2nd Bn King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry 1941/42

Discussion in 'Burma & India' started by High Wood, Mar 29, 2020.

  1. bamboo43

    bamboo43 Very Senior Member

    I have a photograph of William Mustill, but I cannot remember where I got it from? If you would like a copy let me know.
     
  2. dryan67

    dryan67 Senior Member

    Sure. I would like a copy. You can start a conversation with me or post in the thread.
     
  3. Wow, That is simply amazing and seeing that brought a lump to my throat. Thank you so much for posting that. I would love to try and buy the letters. would you be kind enough to perhaps let me know what auction site these were on? Thanks again
     
  4. High Wood

    High Wood Well-Known Member

    I am 99% sure that it was listed on Ebay some time ago. I remember thinking that at it was relatively expensive as the letter was missing. The seller was a philatelist and was pricing it for the stamp and the postmark rather than the poignant story that the envelope told.
     
  5. I came by this site because of my uncle Geoffrey. He was commissioned into the 2nd Battalion, King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry in October 1941. I would be interested in finding out more about him and have ordered the Tanner book as a starter. This is what I wrote for the family a few years ago:-

    "The regimental history provides an overriding impression that the KOYLI was woefully ill equipped when they went into action against the Japanese in 1941, despite having been in Burma for a few years.

    Apparently, the battalion that Geoffrey joined was keen, well trained and highly regarded for their capability in traditional warfare. However, their primary role was to provide “aid to the civil power” so they did not have the training or equipment to fight the brutal jungle warfare that was to prevail.

    The shortage of equipment meant that that they didn’t even have tin helmets. The significance of this is that the Japanese small calibre and low power .356 bullet was, apparently, often deflected by the high quality of the British “tin hat”. The whole battalion of approx. 600 men was provided with 96 shovels and 42 picks (and there were no replacements available either). They also had a shortage of entrenching tools, so they were unable to dig in but mostly had to fight the Japanese in the open.

    An essential for jungle warfare was a good compass and they only had 20. They had no 2” mortars and only four of the heavier 3” type and no satisfactory way of carrying either the mortars or ammunition. There were no sniper rifles, and the machine gun platoon had their Vickers .303 machine guns taken away to be used by a Burmese unit guarding an airfield (which, in the event, never even fired a single shot in anger). They didn’t have any wireless sets, no mines or materials for making booby traps.

    The battalion should have had 52 lorries and drivers but only received 7 and even those were in a bad state of repair. They should also have had 10 Bren gun carriers but they were away being trained and didn’t re-join until halfway through the campaign, when they were made in into a brigade carrier platoon i.e. not under the sole command of the battalion.

    This appalling situation can be explained by the fact that at the time, the overriding priority was the defence of the UK, with only a mere trickle of equipment making it to Singapore and Malaya. Even less of this vital kit made it to Burma.

    So, in the autumn 1941, the KOYLI were not well equipped to fight in the jungle. In fact, the British Army was not quite certain on the best doctrine on how to conduct warfare in dense jungle. In addition, there was no intelligence on Japanese training or jungle warfare tactics. This was compounded by completely misleading intelligence reports, including one that stated that the Japanese would not move or fight at night.

    The 2nd Battalion KOYLI were engaged in fierce fighting as they retreated from the Japanese. In the regimental history, Geoffrey first gets a mention in the retreat from Salween to Sittang where his 13th Platoon surprised a large party of Japanese travelling on bicycles.

    Having retreated from Sittang, after very tough rearguard fights, they then had to cross the Sittang river after the bridge was blown. This meant that the men had to build rafts or swim across while being machine gunned, at leisure, by Japanese aircraft. The size of this tidal river can be determined by the fact that the crossing took, on average, two hours to cover the 1000 yards. It would appear that Geoffey’s platoon was one of the last to cross. Despite some outstanding feats of endurance and bravery, the 2nd Battalion KOYLI was now reduced to around 80 officers and men, including Geoffrey.

    When the battalion was near Hmawbi, Geoffrey is noted as being “an efficient and fearless young officer, who had already distinguished himself at Sittang”. While in trucks, his platoon ran into a road block and his CO mortally wounded. Geoffrey is recorded as having tried to unsuccessfully set the Japanese position on fire with grenades.

    Geoffrey is then sent to investigate some significant movement of a large body of unknown troops with Cpl Howson. After crawling up to the road, they observed the enemy troop movements for nearly an hour. They lay so close to the road that there were nearly trodden on by Japanese officer’s horse that shied.

    It was recognised later that the Battalion’s rearguard action at Magwe, on the banks of the Irrawaddy, effectively saved the 1st Brigade.

    It was during this action that Geoffrey was sent out with two men to investigate some heavy firing. They were suddenly fired on about three miles east and the only survivor, Private K.C. Burrows, who was injured in the leg, saw L/Cpl Winstanley and Geoffrey fall. Burrows manged to make his way north and fell in with some Indian soldiers who brought him back over the Yin Chaung. That night a huge force of Japanese closed in on the Battalion and the CO ordered a withdrawal just before the Japanese entered their positions.

    The KOYLI fought magnificently during the whole of the four and half month tragic campaign of the evacuation of Burma to India. But it was at a terrible cost. On arrival at Imphal, there were only 6 officers and 85 men left.

    We are not a particular military family but, like millions of others, my relatives of that generation stepped forward to do their bit. As was so often the case, the best were taken first. Geoffrey was apparently the most talented of the four brothers. I can believe that, as we have a beautifully constructed mahogany gun cabinet that Geoffrey designed and built. It could have been made by a professional and skilled cabinet maker. He was also considered the brightest of the four as well and was, I believe, an Oxbridge graduate.

    More than 50 of the 2nd Battalion KOYLI were posted as “missing believed killed”, all without known graves, which included Geoffrey. A fact I personally find so very sad and moving.

    As a memorial, his brother, Humphrey (who finished the war as Lt Col in the Royal Artillery), sponsored this plaque at the King Edward VII Hospital, London. Geoffrey's Memorial plaque at KE hospital.jpg
     
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  6. bamboo43

    bamboo43 Very Senior Member


    Here is the photograph. Thinking back, it may have been sold on eBay a good few years ago and I grabbed it. Very naughty I know:

    Mustill WE. 4696145. copy 2.jpg
     
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  7. dryan67

    dryan67 Senior Member

    Thanks for the picture. What a great connection.
     
  8. Does anybody happen to have a photo of 2nd Lt Geoffrey Cranfield? It seems no one in the immediate family seems to have one! That would be much appreciated. Very many thanks.
     
  9. High Wood

    High Wood Well-Known Member

    Sadly no, but I did find this letter for sale on the internet. It appears to be in the same handwriting as the other one that I posted.

    Cranfield (2).jpg
     
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  10. Skoyen89

    Skoyen89 Senior Member

    Came across this background on Capt Anthony Andrew Wilson who is mentioned above. he was KIA on 30 March 1942

    . Harrogate Herald 10 June 1942 Capt Wilson.JPG
     
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  11. High Wood

    High Wood Well-Known Member

    Many thanks for posting the newspaper article. I am glad to see that this thread is still being added to.
     
  12. I have now obtained a photo of Geoffrey Cranfield, taken in 1938.

    Geoffrey Cranfield 1938.jpg
    I have to say he was quite a handsome chap but then I may be a tad biased....
     
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  13. Skoyen89

    Skoyen89 Senior Member

    A thought HighWood..... have you gone through the WO361 file for KOYLI 1942? Not for those missing but they often have lists of potential witnesses and correspondence with those who were there and survived.
     
  14. High Wood

    High Wood Well-Known Member

    I have not seen the file and I am unlikely to get down to Kew to see it. I would like to see it if anyone has a copy.
     
  15. Skoyen89

    Skoyen89 Senior Member

    One for the list next time I go.....
     
  16. Skoyen89

    Skoyen89 Senior Member

    High Wood

    Christmas comes early!!!! I have just found I have both WO361/206 and WO361/207 already which are the KOYLI Missing personnel files for 1942-4 and 1945-6. You are welcome to a soft copy. Lets message a how we best do this.

    All the best
     
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  17. Does anybody, by chance, happen to have a picture of face 19 of the Rangoon Memorial with Geoffrey Cranfield's names on it? If so, I would be most grateful to see an image. Many thanks
     
  18. 4jonboy

    4jonboy Daughter of a 56 Recce

  19. Thank you so much, that is really appreciated. Very poignant to see his name on the memorial.
     
  20. bamboo43

    bamboo43 Very Senior Member

    Thank you S89, much appreciated.
     

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