51st Field Regiment/ 51& 69 Chindit Columns book

Hi Robert,

I've tried again, but forwarding the link I received when I sent it the first time, fingers crossed.

 

Bamboo43

As per conversation - sorted!

Many thanks
Robert

 

Routledge, Percy Nicholson (Oral history)

Found this oral history from Percy Nicholson Routledge - served as Muleteer with 51 Column, 51st/69nd Field Regt, RA, 16th Infantry Bde, 3rd Indian Infantry Div during Second Chindit Expedition Operation Thursday in Burma, 2/1944 - 5/1944

Describes how 51 and 69 Columns left the main 16th Brigade force after crossing the Chindwin River and headed for Lonkin Jade Mines, which was controlled by the Japanese

 

Well, that is my next Chindit memoir link sorted for the next Society newsletter in September. Thanks for posting.

 

Just received this book in the post today, has proved an invaluable resource to find out in detail the movements of 69 Column (and 51), thanks for sharing!

 

It is a great little book and has unlocked a couple of mysteries involving men who were originally with 45 Recce columns and transferred to 51/69 FR RA as reinforcements. One family had been chasing the 45 Recce route for years and of course it turned out to be a dead end until the publication of this book.

 

Hi All,
A new member here and recently pieced together my grandfathers service in the TA/RA and his service with the Chindits. I found his application form for the Burma Star Association online and with the application was written 51st field regiment special force. I popped that into the net and found the 51st book on the Cumberland museum website and ordered the same immediately.
I can say I barely put the book down as I read of his groups exploits. It also allowed me to link quite a few of his "box brownie" photographs to Ceylon. Quite an emotional journey for me and one filled with pride. My grandfather never spoke much about his service but his hatred for the Japanese remained firm to his dying day which fortunately was into his 80th year. Excerpts from the book left me in no doubt where that hatred came from. I'm keen to piece together any information relating to him and his unit. I'm also more than happy to share his photographs, though sadly many are not marked with subject so remain at the moment "Unknown".

In Memory of my late grandfather 820416 Gnr James Leslie Procter and all those who fought for our today.

Mick Procter


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Just me type of reading!

One day I will get me 'ands on a copy

 

Some great photos there Mick, thanks for posting.

 

Here is a newspaper article about some of the Scots members of 51 FR RA and their experiences in Burma. Apologies for the quality of the image..it is a photo of a photo. I believe this was the Glasgow Sunday Post, date unknown.

 

Thanks,
More to come once I have sorted them out.
I applied for service records but alas the move to the National Archives scuppered that for a few years by all accounts.

Kind regards

Mick

 

Lads, BTW, I know most of you are experts in Chindit lore, and as such, must have read a big lot of books and other sources about the unit, but I found this small and handsome piece while looking around the Internet Archive, and think it can be useful:

Chindit Column 76 : Wilcox W. A. : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

 

That's a good book and one of the very few titles that covers the 23rd British Infantry Brigade and their experiences during the battles for Imphal and Kohima.

 

Look forward to seeing them.