Merchant, Festus William (Oral history)

British fusilier served with 1st Bn Lancashire Fusiliers in India, 1942-1944; served with Commando Platoon, No 20 Column, 1st Bn Lancashire Fusiliers, 77th Indian Infantry Bde, 3rd Indian Infantry Div during Second Chindit Expedition Operation Thursday in Burma, 3/1944-5/1944

REEL 1 Background in Newton Abbot, GB, 1917-1940: family; education. Aspects of period as private with 12th Bn Devonshire Regt in GB, 1940-1941: enlistment, 1940; role and duties; German Air Force attack on Newton Abbot Station, 9/1940. Aspects of period as fusilier with 1st Bn Lancashire Fusiliers in India, 1942-1943: transfer to unit in Cawnpore, 7/1942; internal security duties; contact with Quit India Movement. Aspects of period as fusilier with 1st Bn Lancashire Fusiliers, 77th Indian Infantry Bde, 3rd Indian Infantry Div in India, 10/1943-3/1944: choice of units for Second Chindit Expedition; impressions of Major-General Orde Wingate; swimming test in Ganges Canal; training in Jhansi area; equipment carried in training; nature of training; decision to go into Burma by glider; unit composition of Chindits; tests prior to move to Assam; proposed role of Commando Platoon; embarkation aboard gliders at Golaghat, 5/3/1944. REEL 2 Continues: Recollections of operations as fusilier with Commando Platoon, No 20 Column, 1st Bn Lancashire Fusiliers, 77th Indian Infantry Bde, 3rd Indian Infantry Div during Second Chindit Expedition Operation Thursday in Burma, 3/1944: glider flight into Burma, 5/3/1944; rations taken; question of inadequacy of ration supplies; landing of glider at Broadway Landing Zone; initial chaos at Broadway Landing Zone; reasons for landing at Broadway Landing Zone rather than Piccadilly Landing Zone; initial encounter of column with Imperial Japanese Army troops, 3/1944; initial failure of light aircraft to take off with wounded and success of second attempt; bypassing Pinwe village; blowing up of bridge at Tonlon; mule accident during escape. Recollections of operations with Commando Platoon, 20 Column, 1st Bn Lancashire Fusiliers, 77th Indian Infantry Bde, 3rd Indian Infantry Div at White City Landing Zone during Second Chindit Expedition Operation Thursday in Burma, 3/1944-5/1944: reaching White City Landing Zone; taking up positions on perimeter; visit by Major-General Orde Wingate just prior to his death, 3/1944; opinion of Brigadier Michael Calvert; Imperial Japanese Army artillery fire, 4/1944; Imperial Japanese Army attacks on perimeter and question of predictable nature of Imperial Japanese Army tactics; Imperial Japanese Army use of 'coal scuttle' mortar; wounds received in fighting. REEL 3 Continues: handling of mules; story of unit's pony mascot 'Minnie' and regimental traditions; patrols outside perimeter; discovery of Imperial Japanese Army supplies; nature of fighting; attempt of patrol to find Imperial Japanese Army 6 Inch Mortar; Imperial Japanese Army 'human wave' tactics employed against perimeter wire; state of corpses; burns accident in latrine; flight out of White City Landing Zone, 5/1944; arrival at Aberdeen Landing Zone during Imperial Japanese Army Air Service attack. Aspects of period as private with 1st Bn Lancashire Fusiliers and Corps of Military Police in India, 1944-1945: arrival at Sylhet during monsoon; recuperation at Shillong, summer 1944; leave in Calcutta and Karachi; effect of Army Bureau of Current Affairs (ABCA) lectures on troops' political opinions; transfer to Corps of Military Police including troops' brawl at Flashman's Bar at Rawalpindi, 1945; nature of Army Bureau of Current Affairs (ABCA) lectures, 1945.