大象传媒

Our next objective was yet another mountain deep into Burma. The going was very rough and it took us two days to reach it. We were all exhausted. When we did stop for the night, the brigadier asked a couple of the men to get the tarpaulins of one of the mules and lay it on the wet ground. He and I lay on one and covered ourselves with some of it but we were so tired that I don鈥檛 think it would have mattered where we slept. The brigadier woke early and told me that he was going off to see the battalion commanders but that I was to stay where I was for a little longer and then catch him up at our forward positions.Soon after he left I got up, wet and very cold. When fighting during the monsoon, we were issued with a rum ration. The brigadier had told me to empty my water bottle and fill it with rum. He and I both did that, and every time we felt the cold seeping into our bodies, we would take a swig. I really think this helped to keep us fit and healthy. I think the Japanese were on the run as we did not meet with very stiff resistance. We took the hill in question, held on to it, and after a few days, moved on again.

This time we headed for a place called Palel which was about four miles through the jungle leading on to flat country. At Palel there were a number of huts, and also an airstrip with three or four planes on the ground. We were all drenched with sweat and very tired. We were grateful that there were beds in the huts, a welcome change. The brigadier was given one hut and I had another which was very near his. I sorted out his washing and shaving things, and his bed, and then, after a meal, we went to our huts. Obviously we had been moved to Palel for a rest, which I think we deserved as we were all exhausted. I suppose I had been asleep for a few hours when I was awakened by shouts and screams. I raced to the door to be greeted by bedlam. The brigadier鈥檚 hut was on fire but as I rushed towards it, he came out unharmed. The aircraft were in flames but nothing could be done about those, although we managed to put out the flamed in the brigadier鈥檚 hut. It was obvious that a Japanese patrol had followed us to Palel. Of course we went after them, up into the jungle again, but they had vanished. There was not much more sleep for us that night! Although we did not have any casualties, the brigadier was most upset about the incident as it should never have been allowed to happen. Somebody鈥檚 head would roll because the guards on the aircraft must have fallen asleep. We stayed only three days at Palel before being back in action again. This time we were on the move for three weeks and the Japanese were on the run in places. This was our last big push before we were relieved, and the whole division took part. We had the job of getting behind the Japanese to cut off their escape. In August 1944, after a month of action, our division was relieved and we moved back to Palel to prepare to move to Shillong in India for a long rest.

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