Battle of Kohima Sitrep 1RWF 4 May 1944 - 1430hrs - 1st Attack
Battle of Kohima Sitrep 1RWF 4 May 1944 - 1430hrs
B Company commenced a frontal assault on Kukis Piquet in support of C Company at 1400hrs. Almost immediately the OC Maj Hilditch, Lt Steele and Lt Shepherd were wounded. Shepherd would die of his wounds three months later in Delhi. Capt DJO Thomas assumed command.
All three B Coy platoons met very heavy fire and grenades and were forced to withdraw.
Meanwhile 14 Platoon C Coy was holding out on the edge of FSD, along with the remnants of 15 Pl and what was left of the DLI Company.
At 1410hrs OC C Company Maj PCR Carrinton suffered a severe head wound, whilst observing from behind a tank. Lt Ogburne immediately assumed command and was promoted to Capt! He was ordered to form a tight perimeter with the DLI and tanks on FSD. They were losing men to effective sniping from Kukis Piquet.
The battalion immediatley tasks the GR Platoon(Battle Patrol) to get wire and defence stores quickly up to the C Coy Garrison on FSD. A Platoon of D Company is tasked to patrol the northern Nullah and clear it of snipers.
Battle of Kohima: 4th May 1944 - DCM Citation Cpl Thomas
Battle of Kohima: 4th May 1944
During the afternoon the 1RWF War Diary signposts a rare glimpse of the battle at platoon level. It reads:
"One Pl of B Coy reported pinned down 20yds from Jap bunker position, Kukis Piquet and under fire from snipers and grenades."
It makes no further mention of this incident in the diary.
About 15 days later a Cpl Thomas is awarded a DCM for several feats of gallantry during the Kohima/Imphal campaign. The first incident recorded in his recommendation is copied below:
Battle of Kohima Sitrep 1RWF 4 May 1944 - 1945hrs - 1st Attack Final Update
Battle of Kohima Sitrep 1RWF 4 May 1944 - 1945hrs
The situation as dusk approaches is that the remnants of C Company are garrisoned on the crest of FSD along with some members of the DLI and several tanks. They are under continual sniping and grenading from the enemy and are losing men.
During the night the Brigades Mortars put down effective defensive mortar fire, within metres of the Welsh troops in order to break up an enemy attempt to storm C Company.It is estimated at this stage that only 30% of C Company remain unwounded. That percentage will eventually be lower as only 6 x C Coy men walked off the FSD position on the 6th May, after they were relieved.
Across the battalion, by the end of this day at least 15 x men will have been killed and well in excess of 60 x men wounded. Some of injured are lying in no-mans land, beyond reach and will die during the night, others will manage to crawl back to Garrison Hill bringing vital information about the situation on FSD. Remember to move between Garrison Hill and FSD they will need to get past enemy held Kukis Piquet.
During the afternoon, GR Platoon(Battle Patrol) has been carrying defence stores to the position, so that Capt Ogburne can secure the perimeter before nightfall. Later this evening GR Platoon led by Lt AW Watkins and 11 Platoon B Coy led by Lt Dawson will move up to FSD and reinforce C Company. The surviving men of C Company have now dug in and face a long night.
Of the 15 Royal Welchmen who lost their lives following todays action, at least 6 of them have no known grave.
Battle of Kohima Sitrep 1RWF 5 May 1944 - 1640hrs.
All through this morning the battalion and brigade assets have been pounding the enemy bunkers on Kohima Ridge.An assortment of troops led by C Company OC Capt Ogburne still have an isolated and very precarious foothold on FSD. The crest they share with the Japanese.
At 1530 D Company led by Maj WD Cooke are brought forward and ordered to clear the Nullah(ravine) leading alongside Kukis, then hold it, so that B Coy can attack the summit of Kukis Piquet.
D Coys task fails under an overwhelming amount of fire from the enemy MG's on Kukis and the ever present snipers. They persevere for 45mins, before the advance is brought to a halt and D Company is ordered to withdraw.
Casualties: 2 Killed. 2 x Missing. 13 x Wounded.
B Company then move forward, they will attempt to take Kukis Piquet, led by Capt DJO Thomas. They have just two platoons, 10 & 12 Platoon. 11 Platoon has been attached to C Company on FSD since yesterday evening……..
Cpl Thomas Radcliffe MM 1RWF - KIA 5 May 1944 - Kohima
Today at Kohima 5th May 1944, Cpl Thomas Radcliffe MM of the 1st Bn The Royal Welch Fusiliers was killed in action. During the battalions attempts to capture Kukis Piquet.
Thomas Radcliffe had been awarded his MM at the Battle of Indin in the previous year. He was married to Margaret Radcliffe, they lived at Llangwstenin near Llandudno
See aboveThomas Radcliffe's recommendation for the Military Medal:
The 1st Bn's War Diary states that apart from sniping and grenading it was a quiet night 5/6th and during the day of the 6th, A & B Coy spent the day improving the positions on Garrison Hill. At 1100hrs it records that 1 x Coy from the R. Berks moved to FSD to commence the relief of C Coys adhoc force, which had been on the position since the failed assault of the 4th May.
The diary entry doesn't tell the full story, possibly because the diary was being written at TAC on Garrison Hill.
The Reality: The Red Dragon notes: "Confused fighting on FSD continued throughout the day, the British and Japanese positions being closely interlocked"
Even though 1R.Berks had a company now on FSD, Capt Ogburn and his small group of men remained on FSD for a further night.
By the end of today the 6th May 1944. 1RWF had lost a further 13 Men Killed in Action. At least four of the men had no known grave:
(Belated Death Entry: Lt JAL Hunter(RRF Att). Of Darlington Co Durham). No Known Grave.
A quiet night. Today at 1230hrs. Capt EF Ogburn returned from FSD. He brought with him 5 x men, of the original C Coy group that reached FDS on the 4th May. He was accompanied by 10Pl B Coy and the surviving members of GR Platoon(Battle Patrol). Gr Platoon had lost their Pl Commander on the 5th May, since then the unit had been led by Sgt Watson. Lt Oburn's small force had fought against overwhelming odds but managed to hold their position on FSD. 1R.Berks now had a fully equipped company on the feature, thanks to the actions of a small number of Royal Welchman.
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