2 Suffolks Burma

Discussion in 'Burma & India' started by Shanghai Jim, Feb 19, 2014.

  1. Murdo Duncan

    Murdo Duncan Closed Account

    Hi Simon and it would be in early 1944 and he said "my company (at that time I think he was with B Coy) was ordered to attack a particular hill over 700 feet high"...sorry I can't be more precise... Do you have access to any of 2 Suffolks War Diaries for early 1944?
     
  2. Skoyen89

    Skoyen89 Senior Member

    Hi Murdo

    I have the War Diary for 1944 but I have been having laptop problems - it won't switch on - and although I have the files backed up I cannot access them without my laptop. Everything is being done on my phone. I hope to have it repaired by middle of next week.
     
  3. Murdo Duncan

    Murdo Duncan Closed Account

    Not a problem - honestly and so good of you to pass these on to me! Have a good weekend, Murdo
     
  4. Murdo Duncan

    Murdo Duncan Closed Account

    Hi Lionboxer and since you kindly posted those War Diaries and I've decided to retype them for my brother and sister, could you please add the previous page of the first one i.e. showing the whole of April 13th 1944 please
     
  5. Murdo Duncan

    Murdo Duncan Closed Account

    Hi and would anyone have a pdf copy of the chapter 5 from page 171 to page 187 of “The History of the Suffolk Regiment 1928 – 1946” by Col W N Nicholson which covers the Battle at Imphal? Many thanks in advance and one of the last pieces to my father's puzzle.
     
  6. Murdo Duncan

    Murdo Duncan Closed Account

    Hi Lionboxer and do you have the previous page showing the first part of the day of 13th April please? I am trying to make a complete page of two days before and two days after my father Lt Duncan, was wounded. I really would be extremely grateful and I am already with what you have given us all!
     
  7. Murdo Duncan

    Murdo Duncan Closed Account

  8. Murdo Duncan

    Murdo Duncan Closed Account

    ...me again, would have been the Naga Hospital by any chance?
     
  9. dryan67

    dryan67 Senior Member

  10. dryan67

    dryan67 Senior Member

    Here is a page from the history on the arrival of the 2nd Suffolks at Kohima.
    2nd Suffolk.jpg
     
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  11. Murdo Duncan

    Murdo Duncan Closed Account

    Hi Dryan and great stuff! I wonder if one or two pages beforehand the book mentions from where they flew out of the Arakan up to Imphal? I've added the book to my Xmas wish list although there is only the chapters about them in the Arakan and again regarding the Battle of Imphal.
     
  12. dryan67

    dryan67 Senior Member

    Here is the page on the move from the Arakan to Imphal.
    Arakan_Imphal.jpg
     
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  13. Murdo Duncan

    Murdo Duncan Closed Account

    Absolutely brilliant!!!! I heard my father say the name of the airfield but couldn't make it out but thought it began with a D.... You have made me a very happy man indeed. Many thanks !!!
     
  14. Murdo Duncan

    Murdo Duncan Closed Account

    HI and I just wonder if you have managed to get your laptop fixed and access those diaries? I appreciate that you have lot of other things to do and more important but I would love to see any others where my father was mentioned. He was "only" wit the Suffolks from say October 1943 until he was wounded at Imphal. I would be forever grateful.
     
  15. Skoyen89

    Skoyen89 Senior Member

    Hi Murdo

    Sorry for the delay - but I have checked the War Diary for 1944. Normally I copy all the file but in this case the pages only start in March 1944; not sure whether that is all that was in the file or whether I didn't copy the Arakan element. Nevertheless there are a few mentions of your father leading patrols and one showing the Field Ambulance he was evacuated to. I will email them over to you.
     
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  16. Murdo Duncan

    Murdo Duncan Closed Account

    Hi and that would be absolutely marvellous!!!! LIonboxer has also seen one when several Japs were killed and which my father mentioned in his tapes. Without being nosey, where do you get access to these diaries and could I try for exemple? And do you know anything about being Mentioned in Despatches? I am pretty sure that the criteria was pretty strict (although nowadays less so I'm sure) and I suppose too that your immediate superior had to nominate you in the first place. Is that roughly correct? If it is, that is one of the reasons I need to try and see all of the dairies from October to April as there is one incident I nned to seen or not see in print. I could be a little more precise if I re-listen to his tapes or whichever part of it was. Its stranger listening to your own father 18 years after his death and sounds as though he is in the room with you!!!!!!! Take care and many, many thanks in advance, Murdo
     
  17. Murdo Duncan

    Murdo Duncan Closed Account

    Hi Tony and decided to write here and perhaps others can join in if the wish.... of these two extracts of 9th/10th April 1944 do I understand correctly that "1445 hrs Lt. Duncan took fighting of 21 men" that the enemy were 21 men or the number of men with him? It reads that he claimed 19 enemy definitely killed (or is it 10?) 1 probably and 6 wounded....
    On the 10th, two escapees stated that the Jap force who had attacked B Coy were 150 strong but canot make out how many left but it looks as though there were 80 casualties "guarded" by 14 sentries...... Not quite sure that I follow correctly what they mean....... Many thanks in advance...... I wonder why there was no mention in despatches for my father's Easter Sunday patrol?
     

    Attached Files:

  18. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    See the red arrow < ? Right of page it says patrol . Insert the word in the sentence.


    '1445 hrs Lt. Duncan took fighting patrol of 21 men'

    The fighting patrol was the officer & 21 men.

    It is '19 enemy definitely killed '.
     
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  19. Murdo Duncan

    Murdo Duncan Closed Account

    Thanks Owen and didn't understand.....the incident my father mentions on his tape is slightly different unless another one but I suspect he didn't want us to think it was bloodthirsty or something like that! However, not knowing how these matters work in the British Army and, certainly not then, I would have thought that it was worth a MID don't you?
     
  20. Murdo Duncan

    Murdo Duncan Closed Account

    ...that was a lot of responsibility for a young officer having 21 men's live on his hands as he often mention smaller patrol of only a few men....I have added the report from the 8th and where the enemy had received artillery fire on their positions so perhaps what my father's patrol "only" confirmed the number of dead bodies etc and not that he had engaged them..... the word "claims" confuses me you see..... although it does say on the 10th "the enemy which were shot up on the 9th by Lt. Duncan's patrol"....... mmmm
    I have just read my father's transcript and although he doesn't mention dates, he was already in the Imphal are and his incident where he had to shoot first took place near hill 4057 from where he'd seen the attack on Mount "Chibin" or what I understood from his tape.
    Lastly, what does a "fighting patrol" mean? More heavily armed and expecting contact with enemy, especially in daylight?
     

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    Last edited: Nov 17, 2020

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