大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People's War site by a volunteer story gatherer from 大象传媒 Radio Norfolk Action Desk, on the behalf of Austin Charles Westwood and has been added to the site with his permission. Mr Westwood fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

My Brother, John Allen, was involved in the Allied attempt to land forces on the Arakan Peninsular. He told me later of this operation and that it was an attempt to land Sherman tanks, in order to get behind the Japanese Forces.
He was an R.E Major and 2ic of the 15th Indian Corps, being one of seven white officers commanding a group of Sikh Engineers.
They had a pretty rough time earlier, suffering from the heat, monsoon, lack of supplies, and living in little pot bunkers etc.
He and his Corps were sent to the Arakan to build bamboo bridges over seven valleys so that the U.S could land their tanks behind the Japanese lines and cut off their lines of retreat from Impala.
On the day the seven bridges were ready for the Sherman tanks to land he went to the shore to see the tanks roll off the landing craft. The flap was lowered and the first tank rolled down the ramp into the water and sank out of sight!!!
He said his bridges were never tested so he would never know if they would have taken the weight of those tanks.
He died in 1989 and seldom spoke of his part in the War in Burma.

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