Description
Object description
British private served with 1st Bn South Staffordshire Regt, 77th Indian Infantry Bde during Second Chindit Expedition in Burma, 1944
Content description
REEL 1: Recollections of operations with 1st Bn South Staffordshire Regt, 77th Indian Infantry Bde during Second Chindit Expedition in Burma, 1944 Chindits in Burma: story of formation of 77th Bde for Second Chindit expedition; story of carrying dead woman on back; description of jungle training in Arakan; story of foot rot and medical treatment; description of journey to jungle camp at Mawlu; method of moving silently through jungle; story about Lt George Cairns winning VC during attack, 16/Mar/1944; duties caring for wounded; story of badly wounded Gurkha being carried in tin bath; description of Gurkhas evacuating wounded on bamboo stretchers; amusing story of mule inadvertently raising alarm; attitude to taking Japanese prisoners; description of hand to hand fighting with Japanese; problem of smell and flies from dead Japanese soldiers; story of rescuing platoon captured by Japanese; description of intoxicated Nigerian troops attacking Japanese position; description of killing large number of Japanese soldiers with machine gun; description of using Army issue condoms to keep matches and rifle barrel dry and protect penis from leeches; problem of dead bodies polluting water; supplemented rations by eating mules, snakes and fish; description of K rations; reaction to death of Gen. Orde Wingate; reason for refusing promotion; attitude to being wounded; use of English names for Chindit bases in Burma; description of attacking concrete pill boxes with rifles and grenades; casualties in Bde; description of capturing ridge and taking over Japanese foxholes; story of taking food, alcohol and cigarettes from house used by Japanese officers..
REEL 2 Continues: description of house being destroyed by mortar fire; description of crossing river with gear wrapped in cape on back; story of attempting to catch lone Japanese soldier walking past machine gun post; description of killing large number of Japanese soldiers with machine gun during attack; story of taking up positions at night prior to attack on Mogaung; description of firing flame thrower into pill box; story of taking Japanese flag from dead soldier; story of soldier set alight by flame thrower being shot by fellow soldier; story of Gurkhas throwing captured Japanese officer into river; returned to HQ in plantation; story of being ordered by officer to march back to India; problem of heavy rain and lack of transport; story of abandoning machine gun and tripod during march; stopped to remove leeches; deaths during march; story of recuperation at US Army camp; walked to airport and flown back to Dehradun, India; medical examination and delousing; use of neem sticks to clean sticks; description of journey back to GB; reaction to loss of friends; length of time in jungle; problem of severe weight loss; reason for not suffering from stress; various memories of service with South Staffordshire Regt in Palestine and North Africa, including receiving bayonet wound in neck; opinion of Japanese; story of working as chef in Japanese POW camp after war; story of fight with Irish soldier; relations with Japanese POWs including learning martial arts.