Road of Bones Read online

  first visits Naga Hills 33, 50

  Naga civil war, 1955 and 440, 441

  nervous breakdown 51

  on Jessami 161–2

  post-war life 440

  recruitment of Naga scouts and spies 54–5

  returns to England 410

  second visit to Naga Hills 51

  Bowman, Lieutenant Barry 46–7, 48, 411

  Brahmaputra River 186, 272

  Britain: Empire, effect of war upon xix, xx, 5, 77, 174, 282, 408, 427–8, 442, 448

  Indian independence and see India

  Naga people and 36, 43, 46–50, 52–6, 158–9, 184n, 189–91, 212, 223, 293, 296, 352, 363, 364–5

  public reaction to Kohima 283–4, 361–2

  reaction of government to relief of Kohima 368–9

  splits within Cabinet and army staff over strategy xx, 281–2, 369 see also British Army: command structure

  United States, wartime relations with xix–xx, 23, 23n, 76–9, 81–2, 117, 129, 155, 157, 171, 200, 224, 277–80, 304, 321, 322, 323, 339, 366, 368, 369

  British Army: air support xviii, 10, 19, 20, 23, 42, 81–2, 83–4, 90, 91, 111, 112–13, 129–30, 132–3, 147, 149, 155, 171, 177, 178–9, 193, 200–2, 214, 218, 233, 235, 236, 278, 279–80, 288, 290, 292, 296, 304, 317, 320–5, 332, 337–8, 339, 340–1, 366, 368, 369, 380, 407, 412

  artillery 70, 84n, 91, 122–3, 136–8, 141, 143n, 157, 165n, 176, 184, 199–200, 201, 203, 204, 206, 207, 218, 220, 234, 240, 248, 256, 285, 286–7, 291, 294, 297, 306, 308, 314–15, 317, 330, 372, 375, 378, 382, 383

  Burma, battle for and retreat from 4–5, 10–18, 19–28

  Burma, re-take from Japanese 410–18

  casualty numbers 14–15, 15n, 27, 75, 75n, 112n, 125–6, 130, 130n, 134, 136, 137, 138, 203, 209, 209n, 250, 255–8, 298–302, 311, 333, 343, 350, 355, 373, 374, 380, 381, 413

  command structure 12–13, 12n, 23, 79–80, 169–75, 273, 278–82, 361, 362, 416–17 see also under individual commander name

  disease and illness within xvii, 13, 14, 24, 25, 27, 28, 76, 82, 160, 161, 218, 256, 266, 328, 338, 376, 411

  deserters 17, 24–5, 25n, 229, 230, 237, 239, 242, 244, 247, 250, 251–2, 254, 267, 272, 353, 360–1

  France, fall of 61–2, 98, 274, 359, 378, 379, 411

  India, repels Japanese invasion of 156–410

  India, retreat from Burma into 19–28

  Indian Army and see Indian Army and British/Burmese/Indian Nepalese Army units

  intelligence xx, 1–5, 25, 36, 46–50, 52–6, 93, 112–13, 156, 157, 157n, 158, 165–6, 169, 184n, 189–92, 212, 223, 293, 295–6, 364–5

  jungle warfare, adapting to 75–6, 83–4, 93–5, 122, 124, 125, 134–5, 276–7, 314

  morale 76, 87, 90, 123–4, 134, 160, 220, 257, 279, 304–5, 312, 330, 331–2, 336, 384

  Naga people and 36, 43, 46–50, 52–6, 158–9, 184n, 189–91, 212, 223, 293, 296, 352, 363, 364–5

  North Africa campaign 62–6

  prisoners, treatment of 132, 134, 281, 403, 418

  South-East Asia Command (SEAC) 79, 80, 173, 361, 362

  supply operations 23, 28, 45, 73, 80, 81, 82, 83–4, 94, 111, 113, 115–16, 122, 123, 128–30, 133, 134, 136, 157, 161, 193, 200, 201–2, 204–5, 224, 227, 236, 240, 245, 278, 283, 288, 290, 302, 303, 304, 317, 321, 322, 324, 339, 352, 357, 364, 368, 377, 407, 420 see also British/Burmese/Indian/Nepalese Army units and under individual area, battle, campaign and nation name

  British/Burmese/Indian/Nepalese Army units:

  1st battalion, Assam Regiment xviii, 192, 361, 362, 396, 410, 413, 436, 437

  command of 181, 247, 252

  Jessami 161–2, 193, 211–12, 217–19

  Kharasom 161, 193, 211–12, 213–16

  Kohima, deployed to 158–61

  Kohima, siege of 226, 229, 239, 244, 247, 249, 252, 288, 299, 304–5, 311, 317, 332, 335, 343, 344, 345, 356, 364

  Kohima, survivors of Jessami retreat to 222, 226

  loyalty of soldiers 87, 239

  make-up of 158–9, 160

  quality of soldiers 183, 222, 317

  raised 158

  West Kent’s, relations with 328–9

  1st battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment (1st Glosters) 7, 25, 45, 46

  1st battalion, Royal Scots Regiment 378

  1/1 Punjab 67, 124, 125, 134, 176, 212n, 221, 285, 345, 350, 351, 353

  2 Burma Brigade 17

  2nd battalion, Duke of Wellington’s Regiment 19

  2nd battalion King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (2/KOYLI) 20–1, 22, 24–5n, 26

  2nd battalion, Manchester Regiment 378

  2nd battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment 378–80

  2nd battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment 185, 212, 222, 281

  2nd Division 43, 71–2, 83, 170, 172–4, 185, 186, 272–8, 285, 295, 312, 313–16, 337, 365, 366, 370, 371, 372, 377, 385, 386, 400

  Imphal, advance towards 384–5

  Kohima, advance towards 272–8, 312, 313–16, 337, 339, 350

  Kohima, offensive against 378–87, 387n

  Kohima, relief of 354–6, 370–4, 400

  Kohima-Imphal road, opens 394

  sacking of commander xx, 384–7

  3 West African Infantry Brigade 180, 411, 437

  4th battalion, Queen’s Own Royal West Kent Regimen xvii, xviii, 61, 65, 82, 303, 307, 311, 312, 317, 333, 341–2, 343, 350, 355, 383

  A company 241, 242, 247, 252, 254, 255, 306–8, 309, 310, 341, 343, 344–5, 346, 348, 353, 354, 412

  across Chindwin and into Burma, harries Japanese 410–15

  Arakan 104, 121–38, 175–6, 220, 256, 309

  artillery accidentally shell own men 136–8, 220, 256

  Assam Regiment, relations with 328–9

  B company 129, 135, 136–7, 138, 261, 270, 309, 310, 329, 348, 360, 430

  C company 127, 136, 137, 175, 220, 243, 247, 249n, 251, 259, 260, 261, 262, 263, 264, 266, 267, 268, 269, 271, 297, 312, 332, 340–1, 343, 355, 429

  casualty numbers 61, 65, 125–6, 134–5, 136–7, 138, 311, 333, 355

  character of 58–9, 61, 98–104, 288

  command 66–7, 95–6, 98 see also under individual commander name

  D company 103–4, 127, 135, 138, 178, 242, 247, 248, 255, 260, 262, 263, 268, 271, 333, 340–1, 345, 346, 348, 359, 360, 431

  deserters 360–1

  Dimapur, flown into 176–9, 185

  Dunkirk 61–2

  France, role in fall of 61–2, 98

  fresh troops supplement 62, 66, 104

  India, arrival in 68, 69, 70–4

  Iraq 67–8, 69

  Kentish character of 58–9, 98–9

  Kohima, arrival at 219–20, 242–9

  Kohima, relieved at 354–6

  Kohima, return from Dimapur to 240–1

  Kohima, siege of 242–9, 250, 251, 252–3, 254–71, 272, 273, 297, 300, 301, 302, 303, 304–10, 312, 317, 328–9, 330–1, 333, 334, 336, 337, 338, 340–5, 346–8, 350–1, 352–3

  Milestone 42, guard position at 360

  morale 220, 304–5, 331–2

  motto 61

  moved out of Kohima to Dimapur 221–3, 225

  North Africa 62–6, 98

  161 Brigade, 5th Indian Division, becomes part of 67, 95

  Operation Jericho 124–9, 256

  prisoners, capture first 134

  Ranchi, journey to 71–4, 92

  Razabil 124–9, 134

  roots of 58

  Territorial Amy unit 58, 60, 62–3, 66

  training 46, 93–5, 98, 122, 124

  4 Corps 115–16, 140, 170, 170n, 175, 175n, 194n, 201, 210, 234, 278, 280, 291, 339, 368, 384

  4/5 Mahratta 194, 198, 203, 206, 207

  4/7 Rajputs 67, 124, 125, 134, 176, 212, 252, 341, 345, 348

  5th Indian Division 67, 170, 170n, 173, 176, 185

  6 Infantry Brigade, Durham Light Infantry 366, 372, 374, 376, 380

  7th Indian Division 87, 129–30, 130n, 132, 135, 170, 278, 381, 385

  7/2 Punjab 89, 382, 447
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  8th Army 63

  11 Army Group 184n, 223n

  14th Army xviii, xix, 23, 71, 82, 83, 84, 93, 123, 134, 140, 171, 273, 339, 361, 363, 364, 367, 387n, 395

  battles see under individual area, battle, campaign and place name

  Burma, retreat from 13–28

  Burma, pursue Japanese retreat into and across 410–17

  command xviii, 23–8, 416–17, 435 see also Slim, Major General, Sir William

  creation of 23

  ‘forgotten army’ 284, 415–16

  health of 82

  homecoming of soldiers 425–33

  Indian Army, importance of within 84–90

  jungle warfare, adapting to 71, 83–4, 93–5, 98, 122, 124, 339

  Kohima see Kohima

  make up of 84–90, 428

  morale 76, 87, 90, 123–4, 134, 160, 220, 257, 279, 304–5, 312, 330, 331–2, 336, 384

  mule, use of 92–3, 112, 121, 124, 177–8, 204, 276, 277, 278, 281, 324

  plan first offensive against Japanese in Burma 76, 79, 83–4, 90, 91, 104, 111, 115–16

  psychology of 22, 28, 83, 279, 321–2, 333, 344, 345

  Slim transforms 23–8, 82, 171, 279, 364, 416, 427

  supply operations 23, 28, 45, 73, 80, 81, 82, 83–4, 94, 111, 113, 115–16, 122, 123, 128–30, 133, 134, 136, 157, 161, 193, 200, 201–2, 204–5, 224, 227, 236, 240, 245, 278, 283, 288, 290, 302, 303, 304, 317, 321, 322, 324, 339, 352, 357, 364, 368, 377, 407, 420

  tour of duty reduced 416

  training 46, 71, 83–4, 93–5, 98, 122, 124

  15 Corps 89–90, 91, 120, 121–38

  17th Indian Division 45, 140, 141, 170, 175

  20th battalion, Royal Fusiliers 103

  20th Indian Division 140, 141

  33 Corps 172, 223, 316, 365, 385, 396

  33 Indian Brigade 381, 385

  33rd Engineer Regiment 21

  50th Indian Parachute Regiment 170n, 193, 194, 197, 199, 200–1, 202, 203, 204, 205, 209, 209n, 210

  75th Indian Field Ambulance 256, 298, 302, 367

  91 Royal Bombay Field Company 189

  132 Brigade 63

  152nd battalion, 50th Indian Parachute Regiment 194, 197, 200–1, 202, 203, 204, 205, 209n

  153rd battalion, 50th Indian Parachute Regiment 198, 205, 209n

  161 Brigade 67, 95, 124, 185, 212, 212n, 222, 223, 225, 241, 242, 249, 252, 257, 257n, 271, 272, 273, 274, 275, 279, 284–5, 312, 337, 338–40, 350, 359, 385, 400

  Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders 160

  Assam Rifles 52, 156, 161, 183, 213, 252, 267, 321, 336, 340, 341, 343, 362

  Burma Auxiliary Force 4, 5, 11, 16

  Burma Corps 23, 28, 105

  Burma Rifles 4

  Cameron Highlanders Regiment 43, 274, 275, 316, 374, 380, 381, 448

  Chindits xx, 25, 46, 93, 112–13, 112n, 114, 149, 156, 165–7, 165n, 170n, 171, 180, 278, 316, 368, 399, 401, 401n, 411, 459

  Dorset Regiment 274, 275, 380, 382–3, 384

  Essex Regiment 97, 98, 399

  Force 131 47n

  Force 136 157n

  Gurkhas 21, 23, 41, 88, 130, 132, 202, 204, 204, 220, 229, 230, 236, 239, 251, 286–7, 293, 387n, 388–9, 390

  Indian Armoured Corps 188

  Indian Corps of Signals 129

  King George V’s Own Bengal Sappers and Miners 68, 88, 244, 264

  Lancashire Fusiliers, 1/8 280, 314

  Mahratta Regiment 183, 194, 198, 203, 206, 207, 249n

  Punjab Regiment xxi, 67, 84n, 88n, 89, 124, 125, 134, 176, 212, 212n, 221, 252, 285, 341, 345, 348, 350, 351, 353, 382, 447

  Queens’ Royal Regiment 316, 381, 390

  Royal Armoured Corps 382

  Royal Army Medical Corps 187

  Royal Artillery 70, 238, 285, 382

  Royal Berkshire Regiment 354, 372, 376

  Royal Engineers, The 383

  Royal Indian Army Service Corps 45, 227

  Royal Signals Corps 378

  Royal Warwickshire Regiment 241

  Royal Welch Fusiliers 307, 313–14, 380, 381, 447

  Shere Regiment 227, 229, 230, 231, 236, 237, 239, 244, 251–2, 272, 288, 305, 353

  Territorial Army 58, 60, 62–3, 66, 160

  V Force 47–50, 47n, 52, 54, 55, 56, 147, 148, 156, 157n, 161, 165, 189, 190, 191, 192, 194, 194n, 195, 212, 214, 229, 293, 296, 364, 365, 401, 406, 409

  Worcestershire Regiment 31, 103, 186, 274, 275, 276, 277, 285, 314

  Z Force 47n, 157n, 194n

  Brooke, CIGS (Chief of Imperial General Staff) General Sir Alan xx, 12, 79–80, 83, 172, 281–2, 369, 417

  Brooke-Popham, Air Chief Marshal Sir Robert 5, 8, 12

  Brown, Lieutenant Colonel W. F. ‘Bruno’ 159–61, 159n, 162, 211, 214, 217, 218, 219, 226, 247, 252, 356, 413, 442

  Brown, Private Leonard 312, 331, 333

  Burma 1–4, 369

  British intelligence failures in 1–5

  British loss of and retreat from 4, 6, 12–18, 19–28, 284

  British re-take 410–18

  British treatment of Burmese nationals within 7, 8, 25

  Independence 427

  Indians in 6, 8, 14, 15–16, 18

  Japanese invasion of 1–23

  Japanese occupation of 23, 105–6

  Japanese spies in 3–4, 9

  Japanese treatment of Burmese nationals within 15, 18

  Mandalay 2, 13–14, 105, 147, 411

  Maymyo 105–6, 113–14, 116, 117, 118

  Mingaladon airfield 10–12

  nationalism 8–9, 17–18

  Rangoon 1–4, 5, 6, 10–12, 13, 16, 18, 23, 78, 91, 105, 114, 117, 147, 281, 411, 415, 417

  Sittang bridge blown by British 20–2

  Sittang River 19–22, 412

  uprisings against British within 8

  V Force in 49

  Victoria Point airfield 10

  Burma Army 4, 5, 9, 11, 20, 23, 28, 105, 180, 183, 250, 267, 293, 433 see also

  British/Burmese/Indian/Nepalese Army units

  Burma Auxiliary Force 4, 5, 11, 16

  Burma Corps 23, 28, 105

  Burma Frontier Force 4, 25

  Burma Rifles 4

  Burma Road 5, 78n, 189, 427

  Burma Star Association 430

  Butcher, Sergeant W. 24–5

  Cachar Hills 51–3, 189, 190

  Cadogan, Stuart 41, 42

  Calistan, Major Albert 159–60, 219, 334–5, 340, 346, 356, 413, 443

  Calvert, Major Mike 25, 25n

  Campbell, Lieutenant Colonel Arthur 434, 435, 436

  Campion, Sergeant Jim 280

  casualty numbers: Allied 14–15, 15n, 27, 112n, 125–6, 130, 130n, 134, 136, 137, 138, 203, 209, 209n, 250, 255–8, 298–302, 311, 333, 343, 350, 355, 373, 374, 380, 381, 413

  Japanese xvii, 126–7, 136, 198, 200, 202–4, 209n, 215n, 250–1, 260, 278, 286, 291, 373, 398–9, 401, 401n, 402, 403–4, 406

  Cattle, Private Tom 382–3

  Chaudry, Captain Abdul Majid 301

  Chiang Kai-Shek 2, 3, 78, 78n, 112, 117, 280, 366, 368, 427

  Chin 15, 49

  Chin Hills 148

  China: Allied supply ‘hump’ route into 2, 78, 112, 170, 172, 180, 280, 316, 323, 368, 427

  Burma, Chinese troops retreat from 24, 30, 105

  Chunking 2

  Japan, war with 4, 5, 109, 110, 110n, 111, 150, 151, 152, 287, 318

  Mao and 427

  Nanking 150

  Nationalist armies xx, 2, 3, 5, 23n, 30, 78, 79, 79n, 105, 111

  Nationalist government 2

  United States and xx, 171, 180, 316, 323, 427

  Chindwin river, Burma xv, 30, 54, 146, 150, 153, 157, 161, 162, 164, 164n, 165, 189, 339, 369, 396, 401, 402

  Japanese advance into India across 120, 140, 148, 163–6, 173, 176, 193, 194, 195, 196, 209, 291

  Japanese retreat over 403–4

  Chittagong 172, 173

  Christison, General Sir Philip 85–6, 89–90, 120, 122, 124, 130, 132, 387n

  Churchill, Wi
nston xx, 13, 63–4

  Americans, relationship with 77, 77n, 78, 78n, 157, 171, 224, 280, 369

  amphibious landings plan, South-East Asia ‘Operation Culverin’ xx, 281–2, 369

  Burma, role in loss of 4, 5, 16

  D-Day and 281

  Imperial redemption, dream of 77, 77n, 78, 78n, 427, 428

  Indian Army, mistrust of soldiers within 83–4

  jungle warfare, thoughts on fighting Japanese in 83, 79, 339, 369

  Kohima, reaction to relief of 369

  Kohima/Imphal, realises importance of 171, 224, 280, 369

  Mountbatten and 79, 171, 280, 369

  voted out of office 426

  weakness for promise of dashing victories 79

  Clarke, Major E. B. Stanley 434

  close quarters/hand-to-hand fighting xvii, xx, 22, 132, 288–9, 306, 310–11, 333–4, 368, 373

  Clow, Sir Andrew 413

  Collins, Len 355

  Collins, Private Horace 355

  Comilla 174–5, 273, 278, 339, 364, 367

  compassion/chivalry, moments of 21, 22, 132, 205–6

  Congress Party 41, 43, 43n, 69, 70, 85n, 85, 385, 409, 427

  Cook, CSM Tommy 316

  Corlett, John 213

  Cripps, Sir Stafford 43n

  Crouch, Private Leslie 303, 333

  Crowther, Freddie 323

  Culverin, Operation 281–2

  Daily Mail 362, 363

  Danks, Billy 125–6

  Daunt, Audrey 411

  Daunt, Private Ivan 59, 61, 63, 65, 66, 67, 70, 71, 92, 93, 94, 95, 98, 135, 179, 241–2, 243, 330, 355, 411

  Davies, Gwilym 447

  Davis, Captain Paul 83, 416

  Dawson, Lieutenant Dennis 45, 182–3, 227, 228, 229

  D-Day 281, 362, 368, 392

  Defeat Into Victory (Slim) 79n, 116–17, 168, 184n, 224n, 387n, 436

  Dimapur 27, 29–30, 33, 35, 82, 116, 140, 154, 169, 170, 172, 173, 176, 179, 181, 182, 185, 186, 187, 218, 219, 249, 283, 351, 352–3, 365, 367, 368, 369, 371, 384, 386, 411

  British command of 172–3, 187, 222, 224, 224n, 279, 386, 458 see also Stopford, Lieutenant General Montagu

  British mistakenly prioritise 222–3, 224, 224n, 275, 278, 279, 386

  British reinforcements arrive in 170, 173, 176, 179, 181–2, 186–8, 231, 278, 285, 437, 272, 278, 285, 313, 317, 353

  Burma refugees within 29, 30

  false British intelligence concerning Japanese threat to 223

  garrison defences 185

  garrison situation, confused 187–9, 437

  garrison strength 169, 170, 173, 176, 179, 181–2, 185, 218, 231, 427

  Imphal road 82, 116, 140, 168, 288

  Japanese cut roads to 82, 116, 140, 168, 255, 272, 275, 283, 288, 316, 350

  Japanese failure to attack 279, 290, 291, 292, 339, 423