Connolly, Malcolm Leonard (Oral history)

British civilian in Birmingham GB, 1940; trooper served with 26 Hussars in India, 1942-1943; served with 3rd Carabiniers in India and Burma, 1943-1945

REEL 1Background in India and GB, 1922-1939: family and education; employment as carpenter. Reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939. Period as civilian in GB, 1939-1941 including Birmingham Blitz, 1940: work he did in Birmingham, 1940; destruction of lodgings in Shirley Road, Birmingham, autumn 1940; reaction to sight of destruction of Coventry; effect of war on building work in Salisbury Plain area; driving work in army ordnance depot, Salisbury Plain. Enlistment in army, 9/1941. Period of training with Royal Armoured Corps at Bovington Camp, 1941-1942: initial driver-mechanic training, opinion of Lee/Grant tank, early 1942; use of shell case in tank for toilet purposes; procedures for overseas postings, early 1942; issue of uniform. Journey to Scotland, 2/1942: leaving Bovington Camp, sight of father at Wool railway station; receiving mail at Bournemouth. REEL 2 Continues: events at Basingstoke railway station; precautions against desertion at Leicester; reception of civilians, Gourock, Scotland. Voyage from GB to India via south Africa aboard Orbita, 2/1942-6/1942: carrying officers' kit on board ship; catering arrangements; ablutions on board; shortage of fresh water; bathing in cloudburst at Freetown; Royal Armoured Corps drafts manning of ship defences; sight of Royal Navy's protection of convoy; work of hawkers at Freetown; reception by civilians in Cape Town; rumours of destination of ship; arrival in Bombay, India, 6/1942. Period with 26th Hussars in India, 1942: condition of troops on arrival in Bombay, 6/1942; joining 26th Hussars; train journey from Bombay to Naira Camp; reaction to conversations with old soldiers at Naira Camp. REEL 3 Continues: background to creation of 26th Hussars; contrast in discipline of old soldiers and new arrivals; question of problems arising from a regiment's tradition; attachment to Dock Ferrying Party supervising unloading of convoys on Bombay Docks, 12/1942; social life in Bombay; return to unit, Secunderabad, 8/1943; reaction to disbanding of unit; posting to 3rd Carabiniers at Trivalur, 9/1943. Recollections of operations with 7 Troop, C Sqdn, 3rd Carabiniers in Imphal area 1943-1944: journey to Imphal, end 1943; move to Yaripok, Manipur State; move to Milestone 108, 12/1943; entertainment by Stainless Steven at Imphal; address by Mountbatten; formation of defensive boxes; loss of equipment on khud side; role patrolling road out of Imphal; Japanese overrunning of forward post; unpreparedness for meeting Japanese. REEL 4 Continues: adoption by unit of puppy 'Jif' and the dog's attitudes to Japanese and Indians; defence of Lion Box; question of unit's inexperience; shell hit on tank track; evacuation of Lion Box, 13/2/1944; friendly fire casualties in Lion Box by RAF; move to defensive positions at Sangmai, 2/1944; problems of night guard duties and lack of water; role of B Sqdn at Nungshigum, 4/1944; ascent of Kennedy Peak on Tiddim Road; 'jittering' tactics of Indian National Army; practice of Japanese troops not to surrender; character of tank warfare in Burma; delivery of new tank engine by air; explanation of Japanese 'jittering' tactics; use of Japanese bamboo road on Tiddim Road. REEL 5 Continues: techniques for crossing river. Period of leave in Calcutta, 12/1944-1/1945. Recollections of operations in Burma, 1945: advance towards Mandalay; re-taking of Mount Popa and Yenanyaung; Japanese use of captured 25 Pounders on River Irrawaddy; condition of tank guns at Prome. Return to India aboard HMIS Llanstefan. Preparations for Operation Zipper, India, 1945. Return to GB, 1945. Attitude to having served in Second World War. Aspects of service with 3rd Carabiniers in India and Burma, 1943-1945: snake problem during re-taking of Mount Popa; attitude towards Japanese troops; unit camp followers; story of camp follower Saddock taking the units one Japanese POW; memories of Saddock; conversation with sepoy on Tiddim Road about British presence in India. REEL 6 Continues: use of Indian bearers and their pride in their work; story of role in charge of sweepers at Ahmednagar, 1945; period in India, late 1945. Recollections of journey to Burma, 1996: attitude towards Burma and how that changed on return in 1991; political atmosphere in Rangoon; banning of Burmese civilians from parks. Question of lack of welcome for British soldier everywhere with except South Africa. Hospitality received from civilians in South Africa, 1942 and contrast with India. Recollections of operations with 3rd Carabiniers in India and Burma, 1943-1945: British troops behaviour towards villagers; lack of comforts; condition of Yenangyaung, 1945. Account of actions with 6 Troop , C Sqdn, 3rd Carabiniers resulting in Connolly being Mentioned in Despatches on Tiddim Road, 11/1944. REEL 7 Continues: Account of actions with 3rd Carabiniers resulting in Connolly being Mentioned in Despatches on Tiddim Road, 11/1944. Recollections of operations with 3rd Carabiniers in India and Burma, 1943-1945: question of sense of invulnerability in tank; question of motivation; incident when tank was hit by Japanese anti-tank guns in Lion Box, 4/1944 including casualties amongst crew, opinion of West Yorkshire Regt's defence of tank, withdrawal to Oyster Box and condition of tank after action. REEL 8 Continues: description of fighting on Tiddim Road; 5 Troop's assault on Mont Baung salient and his job retrieving bodies, 5/1944; disposal of bodies and war cemetaries; role of West Yorkshire Regt at Imphal; lack of knowledge of Japanese 'chippie-dan' gas bombs; opinion of Japanese weapons; sight of Japanese looter in Lion Box, 4/1944; question of qualities of soldiers of different ages in combat; character of older trooper in his tank; attitude towards Japanese soldier. REEL 9 Continues: meaning of phrase 'BLA' ; question of achievements of 14th Army and its reputation as 'Forgotten Army'; level of rations during siege of Imphal; condition of Japanese troops at Imphal; question of Burma campaign being a soldiers rather than officer's war; question of class differences between officers and men in unit; sources of information; listening to All-India Radio; Noel Coward's visit to Lion Box; film entertainment in Oyster Box; problems with ablutions. Recollections of period with 26th Hussars in India, 1942-1943: contact with Quit India movement at Naira, summer 1942 and Bombay, 1942-1943; armoured support given to East Yorkshire Regt in Bombay, 1942; listening to Gandhi's speech in Bombay; social life in Bombay; attitude to British presence in India. REEL 10 Continues: his mother's reaction to his posting to India; lack of equipment and opinion of Indian Army officers; attitude of British civilians towards British troops; encounter with Bombay Parsee Sir Ezra Jheejheeboy, 1943. Question of failure to get compassionate leave when his father died in GB, 6/1944.