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The responsibilities of a Company Quarter Master Sergeant in Burma in the 1940s were many and varied. The “office” was a metal box holding a typewriter, the records and my “unofficial” camera. The office would then be set up where ever we stopped. Much of the job was helping the Company Commander and the Company Sergeant Major to maintain moral and discipline. But it was also to keep a check on all the weapons, clothing and ammunition, whilst being constantly on the move. The weather was hot and steamy and equipment deteriorated rapidly.

An important part of my duties was to ensure that the food prepared for the men was appetizing, clean and well-cooked. Supplies were dropped to us by parachute by the RAF. On special occasions, such as Christmas, appropriate menus had to be got ready. The following is an example of the menu prepared for Christmas Day 1944.

Christmas for the 7th Worcs. Battalion was held at Kalemyo on the 18th December that year. General Slim had planned for the Battalion to attack Shebo in the Kabow valley on Christmas Day, before pushing them back to Mandelay. The Japanese would think we were celebrating Christmas and we hoped to take them by surprise.

It was thanks to the R.A.F. supply dropping teams that we were able to enjoy excellent traditional Christmas fare on this early occasion. We were fortunate that nearly all the canisters of food that were parachuted down to us from the Dakotas, landed safely in the target area. Only one or two were blown by the wind and landed in enemy territory, much to our annoyance.

'C' Company
7th Worcestershire Regiment
CHRISTMAS MENU
1944

REVEILLE - 'Gunfire tea' - distributed by Sergeants and Officers.

BREAKFAST - Porridge (English and Scottish seasoning)
Bacon and scrambled eggs - Beans
Fried bread - Jam - Tea

DINNER - Roast Meat and Chicken
Roast Potatoes - Mashed Potatoes - Cabbage and Cauliflower - Sausage stuffing
Christmas Pudding - Rum Sauce
Rum Punch - Gin Cordial
Plain Cordial - Coffee
Cigars - Cigarettes - Sweets

TEA - Ham and Meat sandwich - Pickles
Fruit and custard - Tea

SUPPER - Sandwich - Coffee
“A MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL”

My work also involved overcoming the many problems that arose, devising means of keeping the men entertained, and even composing and writing letters for those few who were illiterate.

Records, records, records….. The fighting went on but so did the records of the promotions, transfers, pay entitlements, wounded and saddest of all, the names and brief details of the circumstances involving those who had been killed.

I recollect recording details of a man who had inadvertently pulled out the firing pin of his grenade as he was cleaning it, and then held it to him as it exploded so as not to endanger his companions. Also of a Sergeant who crawled towards one of his patrol, to help a man who had been wounded by a sniper. The Sergeant was then shot and killed by the same sniper.

And so the tragedies of war went on for me to record, and pass to Major Burrell for him to send a short letter of condolence to the families and friends back home.
Another loved one who had become just a ‘company office record’….. such is life!

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