Interview with Henry Fairbridge Burrows

British officer cadet served with Headquarters, 4th Prince of Wales' Own Gurkha Rifles at Bakloh, India, 1942-1944; officer served with 1/4th Bn Prince of Wales' Own Gurkha Rifles in India, 1944-1947; served with 1/10th Gurkha Rifles in Burma, 1/1948; served with 1/10th Princess Mary's Own Gurkha Rifles, 48th Gurkha Bde in Federation of Malaya, 1/1948-4/1953; served with 1/10th Princess Mary's Own Gurkha Rifles, 5th Federal Bde during Indonesian Confrontation in Sarawak, Malaysia, 1963-1964; commanded Royal Brunei Armed Forces in Brunei, 1966-1969

REEL 1 Background in Llanrug, GB and Southern Rhodesia, 1923-1939: family; education. Aspects of period as civilian in Chelmsford, GB, 1940-1941: German Air Force bombing; underage membership of 6th (Chelmsford) Essex Home Guard; attitude to prospect of military service. Aspects of period as officer cadet with Officer Cadet Training School, British Indian Army in Bangalore, India, 1942: applying to join British Indian Army as officer cadet; how Quit India Movement supporters urinated on new officer cadets on arrival in Bombay; training at Bangalore. Aspects of period as officer cadet with Headquarters, 4th Prince of Wales' Own Gurkha Rifles at Bakloh, 1942-1944: background to joining headquarters; training courses; obtaining commission. Aspects of operations as officer with 1/4th Prince of Wales' Own Bn Gurkha Rifles in India, 1944-1945: posting to unit, 5/1944; occupation of village in Imphal area; senior officer's attitude towards fatal casualties; carrying out 'Tiger' patrols. REEL 2 Continues: execution of 'Tiger' patrol; attitude towards fatal casualties; attitude towards Japanese; attitude of Gurkhas towards Japanese; accidental attack by Indian Air Force aircraft near Bishanpur Box, 8/1944; withdrawal of unit from Imphal back into India, 9/1944. Aspects of period as officer with 1/4th Prince of Wales' Own Bn Gurkha Rifles in India, 1944-1946: training for service on North West Frontier; role of unit as training battalion at Tactical Training Centre, Dehra Dun, 1946; attitude of Gurkhas towards former members of Indian National Army at Dehra Dun. Recollections of operations as officer with 1/4th Prince of Wales' Own Gurkha Rifles on North West Frontier of India, 1946-1947: posting of unit to Gardai, 10/1946; duties keeping roads open. REEL 3 Continues: shelling of camp by Fakir of Ipi; pursuit of sniper by South Waziristan Scouts; witnessing beating of Sikh by Pathan workmen at Daud Khel Railway Station, 8/1947; Pathans attempts to obtain weapons and ammunition for own feuds; celebrations on Indian Independence Day, 15/8/1947; move of unit to Manzai via Shahur Tangi gorge in which A, B and Headquarters' companies ambushed by Pathans, 22/9/1947; how Gurkhas were extricated from Shahur Tangi forts, 9/1947; move to Amritsar, 10/1947; duties guarding Muslim refugees making for Pakistan; airing of grievances at battalion 'durbar'. REEL 4 Continues: story of treachery of Guides Cavalry naik towards Gurkhas in Shahur Tangi incident, 9/1947; cholera outbreak and attempts to purify water; reaction to leaving regiment. Aspects of period as officer with 1/10th Gurkha Rifles in Rangoon, Burma, 1/1948: transfer to regiment; influence of Nepali Congress on signals platoon; Burma Independence Day in Rangoon, 1/1/1948. Recollections of operations as officer with 1/10th Princess Mary's Own Gurkha Rifles, 48th Gurkha Bde in Federation of Malaya, 1/1948-4/1953: arrival in Federation of Malaya, 1/1948; duties as weapons instructor at Johore Bahru, 1948-1949; memories of General Walter Walker; operations at Kuantan, 1951; story of crossing ravine on weak railway bridge with his platoon in Kuantan area; jungle operation in Johore, 1951; ambush on his vehicle on road in Johore, 1951. REEL 5 Continues: further details of ambush on his vehicle on road in Johore, 1951; successes against Malayan National Liberation Army insurgents in jungle in Kuantan area, 1951-1952; story of river crossing in Johore; suitability of Gurkhas for jungle operations. Reflections on service with Gurkha troops: story of court martial of Gurkha rifleman who beat up NCO, 1959; attitude of army towards Gurkha wives and families; education of Gurkha in British Army. Aspects of operations as officer with 1/10th Princess Mary's Own Gurkha Rifles, 5th Federal Bde during Indonesian Confrontation in Sarawak, Malaysia, 1963-1964: incursions of Indonesian Commando Corps of the Indonesian Navy (KKO) into Sabah and Sarawak. REEL 6 Continues: setting booby traps; use of helicopters; comparison between operations during Indonesian Confrontation and Malayan Emergency; success of regiment against Indonesian forces. Aspects of period as commanding officer of Royal Brunei Armed Forces in Brunei, 1966-1969: his role as commanding officer; character of Brunei Malays; meetings with Sultan of Brunei; abdication of Sultan due to British pressure; pattern of army career, 1969-1972; question of political influence amongst Gurkhas and choice between India and Britain, 1947.