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Trouble Ahead
Extracts from an unpublished book
by
L/Cpl. William Joseph Lowe 14640525
Page 4
.....In
the later afternoon as attack was laid on. The Japs holding a ridge 400 yards
away, Artillery barrage was put down. Company to attack right hand edge of
hill. We soon came under very heavy fire. Very high grass was encountered.
As soon as any one moved, the Japs opened up. Pts. XXXX had his finger shot
away and the trigger guard of his Bren-gun. Pte. XXXX shot through the thigh.
His Pltn. Commander Sgt. XXXX carried him back.
.....After the order had been given to withdraw
Pte. XXXX wounded in his shoulder came back on his own. L/C XXXX with his
Bren-gunner who was in the lead of Company got cut off and had to lie up till
after dark before being able to get back. Bringing back very valuable information.
During the night we sent our ambush patrols to cover all approaches.
.....Next day, we moved back and Air Strike was
put in on Jap positions. The Company then went in on a frontal attack. After
covering 300x of open ground we came under very heavy fire from Jap positions
on the top of the hill covered by thick bamboo. Leading Bren-gunner, Pte. XXXX
and rifleman XXXX were killed. Five others being wounded L/Cpl XXXX, Ptes.
XXXX, XXXX, XXXX and XXXX. Company withdrew again to our positions on the hill.
Lt. XXXX who had joined us just before the attack cut off from the company
with Sgt. XXXX. They went to the rear of the Jap positions walking along the
Irrawaddy river. They gained very valuable information on which the main attack
was planned. Orders were then given by the Commanding Officer that no more
attacks were to go in on the ridge until a heavy air strike was put down on
the Japs. So we sat back sending out patrols.
.....We then had a section of Vickers gunners
with us, at times during the night they straddled the ridge, moving their guns
to a different position while firing. At night we sent out digging parties
on forward slope to dig better positions for defence. Ambush parties going
out to cover them. During the 10 days we sat back, Patrols got grenaded by
our own men, and we lost Pte. XXXX killed and Ptes. XXXX and XXXX being wounded.
.....From the 24th to the 26th Air Strikes were put in on Japs, but no attacks
went in. patrols were going out at night to get more information. On the morning
of the 27th January big O group was held, attack was planned. The best planned
attack during the whole campaign. First we had to withdraw 1000x while fighters
straddled the Japs and R.A. fired. Harassing fire. Mitchell bombers came over
in three waves dropping their bombs.
.....Then the fighters that had been flying around came in and dropped their
bombs, and continued to strafe positions, so that we could cover the open ground
between the hills.
.....On the top of the hills, where our own positions
were, we had 2 Vickers firing and we started going up the forward slope of
the hill towards the Jap position on the top. We got to within 10 yards of
bunkers before the Japs realised we were there. 4 Platoon under Sgt. XXXX on
the left, 5 Platoon under Lt. XXXX on the right, 6 Platoon under Sgt. XXXX.
Company went forward into the attack.
.....Major XXXX going in with the leading section
in the right. A Jap popped up and threw a grenade, a piece hitting L/Cpl XXXX
in the neck, who died later of his wounds. Sgt XXXX and Sgt XXXX grenade the
two Japs while the others covered them forward. In the centre, Major XXXX with
6 Platoon came across 3 Japs in two bunkers on the side of a small nullah.
On approaching the Bunkers the one Jap on his own was killed, all arms being
brought to fire on him. Major XXXX finishing him off with the bayonet. The
other two Japs soon started to return fire and Major XXXX called to Pte. XXXX
with the Bren-gun to put down fire on them to cover the rest round. But Japs
threw grenades, Pte XXXX being wounded, and later died of his wounds. Sgt XXXX
getting a piece of shrapnel in his shoulder. Both Japs were immediately killed.
5 Platoon were then sent round to the left of the hill, where they got ambushed.
L/C XXXX and Pte. XXXX and Pte. XXXX being wounded. The patrol returned and
we started to dig in on the top of the hill.
P 1 :: P
2 :: P 3 :: P
4 :: P 5 :: P
6 :: P 7
L/Cpl. William Joseph Lowe