Marshall, Michael Leicester John (Oral history)

British officer served with 4/5th Bn Gurkha Rifles, 114th Indian Infantry Bde, 7th Indian Infantry Div in Arakan, Burma, 9/1943-2/1944; hospitalisation in Admin Box, Arakan, Burma, 5/2/1944-23/2/1944; served with 4/5th Bn Gurkha Rifles, 114th Indian Infantry Bde, 7th Indian Infantry Div in India and Burma, 9/1944-7/1945

REEL 1 Recollections of period as officer with 5th Royal Gurkha Rifles Depot, Abbottabad, India, 4/1943-9/1943: background to joining a Gurkha regiment in GB, 1941-1942; voyage aboard SS Ruys from GB to India, 8/1942-10/1942; joining depot after period with Officer Training Corps at Bangalore; characteristics of unit; reception at unit 4/1943; atmosphere at Abbottabad; initial relations with Gurkhas; reputation of Imperial Japanese Army, 1943; posting to 4/5th Bn Royal Gurkha Rifles in Burma, 9/1943. Recollections of operations as officer with B Coy, 4/5th Bn Royal Gurkha Rifles, 114th Indian Infantry Bde, 7th Indian Infantry Div in Arakan, Burma, 9/1943-2/1944: journey from Abbottabad to Arakan; reception by senior officers of unit at Taung Bazar; dispositions of unit in paddy fields; previous accidental death of B Coy commander in River Kalapanzin. REEL 2 Continues: inexperience in relation to Gurkha officers, 10/1943; character of patrols; problems of leeches in paddy fields; opening fire on Japanese sampan whilst on patrol, 10/1943; losses on subsequent patrol in same area; advance towards Buthidaung, 1/1944; action in which Gurkhas used kukris; Gurkha attitude towards the dead and Japanese troops. REEL 3 Continues: wounding in B Coy attack on Japanese positions, 4/2/1944. Recollections of period of hospitalisation in Admin Box, Arakan, Burma, 5/2/1944-23/3/1943: evacuation to battalion headquarters; formation of Admin Box; Japanese massacre of 7th Indian Infantry Divisional Main Dressing Station, 7/2/1943; accommodation in temporary hospital; method of carrying out amputations without anaesthetic; surviving his own arm being amputated with help of antibiotic; flight out of Admin Box. Aspects of period in India, 3/1944-9/1944: medical treatment for wounds; jungle training with 56th Gurkha Rifles, 39th Indian (Training) Div, 6/1944-9/1944. Recollections of operations with 4/5th Bn Royal Gurkha Rifles, 114th Indian Infantry Bde, 7th Indian Infantry Div in India and Burma, 9/1944-7/1945: rejoining unit at Kohima, India, 9/1944; story of act of meanness towards his Gurkha orderly by his host during leave in Assam, India, 12/1944; night time marches during advance down Gangaw Valley, Burma, 1/1945; attack on Kalnla, Burma, 4/2/1945. REEL 4 Continues: loss of commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel John Turner, 11/2/1945; unit casualties at Kalnla, Burma; crossing River Irrawaddy, Burma, 2/1945; reason for unit receiving commanding officers from 7th Gurkhas; problems with snakes at Pagan, Burma, 2/1945; Gurkha method of dealing with snakes; appointment as company commander to A Coy, 3/1945; advance to oilfields at Yenangyaung, Burma, 3/1945; story of loss of 3rd Carabineers tank commander at Minbu in Burma and subsequent post-war meeting with his parents; promotion to major; character of Japanese resistance in Pegu Yomas, Burma, summer 1945; condition of Japanese POWs; contracting malaria, 7/1945; evacuation to India with medical complaints. Aspects of operations as officer with 4/5th Bn Royal Gurkha Rifles, 114th Indian Infantry Bde, 7th Indian Infantry Div in Burma, 1943-1945: health problems especially in Arakan. REEL 5 Continues: attitude towards Japanese; attitude of Burmese civilians towards war; contact with Indian National Army; attitude of Gurkha VCOs towards Indian National Army POWs. Aspects of period as officer with 4/5th Bn Royal Gurkha Rifles, 114th Indian Infantry Bde, 7th Indian Infantry Div in Burma, India and Thailand, 1945-1947: return to Nepal on leave, 8/1945; acting as camp commandant with 7th Indian Infantry Div, 14th Army in Bangkok, Thailand; story illustrating potential power of Gurkha officers over British officers; memories of John Masters in Rangoon, Burma, summer 1945; last months of service with 5th Royal Gurkha Rifles at Abbottabad, India, 1946-1947; partition of Gurkha regiments between GB and India, 1947.