Slim's Burma Boys E-Book

John Hill

• Herausgeber: Spellmount
• Kategorie: Geisteswissenschaft
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2019

Beschreibung

Slim's Burma Boys relates the personal experiences of men who fought the "Forgotten War" of the Burma campaign. Hill wanted his readers to know what it was like to be there and with this in mind he selected a variety of operations and events from B Company of the 2nd Battalion, the Royal Berkshire Regiment, which he commanded. He was one of the only men to survive the border crossing into Burma. The Company earned two Military Crosses, a Distinguished Conduct Medal, four Military Medals, and a mention in Despatches. Hill conveys the intensity of involvement in the action, experiencing the adrenaline rush as well as the fear and courage of those who took part in swollen river crossings, patrols, ambushes, skirmishes and major actions against a ruthless and determined enemy who would never surrender. His memoir is of general interest as well as a fitting memoir to his men and should be prescribed reading for all would-be officers and soldiers.

Leseprobe

First published 2007 by Spellmount Limited

This paperback edition published 2019

The History Press

97 St Georges Place

Cheltenham, GL50 3QB

www.thehistorypress.co.uk

© John Hill, 2007, 2019

The right of John Hill to be identified as the Author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without the permission in writing from the Publishers.

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data.

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

ISBN 978 0 7509 9280 0

Typesetting and origination by The History Press

Printed and bound in Great Britain by TJ International Ltd

eBook converted by Geethik Technologies

Contents

Foreword by Major General D.T. Crabtree CB

Acknowledgements and Editor’s Note

Preface

List of Maps and Illustrations

Introduction

  Chapter 1   A River Crossing: Rescue of the Signaller

  Chapter 2   Recovery of a Casualty Under Fire

  Chapter 3   ‘Ambush’

  Chapter 4   ‘Spare the Pagodas’

  Chapter 5   Muddy Waters

  Chapter 6   ‘Die to the Last Man’

  Chapter 7   Eliminate the Machine-gun in the Upstairs Room

  Chapter 8   Saving the Perimeter

  Chapter 9   ‘Expect the Unexpected’

Chapter 10   ‘They also Serve who only Stand and Wait’

Chapter 11   Unfinished Business

Chapter 12   Burma Revisited

Summary and Conclusion

Appendix 1

Annex A Burma, the Country and its People

Annex B A Leaflet Drop (translated from the Japanese)

Appendix 2

Annex A A Brief History of the Regiment

Annex B Order of the Day by 14th Army Commander

Annex C Military Organizations in 1944/5

Annex D Training for Jungle Warfare

Annex E Awards and Casualties

Foreword

Slim’s Burma Boys relates the personal experiences of men who fought the ‘Forgotten War’ of the Burma Campaign in the Second World War. Although it supplements John Hill’s excellent China Dragons, which HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip described in his foreword as ‘a worthy addition to the proud history of war’, it stands alone as a personal account. Hill wanted his readers to know what it was like to be there. With this in mind, he selected a variety of operations and events from his own B Company, 2nd Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment.

John Hill, the commander of B Company, was one of only forty-nine who survived out of the original 196 men of B Company who crossed the border into Burma in 1944. The company earned two Military Crosses, a Distinguished Conduct Medal, four Military Medals, and two Mentioned in Dispatches. Writing with first-hand knowledge, Hill conveys what it was like to be a part of the action and experience the adrenalin rush, the fear and courage of those who took part in swollen river crossings, patrols, ambushes, skirmishes, and major actions against a ruthless and determined enemy who would never surrender. His memoir is of general interest, as well as a fitting memorial to his men. It should be prescribed reading for all would-be officers and soldiers. It offers an insight into the need for continuous training and obedience to orders, whatever the circumstances. It explains the dreadful conditions in the jungles and mountains of Burma where disease and climate inevitably took their toll. It records the great fortitude and courage of all those who participated in that war.

Colonel John Hill MC, had not fully prepared Slim’s Burma Boys for publication before he died at eighty-three years of age. It has been left to family members and regimental friends to complete his work. We are indebted to him for writing this book and to his family for publishing it. Thanks to men like John Hill the ‘Forgotten War’ will not be forgotten.

Major General D.T. Crabtree CB

Former Colonel

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Royal Regiment

(Berkshire and Wiltshire)

Acknowledgements and Editor’s Note

Given that John Hill’s long and active life ended, sadly enough, shortly before this book was to be submitted to a publisher, it is not surprising that several people have contributed to its belated but welcome appearance. First to be mentioned is his granddaughter Lucy, who with loving care typed a full edition and compiled all parts of the book. Next, John sought the advice of his friend and exemplary military historian, Professor Richard Holmes. We are grateful to him for the detailed and clear advice he gave as to what minor changes in style and context would aid its acceptance by a readership probably born long after those with fading memories of the Second World War. We should also mention our gratitude to his two daughters, Mrs Jackie Cant and Mrs Monica Butt, who have been, from the beginning, most enthusiastic about the necessity of publishing this book in order to honour their father and the soldiers who served under his sure command.

This project was handed over to David Chilton, Curator of the Wardrobe Military Museum, who has successfully published several books by members of their original regiments. Vivian Ridley, one of a number of wardrobe volunteers, took on the task of detailed revision of the text, in line with Richard Holmes’ specific suggestions. To make this as straightforward as possible, Mrs Sian Bacon, another volunteer, re-typed the complete text into MS Word format; and a fine job she made of it. Next, the advice was sought of Martin McIntyre, a former Warrant Officer of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Royal Regiment, who has a special aptitude for the selection and improvement of dated photographs. Before submission to the publisher, another invaluable task was undertaken by volunteer Miss Naomi Shukman, who carefully scanned all the illustrations and their captions. Lastly, the text was re-checked for errors by Bernard Noble, AFC Squadron Leader (Rtd).

All notes or further explanations of the text have been grouped together at the end of the book in two Appendices. The author obtained permission from the Imperial War Museum to publish some of their photographs, for which we offer our thanks.

Finally, we are very grateful to a former colonel of the regiment and close friend of the author, Major General Derek Crabtree, for writing the foreword to this unique work.

John Hill was born in Christchurch, Hampshire. Educated at Clifton College and Sandhurst, he won two half blues for Pentathalon and Rowing and a prize for tactics. Commmissioned into the Royal Berkshire Regiment in 1938, he was posted to the Second Battalion in India. He saw active service in Burma and won the Military Cross. After the war his service included postings to the School of Infantry, Egypt, Germany and to Cyprus for the EOKA Emergency, where he received a Mention in Dispatches.

Preface

The title Slim’s Burma Boys came from a chance remark made on the occasion of the VJ Parade in 1995 for the fiftieth anniversary of the final end of the Second World War. Arriving in London to join the 14th Army Contingent of veterans on Horseguard’s Parade, I asked a senior police officer if he knew where the 14th Army Contingent would assemble. He said, ‘14th Army. Oh don’t you mean “Slim’s Burma Boys”?’ Field Marshal Sir William Slim, or ‘Bill’ to all who served in the 14th Army which he had commanded so brilliantly, would have been delighted that an onlooker should refer in this way to the men he had commanded. Down-to-earth informality set the scene for most of those who served under him. So here is an opportunity for some of ‘Slim’s Burma Boys’ to tell their own stories.

Ten of the following chapters provide close insight into active service conditions and of fiercely contested actions of an infantry rifle company in Burma during the Second World War. Neither over-glamorised or understated, the themes of these stories are as relevant today as they were more than sixty years ago. Typical of these are service to others, courage in adversity, dedication to duty, physical and mental endurance, all of which are bound together by cheerful self-sacrifice and self-discipline. These are bedrock principles for all human enterprise and endeavour, worth retelling as the twentieth century has drawn to a close. Although the world is now free from the risk of conflicts between world powers, it is now, however, deeply disturbed by international terrorism. Still a world in which service-inspired qualities are sometimes forgotten by young and old alike, these qualities may be called upon again today. It is a matter of great pride that so many of our countrymen, from all walks of life, worked together, often under conditions of great hardship and danger, to help in the defeat of an efficient and ruthless military machine, the Japanese Imperial Army.

1. The author, John Hill, during the war.

The eleventh chapter of this book draws together some important aspects of soldiering whose themes ran through all our activities. As these are seldom discussed in any depth, this chapter gives them an airing. The final chapter describes a memorable return visit to Burma and the celebrations in the UK on the fiftieth anniversary of the end of the war with Japan.

John Hill

List of Maps and Illustrations

                1.   The author, John Hill, during the war.

                2.   Maps of Burma and surrounding countries and B Company’s route through Burma.

                3.   Crossing a chaung on a makeshift bridge.

                4.   Crossing a chaung – the hard way.

                5.   Men of B Company, November, 1944.

           6., 7.   Typical jungle ambush country.

                8.   A clocktower in Mandalay City.

                9.   The ruins of Mandalay City.

              10.   A chinthe, the mythical guardian of Burmese pagodas and monasteries.

              11.   The Shwedagon Pagoda.

              12.   A pagoda complex.

              13.   The Irrawaddy river at Kabwet 409 miles north of Mandalay.

              14.   The Irrawaddy river crossing secured.

              15.   Private K.J. Wells.

              16.   The Irrawaddy at the Kyaukmyaung Crossing, forty miles north of Mandalay.

              17.   The price of war – a dead Japanese soldier.

              18.   A typical Burmese village house – the 2nd Battalion take cover.

              19.   Entering Madaya from the west.

              20.   A typical section of the perimeter defences.

              21.   Major General Rees and officers at Fort Dufferin.

              22.   A map of Mandalay City, March 1945.

              23.   Members of 2nd Battalion commence the attack on Mandalay Hill under Allied attack.

              24.   A news leaflet dropped to the Japanese, March 1945.

              25.   East of Toungoo – near the Mawchi Road.

26., 27., 28.   Dropping supplies from the air.

              29.   The Maiwand Lion in the Forbury Gardens, Reading, Berkshire.

              30.   Soldiers of 2nd Battalion with captured weapons.

              31.   Maymyo parish church, 1945.

              32.   Privates Reginald and Bernard Tully.

              33.   Lance Corporal W.J. Lowe.

              34.   VJ Day Parade, The Mall, 1995, led by the author, John Hill.

              35.   Mandalay Hill from the walls and moat of Fort Dufferin.

              36.   Taukkyan Cemetery, north of Rangoon.

              37.   St Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, Mandalay.

              38.   The author searching for graves in Rangoon Cemetery, 1995.

       39., 40.   Wartime graves marked by crosses at Mandalay Hill

              41.   The headstone on the grave of C.S.M. Staples in Taukkyan Cemetery, Rangoon.

              42.   Wreaths at the Cenotaph at Brock Barracks, Reading.

              43.   The author, John Hill, wearing his medals.

              44.   Teak trees on the Irrawaddy river.

              45.   An elephant logging on the Irrawaddy river.

              46.   B Company triumph at Kin-U.

              47.   Field Marshal the Viscount Slim – ‘Uncle Bill’.

              48.   The Ava Bridge.

              49.   B Company mules led by muleteers Bagley and Buckle.

              50.   B Company en route south near Toungoo.

              51.   Memories of Burma.

Introduction

After the end of the Battle of France, the retreat from Dunkirk and the ensuing total war in Europe, it was inevitable that the defence of the UK would become the overwhelming priority of the British government. Thereafter, the slow but steady recovery of lost land and the defeat of the German Armies in North Africa, Sicily and Italy kept pressure on the Axis Powers, while long-term preparations for the eventual invasion of the European continent were made. Even after Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor and her successful invasions of several countries of South-East Asia, fighting the Japanese in Asia was to remain a low priority compared to the war in Europe. In practical terms, those serving in Burma felt themselves to be ‘The Forgotten Army’. Despite the arduous conditions which prevailed, and the perceived tenacity and cruelty of the Japanese, operations were more distant, less spectacular. The operations were certainly less significant if measured by the delivery of up-to-date weaponry, such as armoured vehicles and the latest aircraft, as well as the lack of attention of the media.

In spite of these somewhat negative observations, by May 1945, when the European War had ended, some 750,000 men and women from Britain and the Commonwealth and Empire were immersed in the struggle for military supremacy against the Japanese in the India/Burma theatre of operations. A hazard of the environment, apart from the dense undergrowth encountered in the jungles, was the ubiquitous bamboo. Growing in large clumps, often twenty feet or more in height, the thick stems and bunched leaves created impassable terrain in many areas. Movement could only be made by cutting through the stems, thus slowing progress. Each man carried a dah, a long, broad knife, which was frequently used both in the advance and when preparing defensive positions. In soldiering terms, the terrain thus involved almost every category of military operations, namely mountain warfare, plains and village fighting, river-crossing and of course endless jungle warfare. Commando-style raids over fast-flowing rivers and severe problems in reinforcement and resupply were characteristic of all areas. Truly it can be said that soldiers in the Burma Campaign needed as wide a range of skills as in any other theatre of war.

The Allied Armies in India and Burma represented a unique brotherhood in the nations of the British, Indian, Gurkhas, East and West Africans, Malayans, Burmese and others, embracing many races and religious faiths. The United States supplied vital air and administrative backup in the later stages when elements of the Chinese Army also joined the Allied effort.

These events took place at a time when comradely support for each other and unselfish behaviour by the great majority of combatants were commonplace. In the Far East, the bonds of humanity, kinship and of co-operation in the face of brutality, loss of life and of friends gave those who remained the moral and spiritual uplift needed at the sharp end of battle. Against a background of chronic tropical diseases, enervating climatic conditions and the paucity of medical stores, a steely will to survive in all circumstances was engendered. Far away from homes and families, high morale was a prerequisite.

Throughout the land battles in the 14th Army area of north-west and central Burma, as well as the 15 Corps area of the Arakan, soldiers in forward units, whether African, Indian, Gurkha or British, mostly marched and fought carrying all their needs and emergency supplies on their backs. A few Jeeps and trailers, mule trains of varying sizes and a valuable air supply organisation gave the vital administrative backup to maintain the advance over the hundreds of miles covered. In the intense heat, through the jungles, across the great rivers over the vast hills and mountains, and astride the seldom-used dirt tracks and under-developed roads, B Company, 2nd Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment, was just one element among the battalions, brigades and divisions which waged this total war. As part of the 14th Army in the 19th Indian (Dagger) Division, similar activities to those related here occurred in many units, but this account under the title Slim’s Burma Boys dedicates itself to the real-life experiences of the officers, NCOs and men of B Company in eight isolated situations, offered as examples of soldiering ‘over there’. Typically, these randomly selected examples demonstrate the day-to-day activities in contact with the enemy, as well as large-scale, set-piece operations.

These isolated situations do not therefore refer to the major engagements where carefully planned attacks, supported by British and Indian gunners, Sikh machine-gunners and our own battalion mortars, involved the whole battalion. In these engagements, B Company was heavily committed, marking the high points of a series of tough, volatile and fast-moving actions. All of these, without exception, exposed each man to direct small-arms and shell fire, while attacks across bullet-swept scrub and open ground were made. Higher levels of casualties inevitably resulted compared to those incurred from ‘routine’ patrols and when returning fire from dug-in positions.

In just three of our major battles, the casualties in B Company were as follows:

Location

KIA

Wounded

Totals

KIN-U (48 hrs)

  6

11

17

KABWET (10 days)

  7

18

25

MANDALAY (14 days)

10

21

31

Totals

23

50

73

Full details of the total numbers killed, missing or died of wounds, or who were wounded throughout the campaign, together with the names of those killed, are shown in Appendix 2, Annex E.

It must be said at the outset that the infantry, as in most operations, were supported by a large number of other arms and services, all co-ordinated by higher HQ staff officers. Without such support, these campaigns would be impossible. Inevitably, in Burma soldiers from other arms and services become immersed, from time to time, in front-line infantry fighting. All infantrymen, everywhere in this theatre of operations, acknowledged this vital support and involvement in enabling objectives to be gained and ascendancy over the Japanese to be won, both in attack and defence.