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Grandfather's Story
A CIVILIAN GOES TO WAR, (AND RETURNS UNSCATHED)
by
Cpl. Arthur George Pike 14260370
Page 8
hadn't they? Not a
wise judgment, but it worked. As it got dark the mule corporal wisely
opted out of coming with me. I didn't realise he was new to the front, but
he outranked me, so I went on in the dark by myself. The voice that said "Halt, who
goes there?" I have considered to be the best sound I have ever heard. I went back and brought
the mules in and then scuttled back to HQ as fast as I could. During this episode in the
dark I passed any number of people, and I assume none of them were enemy. Perhaps I was born
lucky?
I was given the job of manning an O. P. in the cathedral tower. I could see
men digging defensive positions, but the message came that the C.O. did not want enemy
fire directed at the cathedral, and I came down.
While we were clearing the city, Scott was with the force attacking Mandalay
Hill. Much more dramatic, but we were successful, and the Battalion were soon chasing
the enemy who had escaped through the sewers.
I was sent on an advance party to Maymyo to relieve the Welch, who had captured
it with a broad sweep on the left flank. Maymyo was a hill-station and had a golf course,
and a wag later asked me if the Japs stood still while I was putting! It was a much
cooler place and a pleasant break until we were off again towards Rangoon. The advance was
so rapid that our supporting force had to wait for 5 Div to clear the track ahead.
It was important to get to Rangoon before the monsoon storms arrived.
Our task down the Rangoon Road was to guard the left flank at Toungoo where
there was a road leading eastwards. The huge force of enemy cut off to the west of the
Sittang River would try to escape back to Japan up this road. So we began the battle
of the Mawchi Road. There were tin mines at Mawchi, and a good road to Toungoo for
the lorries. A 'staircase' looked an ideal defensive position, but they hadn't
the strength to try to hold it.
Initially the enemy tried to stop our advance, and one evening we were standing
by to thwart their reinforcements. Nothing happened and it seems likely the Karen
native forces had dealt with them.
There was a left fork to Thandaung's tea estate, and the junction became known
as Gerrards Cross after our Brigadier when he captured it. I was with the force
which captured the tea factory, and we actually had a roof over our heads for a very
brief period.
Our units took turns to garrison villages on the Rangoon Road and advance up
the Mawchi Road. The commander of the enemy force in the trap made meticulous plans
to escape and went ahead after we had captured a copy of his plan. We weren't
involved in any interception at Zeyawadi or Nyaungchidauk.
About now, hostilities came to an end, and we settled into the job of occupying
the villages. There were still stories of individual enemy not giving up. In December
my name came up in the monthly draw for Blighty leave. It was my last draw, and
I had been
P 1 :: P
2 :: P 3 :: P
4 :: P 5 :: P
6 :: P
7 :: P 8 :: P
9 :: P
10
Cpl. Arthur George Pike 6400751