Greenhough, Enoch (Oral history)

British private served with 70th Bn Leicestershire Regt in GB, 1940-1942; served with 7th Bn Leicestershire Regt, 14th Infantry Bde, 3rd Indian Infantry Div during Second Chindit Expedition Operation Thursday in Burma, 2/1944-8/1944

REEL 1 Background in Alfreton, GB, 1923-1939: family; education; reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939. Aspects of period as private with 70th Bn Leicestershire Regt in GB, 1940-1942: enlistment, 1940; nature of training; duties guarding crashed German aircraft to prevent looting; transfer to 7th Bn Leicestershire Regt. Aspects of period as private with B Coy, 7th Bn Leicestershire Regt in India, 1942-1943: voyage from GB to India via South Africa, 1942 including reception in Durban, South Africa; initial impressions of Bombay; peacetime conditions in Karachi; crowd control duties; training in Sind Desert. Aspects of period as private with 7th Bn Leicestershire Regt, 14th Infantry Bde, 3rd Indian Infantry Div training with Chindits in India, 1943-1944: nature of training in Bilaspur-Jhansi area, 1943; opinion of training. Train journey from Bilaspur to Assam, 1944. Recollections of operations with 7th Bn Leicestershire Regt, 14th Infantry Bde, 3rd Indian Infantry Div during Second Chindit Expedition Operation Thursday in Burma, 2/1944-8/1944: flying into Aberdeen landing zone; reaction to landing at Aberdeen landing zone. REEL 2 Continues: march through jungle towards railway line; living in jungle; attempt to intercept Imperial Japanese Army troops moving up to Imphal; ambushing Imperial Japanese Army troops; question of having lack of purpose after Major-General Orde Wingate died and Major-General Walter Lentaigne took over; contact with Burmese civilians in jungle; air supply drops; incident of flogging of Chindit for chasing after village women; fatal accident to NCO on march; question of the achievements of the Chindits; work of mules; cattle killed for fresh meat; contracting malaria after coming out of Burma, 8/1944. Reflections on service with British Army: reasons for volunteering for Parachute Regt; attitude to results of General Election, 7/1945.