ABDA-CBI-SEAC. Book thread.

http://www.ordewingate.net/bibliography/burmC.html All this books you can found on the lists previously posted, and some of them are mentioned in this thread but it's nice to have list of Chindit related books in one place with short summaries.

 

Found these whilst tidying up tonight:

http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=45331&stc=1&d=1297374420

http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=45332&stc=1&d=1297374420

 

Found these whilst tidying up tonight:

http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=45331&stc=1&d=1297374420

http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=45332&stc=1&d=1297374420

I remember stumbling upon the "War Bush" job several times on Amazon last year, but, as usual, ended up being a bit out of my league, at 32 quid plus S & H, even though most interesting.

As an alternative I began to evaluate "Tales from the King's African Rifles", by John Nunneley, but the review by wtid45, posted somewhere in this very useful thread , told me it isn't what I'm looking for, so I guess I'll have to look at this angle of combat in Burma from another viewpoint.

 

Hi All,

Has anyone come across this title before?

'Seek and Strike', the History of the Lockheed Hudson in WW2. By Andrew Hendrie.
It has a decent section about the work of the 31st and 194th Squadrons and their supply of Chindit 1 and 2.

Any advice much appreciated.

Steve.

 

Hi All,

Has anyone come across this title before?

'Seek and Strike', the History of the Lockheed Hudson in WW2. By Andrew Hendrie.
It has a decent section about the work of the 31st and 194th Squadrons and their supply of Chindit 1 and 2.

Any advice much appreciated.

Steve.

Not me, mate. Sorry.

 

Not me, mate. Sorry.


You were my one great hope Warlord!!

Cheers anyway.

 

You were my one great hope Warlord!!

Cheers anyway.

Sorry about that, mate.

However, let me write that a while ago I started a thread about the Hudson, that I'm almost completely sure won't be the answer to your question, but at least addresses the subject of the kite's deployment when war broke out in the East:

http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/weapons-technology-equipment/22198-lockheed-hudson.html?mode=linear#post231333

 

Thanks mate, I have recently hit a rich vein of research that has brought the air supply by 31 and 194 Squadrons to the fore. In regard to the Hudson, judging by what I have just read it was a very much loved plane.

To be honest what I am looking for is anecdotes on the Chindit 1 supply, photos and personnel names. I have a large list of men who served those two Squadrons both in the air and on the ground. In fact generally both, because ground crew often flew on supply missions, serving as 'kicker outers' and handling the supplies to the door etc.

I might grab 'Seek and Strike' anyway and hope for the best.

 

Well, even though I haven't read them, here goes a bit of feedback:

• I rather read about Kohima than Imphal; battle was more compact, smaller units involved, not quite a struggle between armies but between men. Therefore, anything about it suits me well.
• "The Moonlight War" deals a lot with OSS' support for the underground in French Indochina, and that fact alone makes it quite fascinating.

By the way, here's a review on O'Brien's job, courtesy of Amazon:

"Terence O'Brien was an Australian who joined the RAF in the UK as a Pilot at the outbreak of WW2. He came close to completing 2 tours as a bomber pilot over europe before leading a flight of Hudson's to Singapore. He flew out of Singapore before it fell and after a stint as a glider pilot with the Chindits (the subject of another book he wrote) ended up flying DC3's out of Jessore in NE India as part of a squadron supporting special forces units thruout SE Asia - Burma, Thailand, Malaya and French Indo-China. Most of the book is based on diaries he kept at the time and then wrote up as a book in 1946 before putting to one side. He eventually came back, picked up the pieces, did a lot of additional research into the official files that weren't available when he did his first draft and completed the book in the mid-80's.

It's a fascinating combination of personal recollectons, stories of missions flown, O'Brien's personal flying experiences and comments on the aircraft, the techniques used, the various special operations groups in SE Asia (OSS, Force 136, ISLD, the French, etc etc). American's (the US sort) will find of particular interest the involvment of the OSS in supporting Ho-Chi Minh and the Viet-Minh (Communists) in French Indo-China, as opposed to supporting the French Resistance, who had thousands of troops on the ground but without support. O'Brien is quite scathing of US policy in this instance, a policy which in all fairness very likely lead to the debacle of the Vietnam War.

What the book is not is a comprehensive story of special ops in SE Asia. What it is is the story of O'Brien's and his squadron';s involvement and their missions as well as some general history and comments. There were numerous other air units supporting special ops but these are not within the scope of the book. This aside, it's a fascinating personal account from someone who was there and in the thick of it pretty much from start to finish. Well worth the read."
Thanks Alberto, I got back over there on the wkd and picked it up...... your post kinda convinced me

 

Thanks Alberto, I got back over there on the wkd and picked it up...... your post kinda convinced me

Well, as long as you tell us about the OSS-French Indochina connection, everything will be fine

 

Many of the French Jedburghs deployed to Indo-China after their missions in France, here they were shocked to find some of their former American comrades working hand-in-glove with the Viet Minh of Ho Chi Minh - some captured French were executed while the Americans looked on an episode that caused lasting rancour for some of the French survivors.

 

Many of the French Jedburghs deployed to Indo-China after their missions in France, here they were shocked to find some of their former American comrades working hand-in-glove with the Viet Minh of Ho Chi Minh - some captured French were executed while the Americans looked on an episode that caused lasting rancour for some of the French survivors.

Remember what I wrote about Democrats?

http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/367845-post17.html

It's always the same thing with blokes of their kind. Roosevelt sold half the world to Uncle Joe out of naivety bordering blindness, Carter sold Iran, Nicaragua, etc., with my own country and neighbor El Salvador barely making it after long, bloody and LONELY struggles, this last fact as long as democrats were pulling the strings.

 

Well, as long as you tell us about the OSS-French Indochina connection, everything will be fine
I will endeavour....... to review said book........... in an apropriate manner....... such as befits.......... the inclusion there in........... of that......... which you have requested

 

I will endeavour....... to review said book........... in an apropriate manner....... such as befits.......... the inclusion there in........... of that......... which you have requested

That's my chap!

 

Never heard for this one before. It could be interesting for some people here

ORDE WINGATE CHINDITS BURMA PALESTINE BIOGRAPHY ILLUST on eBay (end time 25-Feb-11 20:05:17 GMT)

 

Never heard for this one before. It could be interesting for some people here

ORDE WINGATE CHINDITS BURMA PALESTINE BIOGRAPHY ILLUST on eBay (end time 25-Feb-11 20:05:17 GMT)


Spotted that one last night sol, looks very interesting.

I've had a mixed week myself, got some great bargains book wise. Lost a Chindit related auction on Ebay and spent Monday at the IWM on the trail of Rangoon Jail POW's.

It was my first time at the IWM, first impressions were that it is a little cramped in the research room. Helpful staff, but not a lot for me there I don't think?

Steve.

 

By popular demand (Jason) I have been asked to declare my bargain books from the previous post. They are:

194 Squadron 'The Friendly Firm', by Flight lieutenant Douglas Williams. This is the short history of the Air supply squadron that fed the Chindits amongst others during 1942-44. They began their work using Hudsons but switched over in May 1943, just after Chindit 1 had returned to India.

'The Flame of Freedom' by Robert Hammond. The story of R.A.S. Pagani and his escape form the Burma Railway. He travelled many miles on his epic journey, joining the Karen hill tribes in Burma and helping cause trouble for the Japanese in the area. He was captured again in Burma, but survived Rangoon Jail to see liberation in May 1945.

Must be said that I have not read these yet, but I expect them both to be of great use to my research. Total price for both on Amazon £9, including p&p!

 

By popular demand (Jason) I have been asked to declare my bargain books from the previous post. They are:

194 Squadron 'The Friendly Firm', by Flight lieutenant Douglas Williams. This is the short history of the Air supply squadron that fed the Chindits amongst others during 1942-44. They began their work using Hudsons but switched over in May 1943, just after Chindit 1 had returned to India.

'The Flame of Freedom' by Robert Hammond. The story of R.A.S. Pagani and his escape form the Burma Railway. He travelled many miles on his epic journey, joining the Karen hill tribes in Burma and helping cause trouble for the Japanese in the area. He was captured again in Burma, but survived Rangoon Jail to see liberation in May 1945.

Must be said that I have not read these yet, but I expect them both to be of great use to my research. Total price for both on Amazon £9, including p&p!
I do like it when my requests get granted! now if only the Wife....... nice couple of books there Steve, I wish I had the time outside of other things to do more research on Burma matters I really need to do some backtracking previous to the Mandalay, side of things as well as following up on events leading on from there as well........ hopefully a book I will have soon wil help on that.

 

Two more Malaya/Singapore-related titles:

Railway of Hell - Reginald Burton, Magna large print edition. Originally published by Macdonalds as The Road to Three Pagodas. Burton was a regular officer in 1 NORFOLK who was posted to 4 NORFOLK. The book is about 20% campaign, 80% captivity.

Singapore: The Inexcusable Betrayal - George Chippington, The Self Publishing Association ISBN 1854211501. The Malayan Campaign from Jitra to Singapore according to a junior officer in 1 LEICESTER then 'The British Battalion'. 100% campaign, 0% captivity.

 

Two more Malaya/Singapore-related titles:

Singapore: The Inexcusable Betrayal - George Chippington, The Self Publishing Association ISBN 1854211501. The Malayan Campaign from Jitra to Singapore according to a junior officer in 1 LEICESTER then 'The British Battalion'. 100% campaign, 0% captivity.

As usual, an interesting one that's worth an eye and something else: 30 quid the cheapest!

No laughs, chaps. :p