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Evacuating the sick and wounded was a problem which must have exercised the minds of those in higher command due to the impenetrability of much of the terrain which we were in, and even the shortest journey could take hours, or days. It was impossible to rely on anything but stretcher-bearers.

It could be a ghastly experience when the bearers had to negotiate clinging foliage and vines, hidden obstacles, and torturous inclines trying to carry wounded men; made even more difficult in the monsoon rains. In 1944, 174 inches of rain fell in North Burma and most of that was concentrated in 5 or 6 months.

In 1942 in Burma, casualties could expect to be in transit as much as 6 weeks before reaching a general hospital. With battalions and brigades often operating independently it was difficult to split medical units viably so that everyone could have medical men.

Men of the first Wingate expedition had been haunted by the dread of having to be left when sick or wounded with a weapon and a few rations to face the Jungle or the Japanese. This in fact did happen to quite a few. Some miraculously survived, often or I should say, more usually, with the help of friendly tribesmen - the Nathas and Kerens were particularly pro-British. Thus most men did not survive.

If sick or wounded could be got down to the little railway which ran down the valley, they could be ferried back in Jeeps, or Jeep trains back to Myitkyina and then by air to India. But it was quite a hazardous business if you were wounded.

The greatest trial was getting our sick and wounded from our forward positions on often over difficult terrain back to rail or airstrip. The immediate surgery for the wounded was performed at the main dressing station and the most advanced medical staff of any size was there.

At Pinnwe, for example, it was situated not less than 2 and a half miles from the actual fighting. The main operations were carried out by the major of the United States Army who commanded a little mobile surgery unit. They and the British surgery unit did marvellous work under the most difficult and dangerous conditions.

The death from disease rather than from injuries was common. Dysentery, Diarrhoea, heatstroke was common too, dehydration and so on.

We had to take a lot of pills ‘Mepacrine’ it was called, to ward off Malaria. And of course in time it made your skin turn yellow.

This story was submitted to the People’s War site by Becky Barugh of the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio Shropshire CSV Action Desk on behalf of Richard Jones and has been added to the site with his permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

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