36th Division in the Arakan

Discussion in 'Burma & India' started by Trow76, Aug 19, 2010.

  1. JimHerriot

    JimHerriot Ready for Anything

    Last visit to Bedwellty House in January of this year (2020).

    Staff there an absolute pleasure.

    A bright day, light streaming through the stained glass windows in the Burma Shrine area, so please forgive poor quality of old chap's photos and abundant reflections. Any amount of angling off, adjustment for range,elavation, and windage made little difference, but then again it may have just been operator error.

    Kind regards, always remember, never forget,

    Jim.

    Burma Shrine BHT 1.jpg

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    Burma Shrine BHT 9.jpg
     
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  2. bamboo43

    bamboo43 Very Senior Member

    Thanks Jim for these great images. Obviously a must visit for anyone with an interest in the Arakan campaign.
     
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  3. PackRat

    PackRat Well-Known Member

    Just going through the 72 Brigade HQ war diary from my last trip to the archives and remembered you mentioning your father in the 9th's mortar platoon, so thought these photos might be of interest. They show the fire-plan for the attack on the west tunnel, including the targets for the 3-inch mortars of 9 R Sussex.

    The associated report mentions our mortars, LMGs and MMGs firing from the area Pt 1079, which it places in map square 4141 - maybe that's the hill he was on that day. The other reports are for 10 Gloster's attack on Hambone/Sausage and the operation against the eastern tunnel.

    Img1.jpg Img2.jpg Img3.jpg Img4.jpg Img5.jpg Img6.jpg Img7.jpg Img8.jpg
     
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  4. PackRat

    PackRat Well-Known Member

    A little more on the fire support from Point 1079 - map detail and description of the feature from the diary of 'D' Coy 2 Manchesters (36 Division's MG company):

    DCoy2Manc.jpg

    Pt1079.jpg
     
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  5. Shiny 9th

    Shiny 9th Member

    Pack Rat, Many thanks for these. Will have close look.
     
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  6. Shiny 9th

    Shiny 9th Member

    PackRat, have printed out these pages but the typing is rather blurry in places and just wondered if originals were any clearer. I am looking at the Serials 111- V11 and checking for refs to the 9th.
    Serial 111: Item (4) refers to 3" Mortars on Sausage. Item (5) Attacking trops 9th R Sussex RV chaung in rear D? Coy SWB.
    Serial 1V: Item (3) 3" Mortars includes 9th R.Sussex on Able. Item (4) Attacking troops 9th R.Sussex to Start Line West of Tunnel. Item (6) Protective det 9th R.Sussex for Tks (Tanks?)
    Serial V1: Item (4) Attack by 9th R.Sussex pressed on sausage.
    Serial V11: Item (3) 9th Royal Sussex capture Sausage ....
    Have I read this correctly?
    Thanks
     
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  7. PackRat

    PackRat Well-Known Member

    Some of it is very hard to read, looks like the typewriter ribbon was running out. This is my reading after zooming right in on the originals:

    SERIAL III
    (4) 3" Mortar 9 R Sussex [firing from Point 1079 at targets on the Sausage feature]
    (5) Attacking troops 9 R Sussex RV chaung in rear D Coy SWB [rendezvous in the chaung behind D Coy 6 SWB]

    SERIAL IV
    (3) 3" Mortars 6 SWB, 10 Glosters, 9 R Sussex on ABLE [brigaded mortars firing on the Able feature]
    (4) Attacking troops 9 R Sussex to Start Line West of tunnel
    (6) Protective detachment 9 R Sussex for Tanks [from 149 Regt RAC - Shermans I think]

    SERIAL VI
    (4) Attack by 9 R Sussex pressed on SAUSAGE

    SERIAL VII
    (3) 9 R Sussex capture SAUSAGE and support 6 SWB attack on ABLE
     
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  8. Shiny 9th

    Shiny 9th Member

    Pack Rat.Much obliged.
     
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