Interview with Benjamin Thomas Cattle

British private served with 2nd Bn Dorsetshire Regt, 5th Infantry Bde, 2nd Infantry Div in India and Burma, 10/1943-4/1945; NCO served with 2nd Bn Dorsetshire Regt, British Commonwealth Occupation Force in Japan, 1946-1947

REEL 1 Background in Corfe Castle, GB, 1924-1939: family; education; employment. Aspects of period as private with membership of Corfe Castle Local Defence Volunteers in Corfe Castle, GB, 1940-1942: lack of weapons; guard duties in area; listening to Prime Minister Winston Churchill's radio broadcasts; German Air Force targets in area; amusing story relating to unit's firing of Spigot Mortar. Aspects of enlistment and training with British Army, 1942-1943: call-up for military service, 5/11/1942; posting to 70th Bn Hampshire Regt, 1943; attachment to Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey) for training in Guisborough area; injury to leg from thunderflash during training. Aspects of voyage aboard HMS Mooltan from GB to India, 9/1943-10/1943: effect of inoculations; embarkation; attempts of troops to avoid overseas postings. REEL 2 Continues: embarking at Greenock, GB, 9/1943; route of ship through Mediterranean; sight of bum boats at Port Said, Egypt; impressions of Aden, Aden Protectorate; arrival in Bombay, India, 10/1943. Aspects of period as private with 2nd Bn Dorsetshire Regt, 5th Infantry Bde, 2nd Infantry Div in India, 10/1943-4/1944: joining unit at Galunchi, 10/1943; character of accommodation at Galunchi; amphibious training in off Bombay; jungle training at Belgaum; role during civilian demonstrations at Nasik; keenness to avoid punishment; occasion of avoiding arrest by Corps of Military Police; soldiers' misuse of gharries. Recollections of operations as private with 17 Platoon, D Coy, 2nd Bn Dorsetshire Regt, 5th Infantry Bde, 2nd Infantry Div at Kohima, India, 4/1944-6/1944: move to Dimapur, 4/1944. REEL 3 Continues: accidental fire at supply base; defensive positions at Zubza; problems of trying to relieve 4th Bn Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regt during Siege of Kohima; Imperial Japanese Army control of commanding heights; digging in on Picquet Hill, Kohima; sight of wounded troops; how unit replaced badly-mauled 2nd Bn Durham Light Infantry; conditions of hillsides in monsoon; taking up positions on Garrison Hill; attempt to air-supply troops including water supplies in two gallon tins; loss of NCO trying to unhook water supply tin; pressure to get on with job; probing Imperial Japanese Army positions. REEL 4 Continues: conditions on Garrison Hill; Japanese jittering tactics; importance of removing Japanese from Tennis Court and District Commissioner's Bungalow; attempt to bulldoze track to bring tank up; effectiveness of Imperial Japanese Army Type 90 75mm Field Gun; unit assault on Tennis Court, 13/5/1944; use of Bangalore Torpedoes on Imperial Japanese Army bunkers; physical condition at end of action and return to Zubza; story of recovering his signet ring; return to Kohima-Imphal Road, 1/6/1944; wounding on Big Tree Hill, 4/6/1944; stretchering back to Kohima; state of casualties at Kohima hospital, 5/6/1944; infection to wound; convalescence at Shillong; rejoining battalion at Maram; state of battalion, 8/1944. REEL 5 Continues: Recollections of operations as private with 2nd Bn Dorsetshire Regt, 5th Infantry Bde, 2nd Infantry Div in Burma, 12/1944-8/1945: receiving reinforcements from Royal Artillery anti-aircraft units; advance to River Chindwin; reasons for celebrations on 17/12/1944; crossing River Chindwin; narrow escape from Allied air strike; tactics employed by Imperial Japanese Army troops in fox holes; Imperial Japanese Army counter-attack on River Irrawaddy; plans for crossing River Irrawaddy; crossing River Irrawaddy, 12/2/1944-13/2/1944; reaction to walking through elephant grass; push towards Ava through tomato field; night advance towards Dirty Pagoda; machine-gunning of unit from Dirty Pagoda. REEL 6 Continues: use of tanks in race to Mandalay; entry into Mandalay after it had been taken by 19th Indian Infantry Div; Imperial Japanese Army artillery shelling outside Mandalay; advance towards Mount Popa, 4/1945; ambush of Imperial Japanese Army supply lorries in Mount Popa area, 4/1945; injury to ankle during Imperial Japanese Army artillery shelling; medical evacuation by Stinson L-5 Sentinel aircraft and hospitalisation in India; reaction to dropping of atomic bombs on Japan, 8/1945. Recollections of period as NCO with 2nd Infantry Div, British Commonwealth Occupation Force in Japan, 1946-1947, reasons why he could not return home, 1945; choice of troops; promotion to corporal and then sergeant; landing in Kure, 4/1946; state of Japanese civilians in Hiroshima; Kohima Day parade at Matsue, 13/5/1946; move to Gomen; orders to stop black market; move to Ebisu then Tokyo; hunt for arms and ammunition; relations between British Army troops and Japanese civilians; attitude towards Japanese and Japan; attitude to having served with 2nd Bn Dorsetshire Regt in Second World War. Aspects of operations with 2nd Bn Dorsetshire Regt, 5th Infantry Bde, 2nd Infantry Div in India and Burma, 1944-1945: Imperial Japanese Army attack at Zubza, India, 4/1944; reaction to loss of Royal Air Force Douglas Dakota supply aircraft. REEL 7 Continues: question of effects of having served in Burma.