Hello. My grandfather was a solider in the Burma campaign. In the 25th Dragoons/ 3rd Carbinners under the royal armoured corps. I'm just trying to find out more information about what his role was and his service. Also I'm trying to make a uniform impression of his kit for historical reenactment purposes But I don't know which division or Army command he served under while in burma. All I know he was a tank commander in a M3 Lee tank then transferred to a Sherman? Also which tactical recognition flash did he wear. Many thanks
This document might be of some assistance to you http://www.fireandfury.com/painting/burmaarmypaintingguide.pdf The 50th Indian Armoured Brigade was withdrawn from the Arakan at the end of that campaign in March / April 1945. When the 25th Dragoons left Burma in 1945 they left 50th Indian Army Tank Brigade and came under the direct control of XXXIV Corps. They were then based at Coconanda from June 1945 to train on Sherman Mk.III DD (M4A2). It was planned to use them in Operation Zipper, the invasion of Malaya on 9 Sept 1945, but their part in the eventual unopposed landings was cancelled. They got as far as being loaded onto LSTs at Madras around 6 August 1945 but were unloaded again the next day. It is believed that some of their DD tanks may have been used earlier in the year in the Mediterranean. The 25th Dragoons and 146th RAC were replaced in 50th Indian Tank Brigade by the 13th Duke of Connaught's Own Lancers from 31 Indian Armoured Division which was returning to India from Persia / Iran. At that point the Brigade's three regiments standardised on the Sherman V (M4A4) in place of the previous mix of Stuarts, Lees, Grants and Sherman III (M4A2). Again it was planned that they would participate in Operation Zipper, going ashore from D+3. That move was however cancelled. 3rd Carabiniers left Burma on 18 June 1945 and remained with the 254 Indian Armoured Brigade on their return to India. In July 1945 they moved to Ahmednagar in July and began training on the Churchill tank. The period prior to this does not really lie within my area of interest. I haven't read it for a while but it might be worth laying your hands on a copy of "Tank Tracks to Rangoon. The Story of British Armour in Burma" by Bryan Perrett https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tank-Track...=tank+tracks+to+rangoon&qid=1581339034&sr=8-1
Hi I have copies of the 25 Dragoon Guards war diaries from 1942 to 1945 and 3 Carabineers from 1939 to 1944. I can provide you with copies of any year if you are happy to donate my normal fee to my son's charity fundraiser. Cheers and good luck with your research.
Ewen. Thank you so much for this it's exactly what I was looking for. I've been searching for a long time trying to find the correct details. But nothing. This has been a great read and has helped a lot
I've just remembered that there is another book, now long out of print, and which sells for ridiculous sums on Amazon which might be worth considering if you are feeling rich. £50 for 32 pages is a bit much for me. But you might be able to track down a copy cheaper on fleabay. https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0980463...colid=I38YUH7DZNUG&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it
There is a Facebook group called WW2 Burma Research Group and there are a number of others interested on 25th Dragoons and 3rd Carabiniers there and some interesting posts there. Have you tried searching on here for either unit? It would help if you knew when your grandfather served with each. The 25th Dragoons were made up from a cadre of 3rd Carabiniers but the 25th were in the Arakan whilst the 3rd were in the Battle of Imphal. If he was in the 25th in 1944 there is an excellent book here: Some Letters from Burma by Tom Grounds - AbeBooks
I wish I knew. He was a very private man when it came to his war stories. He told me one once that had him in tears a man who never cried. If anyone has heard of this story please let me know. About a Japanese night attack on his camp killed a chef took this head off? Then he stopped reading. I remember that like he told me yesterday.
