ABDA-CBI-SEAC. Book thread.

Aaaahh, and another title for the thread, if we consider involvement from the Indian Ocean eastwards:

"The Royal Navy in Eastern Waters: Linchpin of Victory 1935-1942", by Andrew Boyd

 

Thanks for this CF. This one goes into the Chindits Society archive without a doubt.

 

"Destination Rangoon" by Lt Col Sydney Pickford

Pickford joined the Territorial Army in 1935 as a trooper in the Duke of Lancaster's Own Yeomanry. At the start of the war he was commissioned in the Lancashire Fusiliers and his battalion was send to the Southern England as part of defence forces against possible invasion. He volunteered to the Indian Army and after arrival to India joined 8th Gurkha Rifles. Until 1943 he served at the regimental center as a training offices to new recruits. During 1943 he was posted to 38th Gurkha Battalion, training unit for both 3rd and 8th Gurkha Rifles, as a Training Major. In 1944 he took command of A Company, 1/8th Gurkha Rifles which at that time was in Arakan as a part of 26th Indian Division. He led this company during the Ramree operations and was among first persons to lend in Rangoon as the part of Operation Dracula.

Thia is very nice well written book. While very small part of the book cover combat operations in Burma it give some insight in the life of the regimental center and later in the training process of newly formed 38th Gurkha Battalion. His time in Arakan mostly covers patrolling during monsoon season. Very interesting part to me is story about patrolling along coast of Ramree in LCs in the attempt to prevent escape of Japanese troops from the island to mainland. Just like the story of the unopposed landing in Rangoon as part of the Operation Dracula.

 

"Against the Odds" by Harold Mitchell

Harold Mitchell served as the Adjutant in the 6/15th Punjab Regiment, 99th Indian Brigade, 17th Indian Division during 1945. He was awarded with MBE.

This is an unusual book. It was written from third person view, an adjutant in the 6/15th Punjab Regiment, named Vic Lithgow. This was Mitchell position in the battalion and I'm not sure was this books written as a real account with changed names or its a novel based on author experience in Burma during 1945. Nothing in the book suggest what kind of books is this and book arrived without cover so I can't be sure was there any explanation on it. All general events are, as I can confirm, real and two British offices which death was mentioned in the book could be connected with two battalion's offices that died in Burma whom I found on CWGC's site. While names doesn't match, dates of deaths do. So if anybody know anything else I would like to know,

6/15th Punjab Regiment was transported by air to one of the Meiktila airfields. It took part in the fighting around Meiktila and later, as the division defence battalion, in advance toward Rangoon and prevention of breakout of the Japanese forces from Pegu Yomas across Sittang. Books cover all this in lot of details and while I can't be sure about nature of the books I could say that I like it.

 

Well, even though not the most reliable source of all, Amazon classifies it as historic, not fiction:

Against the Odds: Harold Mitchell, M. J. A. Clarke: 9780863324765: Amazon.com: Books

 

Well I don't completely believe Amazon marks as I've found some mistakes before. But I did checked on the IWM site and books is listed as fiction. But than again Tin Carew's book "All this and medal too" is listed as biography. And while first part of the books probably is, some things in the last part of the book are made up or rather changed for whatever reason. So still not completely sure.

 

I presume that you've logged/listened to the Mike Calvert one; it's extremely long and very interesting--in fact, if I recall correctly, there might also be another shorter one, but I can't remember whether that covers the Chindits.

 

Yes, I was fortunate enough to be alerted when the IWM first put these audio memoirs up on line. I managed to listen to most of them, before they came back off line, with only some being re-introduced again later. Those lost included several short interviews with the likes of Calvert, filmed by Thames Television.

 

Anyone got this and is it any good? https://d1w7fb2mkkr3kw.cloudfront.net/assets/images/book/lrg/9781/8765/9781876586263.jpg

 

Hi Jason,

Not seen this before. Looks like a lot of work has gone into compiling it.

 

I thought the same I wonder how many of the books in this thread are in there?

 

I have a copy of this bibliography from the Burma Campaign Memorial Library at the SOAS in London. It was published in 1999 so probably a bit out of date now.

 

Another one that partially fits into this thread:

Bombers Fly East: WWII RAF Operations in the Middle and Far East, by Martin Bowman



Ever since I got me hands on Cull's "Blenheims over Greece and Crete", I have been dreaming of an equivalent covering the Far East, and even though this one isn't completely it, at least is a good start

 

One for the "I might actually read this, maybe" pile:

 

And I thought you only looked at pictures

 

It's only because that's the only pile left that isn't touching the ceiling.

 

Sounds strangely familiar... My reading queue is already a year behind schedule!

 

Latest some known some not?

 

Few more