Happened upon this from Footage Farm. Not sure what to make of it, but have never seen it before. Interesting. Advance South of Mawlu https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXwZjc0SUbc Mike
Hi Mike, I've never seen this footage before. The date is November 1944, so too late for Chindit 2. Must have been the beginnings of the push back into Burma. Steve
Thanks Steve. I hadn't noticed the date.Not sure if any of the Chindits ever wore tin hats.I wonder how they got away with that, and if it contibuted to casualty rates? Mike
TIn hats were lethal in Burma.There is an account in Murray Gilling's book, "The Shiny Ninth" of some soldiers who were dug in and trapped by Japanese firepower,for several days.Supplies of water ran out and the sun beat down on them.Under their tin hats they succumbed to heat stroke, most died and their young officer was delirious.Bush hats became favourite headgear thereafter, but clearly offered no protection from bullets or shrapnel.
Nice video Mike. It shows troops from 36th British Division, probably 72nd Brigade which led the division advance south of Mawle. On several occasions in the video could be seen a divisional sign, two overlapping rings - one red and one white, on the bush hats and also General Festing, the Division Commander, if I'm not wrong. Enes
I have found the entry in Cyril Grimes' Diary for November 44. He was with the 9th Royal Sussex. He describes being detailed for the advance party to Mawlu and marched off at 0725hrs. carrying "everything bar the kitchen sink", and dug in there. The following day the main body of the Battalion had still not arrived so the advance party dug more positions for them in soft ground awaiting their arrival. The rest of the Btn arrived on Sat 4th November and Cyril records on the 6th November that they were 3 miles from the Japanese. There is then a period of fighting and being bombed by the Americans by mistake with a lot of changing positions. This proved to be part of the battle of Pinwe for which the 9th received Battle Honours. I have never seen this footage before and It is quite possible that men of the 9th are shown here. Not heard of Footage Farm before?
That's great that the footage may relate to your relatives, Sylvia...I never saw the film before. We are going there in December. There was mention in 77th War diary that Mawlu was burned to the ground earlier that year ...it is near White City.
Hi, This may be a still from the same film or at least the same piece of track. Cheers James On the back is: Men of the South Wales Borderers, part of the British 36th Division, move forward along a swampy jungle road under sniper fire.