Kohima Casualties from 24 Reinforcement Camp

Discussion in 'Burma & India' started by Skoyen89, Nov 9, 2020.

  1. lionboxer

    lionboxer Member

    Jitter, maybe this could also be a transcription error? I wouldn’t like to bet on it but I would rather believe Lt Burns account written at the time or very close to it. He did, after all, only have a dozen men under his command.
    Lionboxer
     
  2. JITTER PARTY

    JITTER PARTY Well-Known Member

    Yes, it is usually best to follow the nearest personal account. Those WO 417 casualty lists are riddled with errors, all of which the CWGC accepted and then added some of their own. Still, we have to work with what we have, and how I'd love to have an Indian Army casualty list - even an inaccurate one!
     
  3. Skoyen89

    Skoyen89 Senior Member

    Casualties from 28th LAA Regt

    BERRIDGE Thomas William

    Gunner; 2056886

    Royal Artillery - 112 Bty, 28 Lt. A.A. Regt.

    Died 05 April 1944

    Originally buried at MR 501669 and reburied at KOHIMA WAR CEMETERY 6. D. 4. in Sept 1944.

    Age 23 years old. From Bulwell, Nottinghamshire.

    In Royal Engineers on 1 Sept 1939


    BOULTON Gilbert

    Gnr; 1659336

    Royal Artillery; 28 Lt. A.A. Regt.

    Died 06 April 1944

    Commemorated on Face 2 of the Rangoon Memorial.

    Age 27 years old. Son of Mr. and Mrs. William Boulton; husband of Doris Boulton, of Talke Pits, Staffordshire.

    Attested in 1940. Joined 367 Battery of 42 Searchlight Regiment and on 16 June 1941 was reposted to the Light Anti-Aircraft function.


    BRITTLE William

    Gnr: 4965484

    Royal Artillery; 28 Lt. A.A. Regt.

    Died 6 April 1944 or shortly afterwards

    Commemorated on Face 2 of the Rangoon Memorial.

    From Nottingham



    CRONIN Frank William

    W Bdr: 968871

    Royal Artillery; 28 Lt. A.A. Regt.

    Died 6 April 1944 or shortly afterwards

    Commemorated on Face 2 of the Rangoon Memorial.

    Attested 1939 and on 18 April 1940 was at 16 Field Training Regiment. He transferred to 23 LAA Regiment on 16 May 1940.



    TROTMAN Reginald Henry

    W/Sgt: 1446167

    Royal Artillery; 28 Lt. A.A. Regt.

    Died 10 April 1944

    Commemorated on Face 2 of the Rangoon Memorial.

    Age 26 years old. Attested in 1938 and on 3 January 1944 was at 3 LAA Battery.



    Jitterparty: Are these the same men you have from 28th LAA Regt in the posts #62 to #64 here? :

    Indian Light AA/Anti Tank Regiments | Page 4 | WW2Talk
     
  4. Skoyen89

    Skoyen89 Senior Member

    2 Border Regt

    BOWEN, William

    Pte; 3598426

    KIA 23 March 1944 (according to CWGC)

    He was aged 28 according to the CWGC and UK Army Roll of Honour says that he was born in Manchester and lived in Manchester on enlistment. However there are no details of family on the CWGC entry. On CL #1749 he is shown as Missing but with a date of 23 Apr 1945 but this was subsequently amended to 23.3.44. It is possible he went Missing in the Kabaw Valley when a column of 2 Borders was ambushed and broken up but his name appears in WO361/769 Searcher Parties - Defence of Kohima.
     

    Attached Files:

  5. Skoyen89

    Skoyen89 Senior Member

    BROWN, Ebenezer Apollos James

    Gunner; 1114697; 8 Medium Regt, RA

    He had been suffering from Malaria BT and after a period in 21 ICD was on a nominal role of 24 Reinforcement Camp on 23 March 1944. He appeared on a list of ‘Unaccounted for’ that the Searcher parties were using in 1945-6 and was declared KIA on 6 April 1944. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Rangoon Memorial Face 11.

    He was born on 20 March 1906 to ZA and Ellen Brown of Nuneaton. In 1911 he was living at Holborn House, Stanley Road Nuneaton and his father was a Life Insurance Company Representative. Ebenezer married Nellie Wilcox in 1932 and they had a son, Malcolm, in 1938. In 1939 they were living at Comb Hill Hall Gardens, Nuneaton and Ebenezer was a self-employed Market Gardener. He joined the Royal Artillery in 1940 and was 38 years old when he went Missing. The CWGC gives his wife's address at Bedworth, Warwickshire.
     

    Attached Files:

  6. Skoyen89

    Skoyen89 Senior Member

    LUCAS Leslie Victor

    Pte, 14368018

    2 King’s Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster)


    Died on 14 April 1944 at Kohima. 2 KORR were on the second Chindit expedition at the time. However he is mentioned on the post-war Searcher lists at Kew as having gone Missing at Kohima.

    Remembered on the Rangoon Memorial

    Aged 20; born in Romford in 1924. Son of Mr and Mrs BTM Lucas of Barkingside, Ilford, Essex. Married Eva R Bennett at Ilford in Q1 1943 although she is not mentioned on the CWGC details.


    The attached list (from WO361/740 Searcher Parties Burma 1945-7) also confirms Trotman RH of 28 LAA Regt, RA who is mentioned above at entry #25.

    P1014638.JPG
     
  7. bamboo43

    bamboo43 Very Senior Member

    SK89, a possible answer for Lucas from the 2 KORR missing file. Lucas is listed as presumed KIA (Kohima), with no other information. However, two other soldiers from 2 KORR are mentioned as having left the battalion as part of a draft heading to join up with the 9 Borders, but did not arrive. Could Lucas have been part of this draft?

    DSC09036 copy.JPG DSC09035 copy.JPG
     
  8. Skoyen89

    Skoyen89 Senior Member

    Thanks for the extra info Bamboo! So on Lucas we have two official documents mentioning Kohima for him (but no detail). His date of death is 14 April whilst your two who joined up with 9 Borders was a month previous so I think it unlikely that Lucas was with them.....unless the date of 14 April is massively wrong.
     
  9. bamboo43

    bamboo43 Very Senior Member

    On further investigation, I notice from the CWGC that Mooney and Walker are listed a 6th KORR, whilst Lucas is definitely 2nd KORR. I did look through the 2 KORR war diary for Lucas, but with no luck.
     
  10. Skoyen89

    Skoyen89 Senior Member

    B43 No mention of either Mooney or Walker in 9 Borders War Diary or a book about them in the Burma Campaign which is pretty detailed.
     
  11. bamboo43

    bamboo43 Very Senior Member

    The 6th Battalion were raised as a hostilities unit in 1940 and became part of the BEF. After Dunkirk they became part of the Home Forces. It looks as though Mooney and Walker were posted overseas (India) along with a multitude of other small drafts from various regimental battalions to make up the numbers. This is exactly what happened to my grandfather in mid-1942 when his original unit, the 9 Devons was disbanded and he voyaged to India and was posted to the 13th King's.
     
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  12. Skoyen89

    Skoyen89 Senior Member

    1 Devons


    PRICE, Joseph

    Private; 6148267
    1st Bn. Devonshire Regiment

    The Army Roll of Honour says he was born and lived in 'London SE'.

    His army number says he started his army career in the East Surrey Regiment. The enlistment roll for them says he enlisted 31 May 1940, transferred to the Queens Royal West Surrey Regiment on 30 July 1942 and then to 1st Devons on 8 November 1942.

    At Kohima Garrison on 9 April 1944 he was in trenches in front of the Platoon HQ with Cpl W Jones (3604347) of 9 Borders. The trenches were overrun by superior numbers of Japanese. L/Sgt F Stanford had to withdraw and the occupants of the trenches were never seen again. The same happened to 3599966 Pte Gibbons J and Sgt Christie RA who were in similar trenches.

    Presumed KIA 9 April 1944. He is commemorated on the Rangoon Memorial, Face 6.

    Aged 22. No details of family on the CWGC entry.


    MATTHEWS, Ernest William

    Pte; 5625437
    1st Bn. Devonshire Regiment

    Sgt CW Phillips saw Pte Matthews on or about 1 March 1944 as a patient in 49 IGH (C) at Kohima. Phillips believed he was mustered with the force for the defence of Kohima and attached to the formation in the area of the DC’s Bungalow.

    Presumed KIA 29 March 1944 according to the CWGC but this date is unlikely to be correct because the Japanese were not in close contact with the Kohima garrison at that time. He is commemorated on the Rangoon Memorial, Face 6.

    Aged 27. He was born 15 June 1916 and christened 24 Dec 1916 at Woodford, Wiltshire. At the time of the 1939 Register he was a General Labourer and living with his parents Ernest Edward and Edith Lily Matthews of 2 King Lane Cottages, Over Wallop, Hants. He had four siblings.


    JENNINGS, John

    Pte; 5626629
    1st Bn. Devonshire Regiment

    Sgt CW Phillips said he saw Pte Jennings on the night of 3-4 April 1944 as he was a member of the Company of convalescents of which Phillips was the CSM. Two of the Platoons and the Coy HQ were formed into a fighting patrol to attack a village nearby. This was frustrated by the fact that the enemy had occupied a feature barring their route. They laid up during the night and were forced to withdraw at daylight. The patrol split up into smaller groups to facilitate easier movement and the last that Phillips saw of Pte Jennings he was following his Platoon Commander who was an officer of the RIASC whose name Phillips did not know.

    CWGC and the Casualty Lists says Presumed KIA on 30 March 1944 but like Matthews above the date is likely wrong and given Phillips statement it is likely he went missing on the night of 3/4 April 1944.

    He was aged 29 and born in Dumbarton. No family information on the CWGC site.


    GREEN Charles Frederick

    L/Cpl; 5625601
    1st Bn. Devonshire Regiment

    Aged 27. Son of George Henry and Edith Annie Green of Slough. Born in Buckinghamshire.

    The Casualty List (CL #1483 wef 27 June 1944) says he was Killed In Action but does not give a date. The CWDC entry says he was Killed in Action in the period from 1st to 14th April 1944 so it is likely it was at Kohima.
     
    David Woods likes this.
  13. Skoyen89

    Skoyen89 Senior Member

    1 Devons Wounded at Kohima


    PHILLIPS, Cyril William

    5627209 A/Sgt and also CSM. Wounded 7 April 1944


    WEST

    5619340 Pte. Appears on list of possibly wounded put together after the action. Nothing in CL

    FEWKES, F 5624630 Pte

    Wounded at Kohima on 2 May 1944 but survived. The Casualty List entry is very late (wef 7 March 1945) - he was contacted about missing personnel just before this and mentioned he was wounded.

    SARAHS, Frank Leonard 5627433 W/Cpl

    Wounded 14 April 1944. Born 23 April 1916 and died in 1985. He came from Torquay and in 1939 was living at 3 Moderna Terrace, Torquay and was a Printer. He married Phyllis May Treby (1918 – 1995) in Q2 1942 at Newton Abbot. After the war he was a member of the Burma Star Association and lived at Ellacombe, Torquay.
     
    David Woods likes this.
  14. Skoyen89

    Skoyen89 Senior Member

    Further Royal Artillery Casualties

    WHEELER Arthur Edward Charles

    Gnr; Service Number 5499281

    55 Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery

    Presumed killed in action in the period 1 – 14 April 1944. He was ‘Missing Believed Killed’ in CL #1488 which came out on 3 July 1944 but there was no date and he was given as serving with 54 LAA Regt. In CL #1951 effective 4 Jan 1946 he was changed to ‘Presumed Killed’ but with the date of 1 – 14 April 1944 and with his unit the same. However on the CWGC records this is changed to 55 Anti-Tank Regiment although the date is the same and corresponds to the initial defence of Kohima.


    Age 22. Son of Walter and Eva Wheeler. Husband of GA Wheeler (nee Diggins) of Chidham, Sussex who he married in 1940.


    CHRISTIE Arthur

    Sgt, 6908507

    Royal Artillery; no unit within this given in any of the sources.

    He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Rangoon Memorial, Face 2.

    A ‘Sgt Christie’ of the RA is mentioned as being involved in the defence of the Bungalow Sector on 8 April 1944 by L/Sgt F Stanford. He says that Christie and Private Gibbons were both in a trench in the front bunker position of his Platoon. The Japanese attacked and the bunkers were overran; he did not see any of the occupants escape.

    He first appeared on the Casualty List #1484 on 28 June 1944 when he was declared ‘Missing/Believed Killed’ with a date of 1 – 14 April 1944. There were others from Kohima on the same list. In a later Casualty List in 1946 that was changed to ‘Now Presumed KIA’ with the same date range although on the CWGC records and the RA Casualty Card the date given is 1 April 1944.

    Arthur Christie was aged 43 at the time of his death. He was born 5 March 1901 in Maidstone, Kent but later lived in Southend-on-Sea. IN 1939 he was married but his spouse was not with him when he was living at 7 Sutton Road, Southend. He was employed as a General Labourer. The number he was allocated in the Army shows he was enlisted in to the Rifle Brigade but he changed to the Royal Artillery later.


    SCOTT Grange

    Gnr, 14229456

    His unit is given as RA (HQ/RA IV Corps) on the RA Casualty Card.

    On the CWGC site he is given as having died on 1 April 1944 but the Casualty Card says that he ‘Died of Wounds’ on that date. The Casualty List in 1946 (that also includes Christie in it ) shows Gunner G Scott as being presumed killed ‘On or after 1 April’.

    Gnr Scott is commemorated on the Rangoon Memorial, Face 3.

    He was born in Gomelsall, Bradford in the summer of 1922. His parents were Thomas Clifford Scott and Hannah Armitage but his mother died in 1933 so it is his stepmother, Mary France Scott, who is shown on the CWGC details. He married Ivy Hare at Dewsbury in Q3 1941.
     
  15. Skoyen89

    Skoyen89 Senior Member

    Casualties from 114 Field Regiment RA

    SMITH John Francis

    Gnr: 909238
    Royal Artillery; 114 Field Regt.

    Died 01 April 1944 or shortly afterwards
    Commemorated on Face 3 of the RANGOON MEMORIAL

    Age 31 years old. Attested 1939. From Liverpool


    STANDEN Frank Harold

    Gnr; 917470
    Royal Artillery; 114 Field Regt.

    Died 19 April 1944

    Commemorated on Face 3 of the RANGOON MEMORIAL

    Age 23 years old. Born at St Peters, Hastings and was living at St Leonards, Sussex when he joined up in 1939. Son of Frank Thomas and Ida S Standen of 11 Aldborough Road, St Leonards on Sea where he was living in 1939. He was employed as a house painter at the time but attested in 1939.


    MORGAN Fred

    Gnr: 1110096
    Royal Artillery; 114 Field Regt.

    Died 12 April 1944

    Commemorated on Face 3 of the RANGOON MEMORIAL

    Age 35 years old. Son of Thomas and Sarah Morgan; husband of E. J. Morgan; of 7 Club Row, Abersychan, nr Pontypool, Monmouthshire. Attested in 1940 and joined 12 Field Training Regiment on 12 Dec 1940. He is also commemorated on the Pontypool War memorial.
     

    Attached Files:

    Last edited: Nov 23, 2022
  16. Skoyen89

    Skoyen89 Senior Member

    EAGLE Arthur

    L Cpl, Service Number: 2377890
    Royal Corps of Signals

    Died 05 April 1944
    Buried at Kohima War Cemetery 8. F. 9. There is no concentration report and no extra detail or unit in CL #1445.

    Arthur was born in Halifax in 1921 and so was aged 23 years. He was the son of Alfred Charles and Alice Eagle, of 45 Springfield Road, Elland, Yorkshire. He worked at Dempster’s prior to joining up. He is also commemorated on the Elland War Memorial. His death in action at Kohima was announced in the Halifax Evening Courier on 12 May 1944.
     

    Attached Files:

  17. Skoyen89

    Skoyen89 Senior Member

    1 Seaforths Casualties

    MOWBRAY James Ronald

    Private; Service Number 6107663
    1 Seaforth Highlanders

    James was killed on 5 April 1944. This date is shown on Casualty List #1545 dated 7 Sept 1944. His body was originally found on GPT Ridge at Kohima and was reburied in Kohima Military Cemetery at grave 6 C 11.

    He was the son of Thomas Walker Mowbray and Francis May Mowbray of 22 Oakfield Road, Penge, Kent. James was born in 1923 in Newcastle Upon Tyne.

    He enlisted on 14 May 1942 into the Queens Royal West Kent Regiment but transferred to the Seaforth Highlanders on 20 June 1943.


    UPTON Harold Edward

    Cpl, 2828220
    1st Bn. Seaforth Highlanders

    Cpl Upton died ‘On or shortly after 6 April 1944’ according to the CWGC. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Rangoon Memorial Face 17.

    Ptes Upton and Magill are mentioned in Major Collet’s letter.

    Pte Upton is also listed in the listing for Missing personnel of 4th RWKs at Kohima (WO361/500). Both Upton and Magill appear in the same Casualty List as ‘Missing’ - No. 1621 dated 5 Dec 1944 but with no date given for when this occurred. However on CL No. 1968 of 24 Jan 1946 this is amended to ‘On or Shortly After 6 April 1944’ for Upton which is then used by the CWGC.

    Harold Edward Upton was aged 33 when he died. However there is no further family information given. That is probably because he returned from Argentina where he was born to join up and fight. He was born on 13 Jan 1911 in Buenos Aires to Jonathan Wallace Upton and Agnes Harriet Upton (nee Rowley). He was baptised on 16 Feb 1911 and is commemorated at St Andrews Presbyterian Church in Buenos Aires, known as ‘The Scots Church’. His UK residence is given as Glasgow and he joined the Seaforth Highlanders on enlistment.


    MAGILL James Henry

    Pte, 6985007
    1st Bn. Seaforth Highlanders

    Pte Magill died on 16 April 1944 according to the CWGC and as he has no known grave is commemorated on Face 17 of the Rangoon Memorial.

    Ptes Upton and Magill are mentioned in Major Collet’s letter. He states that they were reinforcements from the convalescent camp for his Company at Kohima (‘D’ Company of 4 RWK Regt) and ‘were caught on the hill’. They were in the group commanded by Capt Cherrington.

    Magill appears with Upton in the same Casualty List, as ‘Missing’ in CL No. 1621 dated 5 Dec 1944 but with no date given for when this occurred. Magill then appears in CL No. 1963 with effect from 18 Jan 1946 with a date of ‘On or shortly after 16 April 1944’.

    The CWGC gives his age as 25 and he was the husband of Kathleen Magill of Lurgan, Co Armagh. Research suggests his wife was Kathleen Goan (1917-2008) and he was born in Armagh in 1918. He is possibly the son of Ellen Magill (1898 – 1965) and James Patterson (1879 – 1918) of Lurgan, and the brother of Bobby and William John Magill. He was living in Belfast in 1941 and is commemorated on Lurgan War memorial.

    Pte Magill’s regimental number suggests he first joined the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and subsequently transferred to the Seaforth Highlanders.

    Others from the Seaforths present at Kohima:

    L/Cpl P Drummond 3246977
    Pte ADW Ceaton 6107089
     

    Attached Files:

    Last edited: Nov 24, 2022
  18. Skoyen89

    Skoyen89 Senior Member

    Officers of Convalescent Company at Kohima

    BROWNING Alfred James

    Major; 145916
    RA; 28 LAA Regt

    Died 5 April 1944

    On 26 Jan 1945 his body was found at MR 494668 and identified by the Padre. He was buried in Kohima Military Cemetery 8F19.

    Edwards (p103) said he was in charge of the Composite Company of British troops, Gurkhas and others from the Reinforcement Company which was at the Bungalow Sector with a 25 pounder gun. On 5 April the single 25 pounder gun located near Pawsey’s Bungalow was trying to cover the debussing of the Royal West Kent reinforcements by silencing the Japanese battery on Workshop Ridge. However it was itself knocked out by the Japanese guns. Browning was badly wounded and was later killed by machine gun fire whilst being evacuated. Lt Crouch took over the Company when he was wounded.

    He was aged 46 having been born 14 May 1898 at Exeter. He was the son of Alfred William Campion and Lucy Browning of 4 Omega Villas, Alpington Road, Exeter. He was commissioned on 7 Sept 1940 having been to OCTU.


    CROUCH WH

    Lt, 67 HAA Regt, RA.

    There are a number of mentions of Lt Crouch in books and Missing Personnel reports as leading a Company of the Convalescents at Kohima. He is in the Officer list in the 67 HAA War Diary on 24 Dec 1944.

    Crouch received a Regular Army Emergency Commission (180932) as a 2nd Lieutenant on 12 April 1941 and was promoted W/S Lieutenant 1 Oct 1942.


    YOUNG Andrew

    Lt, 177724, 2 Borders

    He served with 2nd Border Regiment in the Kabaw Valley in late 1943 but was hospitalised on 2 Jan 1944. He subsequently went to Kohima to recover from Typhus. He was drafted in to the defence and commanded a party of 35 British soldiers who shared the delaying defence of ‘a hill position around the local jail’ (Jail Hill?).

    This is not mentioned in the books or accounts but was reported in an article in The St Andrews Citizen on 27 May 1946: ‘This position, plastered by Japanese 75s at 800 yards range, soon became untenable. The order to withdraw was given, but though it was obeyed by the Indian troops further back it never reached the little group of British. The Lieutenant crawled out and went in search of information. “When I came back with orders to evacuate my men, I saw a Jap standing right in my path assembling a mortar. He told me to stop. I shot him and then I saw Japs all over the place. My sergeant was having a duel with a Japanese peeping out of the window of a bamboo hut. Their shots must have been fired simultaneously for the Jap fell dead and the sergeant’s tommy-gun was sot out of his hands”. This British party lost only one dead. Lt Young was slightly wounded by a grenade.

    The Casualty List #1686 of 20 Feb 1945 says he was wounded on 4 April 1944. The War Diary records that he was posted back to 2 Borders from 20 RFT Camp with three other officers shortly after, on 11 April. By 28 April he was with his unit on the Shenam Saddle, on the Imphal-Tamu road, and led a patrol of ‘C’ Company to lay an ambush.

    Subsequently he was wounded in a night time attack by the Japanese on ‘C’ Company holding ‘Malta’ on 11 May 1944. He does not appear to have re-joined his unit again during 1944.

    Andrew Young was from Stanwick, Carlisle and he received a BSc from St Andrews University in the summer of 1941. He married Elizabeth Agnes (Elza) Christie in 1940 in St Andrews and they lived in St Andrews in the years immediately after the war.


    GOULD George Arthur Braby

    189376
    Hampshire Regt, attd 17 Dogra Regt

    ‘Several young infantry officers who had been returning from hospital or leave were sent up to Richards from Dimapur. They included …a Lt Gould….who was to be killed’. Edwards p90

    KIA 6 April 1944
    Commemorated on the Rangoon Memorial, Face 14.

    George Gould was born on 13 Sept 1921 in Portsmouth to William George Gould and Dorothy Edith Gould (nee Braby). In 1939 he was at school and living at 16 Arthur Road, Winchester. His father had served in WWI and had risen from a private to an officer, serving in India, Burma and Persia. In 1939 he was the headmaster of Micheldelver Grammar School. George Gould was commissioned as a 2Lt from OCTU into the Hampshire Regiment on 31 May 1941.


    MACLACHLAN William Patrick Gaurain

    Capt; ABRO 75 or 52
    Army in Burma Reserve of Officers, attached to the Burma Regiment

    Involved in the foray to Aradura on the night of 3-4 April with Giles.

    On 14 April Maclachlan replaced Lt Oldrey who was killed by a sniper at the command post on the staff of Richards.

    William Maclachlan was born 30 July 1918. He was commissioned into the ABRO on 19 Nov 1939 as a 2nd Lieutenant. After the battle of Kohima he commanded No 2 Forward Interrogation Unit in Burma from May to Sept 1945 and was awarded the MBE as a temporary Major. He married Lavender Joy Todd on 8 Feb 1945 in Calcutta. He retired with the rank of Lt Col.

    Further details on Maclachlan here: 1st Garrison - 25th (Garrison) Battalion, The Burma Regiment (force9.co.uk)

    After the war he lived in Blairgowrie, and died there in 2011. He joined the Burma Star Association in Perthshire in 1981.


    GILES Norman Russell

    Major; 33887
    The Black Watch, attached to RIASC in 1944.

    Lucas Phillips p94: ‘On 24 March 1944 Richards (the Kohima Garrison Commander), went around the defences with Hepworth and met Major Norman Giles a Black Watch officer curiously attached to the RIASC, whom he found to have sound ideas about ground and to be full of energy. Later for that reason, he sent Giles out to take over command of the Burmese company holding Phek’

    Edwards p109: ‘Entrenched on a hill at Phek, commanded by Giles and swollen by V Force retiring, the garrison was making itself ready to resist attack. It was a great surprise on 29th March to be visited by Richards’ Intelligence Officer Lt Peter Mountstephen, with orders to disengage and withdraw two nights later. At 4.30pm on 31 March the Phek garrison withdrew, just as the first Japanese ranging shots began to fall.’

    Having returned to the Kohima garrison Giles was put in charge of the Garrison Striking Force. Two platoons of British soldiers under Norman Giles were sent out at dusk of 4 April to take some offensive action on the southern front. He was accompanied by Maclachlan of the Burma Regiment. Their orders were to occupy the high ground above the road on the Aradura Spur and to find and harass the enemy. During the night the party was ambushed and surrounded by greatly superior numbers of the enemy and the Japanese began to stalk the party in the dark. Giles’ force began to show signs of wavering and, realising that the situation was becoming dangerous, with three others he charged the enemy with the bayonet. This caused considerable confusion amongst the Japanese and this enabled Giles to extricate his force and bring the majority back to the garrison, along with valuable information. He was recommended for the MC for this but it was upgraded to a DSO in the approval process. The recommendation says ‘As an example of individual courage and resourcefulness in an apparently hopeless situation his conduct could not have been surpassed. Major Giles continued to give invaluable service until he was seriously wounded on 6 April.’

    Norman Russell Giles was born in 1902 in Paisley. He was commissioned into 4th Bn Kings Own Scottish Borderers in December 1925 and this was recorded in the Duns section of the Berwickshire News, suggesting he lived there at the time. In June 1939 he was promoted to Captain whilst serving with the Bucks Battalion of the Ox and Bucks Light Infantry, having recently been with the 9th Bn Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. He was the Second In Command of the Bucks Battalion in 1939. However the London Gazette of 3 Sept 1940 recorded that Giles, now a Major and with the Ox and Bucks Light Infantry, reverted to the rank of Lieutenant ‘at his own request whilst employed during the present emergency’. He returned to being a Major from 27 Feb 1943, this time with the Black Watch.

    After the war Giles was awarded a Short Service Commission in the Black Watch in Dec 1949 and this mentioned he had both the DSO and MC. He was also awarded the Territorial Decoration. He retained his commission until Dec 1955 when he was granted the Honorary rank of Lt Col. He married Margaret Edith Hunter in 1930 at Morningside, Edinburgh.

    CHERRINGTON Peter Ralph

    Captain; Northamptonshire Regiment

    He was born in Newark on 24 Nov 1917 and was the son of George Esam Cherrington and Kate Elsie Cherrington, of Averham, Nottinghamshire. After a promising schoolboy career at cricket whilst at Wellingborough School and following good performances in local cricket, he went on to play 10 times for Leicestershire in 1938.

    Cherrington was mentioned in a letter by Maj FJ Collett of the Royal West Kent Regiment on the subject of two missing men. ‘Upton and Magill were two of the men who were from a Con. Camp and were caught on the hill. They were in (the) charge of a Captain Sherrington or Cherrington of the Northamptonshire Regiment. ‘

    Captain Peter Ralph Cherrington returned to the Northamptonshire Regiment and took part in the drive into Burma in 1945. He was awarded the DSO for his action in the attack on Budalin in early January but was killed in action on the 20th January 1945, aged 27. He is buried in the Taukkyan War Cemetery. There is a memorial to him at St. Michael and All Angels Church at Averham.
     

    Attached Files:

  19. lionboxer

    lionboxer Member

    Some more great research there Tony, though slightly confused regarding Lt Young. Given that he was still at the Convalescent Hospital after the main road was cut on 29th March how did he get to 20 Reinforcement Camp to be posted to 2Border on 11th April? By this time 20 Rft Camp had moved from milestone 110 on 1st April to Lion Box, fought there until 7th April then were evacuated to Whale Box at Imphal still under siege. He can't be in two places at once! His wound reported on 4th April couldn't have been too serious if he was fit to be posted on 11th April. Something doesn't quite fit here.
    Lionboxer
     
  20. Skoyen89

    Skoyen89 Senior Member

    Hi Lionboxer

    I too thought the dates in the case of Lt Young was challenging. The dates on the Kohima end are often out - that is understandable given the nature of the siege and the fact the troops from the Reinforcement and Convalescent Camps didn't have an Adjutant making records.

    However it is possible. Although he was slightly wounded on 4 April there were a number of the walking wounded who got out on 7th April at the same sort of time the Rajput Company and the Royal West Kents got in to the Kohima Garrison. So if he got out it is three weeks before he or any of the three young officers show up on the Shenam Saddle on 28th. They would have needed to have flown in from Dimapur to Imphal as the road was blocked but that could have happened.

    So it is possible - the bit that is challenging is that Richards at Kohima was short of Officers with infantry experience so why would an Officer with infantry experience leave the garrison if he was only slightly wounded (such that he could be posted on four days later). We will probably never know.
     

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