Hi I recently bought a standard set of four medals (1939-45 Star, Burma Star, War Medal, Defence Medal) to Trooper WT Field 320644. They are privately engraved and there is no documentation with them. I had noticed that he was wounded on 18.4.44 whilst serving with 45 Recce (from the Casualty Lists on FindMyPast) and so was a Chindit. This was when 16 Brigade were advancing on Indaw - from the 45 Recce War Diaries posted on this site. I would like to find out more about his service. His number suggests he enlisted pre-1942 and was initially Cavalry of The Line. However I don't have a death cert to order his documentation from the MOD and am struggling to find him on the family websites. Any suggestions for routes to follow? Is there a list of 45 Recce personnel anywhere (ie in a Regimental Museum or in private collections?) ((Also posted in 'Recce' but getting no response there)
Hi Skoyen89, Sounds like an interesting group you have there. Sadly, I have not come across any nominal rolls for 45 Recce on my Chindit research travels. For reading purposes, there are a couple of books you could read. Obviously there is Bernard Fergusson's Wild Green Earth, which covers 16 Brigade's journey in 1944. Also there is a book called To Be A Chindit, by Phil Sharpe, who was a member of one of the 45 Recce Columns on Operation Thursday. These might at least give you some background on Trooper Field's latter service during WW2.
