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    Harry Fecitt

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    Posts posted by Harry Fecitt

    1. On 07/08/2022 at 08:38, Nick Symes said:

      Hi Harry, this is a really interesting article.  I dont suppose you have any information about the Turkana Irregulars that were mobilised in WW2 for duty on the Abyssinian frontier.  I am researching this as my great Uncle Thomas "Pinkie" Jackson was responsible for raising this army and I have a few photos, but there isnt a great deal of information on it that I can find.  Many thanks. Nick

      Nick

      Greetings

      In my book on the KAR & East African Forces in both World Wars, on page 246 of Volume II I list as a Mention in Despatches recipient:

      JACKSON T.H.E., Captain, East African Irregular Battalion and Kenya Regiment.  London Gazette entry on page 7366 dated 30 December 1941.

       

      Is this your Great Uncle?

      Harry

       

    2. On 07/08/2022 at 08:38, Nick Symes said:

      Hi Harry, this is a really interesting article.  I dont suppose you have any information about the Turkana Irregulars that were mobilised in WW2 for duty on the Abyssinian frontier.  I am researching this as my great Uncle Thomas "Pinkie" Jackson was responsible for raising this army and I have a few photos, but there isnt a great deal of information on it that I can find.  Many thanks. Nick

       

      Nick, Greetings.

      Although this does not answer your question, here is an article that lists Turkaland operations in 1940:  http://www.kaiserscross.com/188001/583622.html

    3. Cazack

      Greetings

      I cannot comment on the medal roll but Peter Charlton's excellent 227 A4-size-page book CINDERELLA's SOLDIERS.  THE NYASALAND VOLUNTEER RESERVE has an Appendix No. 6 - Roll of Nyasaland Volunteer Reserve Members awarded Africa General Service Medal with Bar Nyasaland 1915 for Chilembe Uprising.  247 names are listed, 10 are Europeans and a Doctor from 1 KAR, and the remainder are Europeans on the Nyasaland Volunteer Reserve plus a few government officials.  Good Luck.  Harry

       

    4. Greetings All (or Jambo!)

      In June a book of mine will come out which is a compilation of all the awards made to the King's African Rifles and East African Forces in BOTH World Wars and in ALL theatres - British, German and Italian East Africa, Madagascar and Burma.  There will be descriptive text and ORBATS, and award citations will be shown in full where available, or instructive comments made on the likely locations of the actions.

      To hopefully make more people aware, particularly in East Africa, of the military history on their doorstep a new website - The Heroes of the East African Campaign of World War - can be found here: https://www.heroes.guerrillasoftsavo.com/ 

      It is being maintained by colleagues in East Africa.

      My aim is to post fairly short , well illustrated and easily understood articles with complete gallantry award details where relevant, so that local people can relate to the brave deeds of their ancestors in fighting against dictatorship and evil.

      Please take a look - you should at least enjoy some of the hundreds of colour photos that I have taken during many safaris around the battlefields.

      (This in no way inhibits my activity with the Harry's Africa and Harry's Sideshows webpages which will continue to receive more detailed and involved articles on larger military actions.)

      Kwaheri    Harry

    5. The Durham Light Infantry Regimental Memorial.

      This is located inside the grounds of the Chief Secretary's Official Residence, just behind the Governor's House. It is not available for viewing by the public.

      (Credit for the last three images goes to Khonoma Tours & treks, whose page with the photos can be found on Facebook.)

    6. Gentlemen & Fellow Members

      Thank you very much - but the applause has to go to the Naga Community who stood by Britain and her Allies when others did not.

      That community made the story.

      I hope that, after representation in Delhi, the Indian Army will refurbish the Punjabi Memorial before the 70th Anniversary commemorations.

      Any Member wishing to tour Kohima, and the very extensive Imphal battlefields to the south, can do no better than to contact Hemant at Battle of Imphal Tours:

      http://www.battleofimphal.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6&Itemid=60

      Hemant is from an Indian military family and he is very knowledgeable about the serious fighting in the region during WW2.

      (Presently I am in Muscat en route to my European base, and some Imphal Battlefield threads will follow later.)

      Thank you, on behalf of the Nagas, again. Harry

    7. The defence of Kohima just held because of artillery support fired from a defensive box down the Dimapur Road at Zubzub.

      This happened because a Brigadier disobeyed orders and established the box at Zubzub instead of moving the guns to Kohima, where he knew that there were no suitable gun positions.

      Nagas willingly carried supplies and ammunition from Zubzub, further leftwards down the valley, up this route and over the ridge to Kohima. Wounded were carried on the return journey (the Japanese had a block on the main road).

      Tough, rugged country, and brave, tough, rugged men.

      If you wish to express gratitude towards the Nagas then please consider supporting the Kohima Educational Trust:

      http://www.kohimaeducationaltrust.net/

      Thank you, Harry.

    8. To mark this year's 70th anniversary of the Battle of Kohima the local Naga community is constructing, at its own expense, this memorial to Major-General John Grover, commander of British 2nd Division.

      2 DIV undertook heavy fighting in the relief of Kohima.

      General Grover's daughter-in-law will attend the unveiling of the memorial.

      (John Grover was very popular with the British soldiers in his Division, but he did not pay too much attention to his Indian troops. He was not popular with his XXXIII Corps Commander, Lieutenant-General Sir Montagu Stopford who sacked him when the battle of Kohima was over.

      When the main troopship carrying 2 DIV personnel to the UK for repatriation arrived, their old General was on the dock waiting to greet them. The cry went up "Grover, Grover" and the men rushed to that side of the deck and tilted it, seriously worrying the captain.

      They don't make charismatic generals like that anymore. )

    9. The Punjabi Memorial at FSD (Field Supply Depot) above Garrison Hill, Kohima.

      This fine memorial definitely needs re-furbishing, but I doubt that India and Pakistan will ever get together to fund the necessary work.

      Does any Member have any connections with ex-Punjabi officers who might be interested in fund-raising to restore this memorial?

      (Chris, the in-town British Regimental memorials look OK because the local Nagas want them to be that way.)

    10. Kohima War Cemetery extends dramatically down the slopes of Garrison Hill, showing the difficulties faced by the determined Japanese attackers coming uphill.

      Muslim graves are mainly located at the top of the hill.

      The Indian Army regiments, particularly the Assam Regiment who also held Garrison Hill, have never been awarded sufficient recognition for their collective gallantry at Kohima.

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