Richard Ronald Thomas 1st RWF Burma 1945

[richenry]

I have recently discovered an ancestor namely Richard Ronald Thomas who was from Gorseionon, Fusilier, 14652177 ( Originally and incorrectly posted as 4200124), 1st Battalion, RWF. Died 14/03/1945 and is buried at The Taukkyan War Cemetery, Burma. Apparently this cemetery was begun in 1951 for the reception of graves from four battlefield cemeteries at Akyab, Mandalay, Meiktila and Sahmaw.
I have discovered several other 1st Battalion men buried at Taukkyan who died on the 13th March but none on the same date as my ancestor who died on the 14th.
What I would like to find out is what action was he involved in when he was killed, that is, did he come from one of the battlfields already mentioned - Akyab, Mandalay, Meiktila or Sahmaw.
Can anyone tell me what and where the 1st battalion were doing around the 14/03/1945, and is it possible to establish when he enlisted from his regimental number ?


Many thanks in anticipation.
Martyn

[ap1]

Hi Martyn,

A warm welcome.

Firstly in the Book Red Dragon, on the casualty lists. Richard R Thomas who died on the 14 Marc 1945 has an army service no: 14652177. Have you got the right man? I have found a 4200214(slight difference to your number) William H Thomas who was killed on the 25 Feb 1945?

Difficult to pin the exact action date, but some info below to help narrow it down.

Notes from the book "The Red Dragon" by PK Kemp & John Greaves. Feb 1945, the 1st Bn began preparations for Operation Juliet, which was the crossing of the Irrawaddy River. The Bn's task was to cross the main stream(over a mile wide) and hold the west end of Ngazum(a small island), the crossing was made on the 24th Feb. It was an opposed crossing from which they suffered casualties. On the 26th Feb they crossed a further arm of this vast waterway. For the following few days they were involved in extending the bridgehead south of Ngazum ready for an advance to Mandalay. They then conducted a "Breakout", fighting many minor actions. Note the following extract from Red Dragon (no date, only timeframe is the early part of March - 17th March:

"On one occasion C Company under Maj CW Sparrow, fought a most succseful action, supported by tanks, against enemy who fired on them from some pagodas. Seventeen of the enemy were killed. C Company's losses in this action were eight other ranks killed and seven wounded, of whom two died later. Lt LJ Rueben distinguished himself in this fight and was later awarded the Military Cross, while Cp Morgan won the DCM."

They had a further minor skirmish at Tabetswe, by the 17th March they had reached Paliek, 12 miles south of Mandalay.

The date for the Pagoda incident is not listed. I would suggest you identify 8 x 1RWF dead, on the same date over this period. This will at least allow you to benchmark that action. The crossing of the river was a very difficult operation, the 1st Bn's part in it was crucial. If they had failed, the 2nd Div would not have been able to complete their crossing(Div Comds summation).

I'm wondering if your relative was one of the two guys who died following the Pagoda incident, assuming your date of death is correct?

Hope this helps

Al

[richenry]

Hi Al
First of all, let me apologise for the confusion regarding the Reg no, I dont know where on earth I got 4200124 from !! Age doesnt come on its own does it ! I can confirm that his number was 14652177 (I will try to correct it on my original post) I got the date of death from the Ancestry site - UK, ArmyRoll 0of Honour 1939-1945 and the CWGC Site, both of whom agree on 14/03/1945. Unfortunately neither source indicates whether he was Killed In Action or Died of Wounds, both merely give date of death.
Secondly many thanks for your response it is very much appreciated. I will try to identify the date of the Pagoda incident as per your suggestion, though not sure how I'm going to do it. Try to identify them by searching on the CWGC site possibly ?
Again, Many Thanks
Martyn

[ap1]

The 13th Mar is most likely date for the Pagoda incident. The data shows between the 1st - 10 March four x 1st Bn guys killed. Then on the 13th, you see a notable rise in the death count. Obviously at this stage its all supposition that Richard was injured in this incident then died later, but it is a distinct possibility. The next stage is for you to apply for his service records from the MOD.

surname	forename	initials	age_text	honours_awards	date_of_death	date_of_death2	rank	regiment	unitshipsquadron	country	servicenumberExport
HASKEY	WILFRED GORDON	W G	21		13/03/1945		Fusilier	Royal Welch Fusiliers	1st Bn.	Myanmar	'14387237'
WESTLAKE	STANLEY EDWARD	S E	27	Mentioned in Despatches	13/03/1945		Fusilier	Royal Welch Fusiliers	1st Bn.	Myanmar	'4198048'
BLOXSOME	FREDDIE	F	27		13/03/1945		Fusilier	Royal Welch Fusiliers	1st Bn.	Myanmar	'4197655'
CARLESS	NORMAN EDGAR	N E	31		13/03/1945		Fusilier	Royal Welch Fusiliers	1st Bn.	Myanmar	'4203761'
DAVIES	WILLIAM ERNEST	W E	33		13/03/1945		Corporal	Royal Welch Fusiliers	1st Bn.	Myanmar	'4189316'
PRITCHARD	EDWIN	E	25		13/03/1945		Fusilier	Royal Welch Fusiliers	1st Bn.	Myanmar	'4207167'
REES	LEONARD MILO	L M	24		13/03/1945		Fusilier	Royal Welch Fusiliers	1st Bn.	Myanmar	'4205138'
THOMAS	RICHARD RONALD	R R	29		14/03/1945		Fusilier	Royal Welch Fusiliers	1st Bn.	Myanmar	'14652177'
PICKARD	FRANK	F	26		16/03/1945		Fusilier	Royal Welch Fusiliers	1st Bn.	Myanmar	'3133191'
LOCKE	WILLIAM	W	28		18/03/1945		Fusilier	Royal Welch Fusiliers	1st Bn.	Myanmar	'4204277'
DAVIES	WILLIAM GORDON	W G	35		18/03/1945		Fusilier	Royal Welch Fusiliers	1st Bn.	Myanmar	'14513574'

[richenry]

I have just been doing the same research, and came to the same conclusion, 7 died on the 13th, my ancestor on the 14th one on the 16th and 2 on the 18th, it very much looks as if he was involved in the Pagoda action and died as a result of this action. Does his Reg No give any idea as to possible period of enlistment, I am assuming that it was pretty late on in the war as he had a number of wartime born children.
Martyn

[ap1]

When were they born? The 1st Bn were decimated at Dunkirk in May 1940, from the Bn under 100 men made it back to the UK. I think they remained in the UK until 1942. So he could have produced offsprings during that period. He may have also survived the hell of Kohima in 1944. I include the timeline for that action below, so you can refer back later. I would urge you to apply for his service record, at £35 its well worth the expense and may make interesting reading:

This brief Kohima timeline may assist you when looking through Richards service record:


12/4/44 Bn arrives at Dimapur
13th Start Departing Dimapur to Graspani. On the 14th

15th Zubza/Some fighting, a Platoon Comd was killed.

17th Reached Jotsoma. Some heavy fighting, indeed 2 sections of A Company 1RWF were overun by the Japanese, the survivors were taken prisoner. An immediate counter attack was launched by Lt Callaghan and A Coy CSM. Using a covered approach they counter attacked, and completely wiped the enemy out, and rescued their own men!!! During the counter attack they killed 17 of the enemy.

29th April Ferried by Bren Carriers to the outskirts of Kohima. This was the start of their part in the Kohima Battle, they were to remain in action until the battles end on the 12th May, a few days later they moved to Forest Gate Rest Camp at Dimapur, for a short break.

28th May, deployed to a jungle box, close to Aradura, which is South of Kohima. The Japanese still held this area, and heavy fighting ensued. They took a bit of a kicking during this period, its possible that the CO was replaced as the Japanese had managed to catch the Bn off guard. Aradura was finally taken on the 6th June. They now started advancing south along the main road to Imphal, engaging enemy on route.

18th June Advancing on Mao Songsang Sands.

24th June The Bn launches an attack on Thumion Khulen, killing a number of the enemy, similar skirmishes happen over the next few days.

By the 1st July the Division was in full control of Imphal, and they were visited by Mountbatten

[richenry]

Again many, many thanks for the detail. as for his enlistment. he was married in the 3rd Qtr of 1940 had a child in the 2nd Qtr of 1941 another in the 2nd Qtr of 1943 and I believe another in the 1st Qtr of 1944. I need to check these out. I am in touch with his grandson via the ancestry website and will touch base with him, and get back to you.Martyn

[KTFLDS]

Hi,
May I ask if you've managed to find any further information. I believe the information below to be correct that Richard was wounded in the Pagoda incident. Keeping this brief as the thread has been inactive for some time. If you are still on here and researching it'd be good to find out more

[richenry]

Hi, thanks for your continued interest, I would agree with you in that, in all likelyhodd, he died of wounds sustained during the Pagoda incident. I have spoken to Richard's grandson, he believes that Richard enlisted in the Summer of 1944.( His two children were born 1941 and early in 1944.) He believes that he was in India being trained in jungle warfare by the Sherwood Foresters in 1944 ? and believes he was killed somewhere north of a place known as Shepards Crook near the Irrawady ?