Description
Object description
British officer served as brigade animal transport officer with Headquarters Column, 77th Indian Infantry Bde during First Chindit Expedition in Burma, 2/1943-4/1943; served with No 48 Headquarters Column, 111th Indian Infantry Bde, 3rd Indian Infantry Div during Second Chindit Expedition in Burma, 3/1944-6/1944
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Taunton, GB, 1914-1939: family; opinion of education at Royal Military College Sandhurst, 1930s. Recollections of period with British Indian Army in India, 1939-1942: lack of war readiness in India, 1941; effect of arrival of American troops, 1942; listening to broadcaster 'Tokyo Rose' in Jullundur. Recollections of period as brigade animal transport officer with 111th Indian Infantry Bde in India, 1942-1943: posting to brigade for Chindit training at Dukwan Dam, India, 1942-1943; problems encountered looking after mules.
REEL 2 Continues: handling mules; operation for devoicing mules; problems getting mules across River Irrawaddy during Chindit operations in Burma; origins of mules; danger of mules' kicking; mule diseases; method for shooting mules; why he became a vegetarian and gained nickname of 'Jesus Christ'; memories of gypsy butcher Sampson Richards.
REEL 3 Continues: post-war contact with Sampson Richards. Aspects of period as brigade animal transport officer with 77th Indian Infantry Bde during First Chindit Expedition Operation Longcloth in Burma, 2/1943-4/1943: character of Operation Longcloth; lack of contact with Japanese; reaction to operating in jungle. Aspects of preparations as brigade animal transport officer with 111th Indian Infantry Bde, 3rd Indian Infantry Div for Second Chindit Expedition Operation Thursday in India, 5/1943-2/1944: issue of new weapons and equipment; contents of American K Rations; role devising rules for enplaning mules into Douglas Dakota aircraft and gliders; sight of aircraft flying into Burma from Bishenpur, 6/3/1944-9/3/1944; plan to disperse after landing in Burma.
REEL 4 Continues: Recollections of operations as animal transport officer with No 48 Headquarters Column, 111th Indian Infantry Bde, 3rd Indian Infantry Div during Second Chindit Expedition Operation Thursday in Burma, 3/1944-6/1944: flight into Burma, 9/3/1944; landing on sand bank; capture by Imperial Japanese Army whilst taking communion from padre; month long period as prisoner of war of Imperial Japanese Army; his plan for escape from Japanese captivity; his throttling four Imperial Japanese Army guards to escape; escape into jungle and return to brigade; use of hydrochloric acid to harden mules hooves; incident of Imperial Japanese Army troops burning prisoners of war with hydrochloric acid; Japanese treatment of prisoners of war; question of discipline in jungle; incident of Royal Air Force officer who pocketed supplies.
REEL 5 Continues: question of justification for beatings as punishment; how he went blind from malnutrition; evacuation by Short Sunderland Flying Boat from Lake Indawgyi, 6/1944. Aspects of service with 3rd Indian Infantry Div in Burma and India, 1942-1944: incident of NCO flogged for stealing rations and his court martial after war; estimate of Chindit achievements against Japanese forces; personal contact with Major-General Orde Wingate.
REEL 6 Continues: comparison between Major-General Orde Wingate and Lieutenant-Colonel John Masters; memories of mule 'Maggie'; story of officer injured in supply drop and how 'Maggie' the mule pulled him on litter; visit of General William Slim to 111th Indian Infantry Bde, 25/12/1943; character of 'Maggie' the mule; opinion of Gurkhas.
REEL 7 Continues: memories of Brigadier Walter 'Joe' Lentaigne; impressions of Lord Louis Mountbatten; later role writing training manual of jungle warfare in New Delhi, India, 1947.
