Irrawaddy Burma 13th BN, The Kings Liverpool Reg.

Hi, I am new to this site and I was wondering if anyone out there can help me with a question on my Great Uncle's final days in Burma, he was with The Kings Liverpool Reg, 13th Bn. He was killed in April 1943, I believe around about Irrawaddy, I would like to know [ if possible] what happened regarding fighting that took place there.
I know he is buried in Rangoon, at first he was assumed missing or even taken POW, I would like to know how I can find out if he was a POW.
I know I am most likely asking too much information, but any help will be much appreciated.

 

welcome sandra,try the commonwealth graves commission..

:: CWGC ::

 

2 Sites that may interest you Burma Star association and Fepow far east prisoners of war site. Both may help you in you search on the regiment in question. My grandfather served with that regiment in supporting artillery role. However I know very little about it personally.

 

Hi, Thanks for the info, I will look on the site you have have said, I have found much information on the battle he was in, [ Wingates Longcloth Exped.]
I hope you have found much information on your Grandfather's service out there, was he K.I.A or did he survive?
It's great to have sites like this and being able to ask for information, it all goes to help keeping memories of those who fought alive.
Thanks again for your help.
Regards
Sandra

 

here's one I bumped into,you could try it.. Find a Soldier

 

Hi, Sandra

Welcome to the Forum.

This page gives details on the operation of which your Gt Uncle was a member. The CWGC lists one casualty for 13th Bn in April 1943: 27th Pte John Tonks (Age 20). Don't know if this is your Gt Uncle.

Steve W.

 

Hi, Thanks to those who have given me information on 13th Bn The Kings Liverpool, I know where he is mentioned on the Rangoon memorial and that he was CSM with his reg, I only want to know if he was a POW and died in the camps or was he killed during fighting. His body was never found. His name was John Fraser wilson.

 

Try & visit the National Archives in Kew, London and look up their war diaries.
Here's the catalogue numbers.
WO 172/2516 13 King's Regiment (Liverpool) Covering dates1943 Jan.- Dec.
WO 172/251713 King's Regiment (Liverpool) 5 Column1943 Feb.- Apr.
WO 172/251813 King's Regiment (Liverpool) 7 Column1943 Apr.- June
WO 172/251913 King's Regiment (Liverpool) 8 Column1943 Feb.- May

 

73 men from 13th Kings listed on CWGC for April 1943

ge 1 of 4
001 ADEYGA378002513TH BN 10/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
002 ANSTEEJR562757513TH BN 29/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
003 ARRIESMR84352613TH BN 30/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
004 BALDWINE511653713TH BN 20/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
005 BARRETTJ376815013TH BN 07/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
006 BAXTERH512008613TH BN 29/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
007 BEARDAJ511675513TH BN 12/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
008 BOYCEJ298135713TH BN 30/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
009 BOYDJO518316913TH BN 13/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
010 BOYLEEJ377925413TH BN 01/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
011 BRIDGEMANJE378167913TH BN 12/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
012 BROMLEYJ378139513TH BN 17/04/1943 - - 18/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
013 BURKEC378005613TH BN 01/04/1943 - - 02/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
014 BURNSJ378008813TH BN 15/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
015 CLARKA378164913TH BN 24/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
016 CLARKED377934613TH BN 27/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
017 COOKEJ377226113TH BN 30/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
018 CUMMINGSHV511641313TH BN 28/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
019 CURRYT378165013TH BN 30/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
020 DAVIDSONJ91201813TH BN 16/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)

021 EARDLEYWA511666813TH BN 27/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
022 FITTONH378162413TH BN 30/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
023 FORTHAF738185813TH BN 09/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
024 FOSHEJ378068113TH BN 02/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
025 FRANEYJ377593713TH BN 24/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
026 GILMARTINC377934813TH BN 04/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
027 GLASGOWRC319255313TH BN 30/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
028 HODGKINSC511277213TH BN 15/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
029 HORTONE511447413TH BN 17/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
030 HOWELLWRT602395713TH BN 02/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
031 HUBBALLJH512407513TH BN 30/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
032 HUMPHRIEST512019013TH BN 05/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
033 JAMESTA377944413TH BN 18/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
034 JOHNSONF378172013TH BN 21/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
035 KINGJ377935613TH BN 24/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
036 LAWTONL420812013TH BN 18/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
037 LAYBOURNES446871713TH BN 17/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
038 LENTONJ583303613TH BN 29/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
039 LISTERW365736513TH BN 15/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
040 MARTINGF446621713TH BN 01/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)

041 MARTINJ371398313TH BN 30/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
042 MCGUFFIER377507313TH BN 15/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
043 MCMANUSJ377637913TH BN 28/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
044 NOLANP377929913TH BN 13/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
045 O'GORMANAC378070813TH BN 10/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
046 OPENSHAWT377861213TH BN 30/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
047 PAGINTONWG518308013TH BN 27/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
048 PARRYWC377927013TH BN 05/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
049 PURDYLA629650813TH BN 15/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
050 RACKHAMGD512372013TH BN 07/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
051 RICHARDSONS378159913TH BN 15/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
052 RIGBYA377268913TH BN 27/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
053 ROBERTSONS377919513TH BN 05/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
054 ROBINSONS511663913TH BN 01/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
055 ROSSC377945413TH BN 02/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
056 SATCHELLW378157213TH BN 24/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
057 SHURDENT511910013TH BN 15/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
058 SPEARSG419821113TH BN 05/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
059 STREVENSAJ562843113TH BN 05/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
060 SWITHENBYJ378087113TH BN 02/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)

061 TAYLORJ365447413TH BN 30/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
062 TILLRC378014313TH BN 15/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
063 TONKSJ420650313TH BN 27/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
064 WALLACERJ378156613TH BN 24/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
065 WAYMANFE582714313TH BN 09/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
066 WEBBKD420245713TH BN 28/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
067 WESTONR446693313TH BN 26/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
068 WHISTONAA511982813TH BN 29/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
069 WHITELRP396847413TH BN 25/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
070 WILLIAMSEW419758613TH BN 11/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
071 WILSONJF318664613TH BN 30/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
072 WITHERIDGEWH510791713TH BN 18/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)
073 WORSLEYE511905613TH BN 24/04/1943THE KING'S REGIMENT (LIVERPOOL)

 

Welcome to the Forum.

 

Sandra,

Your great uncle was a Chindit:

The Chindits Roll of Honour

Short of finding someone who was with him when he was captured or killed it may not be possible for you to ever find an answer.

The jungle reclaims everything quickly and if he didn't die in combat or from disease then the tender mercies of the Japanese POW guards certainly didn't help.

From the historical aspect in the link below you'll see that certain smaller cemeteries, due to post war "unrest", could not be maintained so it is possible he was buried and the grave has been lost to time.

CWGC :: Cemetery Details

Hopefully, someone comes up with another avenue of approach that may give you a more positive answer than I have been able to.

 

Just ran the search, again, using Geoff's Search Engine, with same date range and got your result! Can't understand why only one came up yesterday. Anyway, glad to se it's working as it should!

Steve W.

 

Hi, thanks for all information received, it all goes to finding out more about him.
I will keep on serching to se if he was a POW.

 

Welcome to the forums, Sandra.

 

hope your search bears fruit sandra,ray..

 

Which one is your relative?
I didn't go throught the list looking for CSMs.
I'm sure you'll find answers in the war diaries.
Have you contacted The King's Regimental Museum/archives ?

 

Hi, He was John fraser Wilson, CSM, I have his war records and burial site, I would like to know what his battalion was upto on the day he was killed, 30th April 1943 and also if he was a POW or KIA.
I have many paper cuttings with his name and picture on from that time.
maybe I am asking to much for more info.
But, hey, thanks for your help, much appreciated.

 

Hi Sandra, i see many have already helped, i hope you'll find what you are looking for

 

Hi Sandra,

I was browsing the web, when I came across your post about CSM Fraser.
I have been researching the Longcloth Chindits for over two years now. The reason being my Grandfather was in the 13th Kings in 1943. He sadly died in Rangoon Jail in June that same year.

Basically I have a lot of paperwork on the unit and your Great Uncle John was with Wingate's own Brigade HQ on the operation. This I am afraid is the only piece of confirmed info I have about him, other than he was reported Missing in Action on 30/04/43, the same day as his given date of death. The MIA would be the last time he was seen by the most senior officer with him at the time. With this operation many men are basically lost to the jungle and their last movements are not known. He could easily have been alive for a few more days passed that date.

Having read the War diaries very closely I would say that when Wingate decided to break the HQ into smaller dispersal units in late March or very early April, your G. Uncle would have been in a group led by either an officer called Hosegood or one called Wilding. It will be impossible to ever be sure. But this group became caught between the Irrawaddy and Shweli Rivers during April. Then were run to ground by Japanese forces and eventually engaged by them on 30/04/43. Some were killed others taken POW.

Of the list put on the posts by Wessex W. the following men were also in Brigade HQ: Arries, Boyce, Cooke, Taylor and an Indian Army Officer Pat Gordon, all are lost in late April, just like John.
I have some of the diaries on digital image, If you want to PM me, we can discuss how I can get this all to you?
A very good book to read to get an understanding of what they all went through is 'March or Die' by Phil Chinnery. It has some first hand accounts of Brigade HQ, by some veterans who were there.

Sorry the post has got so long.

Bamboo 43.

 

For a first post thats pretty useful stuff...Stick around.