A BATTALION AT WAR
THE STORY IN PHOTOGARHS OF 2ND BATTALION THE BUFFS AT WAR
PART 3. Burma 1944-45
H.M.T.
Talma
This ship transported the Battalion from persia to India leaving on August 1st and arriving Bombay on Friday 11th August 1944.
Her sister ship, Takliwa, was torpedoed in the Arabian Sea on November 23rd 1942.
The Battalion arrived to join 36 (British) Division in their advance against the Japanese down the corridor towards Myitson
The Battalion crossed the Irrawady at Katha, which can be seen in the background, in early January 1945
Re supply was a constant problem due to the climate and geography of the country. The Battalion relied heavily, in the early stages of the campaign, on air drop by Dakotas of the 10th USAAF. the Battalion was flown by the same aircraft flying from Ledo in Assam.
For close support ,the Battalion relied on Royal Artillery 25 pounders and their own 3" Mortar platoon. Centre picture shows Pte Harris from Deal, Pte. Tassell from Deal and L/Cpl Fletcher from Birchington.whilst the close up photo at right shows Pte. Tassel and L/Cpl Fletcher again.
At left the pictures shows assault boats being unloaded prior to crossing the Shewli River. Centre: RSM Martin briefs a patrol prior to the crossing. Right: The Battalion advances to contact.
(Click on above map for larger image)
The picture on the left is of an 'O' Group prior to Battalion's advance along the Myitson-mong Mit road. Lt. McGrath, Majors Percival, Cobbold and Hews. Centre picture is of the second crossing and at right a plan of the action.
Left: Ptes. Sharp, Brown both of Stanmore, Pte Palmer of Southall waiting to advance. Centre: A platoon waiting and at right a group of Buffs waiting to put in a bayonet charge after an air strike. 1 mile from Shewli River.
This unusual picture is of a Japanese prayer flag, with translations, found on a Japanese sniper who was completely camouflaged in a fox hole. the Jap was killed by Pte. Adams (pictured right) after a short action. Adams was given the flag as a memento for had he not spotted and killed the Jap the Battalion could have sustained many more casualties. (To see a larger image of the flag double click the image)
The picture above is of Lt. Gen. Dan Sultan, Commander of US Northern Area Combat Command, with Maj. Gen. Festing Commander 36 Div, crossing the Shewli River under fire. The picture on the right is of a dead Japanese soldier floating in the river.
Two of the Battalion's casualties on the left Stretcher Bearers of 'C' Company carry Pte. Ward of London who had sustained a leg wound attacking a Japanese bunker. On the right Medical Orderlies at the Regt. Aid Post attend another.
Major General Festing seen her, on the left, visiting the Battalion. Seated in the vehicle right rear of the vehicle is Pte. 'Charlie' Speed who was subsequently wounded near Myitson on 17th Feb. He was killed whilst being evacuated across the Shewli River. On the right: Lord Louis Mountbatten with General Festing watching the bombing of a Japaneses held island in the River Shewli.
Above left a temporary cemetery in a teak forest on the bahe-Myitson Road where members of the Battalion who fell during the first and second crossing of the Shewli River and subsequent actions were buried. Above right is the Taukkyan War Cemetery, Rangoon. Situated 21 miles north of Rangoon, this is the largest of the three war cemeteries in Burma. The total number buried here being 6,368. Fifty men of 2nd Battalion The Buffs lie buried here, a further 29, who were listed as missing and who have no known grave are commemorated on the columns of the Rangoon Memorial which stands in the centre of the cemetery commemorating the 26,380 men who fought and died in Burma Campaign and have no known graves.
ROLL OF HONOUR
The names of the 50 members of the Battalion killed in action in Burma now buried in the Taukkyan War Cemetery.
Pte. L. V. Andrews, Pte. J. G. Angus, Pte. C. Ashdown, Pte. J. W. Biggs, CSM. W. R. Bird, Pte. R. I. Birt, Pte. A.H. Biswell, Pte. E. A. Blain, Pte. L. F. Boorman, L/Cpl. H. P. Bowler, Pte. W. T. Brown, Pte. W. J. Clarke, Pte. F. S. Davey, Pte. H. J. Dawes, Pte. P. Dunn, Pte. H. Garnham, Pte. G. W. Garnick, Pte. C. Guthzeit, Pte. C. F. Harwood, Pte. R. A. Hickmott, Pte. G. R. Jackman, Lt. W. L. Jackson, Cpl. L. W. Jarvis, Pte. A. E. Jennings, Pte. C. Laine, Pte. W. G. Lipscombe, Captain R. M. Macintosh, Pte. D. Manning, Pte. K. M. Martin, Pte. A. L. Masters, Pte. P. Mordecai, Captain K. M. Munro, Sgt. W. W. Penn, L/Sgt. J. Runley, Pte. A. P. Russell, L/Cpl. A. T. Ryder, Pte. H. V. Saunders, Cpl. T. H. Savage, Major G. G. Sharpe, Pte. H. Simmonds, Cpl. A. J. Smith, Pte. C. J. Speed, Pte. A. W. Stevens, Pte. J. Tittler, Cpl. S. H. Tomkins, Cpl. G. Tucker, Pte. G. F. Whiffen, L/Sgt. E. A. Wilkins.
The names of the 29 members of the Battalion killed in action in Burma who have no known grave. Their names are inscribed on the columns of the Rangoon Memorial.
Pte. B. Allen, Pte. R. C. Amos, L/Cpl. G. Braund, Pte. J. C. Burton, Pte. C. Castleton, Pte. R. F. Crane, Pte. J. Cronin, Pte. E. Dennis, L/Cpl. G. Dimmick, Cpl. A. H. Gates, Cpl. L. F. Hardy, CSM. J. G. Herbert, Pte. F. C. Hiscock, Pte. J. W. Hunter, Cpl. A, Kendall, Pte. J. T. Lake, Pte. G. W. F. Lubka, Pte. L. F. Mascia, L/Cpl. C. J. Pearce, L/Cpl. R. Plumridge, Pte. J. Read, Cpl. C. H. Sharman, L/Sgt. J. F. Smith, Cpl. A. V. Stickings, Pte. M. A. Stoneham, Pte. L. C. Swinnard, Pte. F. W. Tomkins, Pte. F. J. Williams, Pte. A. Wright.
2nd Battalion The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment) were awarded the following Battle Honours for operations in the Far East
Shewli, Myitson, Burma