Tulip Force and the 8th Australian Division

Discussion in 'War Against Japan' started by spider, Jun 6, 2011.

  1. spider

    spider Very Senior Member

    Mission 204 - 'Tulip Force'
    A small group of Australians from the 8th Australian Division was posted to the Bush Warfare School in Burma in 1941. The men were trained in demolition, ambush and engineering reconnaissance during October and November. The two officers and 43 men became part of 'Tulip Force', a top-secret mission to train Chinese guerrillas to fight the Japanese. The British provided equipment, supplies and the remainder of the men. In February 1942, the men travelled in trucks up the Burma Road towards China for 18 days, covering more than 3000 kilometres. From there they travelled another 800 kilometres by train into China before trekking into the mountainous border region to join the Chinese 5th Battalion commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Chen Ling Sun. They travelled with eight tonnes of equipment and their explosives were packed into small square coolie baskets and carried with them.
    The Australian Minister in Chungking, Sir Frederick Eggleston, visited the men in their camp at Kiyang at the end of May. After his visit to Kiyang, the Australian Minister sent another cable to Australia recommending that the men remain there.
    The Australians remained in the mountains with the Chinese guerrillas until September 1942, when the project was abandoned. The Australians did not participate in any of the Chinese guerrilla activities; they suffered from malaria, dysentery and typhus; and they had no confidence in the Chinese commander under whom they were to serve.


    [​IMG]
    Some of the Australians serving with 'Tulip Force' together
    with Chinese officers at Chiu Chia Kai, Kiangsi province,
    China, October 1942.

    [​IMG]
    Four of the Australian members of 'Tulip Force', British Military Mission 204, based in China during 1941-1942. From left to right: John Leake, George Carr, Ron Croton, Maurie Kimbell.



    Now I didn't know that!
     
  2. spidge

    spidge RAAF RESEARCHER

    Neither did I!
     
  3. spider

    spider Very Senior Member

    They were the luckiest blokes in the 8th Division, seeing as the vast majority were in Singapore and spent over 3 years as Japanese POW's.
     
  4. spider

    spider Very Senior Member

    [​IMG]
    Author: Noonan, William
    Condition: Very Good
    Edition: 1st Edition
    Publication Date: 1987
    ISBN: 9780043012833
    Cover: Hard Cover with Dust Jacket - 235 pages
    Comments: Australian Commandos in China. Mission 204 was a top secret cadre of demolition and guerilla experts despatched from Burma to central China to assist Chinese guerillas harass the Japanese.
    This, the story of Australia's first Commandos, is an epic of the war. Here is hardship and adventure, pathos and humour, suffering and excitement.
    It tells of the men who went to Malaya with the 22nd Brigade, then sailed to Burma to train under Britain's finest Commando leaders. Escaping from the Japanese, they journeyed the length of the tortuous Burma Road, crossing China almost to the coast. Here they trained the Surprising Battalions, some of China's crack guerillas, and operated with them in war torn provinces.
    The became famous as the "Lost Legion of the AIF" - the boys of Mission 204.
    After almost a year of guerilla existence, the survivors were withdrawn to Kunming and flew to India. They were allocated to Brigadier Orde Wingate's force but were recalled whilst on leave and returned to Australia after two years in the tropics.
     
  5. PA. Dutchman

    PA. Dutchman Senior Member

    Spider,

    I know this is off the subject, but I will make it short. We have a world class Velodrome near our home. For decades the best and fastest bike racers have been Australians.

    It is summer here when it is winter there and they came and spent the summers here. My wife Nancy and I got to know a few and would have them for dinner or give them a ride in our car.

    They were gentlemen to a man and great ambassadors for the Country of Australia.
     
  6. spider

    spider Very Senior Member

    Good to hear their waving the flag.... :ausflag[1]:
     
  7. PA. Dutchman

    PA. Dutchman Senior Member

    Two who come to mind immediately are Danny Clark and Darrell Benson.
     
  8. spider

    spider Very Senior Member

  9. Biggles Prime

    Biggles Prime Junior Member

    Hi Spider,
    Re your advertising the book The Lost Legion by William Noonan; you claim it is a 1st edition 1987 printing.

    I have a book titled THE SURPRISING BATTALION; Australian Commandos in China, by the very same author. It was printed in 1945 by Halstead Press P/L 9-19 Nickson St. Sydney and published by NSW Bookstall Co. P/L Market and Castlereagh Sts 1945. It has no ISBN number and only 194 pages.

    One of the opening pages contains a letter of appreciation and commendation from Lt.Gen. Li Mo An. Its opening paragraph reads;
    "BROTHERS IN ARMS,
    Your coming to take part in the training and operations of our Surprising Battallions is an historical event in the war against the Axis Nations........" it is dated at Kiyang February 8, 1942.

    There is a hand-written dedication on the first inside page;
    "To Bill
    With best wishes for a Happy Birthday 1945
    from Mother & Bruce"

    There is no dust jacket and the pages are age-stained uniformly but otherwise it is in very good condition.

    I don't believe anyone would present Bill Noonan with a printed copy of his own book. So I'm fairly certain this Bill is anonymous to us.

    Could your book be a reprint and rename of my 1945 one?

    Biggles, Prime
     
  10. spider

    spider Very Senior Member

    No its not the same book, however same author (and veteran of Tulip Force).

    The detailed account of Australian Commandos in China during World War Two.This, the story of Australia's first Commandos, is an epic of the war. Here is hardship and adventure, pathos and humour, suffering and excitement.
    It tells of the men who went to Malaya with the 22nd Brigade, then sailed to Burma to train under Britain's finest Commando leaders. Escaping from the Japanese, they journeyed the length of the tortuous Burma Road, crossing China almost to the coast. Here they trained the Suprising Battalions, some of China's crack guerillas, and operated with them in war torn provinces.
    The became famous as the "Lost Legion of the AIF" - the boys of Mission 204.
    After almost a year of guerilla existence, the survivors were withdrawn to Kunming and flew to India. They were allocated to Brigadier Orde Wingate's force but were recalled whilst on leave and returned to Australia after two years in the tropics.
     
  11. bamboo43

    bamboo43 Very Senior Member

    Hi you Guys,

    I thought I had placed this roll on the forum before, but perhaps I did not??

    I think this is a list of the gentlemen in question.

    Steve
     

    Attached Files:

  12. Assam

    Assam Senior Member

    the only AIF to receive the Burma Star


    Simon
     
  13. bamboo43

    bamboo43 Very Senior Member

    the only AIF to receive the Burma Star


    Simon


    Would love to lay my hands on any Australian serviceman's Burma Star group.:)
     
  14. Assam

    Assam Senior Member

    Wouldn't we all Steve,

    Closest, I could get to date is a Burma star group with NZWASM & NZ Memorial Cross. The cross interestingly bears his NZ service # But the designation of R.A. probably because his original unit was the only NZ formation witihin the royal Artillary.

    Buried in Ranchi
     

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