大象传媒

Mr Kirk,who is President of the SEAC (South East Asia Cmnd Association), RAF Regiment, has been to our WW2 session at the Ings Library, Hull and explained to this staff member that as a veteran of the Imphal seige in the Burma campaign, which proved to be the turning point of the war in South East Asia, on 24th November last year he submitted a full account of his experiences in the Burmese jungles and mountains to the Imperial War Museum. This account has been based closely upon information in a personal diary he kept in a bren gun case, with facts amd material carefully checked with former comrades in the Burma Star Association. Mr Kirk's story takes seven A4 sheets and from my scan of this today, and his first hand refections,it covers many aspects of sharp interest, especially the conditions in which the servicemen lived - in extreme heat and humidity.

In a reply from the Imperial War Museum 22nd December 2003, the Archivist, Dr Simon Robbins emphasises the great value of Mr Kirk's personal history, stating specifically "it is exacty the kind of material" they wish to preserve for posterity: the archivist adds a request that Mr Kirk consider presenting the original diary to the Imp War Museum.

Mr Kirk's story is therefore available for researchers and others interested to consult first hand in the library of the Museum: in addition, photos he has supplied are in the museum's photoarchive.

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