2nd Green Howards

Discussion in 'British Indian Army' started by Pete Thomas, Oct 28, 2012.

  1. Pete Thomas

    Pete Thomas Member

    Does anyone know what the 2nd Green Howards were doing in Burma on 13th March 1945? Four men from the battalion died that day, including Private 3663060 James Henry Hancock,of Cadishead.

    Any info much appreciated.

    Cheers
    Pete
     
  2. sol

    sol Very Senior Member

    2nd Green Howards were in 4th Indian Brigade, 26th Indian Division about that time.

    Tamandu village soon fell and the 74th Brigade broke contact with the Japanese. The 4th (West Africa) Brigade continued to pursue them towards An. The 25th Division was evacuated back to Akyab. On the 13th March, the 1st West Africa Brigade was still manoeuvring to reach the Tamandu – An road, whilst the 4th Indian Brigade crossed over from Ramree island. They landed at five places on the Me chaung in the vicinity of Letpan. On the 15th March, the 2nd/13th Frontier Force Rifles established a road block south of Letpan. The 2nd/7th Rajputs had reached Pada, about 3 miles south of Lamu. The advance was supported by tanks from the 146th Regiment, R.A.C.
    Sorry not much details, but all I could find.
     
  3. dryan67

    dryan67 Senior Member

    Here are the relevant pages from the regimental history:
     

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  4. bamboo43

    bamboo43 Very Senior Member

    Pete,

    There is a book 'In the Trade of War', by James R. Allan. He writes about his time as a platoon commander with the battalion in the Arakan, especially Ramree Island as sol's info suggests, they then came under the 4th West African Brigade and were employed in the taking and holding of strategic Hill positions near a place called Taungap.

    Unfortunately Allan replaces all real names with aliases in the book and rarely mentions dates.
     
  5. Tom Canning

    Tom Canning WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    The 146th RAC was evolved from 9th Batt Duke of Wellingtons in 1941 - their sister Batt - th 8th became 145th RAC and served in North Africa and Italy until disbanded in December 1944
    Cheers
     
  6. Pete Thomas

    Pete Thomas Member

    Sol, Tom, Dryan, Bamboo, thank you all very much. Wills also sent me some great info by pm. That is just what I needed.

    (I love this forum).

    Cheers
    Pete
     
  7. John Moore

    John Moore Member

    Hi Pete,

    The following is from Synge's 'The Story of the Green Howards 1939-45':

    'On the 12th of March the (2nd) Battalion embarked once more at Kyaukpyu for the mainland, with the objective of continuing the advance southwards through Tangup, which had become the main Japanese base in Arakan. At dawn on March 13 the Green Howards transferred to assault craft, and, proceeding up the Kaleindaung River, entered the Ma-i Chaung. The chaungs of Burma are tidal waterways running circuitous courses for miles inland between mango swamps, and, in defence, were a snipers paradise.
    The voyage of the Green Howards was a hair raising experience as there was very little information regarding the enemy's dispositions, and it had been learned from the inhabitants that the Japanese had two or three 75mm guns covering the chaung, and they expected to be ambushed at any moment. All went well, however, and, at about 9.30 am, the Battalion made an unopposed landing on the North bank at Pyin-Wan, and, pushing through the village, took up pre-arranged positions inland covering the beachhead.'

    From 'Forgotten Voices of Burma' by Julian Thompson:
    Cpl Jim Dunning, 15 Platoon, C Coy: 'We were the first company wave ashore a Letpan. There was very little opposition. Going up narrow chaungs in landing craft I thought how vulnerable we were. On our way in we passed a hospital ship and the nurses waved to us. I thought how nice it would be to be on board with all those nurses.'

    So nothing concrete I'm afraid.
     
  8. John Moore

    John Moore Member

    And now I see Dryan67's post. My aching fingers curse my lack of observation.
     
  9. Pete Thomas

    Pete Thomas Member

    And now I see Dryan67's post. My aching fingers curse my lack of observation.

    John, it's the thought that counts. Apologies for slow reply, I've just got back from four days on the Somme and around Ypres.

    Regards
    Pete
     
  10. Rob Crane

    Rob Crane Well-Known Member

    Wondered whether to respond to this, given how old the thread is, but why not?

    My grandfather was one of the COPP officers who led in the Pyinwan/Letpan landings.
    COPP Survey | March 1945

    In his diary he wrote:

    "Main airstrike on Letpan but some planes mistook target just before we landed and bombed Pyinwan — killed five Green Howards and injured five."

    ("We" = him and his immediate COPP team, which had been taking landing craft to beaches near Pyinwan, then headed to Pyinwan after the initial landings there had been made.)
     
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  11. davidbfpo

    davidbfpo Patron Patron

    The opening post was by Pete Thomas, who has not been aboard since September 2015. You could try a private message, assuming the email used is still valid. John Moore not since November 2012.
     
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  12. davidbfpo

    davidbfpo Patron Patron

    The five dead Green Howards on 13/3/1945 (as opening post) were:

    1) James Henry Hancock, see: Private James Henry Hancock | War Casualty Details | CWGC
    2)Thomas Cotton 1513304: Private Thomas Cotton | War Casualty Details | CWGC
    3) William Burgess 14217908: Corporal William Burgess | War Casualty Details | CWGC
    4) Aneurin Jenkins 11260360: Private Aneurin Jenkins | War Casualty Details | CWGC
    5) John Robert Fraser Jarvis 4399419: Private John Robert Frazer Jarvis | War Casualty Details | CWGC

    Just PM'd both Pete and John, in case still able to access here.
     
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  13. Rob Crane

    Rob Crane Well-Known Member

    Coincidentally, I realised just yesterday that I'd forgotten to message Pete and finally did it – he might be feeling popular suddenly. Fingers crossed he gets the messages.
     

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