Interview with Richard de Renzy Channer

British officer served with 158th Field Regt, Royal Artillery, 23rd Indian Infantry Div in India and Burma, 1942-1945

REEL Background in Quetta, India and GB, 1921-1940: family origins; education at Wellington College, Crowthorne, GB. Aspects of period as private with British Army in GB, 1940-1941: joining 70th Bn Hampshire Regt; coastal defence work at Gosport, 9/1940-10/1940; transfer to Royal Artillery. Aspects of period as officer cadet with British Indian Army in India, 1941: voyage from GB to India; attending Officer Cadet Training Unit at Deolali; presence of Indian servants; commissioning into Royal Artillery, 12/1941. Recollections of period as officer with 158th Field Regt, Royal Artillery, 23rd Indian Infantry Div in India, 5/1942-7/1942: joining regiment at Peshawar, 1/1942; problems of dealing with men; jungle training at Ranchi; move to Imphal, 5/1942; rail congestion caused by refugees coming out of Burma in Dimapur area; start of monsoon, 1942; character of road journey in monsoon; use of term 'tik hai'; question of Naga hill people making good porters; attempts to stop mosquitoes biting at Imphal; move to Palel, Burma and Shenam Ridge. REEL 2 Continues: Recollections of operations as officer with F Troop, 158th Field Regt, Royal Artillery, 23rd Indian Infantry Div in India and Burma, 1942-1944: establishing unit on Shenam Saddle, India; problems for infantry patrolling in Kabaw Valley, Burma; allocation of Royal Artillery troops to infantry role; patrol he led into Chindwin Valley, Burma, 1943; nature of canoe patrol on River Chindwin, Burma, 1943; problem of jungle sores; start of Japanese offensive, 3/1944; start of action against Imperial Japanese Army on road to Ukhrul, India; period in defensive box at Wangjing, India; reprimand received for critical remark about lack of action; problems of getting troops to dig positions; relations with superior officer and his demotion on battlefield; story of patrol with Gurkhas as forward observation officer. REEL 3 Continues: sight of grave of Seaforth Highlander soldier in forest; reaction to order to go on three week course in India; return to regiment; Recollections of operations as officer with 158th Field Regt, Royal Artillery, 23rd Indian Infantry Div on Shenam Saddle, India, 6/1944: situation on Shenam Ridge; Imperial Japanese Army 'jitter' patrols; use of K-rations; meeting with Major Dinesh Misra; nature of artillery fire onto Shenam Saddle; problem of close artillery support for infantry; Royal Air Force Hawker Hurricane aircraft support for infantry; leg wound from friendly fire; zeroing guns on ridge; course of battle and withdrawal of British Indian Army troops. REEL 4 Continues: British Indian Army infantry and Imperial Japanese Army casualties; how wound in leg became paralysed; his stretchering off battlefield, 24/6/1944. Aspects of medical treatment and hospitalisation in Burma and India, 1944: treatment to prevent gangrene; treatment in Comilla. Aspects of period as officer with 158th Field Regt, Royal Artillery, 23rd Indian Infantry Div in India, 1944-1945: rejoining unit at Shillong; beach landing training near Bombay; pressure to stay on in Far East after VE Day. Reflections on service with 158th Field Regt, Royal Artillery, 23rd Indian Infantry Div in Indian and Burma, 1942-1944: award of Military Cross for action on Shenam Saddle, 6/11944; meeting with Dinesh Misra in Bangalore, India, 1970s; background to Dinesh Misra's wartime career; attitude towards Japanese; opinion of Dinesh Misra; degree of contact with Quit India Movement; story of reconciliation with officer who demoted him at VJ Day parade in London, GB, 1995; problems with lack of oil for rifles; question of behaviour of Indian National Army; question of personal morale in action. REEL 5 Continues: use of chain saws and mattocks in Burma. Recollections of period as civilian with Moral Re-Armament (MRA), 1946-1994: visits to Albania, 1990s; fate of religion under Communism in Albania; aims of charity; changing attitude towards Japanese; contact with Japanese ex-serviceman; details of Burma Campaign Fellowship Group formed in 1989; personal attitude to state visits of Japanese Emperors.