed to cover the withdrawal.
Ordered to report on the enemy's movements, he took out a small patrol towards the enemy's position and drew their fire. Regardless of continuous fire from automatic weapons and from snipers, he continued his task until he caused them to divulge their dispositions in full, after which he returned and sent valuable information to his Commanding Officer. Shortly afterwards, on hearing the sound of motor transport he again went forward with the patrol and in spite of mortar and automatic fire was able to to report accurately the strength of the newly arrived enemy reinforcements. On this, as on all other occasions when C.S.M. Thompson came under fire he showed resource, calmness and determination. His example was of special value at this time, as all ranks were undergoing a particularly severe strain.
Recommended By:
Lt-Colonel S.A. Cooke
Column Commander, 77th Indian Infantry Brigade Group.
Honour or Reward-Military Medal
Signed By-Brigadier O.C. Wingate
Commander, 77th Indian Infantry Brigade.
(London Gazette 16.12.1943).
Brigade-77th Indian Infantry Brigade
Corps-4th Corps
Unit-13th Battalion, The King's Regiment
Regimental No. 3184355
Rank and Name
Company Sergeant-Major Thomas Thompson
Action for which recommended :-
Operations in Burma, March - April 1943
On 12th April 1943, Headquarters No.2 Group and No. 8 Column Column encountered a strong enemy post at Nisan Forest Rest House, south-west of Bhamo. In the initial encounter the main portion of the column became separated from its senior commander. C.S.M Thompson immediately organised the defence of Group Headquarters and later when the party was withdrawing to a more advantageous position, took charge of an exposed post designed to cover the withdrawal.
Ordered to report on the enemy's movements, he took out a small patrol towards the enemy's position and drew their fire. Regardless of continuous fire from automatic weapons and from snipers, he continued his task until he caused them to divulge their dispositions in full, after which he returned and sent valuable information to his Commanding Officer. Shortly afterwards, on hearing the sound of motor transport he again went forward with the patrol and in spite of mortar and automatic fire was able to to report accurately the strength of the newly arrived enemy reinforcements. On this, as on all other occasions when C.S.M. Thompson came under fire he showed resource, calmness and determination. His example was of special value at this time, as all ranks were undergoing a particularly severe strain.
Recommended By:
Lt-Colonel S.A. Cooke
Column Commander, 77th Indian Infantry Brigade Group.
Honour or Reward-Military Medal
Signed By-Brigadier O.C. Wingate
Commander, 77th Indian Infantry Brigade.
(London Gazette 16.12.1943).
Update 19/08/2023.
I was delighted to receive the following email contact from Helen Thompson:
As the very proud granddaughter of Longcloth Chindit, CSM Thomas Thompson and the holder of his Military Medal, I would like to ask if his misspelled name (Thomson) could be corrected on your website. Sadly, both the London Gazette and his original citation got his name wrong. He was a proud Northumbrian Thompson and it would be wonderful if you could acknowledge that on your website.
I have in my possession quite a lot of photographs of Grandad from his time with the Chindits in India and Burma. There are also some images of him and his comrades on the troopship sailing for South Africa and others of the Murree Hills in India, where I believe he was sent after Operation Longcloth to recuperate. I would happily share some of these photographs with you, to see if some of the other soldiers could be identified and for others to see them.
I tried to gather as much information about Grandad as possible over the years, but my Aunt Mavis and my dad could only remember snippets. By the sounds of it, Grandad had PTSD when he came home and found returning to domestic life difficult. They used to joke that you had to be careful waking him up from a nap or he would leap up and react as if he was under attack, but I'm sure that wasn't funny to live with as a young child. There is family legend that suggests he sent the original Military Medal back because his wife (and her children, my father and aunty) received no pay or widow's pension while he was missing and walking out of Burma. I can't verify if this is true, but he was sent the medal eventually, but didn't go to the presentation. He did receive a letter from the King (click on the the image left), congratulating him on his award.
I remember him as a kind and smiling man who was always pleased to see his grandchildren and vice versa. We lived a long way away from the North East so didn't see much of him and he died relatively young (aged 70) by today's standards. He never mentioned the war to us and it's such a shame we never got the opportunity to ask him about his time in Burma. I didn't find out until years later what he had been involved in and was immediately fascinated and impressed. My brother and sister are just as proud of him and are happy for me to share the photographs with you. Thank you again for adding Grandad to your website, it means a lot to us.
Seen below is a gallery of photographs in relation to CSM Thomas Thompson and his experiences as a Chindit. I would like to thank Helen and her family for their kind permission to add these images to Thomas' story. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
I was delighted to receive the following email contact from Helen Thompson:
As the very proud granddaughter of Longcloth Chindit, CSM Thomas Thompson and the holder of his Military Medal, I would like to ask if his misspelled name (Thomson) could be corrected on your website. Sadly, both the London Gazette and his original citation got his name wrong. He was a proud Northumbrian Thompson and it would be wonderful if you could acknowledge that on your website.
I have in my possession quite a lot of photographs of Grandad from his time with the Chindits in India and Burma. There are also some images of him and his comrades on the troopship sailing for South Africa and others of the Murree Hills in India, where I believe he was sent after Operation Longcloth to recuperate. I would happily share some of these photographs with you, to see if some of the other soldiers could be identified and for others to see them.
I tried to gather as much information about Grandad as possible over the years, but my Aunt Mavis and my dad could only remember snippets. By the sounds of it, Grandad had PTSD when he came home and found returning to domestic life difficult. They used to joke that you had to be careful waking him up from a nap or he would leap up and react as if he was under attack, but I'm sure that wasn't funny to live with as a young child. There is family legend that suggests he sent the original Military Medal back because his wife (and her children, my father and aunty) received no pay or widow's pension while he was missing and walking out of Burma. I can't verify if this is true, but he was sent the medal eventually, but didn't go to the presentation. He did receive a letter from the King (click on the the image left), congratulating him on his award.
I remember him as a kind and smiling man who was always pleased to see his grandchildren and vice versa. We lived a long way away from the North East so didn't see much of him and he died relatively young (aged 70) by today's standards. He never mentioned the war to us and it's such a shame we never got the opportunity to ask him about his time in Burma. I didn't find out until years later what he had been involved in and was immediately fascinated and impressed. My brother and sister are just as proud of him and are happy for me to share the photographs with you. Thank you again for adding Grandad to your website, it means a lot to us.
Seen below is a gallery of photographs in relation to CSM Thomas Thompson and his experiences as a Chindit. I would like to thank Helen and her family for their kind permission to add these images to Thomas' story. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
William Thornton.
THORNTON, WILLIAM
Rank: Lance Corporal
Service No: 3781417
Date of Death: 01/05/1943
Age: 30
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Memorial: Face 5 of the Rangoon Memorial.
CWGC link: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2527301/THORNTON,%20WILLIAM
Chindit Column: 8
Other details:
Lance Corporal William Thornton was the husband of Audrey Anita Thornton from of New Moston in Manchester. William was an original member of the 13th Battalion of the King's Regiment that voyaged to India aboard the troopship Oronsay on the 8th December 1941. He was part of D' Company and so became a member of Chindit Column No. 8 after the battalion had moved up into the Central Provinces of the country and began their training at Saugor. After dispersal had been called in Burma, William was part of the group led by Lt. Hamilton-Byran and had assisted with the placing of some of his wounded and sick comrades into the safe hands of a friendly Kachin village, before returning to the main body of 8 Column in mid-April, as they continued their journey back to India.
After the engagement with the Japanese at the Burmese village of Okthaik on the 30th April, William had marched away with the majority of the column towards the area around the Namsung Chaung. The Japanese were hot on the heels of the exhausted Chindits and sometime later on the 1st May, William Thornton was lost to the column as they pushed on westwards in the hope of reaching the safety of the Chindwin River. After returning successfully to India, Pte. John Burnett of the King's gave the following witness statement in regards to L/Cpl. Thornton and his last known movements in May 1943:
At the end of April after the plane had left with the wounded, I was in a party along with L/Cpl. William Thornton and commanded by Lt. Hamilton-Byran. Pte. Coates was in the same party. After crossing a river, name unknown (Kaukkwe Chaung) we were ambushed and dispersal was necessary. Thornton collapsed through sheer exhaustion and although I tried to revive him, he remained on the ground and I was forced to leave him. The enemy at that time were very close. Six days later we were attacked again and Pte. Coates who was behind me, crawling, was reported missing when we reached a safe area. He has not been heard of since. L/Cpl. Thornton and Pte. Coates were last seen alive on the 1st and 7th May 1943.
William was officially listed as missing in action on the 2nd May 1943, but was never seen or heard of again. It seems likely that he fell into Japanese hands for a short while around the 1st May, but did not survive long enough to reach any organised prisoner of war camp. Back in Manchester, William's wife, Audrey still clung to the hope that her husband was alive and most probably a prisoner of war. From the pages of the Manchester Evening News dated 4th August 1943 and under the headline, Wingate Follies Man Missing:
This airgraph will be the last you will get from me for a long time, wrote L/Cpl. William Thornton of Weston Avenue, New Moston back in February. The days went by and instead of L/Cpl. Thornton's letters, arigraphs came each month from an officer of his unit, stating he was well and would write as soon as circumstances permitted. He still has not written and is now posted a missing, one of Wingate's Follies. His wife told the Manchester Evening News: "I am sure my husband is a prisoner." L/Cpl. Thornton, who is 30, has been in the Army three years and before he joined up was employed at a Manchester dye works.
Seen below is a Gallery of images in relation to this sorrowful story. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
Rank: Lance Corporal
Service No: 3781417
Date of Death: 01/05/1943
Age: 30
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Memorial: Face 5 of the Rangoon Memorial.
CWGC link: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2527301/THORNTON,%20WILLIAM
Chindit Column: 8
Other details:
Lance Corporal William Thornton was the husband of Audrey Anita Thornton from of New Moston in Manchester. William was an original member of the 13th Battalion of the King's Regiment that voyaged to India aboard the troopship Oronsay on the 8th December 1941. He was part of D' Company and so became a member of Chindit Column No. 8 after the battalion had moved up into the Central Provinces of the country and began their training at Saugor. After dispersal had been called in Burma, William was part of the group led by Lt. Hamilton-Byran and had assisted with the placing of some of his wounded and sick comrades into the safe hands of a friendly Kachin village, before returning to the main body of 8 Column in mid-April, as they continued their journey back to India.
After the engagement with the Japanese at the Burmese village of Okthaik on the 30th April, William had marched away with the majority of the column towards the area around the Namsung Chaung. The Japanese were hot on the heels of the exhausted Chindits and sometime later on the 1st May, William Thornton was lost to the column as they pushed on westwards in the hope of reaching the safety of the Chindwin River. After returning successfully to India, Pte. John Burnett of the King's gave the following witness statement in regards to L/Cpl. Thornton and his last known movements in May 1943:
At the end of April after the plane had left with the wounded, I was in a party along with L/Cpl. William Thornton and commanded by Lt. Hamilton-Byran. Pte. Coates was in the same party. After crossing a river, name unknown (Kaukkwe Chaung) we were ambushed and dispersal was necessary. Thornton collapsed through sheer exhaustion and although I tried to revive him, he remained on the ground and I was forced to leave him. The enemy at that time were very close. Six days later we were attacked again and Pte. Coates who was behind me, crawling, was reported missing when we reached a safe area. He has not been heard of since. L/Cpl. Thornton and Pte. Coates were last seen alive on the 1st and 7th May 1943.
William was officially listed as missing in action on the 2nd May 1943, but was never seen or heard of again. It seems likely that he fell into Japanese hands for a short while around the 1st May, but did not survive long enough to reach any organised prisoner of war camp. Back in Manchester, William's wife, Audrey still clung to the hope that her husband was alive and most probably a prisoner of war. From the pages of the Manchester Evening News dated 4th August 1943 and under the headline, Wingate Follies Man Missing:
This airgraph will be the last you will get from me for a long time, wrote L/Cpl. William Thornton of Weston Avenue, New Moston back in February. The days went by and instead of L/Cpl. Thornton's letters, arigraphs came each month from an officer of his unit, stating he was well and would write as soon as circumstances permitted. He still has not written and is now posted a missing, one of Wingate's Follies. His wife told the Manchester Evening News: "I am sure my husband is a prisoner." L/Cpl. Thornton, who is 30, has been in the Army three years and before he joined up was employed at a Manchester dye works.
Seen below is a Gallery of images in relation to this sorrowful story. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
THWAYTES, L.L.
Rank: Brigadier
Service No: Not known
Regiment/Service: GHQ (1) Jhansi
Other details:
L.L. Thwaytes was responsible for collating all of the information regarding the missing personnel from Operation Longcloth. As you might imagine, this task turned into a long and complicated process which took many months to complete. Thwaytes had been promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel in October 1939 after serving with Sam Browne's Cavalry in India during the 1930's.
The image to the left is his overview document for the first Wingate expedition, where he identifies the official number of missing officers and other ranks as 44 and 376 respectively. These figures were then sent to Wingate for approval and then on to the War Office Casualty Branch, located at that time in Liverpool. Please click on the image to bring it forward on the page.
Rank: Brigadier
Service No: Not known
Regiment/Service: GHQ (1) Jhansi
Other details:
L.L. Thwaytes was responsible for collating all of the information regarding the missing personnel from Operation Longcloth. As you might imagine, this task turned into a long and complicated process which took many months to complete. Thwaytes had been promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel in October 1939 after serving with Sam Browne's Cavalry in India during the 1930's.
The image to the left is his overview document for the first Wingate expedition, where he identifies the official number of missing officers and other ranks as 44 and 376 respectively. These figures were then sent to Wingate for approval and then on to the War Office Casualty Branch, located at that time in Liverpool. Please click on the image to bring it forward on the page.
TONKS, JOHN
Rank: Private
Service No: 4206503
Date of Death: 27/04/1943
Age: 20
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Memorial: Rangoon War Cemetery, Special Memorial 9.D.5
CWGC link: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2261340/tonks,-john/
Chindit Column: 7
Other details:
John Tonks was the son of Mr. & Mrs. Mark Ambrose Tonks and was originally enlisted into the Royal Welch Fusiliers, before being transferred to the King's Regiment in the late summer of 1942. Pte. Tonks was posted to No. 7 Column during Chindit training under the overall command of Major Kenneth Gilkes, an officer formerly with the North Staffordshire Regiment.
Very little is known about the fate and service of Pte. Tonks, and he does not feature in any of the books or diaries written about the first Wingate expedition in 1943. We do know however, that he was part of a dispersal group led by Lt. Rex Walker in April that year and that the majority of the men present in the party were already either injured, wounded or sick with disease. Major Gilkes had assigned this group to Lt. Walker with orders to lead them out of Burma talking the most direct route back to India via the Irrawaddy and Chindwin Rivers.
After he had successfully returned to India via the Chinese border province of Yunnan in June 1943, Captain Leslie Cottrell, 7 Column's Adjutant, gave this witness statement on the 24th July:
I was Staff Officer of number seven Column, during Brigadier Wingate's Burma expedition. On April 10th, 1943 the Column commander decided for various tactical and administrative reasons to split his column. This was midway between them Mongmit and the Myitson Road.
Lieutenant Walker was ordered to take charge of a party which consisted of three other officers and 25 British Other Ranks. His orders were to march approximately westward re-cross the Irrawaddy and return to Assam by the most direct route. The British Other Ranks were not considered by the Column Commander or by the Medical Officer as physically capable of marching the long way out via China, as the main body intended to do.
They were all equipped with arms and ammunition and had two days hard scale rations each, the officers had maps and compasses.
An Air Supply drop was arranged for them just west of the Irrawaddy, but, the party failed to make the rendezvous and the aircraft concerned did not locate them. The Japanese were fairly active in this area. Nothing has been heard of any of these Officers or men since.
Sadly, and due mainly to the poor physical condition of this party, none of the men involved would make it out of Burma in 1943 and only five of the soldiers would survive as prisoners of war to see their families and homes in England again. To read more about this group and what happened to them, please click on the following link: Rex Walker's Dispersal Group 4
Pte. John Tonks is not mentioned directly in any of the witness statements given by the various survivors of No. 7 Column or other units in 1943. It is anecdotally suggested that he was suffering from ill health around the time of dispersal on the 10th April and was left in a friendly Kachin village at that time by Lt. Walker and that he was taken prisoner by the Japanese from this location. None of this information can be corroborated by documentary evidence, but it does seem to be quite a likely scenario.
According to the Commonwealth Graves Commission details on line, John Tonks perished on the 27th April 1943 and was re-buried after the war at Rangoon War Cemetery. This would suggest that John was indeed held as a POW, but the stated date of death is too early for a Chindit prisoner being held at Rangoon Jail, with the first soldiers arriving at the prison around one month later in late May. Thankfully, there is one piece of documentary evidence in existence which verifies that Pte. Tonks was indeed held at Rangoon and that he died in Block 6 of the jail on the 27th July 1943, having been given the POW number 523.
This date of death makes much more sense and it seems likely that the Imperial War Graves Commission made a slight error in recording the month of death back in August 1946, when they were arranging the transfer of burials from the English Cantonment Cemetery, where many of the Chindit POW's had been originally buried, to the newly constructed Rangoon War Cemetery located a few miles to the southwest.
Later on John's family chose the following epitaph to be placed on his grave plaque at Rangoon:
Rank: Private
Service No: 4206503
Date of Death: 27/04/1943
Age: 20
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Memorial: Rangoon War Cemetery, Special Memorial 9.D.5
CWGC link: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2261340/tonks,-john/
Chindit Column: 7
Other details:
John Tonks was the son of Mr. & Mrs. Mark Ambrose Tonks and was originally enlisted into the Royal Welch Fusiliers, before being transferred to the King's Regiment in the late summer of 1942. Pte. Tonks was posted to No. 7 Column during Chindit training under the overall command of Major Kenneth Gilkes, an officer formerly with the North Staffordshire Regiment.
Very little is known about the fate and service of Pte. Tonks, and he does not feature in any of the books or diaries written about the first Wingate expedition in 1943. We do know however, that he was part of a dispersal group led by Lt. Rex Walker in April that year and that the majority of the men present in the party were already either injured, wounded or sick with disease. Major Gilkes had assigned this group to Lt. Walker with orders to lead them out of Burma talking the most direct route back to India via the Irrawaddy and Chindwin Rivers.
After he had successfully returned to India via the Chinese border province of Yunnan in June 1943, Captain Leslie Cottrell, 7 Column's Adjutant, gave this witness statement on the 24th July:
I was Staff Officer of number seven Column, during Brigadier Wingate's Burma expedition. On April 10th, 1943 the Column commander decided for various tactical and administrative reasons to split his column. This was midway between them Mongmit and the Myitson Road.
Lieutenant Walker was ordered to take charge of a party which consisted of three other officers and 25 British Other Ranks. His orders were to march approximately westward re-cross the Irrawaddy and return to Assam by the most direct route. The British Other Ranks were not considered by the Column Commander or by the Medical Officer as physically capable of marching the long way out via China, as the main body intended to do.
They were all equipped with arms and ammunition and had two days hard scale rations each, the officers had maps and compasses.
An Air Supply drop was arranged for them just west of the Irrawaddy, but, the party failed to make the rendezvous and the aircraft concerned did not locate them. The Japanese were fairly active in this area. Nothing has been heard of any of these Officers or men since.
Sadly, and due mainly to the poor physical condition of this party, none of the men involved would make it out of Burma in 1943 and only five of the soldiers would survive as prisoners of war to see their families and homes in England again. To read more about this group and what happened to them, please click on the following link: Rex Walker's Dispersal Group 4
Pte. John Tonks is not mentioned directly in any of the witness statements given by the various survivors of No. 7 Column or other units in 1943. It is anecdotally suggested that he was suffering from ill health around the time of dispersal on the 10th April and was left in a friendly Kachin village at that time by Lt. Walker and that he was taken prisoner by the Japanese from this location. None of this information can be corroborated by documentary evidence, but it does seem to be quite a likely scenario.
According to the Commonwealth Graves Commission details on line, John Tonks perished on the 27th April 1943 and was re-buried after the war at Rangoon War Cemetery. This would suggest that John was indeed held as a POW, but the stated date of death is too early for a Chindit prisoner being held at Rangoon Jail, with the first soldiers arriving at the prison around one month later in late May. Thankfully, there is one piece of documentary evidence in existence which verifies that Pte. Tonks was indeed held at Rangoon and that he died in Block 6 of the jail on the 27th July 1943, having been given the POW number 523.
This date of death makes much more sense and it seems likely that the Imperial War Graves Commission made a slight error in recording the month of death back in August 1946, when they were arranging the transfer of burials from the English Cantonment Cemetery, where many of the Chindit POW's had been originally buried, to the newly constructed Rangoon War Cemetery located a few miles to the southwest.
Later on John's family chose the following epitaph to be placed on his grave plaque at Rangoon:
Midst Life's Many Changes, We Never Forget Our Dear Brother
Seen below is a small gallery of images in relation to this story. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
TOWERS, LEONARD
Rank: Private
Service No: 3780198
Date of Death: 21/07/1943
Age: 32
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Memorial: Face 6 of the Rangoon Memorial, Taukkyan War Cemetery
CWGC link: www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2527510/leonard-towers/
Chindit Column: 7
Other details:
Leonard Towers was the son of Henry and Mary Elizabeth Towers from Wavertree in Liverpool. He was allocated to No. 7 Column on Operation Longcloth commanded by Major Kenneth Gilkes formerly of the North Staffordshire Regiment. According to the official missing lists for the first Wingate expedition, Pte. Towers was last seen on the 15th May 1943, near the village of Sadon in Kachin State, situated close to the Burma-China borders. Major Gilkes had decided to take his column out of Burma via the Chinese borders (Yunnan Province), in preference to returning the way the Brigade had come in to Burma via the Chindwin Valley.
Nothing more is known about Pte. Towers and his movements after the village of Sadon. In a report written after the operation was over, Major Gilkes remembered: Around early May, many of my men were worse for wear and had to be left in Kachin villages along the Sima-Sadon Road. We left them in the hands of Kachin Headmen, who promised to look after them. We paid the Kachins well from the remainder of our silver rupees.
Three other Chindits from No. 7 Column were also recorded as being seen at Sadon during the march out of Burma in 1943. These were: Ptes. Henry Roseby, George Kimpton and Patrick Heneghan. All three men were taken prisoner after falling ill on the march towards the Chinese borders, with all three surviving their time in Rangoon Jail to go home. To read more about these men, please scroll back up this page to Henry Roseby's story.
Leonard Towers is recorded by the CWGC as having died on the 21st July 1943, almost certainly after being left in a friendly Kachin village by Major Gilkes on the march out of Burma. Sadly, his grave was never discovered after the war and for this reason he is remembered upon Face 6 of the Rangoon Memorial at Taukkyan War Cemetery. The memorial is the centre-piece structure at Taukkyan and commemorates the casualties from the Burma campaign that have no known grave. Seen below is a photograph of Leonard Towers inscription upon Face 6 of the Rangoon Memorial. Please click on the image to bring it forward on the page.
Rank: Private
Service No: 3780198
Date of Death: 21/07/1943
Age: 32
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Memorial: Face 6 of the Rangoon Memorial, Taukkyan War Cemetery
CWGC link: www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2527510/leonard-towers/
Chindit Column: 7
Other details:
Leonard Towers was the son of Henry and Mary Elizabeth Towers from Wavertree in Liverpool. He was allocated to No. 7 Column on Operation Longcloth commanded by Major Kenneth Gilkes formerly of the North Staffordshire Regiment. According to the official missing lists for the first Wingate expedition, Pte. Towers was last seen on the 15th May 1943, near the village of Sadon in Kachin State, situated close to the Burma-China borders. Major Gilkes had decided to take his column out of Burma via the Chinese borders (Yunnan Province), in preference to returning the way the Brigade had come in to Burma via the Chindwin Valley.
Nothing more is known about Pte. Towers and his movements after the village of Sadon. In a report written after the operation was over, Major Gilkes remembered: Around early May, many of my men were worse for wear and had to be left in Kachin villages along the Sima-Sadon Road. We left them in the hands of Kachin Headmen, who promised to look after them. We paid the Kachins well from the remainder of our silver rupees.
Three other Chindits from No. 7 Column were also recorded as being seen at Sadon during the march out of Burma in 1943. These were: Ptes. Henry Roseby, George Kimpton and Patrick Heneghan. All three men were taken prisoner after falling ill on the march towards the Chinese borders, with all three surviving their time in Rangoon Jail to go home. To read more about these men, please scroll back up this page to Henry Roseby's story.
Leonard Towers is recorded by the CWGC as having died on the 21st July 1943, almost certainly after being left in a friendly Kachin village by Major Gilkes on the march out of Burma. Sadly, his grave was never discovered after the war and for this reason he is remembered upon Face 6 of the Rangoon Memorial at Taukkyan War Cemetery. The memorial is the centre-piece structure at Taukkyan and commemorates the casualties from the Burma campaign that have no known grave. Seen below is a photograph of Leonard Towers inscription upon Face 6 of the Rangoon Memorial. Please click on the image to bring it forward on the page.
The inscription for Leonard Towers on the Rangoon Memorial.
Edwin's gravestone at Kirkee War Cemetery.
TUCKER, EDWIN JOHN
Rank: Private
Service No: 5119391
Date of Death: 30/08/1943
Age: 29
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Memorial: Kirkee War Cemetery, Grave Reference 9.A.6.
CWGC link: http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2191205/TUCKER,%20EDWIN%20JOHN
Chindit Column: not known.
Other details:
Edwin John Tucker was the son of John and Annie Tucker and the husband of Mary Edith Tucker, of Morden, Surrey. He was formerly a soldier with the Royal Warwickshire Regiment before being posted to the 13th King's on his arrival in India. A draft of Warwick's were sent up to the Chindit training camp at Saugor from the reinforcement centre at Deolali, arriving on the 26th September 1942, perhaps Edwin was one of these men.
Edwin John Tucker is not mentioned in any documents in relation to Operation Longcloth and it is my guess that he did not take part in the expedition in 1943. He is recorded as having died on the 30th August 1943 and is buried at Kirkee War Cemetery. In general, men who became ill, or suffered an accident during Chindit training and then died, tended to be buried at Kirkee War Cemetery, this is possibly what happened to Pte. Tucker.
The family placed the following epitaph on his gravestone:
Rank: Private
Service No: 5119391
Date of Death: 30/08/1943
Age: 29
Regiment/Service: The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Memorial: Kirkee War Cemetery, Grave Reference 9.A.6.
CWGC link: http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2191205/TUCKER,%20EDWIN%20JOHN
Chindit Column: not known.
Other details:
Edwin John Tucker was the son of John and Annie Tucker and the husband of Mary Edith Tucker, of Morden, Surrey. He was formerly a soldier with the Royal Warwickshire Regiment before being posted to the 13th King's on his arrival in India. A draft of Warwick's were sent up to the Chindit training camp at Saugor from the reinforcement centre at Deolali, arriving on the 26th September 1942, perhaps Edwin was one of these men.
Edwin John Tucker is not mentioned in any documents in relation to Operation Longcloth and it is my guess that he did not take part in the expedition in 1943. He is recorded as having died on the 30th August 1943 and is buried at Kirkee War Cemetery. In general, men who became ill, or suffered an accident during Chindit training and then died, tended to be buried at Kirkee War Cemetery, this is possibly what happened to Pte. Tucker.
The family placed the following epitaph on his gravestone:
'Gone is the face I loved so dear, silent the voice I loved to hear'
Update 12/09/2014. From information found in the India Office records for burials, I now know that Edwin died from pulmonary tuberculosis and was buried at the New Cemetery in Kirkee. His funeral service was conducted by Chaplain, J. Barnes.
TURNER, FRANCIS WILLIAM GEOFFREY
Rank: Captain
Service No: Unknown
Regiment/Service: Rear Base Animal Transport attached The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Other details:
Captain Francis Turner was involved in the training of mules and their handlers during the training period for the first Wingate expedition. He was especially expert in the control of animals whilst crossing water and was based for a period at the Dukwan Dam in the Central Provinces of India. He was born in Taunton, Somerset and on enlistment into the British Army was awarded a place at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst and was commissioned into the Indian Army in 1941.
He also served on the second Chindit expedition in 1944, with the Head Quarters section of the 111th Indian Infantry Brigade. Alongside him in 1944 and possibly on both operations was Corporal Sampson Richards, a Romany Gypsy and a butcher in civilian life. This soldier was a muleteer and an expert in the care and handling of mules and horses, recorded by Captain Turner, as having a sixth sense when it came to controlling all animals.
To learn more about Captain Francis Turner and his experiences during WW2, please click on the following link to his audio memoir on the Imperial War Museum website: www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/80011995
Rank: Captain
Service No: Unknown
Regiment/Service: Rear Base Animal Transport attached The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 13th Bn.
Other details:
Captain Francis Turner was involved in the training of mules and their handlers during the training period for the first Wingate expedition. He was especially expert in the control of animals whilst crossing water and was based for a period at the Dukwan Dam in the Central Provinces of India. He was born in Taunton, Somerset and on enlistment into the British Army was awarded a place at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst and was commissioned into the Indian Army in 1941.
He also served on the second Chindit expedition in 1944, with the Head Quarters section of the 111th Indian Infantry Brigade. Alongside him in 1944 and possibly on both operations was Corporal Sampson Richards, a Romany Gypsy and a butcher in civilian life. This soldier was a muleteer and an expert in the care and handling of mules and horses, recorded by Captain Turner, as having a sixth sense when it came to controlling all animals.
To learn more about Captain Francis Turner and his experiences during WW2, please click on the following link to his audio memoir on the Imperial War Museum website: www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/80011995