Road of Bones Read online

Kameyama, Lieutenant Shosaku Mazakazu 115, 167, 198–9, 200, 202, 208, 210, 250–1, 258–9, 261, 262, 263, 264, 286, 320

  Karen 15

  Kawabe, Lieutenant General Mazakazu 115, 117, 290, 291, 292, 339, 389, 391–2, 393, 395, 405, 423

  Kay, Robert 70

  Keast, Diana 101

  Keene, Buster 340

  Kempeitai 147–8, 151, 326

  Kharasom village 116, 364

  1st battalion, Assam Regiment in 161, 183, 189, 193, 213–17, 356

  Assam Rifles in 214

  attempts to relieve 212–13, 216

  defences 215

  defensive position established at 161, 214

  evacuation of 216–17

  garrison strength 212–13, 214, 215

  ‘last man, last round’ order, Richard’s fails to communicate rescinding of to 212–13, 212n, 214

  161 Brigade sent to aide evacuation of 212, 213, 216

  retreating Japanese army in 396

  supply problems 215

  V Force in 214

  Khasi tribesman 218

  Khiamniungan, Sepoy Mukom xviii

  Khonoma 37, 39, 40, 234, 235, 440n

  King, Sergeant Victor 348, 350

  Kobayashi, Lieutenant Naoji 236

  Kohima xvii

  ADS (advanced dressing station) 248, 255–8, 264, 266–8, 271, 297–302, 304, 305, 308, 311, 331, 332, 333, 335, 343, 345, 350, 351, 352

  air war over 279–80, 288, 290, 304, 317, 320–5, 332, 337–8, 339, 340–1, 337–8

  Aradura Spur 32–3, 220, 227, 234, 239, 371, 384, 393

  attrition, becomes battle of 357–69

  Black Thirteenth 301–5

  British first take control of 39

  bungalow, district commissioner’s 32, 33, 34, 44, 226–7, 239, 243, 251, 302, 305–12, 336, 346, 358, 380, 382, 383, 384, 439

  casualty numbers 260, 278, 286, 291, 298–302, 311, 333, 343, 350, 355, 373, 374, 380, 381

  command of garrison 170–5, 180–5, 224–5, 244–7, 251, 252–3, 433–7 see also under individual commander name

  command posts 221, 226, 227, 229, 239, 247, 303, 336, 348, 353

  communications 183–4, 242, 251, 252, 284, 339, 365, 368

  confusion of battle and rapid changing of positions 265–6

  criticism of garrison officers 244–7, 433–7

  defences 188–9, 220, 221, 225, 226, 244

  defensive positions see Jessami, Kharasom, Phek, Sangshak and Zubza villages

  Detail Hill 226, 247, 249n, 251, 252, 258–64, 265–6, 267, 268–71, 273, 274, 286, 297, 299, 305, 311, 333, 336, 340, 343, 347, 357, 374, 378, 432

  effect of battle upon post-war world 427–8

  evacuation of wounded 219, 252–3, 255, 266–8, 311–12, 345, 350–2, 353

  first Japanese attacks upon 236–9, 242–4

  first Allied encounters with Japanese 227–31

  first siege of, 1879 39–40

  fleeing/deserting soldiers 229, 230, 237, 239, 242, 244, 247, 250, 251–2, 254, 267, 272, 353, 360–1

  Garrison Hill (formerly Summerhouse Hill) 32, 226, 239, 242, 244, 247, 251,266–7, 271, 305, 317, 325, 329, 331, 333, 336, 338, 340, 343, 344, 346, 348, 349, 352–3, 354, 356, 366–7, 372–4, 377, 380, 407, 439

  garrison strength xvii, xviin, 169, 182, 212, 221–4, 231, 265

  GPT Ridge 226, 229, 231, 250–1, 254, 259, 260, 286, 305, 311, 336, 374, 377, 378, 379–80, 381, 384

  hand-to-hand fighting xvii, xx, 288–9, 306, 310–11, 333–4, 368, 373

  ‘hold to the last’ order 185;

  hospital buildings 219, 226, 267, 340, 343, 352 see also ADS

  Imphal road 29, 33, 80, 80n, 221, 226, 235, 282, 288, 365, 366, 384, 394, 455

  Jail Hill 225, 226, 231, 239, 249–50, 257, 258, 259, 260, 286, 299–300, 302, 305, 311, 320, 336, 374, 376, 377, 381, 382, 384, 439

  Japanese arrival at 227–31

  Japanese first attack 236–9, 242–4

  Japanese siege of 258–64, 289–90, 317–20, 326, 333–4, 374–7, 388–91

  Japanese withdrawal from 389–91, 396

  Kohima Ridge 185–6, 220, 223, 226, 227, 239, 279, 291, 305, 317, 326, 327, 339, 340, 360, 369, 372, 377, 380, 381, 384, 386, 390–1

  Kuki Piquet 226, 230, 247, 336, 344–5, 346–8, 350, 353, 354, 373, 374, 378, 381

  line of communication troops within 183, 220, 222, 245

  medical arrangements within 248, 255–8, 264, 266–8, 271, 297–302, 304, 305, 308, 311, 331, 332, 333, 335, 343, 345, 350, 351, 352

  moral collapse within garrison 244–6, 245n

  morale 242, 244–6, 245n, 248, 257, 304–5, 312, 330, 336, 384

  Mount Pulebadze 33, 220, 234, 379

  Naga Village 33, 227, 231, 236–9, 272, 293–4, 374, 378, 380–1, 389, 402

  natural defences 29, 30, 31;

  Nepalese troops in 226, 227, 229, 230, 231, 236, 237, 239, 244, 251–2, 272, 288, 305, 353

  non-combatants in 183, 220–1, 241–2, 245, 267, 303, 305, 336, 348

  1/1 Punjabs push into 350–1, 353

  161 Brigade leave 221–5

  role in Japanese plan to attack India 116, 120

  perimeter xvii, 226, 227, 231, 238, 239, 248, 249, 250, 251, 260, 261, 267, 268, 276, 306, 311, 317, 329, 330, 332, 334, 336, 337, 340, 342

  political importance of xix, 368–9

  preparations for attack 183, 185–6, 220–7, 229, 244

  put in larger context of war, spring, 1944 281–2

  refugees arrive in 27–8, 29–30

  reinforcement of 185, 186, 209, 226, 252, 272, 273, 278, 285, 292, 312, 317, 353–6

  relief of garrison 275, 312, 336, 337, 338–40, 345, 348, 354–6, 357–65, 400

  reporting of conflict 283–4, 361–2

  settlement of 32–4

  siege of 233–394, 232, 315, 349

  strategic importance of xvii–xix, 427–8

  Summerhouse Hill see Garrison Hill

  supply operation 227, 236, 240, 242, 245, 249, 278, 283, 288, 290, 302, 303, 304, 317, 321, 322, 324, 337–8, 339, 352, 357, 364, 368, 377

  Supply Hill 226, 230, 260, 262, 271, 329, 336, 340–5, 346, 384

  tennis court, district commissioner’s xvii, 226, 286, 305, 306–12, 317, 326, 328, 329, 330, 333–5, 337, 338, 340, 346, 349, 352–3, 354, 374–6, 382–3, 384, 413, 436, 439

  Treasury 225, 227, 251–2, 378, 384

  uprising, 1931 41

  water supply 220, 227, 244, 246, 247, 302–3, 304, 328, 329, 351, 380

  withdrawal, Allied orders in the event of a 224–5

  withdrawal from, Japanese 389–91, 396

  wounded, treatment of see medical arrangements/dressing station

  Kuki tribe 35, 37, 40–1, 191, 217

  Kunomura, Major General 106, 114, 154, 393–4

  Kuwaki, Dr Takehide 153, 287–8, 326, 398, 402, 447

  Lambert, Lieutenant Colonel H. W. 66–7

  Lambert, Mark xvii, 67, 68, 308, 337, 351

  Laverty, Lieutenant Colonel John: appearance 95, 96

  Arakan 121–2, 124, 127, 128, 135–6, 137–8

  army career 97–8

  and General Slim 435, 436

  Burma, sent to 104

  congratulates West Kent’s 359–60

  deserters, treatment of 361

  at Dimapur 176, 177, 359

  family and childhood 96–7, 438

  garrison staff, poor relations with 328–9

  Kohima, arrives at 220, 221, 240, 241, 242, 244–5, 245n, 246–7

  Kohima, leaves 355

  Kohima, siege of 250, 251, 252–3, 255, 257, 262, 265, 267, 268, 271, 284, 285, 300, 302, 305, 306, 307, 312, 328, 336, 341, 348, 350, 352–3, 355, 432, 442

  lecture tour 411, 436

  nickname 96

  personality 96, 97

  post-war attitude towards Japanese 448

  post-war life 437–9, 448

  rebuilding of regiment, comments on 359

  Richards and 181, 244, 245n, 246–7, 329, 433–7


  takes over command of West Kents 95–6, 98

  Laverty, Patrick 97, 434, 438, 448

  Laycock, Doctor Handley 26

  League of Nations 108n

  Leal, Mrs 3

  Ledo 78n, 169

  leeches 94, 122, 196, 233, 314

  Leese, General Sir Oliver 416–17

  Lewis, Edward 49

  Life 13–14

  Linlithgow, Lord xix

  Lipmann, Walter xix–xx

  Litan 199

  Long, Lance Corporal W. 24

  Loverseed, John 415–16

  Lowry, Major Michael 133, 316, 381

  Lunn, Captain A. N. 439

  Lunt, Captain James 15–16, 17

  Lyman, Robert 417

  MacLachlan, Captain WPG 283–4, 329

  Malaya 1, 9, 10, 17, 18, 77, 78, 85n, 106, 110, 111, 149, 415, 428

  Malins, Philip 447, 448

  Manchukuo 143

  Mandalay 2, 13–14, 105, 147, 411

  Manipur 30, 39, 39n, 40, 50, 51, 82, 292, 292n, 441n

  Mao Songsang 221

  Mao Tse-Tung 427

  Massar, Sepoy Wellington 160, 218, 335, 413

  Mato, Captain Keizo 326

  Maymyo 105–6, 113–14, 116, 117, 118

  Mayu range 75, 91, 124, 129, 134, 135

  McCann, Fusilier John 384

  McDonald, Alexa 50

  McDonald, Lance Corporal 22

  McLeod, Major General D. K. 4, 12

  Mechieo, Salhoutie 293

  Mellican, Donald 11–12, 16

  Mellican, Patrick 16

  Mellican, Reggie 16

  Messervy, General Frank 130, 385

  Midway, Battle of, 1942 76–7

  Milestone 42 257, 360

  Millem, Corporal Fred 5, 10

  Mills, J. P. 408–9

  Mingaladon airfield, Burma 10–12

  MI6 157n

  Miyazaki, Major General Shigesaburo 234

  anger at losses of men 399

  character 146

  Kohima, arrival at 235

  Kohima, march to 234

  Kohima, retreat from 399

  Kohima, siege of 291, 317, 318–19, 333, 373, 377, 389

  pet monkey 146, 399

  prisoners, treatment of 208

  Sangshak 198–9, 201, 204, 205–6, 208, 209, 209n, 215, 233

  Sato’s funeral, attends 423

  suicide attacks, asserts non-approval of 318–19, 333

  Ukhrul 166

  monsoon 24, 30, 32, 35, 36, 53, 73, 76, 92, 114, 116, 140, 243, 290, 291, 292, 318, 322, 323, 324, 373, 395–6, 407, 412, 416

  Morton, Flight Sergeant Jack 321

  Moses, Ken 325

  Mountbatten, Edwina 80, 171, 172

  Mountbatten, Lord Louis 362, 365, 442

  aircraft, diverts to Imphal front 323, 339, 366, 368, 369

  Americans, relationship with 80, 169, 170, 171–2, 279, 323, 339, 366, 368, 369

  Arakan, visits troops in 123–4

  Burma, visits with King

  Giffard, sacks 416

  Imphal, visits front 280–1, 282

  INA, asks for intelligence assessment of 86–7

  Kohima, visits 407

  Leese and 417

  reinforcements, campaigns to gather for Imphal front 169–70, 171–2, 173

  SEAC, appointed head of 79–80

  weaknesses as a commander 79–80

  Mullen, Lance Corporal 165, 166n

  Murray, Lieutenant Colonel E. D. ‘Moke’ 192

  Mutaguchi, Lieutenant General Renya 104, 147, 155, 165n, 169, 235, 236, 238, 280, 282, 384, 459

  appearance 106

  army career 107–11

  birth and early life 106–7, 108, 109

  bushido ethic 106, 106n

  in China 109, 110, 110n

  coup, 1936, role in 110, 111

  death 107

  Dimapur, failure to attack 154n, 289–90, 339

  dissenting voices, eliminates 114, 117–18, 289

  dismissed as commander of 15th Army 406

  drinking 110

  18th Division command 106

  15th Army, appointed to command 110

  ignores reported new spirit in British Army 114

  ignores vital intelligence 113, 114

  Imperial Way and 110

  Indainggyi headquarters 391

  Kohima and Imphal operations, role in defeat 112–20, 140, 141, 146, 147, 148, 149, 149n, 150, 154, 155, 163, 165n, 204, 235, 236, 238, 291, 316, 319, 371, 389, 390, 391–4, 395, 305, 397, 398

  Marco Polo Bridge incident 110, 110n

  Maymyo headquarters 106, 113–14, 116, 117, 118, 155, 370

  military ethics and training 106, 107–8, 107n

  plan to attack Indian frontier 112–20, 140–1, 148–9

  post-war life 423–4

  retreat towards Chindwin 404

  sacks commanders 114, 392, 404

  Sato and 141, 154, 289–92, 316, 319, 370–1, 389, 390, 392–4, 370, 371, 392–4, 404–5, 423

  self-justification 423–4

  self-serving nature 392–3

  supply operation for 15th Army in India, role in failure of 112–20, 148–9, 150, 204, 307, 291, 319–20, 326

  temper 289

  unable to grasp reality of defeat 391

  underestimates enemy 371

  war criminal, acquitted as 423–4

  war game, Maymyo 116, 118

  wounded 106, 110

  Nag, Sajal 409

  Naga Hills xvii, xx, 29, 30, 32, 34, 35, 36–57, 140, 146, 149, 158, 179, 182n, 184n, 189, 338, 339, 340, 364, 396n, 441n

  Naga people 33, 34, 194, 216, 334

  appearance of 36

  attack Japanese on retreat from Kohima 401–2

  British attitude towards, post-war 441–2

  British wartime use of/attitude towards 36, 43, 46–50, 52–6, 158–9, 184n, 189–91, 212, 223, 293, 296, 352, 363, 364–5

  Bower and see Bower, Ursula Graham

  Civil war, 1955 440, 440n

  compensation for those killed in action, British 296

  culture 36–8, 50–1

  effect of war upon 292–3, 407–9

  headhunting 50, 56, 220, 408

  intelligence of 295

  intelligence gathering 36, 46–50, 52–6, 184n, 189–91, 212, 223, 293, 295–6, 364–5

  interpreters 296

  Japanese, relations with 196, 233–5, 237–8, 293, 326, 401

  looters and deserters attack villages 293, 364

  National Council 439, 440

  Pawsey and see Pawsey, Charles

  porters 36, 293, 294, 295, 378

  post-war 407–9, 439–40, 441–3

  present-day 441

  rebellion, history of 36–44

  refugees 292, 292n, 352, 363–4

  rewards for intelligence gathering, British 295–6

  shelling of villages by British 293–4

  support for British 43, 46–50, 52–6, 218, 223, 224, 237, 268, 276, 293, 294–5, 352

  as part of V Force 47–9, 36, 46–50, 52–6, 184n, 189–91, 212, 223, 293, 295–6, 364–5

  Nagaya, Major 258, 264

  Naka, Lieutenant General 154

  Namkiabuing 54–5, 189, 190, 410

  Nangadeikon 402

  Napper 330–1

  Natsume, Soseki 318

  Nazi Party 3, 158

  Nehru, Jawaharlal xix, 43n, 70, 439

  Neild, Captain Eric 199, 201, 203, 206

  Nepalese Army, Royal 183, 226, 227, 229, 230, 231, 236, 237, 239, 244, 251–2, 272, 288, 305, 353

  Ngakyedauk tunnels 134–8, 175, 220, 256, 309

  Ngulkathang, Sepoy 218–19

  Nishida, Susumu 118–19, 146, 162, 163–4, 166, 202–3, 204

  Nomonhan, battle of, 1941 143, 143n

  Norman, Private Bill 19, 20, 22

  Norman, Private H. F. 177, 221, 240, 249, 249n, 260, 264, 265, 266, 268, 269, 270, 341, 343, 351–2, 353, 357, 358

  North Africa
62–5, 66

  O’Donnell, Frank Hugh 40

  Obata, Major General 114

  Old, Brigadier-General 133

  Ollier, Private Gordon 276

  Ord, Lieutenant Colonel 49

  Orwell, George 5, 7

  Owen, Frank 362

  Page, Lieutenant Geoffrey 314

  ‘parajute’ 81

  Pardoe, Captain Thomas 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

  Paschar, Krusischi 293, 363–4

  Patrick, Captain Jimmy 251–2

  Pawsey, Charles 53, 158, 160, 216, 226, 268, 279, 286, 407, 413, 457

  appearance 29

  Bower and 52, 57

  bungalow 33, 34, 44, 226–7, 239, 243, 251, 302, 305–12, 336, 346, 358, 380, 382, 383, 384, 439

  character 31, 33–4, 57, 340

  deputy commissioner, Kohima 31, 32, 34

  Dimapur, evacuated to after relief of Kohima 352, 363, 364

  First World War 31, 40, 340

  India, first goes to 31–2

  Indian Civil Service 32

  intelligence gathering 46, 55–6

  Kohima, arrival at 35

  Kohima, decision to stay in 225

  Kohima siege 299, 303, 340

  leaves India 441

  leaves Kohima 352

  Naga Hills, first arrives in 35, 41

  Naga intelligence gathering, role in 46, 52, 55–6, 57

  Naga loyalty to British, encourages 36, 43

  Naga separateness, ensures 42–3

  Naga Village shelling, attempts to stop 293–4

  Naga, love for 57, 225

  Naga, on post-war 408, 439

  paternalist 34

  post-war life 439, 440, 441

  publicity/press 362–3

  refugees, assists 29, 30, 45, 212, 363–4

  Richards and 181, 182, 212

  withdrawal of West Kent’s from Kohima, reaction to 222, 223

  Pearl Harbor 5, 9, 76, 80, 142, 325

  Pearson, Squadron Leader Alec ‘Fatty’ 321–2, 325

  Pegu 144–5

  Percival, Arthur 172

  Perowne, Brigadier Lancelot 399

  Persse, Colonel ‘Atte’ 81

  Phan, Phanit 294

  Phek village 161, 162

  Phizo, A.Z. 440

  Powell, G. R. 4

  Pownall, Lieutenant General Sir Henry 170–1, 279–80, 369

  Prendergast, Professor W. H. 13, 35

  Prince of Wales, HMS 10

  Pulebadze, Mount 33, 220, 234

  psychology, soldier 22, 28, 60, 83, 279, 309, 321–2, 333, 344, 345, 429

  Quit India campaign 43, 43n, 69

  Radice, Captain H. L. T. 45, 46

  RAF 10, 19, 20, 23, 42, 90, 133, 177, 178–9, 214, 218, 235, 292, 296, 304, 321, 322–3, 325, 337, 368, 380, 407

  Ramsden, Private Benjamin 24–5, 25n

  Randle, Captain Jack 379

  Randolph, Reverend Roy 123, 240, 299–300, 345, 357, 361–2, 418

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