大象传媒

This story has been added to The People鈥檚 War Website by CSV Volunteer Olivia Davey on behalf of the author G W A Young who understands the site鈥檚 terms and conditions.

We had made a landing on Hill 170 at Kangow along the Arakan Coast in Burma. Hill 170 was overlooking the main supply route for the Japanese taking supplies to the front in Malaya. Mountbatten had only just started his push, so we went behind the Jap lines to cut their supply route. On the right hand side of the hill there were only three of us left, my troop officer Lt Knowland who got the V.C. and Sgt Sidcup who got the DCM

There had been a very fierce battle, many good men killed, one chap I tried to save three times, when I got him the first time, after a 20 yard run, he would not let me lift him as he had been shot in the stomach, I could not hang about as bullets were kicking up dirt everywhere. I told him I would get a Medic and ran back shouting "Medic, Medic stretcher help!" but no-one was within hearing distance. After sometime I made my way back to Sgt Sidcup DCM, on the way I managed to capture a Japanese officer鈥檚 sword. When Sgt Sidcup saw me with the sword he said the Japanese will not be pleased to see you with a Jap sword, so I hid it under some leaves and carried on and came across what looked like a doorway made of creepers, this must have been the living quarters for the Japanese. Everyone thought the battle was over and all the Japs were dead. I was about 6 foot from the door, thinking I can鈥檛 risk going in, thinking I鈥檒l throw a grenade in, but I could not risk it as there was no cover for me. Suddenly 8 or 9 Japs came busting out of the doorway. I was so surprised, I just stood there for a split second, they must have been more surprised than me, for they all ran back into the living quarters. Being well numbered I left rather quickly making my way back to try to fing Sgt Sidcup or anybody, but everybody had gone, there I was all on my own with a dozen or more Japs behind me. On the way back I did not bother looking for my sword. It was not worth risking my life for.

I made my way back to the end of the hill but could not see anyone so I started to go down the hill, then I saw a lot of Indian troops, around 200 of them, they are called HYDRABADS they were nice chaps, they opened a barrel of rum, it must have been about 4ft high, they had just arrived to relieve us. I dipped my mug in and had a drink, the next thing I remember was being dragged into a small boat that was just leaving to take the last load of our troops out to a waiting ship, bless their little hearts. The Commando soldiers had unloaded my rifle for me as I was so drunk having not eaten for a very long time being on the move. They also took my grenades off me.

We stopped at a place full of coconut trees where a civilian was taking notes about a battle for hill 170.

I did not talk to him as I was still very drunk. The end of this true story is that the army never got to hear about what happened on hill 170, but you have!

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