Interview with Noel Lancaster Kind

British officer served with 1/3rd Bn Queen Alexandra's Own Gurkha Rifles, 48th Indian Infantry Bde, 17th Indian Infantry Div in India and Burma, 1942-1943; served with 1/3rd Bn Queen Alexandra's Own Gurkha Rifles, 63rd Indian Infantry Bde, 17th Indian Infantry Div in India and Burma, 1944-1945

REEL 1 Background in London and Kenton, GB, 1921-1939: family; education; joining Honourable Artillery Company, 1939 and brief period with York and Lancaster Regiment. Recollections of voyage aboard HMT City of Exeter from GB to India, 10/1940-12/1940: embarkation at Liverpool, 10/1940; German Air Force attacks on convoy in North Atlantic; use of guns to protect convoy; conditions on board ship during North Atlantic storm; ports visited. Recollections of period as officer with 3rd Queen Alexandra's Own Gurkha Rifles in India, 1940-1942: initial impressions of Bombay; rail journey across India; arrival at 3rd Queen Alexandra's Own Gurkha Rifles Regimental Centre, Lansdowne; importance of dinner jacket for mess dinner, 12/1940; posting to Agra, 1941; postings to Delhi and Quetta; desert training at Sibi; amusing mishap with regimental 'thunderbox' in Sibi desert; move to Ranchi for jungle training. Recollections of operations with 1/3rd Bn Queen Alexandra's Own Gurkha Rifles, 48th Indian Infantry Bde, 17th Indian Infantry Div in India and Burma, 1942-1943: drafting to battalion. REEL 2 Continues: arrival at Manipur Road, India, 1942; sight of stragglers and refugees from Burma; move to Gauhati, India; celebration of his twenty first birthday, 1/8/1942; reformation of battalion at Kohima, India; patrol in Kabaw Valley, Burma; march to Imphal from Kohima, India; road building on Tiddim Road, India; sight of Imperial Japanese Army build up near Milestone 52 on Tiddim Road, India; cutting off of his unit at Milestone 52, Tiddim Road, India; destruction of artillery before withdrawal; withdrawal from Milestone 52, Tiddim Road, India; rescue of mule by Gurkhas from down side of khud; bayonet charge by battalion on Imperial Japanese Army troops during raid on hill near Milestone 52, Tiddim Road, Burma. Aspects of wounding and medical evacuation to India, 10/1943-5/1944: wounding by grenade, 10/1943; medical evacuation by stretcher Willys Jeep. REEL 3 Continues: nature of wounds; medical treatment he received; recuperation at Dehra Dun. Recollections of operations as officer with 1/3rd Bn Queen Alexandra's Own Gurkha Rifles, 63rd Indian Infantry Bde, 17th Indian Infantry Div in India and Burma, 5/1944-6/1944: return to unit, 5/1944; move up Silchar Track, India and capture of hill after withdrawal of Imperial Japanese Army troops; capture of Banana Ridge, India; appearance of Potsangbang, India; morale of British Army troops; concern about Imperial Japanese Army tank presence; withdrawal of unit to Ranchi, India. Recollections of operations commanding C Coy, 1/3rd Bn Queen Alexandra's Own Gurkha Rifles, 63rd Indian Infantry Bde, 17th Indian Infantry Div in Burma, 1/1945-8/1945: flying into Meiktila from Imphal, India; role defending air bridgehead at Meiktila, 1/1945; Imperial Japanese Army use of artillery in sniping role; actions in Meiktila area; dislodging Imperial Japanese Army troops from nullahs at Meiktila; advance on Pyawbwe; promotion to second in command of battalion. REEL 4 Continues: unit screen to deal with Imperial Japanese Army troops at Yindaw; role as second in command towards end of campaign; performance of his Gurkha troops.