The War Against Japan

1939-1948 - The War against Japan

Army in Burma Reserve of Officers - ABRO project by Vivian Rodrigue

Overview and dedication Appointments Awards Relinquishments Roll of Honour

Burma Army Service Coprs (BASC)

Evidence indicates that these men were part of the Burma Army Service Corps.
The photo is dated to 7th March 1942, the day before the Japanese occupied Rangoon. The location is Rangoon and we would like to identify the exact site. We would also be very grateful if any of the men can be positively identified. Please contact us if you have any information.

Burma Rifles

2nd Burma Rifles

2nd Burma Rifles - Chindits

2nd. Bn. The Burma Rifles

Officers, G.C.O.'s and Other Ranks, who received gallantry awards during the Chindit Operations of 1943 and 1944.

Middle Row (third from left) Capt. G.W. Griffiths (3 Column), (fifth from left) Lt.-Col. P.C. Buchanan, M.C. (Adjutant); (third from right) Capt. Saw Chit Khin M.C. (1 Column.) If you can identify any of the others please contact us.

2 Burrifs 1944

Karens, Kachins, Chins and Gurkhas, with their officers.
The Officers must be from the above photo, which was taken the same day.
Four can be identified - Capt. C. A. Steevens and Capt. J.B. Harman.
Major H.W.P. Graham (19th from left, 2nd row) G.W.T. de Mattos (23rd from left, 2nd row.)
Only one of the men can be named - Thuam Za Gin. If you can identify any of these men, please contact us.

2nd. Bn. The Burma Rifles

Officers 1944

Back Row:- Lt. A.G. Martin-Pereira, Lt. A. Plumb, Lt. W.F.H. Ansell,
Lt. Son Kho Pao, Capt. Y.V. Barr, Lt Nyunt Lwin, Lt. J. Hla Shein,
Lt Mg Tut, Capt. T.G. Hunter, Capt. J.E. Ady, Capt. A.E. Ady,
Capt. J.J. Rainey, Lt. Sohan Singh, Lt. H.G. Munro, Lt. H.A. Roberts,
Lt. F.W. Pais, Lt. A.W.J. Mullerworth, Lt. A.B.J. Lynn,
Lt. Nang Zing Naw Lah, Lt. G.A. Hyde, Lt. G.N. Hogan.

Middle Row:- Capt. A.M. Smart, Capt. B.T. Lidbetter, Capt. Kasim Shah, Capt. Sein Tun, Capt. Saw Lader, Capt. D. Talmadge, Lt. D.R. Sen Gupta,
Lt. Hrang Thio, Capt. P.B. Neale, Capt. F.B. Newbould, Capt. C.A. Steevens, Capt. J.F. Robertson, Capt. G.B. Down, Capt. H.S. Bourne,
Capt. W.D. Hardless M.C., Lt. Dal Za Kam, Lt. J.C.G. Da San Marino,
Lt. Thompson, Capt. J.W. Eadon, Lt. Lian Nawn, Lt. P.T. Fforde.

Front Row:- Capt. J.M. Breckenridge, Capt. A.C. Gowan,
Capt. N.G. Watson, Capt. L.H. Low, Maj. G.S. Neville, Maj. W.R. Andrews, Maj. J.H. Gemmell, Maj. M.A. Freshney, Lt. Col P.C. Buchanan MC,
Maj. W.D. Griffiths MC, Maj. R.S. Carey OBE, Maj. H.W.P. Graham,
Capt. F.W. Burn, Capt. Chit Khin MC, Capt. E.J. Edwards,
Capt. J.B. Harman.

Burma Intelligence Corp

Burma Intelligence Corp No 4 Pln., B.I.C. Mhow, 1944.
Photo by kind permission of the Donald Mellican

Back Row:- L-R. L-Bdr. D. Mellican, L-Bdr. H. Carrol, L-Bdr. D. D'Cruz.

Fourth Row:- L-Bdr. H. Dewar, L-Bdr. Saw Ohn Pe, L-Bdr. Saw David, L-Bdr. Nyi Pu, L-Bdr. E. Gomes, Gnr. J. McHarg,
L-Bdr. J. Agni, L-Bdr. L.A. Aquino, L-Bdr. M. Mealin, Bdr. A. Davidson, L-Bdr. W. Croft.

Third Row:- L-Bdr. H. Moore, L-Bdr. M. Taylor, L-Bdr. War Hain, Bdr. F.C. Goddard, Bdr. M. Britto, L-Bdr. Hla Mg.,
L-Bdr. Saw Bennett, L-Bdr. Saw Wilson, L-Bdr. V.R. Nathan, Gnr. W.C. Baxter, L-Bdr. J. Rodgers.

Second Row:- Sgt. M. Raphanot, Sgt. J. Wates, Capt. Saw Mya Mg, Major S. Dun, Capt. R.M. Duffy, Capt. N.H. Gaudoin, CSM F. Gomes, Sgt. G. Claessen, CQMS D. de Glanville.

Front Row:- L-Bdr. A.B. Joseph, L-Bdr. Dhoj, Gnr. V. David, Bdr. Hla Yin, L-Bdr. J. Joseph, L-Bdr. G. Willson, L-Bdr. A.J. Francis.

This group of B.I.C. men served with the L.R.P. (Wingate) at Imphal and Kohima, sadly not many names are known. Known men are Ronald Kenneth Willson (his brother is in the above 4th Platoon photo) - standing at centre; Malcolm Taylor sitting front left and Albert Terry sitting front right.

Photo by kind permission of Carol-Ann Aitken, daughter of Ronald Kenneth Willson of Moulmein.

Burma Unattached List

Burma Auxiliary Force - Steve Rothwell's dedication had produced this latest project "not only will this add additional B.A.F. names but some may find it interesting to see how men who trekked out of Burma with the B.A.F. continued to serve and later found themselves in the B.I.C.

Officers of the Rangoon Battalion, Burma Auxiliary Force
with H.E. their Honorary Colonel.
Photo courtesy of J. Hodge.

Standing
2nd Lt. G.G. Robertson ; 2nd Lt. A.A. Conway ; 2nd Lt. K.N.H. Martin ; 2nd Lt. K.S. Laurie ; 2nd Lt. G.F. Kinnear ; 2nd Lt. J. Pritchard ;
Capt. D. Wardleworth, K.O.Y.L.I., A.D.C. to G.O.C. Burma ; 2nd Lt. R.B. Groves ; 2nd Lt. P.G. Waters ; 2nd Lt. J.H. Gemmell
2nd Lt. R.C. Scott ; 2nd Lt. J.F. Villiers ; 2nd Lt. D. Lewton-Brain ; 2nd Lt. R. St. C. Stracy ; 2nd Lt. C.J.C. Lumsden ; Capt. N. Chancellor (A.D.C.)

Seated
Capt. B. Mahony ; Major O.H. Mootham ; Major A.D. Macnamara I.A., (Military Secy.) ; Major F.W. Sharpe, Gloucestershire Regt. Adjutant ; Brigadier R.B. Leslie M.C. ; H.E. Sir Archibald Cochrane G.C.M.G. K.C.S.I. D.S.O. ; Lt.-Col. W.M. Hodge, Commanding ; Major Genl. D.K. McLeod, C.B. D.S.O. G.O.C. Burma ; Major H.D. McCall ; Major M.V. Wright, Baluch. Regt, Brigade Major ; Capt. P.M. Beecheno ;
Capt. E. Polglase ; Lt. C.R. Cowie.

Officers of the Burma Army, 1937-1947 - Steve Rothwell has provided us with this current project which lists primarily officers who served with units of the Army in Burma (Burma Army,) Burma Military Police and the Burma Frontier Force.

Burma Frontier Force

We hope to build up a photo gallery of the Officers of the Burma Army, if you would like to contribute please contact us.

Lt.-Col. Norman Kelly, O.B.E.
Burma Frontier Force.

Norma Kelly, in the uniform of the B.F.F., with sword, as H.Q. Asst., Taunggyi, in 1938.

Major Peter Bankes
Burma Frontier Force.

O.S.S Detachment 101

Detachment 101 - Joint British/US clandestine operations unit.
This list of names has been supplied by Vivian Rodrigues from a book by Troy J. Sacquerty. See the Recommended reading page for additional details. INDEX

Major Dennis G. Francis was a member of this unit, his family have very kindly allowed us to publish a few regimental photos. A brief description of the activities of 101, taken from another book, Behind the Burma Road, by Genl. William Peers and Dean Brelis, appear in a forces magazine (page 8) and can be read on this website.

The following links are courtesy of Vivian Rodrigues and John Mealin.
A youtube training video featuring Capt. Bobby Rae is available here. More information on the OSS Det. 101 can be found here.
Additional data will be available shortly.

January 1943 - Officers Training School Mhow - "F" 1 Wing Boxing Team

Standing:- Ocs. Raj Badhwar, C. Boog, H. De Souza, A.E. Utarid, S.L. Sehgal, J.L. Anton, T.B. Godenho

Seated:- Ocs. Sher-Ullah Beg, G. Roberts, Capt. Abdul Rashid, Coy. Comdr. Major A.G. Hiatt,
Coy. Sgt. Major C.S.M.W. Stock, Ocs. R. Campagnac, M.A. Jafar

Sitting:- Oc. M.S. Dalal and Oc. M.M. Saeed

Photo supplied by ABL member Sandra Campagnac, additional details to follow asap.

Women's Auxiliary Service (Burma) W.A.S. (B)
Formed on the 16th January 1942, though not a fighting unit, these ladies played a part in the War against Japan.

Links:-

The Burma Campaign - Steve Rothwell's excellent site.
Chindit Chasing - Steve Fogden's well-researched and presented documentary site on the 1st Chindit Expedition.
Gazettes Online - the fount of all knowledge (if you were an Officer.)