Description
Object description
A photocopy of his ts memoir illustrated with photographs and contemporary documents (79pp, written c.1996), recording his service as a Corporal with the 1st Battalion Essex Regiment, including joining the Army at Whitehall, London (April 1938); training with the 2nd Battalion Essex Regiment at Warley Barracks in Brentwood, Essex, participating in the Aldershot Tattoo (no dates); embarkation overseas to serve with the 1st Battalion Essex Regiment (23rd Brigade, 70th Division) in Egypt (?October 1939 – January 1940), at Atbara in the Sudan (January 1940 – August 1940), patrolling the border with Eritrea (August 1940 - ?September 1940) and with Ethiopia (October 1940), attacking and taking Gallabat (November 1940) and advancing into Ethiopia to Matamma (November 1940 – December 1940); training at Haifa and Jericho in Palestine (January 1941 – May 1941); the occupation of Iraq (May 1941 – June 1941), defending Fallujah against Iraqi attack and taking Baghdad (May 1941); operations against the Vichy French in Syria (June 1941 – August 1941), capturing Palmyra from Foreign Legion, and in the Lebanon (August 1941 – September 1941), capturing Saida; taking part in the Siege of and break-out from Tobruk (?September 1941 – November 1941) where he miraculously survived a direct hit on his position by a German dive-bomber; in Egypt for leave and embarkation for Bombay, India (January 1942 – March 1942); training at Ranchi, India (March 1942 – July 1942); operations in the Arakan, Burma (July 1942); volunteering to join the Chindits (no date); training at Saugor, India (late 1942); active service with the 5th Column during the First Chindit Expedition in India and Burma (February 1943 – May 1943), when he was captured by the Japanese but managed to escape and link up with the 3rd Column before reaching India (June 1943); convalescing in Jhansi hospital (June 1943 – September 1943) before rejoining 1st Battalion Essex Regiment and serving with the 44th Column during the Second Chindit Expedition (Operation THURSDAY, February 1944 - August 1944) in the Naga Hills, attacking Japanese supply lines until wounded four times by a machine gun; being operated on without any anaesthetic and evacuated to hospital and then the UK until discharged (June 1944 – April 1945); and commenting on the preventative measures against disease, notably malaria; the magnificent co-operation of the RAF, providing supply drops; the organisation, equipment and weapons of Chindit columns, the reliance on wireless for communications, the Nagas, American 'K' rations, evacuating the sick and wounded; and mentioning T E Lawrence.
Content description
A photocopy of his ts memoir illustrated with photographs and contemporary documents (79pp, written c.1996), recording his service as a Corporal with the 1st Battalion Essex Regiment, including joining the Army at Whitehall, London (April 1938); training with the 2nd Battalion Essex Regiment at Warley Barracks in Brentwood, Essex, participating in the Aldershot Tattoo (no dates); embarkation overseas to serve with the 1st Battalion Essex Regiment (23rd Brigade, 70th Division) in Egypt (?October 1939 – January 1940), at Atbara in the Sudan (January 1940 – August 1940), patrolling the border with Eritrea (August 1940 - ?September 1940) and with Ethiopia (October 1940), attacking and taking Gallabat (November 1940) and advancing into Ethiopia to Matamma (November 1940 – December 1940); training at Haifa and Jericho in Palestine (January 1941 – May 1941); the occupation of Iraq (May 1941 – June 1941), defending Fallujah against Iraqi attack and taking Baghdad (May 1941); operations against the Vichy French in Syria (June 1941 – August 1941), capturing Palmyra from Foreign Legion, and in the Lebanon (August 1941 – September 1941), capturing Saida; taking part in the Siege of and break-out from Tobruk (?September 1941 – November 1941) where he miraculously survived a direct hit on his position by a German dive-bomber; in Egypt for leave and embarkation for Bombay, India (January 1942 – March 1942); training at Ranchi, India (March 1942 – July 1942); operations in the Arakan, Burma (July 1942); volunteering to join the Chindits (no date); training at Saugor, India (late 1942); active service with the 5th Column during the First Chindit Expedition in India and Burma (February 1943 – May 1943), when he was captured by the Japanese but managed to escape and link up with the 3rd Column before reaching India (June 1943); convalescing in Jhansi hospital (June 1943 – September 1943) before rejoining 1st Battalion Essex Regiment and serving with the 44th Column during the Second Chindit Expedition (Operation THURSDAY, February 1944 - August 1944) in the Naga Hills, attacking Japanese supply lines until wounded four times by a machine gun; being operated on without any anaesthetic and evacuated to hospital and then the UK until discharged (June 1944 – April 1945); and commenting on the preventative measures against disease, notably malaria; the magnificent co-operation of the RAF, providing supply drops; the organisation, equipment and weapons of Chindit columns, the reliance on wireless for communications, the Nagas, American 'K' rations, evacuating the sick and wounded; and mentioning T E Lawrence.