My mums uncle Bernard (Berni) Higgins served with the South Lancs in Burma during the war. Without his service record I know little enough, just that he returned home badly wounded from a bullet in the leg and shellshocked. He never worked after his return home or had any normal life thereafter. I remember Berni as a tall quiet man who seemed to have a very sad expression permanantly etched on his face, he died when I was about 10 in the mid 70's. I know I would need to get his service record really, but for the moment I was wondering what the South Lancs got up to in Burma, where they were deployed, battles they took part in etc... any info appreciated... I have two pics of Berni which I will post, of him as a fresh faced private in 1941 and another of him in 1945 at the end of the war...the difference after 4 years is remarkable, he doesnt look like the same person...the horror of war is etched into his face, and it never really left after that. Berni was from Sligo on the west coast of Ireland.
Here's some further info that I posted not so long ago. http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/burma-india/20329-2nd-battalion-south-lancashire-regiment-kohima-irrawaddy-burma.html
Many thanks for the info. I often wondered how Bernard managed to end up in the South Lancs... he would have joined in 1941 at Omagh in Northern Ireland which is just across the border from us in Sligo, in fact my grandfather joined at the same time and ended up in the Royal Corps of Signals for his war. The South Lancs being a county regiment was an unusual one, or was it not so unusual? Alot of southern Irish served in the Irish Infantry Regiments, RUR, Inniskillings, Irish Fusileers, Irish Guards and so on...though after saying all that, I know another Sligo man (still living) who was with the Essex Regiment!
Any idea what his army Number was? Irish Soldier, the 2nd Battalion of the South Lancs served in Burma, after being involved in Operation Ironclad, which was the invasion of Madagascar. Have you ever heard any reference given to places, such as Madagascar, Kenya, South Africa ? It is possible that your relative enlisted with another Regiment and was transferred to the South Lancs later during his service, as he would have been in Madagascar having enlisted in 1941. As Owen says the Service number will help, as will the photo's. Phil
Unfortunatley I dont have his service number. I am trying my best to track down Bernards only surviving son who so far has been impossible to contact. He was born pre-war and is an elderly gentleman himself now, though I am led to believe he is still alive. He may have some info, however from what my mother tells me, Bernard was so badly shell-shocked that he could hardly speak, certainly not in any meaningfull way. In conversations with my grandfather before he died, I do recall him saying that "old Berni was a crack shot", he also said that he was shot in the leg while up in a tree... maybe he was a sniper?? maybe he was hiding from the Japs... who knows.... I'm also at a loss to where I've stored those photos, but I will hunt them down. I know for sure that the earlier one has a side cap with badge which I had to have enlarged to see what it was, it is definately South Lancashire Regiment, so he was with them from 1941. The second pic is just him in a tattered tropical shirt or jacket, no insignia is visible... I will post them up as soon as I dig them out!!
Irish Soldier, if I get a chance over the weekend, I will look through the Regimental History to see if the name crops up. One other option is the regimental Museum, although they do charge for research, but would probably get you on your way. Research Also, if you pm me your email address, Ill send you the parts of the regimental History that ive already transcribed, as it will tell you where the 2nd battalion was from 1941 through to Burma. Phil
Dave, I see what you mean in terms of the differnce 4 years had made. Have looked at the cap badge, and I would say a definate South Lancs one. Lets hope your uncles Son comes back with some info for you Phil
Thanks to Phil I am on the road to solving part of this mystery, I managed to track down Bernards service number and it turns out to have been issued to the Royal Ulster Rifles which makes alot of sense as I always wondered how come he was in the South Lancs having joined up in Omagh from across the border... he was obviously transferred at some stage. Hopefully with the service number his records will now be fairly easy to get and I can get the complete picture eventually!
Irishsoldier, Welcome to the forum, always a pleasure to help out someone with a link to the South lancs (or anywhere else, for that matter.) He may well have beed drafted into the Ulsters, completed his initial training, and then posted on to the South Lancs, there are indirectly two S/L battalions served in Burma - the 2nd Bn., and also the 9th who were absorbed into the 2nd at the end of 1944 to reinforce the 2nd prior to the push through Burma. 2nd were involved in Op.ironclad, 9th were home service and spread across the country. If you obtain his service history then we can fill in all the gaps. Regards Pete Sorry - just noticed the geography - if he was from Sligo then he was an Irish citizen and therefore a volunteer ?
Hi Pete, yes he was a volunteer from Eire, so no draft involved... however most of the men who crossed into Northern Ireland from the border counties of Donegal, Cavan, Sligo & Leitrim would have made their way to the recruiting centre at Omagh, and many of them were put in the Irish regiments such as the Ulster Rifles, Inniskilling Fusileers, Irish Fusileers and so on... so RUR would make alot of sense. The service records should unravel the mystery of how he ended up in Burma with the South Lancs, but it will take months and I am even more intrigued now! The 2nd batt RUR took a fair hammering in the early BEF campaign defending the perimeter at Dunkirk and I believe alot of men were farmed out to other regiments as a result before it was eventually brought back up to strength... so thats one possibility. Bernards son Joe who has his medals tells me their are quite a few, he thinks 6-7 in all. I have to see those yet, but maybe he has some European theatre medals as well? All just my speculation until I get to meet Joe in another few weeks...
