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For many
years during March, I found myself remembering Harry Sparrow, George Britnell
and Frank Wood: They were among the
first killed at the ambush and subsequent battle on the Indaw/Banmauk Road in
Northern Burma. It was
20 January 1944 when we left Ledo on that impossible march through the Patkai
Hills and on to Mahnton. It was the bloodiest march of my war. It took us three
weeks to reach the Chindwin River averaging a mere 2 miles a day for much of the
time. Valleys where the heat and humidity were unbearable and peaks of 8000 feet
with night temperatures just above freezing had us huddled together to keep
warm. Weeks of persistent rain, with the attendant mud; leaches surreptitiously
engorging themselves on limbs already bitten by mosquitoes; mules falling down
on steep, slippery slopes and always the thick jungle of hard woods interlaced
with tangled and practically impenetrable bamboo undergrowth. With the kukri or
dah it was just possible to cut our way through. Wingate’s accolade of
‘Hannibal eclipsed’ was his recognition of 16 Brigade’s march to the
Chindwin. Rifleman Harris’s description of Moore’s terrible march to Corunna
---‘drenched with rain, famished with cold and hunger, ignorant of when their
torture was to cease, thousands of Redcoats toiled up the agonising slope of
Monte del Cabeiro, leaving behind a trail of dying men, horses and mules’---
was probably more appropriate. We were well behind schedule and Fergusson urged
us on to our operational area with all speed. From the Chindwin to Mahnton we
increased our marching rate to 25 miles a day, carrying an 80 pack and being
nourished with the excellent but monotonous ‘K’ rations, dropped
periodically by C47 (Dakota) aircraft. Arriving at Mahnton we set to, and converted this small village on the Meza River, into a stronghold (code named Aberdeen). We also provided the labour to remove the retaining walls or ‘bunds’ of the flat paddy fields, in order to provide an airstrip suitable for incoming Gliders, carrying earthmoving machinery. These were the tools needed for our Engineers to construct a more permanent airfield designed for C47 aircraft. Who would have thought of such a bold enterprise mounted some 300 miles behind the Enemy Lines and within a stone’s throw of their Garrisons. It was not surprising then, that after our punishing march and heavy work in preparing the glider strip we were all but exhausted and imagined we would be given some rest to recuperate. It was not to be, for Wingate ordered the Brigade to move immediately on lndaw, for a major assault on that garrison and to seize it’s airfield. Additionally 22 Column was to march to the Banmauk Road and deny its use as a supply route to the northern front, guarding Imphal and Kohima. This meant that the Queens would split up, one column (21) going to Indaw and the other (22) to Banmauk.
Members
of2l Column crossing a Chaung We, 22
Col, moved south and some 10 miles north of our intended ambush area dropped of
our Rear column, HO, at a safe jungle rendezvous, to which we would repair after
action on the road was completed. The fighting elements of the column now moved
swiftly to Milestone 20, for we had decided after a map recce that this spot
would be ideal for our purpose. The road
ran parallel to the river, the contours indicating a series of reentrants,
starting from the high ground to the north and winding down to the road, where
it formed a ‘U’ bend making it an ideal site for an ambush. On
arrival at Milestone 20 a ground recce confirmed our-map reading, and the area
proved an even better site than had been anticipated. Our plan
was to line the roadside with two platoons to produce a curtain of fire at any
convoy passing through. At each end we would position a ‘Lifebouy’ flame
thrower and a Vickers MMG firing along the road, to seal the ambush. The only
possible escape for the enemy was to the south, but this was down a precipitous
and rocky slope ending up in the river. Large
convoys only moved by night, so we lay up by day, on high ground above the
reentrant. It was teak jungle and although it was apparently open, thin
undergrowth restricted vision to about 20 yards. It was important that we were
not seen, for any movement would result in reports, either to Indaw or Banmauk
and our surprise would be gone. The ambush position was only occupied at dusk.
It was
about 0300 hours on the third night that we heard the drone of a sizeable convoy
approaching from the east. Suddenly
without warning trucks loaded with troops appeared right in our midst. Flame from the flame thrower and the staccato rattle of the first MMG enveloping the leading truck opened the action and then as if not wanting to be outdone the noise of the other flame thrower and MMG closed the ambush.
Rifle Company
Officers of 22 Column, 2nd Bn Queens. Gordon Hughes, then a Lieut, is in the
centre Soon all
hell was let loose, as individual platoon members fired into the enemy trying to
escape. Dozens of grenades were hurled into the maelstrom and the unintelligible
shouts of Japanese Officers trying to rally their men mingled with the piteous
cry of the wounded. Then came their counter attack, as enemy soldiers tried in
vain to force their way into our positions, only to be stopped by rifle fire and
hand to hand fighting. The sound was deafening, automatic weapons with their
constant rattle mixed with the characteristic ‘whoosh’ of the flame throwers
and punctuated by the plop and subsequent explosion of ‘36’ grenades. The
action seemed interminable but in reality it was all over in about 15 minutes,
followed by an eerie silence, broken by the desperate moans of the dying. By
previous arrangement we lay doggo in our firing positions until first light, and
then withdrew to our prepared defensive positions to assess our situation. It
was clear that the ambush was a success, with any enemy survivors in complete
disarray. Their casualties were heavy, whereas on our part only 1 officer and 2
men were killed and a few lightly wounded. It was
politic to leave the ambush area quickly and rejoin our Rear Column HO at the RV
some 10 miles north, but before doing so we needed water, needed to bury our
dead and to open radio contact with Brigade. I was detailed to go down to the
ambush area, get water for the column and destroy any vehicle that had escaped
damage. The scene at the ambush was staggering, each truck carried a drum of
petrol that had exploded or caught fire. Dead Japanese lay alongside the debris
in all sorts of weird positions, some attempting to penetrate our positions had
been cut down with rifle fire, others making for the river side of the road,
fell - under exploding grenades. Those that made it fell headlong into the river
and were drowned. There
was no sign of life and any survivors must have crawled back into the thick
undergrowth to lick their wounds. Nevertheless, knowing our enemy, we took care
to avoid unpleasant surprises. Meanwhile water bottles and chaguls were hastily
filled and we returned to the column where orders to move out had already been
given. As the
‘point’ platoon started to move, we came under heavy small arms and mortar
fire. The ambush had not, as we believed, been completely closed. Unbeknown to
us there was a “lame” truck, lagging well behind the convoy, which had been
reversed and made for the garrison at Indaw to raise the alarm. This
counter attack was by fresh troops from Indaw and true to Japanese tactics the
first attack came in frontally. They came at us screaming like troops of
baboons, only to be driven back by our fire. Again and again they repeated their
frontal attacks and their losses mounted. On occasions they were able to
penetrate our positions, but were driven out with the bayonet, Sergeant Major
Church giving a masterly display of this art! Later the enemy varied his tactics
and came at us from the reentrant on our left flank. Fortunately we had
anticipated this and drove them oft, with a fusillade of grenades from rifle
discharger cups and enfilade Bren gun fire. Angrily
they withdrew to reform and during this interval we were ordered through our
‘walkie talkie’ internet to disperse and we melted away through the thick
teak jungle. The column had suffered a few more casualties amongst whom I
remember Potter who had been shot in the guts, his innards protruded outside the
wound and the bleeding was bad. All we could do was to secure the wound with a
large dressing and bandage tightly. Potter did not complain, but it must have
been agony for him as he bumped from side to side on a casualty pony. After
hard marching we rejoined our Rear Column. It was dark and we were welcomed with
hot char and excellent biscuit “burgoo” spiced up with corned pork loaf from
the inevitable ‘K’ ration. To rest in a securely guarded bivouac, without
the necessity of posting our own sentries was indeed a luxury and we made the
most of it. Poor old Potter did not make it, he and other wounded were taken to
Aberdeen, and after a wait of two days flown to India. He died on the operating
table. Gordon
Hughes
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