Royal Welch Fusiliers, 1st, 2; at Zubza, 90, 100; and Kohima Ridge, 92; and ‘Shrewsbury’, 108–109; and Summerhouse Hill, 129, 139 (quoted); and F.S.D., 162, 164–165; and Kuki Piquet, 163, 164, 168, 195; and Aradura Spur, 211, 212, 216, 219; and G.P.T. Ridge, 214; ambushed or counter-attacked (?), 219–21; Memorial, 255
Royal West Kent Regiment, 4th (Queen’s Own), xiii, 37, 250; at Kohima, 42, 49; to Nichugard, 53, 54; on Kohima Ridge, 60–1, 66, 67; and Summerhouse Hill, 65, 98–9; and water shortage, 67; and D.I.S. and F.S.D., 70, 72, 74, 76, 82, 84, 92, 93 (quoted), 94; and Garrison Hill, 89, 95, 96; relieved, 102; skeleton tied to tree, 195; and Firs Hill, 229; Memorial, 255
S.E.A.C., 20, 153
S.S. (Special Service) Company, 143rd, 119, 121–2, 138, 142–3, 146, 148, 211, 214, 219, 221
Sachema, 80, 81
Sakurai, General, 27
Sangshak, 30, 36, 43, 48 n, 59, 67
Sanukawae, Captain Tsuneo, 58; at Kohima (quoted), 58–9
Sato, Lieut.-General Kotuku; personal details of, 5–6, 98; and Kohima, 8, 17, 32, 35, 36, 38, 43, 48 n, 49, 58, 63, 65, 93, 94, 97, 111–114; and Imphal, 58, 97, 98, 114; and Dimapur, 64, 65; at Khangjang, 67; his difficulties, 93; his plan, 97; and Soult, 98; and Mutaguchi, 97–8, 114, 130, 137, 142, 170, 184, 199–200, 230, 238, 240–1, 243, 244–5, 251–2; his losses at Kohima, 104; his operation order captured, 106; his failure at D.C.’s Bungalow, 114; and 5th Brigade flanking movement, 129; and Zubza, 135; and supplies, 184–6; and his troops, 186; his Order of the Day, 199; requests permission to retire, 199–200; his situation on 13/5/44, 201; pulling out, 229, 230; comments on staff of 15th Army (Jap.), 230; appreciation of, 238; and his wounded, 240; his farewell speech, 244–5; dismissed, 251–2; could he have won?, 252–3
Sato, Captain Shiro, 67
Saunders, Lieut.-Colonel Peter, 106, 111, 154, 158, 165, 166, 218; personal details of, 154
Scoones, Lieut.-General, 19, 27; his administrative plan, 27; at Imphal, 28–31, 40, 42, 58, 130, 143, 152–3; his qualities, 28
Scott, Lieut.-Colonel Robert, 120–1, 146, 148–9, 158–61, 166–7, 172–3, 182–3, 187, 194–5, 217–18; and Goschen, 146, 149, 181; a casualty, 218
Seac (14th Army newspaper), 177, 179
Seale, Sergeant (Dorsets), 150
Shapland, Brigadier J. D., 90, 99, 106, 108–9, 129, 162–5, 211–12, 217–21, 237; personal details of, 212; quoted, 219, 219–20, 220–1
Sharp, Richard (B.B.C.), 198; quoted, 198–9
Shaw, Major (Queen’s), 182
Shell-fire in trees, 70
Shibasaki, Major, 48 n, 102
Shibata, General, 200
Shimanoe, Major, 67, 114
‘Shrewsbury’ (area), 108, 120
Shuttle, Captain (D.L.I.), 129
Simpson, Lieut.-Colonel (A. & Q., 2 Div.), 116
Singapore, 202
Sittaung, Japanese field hospital at, 244
Slim, General (later Field-Marshal) Sir William J. (later Viscount Slim), 8, 10, 19, 36, 40, 44, 49; his command, 19, 22; and coming Japanese offensive, 23–4, 27; on Scoones, 28, 30; and Mountbatten, 29, 239–40; his ‘mistake’, 30; on Warren, 40, 41; and Stopford, 49–50; and Jorhat conferences, 56, 105; and relief of Kohima, 76, 97; on courage, 93; and Sato at Kohima, 130; his many problems, 130–1; and Kohima Ridge, 144–5; and Imphal, 152–3, 188; on Japanese soldiers, 201; on 2nd Division, 247, 250; on Japanese generalship, 252; quoted, xiii–xiv, 19, 23, 24 bis, 28, 30, 40, 41, 93, 141, 144, 201, 242, 247, 252
Smith, Brigadier (I.A.), 237; quoted, 237
Somerville, Admiral Sir James, 20
Somra: Hills, 27; Tracts, 26, 29
South-East Asia Command, 20, 153
‘Soya links’, 4
‘Stamina’, Operation (air lift), 130
State Forces Battalion, 33, 34, 53–4, 57
‘Stepping-up’, explained, 211
Stevens, Brigadier (C.C.R.A., 33rd Corps), 88, 187; quoted, 248
Steyn, Peter (Burma Reg’t), 26; quoted, 46, 57, 91, 95, 103
Stilwell, General Joseph W. (‘Vinegar Joe’), 20, 21, 32, 105, 143
Stock, Captain Roger (D.L.I.), 112
Stocker, Lieut.-Colonel Jack, 77, 107, 124
Stockton, Lieutenant (D.L.I.), 113
Stopford, General (later Sir) Montagu, personal details of, 1–2; his call to battle, 16–17; and Grover, 16, 29, 57, 73, 76, 80, 97, 105–6, 108, 118, 135, 143–5, 169–72, 187, 188, 207–8, 231–2, 239, 251; brought forward, 30; at Comilla, 32; at Imphal, 40; and Kohima, 44, 45, 49–50, 70, 73; i/c troops Assam and Surma valleys, 55; his tasks and forces, 55; and Jorhat conferences, 56, 105; and Dimapur conferences, 57; orders counter-attack, 70; and Bunker Hill, 88; and Japanese prisoner, 148; on Kohima (quoted), 203; his problems, 207; and Messervy, 207–8, 209; and 7th Division’s march South, 226; and
S.E.A.C. staff, 240; quoted, 1, 49, 49–50, 203
Stretcher-bearer’s courage, 113–14, 191
Summerhouse Hill, 53, 65, 69, 104, 128
Supplies for a brigade (in detail), 141
‘Supremo’ (supreme commander), 20
Surma Valley, 55
Takata, Major K., 185
Tanaka, Lieut.-General Nobua, 36, 186, 200, 223
Tanks in operations, 87, 109, 132, 135, 169, 194, 196–8, 201, 205, 227–8, 234, 238, 241–2, 249
Tazoe, Major-General, 230
Tennis-court battle, 126–7, 150–1, 163, 169, 198
Terauchi, Field-Marshal Count, 64, 185, 241, 242
Terrace Hill, 99, 100
Theobalds, Colonel (later Brigadier), 128, 194
Thomas, Lieut.-Colonel (I.A.), 222
Thorburn, Captain Ian (Brigade Major), 100, 123, 124
‘Three little pigs…’ in Urdu, 196
Tiddim, 8, 28, 36
Times, The, 177
Tojo, General, 6, 22, 186; quoted, 23
Tokyo Radio, 27, 46
Tools, entrenching, 74
Torburg, 36
Torikai, Colonel, 35, 48, 71, 114, 135
Toshikazu, Kase, quoted, 242, 243
Tottenham, Brigadier Loftus, 170, 172, 174, 180–3, 192–5, 222, 224, 228–9, 250; personal details of, 172; quoted, 172
Transport aircraft (borrowed), 36, 38, 55, 139, 143, 153, 188, 223, 239
Treasury Hill and Ridge, 67, 69, 82, 142, 150, 158, 171, 195, 197, 201–2, 224–6, 235, 254
Tsuji, Colonel Masanobu, 9
Tuphema, 36, 49, 186
Twidle, Major (R. Norfolks), 161
Two Tree Hill, 138, 144, 148
U.S.A.A.F., 82, 152
Ukhrul, 26, 30, 185
‘Uma Hill’ (Jail Hill, q.v.), 63
Usui, Major, 185
Uyu, River, 23
V.C.O.’s (explanation of), 208 n
‘V’ Force (Intelligence Screen), 23, 26, 29, 35, 39, 53
Viswema, 239, 240
Walsh, Major-General R. P. Pakenham, quoted, 249
Warren, Brigadier D. F. W. (‘Daddy’) 37, 40, 42, 44–5, 49, 250; personal details of, 40–1; his ‘job’, 41; and Richards, 61; and relief of Kohima, 61–3, 68, 70, 71, 74, 76, 78, 80, 86, 89–93, 95, 99, 108, 167, 170, 172, 229; quoted, 45, 86
Watari, Captain, 87, 111, 129, 232
Water shortages, 67, 72–3, 83–4, 140, 174, 183, 254
Waterhouse, Major ‘Tank’ (D.L.I.), 111–13; quoted, 128
Waterhouse, Sergeant (R.A.C), 197
Waterproofing Festival and Workshop Exhibition, 1, 2, 4
Watts, Major Alan (Dorsets), 150, 151
Wavell, Field-Marshal the Earl (Viceroy of India, 1943–47), 21; quoted, xiii
Wellington Massar, Sepoy, I.D.S.M., 91–2
West, Brigadier Michael Alston-Roberts-, 204–7, 232, 234–5, 241; personal details of, 204; at Pfuchama, 236
West, Lieut.-Colonel Willie, 107, 136
West Yorkshire Regiment, 34, 35, 38
White, Major Geoffrey (Dorsets), 125–6, 127, 196, 239; quoted, 51, 126, 150, 151, 196, 197
White, Captain Neil (C.H.), 154, 155, 205, 248
Williams, Private (R. West Kents), 84
Wingate, Major-General Orde (see also Chindits), 22, 27, 31, 35
Wood, Brigadier (C. of S., 2 Div.), 106–8, 169, 170, 174; quoted, 174
Woodward, Lieutenant (Worcesters), 206
Worcestershire Regiment, 7th, 2, 51; and road block, 76; in Zubza, 77, 78, 86, 101; and ‘grouse drive’, 86; and divisional artillery, 88; and Merema, 110, 123, 124, 125; and Firs Hill, 144, 146, 154, 158; and officers’ patrols, 145, 248; and Naga Village, 166, 167, 207, 232; and Church Knoll, 205, 206, 209; to Phesema, 236–7; and Aradura Spur, 237; and Maram, 241; Memorial, 255
Wounded, 68, 69, 72, 74, 80, 82, 89, 91, 128, 159, 161, 164; evacuation of, 68, 82, 96, 100, 117, 135, 164, 166, 168, 172, 177–9, 239
Yamaki, Colonel (Japanese intelligence officer), quoted, 48 n, 86 n, 158 n, 241 bis
Yamauchi, General, 8, 200; personal details of, 200
Yanagida, Lieut-General, 8, 36, 186, 200; personal details of, 200
Yeo, Major Dick (R.A.), 60, 62, 68, 69, 72, 74, 95–6, 103
Young, Lieut.-Colonel John (R.A.M.C.), 65, 68, 96
Young, Captain (Assam Reg’t), 26, 38, 42, 48
Zubza, 68, 71, 74, 76–8, 80–1, 86, 90, 96–7, 100–1, 103, 106, 108, 133–5, 140, 142, 168, 178; bath unit and canteen at, 175
Zubza Valley, 111, 123, 162, 178, 254
About Kohima
Described by Mountbatten as ‘one of the greatest battles in history’, Kohima is a thrilling tale of heroism and combat action, from a man who fought there himself.
7 March 1944: Tokyo announced that the Japanese invasion of British India had begun. By mid-month, the Japanese had crossed the Chindwin River in northern Burma, advancing towards Imphal and Kohima. In bitter jungle fighting from early April, the British Fourteenth Army, under Field Marshal Slim, held the Japanese assault on Kohima Ridge. By late June the Japanese were in headlong retreat.
Drawing on documents and diaries from Japanese as well as Allied sources, Arthur Swinson presents a fascinating account of a battle that ranks with Alamein, Midway and Stalingrad as one of the most strategically important of World War 2.
About Arthur Swinson
ARTHUR SWINSON was a British army officer, playwright, historian and BBC producer. He served in the 2nd British Division at Kohima. The author of some twenty works of non-fiction, Arthur Swinson died in 1970.
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First published in the UK in 1966 by Cassel & Company Ltd
First published in the UK in 2015 by Head of Zeus Ltd
Copyright © Arthur Swinson, 1966
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ISBN (E) 9781784081775
ISBN (HB) 9781784081782
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