DIAR Y FROM... Philip Parkinson
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were in big metal cylinders, and
one day he retrieved a cylinder
that had broken open. It was
filled with tinned peaches, and
one can just fell behind the
driver’s seat, to be retrieved later.
One of the other drivers had a tin
of condensed milk; Dad always
said that was the best meal he
ever had!
Weeks went on, and the
Japanese tried to get their big
guns, which had been captured
at Singapore, onto the top of
the hill overlooking the British
camp. Along with a group of
60 plus men, Dad had to attack
the Japanese as they dug in and
positioned their guns. The British
attacked just after dark, catching
them off guard. It was a rout and
the Japanese retreated, leaving
the guns behind. With the guns
secured, it was expected that the
Japanese would counter attack,
but getting back to safety was
impossible with the guns in tow.
The order came that they had
wreck the guns. Packing them
with mud and firing them was
the way to do it! When ready, it
was an extra-long lanyard and
fingers in your ears as the officer
in charge pulled on the lanyard.
“Boom”, the biggest boom Dad
ever heard, then there they were
with splits in the barrels. This was
just one of the regular hand-to-
hand fights. Nights were always
the favourite, with night patrols
from both sides often stumbling
across each other in No
Man’s Land.
In his memoirs, General Slim said
that this was the greatest battle
against the Japanese in World
War Two. The end of the battle
came one morning when the
Japanese turned away,
heading south as fast
as they could, with the
British Army in pursuit.
The casualties on both
sides were heavy, but
the Japanese losses
were not as heavy as
those of the British, who
had been under fire in a
confined space.
The battle left many
with malaria, Dad
included, so instead
of chasing the Japs
it was back to India
and hospital. It took
weeks to recuperate,
but instead of the usual
AB malaria, which
leave you suffering
flu-like symptoms for
the rest of your life, it
was cerebral malaria
that Dad got. He was
in hospital for many
weeks, but although this
type of malaria can kill,
you never suffer any
more symptoms.
One day he had a visit from
Nathan Dixon from Carnforth,
the brother of Tony Dixon whom
he had gone to school with. He
thought he was coming to see
Dad before he died, but when he
met him, Dad was sitting up in
bed. After talking to Nathan for a
time, Dad said, “By gum, Nathan,
thou looks terrible.” Nathan said
he could not eat the local food,
and had no money to buy food.
All his pay went straight back to
his wife and child. Dad said, “Pass
me my wallet.” He opened it
and gave half of the contents to
Nathan, telling him to go and buy
himself a good meal. Years later,
at Cartmel Races, I witnessed the
reunion with Nathan. This time
he was paying, it was ice creams
all round for us six kids. Dad had
a saying about never lending
money: if you can afford to, give
it, but never lend a penny if you
want it back - the secret to a
happy life.
Back with his mates in Burma,
Dad found that monsoon
season had arrived. It would
rain for weeks on end. Tanks
hated monsoons, they were
soon bogged down in the mud,
the only thing to do was to sit
it out; just down the road was
the Japanese Army, waiting
for the rain to stop. Wingate’s
Chindits could move in any
weather, they gave the Japs
hell. With the monsoon over,
it was on the move again. Dad
had been in Burma six months,
and it was time for leave. The
men were taken by truck back
over the Ngakydauk Pass, back
to India and straight back into
hospital with a case on dysentery.
However, good food and clean
water soon sorted them out. With
the war in Burma going well, it
was back to Bombay with Dad
for a top secret project.
READ MORE OF PHILIP
PARKINSON’S STORY AT
http:/ /www.far-eastern-heroes.
org.uk/My_Dad_and_Me/index.
htm
Dad, Jack Twiss and Jim Sturgeon,
3 of the 8 who joined the
Australian captain in an open boat
M3 General Lee in burma