GOC's Visit to Kohima April 2009 The Kohima Museum

On 14th April 2009, the GOC 2nd Division, Maj-Gen David McDowall MBE, together with a small support party flew to India to commence a Commemorative Visit to the Battlefields of Kohima and Imphal, scenes of viscious battles fought 65 years previously by the predecessors of today’s 2nd Division.

In addition to the GOC, the party comprised the Divisional Chief of Staff – Col Ted Shields MBE; Commander Education – Lt Col Ingrid Hall AGC (ETS); Capt Purna Gurung QGS; Mr Rob Lyman – Battlefield Guide and Mr Bob Cook – Curator, Kohima Museum.

On arrival in Kolkata, we were met by the Defence Advisor to the British High Commission – Brig Clive Elderton CBE and a very busy schedule started almost immediately with duty calls to HQ Eastern Command within Fort William, after which we had a tour of the Museum of the Resident Regiment. We were fortunate to be able to visit several buildings within the Fort which were of interest to members of our small group. These included St Joseph's Church, which is still a place of Christian worship. A very interesting explanation of the religious break-down within the Indian army was given by one of the Company Commanders. Early that evening we attended a small drinks party in Eastern Command Officers Mess and then fortunately it was an early night
 
The following morning we flew to Dimapur to be met by our guide and driven up the same road travelled by the 2nd Division 65 years previously. The picture on the right is just outside Dimapur. The new road has just by-passed the bridge.  Friday 17th, saw more duty calls to the State Governor; the Chief Minister of Nagaland and the local headquarters of the 14th Assam Regiment. All of these visits involved being served tea and nibbles.

The group then departed on the battlefield tour given by Rob Lyman. Rob had prepared a very comprehensive brief and his knowledge of the Battlefield and the actions was just amazing. The local knowledge displayed by Rob and the inside knowledge of the bureaucracy needed to get us through armed enclosures displayed by Brig Clive Elderton  ensured that the group got to the best position for Rob to point out the important positions and geography of the battle ground. This included getting us inside the Police Headquarters compound on Jail Hill.

Jail Hill was the first position to fall to Jap and we could see how this vital high ground dominated the area and exposed the men on Garrison Hil l. From there, Rob pointed out the ground over which L/Cpl Harman won his Victoria Cross before being killed by machine gun fire. 

It started to rain slightly on the Friday and with the help of the Edinburgh Tattoo, the GOC was well prepared .

We managed to visit the various regimental memorials around the battle area and numerous photos were taken. The memorials all needed a lick of paint and perhaps some regular maintenance but in general, given their location and age, they are in good order.

Saturday 18th April saw us booted and suited for the main purpose of the visit to Kohima. The 65th Anniversary of the lifting of the Siege by leading units of the 2nd Division. We all had our duties on this day and overriding us all was Lt. Col Ingrid Hall. She had the plan; she had the wreaths; she had the plaques and most important of all – she had the ‘Handbag’. The handbag had it all.  If a tissue was needed, she went to the handbag. If a pill or tablet was required, she went to the handbag. The plaques and the 2 Div donglers were all in the handbag, not to mention the lippy, perfume and other things held in a woman’s handbag that can come in useful in the most unlikely situations.

The Assam Rifles provided a pair of buglers, the CO of the regiment came with his Subadar Major and his 8 man bodyguard.    
The General laid a wreath on behalf of the 2nd Division. Col. Ted Shields laid a wreath on behalf of the 2nd Bn Durham Light Infantry. (2 DLI suffered the most casualties during the battle). Rob Lyman laid a wreath on behalf of the Kohima Education Trust.  Bob Cook recited Pericles Funeral Oration and the silence was observed.

This was a very emotional occasion for us all. To be honouring, not only the men of the 2nd Division who remained in Kohima, but the men who were able to go home, was just amazing. Especially on the very day 65 years previously when the Division raised the Siege.

After the wreath laying it was into the transport for a 9 mile trip down the Imphal road to the new Kohima War Museum.  This is a very spacious museum which covers the whole of the war as related to India although of course it does concentrate on the Kohima Battles. Here we met with the Cultural Minister and the people behind the museum. We presented a number of items to them which were pertinent to the Siege and Battle such as maps and aerial photographs. The main presentation piece was a bush hat with the cross keys and a DLI cap badge. They were all very well received and we in turn were presented with some excellent gifts of books and Naga items.

A School visit was next, to see the work of the Kohima Education Trust. This was very impressive as the children put on a show for us in their tribal costumes. The Chief Elder got up to talk to us through an interpreter. He related that as a youngster his house was blown up by the British but they didn’t mind as the British then gave them plates and spoons. I don’t know who told me this but it was said that of the approximately 300,000 Nagas at the time of the war, only 2 went over to the Jap.

Lunch was after the school and then we had some time to return to the Kohima Cemetery. We all had some tasks to fulfil on behalf of Veterans and some family members. I had received an email at Gatwick airport on the way out wanting to visit the Museum in York as the lady’s father from the Royal Scots was killed at Kohima. I got the relevant details and took a snap of his headstone.  This was also a very moving part of the day as we each went off on our own journey around the cemetery.
 
Evening saw us invited to dinner with the Kohima Education Society which is the Naga equivalent of the KET.  A few more power cuts and a welcome bed.

Sunday saw us off to Dimapur for the flight back to kolkata  via an orphanage where the children sang a few Sunday school songs to us after we had delivered a pile of sweets and pens etc. The children were very shy but seemed pleased with the sweets and pens etc. We continued to the airport and back to Kolkata and air-conditioned luxury.   

The GOC had to return to the UK on the Monday but the rest of us headed once again to the airport for the flight to Imphal. Anotherposh hotel(?) where the drain was a hole in the wall   We had time to get out suits etc out for pressing and then off the State Governors Residence for an official meeting.  Back for a meal of sorts and then a festival before heading back to the hotel for acouple of dodgy beers. The beer was dodgy only in that ithad to be bought anonymously through a literal hole in the wall.

Another visit to another immaculate War Graves Commission Cemetery and another truly moving wreath laying cermony by the Chielf of Staff - Col Ted Shields OBE             Imphal is a much larger cemetery than Kohima but at both the ground staff were very pleased to see us and to hear our appreciation of the work that they do, often without a visitor from one month to the next. That evening we had an opportunity to vist a local festival where we caused a minor stir by our very presence. It was an opportunity to do a bit of souviner shopping.            

Tuesday, we headed back to Kolkata where Col Ted Shields invited us to a Club which had reciprocal visiting privalages with his Club in Edinburgh. We were to have a few drinks and dinner there. It did not score any points as the best night out and we returned directly to the Oberoi Hotel where we had come to expect first class service and facilities.

Wednesday and the trip was over. We headed to the airport - again and home. We all agreed that the visit to India was very rewarding on a number of fronts and we felt extremely privilaged to be able to pay our respects not only to the soldiers of the 2nd Division who fought the Japanese and who stayed in India for all time but to those soldiers who fought and came home.

My personal thanks go to:

Maj Gen David McDowall for allowing me to accompany him to India

Brig Clive Elderton for his expertise and local knowledge of the Indian Bureaucracy

Lt Col Ingrid Hall for facilitating and co-ordinating the whole trip from start to finish and for bringing the 'Handbag'

I look forward to my next trip