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The Battle and Siege of Kohima

4TH

April to 22ND

June 1944

By Tom Moon

A PAPER GIVEN TO THE BOWRAL PROBUS HISTORY GROUP ON JUNE 10TH 2010

Chairman: Welcome to this month’s meeting of the History group of Bowral

Probus. Our speaker is our member Tom Moon who will speak on the Siege and Battle of

Kohima. Kohima is on the border of India and Burma and the very significant events that

occurred there in April/June 1944 were overshadowed by events in the European Theatre

of War where the Normandy invasion was happening. The Battle of Kohima was

described by Lord Louis Mountbatten as “pivotal in the allied defeat of the Japanese—naked

unparalleled heroism”. Tom was there and it will be a privilege to hear his personal

account.

Tom Moon: Ladies and gentlemen, Good afternoon!

When you go to the library to borrow a book the first thing you do is to riffle

through the pages to see if you can read the blooming thing. I mean is the print too small,

will you need spectacles or perhaps a larger print edition so that you may read and

understand what the book is all about. So it is with a talk or lecture. All the audience

must be able to hear and nothing is worse than an inaudible speaker—so I ask you Ladies

and Gentlemen, can you hear at the back and see the magnificent diagrams hanging from

the blackboard.

On one of the first pages of a book are listed the acknowledgements and I would

like to acknowledge the assistance that I have received from Peter Dewey and Ron Butler.

On the next page we have the preface—what the book will be about. I will give you

my view of The Battle and Siege in 1944 of the little holiday resort town of Kohima in

north east India.

Finally and usually on the dust cover one finds a glamorous photograph and potted

version of the life of the author. My photographs are quite awful and my life history is

quickly told.

I was born in 1915 which makes me 95 years old. My education was extremely

limited. For example, I have never taken an examination. During the depression in

Britain in 1932/33 I joined the Army, one year underage. I joined the Royal Signals, the

communication corps of the army. Morse code was our language. So fully trained as a

signalman I was posted to India and celebrated my 20th birthday in 1935 on active

service—live bullets—bang—bang—bang—no playing about. We were fighting a large

army of Pathans led by the Fakir of Ipi and we were in Afghanistan. That was 75 years

ago and the war continues!

Four years later in 1939, World War 11 was declared just as I was due to return

home. There was no air travel and all shipping stopped—I was marooned and spent the

next 6 years in India and Burma, making my total stay 10 years. I volunteered to join

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Orde Wingate’s LRPG (Long Range Penetration Group), better known as The Chindits.

On its second foray in 1944 I was signals officer for 16 Brigade commanded by Bernard

Fergusson, later to become Governor General of New Zealand.

I need to paint a picture of what was happening. In the Far East Mataguchi was a

Japanese Commander and he had been at war for about seven years. He had never been

beaten. He started in Japan and went to Manchuria, then Shanghai and next, Hong Kong

and we had a member of our RSL who was taken prisoner in Hong Kong. On Mataguchi

went through the Vietnams, the Philippines, Macarthur got the chop there, and he came

on down and took the impregnable Singapore. Remember the two battle ships, the Prince

of Wales and the Repulse, they went out there and the Japanese just sank them. Then on

around the corner and he took Jakarta and Rangoon and finally up the river to Mandalay.

There he stopped for a moment. The Japanese had no fear of the Allies or Chinese. They

were proven victors and quite merciless. They had been at war for 7 years.

Mataguchi was obsessed with the capture of India and was encouraged by the anti-

British demonstrations being openly held by Mahatma Ghandi who had an immense

following and Subas Chandra Bose who had approximately 100,000 recruits for his

Indian National Army

After the battleships had been sunk Trincomalee, the Sri Lankan port, was severely

bombed and its large harbour and repair facilities for large ships were rendered useless.

An ocean invasion of India was not plausible.

This then was India and you can see how it was hemmed in on the North. The north

was absolutely impregnable. It was guarded by the Himalayas and impossible to cross.

There were two passes, the Bolan Pass near Quetta and the Khyber Pass up near

Peshawar. British headquarters were not frightened about northern India except nobody

quite knew about Russia and what they were doing but anyway they could not get

through the passes. People whose job it was to think about the defence of India were not

concerned about the north. On the east was the border with Burma. Burma was centred

on Rangoon and that was where everything happened. On this border with India it was

all teak forest and bamboo. Utterly impossible to penetrate—like Singapore—so not to

worry about the east. The defending planners in India sat back and busied themselves

with what were called TEWTS (Tactical Exercises Without Troops) and all the defensive

ideas were pushed backwards and forwards but nothing was done about the real defence

of north east India.

I wish now to describe Kohima to you. It lies in the Naga Hills of Assam in north

east India where all the mountains, rivers and roads run north south. Its altitude is 5000

feet lying in a saddle between two mountains of about 10,000 feet. It was one of many hill

stations, most larger in size, that were established by the British Army in the foothills

surrounding India. They were rehabilitation centres and escape havens from the searing

summer heat of the plains. There were lots of trees, sycamores, conifers, oaks, maples and

the good old Aussie gum tree. There were wild fuchsias and poinsettias. Rhododendrons

were common as well as masses of little mauve orchids.

Small valleys proliferated and there were no open spaces, somewhat like the Gib

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between Bowral and Mittagong in days gone by.

Here in this sylvan setting British men and women rehabilitated. They walked, they

rode, played polo, tennis, golf and bridge. They danced and had fun at The Club—“Ko

Hai, another gin please”. There was no railway or sewage system and a poor electricity

supply. Water was plentiful but one needed a Gunga Din to go and fetch it as there was

no reticulated supply. There was a telephone line and wireless that received BBC

overseas programmes and All India radio. Assam has one of the world’s highest rainfalls

so it rained often. The roads were all dirt and the main road passed through the centre of

town with Dimapur 30 miles to the north and Imphal 50 miles to the south. The only

buildings of note were the District Commissioner’s bungalow, the large hospital and The

Club.

By 1944 Kohima had changed from being a holiday town to being an outpost. The

hospital was closed and all white women and children had been evacuated. The garrison

was now a police force guarding the intensely hilly country to the east to the border with

Burma, a distance of 40 miles. At about 25 miles east of Kohima two outposts had been

established which were strongly fortified with communications back to Kohima. Water

remained a problem.

A battery of the Royal Indian Artillery Regiment was located 2 miles west of the

town. They were armed with nine 3.7 inch guns. These were very accurate weapons and

manned by experts. Their observation posts in town and in the two eastern outposts

ensured that there was little likelihood of an enemy mass attack.

The garrison in Kohima comprised some 1200 souls. 200 were office wallas, usually

unarmed and 250 odds and sods who were armed rangers and patrolled the local area.

The professional soldiers were the Assam Regiment and a company of Assam Rifles

reinforced just before the Japanese attack by 400 officers and men of The Royal West Kent

Regiment (my home county regiment in England) who had arrived from Arakan.

So this motley mob blithely continued with its duty of being sentry to the north

eastern approaches to India quite unaware that Lt General Sato, commander of the

Japanese 31st Division, had been assigned by Mataguchi to overwhelm them and was

already on the march with 12,000 to 14,000 men.

What were the Allies doing at that time. They were half way up Italy at Casino and

everybody was holding their breath for D day on the 6th of June 1944. Just 66 years ago

the other day—so spare a thought in your prayers tonight for the men and women who

died there 66 years ago.

Mataguchi’s invasion plan for India was a probe with two divisions along the

Arakan coastline and if this was unsuccessful to invade with three divisions across

country. The Arakan probe became a stalemate with two divisions from India holding the

Japanese advance. So across country went the three Japanese divisions.

One to take Tiddim and this was probably a feint.

One to take Imphal and sever the north south supply routes by rail, road and river.

This was the main attack.

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One to take Kohima.

Imphal was to be taken by April 29, the Emperor’s birthday.

The Japanese generals and senior officers were aristocratic, God like figures: far

removed from the common herd of their troops whom they treated like cattle. They were

ostentatious and frequently at odds with each other. Sato hated Mataguchi.

The Japanese soldiers could live on very little. Rice and salt fish was the mainstay

with whatever they could get off the country: rats, snakes, monkeys and of course from

looting villages where they were ruthless and extremely cruel. Their logistic support was

poor and every man was expected to be Kami Kaze.

The thickness of the undergrowth and the hilly terrain determined troop movement

and a battalion attack was virtually impossible. It all boiled down to the platoon and

more often to hand to hand combat.

The delay caused by the stalemate battle in the Arakun caused considerable

confusion in the defence planning for north east India. The British Army top brass were

cautious and confrontationists. They were now replaced by Lord Louis Mountbatten as

Supreme commander South East Asia. Wavell was Viceroy and Slim who had managed

to escape from Mandalay plus Churchill’s blue eyed boy, Orde Wingate, were the

leaders.

The new command quickly appreciated the importance of Imphal and Kohima and

as reinforcements were obviously needed the entire 5th Division was flown in from the

Arakan, a distance of 400 air miles, in seven days. This was a mighty achievement never

before attempted.

There was considerable confusion on both sides about the strength and location of

troops in the jungle as there was little intelligence and no aerial reconnaissance. False

alarms were common! Three Chindit Brigades, about 6,000 men, then marched or glided

into the middle of this muddle.

I imagine the Official War Diary reads something like this. “Early March 1944

Chindits report Japanese 31st Division en route Kohima. Late March Imphal attacked, also

Tiddum.” It was me and my signalmen who did the reporting. A bosom pal of mine was

in the Kohima siege and never stopped telling me about it.

Kohima was attacked on April 5th 1944 just as the Royal West Kent Regiment was

arriving. I think it is almost impossible to detail the entire battle and siege and I will

simply make statements. The siege proper began on 5th April and ended on the 18th

April—13 days and nights—almost two weeks-- of sheer and unmitigated hell.

Prior to the 5th April the two little outposts to the east of Kohima had been forced

back to join the main defensive shield. These few days delay proved invaluable for

defensive work. There was no barbed wire available. Weapon pits and slit trenches had

to be sited and dug and the water supply organised. There were no proper latrines.

After 2 or 3 days of skirmishing a defensive area was established. It measured 1100

yards by 900 yards. This defended area was quickly turned to a quagmire with filth of all

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kinds, dead bodies and mud combining with the revolting stench to produce an

atmosphere that beggars description. One thinks of the Somme and Pachendale. The

medical situation was woeful. Originally there were five medical officers but three were

killed on day 2. Tarpaulins and tents were used as cover for the badly wounded. The

walking wounded were escorted by the Nagas to the west hopefully to find help. These

Nagas were the local tribesmen, armed only with a dah, a machete like long knife, and

they were absolutely wonderful helpers.

The Indian Artillery Battery was magnificent. Not one shell fell within the perimeter

and the gunners blasted any target seen by their observation posts or sensed by them at

night.

There was little activity by the Air forces of either side.

The defensive square became smaller and smaller and on the morning of the last

day of the siege the perimeter had shrunk to a 400 yard square around the top of

Garrison Hill. As the sun rose and the mist lifted the sentry saw and heard 8 Stuart tanks

slowly moving up the winding road from Dimapur—the 2nd British Division had arrived.

One could continue extolling the episodes of incredible fortitude and courage which

occurred every day. Suffice it to say two VCs were awarded.

One could dwell on the crass incompetence of the British HQ prior to Lord

Mountbatten’s arrival to do something to protect Kohima. Or maybe to try to fathom the

stubborn stupidity of Lt Gen Sato whose Division just banged their heads against a wall.

The end result nevertheless was the same. The Kohima garrison never surrendered

and was never conquered. Strengthened by reinforcements from the 2nd Division and

other units the Japanese began to be overwhelmed. British and Indian troops from

Kohima and Imphal met at milestone 110 on the dirt main road on 22nd June 1944 thus

formally ending the sieges of both locations and starting the purge by General Slim’s 14th

Army of all the Japanese from Burma.

Statistics are always suspect so I will not quote many. There are 1387 gravestones

around the large memorial which stands on the level ground that was once the District

Commissioner’s tennis court. Not all the gravestones belong to members of the garrison.

It is thought that about 300 escaped without a scratch.

The words chiselled on the Memorial are

When you go home

Tell them of us and say

For your tomorrow

We gave our today

Japanese sources reveal that of Mata Guchi’s invasion force of 85,000 men only

about 30,000 survived.

Consider now if the Japanese had won the battle. India was ripe for revolt. Ghandi

with his “Quit India” policy had a vast empire of followers as did Subas Chandra Bose

with the INA. Jinnah and Jawaharlal Nehru had strong religious followings. It is possible

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that all or some of these groups may have joined with Japan. If so, what would have

happened to Australia. It surely could not have been defended. The mind boggles.

But, Ladies and Gentlemen, the Japanese did not win and the Kohima garrison

helped enormously in their defeat.

In conclusion may I mention some items I consider valuable reading on this subject.

A letter home from a soldier in the Royal West Kent Regiment

“Dear Dad,

Imagine 15 days with hardly any water, no sleep, no lavatories and no wash and shave. Dead

bodies all about and wounded chaps crying out and its raining. Although they came at us again

and again we stayed put until finally 2 Div came and relieved us.”

Three books

1. No Ordinary Men by John Colvin.

2. A Chindit Story by James Baggerly.

3. The Wild Green Earth by Bernard Fergusson.

Field Marshal “Uncle Bill” Slim said “Kohima was the Stalingrad of Burma”.

Lord Louis Mountbatten, Supreme Commander South East Asia, a man who did not

mince his words and who in his notes regarding his funeral stipulated that no Japanese

were to be invited and there were none, said “Probably one of the greatest battles of history—

it was, in effect, the Battle for Burma”.

Well Ladies and Gentlemen, perhaps we should have a Kohima Day.

Questions from the floor.

Q. Will you please tell us exactly where you were during the Battle?

A. Where was I? It is difficult to be precise and I will tell you why. I was Signals

Officer for 16 Brigade which consisted of a Brigade HQ, a Rear HQ at Imphal and 8

columns of Chindits with each column consisting of 300 to 400 men and 50 to 60 mules.

There were 10 wireless links using Morse code and ciphers—no plain language. On

February 5th 1944 16 Brigade marched into Burma from Ledo and the Brigade was wholly

maintained by air supply with parachute drops courtesy of the RAF. Our objective was to

capture the town of Indaw and refurbish the large all weather landing ground in order

that Gen. Slim might then fly in a substantial force from his 14th Army. Remember we

were Signallers: communication experts. This involved many difficult jobs such as

climbing trees to erect aerials or grooming one of “our” mules. Rarely were we expected

to fix bayonets. En-route all columns helped to clear several landing strips so that our

two brother Brigades, No 77 and 111 might fly in using gliders towed by U.S. planes and

pilots.

Thereafter we were to establish what Gen Wingate called strongholds which were

named Aberdeen, Piccadilly, Broadway, Blackpool and White City. These locations were

to be made impregnable so that columns might sally forth, harass the enemy and return

to safety. By early March we had cleared Aberdeen and Broadway. By 5thMarch 77

Brigade was ready to fly into Piccadilly which was a naturally clear area when a pilot of a

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light plane that had over flown the area reported the area covered with tree trunks.

Thereupon the senior commanders agreed with Brigadier Mike Calvert’s suggestion that

his 77 Brigade fly to Broadway. This they did by the light of a very bright full moon and

the expertise of the American pilots.

Imagine the tension, the orders, the counter orders, and the disorder! We signallers

hardly slept a wink. During the next several days Japanese forces were detected nearing

Tiddum and Imphal and 16 Brigade left Aberdeen to attack Indaw. Our small intelligence

section of loyal Burmese quickly found out that large Japanese forces had been that

way—some to go NW to attack Kohima. Fergusson warned everybody and I am certain

that this was one of the reasons why Mountbatten ordered 5 Div to fly up from Arakan as

reinforcements for Imphal and Kohima. Nevertheless Fergusson still decided to attack

Indaw with 6 columns even though we had water shortages and he did not know of 14

Brigade being kept in Imphal. On 25th/26th March a bloody battle ensued and we failed—

the water shortages caused the mules to become very fretful and unmanageable. My

tongue swelled so that speech became difficult. Japanese Zero planes arrived to bomb

and strafe. We retired to drink and lick our wounds, drink again and learn of General

Wingate’s death when his plane crashed into the jungle. Brigadier Lentaigne of 111

Brigade was promoted to Maj Gen to succeed Wingate. He was under the massive thumb

of Slim who ran his 14th Army to his rules which did not include Chindits. We in 16

Brigade were pretty exhausted and were flown out to India on the 16 th May 1944 and

dispersed.

My intimate knowledge of the Battle and Siege of Kohima comes from a dear pal,

with whom I soldiered for a long time, who was there all the while and who never

stopped talking about it.

During the confusion when Imphal was threatened our Rear HQ was moved at a

moments notice to Sylhet and was off air for about 24 hours which greatly added to the

chaotic situation.

Dates (approximate) of the prominent events. 5th February 1944 16 Brigade marches into Burma from Ledo

2nd March 1944 Aberdeen and Broadway cleared

5th March 1944 77 Brigade lands at Broadway and goes on to establish White City

7th March 1944 111 Brigade lands at Chowringee, 20 miles SE of Indaw

9th March 1944 51 and 69 columns sent to Lonkin to assist Stilwell

15th March 1944 Japanese threaten Tiddum and Imphal and Piccadilly established

21st March 1944 Chindit Rear HQ moved at a moments notice to Sylhet and off

air for 24 hours. 14 Brigade retained in Imphal and unable to assist 16 Brigade in the

capture of Indaw

24th March 1944 General Orde Wingate killed in an air crash in the jungle

25th/26th March 1944 Battle to capture Indaw lost

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29th March 1944 Kohima attacked by Japanese and Siege begins. Chindit 23

Brigade in action in NNE

16th May 1944 16 Brigade evacuated. Aberdeen, Broadway and White City closed

30th May 1944 14th Army begins purge of Japanese from Burma

Q. Everyone wants to know the answer to this question but you do not have to tell us. You said in

Afghanistan you were a humble private but you left the field commissioned. How did that come

about?

A. I had been promoted to sergeant and I was in India near the Bolan Pass near

Quetta where there is a chrome mine. This was guarded by a company of Gurkha rifles

and I was in charge of a small wireless station attached to the Gurkhas. Chrome, I

understand, is used for the plating of steel and so on and I believe is rare and therefore it

had to be guarded. Now where ever there were a couple of soldiers there had to be a

wireless set and I was the sergeant with three other soldiers in a sturdy cottage and we

communicated with Quetta.

The Chrome mine was a very Heath Robinson affair. Simply a very large hole dug

into the mountain by the Indians. They dug out the ore with pick and shovel and put the

ore on the back of little donkeys and the donkeys went down the mountain side to a

village called Hindubagh. Hindu being the religion and bagh meaning garden. It was the

Hindu garden. The donkeys would offload the chrome ore which was rather like coal, it

was crumbly, some of it was in large lumps and it was a beautiful black green yellow

colour rather like an opal. The ore was put into a railway truck and sent off to Karachi.

I was recalled to our HQ at Loralai where I was told I had been selected as a “Y”

cadet and would I agree as it would lead to a commission. I agreed and after three

months was promoted to lieutenant. I was commissioned and I have a beautiful

photograph wearing two pips as I was then 25 and had several years service. So the

answer is I was invited to have a commission and I accepted. Then by 1944 with 16

Brigade I was a Major.

Comment from the floor. I understand that chrome mine is still working. I read about it

in the paper the other day.

A. Well well. A little trivia. The miners were three in number. There were two Brits

and a ring in There was the company commander of the Gurkhas who was a Scotsman

and there was me and we used to have a church parade on a Sunday. We all used to put

in two bob—a two shilling piece—and the padre then used to buy the beer and he was a

wonderful chap. He had a service which lasted about 15 to 20 minutes and if ever I met a

man of God I met him there.

Q Is that a map of the time?

A. In April 1950 Colonel C H Kappe OBE wrote an aide memoire “to assist officers

in the study of Military History for promotion examinations”. He was a Colonel GS

Australian Army. I have taken the map from his publication.

Q. This was 1944 and not 1914 and one wonders why there was such little air involvement.

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Why was this?

A. In 1939 when World War 11 was declared the Air Force in India consisted almost

exclusively of RAF biplanes, Wapitis, Gloster Gladiators and some Fairey types.

They were spread in twos and threes in strategic spots mainly along the NW

frontier of India. This situation remained unchanged as there was no aircraft factory in

India.

Wingate and his wife were invited by Churchill to accompany him to the Quebec

Conference where Wingate so impressed the Chiefs of Staff with his concepts of jungle

warfare that he was promised their support and given command of US No 1 Air

Commandos with about 300 planes from gliders to Mustangs with their pilots and

maintenance crews. This remained the only and very precious Air force until by virtue of

the progressive victories by the Allies on all front other Air Forces became available.

Q. Where did those planes fly from?

A. The main US Air Force base was Lalaghat in N Assam but Comilla just north of

Calcutta and other “landing strips” were used. The old Wapitis used to come to us—the

Signals—for wire to repair their wings and struts.

Q. What wireless sets did you have?

A. The first wireless set I used had a counterpart in the West Kensington Museum.

We relied on Morse core sent by wireless over a telegraph line or heliograph over about

80 miles. Wingate arranged for his force to be equipped with the new No 22 sets. It was

quite a big set manufactured in England by various companies. It was simple and robust,

quite heavy and one set with its bits and pieces was a mule load. It was battery driven

thus requiring charging with a petrol driven battery charger, a supply of electrolyte and

valves. We needed mechanics to maintain these items and mules to carry them. HQ

fidgeted about this because of course here in the quietness of the jungle one heard the

chug-chug-chug of a diesel charging engine. “Can’t that bloody thing be switched off”. If

you did one had no batteries. The 22 set was a good set if properly maintained and if one

had plenty of valves.

I have no knowledge of a Signals HQ. Wingate, on being asked by me what

frequencies and call signs to use, said “use your common sense”. So we had all sorts of

fun with call signs and three of my corporals and I spent several days working out where

there was a clear spot on the dial and we would then allocate that frequency to a

particular column. We had therefore eight frequencies to deal with.

Aerials were a problem as in the teak forest the first branch was about 100 feet high.

We used what we called a “long line Act of God aerial” as high as possible and as clear as

possible and we always got through. One can’t imagine what it was like when one

compares our efforts to those of today. We marched in single file so we that did not leave

a wide pathway through the jungle and I spent my life being tail end Charlie following a

mule and I could draw the back side of that mule from go to woe. When we got into

camp the Brigadier said “that’s my tree”, and other groups were in a constant relation to

that tree so one knew who was who.

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The doctor, Jimmy Donaldson, was next to signals and I must tell you of the most

terrible night of my life. Jimmy and I slept together as we each only had half a blanket,

we never undressed of course, just loosened our boots, and on this occasion Jimmy woke

me up and said “wake up, wake up” and I said “attack” but he answered “leeches”. So

you had the Major signals and the Major medical officer almost naked trying to get

various leeches from their genitals. We had no lights and I can tell you it was not much

fun.

Chairman. I am going to bring the meeting to a close and I would like you all to

thank Tom for a wonderful afternoon.

Appendix: Biographical Details.

T. M. Moon was born in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England in August 1915. After

minimal schooling he joined the Army (Signals) in 1932 one year under age. Basic

training was at the cold Catterick Camp in Yorkshire following which he was posted to

India in 1934. In 1934 he saw active service in Afghanistan. Marooned in India due to

World War 11 he had been progressively promoted to sergeant when in 1940 he was

commissioned Lieutenant. In 1943 he volunteered to join General Wingate’s Chindits. He

was Signals officer of 16 Brigade commanded by Brigadier Bernard Fergusson who was

later to become Governor General of New Zealand.

16 Brigade was the only one of the three Chindit brigades to march into Burma and

confront the Japanese in bloody battle. TMM was Mentioned in Dispatches, London

Gazette 26th April 1946. He returned to England in 1945.

In 1947 he was chosen to exchange duties for three years with a Royal Australian

Signals officer. He commanded 101 Wireless Regiment for a year and was married to

Judith, daughter of Colonel Fred Oldfield, the founder Commandant of The Apprentices

School.

On returning to the UK with Judith they saw service for the next ten years in

Austria where he commanded the Signal Squadron. Then in Germany as 2 I/C 2 Div Sig

Regt and France where he was attached to NATO Air HQ. They lived in the forest of

Fontainbleau with their two children.

TMM obtained an early retirement from the Army and the family returned to

Sydney, Australia, where he became Administration Officer for The Spastic Centre of

NSW. During his 18 years with the Centre he was largely involved with the gainful

employment of handicapped adults in the Centre’s Industries factory, the visit of HM

Queen Elizabeth 11 and the “Miss Australia Quest”. He retired in 1985 and with his wife

moved to Bowral in the Southern Highlands of NSW.

Photographs and maps. The photographs are from Tom’s private collection and the

maps are acknowledged in their captions. The photographs of Kohima Cemetery have

been retrieved from the net.

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Lieutenant T. M. (Tommy) Moon. This photo was taken

in 1940 in India on his being commissioned.

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Mules and muleteers. None of the men can now be identified except the centre man in

the row of three who is Jim Buchanan, the cipher officer. The Chindits wore no badges of

rank or insignia as a protection if captured by the Japanese. Similarly neither the Brigade

nor men carried cameras. This photograph and the one above were taken in the jungle at

a moments notice when a reporter was flown in for a very short time. TMM luckily came

across the prints on his return to India.

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Photo taken at Sylhet on TMM’s arrival after he was flown out from the jungle for a few

days to Base HQ for operational reasons.

Centre: Lt Col Stanley Cadogan, CO 70 Divisional Signals. The officer on the left cannot

be identified and the bearded Tom Moon is on the right.

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Back row Left to Right:. Unidentified but nicknamed “Flash”, Sgt Herring, Signalman

Jack Grey.

Front row L to R. Tom Moon and Lt. Jack Hallett.

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A recent photo of The

Kohima War Cemetery. The

Memorial Stone is shown in

detail in the next image.

An image of the Memorial in

The Kohima War cemetery

with its famous inscription:

When you go home

Tell them of us and say

For your tomorrow

We gave our today

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A diagram of the movements of the various forces in the Kohima area in April/June 1944

from the Aide Memoire by Col C H Kappe OBE, 1950.

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Detailed Map of Kohima The heavy line

is the Imphal Road coming from the south

along the ridge, with a sharp turn to the

left towards Dimapur. The District

Commissioner’s bungalow and the tennis

court which were the scene of the fiercest

fighting, are at the turn adjacent to

Garrison Hill

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This map has been adapted from The Wild Green Earth by Bernard Fergusson, Collins

1946. The route taken by 16 Brigade in 1944 is marked in green. The march commenced at

Ledo going south over the mountains to cross the Chindwin River and continued to

Aberdeen build the airstrip and camp. Then on to Broadway followed by the

unsuccessful battle for Indaw, retirement to Aberdeen and eventual evacuation to India.

Note the scale! The march was about 500 miles in length over difficult terrain and through

thick jungle.