Button, Geoffrey Clover (Oral history)

British gunner served with 55th (Suffolk Yeomanry) Anti-Tank Regt, Royal Artillery, 54th (East Anglian) Infantry Div in GB, 9/1939-2/1942; NCO served with 45th Reconnaissance Regt, 70th Infantry Div in India, 9/1942-10/1943; served with 54 Column 45th Reconnaissance Regt, 16th Infantry Bde, 3rd Indian Infantry Div in India and during Second Chindit Expedition in Burma, 10/1943-4/1944

REEL 1 Background in Needham Market, GB, 1919-1939: family; education; employment; joining 55th Anti-Tank Regt, (Suffolk Yeomanry), Royal Artillery, Territorial Army, 1939; reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939. Aspects of period as gunner with 55th (Suffolk Yeomanry) Anti-Tank Regt, Royal Artillery, 54th (East Anglian) Infantry Div in GB, 9/1939-1942: volunteering of unit to join British Expeditionary Force, 5/1940; coastal defence duties at Blyth, 1940; issue of useless ammunition; kitting out for tropical service kit including anti-malarial flaps in shorts. Aspects of period as NCO with 45th Reconnaissance Regt, 70th Infantry Div in India, 9/1942-10/1943: voyage aboard HMT Cameronia from GB to India , 3/1942-5/1942; relations with Indian civilians in Bangalore. Aspects of period as NCO with 45th Reconnaissance Regt, 16th Infantry Bde, 3rd Indian Infantry Div in India, 10/1943-1/1944: reaction to posting to unit; nature of training at Bejaur, 11/1943-12/1943; behaviour of Scottish troops at Bejaur, Christmas, 12/1943; allocation to 54 Column; reaction to having to cross top of dam in training. REEL 2 Continues: issue of carrying equipment; memories of Major-General Orde Wingate and Brigadier Bernard Fergusson; issue of flamethrowers in training; move to Assam; bandit problem in Assam; accident of soldier who fell into stream. Recollections of operations with 54 Column, 45th Reconnaissance Regt, 16th Infantry Bde, 3rd Indian Infantry Div during Second Chindit Expedition Operation Thursday in Burma, 2/1944-4/1944: march towards Ledo, India, 2/1944; conditions on the Burma Road; contact with Chinese forces of New 22nd Div, 1st New Army, National Revolutionary Army; advise to discard socks; turning off road at 84th Milestone; numbering of Chindit columns; equipment carried into Burma; physical condition during initial trek into jungle; problems of supply drops in jungle; discovery of aftermath of Imperial Japanese Army massacre of Nagas; discovery of Imperial Japanese Army corpses beheaded by Nagas; walking techniques on side of hills; loss of mules down steep slopes. REEL 3 Continues: relations with mules; reasons why mules flown out at end of expedition; crossing River Uyu; near accident with grenade; need to whisper in jungle; method of crossing River Chindwin; change of terrain on crossing River Chindwin; approach to Lake Indawgyi; preparations for bayonet charge into Thetkegyin; action between Japanese and column's muleteers; how he was shot in leg by Imperial Japanese Army soldier; threat to leave him in jungle with supply of ammunition; how he was carried out by Oscar the bullock. REEL 4 Continues: Japanese harassing of column; arrival at Aberdeen Landing Zone; flight out in Douglas Dakota aircraft from Burma to India; recovery from wound in Sylhet, India, 1944; story of Chindit who died from overeating.