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The 7th Battalion Worcestershire Regiment arrived at Dimapur, Assam, by narrow gauge railway on the 1st April, 1944. We travelled in uncomfortable wooden carriages, pulled by an ancient steam engine from which we drew hot water whenever we stopped to ‘brew-up’.

As we disembarked at Dimapur village, we were ordered to immediately surround the area and dig in, to provide a protective screen. The locals were in near panic because of the news that the Japanese had reached Kohima, which was only a few miles away.

Although Kohima was being held by a contingent of the 4th Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment, they anticipated being attacked at any moment. After two days, we were ordered to advance along the Dimapur Road towards Kohima, to relieve the beleaguered Royal West Kent’s. There were only six hundred of them attempting to resist the advance of thirteen thousand of the Japanese 33rd Division.

They had already been fighting, and, with many wounded, with food and ammunition running short, they were in dire straits. We started to move from the small village of Dimapur on the 3rd April. We passed the railway sidings, and then moved along the Manipur Road, with damp, steaming jungle pressing in on either side. The road had originally been only a single track, but in 1942-43 hundreds of Hindus and Moslems made a new road from Dimapur to Kohima, Imphal and the Manipur State. But there were still parts that were unstable especially on the edge of precipices. Our pioneers repaired as we moved along. After leaving Dimapur, the road started to climb, twisting up and up, bend after bend, towards Kohima, perched five thousand feet high on a mountain top.

Shortly before Kohima, we reached Zubza. We stopped and formed a ‘box’, enclosing our lorries, ammunition and stores, an old fashioned method of defence from previous wars. Immediately the Jap’s started dropping mortar shells into the centre of this vulnerable enclosed area. It was here that we tragically lost our 7th Battalion Padre, Rev. J. O’Callaghan, who was every bodies friend. He was the first casualty experienced by our Battalion.

As we advanced the jungle on each side of the road was hot and humid, consisting of a mass of towering trunks, with water-vines as thick as a man’s arm, hanging down. Around the base, undergrowth struggled for light. Underneath, amongst the mud, there were slugs, snakes, leeches and maggots. The leeches penetrated our boots through the lace holes and when we stopped had to be removed by using a lighted cigarette.

The infantry soldier in Burma had not only to fight the Japanese, but also the environment in which he soldiered.

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