Original Caption: " P " Force, F.136.P.2. Group at Calcutta, Nov.1945. The photo above was shared with me by the son of the Sergeant who had added himself to the top left. Why Sergeant Len Pearson missed the photograph being... Continue Reading →
SOE was not supposed to be an intelligence organisation, with clear lines of responsibilty set out so it did not stand on the toes of the Secret Intelligence Service. Intelligence naturally came with SOE operations, however, and became quite a... Continue Reading →
During 1945, SOE's Burma Country Section (BCS) kept a count of casualties inflicted upon the Japanese. Perhaps as grim humour, or perhaps as a reflection of the British upper class penchant for shooting, the record was known as 'The Game... Continue Reading →
When we commemorate the world wars, and wars since, we obviously think about those who lost their lives, and we remember and thank those who were 'at the sharp end'. For example, it is often said that we remember 'The... Continue Reading →
For VJ Day last year, the exploits of Major Turrall were presented HERE. This year, similar to the post for VE Day 75 HERE, what follows will be extracts from the reports of various officers of Force 136 in Burma. ... Continue Reading →
More plentiful times: a supply drop in Burma, 1945. Photo credit Sgt. Roger Leney In his history of SOE in the Far East, the official historian, Charles Cruickshank, claims that the organisation existed in a 'funcional vacuum' due to its... Continue Reading →
Photo Credit Hereford Times What were the men of SOE Burma doing while Victory in Europe was celebrated? Compiled from various reports and operational diaries, here's their 8 May 1945: Lt.Col. John Cromarty Tulloch, officer commanding Walrus area of Operation... Continue Reading →
Although it is difficult to calculate exactly how many Burmese personnel were recruited by SOE for operations within the country, we do know that it was in excess of 20,000. Those personnel represented at least fourteen different ethnic communities, from... Continue Reading →
If you like what you see on my website consider clicking HERE, or buying my book HERE with 35% discount code GLR MP6 The shortage of equipment for the Southeast Asian theatre of operations during the Second World War are... Continue Reading →
If you like what you see on my website consider clicking HERE, or buying my book HERE with 35% discount code GLR MP6 Map Credit In the Far East, the Special Operations Executive (SOE) is now fairly well known as... Continue Reading →
If you like what you see on my website consider clicking HERE, or buying my book HERE with 35% discount code GLR MP6 Photo courtesy of Simon Leney, son of W/T Sergeant Roger Leney Many of the post-operational reports written... Continue Reading →
If you like what you see on my website consider clicking HERE, or buying my book HERE with 35% discount code GLR MP6 Much has often made of the fractious relationship between the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS,) and the Special... Continue Reading →
If you like what you see on my website consider clicking HERE, or buying my book HERE with 35% discount code GLR MP6 Map Credit The two SOE operations in Burma which have had the most exposure are Operation Character... Continue Reading →
If you like what you see on my website consider clicking HERE, or buying my book HERE with 35% discount code GLR MP6 This post is purely about data. The aim is simply to show the extent of the SOE... Continue Reading →
If you like what you see on my website consider clicking HERE, or buying my book HERE with 35% discount code GLR MP6 General Slim & Lt.Col. Cumming At the end of December 1944, as XIV Army were poised to... Continue Reading →
If you like what you see on my website consider clicking HERE, or buying my book HERE with 35% discount code GLR MP6 A supply drop to Operation Character in 1945 Based upon reports from late 1942 and the early... Continue Reading →
If you like what you see on my website consider clicking HERE, or buying my book HERE with 35% discount code GLR MP6 HMS Scarab, from 'The Navy's Most Important Ship' This post is specially for K.T. Lwin, ex Burma... Continue Reading →
If you like what you see on my website consider clicking HERE, or buying my book HERE with 35% discount code GLR MP6 The Japanese Emperor, Hirohito, made his first radio broadcast in the afternoon of 15 August 1945. In... Continue Reading →
If you like what you see on my website consider clicking HERE, or buying my book HERE with 35% discount code GLR MP6 Anglo-American war-time relations in the Far East, and particularly in Burma, are often characterised as being fractious. ... Continue Reading →
If you like what you see on my website consider clicking HERE, or buying my book HERE with 35% discount code GLR MP6 As anyone with an interest in the Chindits will tell you, there was no such column as... Continue Reading →
