I am trying to find out about my father

who was in the 7^th Fld Coy W/African Engineers which was part of the 3rd West African Brigade (Thunder) in the second Chindit expedition.

He is mentioned in the book ‘The March Out’ by James Shaw as one of the few European survivors of this arduous march but I would like to find out about his activities before this. He must have been in White City, because this is from where this march started. Although he didn’t talk much about his experiences he did mention that he was involved in the demolition of railway lines, etc.

I know that he left for West Africa on 18.06.1943, the day before I was born, and then went on from there to India in November 1943 but the service record only indicates that he was in India until October 1945. It mentions nothing at all about Burma. He didn’t even receive a Burma Star; something that I am trying to rectify at the moment but there is a long queue.

If anyone can remember him or give me some clues about any other books or references I could use to fill in the blanks in his record I would be most grateful.

Michael Cody email: lu@cody39.fsnet.co.uk