Liberation of POW's/Rangoon Jail Newsreel Footage.

Discussion in 'Prisoners of War' started by bamboo43, Aug 23, 2010.

  1. bamboo43

    bamboo43 Very Senior Member

    Thanks Steve. It is disgraceful that it has taken me this long to come up with their page, especially when you consider how influential they were in 1943 and beyond. I intend to build the content quite quickly now, I must contact Matilda Steevens soon as well, as I promised her a link too.

    Today I have been reading the history of Norwich School in search of information about a Chindit 1 officer (Philip Stibbe) who became Headmaster there. In their Alumni section was a few pages on H.P. Seagrim and his brother, both ex-students of the school. I will possibly add something to the site about Seagrim as his was such an outstanding story of service and bravery beyond all bounds.

    Best wishes.

    Steve
     
  2. bamboo43

    bamboo43 Very Senior Member

    Steve,

    As an aside to the story of Nigel Trench Loring. He died in late 1947, barely a year after his repatriation to the UK.
    Anecdotally, it is said that he was suffering from the effects of his incarceration and had been told to take it easy and follow a strict dietary regime. He decided against this advice and sadly paid the price.

    http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2147034/LORING,%20NIGEL%20TRENCH
     
  3. Rothy

    Rothy Well-Known Member

    Steve

    I have reciprocated the link to your 2nd Burma Rifles page. Thanks again.

    Steve
     
  4. Rothy

    Rothy Well-Known Member

    I have now seen the "Private Papers of Lt. Colonel I.C.G. Scott" at the IWM. The first section of these papers describes Scott's service with F.F.4 of the Burma Frontier Force. F.F.4 was commanded by Major Loring and one of the company/column commanders was 2nd Lt. Fullarton, both of whom were captured and are discussed earlier in this thread. Below is a a summary extract from Scott's account describing the circumstances leading to the capture of Loring and Fullarton:

    "Major Loring’s F.F.4 of the Burma Frontier Force arrived South of Toungoo on 11th March 1942. The 1st Burma Division gave orders for F.F.4 to act as flank guard on the Division's right flank for the attack on Pyuntaza, beginning on 11th March. Scott's No. 3 Column was detached to move further South with orders to form a roadblock on the main road between Pyuntaza and Pegu should the main attack on Pyuntaza succeed. The attack did not succeed and Scott and his men fell back to a rendezvous point hoping to rejoin the main body of F.F.4. On reaching the rendezvous they found that F.F.4 had gone, as part of the planned withdrawal of the 1st Burma Division. Moving by night, Scott continued to withdraw and joined up with F.F.4 on 17th March. That day, Major Loring received a message from the 1st Burma Division that F.F.4 was falling behind. Loring gave orders that if F.F.4 became separated the men were to rendezvous at a point to the West of Toungoo. Loring attached his Headquarters to the lead column, No.2 Column under 2nd Lt. Fullarton. Scott's No. 3 column was to provide the detachment rearguard. F.F.4 set off at 14:00 on 17th March, in terrible heat, with most of the marching undertaken in the relative cool of the night.

    At dawn on 19th March, F.F.4 set off once more, heading for a village on the Pyu Chaung, it being believed that the 1st Burma Division was holding the line of the chaung itself. The detachment halted at noon hoping to make contact with the 1st Burma Division however none was made so they set off on the march once again.

    By 17:00 that same day, the detachment was only a few miles form its objective. Major Loring was at the head with Fullarton's No. 2 Column, followed by the No. 2 Column mules. Next in line was Peters' No. 1 Column of Kachins, followed by their mules, followed in turn by the Headquarters section and their mule transport. At the rear of the line was Scott's No. 3 Column - about one mile to the rear of Loring. The head of the detachment's column was about level with the village of Obogon on the right, with the edge of the Pegu Yomas on the left. Suddenly heavy firing broke out from Obogon village, firstly mortars and then machine gun and rifle fire. The fire was mostly directed at No. 2 column at the front. All the mules from each column stampeded in turn back through the long line of the detachment, arriving to crash through No.3 Column like a cavalry charge.

    Scott sent a platoon forward to the North-East corner of a village to the right of his column. This platoon pressed through the village to the North and on reaching the village edge brought Obogon under fire. A runner from Loring arrived with Scott, with a message for Scott to send up a 3-inch mortar. He could not immediately comply with this for he was busy collecting the startled mules in a copse to the South-East on the edge of the Pegu Yomas. Scott did manage to send a runner to Peters telling him to liaise with Fullarton while Scott finished collecting the mules.

    By 18:30 most the mules had been collected so Scott went forward to meet Peters. Peters had lost contact with Fullarton who had taken cover in the jungle to the West, his column having taken heavy casualties. At this point, Scott received word that the Japanese were now advancing from behind F.F.4. Scott ordered a rapid withdrawal for his and Peters' Columns, westwards into the Pegu Yomas via the copse where the mules were being organised.

    By the next morning, 20th March, Scott and Peters were in the jungle, seeking a path to the North. However they had neither map nor compass and all usable paths seemed to run East to West. At a halt they contacted the 1st Burma Division and although their message was acknowledged no orders were forthcoming. That evening Peters' Column set off on its own, having gone before Scott realised. He was now left with 60-70 men of his own Column, 40 of Fullarton's, 60 of the Headquarters Section and 40-50 Chinese mule drivers. Finally a message arrived from the 1st Burma division, instructing Scott to save what he could and withdraw as fast as possible to the West of Toungoo. Assuming that to travel light would be fastest and safest, the mules were now set free and everything that could not be carried, including the mortars, was destroyed as much as possible. A single wireless set was retained. Scott and his men set off at 19:00 that evening. After an arduous journey they eventually made their way to Meiktila around 28th/29th March.

    At Meiktila Scott found that Peters had arrived there three days earlier, with only 40 of his men, the rest having deserted. It was here that Scott found out what had become of Major Loring and 2nd Lt. Fullarton from the company cook of No.2 Column. After coming under fire on 19th March Loring, Fullarton and around 40-50 men of No. 2 Column withdrew into the jungle. Here they stayed for a while before heading deeper into the jungle when they were again attacked by the Japanese. They headed North, marching for a few days before turning East. Unfortunately they were all captured when they encountered a party of Japanese, the cook managing to get away. After the war, Loring said that when first seen he had thought he had run into a party of Chinese but discovered too late that they were in fact Japanese."

    I have found Obogon on a map and it apepars to be close to the main road/railway between Pyu and Toungoo, closer to Toungoo. It does not appear to be in the right place to fit the description given by Scott.

    Steve
     
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  5. bamboo43

    bamboo43 Very Senior Member

    Thanks for this information Steve. It's a great addition to my files on both gentlemen.

    Steve
     

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