Interview with Henry Foster

British private served with 2nd Bn West Yorkshire Regt 2nd Bn West Yorkshire Regt (The Prince of Wales's Own), 9th Indian Infantry Bde, 5th Indian Infantry Div in North Africa, Iraq, India and Burma, 1942-1945

REEL 1 Background in York and Ossett, GB, 1921-1939: family, education. Aspects of enlistment and training with 70th Bn West Yorkshire Regt (The Prince of Wales's Own) and 11th Bn West Yorkshire Regt (Prince of Wales's Own) in GB, 6/1940-12/1941; reasons for volunteering for British Army, 6/1940; basic training at York Racecourse, summer 1940; airfield defence duties with 70th Bn West Yorkshire Regt (The Prince of Wales's Own); coastal defence duties with 11th Bn West Yorkshire Regt (Prince of Wales's Own). Recollections of voyage aboard HMT Sibajak from GB to Egypt via South Africa, 1/1942: conditions on board ship; opinion of cigarettes made from Rhodesian tobacco; reception received from civilians during stop over in Cape Town, South Africa; transfer to faster ship to complete journey to Port Tewfik, Egypt. Recollections of operations as private and NCO with 2nd Bn West Yorkshire Regt (The Prince of Wales's Own), 9th Indian Infantry Bde, 5th Indian Infantry Div in North Africa, 1942: drafting to unit after period of acclimatisation on Suez Canal, Egypt; joining battalion near Tobruk, Libya; character of defences at Tobruk, Libya; water rationing and diet; bathing in sea water. REEL 2 Continues: orders for battalion to close gap in defences at Sidi Mufti, Libya, 4/6/1942; initial experience of action; reaction of soldier wounded in eye; issue of 'every man for himself' order during German counter-attack at Sidi Mufti, Libya, 4/6/1942; reaction to initial experience of action; casualties caused by ammunition accident at Knightsbridge Box, Libya, 6/1942; retreat towards El Alamein, Egypt; reasons for abandoning plans to defend Fortress B; morale in reinforcement camp; return to front line at Ruweisat Ridge, Egypt; transfer from D Coy to Carrier Platoon; work of Carrier Platoon on Ruweistat Ridge, Egypt; mine detection techniques; fly plague; effect of Axis bombing; replacement in line. REEL 3 Continues: Aspects of period as NCO with 2nd Bn West Yorkshire Regt (The Prince of Wales's Own), 9th Indian Infantry Bde, 5th Indian Infantry Div in Iraq, 1942-1943: transfer to Baghdad; internal security duties; anti-British feeling amongst Iraqis; sleeping arrangements for troops; move to Basra; voyage aboard HMT Empire Trooper from Iraq to India, 3/1943. Aspects of period as NCO with 2nd Bn West Yorkshire Regt (The Prince of Wales's Own), 9th Indian Infantry Bde, 5th Indian Infantry Div in India, 1943: erection of camp at Ranchi; use of Indian servants; sight of effects of Bengal famine during leave in Calcutta, 6/1943; nature of jungle training. Aspects of operations as NCO with Carrier Platoon, 2nd Bn West Yorkshire Regt (The Prince of Wales's Own), 9th Indian Infantry Bde, 5th Indian Infantry Div in Arakan, Burma, 11/1943-2/1944: capture of Maungdaw; character of terrain in coastal area; failure of trailing coat tactics. Recollections of operations with Carrier Platoon, 2nd Bn West Yorkshire Regt (The Prince of Wales's Own), 9th Indian Infantry Bde, 5th Indian Infantry Div in Admin Box, Burma, 5/2/1944-23/2/1944: arrival in 7th Indian Infanty Div's administration area; Imperial Japanese Army encirclement of Admin Box; effect of Imperial Japanese Army artillery fire. REEL 4 Continues: Imperial Japanese Army troops capture of hospital and resulting massacre; use of air supply drops; use of Ordnance 3.7 Anti-Aircraft Gun for counter-fire; Imperial Japanese Army Air Service attacks; discovery of tinned goods by platoon; Imperial Japanese Army digging skills; role of carrier platoon; concern over possibility of Imperial Japanese Army troops breaking into Admin Box; relief of Admin Box. Recollections of operations as NCO with 2nd Bn West Yorkshire Regt (The Prince of Wales's Own), 9th Indian Infantry Bde, 5th Indian Infantry Div at Imphal, India, 3/1944-8/1944: removal of battalion to Dimapur; drive to Kohima; reasons for missing Battle of Kohima; importance of air supply to British forces; role of unit; duties driving supplies and water; breaking of Imperial Japanese Army siege of Imphal, 8/1944; impression made by Lord Louis Mountbatten during visit to troops. REEL 5 Continues: Recollections of operations as NCO with 2nd Bn West Yorkshire Regt (The Prince of Wales's Own), 9th Indian Infantry Bde, 5th Indian Infantry Div in India and Burma, 9/1944-8/1945: pursuit of Japanese forces during monsoon, 5/1945; physical conditions on Tiddim Road, India; merging of unit with 4th Bn Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regt at Kalewa, Burma, 12/1944; conditions in reserve Kohima, India, Christmas, 12/1944; air training in Assam, India, 4/1945; encirclement of unit at Meiktila, Burma, 3/1945; cutting of Japanese forces in Pegu Yomas, Burma; transfer to 1st Bn West Yorkshire Regt, 17th Indian Indian Div at Moulmein, Burma, 8/1945; contrast between fighting Germans and Japanese.