8th Medium Regiment RA - Yindaw - Burma ?

Thanks for this. On behalf of my 89 year old mother, I am attempting to research the war records of her father Lance Bombardier Reginald Jamrack of the 246th Med Battery RA. I was very happy and very interested to read the war diaries you posted.

 

As a matter of interest what would be the range of a 5.5? I ask because 8 Medium Regt was supporting Lion Box fourteen miles north of Imphal where they were based. Not sure whether it was B or C Troop 247 Bty.
Lionboxer

 

RE: Capt Brough MALTBY

Looked in WD for 8 Med Regt but no mention of him or 1427478 Gnr GE Pennington of 8 Med Regt who died on the same day as Maltby and was buried with him at 83L/SW 555151 - before both being concentrated to Imphal. That map ref of the burials puts the location as Patiala Ridge, on the Shenam Saddle.

On 21 April 'D' Troop of 8 Med Regt were on the Shenam Ridge but there is no report on their activities in May or June.

I've also checked the War Diaries for 1-3 Gurkhas, 2 Borders and I Devons to see if there is an account of a FOO group being attacked by the Japanese but nothing showing. There may be other units that they were with but I don't have those war diaries.

A bit of a mystery!

 

Pennington is listed as having died 25/05/44.
Other units, WD that you might like to check, are 1/16 Punjab, 5/6 Raj Rif, 3/5 RGR, and 3/10 GR all of whom took heavy casualties 24/05/44 during their actions on Ben Nevis and Gibraltar.

 

Hi Jitter Party

Yes, I saw that Pennington had 25/5/44 but as many attacks took place at night it is still possible they were killed in the same engagement, so either side of midnight. If found this in other cases I've studied in this campaign and some where the dates are clearly a day away from when the death took place. It is a coincidence that they suffered two casualties so close together when the guns would have been a good few miles back from the fighting.

After posting I realised that 20 Div handed over their positions on the Shenam Saddle to 23 Div a few days before and as you say a new Brigade and its Battalions took over but unfortunately I don't have the War Diaries for the units you mention.​

 

Never mind, the Public Record Office - sorry, The National Archives - will re-open one day.

 

My Taid Robert Hugh Hughes served in the 8th Medium Regiment, 247th battery, RA. He never spoke much about it with my Dad. Found out quite a bit about him during lockdown. Found his tracer card and got the war diary for the 8th Medium for 1944/45.

 

HI hope someone here can help.
I have Charles Herbert Lowe, killed on 17th March 1944 whilst serving with the 8th Mediums. He is buried at Imphal, war cememetry.
There is a family story he was killed in an accident with an aircraft? Does anyone have the regimental diary for March 44 which could maybe shed light on this?
Cheers

 

Hi,
He was killed when the Japanese bombed the RHQ with four or five AP bombs.
Here’s the Regimental War Diary for March 17th 1944. I hope this can bring closure for the family.

 

Cheers. Thank you so much

 

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Mystery solved I’ve found Captain Maltby in 8th Medium Rgt, 247th battery’s war diary on the 25th of May 1944. You were right the first time when you mentioned his forward observation post on a hill called Gibraltar was overun by the Japanese. Capt Maltby was killed by a hand grenade along with Gnr Pennington. Signaller Radford was missing for a while but managed to get back to his own lines. I’ll link the war diary for that day for you. I hope this gives the family some closure.
G. Hughes