ABDA-CBI-SEAC. Book thread.

I picked these two up today in the charity shop both hardbacks and both cheap

 

Two from the Retreat:

'Hell of a Licking' by James Lunt.

I admired the way Lunt wrote this book. Very honest and frank account of the disasterous communications and leadership in the face of the rapidly advancing enemy.

I picked up some useful mentions of Burma Rifle officers that went on to serve in Chindit 1, so that helped too! One of whom was awarded the DSO for his efforts on 'Longcloth'.

'No Mandalay, No Maymyo', by Gerald Fitzpatrick.

The story of the authors attempted leadership of the 2nd battalion KOYLI during the retreat. Very similar to Lunt's book in the frank and sometimes outwardly hostile way the author criticizes the handling of the British Armies evacuation in 1942.

Once again the book gave me valuable background to some of the eventual POW's who ended up in Rangoon Jail for the period of WW2.

I will assume that most of us have read 'Hell of a Licking', but maybe 'No Mandalay.......', may be new to others? However, both books admirably portray the utter confusion and terrible miss-management of the Army units who found themselves the wrong side of the River Chindwin in 1942.

 

I picked these two up today in the charity shop both hardbacks and both cheap


Jason,

How big are your bookcases at home? Oh! and I presume you are a hermit and live quite by yourself? My other half would soon be cutting up my plastic if I kept coming home with these books. (Not true actually, cos I hide them all quick).

Bamboo.

 

Jason,

How big are your bookcases at home? Oh! and I presume you are a hermit and live quite by yourself? My other half would soon be cutting up my plastic if I kept coming home with these books. (Not true actually, cos I hide them all quick).

Bamboo.
Steve, I am married with two Daughters, the Wife realy does not undestand why I have this compulsion to surround myself with all these lovely books.......... bookcases I have one left all the rest died and as you said yourself I hide them quickly...... and use cash I just need someone to invent a time machine or eternal life so I can read them all

 

Jason,

Looks like we are existing in a parallel universe mate. Married with two daughters and a wife that is tolerant, but thinks I am crazy and quite frankly obsessed!

God bless them all for putting up with us!

 

Two from the Retreat:

'Hell of a Licking' by James Lunt.

I admired the way Lunt wrote this book. Very honest and frank account of the disasterous communications and leadership in the face of the rapidly advancing enemy.

I picked up some useful mentions of Burma Rifle officers that went on to serve in Chindit 1, so that helped too! One of whom was awarded the DSO for his efforts on 'Longcloth'.

'No Mandalay, No Maymyo', by Gerald Fitzpatrick.

The story of the authors attempted leadership of the 2nd battalion KOYLI during the retreat. Very similar to Lunt's book in the frank and sometimes outwardly hostile way the author criticizes the handling of the British Armies evacuation in 1942.

Once again the book gave me valuable background to some of the eventual POW's who ended up in Rangoon Jail for the period of WW2.

I will assume that most of us have read 'Hell of a Licking', but maybe 'No Mandalay.......', may be new to others? However, both books admirably portray the utter confusion and terrible miss-management of the Army units who found themselves the wrong side of the River Chindwin in 1942.

Yes, Lunt's book is really fantastic. I heard before for "No Mandalay, No Maymyo", it is mentioned in "Burma 1942: Memories of a Retreat" by R.E.S. Tanner and D.A. Tanner. Ralph Tanner was another officer of 2nd KOYLI, he missed early fighting but joined battalion in the Central Burma. But author(s) criticize Fitzpatrick's book, considering it inaccurate in some aspects.

 

Apologies for this post. It deals with a very specific part of my research area.

I have collected several books or memoirs about the POW's of Rangoon Jail. I have also been extremely fortunate to have met some of the men who survived that ordeal. It is very difficult to chose a couple of those memoirs here, as all the writings bring something special to the interested reader.

However, here are my choices:

"Operation Rangoon Jail", by KP MacKenzie.

This is a fair minded account of a Medical Officer from the jail, who must of saved or at least delayed the demise of many men from the jail back then. I particularly like the way MacKenzie highlights the very humane nature of the men and their care for one another. He is of Officer status, but he sees the worth of all comrades regardless of rank or favour.

A fine example of this is his remarks about a man he calls Golding of the Kings. Golding's job was to keep the latrines as clean as possible in the block where MacKenzie worked as M.O. This must have been a horrendous task, but the Doctor states that this man saved more lives than all the Medical Officers put together!

MacKenzie was not a young man himself in 1942 and had already served his country during WW1, he had several brushes with disease and only just survived the march out in April 1945.

'Rats of Rangoon', by Lionel Hudson.

Hudson, an RAF Wing Commander finds himself in Rangoon Jail after crash landing close to the Irrawaddy River. His typical Aussie humour is present throughout the book and he describes the daily life of the jail well.

In late April 1945 Hudson becomes C/O of what personnel are still present in the jail after the unexpected departure of the Japanese and 400 so called fit prisoners. He is involved in the ramifications of keeping the POW's safe, dealing with logistics of feeding them and eventually the contacting of Allied liberation forces.

He and his Adjutant, John Kerr of the 13th Kings also had to deal with the delicate power struggle in the city at that time, between the INA and the Burmese Independence Army. This he achieves admirably.

 

Jason,

Looks like we are existing in a parallel universe mate. Married with two daughters and a wife that is tolerant, but thinks I am crazy and quite frankly obsessed!

God bless them all for putting up with us!
I will tell the missus that Steve, told me to buy it next time a book comes through the letter box. Mate its become a serious part of my life and not just due to my own personal intrest in Burma, but other areas to such as Arnhem-Airborne related books and many more subjects.........well thats what the books tell me and crazy obsessed you better believe it!

 

I will tell the missus that Steve, told me to buy it next time a book comes through the letter box. Mate its become a serious part of my life and not just due to my own personal intrest in Burma, but other areas to such as Arnhem-Airborne related books and many more subjects.........well thats what the books tell me and crazy obsessed you better believe it!

I totally understand mate and I'm with you all the way!

 

Yes, it's short, considering the area which it cover, it give some dissent amount of info about operations but not to much. It has lot o photos which is plus but then it heavy failed with maps, except good map of the Admin Box all others are not very useful. I mean when you talking about some important hill or some small village then please show us where they are. For example on several pages Turnbull writing about heavy fighting in the tunnel area but there isn't a single map for that area. So you have to search in the other books, which usually also lacked good maps, or try to guess where some important feature could be.

So, how does it rank from 1 to 10, mate? Your answer might make the beating by ye olde girlfriend a bit more bearable...

Also, does anyone know of other jobs on the Admin Box battle?

 

So, how does it rank from 1 to 10, mate? Your answer might make the beating by ye olde girlfriend a bit more bearable...

Also, does anyone know of other jobs on the Admin Box battle?

Well, let me say it like this, if you find this book cheaply than buy it if don't well you always can buy something else. It isn't bad book, I can recommend it to someone who don't know much about operations in Arakan and want to learn more. It is god book to start with research but not definite one. Somehow I found photos the best part of the book but on the other side lack of detailed maps quite irritated me.

Now about Admin Box. Two members of 25th Dragoons wrote their memoirs, John Leyin's "Tell them of us" and Tim Ground's "Some letters from Burma". I have the first and it is only signed book I own, and (at list to me) it's fantastic and I recommend it (here you have his story). Both these men served in B Squadron of the regiment and both were in Admin Box during the siege.

 

In regards to Sols, above post I to would recommend 'Tell Them Of Us' it really is a great book, and I had not heard of the other so nice one mate

 

Now about Admin Box. Two members of 25th Dragoons wrote their memoirs, John Leyin's "Tell them of us" and Tim Ground's "Some letters from Burma". I have the first and it is only signed book I own, and (at list to me) it's fantastic and I recommend it (here you have his story). Both these men served in B Squadron of the regiment and both were in Admin Box during the siege.

In regards to Sols, above post I to would recommend 'Tell Them Of Us' it really is a great book, and I had not heard of the other so nice one mate

Ok, lads, it's off to Amazon then

Thank you both.

 

New Chindit book coming out Oct 2011. https://www.amazon.co.uk/War-Wilderness-Chindits-Burma-1943-1944/dp/0752460781/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1290706163&sr=1-3

 

New Chindit book coming out Oct 2011. https://www.amazon.co.uk/War-Wilderness-Chindits-Burma-1943-1944/dp/0752460781/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1290706163&sr=1-3

Typical, I was going to publish mine just around that time as well!!

 

Typical, I was going to publish mine just around that time as well!!

 

What you laughing at?

 

What you laughing at?
Because part of me thinks that what you say is not far from being true. So Steve, you heard of the author or the book before?

 

Because part of me thinks that what you say is not far from being true. So Steve, you heard of the author or the book before?

Good answer, your a diplomatic star!

Wasn't aware of the new book, although I do remember someone asking for help and ideas in the Burma Star magazine last year. I'll check up on that.

Did you notice the sudden disappearance of this?

WW2 Chindit photos/Burma,Trenchart,badges,Bailey Bridge on eBay (end time 02-Dec-10 17:44:42 GMT)

 

Good answer, your a diplomatic star!

Wasn't aware of the new book, although I do remember someone asking for help and ideas in the Burma Star magazine last year. I'll check up on that.

Did you notice the sudden disappearance of this?

WW2 Chindit photos/Burma,Trenchart,badges,Bailey Bridge on eBay (end time 02-Dec-10 17:44:42 GMT)
I have never been called diplomatic before, in regard to the book any info you can find on it would be appreciated mate......as for the Ebay listing I was not aware it had been pulled, bloody annoying when that happens just glad I was not gonna be bidding!