Right guys you are now getting used to my stupid ignorant questions. So here is my next one. How will I know if he was part of the Chindits clan and what battles he fought in
Is it by like one point in war. Diary they are surrounded do I link the places to grid ref and maps (hope not)
Forgive me, I'm not exactly sure what you are asking. Are you looking for info about someone's experiences? Do you know what regiment or unit they were in? That would help a lot.
If there is a column number it is likely he was a Chindit as I think they all were in a numbered column which was about 400strong. Eg my father was in column 20. SEveral columns came under various commanders under code names. Eg Emphasis. This was in the 2nd campaign operation Thursday in March 1944. But it could also be true of Op Longcloth the year before.
My Dad was in burma 42 to christmas 45. In 42 with 2nd Battalion west yorkshire Regiment and 44 with 2nd Battalion york and lancaster 14th army 84 column
Not with the Chindits... they earned their battle honours with the 14th Army...? 5th Indian Division...?
The reason I started this post because it came up in my research . Following the history of the York and Lancaster it stated that the 2nd battalion -70th infantry division later converted to Chindits and then in further research account of men who were there Walter long staff 65 column 2 nd York and Lancaster was a Chindits
And on Wikipedia it states that the 2nd battalion -70th division shipped out on 28th feb 42 for Burma and became the 84/65 columns in the 14th Chindits brigade That is when dad shipped out for Burma. (Also just ordered the book and also found on line which I have printed off ) A walk on the wild side, A step into the unknown by F E Gerrard - formerly 84 column - 2nd Battalion York and Lancaster regt
It's ok and I have made so much progress And you bamboo Ron and all you regulars keep me engrossed with your content in your posts, blogs and discussions
I now have all dads war diaries from 42 to 1945 and he was with the 2nd battalion West Yorkshire regiment and his gaffer was Lt Col GH Cree I have got as far as jan 9th 1944 and they did a lot of marching making camp moving on and fighting and they went to a lot of places too which I have listed under a new topic Burma there are map references and names like home farm , BABARPARA. So any help over on the Burma topic would be appreciated. Dad was transferred over to 8th battalion yorks and lancs on 28th april 1944 and on 12 jan 1945 transferred over to 2nd battalion. I have was hoping that dad had an quiet war and I am learning he didn't. He came in and help defend the admin box when that was over marched again and got flown in a plane to Kohima .
When I say easy war I meant quiet war i do not even know where easy came from. What I mean is I have just finished reading a soldiers diaries who got to Burma did all the training then caught hepatitis and was ill a long long time No he Would not have had it easy but a lot quieter than those at the battle scenes that is what my hope was that dad had a quiet war but he did not and when he came home god did not give him a good run having died at the young age of 56
I can not take in that my lovely quiet dad was involved in the things he were. He never once let on of any of this what he went through. And when I go to Burma next year I will wear my uniform and his medals with a pride and a sadness for all the men of all the wars. In so short a time Thanks to all the help I have received on here and others I now understand the diaries and to my friend at the museum who has given me today's locations of where dad was back then and not forgetting all the links and book recommendations , I am now the proud owner of 15 books ,3 read 12 to go . And SOL the Ball of Fire having read the diaries relating to it was amazing Thankyou I have printed it off . Oh well back to more reading of the diaries I am up to March now . I am copying the diaries down as I am building a file up so it will always be there for future generations of the Freeman family to read . And I still say the history of our wars should be taught at school because it is local history to all , and the history of the regiments local to the schools should be taught otherwise all those men's lives will be lost in the past forever .
Don't forget to spread the torment round...! There's plenty more of us to share the burden... :biggrin: Kenny
Thanks all of you and l will share my torment around . Have read the diary for March 1944 . They did lots more marching and went to WABYIN to re organise and re equipped. On March 8th in 1944 Dads coy was patrolling at PAINGSAPADI then they moved to KANYINDAN then on 12th they recovered and buried men killed from C coy RIP . Then they go to THAZEGON. they go by march route to LATTHA Then KAPPAGAUNG then TUMBRU. then they moved by MT to DOHAZARI. where they meet up with 9commandos and fly to Dimapur. Then they are ordered to go immediately to IMPHAL MY goodness these lads covered a lot of miles from 1st march to28th march where at 2000hrs they arrive IMPHAL .
Elsie, you can find some of those places on this maps (original maps you can find here, 46-14 for the first and 46-10 for second)