Whitewick, Reginald Charles (Oral history)

British sapper served with 54th Field Company, Royal Engineers in GB and India, 1942-1944; served with 54th Field Coy, Royal Engineers, 14th Infantry Bde, 3rd Indian Infantry Div during Second Chindit Expedition Operation Thursday in Burma, 3/1944-5/1944

REEL 1 Background in Andover, GB, 1913-1939: family, education. German Air Force attack on Tidworth area, 1940. Aspects of enlistment and training with British Army at Bodmin, GB, 1942: call-up for military service; amusing incident during basic training. Aspects of period as sapper with 54th Field Coy, Royal Engineers in GB, 1942: joining unit at Tiverton; training in south Devonshire. Aspects of period as sapper with 54th Field Coy, Royal Engineers, 14th Infantry Bde, 3rd Indian Infantry Div in India, 1943-1944: voyage aboard HMT Stratheden from GB to India including bombing of convoy in Mediterranean by German Air Force, 1942; training in mine lifting and blowing up bridges for proposed Chindit operation; question of inefficient use of booby traps by Japanese; jungle training. Recollections of operations as sapper with 54th Field Coy, Royal Engineers, 14th Infantry Bde, 3rd Indian Infantry Div during Second Chindit Expedition Operation Thursday in Burma, 3/1944-5/1944: contracting malaria; flight by Douglas Dakota into Broadway Landing Zone; role of mules; air supply drops of fodder to mules; problems with communication; personal arms and equipment; role of sappers in getting mules across water obstacles; forming defensive perimeter at Broadway Landing Zone; march to Lake Indawgyi and clash with group of Japanese; holding pass near Lake Indawgyi; attitude towards snakes; move to Mawlu under Japanese artillery and air attack. REEL 2 Continues: Imperial Japanese Air Force attacks and counter-attacks by North American B-25 Mitchell bombers; booby traps set by sappers; mortaring of Japanese positions at Pinlebu; reaction to calling off of attack on bridge at Misa; foot problems; march to Payok; flying out of Burma in Douglas Dakota; puzzlement at not receiving orders to cut Japanese operated railway line; fieldcraft to avoid Japanese detection; occasion of escaping Japanese encirclement; character of Major Jeffrey Lockett; mission to collect unit's mail; story of how Gurkhas put snuff in commanding officer's curry; death of bullock 'Bisto'; problems of jungle sores and leeches; no-prisoners policy of British and Japanese; sight of Imperial Japanese Army troops; signs of amputation carried out by Japanese; Burmese prisoner he was put in charge of; use of Short Sunderland Flying Boats to remove wounded from Lake Indawgyi; reads poem he wrote in jungle when depressed at thought he would never return home; use of panic maps and button compasses issued to Chindits; casualties from disease and accidents; problem of securing pure water and dysentery. REEL 3 Continues: story of soldier who had dysentery even before the expedition; opinion of rations; question of penalty for stealing rations; problems of communicating on jungle column; opinion of 7th Bn Leicestershire Regt and selection methods for leave in unit later in Burma campaign; question of achievement of Chindits in blocking Japanese supplies; sight of severed hands in jungle; story of Chindit who shot Burmese civilian; aid given by Burmese civilian when he was lost in jungle; lost Chindits who settled in Burmese villages; attitude to having served with Chindits.