CPl 4862186 FRED BROWN
(After the Chindits had been withdrawn - see below photograph)

Fred sadly died away at his home on the 18th March 1992 and we are grateful for the information provided by his wife, Jean Brown, a Friend of the Burma Star.

Fred recalled before his passing "Going out to India as a reinforcement and with the Leicester's finishing their campaign, it was my lot to fly into Myitkyina, along the railway to Molrong and catch up with the 2nd Battalion, the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, who were in action along 'The Railway Corridor'.   This point was the means, apart from one track, of advancing south along the valley.

I was taken on the Battalion's strength, leaving the Tiger's role after more than four years.  Supplies were dropped by air and jeep trains used where possible.  It was hard work pushing one when the flanged wheels did not grip.  

One or two of the wrecked bridges must have been the work of the 1943 First Chindits.

The R.W.F. if 29th Brigade, 36 Division, moved to North Burma from the Arakan, to form the British part of the Northern Combat Area Command under the American command of 'Vinegar Joe' Stillwell, to link the Chinese and various tribesmen with the 14th Army.

After an advance of about 200 miles, by the end of 1944, we had passed by 'Blackpool', Mawlu, 'White City' (we lost one vehicle on one of Calvert's mines), Pinwe and on to Indaw.  We were then able to contact the 19th Division coming from the east.  Our 72nd Other Brigade left us to become the first troops to re-cross the Irrawaddy at Katha.

The 29th finally left the railway to the 19th division and crossed the river further south by all manner of craft, in the dark.  Mine appeared to be a raft with an outboard engine.  This was at Tigyaing where Fergusson crossed with his No. 5 column, the 1st Chindits, the previous year.

After following the river south,  we turned east to Mong-Mit, leaving the capture of Mandalay to the 19th, and contacting our other brigade.  Then it was south again to Mogok.

This area was the furthest reached by the 1st Chindits.  We pressed on to reach our objective, the old Burma Road between Mandalay and Lashio.  North Burma was now cleared.

Returning to the 14th Army and a break at Maymyo, we then moved to Meiktila and took up the chase east along a lonely road in Shan State. 

While the main forces were all go for Rangoon, we heard about the end of the war in Europe whilst we were in slit trenches under shell fire.

The 29th was relieved soon after and flew back to India after a ten month campaign".

The above was a personal account by Fred Brown.