1st Bn Northamptonshire Regiment in the defence of Kohima

Discussion in 'Burma & India' started by Skoyen89, Jun 14, 2020.

  1. Skoyen89

    Skoyen89 Senior Member

    In a Facebook group I am in there was a member who had stories from his father being at Kohima whilst we know that his unit was at Imphal - he was trying to reconcile the two sets of 'facts'. It reminded me that
    going through the Missing Personnel file for the Northants at Kew (WO361/671) I came across a one page account of two missing individuals. They had been at the Reinforcement Camp as the siege commenced and with many others were hastily drafted in for its defence. Both were subsequently missing but presumed killed and are commemorated on the Rangoon Memorial. After some research it turns out one was REME whilst the other was Northamptonshire Regiment, hence the inclusion in this file.

    Northants Cas at Kohima Booth G Cpl p101950.JPG

    BOOTH, George
    Corporal; Service Number 3657926
    1st Bn. Northamptonshire Regiment

    Died on or shortly after 01/04/1944
    Aged 28
    Face 15 on the Rangoon Memorial

    George Booth was the son of Thomas and Nellie Booth of Moreton, Cheshire. He was born on 6 Sept 1915. He married Bertha M Booth and in 1939 they were living in Walker household at 34 Reedville Grove, Wallasey. He was employed as plasterer and she was a domestic servant.
    He was declared ‘Missing – believed killed’ with a date of 9 April 1944 in 1944 and an article in the Liverpool Echo of 22 Sept 1944 asked for anyone who knew the circumstances of his death. In 1946 that was changed to ‘ on or shortly after 1 April 1944’.


    LATHAM, CHARLES FREDERICK
    Serjeant
    Service Number 10540487
    Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers

    Died 01/04/1944
    Aged 31
    Commemorated on the Rangoon Memorial
    Son of Charles Henry and Ella Roberta Latham, of Isleworth, Middlesex.

    JOSLIN, ORIEL GEORGE
    Bombardier; Service Number 1753509
    28 Lt. A.A. Regt., Royal Artillery
    Died 10/04/1944
    Aged 35
    Buried Kohima Cemetery 11 C 19
     

    Attached Files:

    bamboo43 and Rothy like this.
  2. Skoyen89

    Skoyen89 Senior Member

    On researching the CWGC site for the Northamptonshire Regiment killed in early April another three names come up as men from the Northamptonshire Regiment killed in the defence of Kohima. At that time the Northamptons were having a reasonably quiet couple of weeks in the Imphal area and there is no mention of casualties in their War Diary. In addition Taunton kept a list of Killed, Wounded, Missing etc that is very complete and there is no mention of the men on there, They are:

    HOOK, Ronald Thomas

    Private; Service Number 14513837.
    1st Bn. Northamptonshire Regiment.

    Age 20.
    Son of Ernest Hook, and of May Louisa Hook, of Bletchingley, Surrey.

    Died 1st April 1944.
    Face 15. Rangoon Memorial – Burma, as no known grave.

    It is interesting that the family put in their 'In Memoriam' notices in the Surrey Advertiser in 1948 and 1949 that he was KIA on April 27th whilst the Casualty List finally concludes that he was Missing - Presume Killed in the first two weeks of April'.

    WARREN, George Henry

    Private; Service Number 5884781.
    1st Bn. Northamptonshire Regiment.

    Age 30.

    Died 6th April 1944.
    Face 15. Rangoon Memorial – Burma, as no known grave.

    He is listed in a document in the RA Missing Personnel file as believed to have been wounded at Kohima.

    BODEN, Leslie Vernon

    Private; Service Numebr 5120984.
    1st Bn. Northamptonshire Regiment.

    Age 32.
    Son of George Boden, and of Ada Mary Boden, of Alum Rock, Birmingham.

    Died 8th April 1944.
    Face 15. Rangoon Memorial – Burma, as no known grave.

    Boden was wounded at Kyaukchaw on 19 January 1944 according to the Casualty List and Taunton's List so he was probably working his way back to the Northamptons after hospitalisation when he was drawn in to the defence of Kohima.

    Hook and Warren appear on the summary list at the end of the Missing Personnel file but there is no letters or documentation to back up the decision. Boden isn't mentioned at all.
     

    Attached Files:

  3. Skoyen89

    Skoyen89 Senior Member

    There are a group of individuals from the Northamptonshire Regiment who appear in documents as having been involved in the defence of Kohima and survived it.

    BARNES Sgt 5889592 (Wounded 4 – 20 April 1944)

    LINGWOOD Pte Richard William 7370506 (Subsequently KIA 21 June 1944)

    EAVES Pte 5884856 (Not found in Casualty Lists)

    CHERRINGTON Capt Peter Ralph (Subsequently awarded the DSO and KIA 21 Jan 1945)
     
  4. smilingsxith

    smilingsxith Junior Member

    I would be interested to know how " involved" the Northamptonshire Regt was in the Defence of Kohima.

    Si
     
  5. JITTER PARTY

    JITTER PARTY Well-Known Member

    The Northamptonshire Regiment itself; not at all.
    Individual members of the regiment; on the same basis as all the other poor sods from the ICD/Rft Camp - told here's a rifle, here's a trench, now defend Kohima!
     
  6. Skoyen89

    Skoyen89 Senior Member

    Simon

    JItterParty sums it up very well. The 1st Bn Northamptonshire Regt were in the Imphal area at the time having just withdrawn with 20th Division from the Kabaw Valley.
     

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