There you go found it at last. just click the link below: http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/burma-india/32959-2nd-yorks-lancs-14th-brigade-chindits%60.html
thankyou bamboo43 Spall, I am currently reading the latest Chindit book release 'War in the Wilderness', by Tony Redding. Early days yet, but he seems to have personal memoirs from a couple of 2/Y&L's soldiers. Let me read on and I will get back presently. Steve
I did find some information which seems about right as my father said he either was in blackwatch or served along side them. Where the 2nd bn y&l was in the same brigade, 3rd west african
I did find some information which seems about right as my father said he either was in blackwatch or served along side them. Where the 2nd bn y&l was in the same brigade, 3rd west african 3rd West African was a Chindit Brigade in it's own right. 2/Yorks and Lancs were in 14th Brigade alongside 2/ Black Watch, the Beds and Herts and 7/Leicesters. So it looks as though you are moving along the right track. Both these brigades were part of the second wave of the 1944 Chindit operation, and replaced the original brigades as they came out of the line.
Yes he also fought the italians, as he was captured (tied up to a tree) and he got away to a farm, where he was rescued Also he was in trenches, he saw what was coming, he didnt go over but all his mates did ... Sad story
Some one has kindly posted the War Diary for the battalion online. Here is the link: 1944 WAR DIARIES pictures by rahonour3947 - Photobucket
back to this post, apparantly he was a CHINDIT! he got captured by the japanese in Burma, so this is where he was. He never talked about it.
back to this post, apparantly he was a CHINDIT! he got captured by the japanese in Burma, so this is where he was. He never talked about it. Hi Simon, There are no records for Leslie Butler ever being a POW, but there were many cases of men being captured in 1944 and then escaping again, when the Japanese were occupied elsewhere. In general terms not many men from Chindit 2 became POW and then were sent on to larger camps, let's just say they were dealt with in other ways.
Just curious but is thomas butler a pow? Hi Simon, Here are all the Butler's recorded as being POW's to the Japanese in WW2, according to the Cofepow database: Search Results Steve
I now have his records! waited over 9 months to get them. All the stories all add up. Where he went: Crete, Egypt,India, Malta was in 2nd Bn Yorks and Lancs
Hi Simon Would you care to scan the records you have received? I am sure members will be interested in them Lesley
yes already scanned, I would love to work out what the records say, I hope everyone will enjoy them. http://dl.dropbox.com/u/112695/Grandad%20Butler%20-%20War%20Records/Grandad_Service%26CasultyForms.PDF
Hi Simon, Great to see the service records, which have confirmed your first ideas and thoughts. I see that leslie was a frequent visitor to hospital during his WW2 service. In regards to Burma, he entered the operational area on 24th March 1944, looks to me as if he was flown in the the stronghold named 'Aberdeen', this would have been around the beginning of April. The Y&L's were then used as floater columns and protected the flanks of other Chindit units all over the area. They suffered heavily over the coming weeks trudging through mud and monsoon, there were many casualties in the two Y&L columns during May, especially in the last two weeks of that month. Leslie obviously had become ill or suffered a wound and was sent back to India, being admitted to the 91st Indian General hospital. This was the main Chindit hospital for 1944, location I am not too sure of. After recovering in hospital it looks like Leslie was then attached to the 14th Brigade HQ (14 Brigade was the Chindit over unit which included the 2nd Y&L's). He seems to have ended up as part of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers before leaving the services in 1946. Hope this will help with the Burma side of things. Other members are far superior in translating these documents than I am. Steve
I followed an EBay auction a few days back, for sale was a small numerical flash for 84 column, which was one of the two Y&L columns in 1944, the other being 65. I am not sure if these were officially given out or made up by the soldier himself? Anyway, it sold for £59.59p. Here is an image for your interest.
