Description
Object description
[BASIC ACCESSION RECORD] A ts transcription (95pp) of a diary belonging to a Lieutenant (Temporary Captain, Acting Major) serving with the 7th Gurkha Rifles (48th Indian Infantry Brigade, 1st Burma Division), and illustrated with copies of photographs and scans of the hand drawn sketch maps from the original diary, with detailed day to day diary entries (and some later explanatory notes), together with details of his location (including 'mile stones'), covering the period November 1943 - July 1944 and describing the movements and operations of 1st Battalion 7th Gurkha Rifles, and the other units in the Division, from the time they left Shillong (November 1943), till the end of the campaign which culminated in the retreat of the Japanese armies across the Chindwin, including the action at Ningthoukhong of June 1944 for which he was awarded the DSO and the Gurkha Ganju Lama was awarded the Victoria Cross. He describes left Shillong (November 1943), moving to Pandu on the Brahmaputra River, travelling from Diampur to Imphal, crossing the Manipur River Bridge, Japanese Zeros shooting down their supply plane, patrolling in the Chin Hills (November – December 1943), a booby trap at Saizang Village killing a man, hearing of failed attacks while at Hungvum Mual, moving to Monglang (January 1944), being wounded by a punji stick booby trap, moving to Vital Corner and Lophei Ridge, in observation posts in OP Wood, the attack on ‘Bare Patch’, a Japanese held position (February 1944), marvelling at the Japanese bunkers, fighting at Tongue Wood, returning to Vital Corner, moving to Saizang Corner (March 1944), Japanese attacks pushing back, fighting at Sakawng and contact with the enemy throughout March, the Brigade moving on the Seitual track to Imphal, crossing Burma border into Manipur (April 1944), riding horses, hearing of infiltrations of JIFs, cholera injections, a patrol to the village of Shugano and across the Manipur river (May 1944), spotting Japanese patrols and slipping away unseen, based around Wangjing, seeing the 1/7th Gurkhas off as they went to attack Langgol- khumbi (6-7 May 1944), practicing with new PIAT guns, having to avoid Kukis and Manipuris, locals who had a bad reputation for collaborating with Japanese patrols, moving the Brigade to a new ‘box’, attacking Japanese sentry posts, Japanese tanks counter-attacking (17 May 1944), destroying tanks with a PIAT, cutting the Japanese Line of Communication, shelling of the Brigade box, bloodily beating back Japanese attacks (18-22 May 1944), capturing arms and flags, Japanese snipers and ‘friendly fire’ from British Hurribombers killing some of his men, his anger and distrust of air co-operation in attacks, confused supply drops by Dakotas, running low of ammunition, losing more men to shelling on his 25th birthday (23 May 1944), finally capturing a live prisoner, moving to Moirang Khunou, the shambles and units getting lost, the Gurkha’s ruthlessness, continuing towards Ningthoukhong, the sad death of Platoon Commander Parbhi in an attack on Khakhunou, attacking Ningthoukhong, moving to Potsangbam, going to Imphal to see his father was was now Registrar at 891st General Hospital, further attempts to take Ningthouhong (June 1944), news of the Kohima battle, a Japanese attack on his position in Potsangbam, learning about the Japanese plans from captured documents, River Turel overflowing and carrying bloated corpses in the Awang Khunou area.
Also included is: a nominal roll of NCOs and men of 'B' Company, 1st Battalion, 7th Gurkha Rifles, and a list of officers of the Regiment and of each of the companies, regiments, brigades and other units in the division, with details of those wounded and killed, with dates and locations; and an appendix with transcriptions of copies of documents issued to HQ Brigades and Battalions: First preliminary interrogation of Prisoner of War: 13 June '44
Content description
[BASIC ACCESSION RECORD] A ts transcription (95pp) of a diary belonging to a Lieutenant (Temporary Captain, Acting Major) serving with the 7th Gurkha Rifles (48th Indian Infantry Brigade, 1st Burma Division), and illustrated with copies of photographs and scans of the hand drawn sketch maps from the original diary, with detailed day to day diary entries (and some later explanatory notes), together with details of his location (including 'mile stones'), covering the period November 1943 - July 1944 and describing the movements and operations of 1st Battalion 7th Gurkha Rifles, and the other units in the Division, from the time they left Shillong (November 1943), till the end of the campaign which culminated in the retreat of the Japanese armies across the Chindwin, including the action at Ningthoukhong of June 1944 for which he was awarded the DSO and the Gurkha Ganju Lama was awarded the Victoria Cross. He describes left Shillong (November 1943), moving to Pandu on the Brahmaputra River, travelling from Diampur to Imphal, crossing the Manipur River Bridge, Japanese Zeros shooting down their supply plane, patrolling in the Chin Hills (November – December 1943), a booby trap at Saizang Village killing a man, hearing of failed attacks while at Hungvum Mual, moving to Monglang (January 1944), being wounded by a punji stick booby trap, moving to Vital Corner and Lophei Ridge, in observation posts in OP Wood, the attack on ‘Bare Patch’, a Japanese held position (February 1944), marvelling at the Japanese bunkers, fighting at Tongue Wood, returning to Vital Corner, moving to Saizang Corner (March 1944), Japanese attacks pushing back, fighting at Sakawng and contact with the enemy throughout March, the Brigade moving on the Seitual track to Imphal, crossing Burma border into Manipur (April 1944), riding horses, hearing of infiltrations of JIFs, cholera injections, a patrol to the village of Shugano and across the Manipur river (May 1944), spotting Japanese patrols and slipping away unseen, based around Wangjing, seeing the 1/7th Gurkhas off as they went to attack Langgol- khumbi (6-7 May 1944), practicing with new PIAT guns, having to avoid Kukis and Manipuris, locals who had a bad reputation for collaborating with Japanese patrols, moving the Brigade to a new ‘box’, attacking Japanese sentry posts, Japanese tanks counter-attacking (17 May 1944), destroying tanks with a PIAT, cutting the Japanese Line of Communication, shelling of the Brigade box, bloodily beating back Japanese attacks (18-22 May 1944), capturing arms and flags, Japanese snipers and ‘friendly fire’ from British Hurribombers killing some of his men, his anger and distrust of air co-operation in attacks, confused supply drops by Dakotas, running low of ammunition, losing more men to shelling on his 25th birthday (23 May 1944), finally capturing a live prisoner, moving to Moirang Khunou, the shambles and units getting lost, the Gurkha’s ruthlessness, continuing towards Ningthoukhong, the sad death of Platoon Commander Parbhi in an attack on Khakhunou, attacking Ningthoukhong, moving to Potsangbam, going to Imphal to see his father was was now Registrar at 891st General Hospital, further attempts to take Ningthouhong (June 1944), news of the Kohima battle, a Japanese attack on his position in Potsangbam, learning about the Japanese plans from captured documents, River Turel overflowing and carrying bloated corpses in the Awang Khunou area.
Also included is: a nominal roll of NCOs and men of 'B' Company, 1st Battalion, 7th Gurkha Rifles, and a list of officers of the Regiment and of each of the companies, regiments, brigades and other units in the division, with details of those wounded and killed, with dates and locations; and an appendix with transcriptions of copies of documents issued to HQ Brigades and Battalions: First preliminary interrogation of Prisoner of War: 13 June '44
History note
Cataloguer SJO