War Diary for 1st Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusilliers during Operation Longcloth, Burma

Yes, thanks, Bamboo43. My parents were definitely there for some time because my mother mentioned it a lot.

This is also borne out in Dryan67's very useful outline of the battalion's movements in the 47th Indian Brigade thread.

 

Just a bit more info. that gives a sense of what the Innisks went through in early January 43 as they ran into the defences at Donbaik. This is an extract from the research I've been doing, where I've used the Innisk's diary to get a clearer idea of what was going on because the diary from my grandfather's regiment was pretty sparse (his battery was detached from the regiment and sent out way in advance, so not much about their exploits made it back to RHQ still in India). The Brigade's intention is to get down the Mayu Peninsula as quickly as possible so they can launch an attack on Akyab with its critical airfield and port: they have no idea at this stage that the fighting is soon to degenerate into stalemate and WW1-style trench warfare at Donbaik:

* * * * * *

The Inniskillings have been pushing southwards down the Mayu Peninsula, searching villages and fighting intermittent skirmishes with small groups of Japanese troops encountered along the way. On the 7th of January most of the battalion is cutting its way through the bamboo thickets of the Mayu Hills or patrolling through the paddy-fields further inland, with ‘D’ Company out on the western flank moving along the low scrub-covered foothills of the coastal plain, and the battalion’s carriers advancing along the beach. 494 Battery is unlimbering the guns some distance behind them, near the coastal village of Shinkhali, having moved up from Kodingauk the previous day.

That afternoon, a patrol from ‘D’ Company comes under fire from Japanese mortars and machine-guns hidden in the banks of a deep creek (or 'chaung' in the local vocabulary) running from the hills to the sea about a mile north of Donbaik village. Another patrol sent earlier to scout Donbaik itself fails to return. A platoon heads forward under Lieutenant Hanson to engage the enemy while the rest of the battalion begins to make its way towards them.

In the evening, plans are made to advance on the creek with two companies to drive out the enemy, and then push beyond towards Donbaik. At 2035 the Diary records: “C.O. in conference with Capt MacQueen (Cmd. 494 Bty) & Major Corner (Cmd. 8 Mtn Bty) to devise the arty plan for tomorrows attack on DONBAIK.” This is to be the first assault on what will soon become known as the ‘FDL Chaung’, ‘FDL’ being a frequently used abbreviation for ‘Forward Defended Localities’ (or ‘Forward Defended Line’).

At 0700 on the 8th of January ‘A’ Company & ‘B’ Company of the Inniskillings advance, supported by two ten-minute bombardments from 494 Battery and 8 Mountain Battery, one fired on the chaung and one on a target behind it. Both companies set off from the jungle some distance north of FDL Chaung, but ‘B’ Company is soon halted by machine-gun fire from the Japanese defenders. ‘A’ Company plunges inland, through the dense undergrowth of the foothills, and by 1745 is on high ground overlooking a small cluster of huts at the ford a short distance from Donbaik village, observing the Japanese troops in occupation. The Inniskillings pause here overnight, intent on attacking the next morning. They are accompanied by Lieutenant Cornelius who is leading a Forward Observation party from 494 Battery, and he plots an artillery concentration to be brought down before the infantry moves in.

The following is a report of events from Captain Coates, the officer commanding ‘A’ Company, written in pencil and attached as an appendix to January’s War Diary:

[1 INNISK Appendix – ‘A’ Company Report] 9th January

0800 At forming up point.
0830 Est. O.P. on HILL 100. JAPS seen moving about in huts just north of FORD, DONBAIK.
0845 494 Bty opened up on huts. Several hits observed.
0930 Orders given for attack. Two pls [platoons] up.
1030 1st objective reached. The JAPS left in a hurry, leaving rifles, steel helmets, a box thought to be a wireless, a 40lb box of dried potatoes & large cartons of cigarettes.
1100 Started attack on DONBAIK (2nd objective).
1110 6 Japs seen in CHAUNG heading into DONBAIK [this is not the fortified chaung forming the main Japanese defensive line, which is a mile to the north, but one of the many other creeks running from the Mayu Hills down to the sea]. Owing to the bends in the CHAUNG they escaped leaving a L/T set & a signaller's notebook & ten reels cable (440 yds) with handle attachment & some clothing & bedding equipment.
1130 Arrived in DONBAIK & cleared village. Sent up success signal & arranged defence, sending out at the same time two parties to collect Jap equipment & the others to bring in the line.
1200 Defence organised – decided to have lunch. 27 Jap mess tins filled with rice already cooked. So we added some milk & ate it.
1300 6 Japs seen approaching from SOUTH side DONBAIK walking through paddy unarmed. Waited until they were within 300 yds & opened fire. All dropped to cover. Then one stood up with white flag & was shot at. Then another party appeared with a Jap flag.
1500 Japs attacked along line of the CHAUNG from the east, using two small mortars & what appeared to be automatic rifles. The fire was intense. The two sections defending the chaung engaged with all weapons but were badly shot up. Both L.M. gunners [Light Machine-gunners: men armed with Bren guns] killed – most of section wounded. The pl defending the NORTH side were then brought up but the Japs had penetrated the village at this stage & our amn was running very short – half the guns were being supplied with amn from bandoliers.
1600 Recce possible withdrawal.
1615 Coy started withdrawing to beach, sections giving covering fire alternately.
1630 Coy heading NORTH along beach, one section being sacrificed holding the Japs at DONBAIK. Noticed through glasses JAPS covering beach about 1000 yds NORTH so decided to cross to hills. JAPS having dealt with section in village running to the hills to cut us off. We reached the jungle scrub along foothills.
1700 Decided to make the main range, as our casualties along the beach were heavy & there was only about 1000 yds between the coy.
1800 Arrived at main range with our wounded & rested till daybreak.
0630 Made for original start line.

[1 INNISK] 9th January
1745 It was reported by B Coy that a number of men of A Coy were making their way along the beach and were being fired upon by LMGs. Some were obviously wounded and were taking cover behind some rocks on the beach in square 6482 [a grid reference which corresponds with the beach area on the far (enemy) side of the Japanese-held chaung]. The gunners endeavoured to help A Coy men to get under cover by laying smoke to screen them from enemy LMG position.

[1 INNISK] 10th January
1730 All officers of A Coy with 42 men unwounded 8 wounded returned. 10 men are expected to return within the near future & 30 men are missing (probably killed).

 

A sketch map showing the main features of the Donbaik front (from Major-General S. Woodburn Kirby’s The War Against Japan, Volume II). The FDL Chaung can be seen towards the top of the map. The small points marked ‘M17’, ‘S5’ and so on are the main enemy bunkers. At this point in early January, most of these have not yet been constructed by the Japanese defenders; they are digging day and night to fortify the chaung, however, and the position is soon dotted with dozens of such strong-points.

 

[1 INNISK] 11th January
0830 For the first time we saw JAP aircraft - 6 NAVY ‘0’ Fighters. They passed over area from SOUTH to NORTH and machine-gunned a crashed HURRICANE two or three miles NORTH of us. On their return journey they attacked our B Echelon area doing negligible damage to a 30-cwt RIASC [Royal Indian Army Service Corps] lorry.

1515 494 Bty, 8th Mnt Bty [8 Mountain Battery] and Mortar Pl. [the Inniskilling’s own Mortar Platoon] open up for half an hour putting down intense concentrations along CHAUNG 646832 (JAP F.D.Ls.)

COMMENT: Much enemy material has been sent back to HQ 47 Bde. Some was captured by CAPT. COATES (A Coy Cmd) in his first attack on DONBAIK, some was taken from a dead JAP, whose body lies on the beach close by. From the material, it has been established that we are fighting the Imperial Army, the unit being 6th Coy, 2nd Bn, 213 Inf. Regt. Also it is known that the 5th Coy of this force is at LAUNGCHAUNG opposing the advance of 5/8 Punjabs. Other information makes clear that there is no lateral communication between the JAP forces on either side of the MAYU HILLS at DONBAIK and LAUNGCHAUNG but comm. by L/T [Line Telegraphy] does exist from DONBAIK to AUNGUMAW (FOUL POINT) which village is known to the JAP as a liaison point (presumably between the force on the peninsula & the remainder on AKYAB island). It was also established that supplies reach DONBAIK by ponies from FOUL POINT.

[1 INNISK] 12th January
1545 494 Bty laying smoke in an endeavour to blind enemy M.G. posns on enemy's right flank. At the same time our fwd coy (B Coy) opens up with LMG fire. This ruse fails however. No enemy fire observed from O.P.
[The intention here is to deceive the Japanese into thinking that the smokescreen conceals an infantry assault, encouraging them to open fire with all of their weapons and so reveal their strength and location to British observers watching from an Observation Post set up in the hills]

[1 INNISK] 14th January
1600 494 Bty and mortars plaster JAP F.D.Ls.

[1 INNISK] 15th January
0730 An extraordinary sight was witnessed by B Coy this morning. A JAP waving a white flag appeared on beach well out beyond enemy left flank. He walked down the beach calmly towards our fwd posns & then turned around & walked back again. B Coy did not open fire, but 8 Mtn Bty brought down 5 rds gunfire on to the area into which the man subsequently dived.
1800 The arty registered on known targets on the line of the enemy F.D.Ls. & there is news of the arrival of another Fd Bty (316 Bty) in the area.

[1 INNISK] 16th January
1345 CAPT COATES (A Coy Cmd) reports return of 2 Fusiliers of his coy who have just returned to him after being missing since A Coy's attack on DONBAIK. These two men have been on the beach all this time & were near the JAP FDLs & heard them talking & saw the JAPS dropping through trap-doors in the floors of huts into posns underneath. The two men in broad daylight got up and walked behind JAP line up into the hills & were not seen apparently by the enemy. They arrived back at A Coy today.

 

Hi PackRat
I can only thank you again for so generously making all this information available. You obviously put an enormous amount of time and effort into your research and the analysis, as well as into writing a very readable description of the engagements. I only wish my father were here to read it.
Thanks,
Francis

 

Just to update you I've been able to establish the Belfast men my Grandfather Emerson McCarron was able to help rescue were from 8th Belfast HAA. Have joined Mary Lennon's 8th Belfast HAA The 12 Mile Snipers and am trying to find out who they may have been as u have some nicknames, and possibly make contact with their relatives.

Got copies of the war diaries made for the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers time in Burma plus the file giving details of those Captured POWs, missing presumed dead, and those killed in action .

There were numerous eyewitness accounts detailing what exactly had happened to my half Great Uncle Edward Laird Pte. He was a Signaller sent out with 2 others to see the lay of the land at Yenangyaung. All three were captured on 19 April 42 and held for 2 months by their Japanese captors. Edward's 2 fellow soldiers were shot and Edward had protested at their treatment. He was bound and ordered to kneel. A Japanese officer used his Katana which he brought down on the top of his scalp splicing his head open. All three bodies were left lying where they fell to be scavenged by vultures and whatever other wild animals. Other Inniskilling POWs came across the bodies at a later stage and were permitted by the Japanese to bury all three at the side of the river but they were not allowed to remove their personal effects such as dogtags etc. Unfortunately the monsoons had washed their remains away and none were found after the end of the war.....hence was Edward Laird has no known grave and is instead remembered at Taukkyan Cemetery in Yangon present day Myanmar .

I trust your own research into your Grandfather's service is going well.

King regards
Denise

 

I've been able to establish that my Grandfather Emerson McCarron Cpl 1st Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers was in Company D. Thanks for this Rat Pack!

 

Denise,

Sorry to hear about Edward's demise. That must be difficult for the family even after the passing of so many years.

Steve

 

Steve we always knew he had a gruesome demise as other Inniskillings had told my Granda Emerson what had happened.

I have one very precious letter that my Granda sent home to his sister Martha a few months after Yenangyaung. He skirts around what has been going on, probably due to censorship of all letters. He does mention Edward being missing and captured but that's it. When he eventually returned home to Omagh Co Tyrone Northern Ireland he was sent to 25th ATS based at Lisanelly Barracks in Omagh after having spent time recovering at Ranchi from Malaria and foot rot. He did tell some of his brothers about Edward but the story was kept just hush! As gruesome as Edward's final few moments were Im thankful that now we know the full story, so that his sacrifice will be forever remembered!

The Japanese treatment of POWs was indescribable in comparison to my Great Uncle James Alexander McCarron Sgt 2nd Inniskilling Fusiliers who as part of the BEF in France, was captured by the Germans due to a head injury which caused temporary blindness. He had spent time at STALAG XX1B in Poland and his experience there was very different.

War is savage.....but these men went through hell for us today! It's so sad to think that there are families out there with loved ones who served for King and Country, and were willing to pay down their lives, yet their stories are forgotten and families are uninterested!

Kind regards

Denise

 

Hi Denise,

My family went through something similar. My Nan never really knew if Grandad was dead or still a POW until August 1945, he had been reported Missing in May 1943. I think many of the family thought he was on the Burma Railway, as these were the only stories coming back home from the Far East in relation to prisoners of war. In actual fact he had died almost immediately after capture, a maximum of 4 weeks and although the Japanese could have chosen to save him, had they fed and given him the medical treatment he required, he actually perished from the tribulations of serving on the first Chindit operation; malnutrtion, malaria and straightforward exhaustion.

As you say.....the savagery of war.

 

Sounds like your research is coming on really well, Denise, great to hear you're uncovering so much new information.

Not sure if you saw this post I made a few weeks ago on the 80s Thames TV documentary about Parkash Singh VC that's just been uploaded to YouTube. Parkash seems to have been something of a legend amongst the few thousand men who saw action on the Donbaik front. Two of the men interviewed in this, George Williamson and George Semple, were 1 Innisks veterans (Captain Semple headed the Innisk's carrier platoon).

I deeply regret that when my grandad mentioned to me all those years ago that he'd seen Singh win the VC, I hadn't the first idea where the Arakan was or what British and Indian troops had been doing there. I hope that by researching and sharing what I find I'm making up for that just a little.

 

The not knowing for family back home must have been horrendous !

I have one very precious letter that my Granda Emerson sent home from Burma approximately a year after Edward's execution, that he had sent to his sister Martha in Newtownstewart Co Tyrone Northern Ireland, as they were orphans.

(My Grandfather Emerson and his siblings had lost their father John James McCarron Pte 23768 9th Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, 109th Brigade of the renowned 36th Ulster Division during the Great War on 10th March 1916 where he was killed in action at the front line in Autheille, where he is buried in Autheille Military Cemetery. He was 40years old and left behind a heavily pregnant wife Matilda and 7other children ranging from the eldest Mary aged 15 years old down to the youngest at that time my Grandfather Emerson who was just 2years old. My Great Grandmother Matilda gave birth to their daughter Sarah on 8th May 1916.

My Great Grandmother Matilda McCarron remarried Edward Laird in March 1919 and had 2 further children namely, Edward Joseph Laird and Bella Laird. My Great Grandmother Matilda McCarron Laird died suddenly in July 1936.)

In the letter my Grandfather Emerson skirts around what exactly had been happening in Burma, most likely due to the censoring of letters, although he does reference his brother Edward Joseph Laird, referring to him as "wee Eddie" being missing. Truth was Granda Emerson knew exactly what had happened to Edward as he'd been told by other eye witnesses. Even when he returned home he never divulged the full details apart from telling a little bit to his brother in law .

Granda's older brother James Alexander McCarron Sgt had been captured at the Battle at Sittang River along with other Inniskillings POWs . Granda Emerson was involved with other Inniskillings who orchestrated and successfully carried out a rescue mission. Those who were alive were in terrible shape. They found James, other Inniskillings and some 8th Belfast HAA POWs. All had been kept in small bamboo cages with no room to sit or lay down and the ground was covered in excrement as many of them had dysentery and malaria. They'd received no medical treatment, and little to no food or water. Any POWs who were injured had been used for target practice and bayonet practice by their Japanese captors.

The Japanese treatment of POWs was indescribable and completely inhumane! My Grandfather Emerson hated them to his dying day and there were no Japanese goods purchased....although he did respect their determination and jungle warfare skills!

No matter how much we read or research we can never truly comprehend the barbaric acts these men witnessed or the conditions they endured. It's hard to believe that when the Inniskillings first went into Burma their Battalion numbered 600. After Yenangyaung they had to make their own way out, with no real comms available for ration drops, ongoing ambush by the Japanese, yet they marched 500miles back to Imphal in 6 weeks! Only just over 100 men made it back! Really puts their service and sacrifice into perspective.

Denise

 

I hadn't noticed this....thanks so much for sharing. Have forwarded the video onto my Dad who I know will watch it with Great interest !

I purchased a 1st Edition Copy of the Book " The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers in the Second World War 1939 to 45"....Although rather expensive it was worth every penny and I found it really informative and helpful.

I've also included a photo of my Grandfather Emerson Carson McCarron Cpl....

5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoons Cavalry of the Line
1st Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
5th Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers TA

He signed up in 1933 aged 19yrs and served 21 years full-time service, then a further 10years with the TA. He went on to become a Charge Nurse at the Tyrone and Fermanagh Psychiatric Hospital in Omagh Co Tyrone Northern Ireland. Unfortunately he had recurrent bouts of malaria which took a severe toll on his heart and he passed away suddenly back in September 1980 aged just 66, he had only just retired. It was just before my 4th birthday so I had very little time with him sadly.

I'd been a social worker in Child Protection and Family Support until a spinal injury when I was 30, 2 years later I was retired off on health grounds. Researching my family tree and in particular my family's long history of service with the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and Dragoons has been a God send....so the nights I can't sleep due to pain this has kept me busy. The more I learn about my Grandfather Emerson, his brother James ,their half brother Edward, as well as Granda's father John James McCarron in WW1 the more proud I become! Each and everyone gave up so much and I feel it's so important that their stories are not forgotten. I'm hoping to put it altogether so that I can pass on a copy each to my 3 kids, in the hope that one day they too will pass their family history onto their own families and the generations to come after that.

I'd been down home in Omagh with my parents and had the opportunity to visit the old St Lucia's Barracks in Omagh where Granda was based, the Royal Inniskilling Museum in Enniskillen Co Fermanagh which was a real insight, and also St Macartin's Church of Ireland Cathedral in Enniskillen the spiritual home of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and Dragoons. Anyone with family who have served with "the Skins" should visit as it was amazing. I especially loved seeing the Remembrance Book held in the Cathedral which records every Inniskilling lost in both World Wars....it was a really poignant and emotional experience seeing my Great Grandfather John James McCarron and my half Great Uncle Edward Joseph Laird's names written in it.

Trust you too are getting on well with your own research into your own Grandfather too....it's all very addictive stuff.

Kind regards and thanks for the additional information .

Denise

 

Francis welcome....my Grandfather Emerson Carson McCarron was a Corporal in the 1st Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, his older brother James Alexander McCarron a sergeant initially in the 2nd Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers at Dunkirk was captured due to a head injury which caused temporary blindness . He spent time at STALAG XX1B in Poland before being repatriated home to Northern Ireland where he spent time at Campbell College Military Hospital in Belfast. He later went out to Burma to join my Grandfather and was involved in the Battle at Sittang River and the first Arakan campaign .

Their father John James McCarron Pte 9th Inniskilling Fusiliers had been killed in action on 10th March 1916 in WW1 and is buried in Autheille Military Cemetery in France. Their mother Matilda McCarron remarried 3yrs later and had two further children Edward Joseph Laird and Bella Laird.

Edward followed his older half brothers into the Inniskillings in 1936 aged 16. He and my Grandfather Emerson had been flown into Rangoon to help with the evacuation and then the destruction of the oil fields at Yenangyaung during April 42. Edward was 22years old and was captured on 19th. Two months later he was executed by a Japanese Officer using a Katana that was used to splice his scalp open from top to bottom.

I have copies of the war diaries for the Inniskillings in Burma and if I can be of any help give me a shout. No doubt my Grandfather and your father no doubt knew one another being based at St Lucia's Barracks in Omagh Co Tyrone . was your dad a local Omagh man? My Grandfather Emerson was a regimental boxer with the Inniskillings and was known as "Wiper McCarron ".

I also have a copy of the file detailing those who were injured, captured, missing and killed in action ....this was how I confirmed for definite the demise of my half Great Uncle Edward. There are many many eyewitness accounts that make for harrowing reading.

If you have access to Facebook I would suggest that you become a member of a closed group called WW2 BURMA RESEARCH....it's a fantastic Facebook page with brilliant members who share information as much as we can.

Wishing you well on your research.

Denise

 

I should have asked if you're local to the Omagh Area. You should go visit St Lucia's Barracks on the Derry Rd in Omagh as this is where the Inniskillings were based. All the buildings are listed but unfortunately the local council haven't done very much with the site after it was handed over to them by the MOD after the Good Friday Agreement....to be honest it would make for a brilliant regimental museum!

Granda Emerson McCarron spent time in Ranchi recuperating from Malaria and foot rot before being repatriated home to Northern Ireland. He was then sent to 25th ATS based at Lisanelly Barracks in Omagh .

Also recommend a visit to the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and Dragoons Regimental Museum in Enniskillen as well as St Macartin's Church of Ireland Cathedral in Enniskillen which is full of regimental regalia associated with the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and Dragoons.

I've uploaded some pictures for you to see.


The first four are of St Lucia's Barracks in Omagh Co Tyrone .


The next six are of St Macartin's Church of Ireland Cathedral in Enniskillen Co Fermanagh.


The last five photos are of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and Dragoons Regimental Museum, based at Enniskillen Castle in Co Fermanagh.

Denise

 

It certainly is! When I joined this forum last year I had no idea how deeply I'd get drawn into the research, just when I think I'm close to the end another path to follow opens up.

Thanks so much for posting those photos of the Inniskillings book, that was an interesting read and the 3D map of the Mayu Peninsula at the end is absolutely superb. If you get a chance, could I trouble you for some more shots of that map? I'd really like to add it to the written-up copy of my research as it gives an amazing overview of the terrain.

With Edward and Emerson helping with the destruction of the oil fields, a book you might like to read is Distinctly I Remember by Harold Braund with the Burma Frontier Force (which was recommended to me earlier this year by bamboo43, ta mate). I know very little about that period so not sure if it relates to exactly the same area your relatives were fighting, but he describes the blowing of refineries and the evacuation in detail.

The time came when we were ordered to fall back in close defence of the refineries for the period that remained before the 'blow'. One evening on patrol, I mapped a course that brought me back via I.B.P.'s refinery at Seikkyi. Through the tank farm I entered the residential area. The whole place was spick and span but practically deserted. I found my way to the Work Manager's bungalow and there had the shock of my life. Seated round a garden table with a newly laundered cloth on it, themselves bathed and changed into the usual evening garb of white shirt and trousers, were Charlie Haggarty and Bill Chalmers, respectively the Works Manager and Chief Chemist, and Andy Armit, who had been ordered up to join them after he had helped to scuttle the Dredge at Yamone. In attendance was a lugalay with a whisky decanter and cold sodas! Talk about 'the show must go on' - it was magnificent! And for me, needless to say, it was a case of 'I don't mind if I do'!
​

There's a bit more about Captain Braund in this thread.

 

Talking of books. Denise, have you read or come across, All Hell on the Irrawaddy, by John Finnerty? He was the Skins CSM at Yenangyaung and was captured and held in Rangoon Jail for the rest of the war. His book takes in his service from 1933 through to his capture in Burma, then focuses on his days as a POW.

 

Thank you for sharing this....I'll have to have a look online for a copy of the book you mention as from the War Diary the 1st Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers were actively involved with blowing up the oils fields. I'd read recently on a post on another Facebook page that I'm a member of "Banzai" that the oil fields destruction at Yenangyaung was so successful that it took the Japanese well over a year to get them back up and running. I'd also learned from another member on the Facebook page called WW2 Burma Research that the Chinese were actively involved in the operation also. I've the details written down, but can't remember the unit or commanding officer off hand.

My Dad currently has the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers Book down home in Omagh, but will take photos of the 3D map of the Mayu Peninsula and post them up on this thread. You've been very helpful to me in providing information....one good turn deserves another.

I'm a bit like yourself I think I followed my Granda Emerson's story down a particular path and then bang, it detours off onto another path! I've war diaries, written information, screenshot print outs and books in the study.....i just hope to try and start to compile it all together along with all the other information i have relating to my research of my paternal family tree! But I'll get there eventually. The more you dig....the more you find!

 

Steve this is one book that I had never heard of. John Finnerty would have joined up in the same year as my Granda Emerson in 1933. The fact that the book covers from his enlistment into the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers in 1933 right through to his time in Burma, capture and being held in Rangoon would provide great insight into the experiences of the Skins at that time and the reality of jungle warfare and the conditions POWs endured at the hands of their Japanese captors.

Will have a wee look online to see if I can get a hold on a copy of All Hell on the Irrawaddy.

Thanks again for sharing this....I really appreciate any direction towards relevant books and sources.

Denise

 

Hi Denise,

Amazon sometimes have copies of Finnerty's book. I'm slightly embarrassed that I had not suggested this before now. So apologies for that.

Steve