Road of Bones Read online

  Ranking, General R.P.L. 184, 185, 212, 213, 213n, 222, 223, 224n, 437

  Rawlley, Major Naveen 344, 345, 348

  Razabil 124–9, 134

  Rees, Corporal 266, 269

  Repulse, HMS 10

  Reynolds, Dick 385

  Richards, Colonel Hugh 442, 459

  after Kohima 411

  courage 303

  Dimapur 367

  early life and family 180, 181

  First World War 181, 183

  Jessami 211–12, 213, 213n, 217–18

  Jessami and Kharasom, rescinds ‘last man’ order and sends 161 Brigade to aide evacuation of 211–12, 213, 213n

  John Young, on 216

  Kohima, command of garrison 180–5, 222, 223, 224–5, 224n, 225, 226, 230–1, 238–9, 241, 244–7, 245n, 248, 250, 251, 252, 255, 257, 264, 267, 278, 279, 283, 299, 311, 319, 328, 335, 336, 344, 346, 352–3, 433–7

  Kohima, visits men in trenches 303–4, 350

  Kohima command, questions over 182–5, 244–7, 252, 433–7

  Kohima garrison, assumes command of 180–5

  Kohima withdrawal orders (‘202 Area Operation Instruction No. 3’) 224–5

  Laverty and 244–7, 329, 433–7

  Pawsey and 181, 182, 383

  personality 180

  post-war life 437

  tactics 245, 304

  Rino, Rhizotta 294

  Roberts, Brigadier M. R. 435

  Rommel, Erwin 62, 63, 64

  Roosevelt, President Theodore xix, xx, 63, 77, 77n, 78–9, 80, 157, 171, 280, 369, 427

  Royal Indian Air Force 325

  Russia 4, 18, 109, 107, 109, 143, 422, 423

  Rylah, Corporal E. 22

  Ryuichi, General Shibata 394

  Saito, Viscount Makoto 109

  Sangnyu 56

  Sangshak, battle of, 1944 193–5, 196–210, 233, 235, 258, 339

  battle delays Japanese advance by six days 209

  British retreat from 206–8

  British underestimate strength of Japanese force 194–5, 201

  casualties 198, 202–4, 209, 209n, 278, 291

  command of, British 193–4, 206–7, 209–10

  defences 193–4, 211

  Japanese attack on 197–8, 199–200, 202–7, 288

  prisoners, Japanese treatment of 208

  strength of garrison 193, 193n, 194, 199

  supply problems 193, 198–9, 200–1, 204, 207

  Sato, Fumiko 143, 422

  Sato, Goro xvi, 143–4, 145, 421, 422, 423

  Sato, Haruyo 141–2

  Sato, Lieutenant General Kotuku xv–xvi, 146, 153–4, 163, 212, 236, 249, 291, 350, 364, 459

  advance into India, prepares for 153–4

  appearance 144–5

  army career xvi, 142–3

  birth, childhood and family xv, 141–4, 145

  Burma 144

  Chindwin to Kohima march 153–4

  death 423

  Dimapur, reaction to order to attack 291–2

  drinker 143–4, 421–2

  funeral xxi, 422–3

  Imphal attack, outlook on possibility of 156, 291, 316, 319

  Kohima, siege of xv, xvi, 235, 236, 249, 272, 279, 283, 287, 289–90, 291–2, 305, 316, 317, 319, 327, 338, 339, 350, 353, 364, 370, 371, 373, 378, 389

  Kohima, withdrawal from 154, 389–95, 396

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

  post-war life 421–3

  premonitions of defeat 317, 319

  relieved of command xvi, 404–5

  retreat from Kohima to Chindwin 396–404, 414

  sanity of xvi, 404–5

  75th Regiment command 142–3

  Shudo Akiyama and 144–5

  soldiers, relationship with xv–xvii, 164, 421, 422, 423, 424

  supply problems, outlines 31st Division’s 146, 148–9, 154, 166, 319, 324, 389, 390

  Sato, Major Misao 21

  Sato, Shigehiko 141–2

  Sato, Tetsutaro 142

  Sato, Yukiko 422

  Satoru, Sergeant Yanagi 376

  Saville, Lieutenant Colonel F. S. 68–9, 92, 95

  Saya San 8

  Scheie, Captain 170

  Scoones, General Geoffrey 157, 175, 184, 210, 280, 368, 384, 387n

  SEAC 362

  Seagrave, Dr Gordon 16

  Seaman, Lieutenant Harry 193, 201, 202, 204, 207, 209, 209n, 210

  Seki, Lance Corporal Tukuo 374, 375, 376

  Sendai Military Academy 154

  Senior, George 373–4, 377

  Shan 3

  Shaw, Major 259, 261, 297, 300

  Sheldon’s Corner 194

  shell-shock 60, 309, 331, 429

  Shipster, Major John xxi, 89–90, 132, 382, 429–30, 447

  Shipster, Michael xxi

  Short, Major Douglas 304

  Siddiqi, Captain M.Y. 301

  Siege (Campbell) 434, 435, 436

  Singapore 1, 10, 12n, 17, 77, 78, 84, 85, 106, 111, 174, 183, 281, 282, 379, 428

  Singh, Sepoy Gian 88–9, 132

  Sinzweya 130, 130n

  Sittang bridge 20–2

  Sittang River 19–22, 412

  Slim, Lieutenant General Sir William ‘Bill’ 71, 81, 85, 90, 93, 156, 280, 339, 365, 366, 369, 373, 381, 385, 408, 427, 458

  Admin Box, on victory at 134

  anticipation of Japanese plans 168–9, 184n, 201, 222, 223–4, 224n, 278, 279, 283, 290, 291, 386

  appearance 24

  Arakan, plans offensive in 76, 79, 83–4, 90, 91, 104, 111, 115–16

  Assam Regiments/Rifles, visits and congratulates 362

  Bower, meets and praises work of 364–5

  Burma, advance into 411, 415

  Burma Corps, takes command of 23

  Burma defeat and retreat, learns from 23, 26–8

  Calvert court martial, intervenes to prevent 25n

  childhood 24

  Comilla headquarters 175, 273, 278, 339, 364, 367

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

  Dimapur, considers likelihood of attack on 222, 223–4, 224n, 278, 279, 283, 290, 291

  Dimapur, visits 185, 187

  Giffard and 416, 417

  Grover sacking and 386, 387, 387n

  Hope-Thomson, praise for 209, 209n

  Imphal Plain, plan to withdraw from Imphal and lure Japanese onto 157, 175, 175n, 235, 387n

  INA, on 87

  Indian Army, advocates reform of 88

  Indian Army, realises importance of 84

  Japanese crossing of the Chindwin, reaction to 120

  Japanese plan to defeat British power in India, on 116–17

  Japanese solider, comments on 75

  Japanese tactics, derides 292, 318

  jungle warfare, philosophy of 83–4

  Kohima, plans to make a stand at 185–6, 279

  Kohima garrison, appoints command of 184

  Kohima operation, confidence in 278–9

  Laverty, on response to 435, 436

  loved by men 23

  monsoon, fights through 395

  Mountbatten and 80

  psychology of solider, realises importance of 28, 83, 309, 429–30, 431

  resists urge to strike Japanese first 156–7

  re-supplying forces from air, strategy of 133

  retreat to India 24, 26–7

  Richards, praise for 435, 436

  Sato, criticism of 292, 423

  underestimates size of Japanese force 168–9, 201, 211, 212

  V Force, on importance of 49

  waits for Mutaguchi attack 156–7

  Smith, Captain (later Major) Harry 67–8, 73, 138, 241, 247, 329, 331–2, 353–4, 357, 410–11

  Smith, Lance Corporal W. 22

  Smith, Sir Reginald Dorman 4, 7, 16

  Snelling, General Alf ‘The Grocer’ 81

  snipers 126, 135, 201, 206, 216, 229, 230, 251, 254, 255, 256, 262, 263, 268, 269, 29
8, 303, 306, 309, 310, 312, 319, 329, 334, 338, 344, 354, 355, 358, 379

  Society of Friends (Quakers) Ambulance Unit 26, 26n

  Stalin, Joseph 63

  Stanford, Graham 362, 363

  Steele, Private 342

  Steyn, Lieutenant Pieter 158, 183, 328–9, 332, 346, 442

  Stilwell, General ‘Vinegar Joe’ xx, 78n, 111, 165n, 169, 368

  Stopford, Lieutenant General Montagu George North 184

  background 172

  command of Dimapur area, assumes 172

  Dimapur more likely target of Japanese attack, decides 222, 223–4, 224n, 279, 283, 290, 316, 386

  drives on commanders 272, 278, 313, 339–40, 365–7, 377, 384–5, 386

  fires Grover 384–5, 386, 387, 458

  Grover and 173, 272, 278, 313, 339–40, 365–7, 377, 381, 384–7

  Kohima, plan to drive Japanese from 338

  Kohima, pulls troops from 223–4, 224n

  Slim and 175, 222, 223–4, 224n, 377, 387

  Strand Hotel, Rangoon 1–2, 9

  Street, Private Ray: Arakan 121, 122, 123, 125, 127, 135, 176

  background 99

  battlefield messenger 98

  Burma 411, 412–13, 417–18

  homecoming 428–9

  India, arrival in 72–3

  Kohima, arrival at 241, 243

  Kohima, relieved at 355, 356

  Kohima, siege of 247, 248–9, 251, 260, 261, 271, 300, 331, 337, 343

  Naga people, on appearance of 220

  supply operations: Allied 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

  Japanese xvii, xviii, 112–13, 114, 115, 116, 117, 134, 140, 143, 146, 147–50, 151, 152, 154, 155, 157, 158, 162–3, 166–8, 198–9, 204, 209n, 215, 233–5, 238, 265, 288, 291, 292, 319–20, 326, 328, 337–8, 373, 376–7, 389, 390, 393, 394, 395, 396–8, 402, 404

  Swinson, Captain Arthur 71–2, 186, 187–8, 213n, 222, 224n, 273, 274, 275, 284, 294–5, 350, 355–6, 370n, 380, 385

  Symes, George 282

  Tacon, Sergeant ‘Butch’ 260, 262–3, 269, 357, 432

  Takahashi, Korekiyo 109

  Takeda, Prince 115

  Tanner, Ralph 27

  Tazoe, Lieutenant General 149

  Tenshu 109

  Terauchi, Count 116, 117, 118, 119, 389, 395

  Thailand 3, 4, 9–10, 12, 141, 147, 150, 152

  Thailand-Burma railway 147

  Thanan Nala 402

  Thirlwell, Pilot Derek 321

  Thomas, Ron 313–14

  Thrussel, Ernie 240

  Tillott, Major A. T. 434

  Tobe, Ryoichi 391

  Tochihira, Sergeant Major 399

  Togawa, Lieutenant 288–9

  Tojo, General Hideki 86, 110, 111, 116, 117, 118–19, 143, 391, 406

  Tokita, Shiro 21

  Tomaru, Lieutenant Chuzaburo 151–2, 214–15, 287, 319, 326, 372, 390, 396, 397, 402–3, 419–20

  Trim, Lieutenant Colonel Jackie 198, 203, 206, 207

  Turner, Henry 238

  Ukhrul village 50, 166, 198, 335, 393, 396, 397–8, 399, 401

  United States: air support xix, 23, 23n, 81–2, 129, 155, 171, 200, 304, 321, 322, 323, 339, 366, 368, 369

  Britain, relations with xix–xx, 23, 23n, 76–9, 77n, 78n, 81–2, 117, 129, 155, 157, 171, 200, 224, 277–80, 304, 321, 322, 323, 339, 366, 368, 369

  China, role in war within xx, 78, 112, 170, 171, 180, 280, 316, 323, 368, 427

  Pacific war 110, 111, 147, 151, 290

  USAAF 325, 368

  Victoria Cross 359, 379, 432, 433

  Wada, Senior Private Manabu 152, 377, 403–4

  Walton, Lieutenant 165

  Warren, Brigadier Frederick ‘Daddy’ 221, 385–6

  Arakan 175

  Dimapur, arrives at 185

  encircled by Japanese 275

  human cost of his decisions, awareness of 175, 185

  Kohima garrison, seeks permission to withdraw 273

  Kohima, attempts to relieve 275, 279, 284–5, 304, 311, 314, 338, 345, 350, 385–6

  Kohima, on morale within 257

  Kohima, ordered to return to 240, 241

  Kohima, pulled out from 221, 222, 223, 224n

  ‘last, man, last round’ orders, Jessami and Kharasom, role in rescinding 212, 213, 213n, 257n

  Laverty and 247, 252, 345

  161 Commander 95

  Watchtower Society 4

  Watts, Captain Phillip ‘Dodo’ 259–60, 261, 267, 268

  Wavell, General Sir Archibald 12, 12n, 49–50, 83, 88n, 407

  Weedman, CQMS Fred 276, 277–8

  Wellings, Roy 261

  Whalen, Jimmy 321

  White, Lieutenant Colonel O. G. W. 383

  White, Theodore 2

  Whyte, Pat 34–5

  Williams, Brigadier A. Felix 47

  Williams, Walter 308, 310–11

  Williamson, Captain Michael 213

  Willis, Dick 205

  Willis, Margery 431

  Wilson, Major David 174

  Wilson, Sergeant William ‘Tug’ 285

  Wingate, Brigadier Orde xx, 25n, 112–13, 112n, 149, 165n, 171, 180, 282, 368, 411, 459

  Winstanley, Captain (later Major) John 98, 383

  Alam Halfa 64, 65

  Arakan 125, 129

  background 60, 68, 358

  bravery 137

  Dunkirk 61

  India, reaction to news of deployment to 68

  Japanese solider, on behaviour of xviii

  joins army 60

  Kohima, relief of 358

  Kohima, siege of 247, 309, 310, 311, 329, 334, 355

  promoted to Major 125, 135, 136, 137

  Ranchi training camp 92–3

  Saville’s replacement, role in 95

  wounded, falls ill and evacuated out of war 410, 430

  Worth, Private Fred 243

  Wright, Colonel Douglas Rawdon 52, 53, 54, 56, 347

  Wright, Lieutenant John 244, 264

  Wykes, Lance Corporal Dennis: Arakan 124–6, 127, 129, 135

  background 99

  Burma, role in pursuit of Japanese through 411–12

  deserters, remembers British 360, 361

  Dimapur 176

  homecoming 425–7

  India, arrival in 73

  Japanese prisoners, attitude towards 418

  Kohima, arrival at 240, 241, 243–4

  Kohima, relief of 354, 356

  Kohima, siege of 307–8, 330, 331, 338, 346

  morale of battalion, remembers 220

  Mountbatten, remembers visit of 123

  post-war life 428

  Rangoon barracks 415, 417

  typhus 411–12

  Yamagami, Lieutenant Hiroshi 164, 200, 207, 258, 259, 260–1, 286–7, 326, 389, 397, 424

  Yamaguchi, Major 234

  Yamamoto, Warrant Officer Isamu 205

  Yamashita, General 106

  Yamauchi, Lieutenant General

  Masafumi 140, 141, 235, 289, 392

  Yanagida, Lieutenant General 141, 235, 289, 304

  Yandaboo, Treaty of, 1826 38, 38n

  Yarnold, F. H. 18

  Yeo, Major Richard 248, 285, 308

  Yoshifuku, Captain 372–3

  Young, Lance Corporal John McCulloch 160, 161, 213–14, 215, 216–17, 216n

  Young, Gavin 440

  Young, Lieutenant Colonel John 256–8, 266–7, 271, 298, 299, 301, 302, 304, 305, 311, 345, 350, 351, 352, 367, 396

  Young, Major David 385

  Zubza village 219–20, 275, 276, 286, 294, 316, 330

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  During the years it has taken to research and write this book I have been helped by a wide variety of people in several continents. I am grateful to Pfelie Kezieze of the Kohima Educational Trust. The Trust was founded by veterans of the British
2nd Division in 2004 – the 60th anniversary of the battle – as an act of gratitude to the Nagas. Also in Kohima, I wish to thank Aziebu Shaiza for his hospitality and insights into Naga traditions and culture. In Delhi Shubranshu Chaudhary made some all-important inquiries, and Toby Sinclair was skilled in making the seemingly impossible happen at the last moment.

  In Britain my thanks are due to: Dr Simon Robbins and Margaret Brookes of the Imperial War Museum; Michael Ball, Head of the Department of Printed Books, at the National Army Museum; the National Archives in Kew; the School of Oriental and African Studies; the Centre of South Asian Studies, Cambridge; Dr A. R. Morton, Archivist, Sandhurst Collection, Royal Military Academy Sandhurst; Bob Cook, Curator, Kohima Museum, York; the late Colonel H. B. H. ‘Blick’ Waring, Curator of the Queen’s Own Royal West Kent Regiment museum, Maidstone; Paul Loseby and Philip Crawley of the Burma Star Association; the late John Colvin for his generous advice over a memorable lunch at the very beginning; Gordon Graham MC, Kohima veteran, for his sage observations on the manuscript and for alerting me to pitfalls; to my friend Michael Shipster for introducing me to Kohima and for being the best of travelling companions in the Naga Hills.

  Mrs Diana Keast of Marlborough gave unstintingly of her time and memories of her brother Lance Corporal John Harman; I am also indebted for their assistance to Patrick Laverty, son of the late Lieutenant Colonel John Laverty, and to Roger Richards, son of the late Brigadier Hugh Richards, who allowed me access to his father’s papers and correspondence. Roland Powell read the manuscript closely, highlighting errors of fact and arguing with my judgements whenever he felt I had been less than fair. His immense knowledge of Kohima and the Burma campaign, combined with a first class literary eye, helped me beyond words. Louise Byrne helped trace survivors of the battle and spoke to scores of individuals and their families, gaining their confidence with her unassuming and courteous nature. Laura Thornton, the granddaughter of a Burma veteran, researched part of the V Force story and the work of the Royal Air Force.

  Seeking to chart the Japanese experience of the battle and retreat would have been impossible without the assistance of Yuki Sunada. As the granddaughter of a Burma veteran she approached the job with devotion and insight, and opened the way to a Japanese world that would otherwise have been closed to me. To her I owe an enormous debt of thanks. My thanks are also due to the late Mr Masao Hirakubo who gave me hours of his time and provided many useful contacts in Japan; Mr Shuichiro Yoshino, 31st Division Veterans Association, was most helpful in directing me to survivors of the battle; Mr Goro Sato, the son of the late Lieutenant General Kotuku Sato, gave generously of his time and memories, as well as giving me access to his family photograph album; Kyoko Murukami spent many hours translating documents for the book, including Lieutenant General Kotuku Sato’s handwritten account of Kohima; thanks are also due to the staff of the National Defence Archives in Tokyo and the Amarume Museum, Yamagata Prefecture.