Day, Donald Sidney (Oral history)

British officer served with 1/4th Bn Prince of Wales' Own Gurkha Rifles, 19th Indian Infantry Div in India, 7/1940-12/1941; served with 1/4th Bn Prince of Wales' Own Gurkha Rifles, 48th Indian Infantry Bde, 17th Indian Infantry Div in Burma and India, 1/1942-8/1942; served as staff officer with 17th Indian Infantry Div at Imphal, India, 1943; served with 2/6th Gurkha Rifles, 26th Gurkha Bde in Federation of Malaya, 1954-1958

REEL 1 Background in Cranleigh, GB, 1921-1939: family; education; reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939. Aspects of period as cadet with Officer Cadet Training School, British Indian Army, Bangalore, India 1940: voyage from GB to India, 1940; nature of training; reaction of Indians to outbreak of war in Far East, 12/1941; shortage of British officers in British Indian Army. Aspects of period as officer with D Coy, 1/4th Bn Prince of Wales's Own Gurkha Rifles, 19th Indian Infantry Div in India, 1940-1941: joining battalion at Ambala, 7/1940; method of recruiting Gurkhas in 1940; Gurkha languages; need for Gurkha recruits to learn basic life skills; opinion of Gurkhas courage and loyalty; Gurkha's attitude to their British officers and their motivation for serving; story of learning to ride on his first patrol along Patiala State border, Punjab, summer 1940; mountain and desert training with 19th Indian Infantry Div. REEL 2 Continues: move of unit from Secunderbad to Rangoon, Burma. Recollections of operations as officer with 1/4th Bn Prince of Wales' Own Gurkha Rifles, 48th Indian Infantry Bde, 17th Indian Infantry Div, Burma, 1/1942-5/1942: failure to concentrate forces against Imperial Japanese Army, 1/1942-2/1942; fighting on River Bilin, 2/1942; withdrawal to bridge on River Sittang, 2/1942; 'friendly fire' incident where Gurkhas were attacked by Royal Air Force aircraft and casualties; communication problems in River Sittang area, 2/1942; hand-to-hand fighting with Imperial Japanese Army troops during counter-attacks on River Bilin, 2/1942. REEL 3 Continues: fighting on Sittang Bridge, 2/1942; clash with Imperial Japanese Army mounted infantry, Pegu Yomas, 3/1942; D Coy remnants joining up with rest of battalion on withdrawal across Burma; failed counter-attack south of Prome; attitude of Burmese civilians towards Allied forces, 2/1942-3/1942; disintegration of Burma Rifles; withdrawal towards Yenangyaung Oil Fields; delay in Chinese Expeditionary Force attacking Pinchaung. REEL 4 Continues: hospitalisation for spine injury received during River Bilin action; Gurkha's reaction to constant retreats; physical condition of Gurkhas on reaching Imphal, India; Gurkha use of Kukri; incident of using own kukri against Imperial Japanese Army troops at Prome; Imperial Japanese Army use of 'sleeping commandos' in Burma. Aspects of period as officer with 1/4th Bn Prince of Wales' Own Gurkha Rifles, 48th Indian Infantry Bde, 17th Indian Infantry Div in India, 1942: reduction in pay; effect of Quit India Movement on communications, 8/1942; lack of sense of personal threat in India, 1942. Aspects of period as staff officer with 17th Indian Infantry Div at Imphal, India, 1943: use of medical protection against malaria; role in 'Admin Coms' office. Aspects of period as second in command with 26th Gurkha Rifles in India, 1944-1946: disbanding of 26th Gurkha Rifles at Abbottabad, late 1946. REEL 5 Continues: opinion of division of British Indian Army, 1947. Recollections of operations as officer with 2/6th Gurkha Rifles, 26th Gurkha Bde, Malaya Command in Federaton of Malaya, 1954-1958: arrival in Seremban; role laying ambushes and level of success; story of ambush of Fijian troops in Malacca area; sources of intelligence and problem of protecting them; incident when a shot hit his car at Tampin during journey between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.