1st/8th Battalion XX The Lancashire Fusiliers Kohima 1944

Animated map of the Burma Campaign http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/interactive/animations/wwtwo_map_burma/index_embed.shtml

"From the writings of McCann, this version is new to most of us and could be inaccurate, other LF vets allege that much of his writing is fanciful to say the least"

Lt Alan Hulme Whitfield. Name: WHITFIELD, ALAN HULME Initials: A H Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Lieutenant Regiment/Service: Lancashire Fusiliers Unit Text: 1/8th Bn. Age: 24 Date of Death: 28/04/1944 Service No: 193380 Additional information: Son of Richard and Ann Whitfield; husband of Beryl Whitfield, of Stoneygate, Leicester. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: 1. A. 10. Cemetery: KOHIMA WAR CEMETERY Sent in by Edward Stratton. Alan on his wedding day Spring of 1942

	A	B	C	D
1.	These 3 photo are D.A. Robinsons 82nd Birthday present
2.		207738 Captain Eric Bentley,Wounded in the Battle of Kohima
3.		known as (Bunker Buster) Barnett	This is CSM Scarrat Click on his Photo to see his story and Japanees captured papers which have been translated into English
4.	14518314 Sgt Ken Coward B Coy 1/8th LF Burma	Ken Coward died 29/03/06 at the Southport hospital on the Gold Coast Australia. he was 81 years old		3713573 Corporal Harold Ford 1st / 8th Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers (served at Kohima) 3” Mortar Platoon

 

3389927 Edward Frost Date of birth 12/04/16 Edward Frost Edward Frost and H Allen Click on phots to enlarge them My uncle, Regimental number 3389927 Edward Frost Date of birth 12/04/16 was a Lancashire Fusilier and fought with the Chindits in Burma.He rarely spoke about his experiences but I believe he was wounded twice. When he returned from the war he was both physically and mentally damagedbut, his elder sister, my mother, took him in and, as my parents had separated in 1941 when I was only a few months old, my Uncle Eddy became a surrogate father to me, as much as he was able, when he came home in 1946. He died at the age of about 79. He never collected his campaign medals. One of his rare stories was that he should have been awarded a bravery medal but it was given to someone else in error and so he didn't want to get any medals at all. We didn't know whether to believe this story or not - from time-to-time he did have what the family considered to be strange ideas. (One was that there were still snipers after him.) However - the reason for my enquiry is that I would be grateful to know if, even after all these years it would be possible for the family to obtain Eddy's campaign medals. I hope you can help. Yours faithfully James Hewitson (Medals now applied for, watch this space- Joe.)

CORPORAL 3449600 RICHARD PATTERSON 1/8TH Bn. THE LANCASHIRE FUSILIERS Just found your web site. My dad was in the Lancashire Fusiliers. When he lived in Sale in Cheshire upuntil the 90's he used to go to their meeting once a month on a Monday at a place in Salford. He had a major stroke four years ago, just before he had stroke I helped him setup a web site,you may find it of some interest All the best, Paul Patterson.

 

Andy Watson GM Andy Watson GM on his motor Bike " 93 years old Andy Watson marching down Whitehall,representing the 1/8th Bn XX The Lancashire Fusiliers on VJ day 2010. Lt Andrew Watson GM was wounded on the 26th April 1944 at Merima Ridge Kohima." Click on photo to enlarge it "On 26 April 1944 at about 0530 the Japs launched an attack and Bob Elkin was killed - our first officer casualty on Merema Ridge The same morning at about 0930 Lt Andy Watson GM was wounded during an attack on a Jap bunker "Knocker" West was killed on 9 June 1944 The history of the Lancashire Fusiliers" by John Hallam, page 125; "At 9 am the next day,C Coy was ordered to sieze a small feature held by the enemy in unknown strength.The Japanese met them with fire from light machine guns and snipers,but the attack was pressed home and the feature taken at the cost of 7 Other Ranks killed and Lieutenant A.P Watson GM wounded"

"The Irrawaddy"

A list of Lancashire Fusilier Casualties (almost all killed in action) from the various campaigns in Burma click here to go to list

This was sent to us by Salford War Memorials trust ( SWARM), probably used to hang in the drill hall at Cross Lane salford, the home of the 8th Bn.

 

"Medals and awards known to have been won during this campaign by the 1/8th Battalion
" Info from theCatalogue of medals from Dr A W Stott's collection,sold in London 1997 at DNW Auction house."
Click here for the link to Dr Stotts.

Name Date Medal / Awards James Henry Barnett (Bunker Buster) 17th July 1945 D.C.M.:1939-45 Star: Burma Star:Defence and War Medals and "Mention in Dispatches"

Name	Date	Medal / Awards
L/Sgt P Waldron	11th July 1944	Military Medal. 1939-45 Star Burma Star Defence and War Medal