White, James Carter (Oral history)

British officer served with 1st Bn Devonshire Regt, 80th Indian Infantry Bde, 20th Indian Infantry Div in India, 1942-1943; served as second in command of No 54 Column, 45th Reconnaissance Regt, 16th Infantry Bde, 3rd Indian Infantry Div during Second Chindit Expedition in Burma, 4/1944-5/1944; served with Force 136, Special Operations Executive in Thailand, 1945; served with 1st Bn South Staffordshire Regt, Land Forces Hong Kong in Hong Kong, 1950-1951; served with 1st Bn South Staffordshire Regt, Middle Land Forces in Cyprus, 1956-1958; commanded 3rd Bn Aden Protectorate Levies in Aden Protectorate, 1960-1963

REEL 1 Background in GB, 1917-1939: family; education; reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939; enlistment in Devonshire Regt, 9/1939. Aspects of period as officer with 1st Bn Devonshire Regt, 80th Indian Infantry Bde, 20th Indian Infantry Div in India, 1942-1943: attitudes of Indian civilians towards British presence in Ranchi; story relating to British attitudes in Quetta, 1945; lack of contact with Quit India Movement and sense of impending independence during Second World War. Recollections of training as officer with 3rd Indian Infantry Div in India, 1943-1944: selection for Chindits after address by Brigadier Bernard Fergusson; reputation of Imperial Japanese Army troops as jungle fighters until First Chindit Expedition; memories of Major-General Orde Wingate; details of address given by Brigadier Bernard Fergusson, 1943. REEL 2 Continues: Recollections of operations as officer with No 54 Column, 45th Reconnaissance Regt, 16th Infantry Bde, 3rd Indian Infantry Div during Second Chindit Expedition Operation Thursday in Burma, 4/1944-5/1944: daily routine on march into Burma; character of mules used; value of Chindit training received; refusal to be evacuated after breaking arm; initial encounter with Japanese forces at Thetkegyin; involvement in bayonet charge at Thetkegyin; problems of water supply; narrow escape from Japanese searchers when acting as rearguard near Thetkegyin, 4/1944; protecting soldier with cough who endangered rest of unit; operating in pairs using the 'mucker system'; arrival at Aberdeen Landing Zone; move to relieve pressure on White City; incident of officer dying from shock during action at White City Landing Zone; opinion of imperial Japanese Army's determination in attack; attitude towards Imperial Japanese Army troops; question of not taking Japanese prisoners of war. REEL 3 Continues: decision to fly 16th Infantry Bde out of Broadway Landing Zone, 5/1944; period of recuperation in India, 1944. Aspects of training and operations as officer with 16th Infantry Bde, 3rd Indian Infantry Div in India and Burma, 1943-1944: role and duties during Second Chindit Expedition; composition of 16th Infantry Bde; opinion of training in Jhansi-Saugor area, 10/1943-12/1943; attitudes towards mules; question of importance of leadership at company level in army. Recollections of period as officer with Force 136, Special Operations Executive in Thailand and Laos, 1945: role to rescue former Allied prisoners of war at Ubon, Thailand, 9/1945; opinion of Lieutenant-Colonel Phillip Toosey; condition of former prisoners of war at Ubon, Thailand; fly breeding activities of prisoners of war; organising social activities for former prisoners of war; composition of Force 136 team; incursions into French Indochina. REEL 4 Continues: reasons for supplying arms to escaped French internees; contact with female French agent in Pakse area, Laos; meeting David Smiley in Ubon area. Aspects of period as company commander with 1st Bn South Staffordshire Regt, Land Forces Hong Kong in Hong Kong, 1950-1951: border tension during Korean War; traces of Gin Drinkers Line from 1941 period; belief that Chinese would attack Hong Kong if they won Korean War; attitude of Chinese civilians; strict supervision of troops. Recollections of operations as officer with 1st Bn South Staffordshire Regt, Middle East Land Forces in Cyprus, 1956-1958: role as company commander of A Coy; long search operations for Georgios Grivas in Troodos Mountains; Greek Cypriot support for Archbishop Makarios and Georgios Grivas; character of search operations; casualty rate in unit; attitude of his troops to operations. REEL 5 Continues: Recollections of operations commanding 3rd Bn Aden Protectorate Levies in Aden Protectorate, 1960-1963: posting to unit, 1960; area of responsibility for defending against Nasserite incursions from North Yemen; character of area including terrain and climate; Yemani hospitality; character of Yemanis he commanded; tribal loyalties of unit; patrol carried out which resulted in widespread heat exhaustion; border clashes with insurgents from North Yemen; tribe which aided insurgents. REEL 6 Continues: observation of Ramadan rules by British officers; supervision of preparation of troops' food; motivation of troops; story of an attempt on his life by knifeman; nature of civil justice in North Yemen; Muslim practices of his men; contrast in character between uneducated and semi-educated Yemanis; opinion of soldierly qualities of troops.