Pettigrew, Hugh Rudolf Conway (Oral history)

British officer served with South Warziristan Scouts in Waziristan, North West Frontier Province, India, 1937-1938; served as company commander and instructor at Officer Training School, Belgaum, India, 1940-1941; served as staff officer with 63rd Indian Infantry Bde in Naga Hills, Manipur State, India, 8/1942-8/1943; served as instructor at Indian Army Staff College, Quetta, India, 1943-1944; served as staff officer with Headquarters, 17th Indian Infantry Div in Burma, 1/1945-12/1945

REEL 1 Background in Persia and GB, 1912-1930: story of father's death in Persia, 1916; memories of German Zeppelin raid on Deal, GB, 1916; family; education. Recollections of operations as officer with South Warziristan Scouts in Warziristan, North West Frontier Province, India, 1937-1938: role in armed patrol sent to find convoy attacked by Mahsud Tribe in Shahur Tangi, 4/1937; period in fort at Splitoi; telephone conversation with picket under siege; reasons for disturbances; attitude to frontier tribes and how Mahsud discontent was handled. REEL 2 Continues: supervision of road building; attempt by Mahsud Tribe to assassinate him because he refused to authorise road contract; incident when Indian Army nearly opened fire on unit; uniform of unit; incident when Captain Ian Dewar was killed in skirmish with Mahsud Tribe at Dargai Sar, 14/4/1938; return to 2/14th Bn Punjab Regt, 1938. Aspects of period as company commander and instructor at Officer Training School, Belgaum, India, 1940-1941: reasons for posting; question of not going with 2/4th Bn Punjab Regt to Hong Kong. Recollections of period as staff officer with 63rd Indian Infantry Bde in Naga Hills, Manipur State, India, 8/1942-8/1943: precautions taken crossing India during Quit India Movement unrest, 1942; role and duties as brigade major; memories of Lieutenant General Walter Lentaigne and Lieutenant Colonel John Masters. REEL 3 Continues: contact with Nagas, 1942-1943; influence of American Baptist missionaries on Nagas. Recollections of period as staff officer with 17th Indian Infantry Div in Burma, 1/1945-12/1945: teaching methods at Indian Army Staff College, Quetta, India, 1943-1944; duties as GSO1 to Major General David Cowan; plan to block Japanese retreat from Mandalay; reasons for 7th Indian Infantry Div's resentment of 17th Indian Infantry Div; opinion of Japanese bravery; disagreements he had with Major General David Cowan; witnessing Battle for Meiktila; influence of caste on recruitment of Sikhs into Indian Army. REEL 4 Continues: reasons for casualties to Sikh Light Infantry during bayonet charge during Battle of Meiktila; success of Imperial Japanese Army 'jitter' tactics against anti-tank unit at Pyawbwe; halt to 17th Indian Infantry Div advance on Rangoon by breaking of monsoon at Pegu; surrender of Indian National Army (INA) officer; question of loyal Indian soldiers shooting of Indian National Army (INA) personnel; story relating to VE Day, 8/5/1945; reasons for why General David Cowan flew out of Rangoon after it's capture. Recollections of Indian Partition in New Dehli, India, 1947: attempt by Sikhs to kill Muslim servants of British families; story of how he got his two Muslim servants to safety; reasons for retirement in 1948.