Road of Bones Page 52
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