I am interested in the WW2 site because of my father's involvement. His name is Lt Col Jack Longbottom and he is 93 years old. Up until very recently his recall of events during the war was very clear, but unfortunately his memory is now getting rather vague.
I would like to be able to write his story and jog his memory, before this important piece of history is gone forever.
He was the only British Officer commanding the Lushai Scouts in Burma from March 1944 onwards, and therefore he is the only person, apart from the Lushai's themselves, who can write this story.
According to the citation for his Military Cross, 'in late March 1944 he was given the task of raising and training a new Unit from scratch, the Lushai Scouts. Though many are serving in other units, Lushais have not hitherto been formed into an all Lushai fighting Unit, and doubts were expressed as to their value at the outset. Owing to shortage of officers he had to carry out this task single handed. Such ability did he bring to this task that taking his unit into action six months later at the beginning of October under very tricky conditions for young troops ie well behind the enemy lines and far from support, they immediately demonstrated their complete superiority over the Japanese and in a series of actions not only cleared the Japs from the important ridge Vante Khum Vum Mualbem South of Tiddim,but also patrolled to Port White and Kennedy Peak and harrassed the Jap L. of C. on the Tiddim Kennedy Peak Road.'
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