Howard, John Leslie (Oral history)

British intelligence officer served with 2nd Bn, Royal Norfolk Regt in GB and India, 1939-1943. Served as intelligence officer with Headquarters, 4th Bde in India and Burma, 1943-1945. Present at Battle of Kohima, 4/1944-5/1944

REEL 1 Background in Norwich, 1918-1939: review of fathers service with 1/4th and 2/4th Bn, Norfolk Regt, 1914-1918; education; Sea Scout activities; work as office boy at Barclays Bank, North Walsham. Training and mobilisation with 5th Bn, Royal Norfolk Regt, ca 1/1939-3/1940: recruitment and rapid promotion to company quarter master sergeant of D Coy based at North Walsham; summer camp at Falmer; rifle training; relationship with NCOs; training role; mobilisation to Aylsham, 31/8/1939; role as CQMS; billets; permanent staff instructors NCOs; period on guard duties at RAF Station at West Wrenham; car accident; concentration of battalion at Webham Camp; question of application of commission. Period with 164 Officers Cadet Training Unit at Colchester, ca 3/1940-8/1940: tactical training; coastal defence duties, 6/1940. Recollections of period with 11 Platoon, B Coy, 2nd Bn, RNR at Driffield, Hessle and Fairford, 8/1940-3/1942: question of return to 5th Bn, RNR; composition of unit; opinion of various officers including Colonel George Winter and Major Ian Lywood. REEL 2 Continues: opinion of various officers including Major Tim Wilkins and Lieutenant John Randle; opinion of Platoon Sergeant Bert Fitt; relationship with ORs including Private Ferrie; officers' mess; training; move to Hessle, 10/1940; training; effects of German air raids on Hull; attending mortar course and temporary command of Mortar Platoon following accident to officer and NCOs; platoon commander's course; combined operations training from HMS Glenairn on Loch Fyne based at Inverary, 1/1941; exercises; period as defence platoon at Headquarters, 2nd Div; period on coastal defence at Patrington; opinion of Major Robert Scott and his relationship with Winter; move to Fairford, 12/1941: illustration of character of Winter; question of posting overseas. REEL 3 Continues: inspections by Churchill and George VI. Recollections of voyage aboard Orbita to Bombay, India, 3/1942-6/1942: role as ship's security officer; censoring letters; posting as intelligence officer; composition, role and training of intelligence section; conditions; period in Capetown, 5/1942; question of destination. Period based at Chinchwad and Ahmednagar, 7/1942: attitude to training regime; opinion of Major General Grover; liaison with brigade intelligence officer; combined operations training at Kharakvasla, ability to read maps; situation at Ahmednagar; bicycle polo; internal security role at Ahmedabad, 8/1942-9/1942; story illustrating attitude to Indian civilians; drinking habits in officers' mess; climate; relationship with batmen Privates George and Ben Wright; posting as Brigade Intelligence Officer after attending IO course at Intelligence School, India at Karachi, 1943. REEL 4 Recollections of period as IO with Headquarters, 4th Bde at Ahmednagar, 1943-1944: role of IO; sources of intelligence including aerial photographs, 'V' Force and searching Japanese corpses; jungle training at Belgaum; contact with IOs of 1st Bn, Royal Scots and 1/8th Bn, Lancashire Fusiliers; combined operations establishment and role of headquarters staff; abortive preparations for landing at Donbaik, Arakan, Burma, 1944; emergency recall from combined operations course, 2/1944. Journey with advanced brigade headquarters and initial period at Dimapor, 2/1944: composition; opinion of Brigadier William Goschen; flight to Jorhat and reporting to Headquarters, XXXIII Corps; nature of morning corps and divisional staff meetings. REEL 5 Continues: relationship with Brigade Majors; arrival of Brigade, 4/1944; accuracy of intelligence from Naga tribesmen; situation; move up to Priphema; personal morale; opinion of performance Captain Geoffrey Lumsden, IO of 1st Bn, RS at Kavuna; retirement of Japanese troops; defensive role of brigade at Jotshoma. Recollection of Operation Strident flanking march and operations of 2nd Bn, RNR on GPT Ridge, 4/1944-5/1944: question of scale and accuracy of maps used; tactical headquarters; equipment carried; jungle terrain; situation; advance role of 143 Special Service Coy; intelligence of composition and disposition of Japanese units; situation during pause in Death Valley; decision to change objective from Aradura Spur to GPT Ridge. REEL 6 Continues: decision to change objective from Aradura Spur to GPT Ridge; wet conditions; state of health; supply and water situation; abandoned plan for deep reconnaissance patrol towards Kigwema; r restricted view during reconnaissance patrol with Scott; question of wireless communications; advance to concentration sector misidentified as Oaks Hill, 2/5/1944; divisional artillery; brigade reconnaissance patrol which ran into Japanese; Story of Scott arranging hot drinks for men and reaction of Brigadier Goschen to fire; dispute between Scott and Major General Grover over wearing steel helmets during operation; Goschen's orders for attack, 4/5/1944; personal morale; question of pause in attack in front of Norfolk Bunker, 4/5/1944; question of captured Japanese documents; location of BHQ on GPT Ridge; view of Norfolk Bunker; Japanese mortar fire and sniping; death of Goschen, 7/5/1944. REEL 7 Continues: opinion of Scott; instruction to re-commence shaving from Brigadier Theobalds; inspirational influence and appearance of Scott in action; view of Sergeant Bert Fitt being evacuated following action at Norfolk Bunker, 7/5/1944; further attacks on Norfolk Bunker; opinion of Theobalds; direct fire on bunker from anti-tank guns; corpses; latrines; inadequate digging in; food rations; death of Theobalds and casualties amongst staff; working with Scott as temporary brigadier; rest period at Dimapor; opinion of Brigadier Saunders; question of intelligence of Japanese dispositions; reaction of Colonels Mackenzie-Kennedy and Scott to orders for attack on Aradura Spur, 28/5/1944. REEL 8 Continues: role during failed attack on Aradura Spur, 28/5/1944. Recollections of advance into Burma, 5/1944-4/1945: advance along Imphal road; presence of Richard Sharpe of BBC; opinion of Colonel Jock Carroll; question of errors in Saunders' tactics during action at Viswema; attack of dysentery; relationship with Brigadier Jock MacNaughton; capture of headquarters of 31st Japanese Div at Maram; opinion of Colonel Mackenzie-Kennedy; leeches; leave in Bombay; treatment for dysentery; preparations to cross Chindwin; composition of intelligence screen; opinion of various brigade majors; move to Kabaw valley. REEL 9 Continues: plans and situation; opinion of Brigade Major John Greenaway; Christmas celebrations, 12/1944; advance across Shwebo Plain; Buddhist monasteries; interrogation of Japanese POW; question of Japanese air raids and artillery fire; successful night attack at Ondaw; supply situation; replacement of Brigade Major John Greenaway; gin supply; opinion of Brigade Major John Waill; pro-Indian Army bias illustrated in official history assessment of performance of 1st Bn, Royal Scots of Iwaphitje, 2/1945; success of 1/8th Bn, Lancashire Fusiliers attack on Chalsi, 2/1944; opinion of Colonel Carroll and his effect on morale of 2nd Bn RNR; cancellation due to lack of air support of attack by 2nd Bn, RNR on Saye, 9/2/1945, reaction of Carroll to cancellation and his consequent replacement; opinion of Colonel William Murray Brown; successful attack of 2nd Bn, RNR supported by tanks on Saye, /2/1945; question of start of 2nd Bn, RNR attack in Saye, 9/2/1945; interrupted rest period; moved into 2nd Bn, Durham Light Infantry dugouts; crossing Irrawaddy, 27/2/1945. REEL 10 Continued: expansion of bridgehead; question of dismissal of Glover; opinion of General Nicholson; personal morale; advance towards Mandalay; swimming in Myitnge; mopping up pockets of Japanese resistance; role in identification of road used by Japanese not marked on air photo maps and subsequent successful ambush; background to withdrawal of 2nd Div to India, 4/1945. Recollections of period in India, 4/1945-10/1945: cancellation of planned involvement in Rangoon combined operations; visit to Headquarters, 6th Bde at Rangoon, Burma; reactions to end of war, 8/1945; attack of hepatitis, 9/1945. Return with 2nd Bn, RNR to GB, 10/1945-12/1945. Writing account of campaign during hospitalisation, 11/1945-12/1945. Demobilisation, 1/1946. Post-war: legal career; question of effects of war; relationship with Sam Hornor.