Photo (possibly) showing Chindit troops being shuttled from Mogaung to Myitkyina in August 1944

Discussion in 'Burma & India' started by DaveB, Mar 7, 2023.

  1. DaveB

    DaveB Very Senior Member

    I will delete if incorrect or if this has already been discussed elsewhere - I just came across this US Signals Corps photo showing a Jeep train operated by 745th Railway Operating Battalion (504th Engineer Light Pontoon Company) leaving Mogaung for Myitkyina in Burma - August 1944
     

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  2. Shiny 9th

    Shiny 9th Member

    I cannot comment on the accuracy of the details, but the movement of troops on that railway line is referred to in at least one account. The use of Jeeps, with wheels converted as shown certainly took British soldiers down the line from Myitkyina. My book below refers to men of the 9th Royal SUssex using this same method of transport in October 44. Am interested in the source of the image.
     
    Last edited: Mar 12, 2023
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  3. PackRat

    PackRat Well-Known Member

    Superb photo Dave, thanks for posting it. Do you have a reference/source for it?

    If the date & direction on the caption is correct, would guess that you're probably right on the Chindit link. British 36 Div had started to arrive in Mogaung by mid-July and was making use of this line, but they were going in the other direction (south towards the Irrawaddy rather than north to Myitkyina), while the Chindits were pulling out at the end of their operation. Can't make out any unit flashes on the slouch hats, unfortunately.

    The train service they got running fascinates me - true example of field engineering genius in action. 36 Div engineers worked with US engineers on it, couple of August '44 diary excerpts below for anyone interested (first from 236 Fd Coy RE, second from No. 15 Engineer Bn IE). Many sections of rail were damaged and locomotives wrecked, but masses of rolling stock (flats and box cars) had been left untouched. Gen. Frank Festing (36 Div commander) even used a plush passenger coach as HQ for a while.

    Any idea what the contraption bolted to the front of the jeep is? Something to dump water on the wheels or rails to cool them maybe? Or dump some sand/grit for traction? Accounts from drivers on this line report that one jeep alone could get up to three fully loaded wagons moving and up to 30 mph if you let the clutch out with a bang, but jeep brakes were useless for stopping the thing - had to roll to a stop on compression, which took about half a mile. Dangerous work.

    236 Coy.jpg 15 Bn IE.jpg
     
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  4. Shiny 9th

    Shiny 9th Member

    Are we certain that the Chindits were still in the area in August? I was under the impression that they had left earlier that year.
     
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  5. bamboo43

    bamboo43 Very Senior Member

    Briefly and basically: on 9th August, a patrol from the 2nd Black Watch Chindit columns went into the railway valley to liaise with the 36th Division. A week later on the 17/18 August, the Black Watch columns came out of the jungle using the modified Jeep Railway riding from Mogaung to Myitkhina.

    The 12 Nigeria Battalion left the theatre on the 15th August, walking into Mogaung and also looking for a train ride to Myitkhina. The final Chindit columns to be evacuated were the 2nd Yorks & Lancs, who were flown out by air from Myitkhina on the 25/26 August.

    Below is another image of converted Jeeps. Sadly, I cannot remember where I found this image:

    Jeep railway copy.JPG
     
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  6. Shiny 9th

    Shiny 9th Member

    I knew Bamboo would have the answer!
     
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  7. DaveB

    DaveB Very Senior Member

  8. Shiny 9th

    Shiny 9th Member

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