2 Suffolks Burma

Discussion in 'Burma & India' started by Shanghai Jim, Feb 19, 2014.

  1. lionboxer

    lionboxer Member

    F7673578-0F51-43A2-8469-159689979FA3.jpeg It was on this hill feature here somewhere but I’m not sure which is Ring and which is Pimple mentioned in the war diary.
     
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  2. lionboxer

    lionboxer Member

  3. lionboxer

    lionboxer Member

    AF6681DA-2FCB-40EB-A5DC-DCFE1F65DD25.jpeg The sketch was drawn from a more westward position. I think these are the right locations.
     
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  4. mike331278

    mike331278 Member

    Thanks Lionboxer, appreciated. is it possible to see the war diary entry? mention them being killed. can you attach or send a link where I could view it

    Thanks for your help
     
  5. lionboxer

    lionboxer Member

    I hope I’ve got this right!
     

    Attached Files:

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  6. lionboxer

    lionboxer Member

    Not in order but all there!
     

    Attached Files:

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  7. mike331278

    mike331278 Member

    thanks so much :)
     
  8. Skoyen89

    Skoyen89 Senior Member

    Hi Mike331278

    It is very clear from the War Diary that your great-grandfather was buried by the padre after the battle on 18th April with others whose bodies were found when Pimple was taken.

    I've spent some time going through the CWGC documents and the Casualty Lists for the few days either side of 15th April. The three men given as missing in the War Diary above were also discovered so there do not seem to be any killed who remain missing and all were buried at Map Ref 491734 on the Imphal-Ukhrul Road. On 18 Nov 1944 a Grave Concentration Unit moved most of the graves from there to Imphal but there were two that were missed and were 'concentrated' to Imphal on 3.5.45. One of these (Pte CGD Mott) was buried at the same time as your great grand-father. However three of the graves could not have been found as they are commemorated on the Rangoon Memorial.

    Finally I checked the Imphal War Cemetery to see if there were any 'Unknown Soldier' graves next to the graves of the Suffolks and I cannot see any. This suggests your great grandfather was not buried as 'unknown'. Hence it is likely he is still buried where he was buried in 1944 (with DeFue and Narduzzo who were both with him in 'D' Company and are also commemorated on the Rangoon Memorial with no known grave).
     

    Attached Files:

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  9. Skoyen89

    Skoyen89 Senior Member

    A brief update: behind the scenes we have been working on this one (Lionboxer and myself in the UK and Rajeshwor Yumnam in Imphal with Sharon Gibson who is David Tod's great grand-daughter). We put together the story of the attack and the locations, including Pimple which is on the northern slopes of Pt 4057. Pt 4057 is the largest hill nearest the camera in the shots above.

    In summary Raj led a team from the Imphal WWII Foundation who spent two days on the hill this week. They believe they found Pimple and also the location of the original burials but unfortunately not the missing graves. They left behind a memorial stone to David Tod. I will leave Raj and the team to post photos of their adventures - they did the climb whilst we were watching on through a link via Messenger and the 4G network there!!
     
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  10. mike331278

    mike331278 Member

    Big thanks, Sharon's kept me updated and I did see the photos, I do hope the find the graves that would be amazing after all this time, appreciate everyone's help to help Sharon
     
  11. Skoyen89

    Skoyen89 Senior Member

    Admin - it would be good to move this to 'India and Burma' under 'Theatres'
     
  12. Murdo Duncan

    Murdo Duncan Closed Account

    My father, Lt Murdo MacLeod Duncan, was wounded on the 15th April 1944 whilst serving with the 2 Suffolks. Can anyone find a War Diary reference for the Suffolks that day please? My mother received a telegram afterwards from the War Office and I've attached it. Many thanks in advance, Murdo
     

    Attached Files:

  13. Tony56

    Tony56 Member Patron

  14. Murdo Duncan

    Murdo Duncan Closed Account

    Hi Tony and I had seen these, and the same dates too, and the main reason why I asked about my father and just wonder why there is no mention of his incident? I appreciate that not all records exist and I believe that there is a chapter in a book about the Suffolks which I can't find online.
     
  15. Tony56

    Tony56 Member Patron

    He is mentioned:
    diary2.jpeg
     
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  16. Murdo Duncan

    Murdo Duncan Closed Account

    Wow!!!!! How can I download thiis or would you allow me can to make a screen shot?
     
  17. lionboxer

    lionboxer Member

    Murdo last weekend another trek to Pimple took place and will be the subject of an ITN news report sometime next week.
     
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  18. Murdo Duncan

    Murdo Duncan Closed Account

    Hello Lionboxer and very interesting but I am afraid that I live in Morocco so will not be able to see it. I wonder if I write to them they'd give me a link after it has been shown? My father didn't mention Pimple but a number and I must look again at what I have typed because he left two audio tapes in 1997 and I have only just gotten around to ready them (too difficult for various reasons beforehand).
     
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  19. Murdo Duncan

    Murdo Duncan Closed Account

    Morning Tony and where did you manage to get this report? Could you please show me the next page/paragraph as well? I'll try and re-type it again in same format for my brother and sister. Marvelous work!
     
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  20. Tony56

    Tony56 Member Patron

    The diary extracts were posted on here by 'lionboxer' - just follow the link I included in my post #2.

    By the way, have you got his service records that will give the story of his service? You should allow 12 months for them to arrive, but worth the wait and the only way.
    Get a copy of military service records
     

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