“10th May 1942”- First Imphal Bombing of World War 2nd : Prelude, Facts and Consequences

                   Rangoon was abandoned on 7th March 1942( by British) and occupied by the Japanese the following day. The British managed to evacuate sufficient supplies of food and petrol to maintain their forces on the retreat, saving the army from starvation as it trudged towards India. After a fortnight on 19th March General Alexander appointed Major General Slim, a former officer of the Gurkha Regiment(Fergal Keane).

General Slim’s regiments came out of Burma as skin and bones, in rags, though under arms, and took post along the frontier for the monsoon…. The end of the retreat was in sight. The British columns disappeared into the mountains of Manipur as the monsoon rains broke. As the last echelons passed over the Tamu road it was washed out behind them. On May 20th, Alexander’s Army of Burma ceased to exist as a command, and his troops were incorporated into the IVth corps of the Indian Command based on Imphal… There is a tale which must be told elsewhere of the suffering of the 4,00,000 Indian and Burmese refugees who fled before the fire and sword of the enemy( Japanese). Probably 10,000 died on the road to India, most of them in the dreaded Hukawng Valley beyond Myitkina ( Frank Owen).

A refugee camp was established just north of Imphal at Koirengei. Here they came in their hundreds. Many had no money, food or spare clothing. Many, above all the women and children, were desperately ill. On most days the road was packed, until one felt one must be emerging from a football stadium. For the refugees India had become the Promised Land. Manipur was for them not India. They must go farther, beyond the Brahmaputra, in their search of safety…. Day and night the march went on. Those who dropped out lay where they fell. Vultures waiting above the refugee camps and halting-places could be seen from afar. Every night a score of corpes was burnt lest an epidemic break out. Children were leaving their parents, and parents their children. The farther they walked, the less they carried (Geoffrey Evans)..

On 9 March 1942, the 64th Sentai was transferred to Chieng Mai airfield, in Thailand, in preparation for operations over Burma… The Unit arrived with 15 Ki-43s and two Ki-27s, as well as one captured Hurricane. Both the Ki-43s and Ki-27s were used for escorts of 52 Ki-21s bombers which were operational at that time. From early May 1942, the 64th Sentai operate from its new air base at Toungoo in Burma (Hiroshi Ichimura).

In April (1942) Japanese reconnaissance planes began to fly over nearly everyday. The siren whined, but never a bomb dropped. After a sequence of false alarms the warnings became little more than tiresome interruptions to the day’s leisurely routine, and soon they were regarded with scant respect. Indeed Gimson (Christopher Gimson was the then British Political Agent) recalls that when the siren did sound mid – Morning on May 10th, he said to his assistant: “I must remember to tell Hurrell ( Commanding the 4th Assam Rifles at Singjamei) to stop these silly signals’. An hour later the siren wailed again. ‘Damn!’ exclaimed Gimson on his verandah. ‘I forget to tell Hurrell’… These were almost famous last words. Bombs crashed upon bazaar and cantonment alike. Seventy civilians were killed and another eighty wounded, while a score of European refugees, one of them, a judge, were caught either in camps or lorries and killed (Geoffrey Evans).

                     The Siren used for alarming air raids.

As per the British Records, following 84 Manipuries were recorded death on that fateful day of 10th May 1942. There are mistakes in spelling of names of individuals and name of places. The exact words from the record are reproduce to adhere to authenticity.

SL NO	SURNAME	AGE	IN GRAVE RECORDS
1	ABDUL HALIM	33	OF KHERAGAO. DIED AT IMPHAL.
2	ACHUNGPA KABUI NAGA	26	OF MANJER KHUL. DIED AT MANJER KHUL.
3	AJIGAR	34	OF MANTRI PUKHRI. DIED AT MANTRI PUKHRI.
4	AKOIJAM THARE DEVI	50	OF LAMABAM LEIKAI, IMPHAL AT LAMABAM LEIKAI, IMPHAL.
5	ALIGAR KHAN	32	OF KHAN SAHIB’S HATTA, IMPHAL. DIED AT EUROPEAN REFUGEE CAMP, IMPHAL.
6	AMARU NAGINEE	22	OF MANJER KHUL. DIED AT KHOYATHONG.
7	AMIR-UD-DIN MIAN	30	OF KAIRANG. DIED AT CHINGMEIRONG.
8	AMUREIMA DEVI	32	OF SINJABUNG LEIKAI. DIED AT LAMABAM LEIKAI.
9	ANGANGMACHA DEVI	80	OF LAMABAM LEIKAI. DIED AT LAMABAM LEIKAI.
10	BAJET PAO KABUE NAGA	35	AT MANJER KHUL.
11	BARUNI DEVI	32	OF KONSAM LEIKAI. DIED AT CHINGMEIRONG.
12	BHADUR THAMI	45	OF CHINGMEIRONG. DIED AT REFUGEE CAMP, BRITISH RESERVE, CHINGMEIRONG.
13	CHABANGBAM TOLMU SING	55	OF KHURAI, SOIBAM LEIKAI. DIED AT SOIBAM LEIKAI.
14	CHABUNGBAM ONGBI BHUMAR DEVI	40	OF KOIRENGEI. DIED AT CHINGMEIRONG.
15	CHINGANGBAM LALA SING	20	OF KHURAI, CHINGANGBAM LEIKAI. DIED AT MANTRI PUKHRI.
16	DALIP SINGH	43	AT IMPHAL.
17	GINAM BHUBAN SING	13	OF FOUSANGBAM LEIKAI, THANGMEIBAND. DIED AT THANGMEIBAND.
18	HACTOMBA KABUI NAGA	45	AT MANJER KHUL.
19	HEIKRUJAM MEINA SING	27	OF SAGOLBAND. DIED AT REFUGEE CAMP, BRITISH RESERVE.
20	HEIKRUJAM RAJMANI SING	19	OF NUNGU VILLAGE. DIED AT LAIKANGBAM LEIKAI.
21	IBEM LAL DEVI	34	AT LAMABAM LEIKAI.
22	IBEMCHAOBI DEVI	11	OF POLEM LEIKAI. DAUGHTER OF SAKHI DEVI. DIED AT POLEM LEIKAI.
23	IBETON DEVI	2	AT POLEM LEIKAI.
24	IROM IBOCHA SING	20	OF KHURAI KONKHAM, LEIKAI. DIED AT MANTRI PUKHRI.
25	JANAB ALI	50	OF KHAN SAHIB’S HATTA, IMPHAL. DIED AT EUROPEAN REFUGEE CAMP, IMPHAL.
26	JUBATI DEVI	20	AT MAINAM LEIKAI.
27	KAKHUPUM KABUI	25	AT MAJORKHUL, IMPHAL.
28	KAMINI DEVI	35	OF SAGOLBAND, NANDIEBAM LEIKAI, IMPHAL. DIED AT LAMABAM LEIKAI.
29	KAMINI DEVI	36	OF KONSAM LEIKAI. DIED AT CHINGMEIRONG.
30	KANGHUJAM THORI THORI SING	23	OF KHURAI LALANBUNG, KHEIDEM LEIKAI. DIED AT AWANG.
31	KARAM SINGH	28	AT IMPHAL.
32	KETUKI DEVI	20	OF NINGTHOUBUNG. DIED AT IYAMAPAL.
33	KHETRIMAYUM ANGRU SING	34	OF KONGPAL, KHETRI LEIKAI. DIED AT CHINGMEIRONG.
34	KHETRIMAYUM NINGOL PENU DEVI	36	OF KANGAJABI, NAGAMAPAL, MANIPUR. DIED AT KANGAJABI.
35	KHOMDON SANA RAJ KUMAR	14	AT POLEM LEIKAI.
36	KHOMEI DEVI	19	AT MAINAM LEIKAI.
37	KUMARI DEVI	36	OF KONSAM LEIKAI. DIED AT CHINGMEIRONG.
38	LAIMAYUM CHAOMACHA SHARMA	66	OF POLEM LEIKAI, IMPHAL. DIED AT POLEM LEIKAI.
39	LAISAM YAIMA SING	17	OF CHINGTHAM LEIKAI. DIED AT MXWELL BAZAR, IMPHAL.
40	LAISRAM TOMBA SING	30	AT TOP NOARIA.
41	LAMABAM IBOONGOTON SING	56	AT LAMABAM LEIKAI.
42	LEIRIK DEVI	21	AT MAINAM LEIKAI.
43	LEMABAM TAMPHAMANT DEVI	13	AT LAMABAM LEIKAI.
44	LOITONGBAM TOMBA SING	60	OF LALAMBUNG MAKHONG. DIED AT KWAI LALAMBUNG, IMPHAL.
45	LUCAS TOPPO		OF KUTUNIA, GANGPUR. DIED AT MANIPUR ROAD.
46	MADHUMATI DEVI	22	AT POLEM LEIKAI.
47	MALIKA DEVI	50	AT LAMABAM LEIKAI.
48	MANI SHARMA	24	OF TERA KEITHEL. DIED AT KHOYATHONG.
49	MOIRANG LEIMA DEVI	74	AT LAMABAM LEIKAI.
50	MUHAMMAD MIAN	30	OF KHERAGAO VILLAGE, IMPHAL. DIED AT THE IMPHAL-DIMAPUR ROAD.
51	NAKE NAGINEE	45	OF THANGMEIBAND. DIED AT MANJER KHUL.
52	NAMRAM YAIMA SING	25	OF NAMEIRAKPAM LEIKAI, MOIRANGKHOM. DIED AT MANTRI PUKHRI.
53	NANDIESBAM MOHAN SING	25	OF CHINGTHAM LEIKAI. DIED AT MAXWELL BAZAR, IMPHAL.
54	NGANGBAM AMUTHOI SING	18	OF LAMABAM LEIKAI. DIED AT TERA URAK.
55	NGANGBAM GOUREMANI SING	46	OF KANGABAM LEIKAI, IMPHAL. DIED AT KHOYATHONG.
56	NINGTHAN KHONGJAM NARAN SING	53	OF MOUGSANGEI, IMPHAL. DIED AT LEI INGKHOL.
57	NINGTHONJAM GOKUL CHAND SING	40	OF MOIRANG KAMPU. DIED AT REFUGEE CAMP, BRITISH RESERVE.
58	NIPAMACHA SING	1	AT POLEM LEIKAI.
59	NONGTHONBAM ONGBI TONSIJA DEVI	40	WIFE OF NONGTHONBAM TOMBA. DIED AT LAMLONGGEI, IMPHAL.
60	NUPIMACHA DEVI	35	AT POLEM LEIKAI.
61	PANCHASANI NAGINEE	50	OF THANGMEIBAND. DIED AT NAGA BAZAR.
62	PANTI SINGHIK NAGINEE	35	AT MANJER KHUL.
63	PENU DEVI	22	AT LAIKANGBAM LEIKAI.
64	PHIJAM CHAOBA SING	50	AT LALAMBUNG MAKHONG.
65	RULIA RAM	38	AT IMPHAL.
66	SAGOLSEM MANI SING	30	AT LOURUNGPUREL LEIKAI.
67	SAKHI DEVI	38	AT POLEM LEIKAI.
68	SAMSOO MIAN	35	AT KHETRI.
69	SANASAM MEINE SING	37	AT LOURANGPUREL LEIKAI.
70	SARAF-UD-DIN MIAN	26	OF KAIRANG VILLAGE. DIED AT CHINGMEIRONG.
71	SHYAMA	9	(ALIAS YAIMABI DEVI). OF SAGOLBAND, NANDEIBAND LEIKAI. DIED AT LAMABAM LEIKAI.
72	SHYAMA DEVI	9	AT LAMABAM LEIKAI.
73	THAKCHOM BRAJAMANI SING	20	OF URIPOK SOIRABAM THINGEN, KABRAMBAM, LEIKAI. DIED AT KHUYATHONG.
74	THAMBAL DEVI	40	AT KANGJABI LEIRAK, MEINAM LEIKAI.
75	THARO DEVI	40	OF KHONGHAMPAT. DIED AT CHINGMEIRONG.
76	THIAM IBOTON SING	28	OF KEISAMPAT, IMPHAL. DIED AT MAXWELL BAZAR, IMPHAL.
77	THIAM NARAHARI SING	39	OF THANGMEIBAND. DIED AT MAXWELL BAZAR, IMPHAL.
78	THIAM NARHARI SING	40	OF LILASINGKHONGRANG MAKHONG. DIED AT AWANG DUKAN.
79	THOKPAM LALA SING	21	OF KONGKHAM LEIKAI. DIED AT MANTRI PUKHRI.
80	THOUDAM DEVEN SING	4	AT MAINAM LEIKAI.
81	THOUDAM IPI SING	2	AT MAINAM LEIKAI.
82	THOUDAM UPENDRA SING	28	AT MAINAM LEIKAI.
83	YUMLEMBAM MANGI	16	SON OF YUMLEMBAM CHANDRAHAS. DIED AT KHUYATHONG POLEM LEIKAI, THANGMEIBAND, IMPHAL.
84	YUMNAM KAMAL SING	35	OF LAMABAM LEIKAI. DIED AT MANIPUR.
Disclamer: – The data represents the figure with present research status. Present data is not exhaustive.

Following Europeans and other refugees were also killed that day in Manipur because of the bombing.

SL NO	SURNAME	FORENAME	AGE	INFORMATION IN RECORDS
1	APPARAO	DEVASAHARAM	64	OF 6/263, LEWIS STREET, RANGOON. HUSBAND OF MARY HELENA RAJA MONEY APPARAO. DIED AT IMPHAL EUROPEAN EVACUATION CAMP.
2	APPARAO	MARY HELENA RAJA MONEY	56	OF 6/263, LEWIS STREET, RANGOON. WIFE OF DEVASAHARAM APPARAO. DIED AT IMPHAL EUROPEAN EVACUATION CAMP.
3	APPARAO	REGINA LILY SAMATHANAM	21	OF 6/263 LEWIS STREET, RANGOON. DAUGHTER OF DEVASAHARAM APPARAO. DIED AT IMPHAL EUROPEAN EVACUATION CAMP.
4	BIDGOOD	SUSAN	94	OF 38 SOUTH STREET, EXETER. INJURED 4 MAY 1942, AT EXETER; DIED AT 1 CASTLE WALK.
5	BIRSA PATRAS			OF KUTUNIA, GANGPUR. HUSBAND OF MAGDALI ORAON. DIED AT MANIPUR ROAD.
6	CHARLES	DAVID DEVASAHAYAM JOHNSON	1	OF 3/246 LEWIS STREET, RANGOON. SON OF A. CHARLES AND HELEN DAISY DHANAM CHARLES. DIED AT IMPHAL EUROPEAN EVACUATION CAMP.
7	CHARLES	HELEN DAISY DHANAM	20	OF 6/263 LEWIS STREET, RANGOON. DAUGHTER OF MR. ADISHTAM DAVID, M.A., B.L., INCOME TAX OFFICER, RANGOON; WIFE OF A. CHARLES, OF HOME DEPARTMENT, BURMA SECRETARIAT. DIED AT IMPHAL EUROPEAN EVACUATION CAMP.
8	CLARKSON
9	DALIP SINGH		43	AT IMPHAL.
10	DAVID	ADISHTAM	47	M.A., B.L.; INCOME TAX OFFICER, GOVERNMENT OF BURMA; OF 3/246 LEWIS STREET, RANGOON. DIED AT IMPHAL EUROPEAN EVACUATION CAMP.
11	DAVID	GRACE NESAMONEY	37	OF 186 LEWIS STREET, RANGOON. DAUGHTER OF THE LATE I. APPADURAI PILLAI; WIFE OF IMMANUEL DAVID. DIED AT IMPHAL EUROPEAN EVACUATION CAMP.
12	DAVID	ROSE KAMALAM	39	OF 3/246 LEWIS STREET, RANGOON. WIFE OF ADISHTAM DAVID. DIED AT IMPHAL EUROPEAN EVACUATION CAMP.
13	DAVID	VICTORIA JABAPAKIAM JEMIMA	9	OF 3/246 LEWIS STREET, RANGOON. DAUGHTER OF ADISHTAM DAVID, AND ROSE KAMALAM DAVID. DIED AT IMPHAL EUROPEAN EVACUATION CAMP.
14	DEVASINGAMONEY	I. ALEXANDER	12	OF 186 LEWIS STREET, RANGOON. DIED AT IMPHAL EUROPEAN EVACUATION CAMP.
15	DIXON	JOSEPH	69	S.J.A.B., MEDALLION AND BARS. SON OF THE LATE MR. AND MRS. JOHN DIXON, OF TAMWORTH; HUSBAND OF MABEL F. DIXON, OF 5 MELBOURNE VILLAS, STATION ROAD, NEW ROMNEY. DIED AT SANDS HOTEL, ST. MARY’S.
16	ELIAS	I. GNANAPRAKASAM	34	OF 186 LEWIS STREET, RANGOON. DIED AT IMPHAL EUROPEAN EVACUATION CAMP.
17	ELIAS	PHILIP KENNETH KIRUBAKARAN	11	OF 186 LEWIS STREET, RANGOON. SON OF I. G. ELIAS. DIED AT IMPHAL EUROPEAN EVACUATION CAMP.
18	ELIAS	VINCENT JONATHAN	5	OF 186 LEWIS STREET, RANGOON. SON OF I. G. ELIAS. DIED AT IMPHAL EUROPEAN EVACUATION CAMP.
19	GAYA SINGH			BURMA GOVERNMENT SERVANT. DIED AT IMPHAL.
20	GHOSH		38	M.SC.; ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, BURMA METEOROLOGICAL DEPARTMENT, RANGOON. DIED AT IMPHAL.
21	GNANAMONEY	MABEL VICTORIA CHANDRAVATHANA	17	OF 3/246 LEWIS STREET, RANGOON. DIED AT IMPHAL EUROPEAN EVACUATION CAMP.
22	HARCOURT COOZE	GEORGE	32	AT IMPHAL.
23	LUCAS TOPPO			OF KUTUNIA, GANGPUR. DIED AT MANIPUR ROAD.
24	MAJUMDER			SUPERINTENDANT. OFFICE OF THE DEPUTY INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE, RANGOON. HUSBAND OF RUTNA PROVA DEVI. DIED AT IMPHAL.
25	MURPHY	JOHN JAMES CHRISTOPHER	45	I.C.S. DISTRICT AND SESSIONS JUDGE, RANGOON. DIED AT IMPHAL.
26	NICHOLLS	JOHN BOYTON	19	HOME GUARD. SON OF MRS. E. E. NICHOLLS, OF 8 LAUDERDALE, DYMCHURCH ROAD. DIED AT 2A RAMPART ROAD.
27	RAY	Mr.		HIS SON AND HIS ATTENDANT ALSO DIED WITH HIM (BOTH UN-NAMED). DIED AT IMPHAL.
28	RULIA RAM		38	AT IMPHAL.
29	SHAW	KATHLEEN	50	WIFE OF HARRY COTTRELL HUGHES SHAW, OF SURMA VALLEY LIGHT HORSE. DIED AT IMPHAL.
30	SOLOMON		43	OF 61 MURUGAPPA MUDALIAR STREET, PURASAWAKKAM, MADRAS. DIED AT MANIPUR.
31	SOLOMON	ALICE FLORENCE SUNGUNABAI	10	OF LEWIS STREET, RANGOON. DAUGHTER OF KIRUBAKADATCHAM RAJA SOLOMON. DIED AT IMPHAL EUROPEAN EVACUATION CAMP.
32	SOLOMON	HANAH JESSIE RATHNABAI	15	OF LEWIS STREET, RANGOON. DAUGHTER OF KIRUBAKADATCHAM RAJA SOLOMON. DIED AT IMPHAL EUROPEAN EVACUATION CAMP.
33	SOLOMON	HILDA DOROTHY RAGINABAI	8	OF LEWIS STREET, RANGOON. DAUGHTER OF KIRUBAKADATCHAM RAJA SOLOMON. DIED AT IMPHAL EUROPEAN EVACUATION CAMP.
34	SOLOMON	JANE CHRISTOBEL SUSILABAI	4	OF LEWIS STREET, RANGOON. DAUGHTER OF KIRUBAKADATCHAM RAJA SOLOMON. DIED AT IMPHAL EUROPEAN EVACUATION CAMP.
35	SOLOMON	ROSALIND SUNDARI KAMALABI	6	OF LEWIS STREET, RANGOON. DAUGHTER OF KIRUBAKADATCHAM RAJA SOLOMON. DIED AT IMPHAL EUROPEAN EVACUATION CAMP.
36	SUKRAM JUNNAS			OF KUTUNIA, GANGPUR. SON OF MANGRA LUCAS. DIED AT MANIPUR ROAD.

Within a few hours (of the attack) almost every house in the centre of Imphal had been abandoned: the Manipuris fled for safety to outlying villages, and almost the only local civilians to be seen were a few unwelcome looters…. Far more serious was the cutting of the supplies of water and electricity, particularly the former. Not that the stirrup- pump band stayed to curb the fires: they too ran away, and the bazaar was gutted. For several days there was no one to bury the corpse of man and beast alike.Most of the policemen failed to report for duty and this led to their suspension(Geoffrey Evans)

Atlast the Japanese Radio claimed that they had bombed Imphal Airfield (none existed at the time). The Germans went one better in their Radio, “Their Japanese allies had bombed Imphal Railway Station”

Bibliography:-

1. Fergal Keane, Road of Bones ( Harper Press, 2010)

2. Frank Owen, Campaign In Burma (Himalayan Books, 1989)

3. Geoffrey Evans & Antony Brett- James, Imphal- A Flower on Lofty Heights ( Macmillan & Co Ltd, 1962)

4. Hiroshi Ichimura, Ki-43 Oscar Aces of World War 2 (Osprey publishing Limited, 2009)

Battlefield Tourism and Manipur

Introduction:

     Tourism is a growing phenomenon worldwide, fuelled by both the growth of the entertainment industry and the increase in international travel.

          Despite the fact that statistics concerning directly the impact that 2^nd World War have had on tourism are limited, there are still some remarkable figures. Countries like UK, Australia, and America have an increasingly interest in studying and developing the Battle-induced tourism. Given the existence of this type of tourism and the potentially significant economic value of this strand of tourism to the economy, understanding the drivers of Battle-induced tourism and exploiting its effect are crucial issues to comprehend.

International attention:

        The momentum for publicity of  Imphal Campaign of WW-2 pick up from 2013 when the National Army Museum of the UK  voted the twin Battles of Kohima and Imphal as the Greatest Battle of Britain on 20 April 2013.

       Since then many films based on the battle of Imphal were produced and screen “ Imphal- 1944” produce and Directed by Japanese Actor/Director based in London, Junichi Kajioka and Bollywood Film “Rangoon” are worth mentioning. “Imphal-1944” travels the world for various Film festivals and bags “Best Short Period Drama award” and “Best Producer Award” in Monaco International Film Festival, 2014.

                Battle of Imphal  and Tourism Potential:-

     Battle of Imphal, which starts from march 19, 1944 to July 6^th , 1944  has lot of potential to induce tourism. In this battle Indians were fighting on both side. The participation of INA is another aspect which will attract lot of Indians. Some facts which need to ponder from the perspective of Tourism are:

—  3 Japanese divisions were involved in the campaign. A total of 120,000 Japanese soldiers reached the hills and valley of Manipur.

—  40,000 soldiers were registered as Indian National Army soldiers

—  A total of more than 2,50,000 British, Indian , Americans, Canadians, Australian, Africans, Chinese and Burmese participate the campaign as allied force.

—  More than 60 % of Indians and Gurkhas who died in the battles were never recovered from the battlefields and hence they are listed in Rangoon Memorial as Missing in Action.

—  There are five locations where 5 Victoria Cross were awarded in Manipur.

—  The Two Cemeteries and one memorial under the Commonwealth War Graves

—   Commission is the epitome of Battle Tourism in Manipur.

The Major battles that fought in Manipur are:

—       Battle of Sangshak

—       Battle of Kanglatongbi

—       Battle of Red Hill

—       Battle of Nungshigum

—       Battle of Kameng

—       Battle of Tengnoupal/ Shenam Saddle

—       Battle of Bishenpur and Ningthoukhong

—       Battle of Modbung

—       Battle of Torbung

—       Battle of Silchar Track

Other than these battle fought on land, there was an Air Battle fought almost everyday between Allieds and the Japanese above the skies of Manipur till June 17, 1944.

Conclusion :-

  In the very near future, the battlefield locations, war time Jeep tracks, plane crash sites  (General Wingate crash site in highest priority ), colonial structures (Slim cottage in first priority), Landmarks and locations which are associated with important incidents of the war will bring and attract the highest number of foreign tourist. This locations need deeper research and development at par with international standards.

Manipur with its unique beauty, indulgence to Great War  and a historical association with one of the Greatest battles of South East Asia in World War 2 makes it a high ground for making films from Bollywood as well as Hollywood. Developing infrastructure and propagating the unique history of the war to the world will definitely make it conducive for Tourism growth in the long run.

              The Death of Guerrilla General Orde Charles Wingate

                                                                                                

General Orde Wingate

General Orde Charles Wingate was a British General of world war second who started the Chindits which made Long range penetration behind the Japanese lines in Burma during the 2^nd world war.  He was born in India in 1903 at Nainital in the then United Provinces. . He was the son of Colonel George Wingate C.I.E. and Mary Ethel Stanley Wingate. Their family went back to England and lived at Godalming in Surrey, and  was eventually educated at Charterhouse.

 Wingate served in pre-war Palestine where he achieved notable success against the Arab rebellion of 1936 by organizing ‘night squads’ of Jewish settlers to defend their kibbutzim. It earns him a DSO and also a transfer from an area where his pronounced pro-Zionist views were felt to be a political embarrassment, as well as somewhat peculiar in an Army officer. In these operations lie the roots of Haganah, the Israeli force which later fought the British and the Arabs to establish the State of Israel in 1948.

         With the entry of Italy into the war in June 1940 his expertise in guerrilla warfare and Sudan Defence Force made him a natural choice for the elimination of the Italians from their conquests in Abyssinia.

   Wavell had been impressed by the performance of Gideon Force, and when he became Commander-in-Chief, India, he remembered Wingate. Deeply perturbed by the declining morale of the British Army in the Far East, Wavell summoned Wingate to see what chestnuts unorthodox warfare could save from the fire that was consuming Burma is 1942.

 Wingate’s idea was to put soldiers behind the Japanese lines to sow confusion amongst their lines of communication and also to strike back at them at a time when they were carrying all before them. His “Chindits,” or “Wingate’s Raiders,” a brigade of British, Gurkha, and Burmese guerrillas, harassed much stronger Japanese forces in the jungles of northern Burma (now Myanmar) during World War II.

The plane crash:-

General Wingate died in a plane crash on 24^th March 1944 near the village of Thiulon in Tamenglong District. On 24th March 1944 Wingate flew into Broadway in a B-25 Mitchell bomber (43-4242) from 1st Air Commandos. From there he visited the White City and Aberdeen Strongholds. After returning to Broadway he flew on to Imphal( Koirengei) to meet Air Marshall Baldwin and from there at 8.00 pm, he set off back to Lalaghat.  Wingate's plane crashed on the return journey in the hills around Tamenglong.  All on board were killed including a number of war correspondents. ( Broadway, White City and Aberdeen are code named wartime airfields in Burma)

The crash site is located near village Thiulon in Tamenglong District, Manipur.  The crash site is around 1.5 km at the south west of the village. The coordinates measured by GPS is N 24*59’17” and E 93*23’27”. The elevation reads 740 meters above sea level.  

                                                   Commemoration at the Crash Site

Cause of the Crash:-

  The official record stated bad weather as the cause of the plane crash. There arose more many conspiracy theories after he died.  Many cited freak weather, engine failure, pilot error etc as the cause of the crash, but because this was Wingate, there was a general reluctance to accept that this was a routine accident, such as had accounted for thousands of airborne combatants in Burma. The official investigation concluded that there had been engine failure and that the pilot had unsuccessfully tried to return to Imphal. Thunderstorms or turbulence were cited as possibilities, but all the pilots in the air that day confirmed that all thunderstorms were local and could easily be circumvented.  General William Slim opted for extreme turbulence, even though the pilots’ testimony also ruled that out.

   When I reach the village (on 10^th Feb 2018), I found that the crash site is on the reverse side of a ridge, so it is not possible that the aircraft had flown into the hill.  It can be substantiated by the fact that the B-25 started from 770 meters ASL from Koirengei and the crash site is at a much lower altitude of 740 meters.

      The plane was on fire on air that night as seen by the villagers. The plane on fire was also seen by people from other neighbouring villages. The B-25 was carrying cluster bombs, which might broke loose from the bays, rolled into the fuselage and detonated. A lot of fuel onboard must also have ignited on impact.

Physical evidence:-

  Two engines were found at the crash site initially. One engine was taken by the 30^th Assam Rifles from the village on 30^th May 1989 and is kept at the Assam Rifles office at Shillong. The other engine is now kept at the village church. This engine is broken into two pieces. Non ferrous metals in the engine show sign of extreme heat exposure. Whereas the engine with the Assam Rifles is in one piece and in good intact shape, it is pertinent to state that the engine with the village hit the ground and was broken into two pieces.

           The Radial Engine at the village Church.

The impact of the fall was so forceful that the iron in front landing gear was also torn. There is a great possibility that the pilot drop the landing gear before impact trying to land the plane. So there is a possibility that the pilot and the crews were alive just before the impact. A crater of 15 feet in length and 5 feet deep is still available to be seen today at the crash site.

              The torn front Landing gear

From the Villagers account:-

   On 24^th March evening, the Christian villagers of Thiulon village were having their evening prayer when they saw a ball of fire coming down from the sky. The plane had caught fire in the sky and its falling down can be seen from Tamenglong town also. The plane fall on the western slope of the mountain of Thiulon, some 2.00 Km from their village. Just after the crash, loud sounds of explosions were heard by the village. The pebbles scattered from the explosion reach the village houses. Whole night there was explosion one after another and the area was lighted with the fire from the crash.  

The villagers told that next morning, ie. On 25^th March 1944, a small plane landed just adjacent to the crash plane. From there two pilots came out. One had a broken leg. There were medicines and other items with the crash plane. There was presence of parachute containing medicines and other food boxes with the parachute. The two persons from the plane told the villagers to collect all the pieces of bodies scattered around the crash site. The villagers collected the bodies piece by piece and bury them in a mound near the village. The villagers took them (the two pilots) to their village and serve them. Next day they were transported by making a wooded palanquin. The villagers of Thuilon took them to Npakang village, the Npakang villagers transported the two pilots till Atengba Village. The Atengba Villagers took till the Chingkao village. The Chingkao villagers took them till Nungkao village. The Nungkao villagers took them till Oinamlong. From there the military vehicle pick them and taken back to Silchar.

 Upon research it is found that the plane that crash next morning is an L-5 Stinson and piloted by Sergeant Lloyd Samp and co piloted by Sergeant Bill Walters. It was arranged by Colonel Cochran to pick up message pouch strung between two poles by the Captain Barnes ground team from the crash site. The L-5 loses power due to carburetor icing which was flying at 5000 ft. So the pilot made a forced landing adjacent to the crash site.

The Occupants of the B-25 Mitchell Bomber:-

The occupants of the ill fated plane as per records were:

1.     Maj General Orde Charles Wingate, DSO

2.     Captain George Henry Borrow, MC

3.     Brian Floyd Hodges, 1^st Lt. Air Corps

4.     Stephen Albert Wanderer, 2^nd Lt.  Air Corps

5.     Vernon A McIninch, S SGT  Air Corps

6.     Frank Sadoski, T SGT  Air Corps

7.     James Walton Hickey, T SGT Air Corps

8.     Stuart Emeny, War Correspondent, The News Chronicle.

9.     Stanley Wills, War Correspondent, The Daily Herald.

When the villagers reach the crash site next morning, the bodies were scattered around the crash site. All bodies were mutilated beyond recognition. They were in pieces.  Some were hanging on trees. Another death dog was also at the crash site. There are chances that other unrecorded person was also on board that day.  This needs further research for confirmation.

In April 1947 some human remains (20 pieces of bones weighing 3 pounds)  of the crash, were moved to a common grave on the then British Military Cemetery in Imphal. On December 18, 1949, the grave was opened by the United States Army and the contents transferred to Manila in the Philipines pending final disposition. In November 10, 1950 all the remains collected from Imphal War Cemetery (previously British Military Cemetery) were reinterred at Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia, USA.

Future of the crash Site:-

    The villagers of Thuilon have agreed to commemorate 24^th March every year as the death anniversary of General Charles Orde Wingate. The road from Tamenglong HQ to Thuilon is hardly  40 km, but due to the bad road condition it took 4 hours to reach the village from Tamenglong HQ.  At present there is no electricity in the village as the only transformer is not functional since last year. There are chances that in the near future the road from Tamenglong town to Thiulon Village gets widen and gets bitumen layered. Once the road is developed, many tourists will access the crash site. The village wants a Wingate memorial park to be constructed at the crash site. The local elected ADC member is trying to put up this project with the Government.

Bibliography:-

1.     Frank McLynn. The Burma Campaign,  Vintage Books, London, 2011.

2.     David Rooney .Burma Victory,  Cassell & Co,  1992.

3.     Allen, Louis. Burma The Longest War. Phoenix Press, London, 1984.

4.     Dennis Hawley, The Death of Wingate, Merlin Books Ltd, Braunton,1996.