The Feature Page
Of
Lt John (Jno)Fortune

1st / 8th Lancashire Fusilier

Burma 1944

Sent in and transcribed from pencile diaries by Mr John and Mrs Joanne Clark nee Foretune her dad







Above is a journal we thi
nk John took off a Japanese soldier. He took two pages out which he kept.
We are trying to get them translated. John then used the book himself.
Below are the transcripts.
It has been transcribed by Robert and Joanne Clark. It's Joanne's father's journal and she is the youngest of 3 daughters, Antoinette and Rosemary.
It has been a long job as it is writen in pencil and very faded. It is 77 years old.
Some of the place names have been changed and cannot be found on maps.We think it was a code used by us
so if the Japanese were listening in on the radios they would not know what the codes were.
John started his service with the Kings Liverpool Regiment then transferred to the Lancashire Fusiliers.

Jno. (John) Fortune Lt.
Kohima (Naga Village)
June 1944

Notes on: - The "C"

Notes on the Kohima Campaign


1. Commence: - Mrs Simpson & train 5days

2. Spanish Armada & Jimmy Perins boys 3 hours

3. Indian Drivers & a short rest 12 hours

4. A Shepherds warning (Shepherds) 6 hours

5. A Brief respite 3 days

6. Nearer & nearer (4 miles) 6 days

7. A "Jaldi" (fast) move 5 hours

8. Comments by leading papers 2 days

9. Isolation, individuation, & losses 20 days

10. The Road, & civilisation
--------------------------------------------
no.1 Kohima Ghaspani

no.2 MeriemaGhaspani

no.3 Zubza Dimapur

no.4 36.M.S. (mile stone) Armada
32.M.S. (Khabvuma) Bangalore

11. Our sojourn on G.P.T.(General Purpose Transport Ridge)

12. Patrols & their results

13. Scot & Kennedy are named.

14. Monsoon - loads of everything.
15. A move back to go forward. (absentees!!)

16. We occupy Scot & Kennedy - 'Bury the dead'-

17. Up to the heavens - Aradura -

18. A luxury - an M.T.(Motor Transport) move

19. An I.G.H, & the thrill of a roof over your head.

20. M.T.again - wonders never cease.

21. A bridge - broken - a company - advancing - and,
an anti-tank gun - firing.
22. An attack - booty - & the 'box'.

23. In the lead again - Viswema - casualties.

24. Cross country - a new C.O (Commanding Officer) - & eventful days.

25. Snipers - M.M.Gs. cookhouse - Cpl.(Corporal) Waldron

26. M.T.again &Ruphima

27. On to the 88 ms unearthed stores.

28. A march of 13 miles & the Southern forces meet.
Deo Gratis

29. A spell of leave.

30. New fields to conquer.

31. L.R.P.

32. Kencol & Chindwin.

33. Incidents - good & bad.

34. The famous Chindwin Patrol.

35. Food - scarce & otherwise.

36. Link with Stillwell.

37. Illnesses.

38. Return to Ukhrul.

39. Our trek to civilisation.

40. Back to Kohima (plus beards).

Part 1


1. Leaving camp. Arriving @ Mrs Simpsons. Hive of activity - departure.

Occupants of carriage Nie Jones R.A.S.C.(Royal Army Service Corps)

(Jimmy), Eric Bentley, Derek Hamilton & myself - Solo schools.

Impromptu meals. Tiring endless waits. Book stalls - literature. Hospital

. Trains. Mepacrine (malaria tablets) parades - P.T. Easter Sunday church

service - On the line -


(1) 'Chikkhas'& their English Songs. Sympathies of a British soldier to

their changes of scenery. Nearing the destination. The future instore for

Japs. Spirits of the troops. Arrival @ our ultimate destination.

Meeting with other chums. Other units. We move off.

(1) I think he/she was a singer

2.

Arrival @ the Spanish-Armada. Our impression - large scale thoughts in

evidence. Security - & breaches thereof. (Mobile - cinema). My Easter Duty.

Other arrivals - The beer ration - We inspect our 'friends' - Hourly, then daily,

postponement. Security - The R.A.F. (secure) - The question of 'mail' - Stores -

the problem. The day arrives - on the spot. News photographers - On the move

- My initial feelings - The sights & scenes to meet the eye - Beauty in itself -

The scene changes - forest& more forest - We have arrived - Confusion -MT

(motor transport) at last -We study our new 'chez nous'- Much to quote - Our

journeys end - or beginning?!!

3.


Plans for a longish stay. Philip & all round defence - Our 'fresh air' Bungalows -

Appreciation of the situation - A further appreciation - late at night - We're

moving - Early rise& breakfast. Embus with our honoured friends - The

R.I.A.S.C. (Royal Indian Army Service Corps) Came the dawn - Came our turn.


4. We're on the move, into it - everyone eager, & on the alert - 'Ils ne passeront

pas'!! - Scenes of activity all around us -who says an itchy trigger finger!!! 32

hoves in sight, ably supported by Geoff Page - we enter into the final phase of

an opening narrative.

5.


Ghaspani and our first action stations. All round defence. Philip Rearse and

eagerness. Worcesters strike it lucky. Armoured patrols at early light then

'captured' documents. Our last usable "W.C". Lectures, conferences, plans,

futures. We wait the first shot. Imagination is 1000%.

6.
6. Embus again 4 mls nearer. Occupy position in view of enemy. Dig in & wire -

bobby traps & all - à la pamphlet. R.S. (Royal Scots) 'cop it' on left flank during

firstnight - Jap jitter patrol - few casualties. 'Scots' officers drop 'clangers'.

Small change over in positions. L.F.'s (Lancashire Fusiliers) patrols go out - I'm

the first - 24 hour patrol - out 1800 hours back 1800 hours. Gunned by own 3.


7s
- Lovely grub. achieve object & return. Bob Cameron takes one out - is

overdue. Relief patrol sent out. All return - amusing Cameron incident - Poor

Bob!! - Andy (Lewes) Watson. Good steady Philip - Bill (Rum ridden) Hall -

yours (stooge) truly.

7.


A fast move by BDE(Brigade). On to Zubza. Say hello, have a feed, and move

off at night. Moving off coincides with our being shelled - Roll on - lie on road all

night - Tarry surface. Dawn & we're off. One whole Brigade - looms the Zubza

valley some 2000 feet. All our stores on our back plus 3" mortar & bombs -

what a load - Intention to cut Kohima and Meriema road & lessen threat to

India & also Ledo, Bengal Railway - a hazardous and dangerous 'advance' - Still

we go on. Why I wonder.

8.

Our first stop - halfway up the other side at the Japs mercy. Our guns plaster

their 'known' positions and their unknown positions plaster us. And how!! Day &

night our 3.7s pounds on. At night Jap jitter patrols keep us awake - what is

sleep I wonder - still we're alive. Worcesters have a 'rare do' & capture a few

M.G.s. (machine guns) We examine critically & wonder. No patrols for us, &

'graves' only. Dig for protection. We wonder whether these 'graves' will ever be

ours - on second day we move on - knee deep in rice fields.

9.

We cut the road & form 'Bde (Brigade) Box'. First night 'A' Coy (Company) 'co it'.

Bob Elkin first officer to use a 'grave' - killed by Jap officer with sword. Jap

killed by Bob's batman. Two doctors haggle over wounded Jap - Roger Forest

&

John Mather - Day breaks & we clean up. 'C' Coy and are given their first task

"Green Hill" - alleged unoccupied - we'll find out. 'C' Coy - led by the stooge

occupies "Green Hill" - a little party & two officers & 12 O.R.s (other

ranks) casualties. My first Jap - & my fourth. A shooting lesson to Coy - at 600x

- Fergusons rifle & a Jap shot in the heel, stomach & head.


Capt Gill & I recce - trail of blood denotes Jap casualties. Further orders &

'D
' Coy take over. Derek Hamilton & his sten guns. "Taffy" Hughes & bringing

him in. Bob Gavins & our two second grenades. We are baptised that night -

close work. Move on to Kohima next morning - Jap .77 gets Stewart Renton

- nearly gets me. I share RSM (Regimental Sergeant Major) Brennans hole -

Camerons go on to next hill & recce 'Firs Hill' - no "opposition" We bury our

dead & move on Padre Smythe broken hearted. We advance to occupy 'Firs

Hill'- Snipers. Shelled & bombed half way up

Hurried plans by Brigadier from the rear. Col West not in charge. Coysgo into

attack in waves, i.e., "B", then "D", then "B" & "D", then "C", then

remnants of "B", "D", & "C". C Coy strength 2 offrs (Officers) & 31. Then A

Coy goes in - Enemy fire colossal. Losses heavy - & orders still come thru -

"crack on". Willie West decides - 'no further' & withdraw all- casualties of

officers alone Eleven. Philip killed leading jointly the last attack, also, Bill

Hollingsworth, Alan Whitfield, Bill Nicholson, Jimmy Wynne.


Wounded - Bill Tanning, Henry Ainsworth, Sam Caloe, Eric Bentley, Derek Hamilton.

Manchesters give good covering fire during withdrawal. Barrage laid on hill -

our cemetery. Form box on reverse slope. Intensive patrolling by the stooge.

Only subaltern officers left in L.F.s.Coy reformed with Bill Hall (plus men) as

Coy Comdr. (Commander). Poor Bill - scared as hell. I have some grenade

splinters removed from back & chest. Sam Caloe in a sling. Cpt(Captain) Gill

'blinded' - hangs on. Sgt(Sergeant) Whitehead thigh wound - hangs on. The

wounded 'go down the road' - i.e. three mile trek through Jap territory to Base

Hospital. Remain several days in Box. Jap jitters - so do we. I take Ian

Carpenter R.A. (Royal Artillery)

 

out on a 'spree' - shoot up a Jap eating partydirect hit Good old Ian. Meet up

with Jap sentry. Good old sten gun. Big sized chap 6'2" - Phew!! -


Bob Elkin

Sgt York (Evans) & five O.R.s prove the British have guts - desert patrol in

panic & return to base. We get back a 'bit' late - better late than never - Johnny

Jones gets a sniper. I go back up Firs Hill on patrol - bring back the dead etc

. Pat Barrett brings in a wounded man. They had been on Firs Hill all

thro(through) the barrage & during the night lay there.

A damn good show. Incidents @ the water hole - Jap .77 overshoots

Thank God!! - We move on by passing Firs Hill - We attack Naga Village - Heavy

fighting - isolated posns. (positions) Bill Hall is scared. A Manchester

gun gets a direct hit. Judson shows what guts means when hit with a .77 shell.

Roger Forest & Padre Smythe do some heavy work.


Then later on Evans 'stops one'. Things are tight. Hourly 'bashes' by Jap .77s.

Supply drops go wrong. Take patrol & bring them back - a casualty. Patrols

start & off I go. Second patrol out rescue John Moore's

patrol who are ambushed. Heavy casualties. I lose Stead. My sten gun lets me

down. I bring in Lazarus, who's wounded. Any M.b.s(medical ?) around?!! There

are no senior officers to witness it. Poor John Neal sure was scared.

Worcesters & Camerons beaten back from Church Knoll & Gun Spur. Johnny

Jones' Coy has a bayonet fight at 0200 hours. Good results. We move over to

far side of Naga Village. Enjoy a spot of sniping. More patrols - Ltn Patel

(Battle) leader. Good men in patrols - all volunteers. Priceless. Larry Minton &

'B' Coy Barney Bates & his cooker. Tanks & jeeps arrive - final sniping going on.

Brigadier Hawkins is hit thro not minding his own business. Sam Caloe takes

over C Coy. A journey 'down to hell' for supplies. Sgt Gill 'stops one' on patrol;

gets back ok - very bad (one of my lads). On patrol again - three days - Phew!!

Back to Meriema. Still - someone has to do it & my lads are good. I get my 11

Jap - official. BBC arrive with us linking up with 6 Bde on the road glorious sight

- Broadcast. Worcester & attack final positions beaten back - Tanks windlassed

to top & 6 pounder used on Bunkers . Still no good.

Piano still playable in the Kohima school room - plus a gramophone. All area is

barren & shot ridden. 6 Bde use flame throwers - Japs surrender singly. Snipers

a menace - so are ours - (me). A tank is blown up on the road. Our birds eye

view of 4 Bde on G.P.T. ridge. Ghurkhas of 7 div (Division) relieve us on Naga

village. Geoff Page has a recce patrol to his credit. Good old Geoff. Worcesters

smell 'gas' when Japs mortar our posn.No gas masks - Good Show!!

We get a bath - Tom Kershaw & I. We see a Padres grave. Last night on Naga

village - all hell lets loose. Anticipate general attack - Hm!! Only our Ghurkha

friends 'making a mistake'. Norfolks name Norfolk Ridge - a ferocious battle -

one Jap sniper - one rifle - 35 Norfolks casualties. We hike over & rejoin 4 Bde.

Thank God. Brigadier Goschen had been killed - a good man, & a first class

soldier. Meet John McKenzie & old friends in the Royal Scots. We dig in.

Many patrols & all for me.

I lay an ambush at a

water hole & lie there all night waiting & waiting. The Scots go in on Bashas

spurs etc, in a monsoon - I take over a grandstand view. Heavily defeated

against heavy odds. Dick Crockett's mortars go haywire amongst his own

troops. I bring back the wounded in carriers. Enjoy some more sniping. Sent to

recco Scot & Kennedy with 4 men. Have dysentery @ the time. Patrol

successful & from information I give, 5.5s pound Jap bunkers. Good going. We

attack Scot & Kennedy. Attack successful. Dead Scotsmen abound in the

hills

- a helluva stink.

We bury the dead, with the Scottish Padre. We go higher up to Aradura spur &

Mathew, Mark, Luke & John. Attack Jap pos with Norfolks - successful. New

Coy Comds. Appleyard - aptly named Applecart. A real bloody fool - Gum boots,

pistol, & map case - How long will he last. On again. L.F.s in the lead again -

"Primo leado, sempo". Tanks way behind. Advance on Viswema. Bridge

broken, carry on. A.tank(anti)gun opens on us 20x range. My batman is killed -

Jud Wardle. A grand lad. We flank an attack & capture the gun, make a box.

Willie West killed by a .77, when in a jeep on the road. Is buried on the

roadside, along with my lads. Applecart wounded. Thank God - I have lucky

escape, but get out when tanks give me some smoke. Pat Hayward takes over.

Assumes C.O."Horse" Langlands rather perturbed - so are we. Start attack on

Viswema. Roads mined & blocked. Grenaded from above. M/gunned from

Viswema. A real mess alright - stooge again. Go flanking on Viswema. Go in at

the dawn. Sniping from Shaving Brush spur. Heavy. Norfolks in possession of

wrong hill.

Hence our move on Viswema when dominated from above by Jap. Heavy toll on

my platoon. Guts & guts only to lie under enemy fire & not budge. No food for

36 hours. Armoured ambulances come thro- Jap holds fire. Cars stop out jump

c.o.n.s.'s(?) & food. Consternation - Have our fill of food. Jap m/g (machine gun)

opens up on us - kills four - wounds five - riddles my sten gun & food boxes.

Sam Caloe & John McKenzie & I just miss it. Scarisbrick, my mortarman is

killed. Japs cleared from S.B. (shaving brush) spur. Thank God!! Japs in

Viswema

burnt out & sniped as they go. One crawls 3/4 ml with broken legs & a

broken arm. Padre O'Dowd holds a mass in a basher while Japs snipe him.

Lloyd Jones as courier arrives & gives us some news of the outside world.

Cpl Waldron, unmindful of Jap sniping goes amongst the wounded lying in

the open & tends their wounds - narrowly misses being killed. Inspires men

by this, & lifts up morale which is very low. I recommend him for the M.M.

(military medal).
Which he won from the recommendation

We are pulled out for a hard earned rest a few miles down the line

. Driven in jeeps. Indeed a luxury. Reorganise in Kigwema. I.G.H. (?) Old

faces missing. 2/3 rds of the Battn casualties. A bad state of affairs.

Replacements badly needed. Will they come?!! Here's hoping. A rest, &

there's not a drop to drink - Roll on the reinforcements - new 6.0 only.

M.T.& on the move again to Tuophema - beyond Mao Song Sang. Jap in full

retreat - running too fast. Tanks, carriers, guns, trucks rumble along road

daily - Halt @ the 87m.s. Jap HQ disturbed. Leave ponies, wireless sets

, rice & boiling


water on fires - We sure are on their tail. A race for the Bridge before they

blow it. We get there first. Lan Fus(Lancashire Fusiliers) in the lead again.

Start hiking in early morning - march 13mls (miles) till nightfall - minor fights

& skirmishes - 'Box' @ 99m.s. Contact Imphal forces late that night - Thank

God!! For one week continued patrols recce & fighting - Japs finished -

Battn(battalion) withdrawn & given bivouacs. A luxury. Return to 57m.s.

New C.O. & 2 i/c(in charge) arrives. "Horse" Langlands leaves us. Set up a

camp @ the 57m.s.

All 4 Bdes in area. Entire 2 Div rests on its laurels. John Grover returns to

England to take over D.M.T. New G.O.C. (General Officer Commanding)

Gen.Nicholson an alleged good 'bloke'. Reinforcements arrive plus my old

batman from hospital Ginger Evans. Battn takes it easy & cleans up. Spit &

polish creeps in. Sport etc. I get 14 days leave to Simla - lovely. Off by air to

Simla& real live food - especially eggs 21 in one day. To Simla& some real

drink. Cheerio Kohima.

Part 11

Return to 57ms - fat, lazy, & full of liquor. Place deserted - Bde gone off to

Ukhrul on Burma Border. We go forward in jeep. Arrive at Ukhrul with food

& convoy of delicacies, papers, etc. Road under water & bad. Meet

C.O.who gives me news - a patrol the next day - Hell!! First of its kind -

L.R.P. named Kencol. Intention - Go after some 1000 Japs on the Angor

Ching Range of mountains overlooking the Chindwin river. Set off 300

strong plus mules, etc. R.S. (Royal Scots) sending out a similar party named

Scot Col.

Pincer movement on range - N&S. Off we go - I oozing beer & whisky at

every step - Roll on. First step - Ongshim - 17mls. Monsoon due to break

any day now.Good progress made. Second day tackle Lushai Peak. 7000'

high to arrive @ Humlaing. No incidents - natives sceptical. Yangshi (Dixie)

our interpreter in big need. My Hindustani comes in useful. 3rd day arrive at

Chahang Khunew (?) & make battle plans. Advance across river first light

and thence the Ching Range. Same night monsoon breaks - everything

battened down. Malaria prevalent in Khunew (?)

We treat all natives. Consider a pill as treated; Recce river first light -

impassable - level risen some 6' overnight. I sent to recce crossing - no good

- natives assent crossing impossible now for 2 months. Scot Col in similar

plight only have had no air drops - we are lucky. I try contact Scot Col. Take

2 men strike south. Report from AISHI Column just gone there - we follow

in their wake - a sea of mud. Continual downpour. Our dress for lightness is

Balaclava, underpants & boots - stick & gun. Move faster

Contact rear elements camping for night with a "U" (V?) force patrol. See

Pat Hayward. Explain situation - He is going to return next day. Rest that

night & we push off next day. Back to Khunew. River badly swollen. Nearly

lose "Tiny" Nugent when swimming back across the river. Shoot deer on

return - fresh meat. On return find no food - no air drops. Native comes from

a village 7mls off saying "parcels drop from sky & birds come low looking

for them" - I go & investigate - dressed similar - Sam Caloe comes along to.

Make 7mls in record time of 2 hrs. Stiff climb. Parcels ours - air drop on

Chakong Khulen instead of Chakong Khuron. Good old RAF. Commence

ferrying it back to Khuron by natives. Pay with silver rupees. Decide to

return some distance & try another route. I recce return route.

Chattrik & Laiyang (?). Back to Khuron. All off to Loni. Contact Brigadier

McNaught. Gives new orders - another new route via north route. I again

recce Chammu & bridges Bridge bad. I take a Canadian Expeditionary

officer with me named PaniBallackey - a great guy - a good plodder, but no

fast mover. His twangy talk a good morale lifter. Bridge half burnt down &

land slide. Column moves to Chammu - air drops - natives & men start

building bridge etc. I push onto Siapan - meet Speller of "U" Force. He @

Siapan. Recce positions for oncoming column. Men working wonderfully

well. Making roads, bridge building, etc. We lose a mule crossing Chammu

bridge. Washed away down river

Column arrives & we. Sam Caloe & I push on to Melabon & Chindwin.

Weather very bad - all 'chaungs' a rushing torrent - Bridge building all the

way - Sgt Wyle, Nugent, Richard do excellent service with the mules - also

our own 'subedar sahib' a first class Indian & worker. Sam & I constantly

recceing route which is very hazardous. Reach Melabon @ 2300 hrs in

pouring rain & darkness. How only God knows - leeches very bad in

elephant grass. I burn 32 off me that night. Column arrives next day. Still no

Japs - In fast running condition - air drops come down. Fresh orders from

Corps. Recce east bank of Chindwin. Make base @ Melabon. I take patrol

to Kettha via Hinnaung. Some 7 days journey. First day out take malaria -

dose with quinine - high temp. Arrive Kettha - Sigs Sgt Davies on a 48 set

gets through to Ukhrul district - a good show. Recce Homalin on Sunday

morning. Pounded to hell - 500 lbs RAF bombs lying around & natives

digging them up

We leave them

strictly

alone. Contact Speller coming from Shinwells Intelligence operators. Japs

moved from Homalin 15 mls away. Oust local headman from nearby village

collaborating with Japs. Kettha natives take kindly to us. Malaria nearly

gone. Melabon wirelesses food posn critical - no air drops. Is moving to

Chammu to receive drop there. I move off next day. Camp at Paokow. Then

Melabon. Small rear party there only - no food. We find some tins of bacon.

For 2 days eat bacon, bacon & bacon, & rice. Lovely grub. Push on to

Siapan. R.I.A.S.C. muleteer shoots a kuki; was a woman. Close arrest & an

impending trial - tedious work. Air drop @ Chammu, & our mail - stacks off

it. The column feeds & rests. Next stop Lushat - Lots of evidence of

Alexanders withdrawal in '42' & Japs in '44' - skeletons, camps, etc. Met at

Khanggoi by some recce men with food. An outpost evidently very welcome.

New column Comdr

drop a clanger. Gets drunk on 'gin' at Khanggoi & is carried to Ukhrul -

within sight at least - on a stretcher. Bad for native morale. This Major

Thornton is writing the War Diary - I wonder what he will put in on that

day?!! Sam takes in the column & I bring in the rear - Ukhrul in sight with

its parachute tents - a glorious sight to our tired eyes. The Recce Regt is

now there. The L.F.s having moved back to the 57ms. To show our fitness

we drink 4 bottles of glorious beer

& play the Recce Regt in a football match the same afternoon. We lose -

worse luck. Jeeps are laid on to take us back to civilisation - hurrah! It rains

so we hike the 30 odd miles to the bridge & 3 tonners - Back to the 57ms &

more or less at home. Meet new faces. Plus Applecart; Still under treatment

for malaria & other small ailments - We idle our time away. Our repat

papers come through - Sam's & mine. We say goodbyes to all - Farewell

Kohima farewell our friends

who lie there for ever more - We salute you all - We visit Kohima

& say goodbye to officers & O.R.s of 8th L.F. Never truer words are those

written on our memorial


"When you go home, tell


them of us and say,


for your tomorrow,


we gave our today"

Click on a name in blue and it will take you to a photo or his feature
Officers of The Lancashire Fusiliers

Bangalore.March,1944

Lt. Col West Commanding Officer
Major Langlands 2nd in Command
Capt Pratt Sigs Officer
Lieut. Kershaw Mortar Officer
Lieut. Page Carrier
Lieut. Grisford(?) Intelligence Officer
Lieut. Moore Pioneer Officer
Capt. Clayton Adjutant
Lieut. Jones Q.M.
Capt. Mather M.O.
Fr. Smythe R.C Padre
Major Minton O.C. 'Hill ?' Coy
Capt. Howarth O.C. 'A' Coy
Lieut. Caloe 2 i/c'A' Coy
Lieut. Nicholson 'A' Coy
Lieut. Ainsworth 'A' Coy
Lieut. Elkin 'A' Coy

Capt. Hollingsworth O.C. 'B' Coy
Lieut. Whitfield 2 i/c 'B' Coy
Lieut. Bentley 'B' Coy
Lieut. Fanning 'B' Coy
Lieut. Renton 'B' Coy
Major Pearse O.C. 'C' Coy
Capt. Hall 2 i/c 'C' Coy

Lieut. Cameron 'C' Coy
Lieut. Fortune 'C' Coy
Capt. Jones O.C. 'D' Coy
Capt. Wynne 2 i/c 'D' Coy
Lieut. Hamilton 'D' Coy
Lieut. Blandy 'D' Coy
Lieut. Benson M.T.O

Lancashire Fusiliers Officers
Wounded

Andy Watson 'Charlies Hill'
Bob Cameron 'Charlies Hill'
Bill Fanning 'Firs Hill'
Derek Hamilton 'Firs Hill'
Henry Ainsworth 'Firs Hill'
Sam Caloe 'Firs Hill'
Eric Bentley 'Firs Hill'
Applecart Appleyard Anti-Tank Gun Point
Johnny Jones Anti-Tank Gun Point
Jack Howarth Viswema


The Lancashire Fusiliers Officers
Roll of Honour
Click on any underlined name to see their grave stone

Bob Elkin 'Merema View'
Stewart (Stuart) Renton 'Charlies Hill'
Dick Hollingsworth 'Firs Hill'
Alan Whitfield ' Firs Hill'
Jimmy Wynne 'Firs Hill'
Nick Nicholson 'Firs Hill'
Philip Pearse 'Firs Hill'
Willie West Anti-Tank Gun Point
Jimmy Blandy Anti-tank Gun Point

Officers of 1st /8th Bn XX The Lancashire Fusiliers India 1943
INDIA 1943


John is not on this photo not sure why but most are mentioned in his journal
TOP ROW

INDIA  1943

 

LIST OF OFFICERS

 Click on red writing to see grave stone

TOP ROW

1

“Instructor”  (Unknown)

 

 

2

Lt R E Wynn

 

 

3

Lt Derek S Hamilton

Wounded at Firs battle 28/4/1944

 

4

Lt  P H Nicholson

Killed Firs battle 28/4/1944

 

5

Lt Harry  M Ainsworth

Wounded at Firs 28/4/1944

 

6

Lt J S Renton

Killed Firs 28/4/1944

 

7

Lt R John Moore

Battle Platoon

 

8

Lt N F Benson

 

 

9

Lt.R E G Leveson-Gower

 

 

10

Lt John N Crisford

Intelligence Offr Later promoted Capt

 

11

Lt John Preston

 

 

12

Lt Geoffrey G Page

 

 

13

 Lt  S J (Sam) Caloe

C Coy  14 Pln  Wounded at Firs 28/4/1944

Second Row

1

Capt  P (Father) Smyth RACh

 

 

2

Capt D P Beckett RAMC

 

 

3

Capt G F (Gordon) Pratt

Signals Officer

 

4

Capt  G D Hall

 

 

5

Capt J M (Jack) Howarth

 

 

6

Lt J (Jimmy) R Blandy

Wounded  8.6.1944

 

7

Lt Alan H Whitfield

Killed Firs 28.4.1944

 

8

Lt Eric Bentley

Wounded Firs 28/4/1944

 

9

Lt J (Jack) Wingfield

 

 

10

Lt John S Taylor

Liason Offr Wounded 8/6/1944

 

11

Lt R E (Bob) Elkin

Killed Merema 26/04/1944

 

12

Smith  ?  (No info)

 

Third Row

1

Capt H D (Derek) Clayton

 

 

2

Major John Marriott

 

 

3

Major F P H (Philip) Pearse

Killed 28/4/1944 Kohima leading attk

 

4

Lt Col M L (Knocker) West

Killed June 1944

 

5

Lt Col R C M King (The Chieftain)

Promoted Brigadier 18/2/1944 1st Indian Br

 

6

Major P C (Horse) Langlands

 

 

7

Capt John W Jones

Wounded at Kohima

 

8

Major L G (Larry) Minton

 

 

9

Lt Vic Jones  Quartermaster

 

Front Row

1

Lt E  (Teddy) Shalom

Posted to HQ Army Gp as Staff Capt

 

2

Capt K W (Ken) Wood

 

 

3

Lt  Michael J V  Peake

 

 

4

Lt Tom Kershaw

 

 

 

 

 

To read the many other stories about the 1st/8th click here then click on the dates

We have photos of all the graves in Burma from the 3 Battlions the Lancashire Fusiliers had out there Click Here to see them