大象传媒

BY PETER TORRANCE
(Submitted by his son, Barry Torrance)

February 25th The Battalion entrained at AGRA bound for KOHIMA.
Our Transport consisted of:
30Cwt Trucks,
Brengun Carriers,
Mules,
Camels.

We stopped at ETAWAH for Lunch and CAWNPORE for our evening meal.

February 26th Stopped at MOGAL SERAL for Breakfast, GOYA for Lunch, and ASANSOL for our evening meal.

February 27th Stopped at ISHUNDI for Breakfast, PARBATIPUR for Lunch, and LUBMANISHAT for our evening meal.

February 28th The Bn. embarked on the Ferry at AMINGOAN to cross the BRAHMAPUTRA River, then continued to MANIPUR ROAD (DIMAPUR), which was the Railhead for KOHIMA and IMPHAL. We had Breakfast and Lunch on the Ferry and our Evening meal at MANIPUR ROAD.

March lst At MANIPUR ROAD.

March 2nd After Breakfast at MANIPUR ROAD we proceeded in local buses to KOHIMA, being played in by the Pipe Band of the Assam Rifles.

March 3rd I was bitten by a snake, whilst writing letters home, which was identified as an Assam Viper. A young Medical Officer with no previous experience of Snake bites, sucked out the venom, lanced the bitten area and stitched me up.

March llth Stitches removed. Our Regimental Pipe Band beat Retreat for the first time in Kohima.

March 17th/l8th Recce Patrol. VISWEMA - KID1MA - KEKRIMA 鈥� KIGWEMA, all small Villages around KOHIMA.
I left main Patrol at K1DEMA and went on to KEKR1MA with 4 Volunteers. An extremely arduous climb.
Arrived 7 p.m. that night and slept with NAGA family.
The 4 volunteers mentioned above were Cpl Thrower (now Chairman of Leicester branch Seaforth Highlanders Regimental Association), Ptes Davison, Bagshaw and Dawson.
During this Patrol met Douglas Matcham patrolling deeper into ASSAM/BURMA Border.
(Douglas died of pneumonia when on a Course in Shillong later on in the year. He, along with David Hughes and myself were commissioned into The Seaforth Highlanders from 163 O.C.T.U., St Mary's Bay, Dec. 1939.)

March l9th Entry in my diary states - 鈥淩ained most of the day鈥� 鈥斺�淲ind Rising鈥� - 鈥淣ight Pitch Black.鈥�

March 24th Left KOHIMA for Company Weapons Course at SAUGAR.

April 5th COLOMBO - CEYLON (now SRI LANKA) bombed from Japanese Aircraft Carrier in Indian Ocean.

May 9th Left SAUGAR - Company Weapons Course finished.

May 13th Arrived MANIPUR ROAD from SAUGAR.

May 16th IMPHAL bombed - Many Refugees killed.

May 18th Left MANIPUR ROAD for PALEL.

May 19th Took up post of 23rd Indian Division Liaison Officer to General Savoury at LEPA.

June 12th Left LEPA to rejoin Regiment at SHENAM (THE SADDLE).
Spent night at PALEL.

June 13th Rejoined Regiment on SADDLE.

June 27th Commenced Special Escort Patrol. SHENAM - KAMPANG. Distance 19 miles.

June 28th Continued KAMPANG to MINTHA, a distance of 25 miles.

June 29th MINTHA to bank of River YU - making for MYOTHIT but couldn't cross river because of current. Distance 6 miles.

June 30th Bank of river YU to bank of river TARAT. Distance 4 miles.

July 1st Bank of River TARAT to MINTHA. Distance 2 miles.

July 2nd MINTHA to bank of River TARAT, distance 2 miles.
Diary reads: "Tried whole day tot cross River TARAT with rations for "A" Company, marooned at MYOTHIT but due to spate of river could not make crossing".

July 3rd Alternative route to MYOTHIT via MINTHA - HLEZEIK - HTONKEDIN 鈥�
NANDALIN (SHIDUMJAR) and PAGWE. Distance 24 miles.

The outward journey to MYOTHIT from SHENAM took from 27th June to 3rd July during which we covered just 80 miles. I had a Corporal and 10 men with me, carrying extra rations for "A鈥� Company at MYOTHIT where Company Commander, Capt. Battle, was down with malaria and his second in command, Lieut. David Hughes had gone off with a party to get a boat which would have had to be carried through the jungle between rivers.

July 4th The return journey to SHENAM commences. This time consisting of "A鈥� Company and my "Escort" Patrol.
The going was hard, particularly as we had a number of Stretcher cases to carry, including a 13 year old Indian girl who had been found by "A鈥� Company sitting by her dead family, all of whom had trekked from RANGOON. She had Malaria and Dysentery and was in a very bad state, but was very useful as she spoke 7 native languages including Burmese.
We travelled just the 4 miles back to PAGWE on this day.

July 5th We travelled under very heavy going conditions just 6 miles to NANDALIN where the locals were extremely helpful, in complete contrast to the locals of PAGWE.

July 6th The river TARAT had overflowed its banks to a depth of 2 - 3 feet but Burmese guides from NANDALIN bridged streams for us and blazed a trail through the jungle. Unfortunately Pte Campbell died from Malaria at 0611 hrs just outside NANDALIN. Distance covered 12 miles.

July 7th Got lost in jungle for one and a half hours with Piper Sutherland so distance from MINTHA to KAMPANG was 30 miles!!!

July 8th Completed journey from KAMPANG to rejoin the Regiment on the "Saddle" - distance 19 miles. The total distance on this Patrol was 151 miles in 12 days but we got 鈥淎鈥� Company back safely but much the worse for wear.
The little Indian Girl unfortunately died in the Forward Field Hospital just 6 weeks later.
The length of time it took to do this Patrol was mainly due to the difficulty in crossing the Rivers YU and TARAT, both tributaries of the River CHINDWIN as these and many of the smaller "chaungs" we also had to cross were all in spate and it rained and rained and rained.鈥�
July 17th Healthwise this Patrol took its toll on me as I went down with Malaria and was admitted to 24 Field Ambulance in SHENAM.

July 18th Was transferred to Casualty Clearing Station IMPHAL.

July 20th Moved to 37 Field Ambulance IMPHAL
July 24th Moved into Accommodation used by fellow Officer Douglas Matcham who had got himself a "cushy" job with H.Q. 23 Indian Div.

August 6th Rejoined Regiment on "Saddle". Recuperation period over.

August 8th Sent to WAITHOU on a "Watermanship" Course. As if I hadn't experienced enough water already!!!

August 10th Rejoined Regiment on "Saddle".

August 20th Diary reads "PALEL bombed".

August 21st Regiment moved from "Saddle" to PALEL.

September 5th Once again took up post of Liaison Officer to General Savoury, 23 Indian Div.
From this date to 17th October , when I returned to the Regiment, then in SHENAM I carried out Liaison duties, visiting KOHIMA - DIMAPUR - TANGNUPAL - DAMPOL 鈥� JORHAT and TORBUNG.

October llth General Wavell visited H.Q. 23 Indian Div.

October 17th Rejoined Regiment in SHENAM.

October 25th Left SHENAM for "leave" to OOTACAMUND. Arrived MAO 1800 hrs.

October 26th Left MAO 0700 hrs. Arrived DIMAPUR 1730.
Left DIMAPUR 2300

October 27th Arrived GHAUHATI 1130 hrs. Left GHAUHATI 2100hrs.

October 28th Arrived DHUBRI 0830 hrs. Left DHUBRI 2030hrs.
Arrived GOLANGANJ 2130 hrs. Left GOLANGANJ 2350 hrs.

October 29th Arrived PARBATOPUR 0530. Left PARBATOPUR 0600
Arrived CALCUTTA 1340 hrs.

October 30th Left CALCUTTA 1510 hrs.

November 1st Arrived MADRAS 0930 hrs. Left MADRAS 2000 hrs.

November 2nd Arrived OOTACAMUND 1220 hrs.

November 2nd to 13th On leave in OOTACAMUND.

November 13th Left OOTACAMUND 1435 hrs.

November 14th Arrived MADRAS 0630 hrs. Left MADRAS 1715 hrs.

November 16th Arrived CALCUTTA 2130 hrs.

November 18th Left CALCUTTA 1200 hrs.

November 20th Arrived DIMAPUR (MANIPUR ROAD) 0230 hrs.

November 21st Left DIMAPUR 0600 hrs

November 22nd Arrived back at SHENAM 2000 hrs.

The outward journey from SHENAM to OOTACAMUND had taken 9 days and the return journey 10days.

Individual train times have been given above to illustrate the immense distances that have to be covered on the Indian Continent.

December 25th Spent at Sergeants鈥� mess at KAKCHING where a good time was had by all!!!
December 26th Spent at "Rest Camp" at KANGLATONGBI recovering from the 25th!!!

(Chapter 2 is on A6494790)

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