Hello everyone. I suppose rather than a specific question, I want to get some idea of what my father did during the war. he only reached the age of 18 in 1944 and initially enlisted in the RAF but ended up serving in Burma with the Gloucesterhire Regiment, I presume from about 1944/5. He told us little bits of information but unfortunately he's no longer here to ask. I wonder what he did, where he went, what his duties and activities were. I remember him saying something about their plane broke down and they ended up walking miles then had to be shipped back to England. He told us about the Japanese prisoners and how respectful they were and they'd bow a little as you passed. I have a few photos too that he took mainly of the beautiful architecture and some of the people. He told us that he was sitting in the back of a lorry with other soldiers and how scared they all were because they were about to set out into an area where they knew the Japanese were. He was very unwell when he came back and had amoebic dysentry, the up side of that story is that he ended up being in hospital back in Bristol, where he was to meet Mum. I'm about to apply for his Service Records but I know these can take some time, so in the meantime thought I'd see if anyone could give me some hints about what their purpose was and how long they were stationed there before coming back as I'm trying to build a better time line of his entry and when he came home etc. I'm going to scroll through the Forum and see what i can find, but wanted to introduce myself and say hello. Thanks in advance.
I've just flipped a couple of photos over one says 1945 and the other says July 1946, so I know he was there during this period. He took quite a few photos and this may help to define his service better. He took photos of Shewdagon Pagoda The reclining Budda Chinese Gate old Garrison theatre He was at Colombo Harbour looking at H.M.S.Glasgow He travelled on the Rangoon railway through what looks like Myanmar Station?? He had a view of Burma plane from Rangoon railway Photo of the RAF hanger at RAF Station from Rangoon Prome or Rome Rd I suspect these were photos he took along the journey to where he was stationed and may not necessarily help much but thought it might be worth adding.
Hi Welcome The first place to start any research on someones military past is to obtain their military service record this provides the skeleton onto which you can if you wish add the flesh from this forum or many other sources but at least you are on the right track - link for records - Request records of deceased service personnel - GOV.UK TD
Photo of the RAF hanger at RAF Station from Rangoon Prome or Rome Rd. Sounds like RAF Mingaladon now Yangon international Airport. Where Spitfires are supposed to be buried.
Ah okay. I've just read up about the spitfires. It's all good stuff, as it builds a picture for those of us who have no real conception of what happened during those years. Thanks..
If he was with Glos Rgt in 44 and 45 he would have been part of 36th Division and fought his way down through the Railway Corridor in Northern Burma towards Mandalay.10th Btn.Glos were very much involved in some key battles here.
Bung the pics up on the site and some of our learned colleagues will be able to offer pointers... Basic info comes from some of the historical titles, when it comes to a grounding on what happened... what have you got and/or read...? (ps welcome to the slippery slope)
