Wars and ConflictsΒ permalink
ww2 troops sent to india
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Message 1.Β
Posted by julieanne001 (U13917678) on Wednesday, 15th April 2009
i'm trying to find out about my grandad, he served in the second world war and was posted to india, were there lots of regiments that went to india? how would i find out which regiment he was in? his name is john frances flood, he was born in battersea but lived in bournemouth during ww2. we don't know much more, any ideas?
does anyone know why they were in india, and what it was like for them? -
Message 2
Posted by 2295wynberglad (U7761102) on Wednesday, 15th April 2009
As to why they were in India, thats easy as the Japs had pushed all befor them in Burma, and were stoped at Imphal And Kohima. Then The British And The British Indian Army had the job of pushing the japs back. And not forgetting the yanks as well.
But What regiment as ther were a great number of them posted to India Try the records office in Glasgow if you have his service number. -
Message 3
Posted by julieanne001 (U13917678) on Wednesday, 15th April 2009
thank you . that is very helpful.
i don't know his service number so i may come up against a brick wall but will try -
Message 4
Posted by LongWeekend (U3023428) on Wednesday, 15th April 2009
julieanne
If anyone in your family has any of his wartime letters, they may well have his service number on them, or reference to his unit and where he was stationed at the time (not always removed by the censor if a base area).
Similarly, if there are any photographs, it might be possible to identify his unit badges, and you may find information written on the back (amazing what people put on the back of photographs). If you can identify his regiment/Corps, the relevant museum may be able to help.
Does anyone have any idea of what he served in?
Regards
LW -
Message 5
Posted by julieanne001 (U13917678) on Thursday, 16th April 2009
hello.
we have one photograph of him in india in his khaki uniform, he is stood by a rail track, no writing on back of photo, my grandmother died some years ago, so can't ask her, my grandad never liked to talk about the war, only that he was shot sent home to be repaired and then sent back to india again, were all troops sent to burma in india? or did different regiments get sent to different parts of india?
thanks -
Message 6
Posted by Vizzer aka U_numbers (U2011621) on Thursday, 16th April 2009
julieanne -
the British Army in India was garrisoned in several locations around the country including Pune (Poona) and Bangalore etc. If your grandfather was shot during the Second World War then it is highly likely that he saw combat in Assam or Burma and was in the Fourteenth Army. In which case the Burma Star Association (veterans organisation) would be a good starting point:
best of luck
Vizzer -
Message 7
Posted by julieanne001 (U13917678) on Thursday, 16th April 2009
vizzer
thank-you so much, you have given me a good starting point, he had medals but unfortunatly these dissapeared maybe one of his medals was the burma star.
julieanne -
Message 8
Posted by 2295wynberglad (U7761102) on Thursday, 16th April 2009
julieanne.
Is there any chance of asight of a cap badge or a lanyard, these can often give the regiment away.
Stood by a railway track that could be almost any transit camp in India, Poona could be Lahore or Lucknow and for sure Bangalore did have a rail yard near. I was there as a wee lad.
Regiments Sussex, Royal West Kents and the Gloucesters did pass through.
Sorry to say that just about every British Regiment went to India at some stage. -
Message 9
Posted by Spruggles (U13892773) on Thursday, 16th April 2009
A visit to the British Army Museum might go some way of giving you an idea of what it was like in India during the war. There is also Army records that list awards (campaign medals were allotted to most servicemen) As already suggested the 14th Army would be a good starting point. I believe the Essex Regiment and the Royal Artillery served in both locations.
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Message 10
Posted by LongWeekend (U3023428) on Thursday, 16th April 2009
julieanne
You asked what it was like for soldiers in India. The "Peoples War" section of this site has some accounts of people who were there. This links to the Burma section:
George MacDonald Fraser's "Quartered Safe Out Here" is a superb account of his service as a Lance Corporal in Burma, and is available in most book shops. This gives a very good idea of the ordinary soldier's experience.
If you have access to a reasonable library, Michael Hickey's "The Unforgettable XIVth Army" is a very readable account of the Burma campaigns, and has the Orders of Battle of the British and Indian Divisions, with all the regiments listed.
LW -
Message 11
Posted by petaluma (U10056951) on Thursday, 16th April 2009
julieanne, I was in India 1945 to 1947 but sorry can't help you, without his service number pretty well impossible. When he was discharged he would have received a card listing all the regiments he had served in, as may have landed from one regiment but then transferred to another, so often even knowing a regiment trained in no clue. There were many different regiments in India some were dubbed, 'The Delhi Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔguard' being stationed there for so long. During 1943 there were riots by the Indians demanding home rule from Britain, to quieten them the Indians were promised freedom after the war but was denied to them, many British troops were kept solely to prevent them doing so. Britain rearmed Japanese troops in Vietnam just three weeks after the war ended, as the Vietnam now being free of foreign powers thought they could now gain control of their country without foreign intervention, knowing Britain was fighting for freedom thought now the Japanese were defeated they would be granted freedom by a Democracy, that wouldn't be the case the French had it back courtesy of the British.
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Message 12
Posted by julieanne001 (U13917678) on Friday, 17th April 2009
petaluma
thank you so much for the information, its given a little insight into what went on in india. i only wish i had asked him about it more but he didn't like to talk about it.
thank-you -
Message 13
Posted by caveman1944 (U11305692) on Friday, 17th April 2009
Message 5.
All photographs should have some information on the reverse. As much as possible in fact.
John -
Message 14
Posted by julieanne001 (U13917678) on Friday, 17th April 2009
we have just had a really good look at the photo. he is wearing a flat soft looking cap, badge on cap but cant make out what it says or what shape it is. on his left arm of the uniform two v shaped stripes. do you know what these strips would mean?
thanks
julieanne -
Message 15
Posted by 2295wynberglad (U7761102) on Friday, 17th April 2009
julieanne
two V shaped stripes means he held the rank of corporal. 1= lance CPL 2=Cpl 3=sargent. Now I think if you can see a lanyard on his right sholder if its white thats Royal Artilery other colours for different corps, i.e signals engineers etc.
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