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Trouble Ahead
Extracts from an unpublished book
by
L/Cpl. William Joseph Lowe 14640525
Page 3

 

.....After two days of walking through swamps we reached Shwebo, and had a good bath and dried our clothes off. Here we had two days rest, then orders came to move in one hour. A company of Sikh machine gunners had been cut off by the Japs on the west bank of the river Irrawaddy. Our Battalion was rushed up by transport, we arrived west of Kabwet. One company of 8 F.F.R. was leading at the time. Leading section was fired on and the Indian troops returned fire. B Company was then ordered to do a right flank.

.....Moving off just as it was getting dark, carrying picks and shovels. We moved South coming to the west bank of the river and followed the river along north. Corporal XXXX moving in front of the Company, in one long line each man holding the next one owing to the darkness. We came across a Jap bunker, and Japs were moving about a little way from us. Major XXXX ordered company to turn, word was passed down the line and we moved back 20 yards to an open paddy field, making a perimeter, we laid there for the night.

.....Japs who were in a small area in between us and Vickers Gunners. Japs attacked then and bullets just missed us. Japs not knowing that we were there came round our Box into some trees and started to cook their food. Major XXXX sent Sgt. XXXX with a party of men, with one Bren-gun and grenades. Creeping up on the Japs they threw their grenades. Private XXXX, the Bren-gunner, I got too far forward and was hit by the grenades. He started to shout out and the Japs must have killed him. Later on A.R.Q.M.S. came through our Box and was instantly shot by Sgt. XXXX, falling forward on his own grenade, he blew himself up.

.....Early next morning we withdrew about three quarters of a mile so that we did not get cut off ourselves. Here we had food as we had none since the dinner time before. We dug in and later killed one Jap. Patrols were again sent out, Sgt. XXXX going back along the river to where he grenade Japs. Found a great deal of papers which proved to be very important. Later it was thought that the Japs threw their dead into the river.

.....At 14.00 hours we moved forward. Mr Day leading 5 Platoon passed through the area we were in the night before. They bumped into Japs, and Mr XXXX was shot through the thigh. S.B. bandaged him. Company then sent men down to fill their water bottles from the river. These men were machine gunned down by the Japs. We carried Mr XXXX back. We stayed in Batt. Box for the night.

.....Early next morning, we moved off to attack the Japs, but on arriving no opposition was met. The Japs had moved out. Vickers Gunners killed 45 Japs while being cut off. Company was then sent to a village 5 miles to the south along the river. As it was thought that the Japs had moved off that way. Seeing no Japs we returned to Kabwet, and again slept in Batt. Box. Next morning moving off to the north, to patrol this area. First day we found no Japs, so next day we moved south towards Kabwet. Coming to a high ridge we started to dig in. on both sides of ridge, Jap sniper soon spotted us and shot Pte. XXXX, who was digging in on the forward slope, and while Major XXXX was trying to find the Jap through his glasses, he himself, was shot through the leg.

.....Later we were shot up by our own Vickers Gunners, Pte. XXXX dying of wounds, Pte. XXXX shot through the leg. Major XXXX ordered Company to withdraw to rear slope of hill. C.S.M. and S.B. went out and fetched wounded men in. it was then decided that ‘B’ Company stayed on the ridge, so we set about digging in.

P 1 :: P 2 :: P 3 :: P 4 :: P 5 :: P 6 :: P 7

 

 

 

L/Cpl. William Joseph Lowe