Description
Object description
Collection of accounts relating to his service with the 1st Burma Rifles and afterwards with the Special Operation Executive (SOE)'s Force 136 in Burma, 1940 - 1945, consisting of: a ts account (7pp, written in January 1948) of his experiences as an officer with the 1st Burma Rifles (1st Burma Brigade, 1st Burma Division) from training at Kangyi (1940) to evacuation along the Chindwin to Kalewa (April 1942) following the retreat from their defensive position on the Burma/Thailand Road; a copy of his ts report (31pp) on 'Dah Force' operations in the Kachin Hills (March - July 1944) as commanding officer of the force, covering their movements during efforts to organise a Kachin rebellion during the Second Chindit Expedition into northern Burma and problems encountered over supply, personnel and Chinese guerrillas, with related correspondence (12pp) with Brigadier Shelford Bidwell concerning his research on the Chindits (March 1977 - January 1978); and a ts transcription of his diary (20pp) kept during the SOE Operation 'Hainton' (later Operation Heavy, Team Wolf) in Kentung State, Burma (20 February - 4 July 1945) in which he was involved in the recruitment and training of locals and in planning raids on Thai and Japanese forces, creating disturbances along the Salween and northern Siam lines of communication. The purpose of Dah Force, which was composed of some 70 British, Burmese and Hong Kong officers and other ranks, was to organise a Kachin rebellion in the hills, but they achieved only limited success as they were unable to operate in their most promising recruiting district and their 270 Kachin levies were ill-trained; the report also emphasises problems over supply and in relations with the other British units (Morris Force and an SOE detachment) and Chinese guerrillas operating in the area.
Content description
Collection of accounts relating to his service with the 1st Burma Rifles and afterwards with the Special Operation Executive (SOE)'s Force 136 in Burma, 1940 - 1945, consisting of: a ts account (7pp, written in January 1948) of his experiences as an officer with the 1st Burma Rifles (1st Burma Brigade, 1st Burma Division) from training at Kangyi (1940) to evacuation along the Chindwin to Kalewa (April 1942) following the retreat from their defensive position on the Burma/Thailand Road; a copy of his ts report (31pp) on 'Dah Force' operations in the Kachin Hills (March - July 1944) as commanding officer of the force, covering their movements during efforts to organise a Kachin rebellion during the Second Chindit Expedition into northern Burma and problems encountered over supply, personnel and Chinese guerrillas, with related correspondence (12pp) with Brigadier Shelford Bidwell concerning his research on the Chindits (March 1977 - January 1978); and a ts transcription of his diary (20pp) kept during the SOE Operation 'Hainton' (later Operation Heavy, Team Wolf) in Kentung State, Burma (20 February - 4 July 1945) in which he was involved in the recruitment and training of locals and in planning raids on Thai and Japanese forces, creating disturbances along the Salween and northern Siam lines of communication. The purpose of Dah Force, which was composed of some 70 British, Burmese and Hong Kong officers and other ranks, was to organise a Kachin rebellion in the hills, but they achieved only limited success as they were unable to operate in their most promising recruiting district and their 270 Kachin levies were ill-trained; the report also emphasises problems over supply and in relations with the other British units (Morris Force and an SOE detachment) and Chinese guerrillas operating in the area.
History note
Cataloguer RWAS
History note
Catalogue date 1979-02-06