THE FORGOTTEN WAR. The China India Burma theatre.

Discussion in 'Burma & India' started by Ranger6, Apr 6, 2010.

  1. China Hand

    China Hand No Longer A Forum Member

    Bamboo.[/QUOTE]

    There are at least five volumes published between early 1950s and late 1960s. The only one I see with 1957 pub date is Vol.2, Hong Kong; Malaya; Iceland and the Faroes; Libya, 1942-1943; North-West Africa - so probably not the one you want.
     
  2. bamboo43

    bamboo43 Very Senior Member

    Hi China/Jason,

    I am having one of those wonderful weeks, keep finding new info for my research. Two things cropped up today:

    WO177/ 2087 is the reference for the 19th Casualty Clearing Station. So many thanks to you China for that heads up. I shall be looking at that next time I visit the NA.

    Dr. Matthew M. Campbell, I found this on the Burma Star website.

    DR MATTHEW M. CAMPBELL MBE

    Son Matthew writes "

    I am writing to give you some information about my father Dr Matthew M Campbell Army no 250651

    He served with the 7th Bn Royal Leicesters as the medical officer of 47 Column in the 1944 Chindits operation.

    He was awarded the Military MBE for evacuating a train of brigade sick and wounded from the Namkwin Chaung via Hkawan and Ngusharawang to Pahok. He then evacuated 2 more brigade convoys in quick succession from Ngashurwang to Pahok.

    In all he was successful in evacuating some 400 officers ,nco's and men.

    He died in Stirling in August 2000 at the age of 81.

    I am planning to go to Burma on 26 December 2001 to see the area where he fought and would appreciate any information you could give me.

    Sadly somewhat out of date, but more info none the less.

    Yesterday was my day, as you will know if you've read my post 'an amazing day!!' Posted late last night.

    Thanks again gents for your help.

    Bamboo.
     
  3. China Hand

    China Hand No Longer A Forum Member

    Nice one :) You reckon this is the Col Campbell DDMS chap ?
     
  4. bamboo43

    bamboo43 Very Senior Member

    Hi China,

    To be honest its hard to say, I worked off of Jason's name from the Chindit Awards section on the 'chinditsinfo' website. I was lucky to bump into his son's information request on the Burma Star family pages.

    Bamboo.
     
  5. wtid45

    wtid45 Very Senior Member

    Thought I would post a few of the You Tube films ref Burma inspired by Sols post on the 12 mile Snipers;) [YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msSoYL3Y47A&feature=related[/YOUTUBE]
     
  6. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    I've avoided posting in this thread as I know very little about the fighting in the far east and try to avoid looking too much for fear of wanting to know more and ending up with another obsession like the BEF.

    The only bokk I have on this area is the forgotten series book on the campaign and I was surprised to read after flicking through to see if there was anything to add to this thread that most of the accunts down play what the Chindits did in WW2 basically saying it was a waste of time and achieved very little.

    Quite surprising considering there is so much information available on them and their commander.

    Just my 2 cents worth. I may post some of the recollections if anyone is interested?

    Cheers
    Andy
     
  7. wtid45

    wtid45 Very Senior Member

    And this one about the Chindits [YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsSPd9Umqvk&feature=related[/YOUTUBE]
     
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  8. wtid45

    wtid45 Very Senior Member

    Drew, yes please mate as I have still to get that book I would be more than intrested in any recollections you could post cheers Jason.
     
  9. sol

    sol Very Senior Member

    Nice videos Jason. Thanks
     
  10. sol

    sol Very Senior Member

  11. greycat

    greycat Junior Member

    Hi Guys

    I am very glad to find this site.

    I am trying to gain information on my father's service during WWII. I'm going to apply to get his army records but was hoping that you may be able to help me fill in details of the history.

    From what I can gather he enlisted in the KOSB 2nd Battalion when he was taken off his reserved occupation.

    From memory he travelled to India on the Britanic (he was around 22 at the time putting it around 1943/44). He was a sniper. I remember him talking about Burma, the Khyber Pass, and Punjab and working with the Gurka's whom he had anormous respect for.

    He did say that they were "forgotten about" and "treated like ****" when they returned to England. I've tried finding historical books on the subject but have not been able to find anything - any suggestions welcome.

    I remember his talking about their piper being shot, whilst marching up a hill with a sargeant . . . I really wish I'd got dad to write his history down, as he died in 1990.

    Our next door neighbour when I was growing up (in Australia) was a Chindit who from what dad said was in Burma when things were "pretty nasty". He was Scottish.

    Any information or pointing in the right direction would be very much appreciated.

    Regards

    Ali
     
  12. sol

    sol Very Senior Member

    Hi Ali and welcome to forum.

    There is a book "Borderers in Battle. The War Story of The King's Own Scottish Borderers, 1939-1945" by Capt. Hugh Gunning and you can find couple of copies on the Abebooks:

    Borderers in Battle - AbeBooks

    As far as I know (I didn't read this book) that is the only place where you probably can find more details about 2nd KOSB and I don't know for any other book which deal specifically with this unit.

    2nd KOSB was part of 89th Indian Brigade, 7th Indian Division, and took part in the Second Arakan Battle and during the Japanese counteroffensive battalion sent to the Admin Box as reinforcement. Later they were flown to Imphal and there it fought under 5th Indian Division. In early 1945, once more as part of 7th Indian Division, they marched towards the Irrawaddy and took part in defending the bridgehead over the river. The Battalion’s last battle took place at Prome in May 1945.

    Cheers
    Enes
     
  13. eddie chandler

    eddie chandler Senior Member

    Whilst out working, I managed to get a couple of shots of the Chindit memorial. At present they are upgrading the security walls adjacent to the statue along the embankment so I was a little restricted in what I could take. I will put this right on my next visit. Works should be completed circa end of August.
     

    Attached Files:

    sol likes this.
  14. Clinton Johns

    Clinton Johns Junior Member

    Hi China, Were you in Shanghai in 1935-1938, reason I'm asking my father was there with the Lancashire Fusiliers.
     
  15. China Hand

    China Hand No Longer A Forum Member

    Hi China, Were you in Shanghai in 1935-1938, reason I'm asking my father was there with the Lancashire Fusiliers.

    Hi, if you mean me, sadly that was slightly before my time...I am somewhat younger ;) I was there in 2002-2008 (not in uniform, clearly) !

    Do you have any photos/artefacts etc about your father's service that you could share ? :)
     
  16. bamboo43

    bamboo43 Very Senior Member

    I would like to thank China Hand for letting me know the TNA file references for medical establishments in India during WW2.

    I picked up 71 names of personnel directly connected to the welfare and medical attention of the 1943 Chindit soldiers. Most of these names came from the War diaries of the 19th Casualty Clearing Station, Imphal 1943 and the Hospital ship 'Karapara' War diary for 1945. The latter transported the POW's of Rangoon Jail, back across the water to Calcutta.

    A great find and fantastic addition to my roll.

    Bamboo.
     
  17. China Hand

    China Hand No Longer A Forum Member

    Cheers Bamboo glad it was a good source :)
     
  18. eddie chandler

    eddie chandler Senior Member

    China Hand

    Do the refs cover the medical establishments during the second Chindit campaign. If so would you mind passing the TNA file ref onto me also. I am trying to trace where my Great grandfather went after he was shot whilst figthing in Operation Thursday

    Cheers

    Ed
     
  19. China Hand

    China Hand No Longer A Forum Member

    China Hand

    Do the refs cover the medical establishments during the second Chindit campaign. If so would you mind passing the TNA file ref onto me also. I am trying to trace where my Great grandfather went after he was shot whilst figthing in Operation Thursday

    Cheers

    Ed

    Hi, the only reference I mentioned to Bamboo43 was WO177, which is Army Medical Services: War Diaries, Second World War ; General Hospitals. I don't unfortunately have a full list of all the files in the series - there are 2980 apparently ! I had only looked at the one on 80th General Hospital as that was the one my relative served with. Sorry I cannot be more helpful.
     
  20. eddie chandler

    eddie chandler Senior Member

    Well that reference at least help me in the right direction, I shall plough through and see if I can narrow it down a bit!!!
     

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