Lt. Leslie Cusden, official photographer, with Karen allies at Bolo Auk 1945 The Men of SOE Burma page of this website has been a 'work in progress' for the best part of four years now. It is by far the... Continue Reading →
On 7 December, 1945, exactly four years since the Japanese opened hostilities against Western targets in the Far East, Colonel Mount Stephen Cumming of Force 136 wrote a letter of thanks to the commander of RAF Jessore, in India. Addressing... Continue Reading →
Original Caption: " P " Force, F.136.P.2. Group at Calcutta, Nov.1945. The photo above was shared with me by the son of the Sergeant who had added himself to the top left. Why Sergeant Len Pearson missed the photograph being... Continue Reading →
SOE was not supposed to be an intelligence organisation, with clear lines of responsibilty set out so it did not stand on the toes of the Secret Intelligence Service. Intelligence naturally came with SOE operations, however, and became quite a... Continue Reading →
During 1945, SOE's Burma Country Section (BCS) kept a count of casualties inflicted upon the Japanese. Perhaps as grim humour, or perhaps as a reflection of the British upper class penchant for shooting, the record was known as 'The Game... Continue Reading →
When we commemorate the world wars, and wars since, we obviously think about those who lost their lives, and we remember and thank those who were 'at the sharp end'. For example, it is often said that we remember 'The... Continue Reading →
For VJ Day last year, the exploits of Major Turrall were presented HERE. This year, similar to the post for VE Day 75 HERE, what follows will be extracts from the reports of various officers of Force 136 in Burma. ... Continue Reading →
More plentiful times: a supply drop in Burma, 1945. Photo credit Sgt. Roger Leney In his history of SOE in the Far East, the official historian, Charles Cruickshank, claims that the organisation existed in a 'funcional vacuum' due to its... Continue Reading →
Photo Credit Hereford Times What were the men of SOE Burma doing while Victory in Europe was celebrated? Compiled from various reports and operational diaries, here's their 8 May 1945: Lt.Col. John Cromarty Tulloch, officer commanding Walrus area of Operation... Continue Reading →
Although it is difficult to calculate exactly how many Burmese personnel were recruited by SOE for operations within the country, we do know that it was in excess of 20,000. Those personnel represented at least fourteen different ethnic communities, from... Continue Reading →
If you like what you see on my website consider buying my book HERE The shortage of equipment for the Southeast Asian theatre of operations during the Second World War are well known. From the supply of worn out Battle... Continue Reading →
If you like what you see on my website consider buying my book HERE Map Credit In the Far East, the Special Operations Executive (SOE) is now fairly well known as 'Force 136'. This name was only official from March 1944,... Continue Reading →
If you like what you see on my website consider buying my book HERE Photo courtesy of Simon Leney, son of W/T Sergeant Roger Leney Many of the post-operational reports written by the officers in charge of operations in Burma during... Continue Reading →
If you like what you see on my website consider clicking HERE, or buying my book HERE Much has often made of the fractious relationship between the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS,) and the Special Operations Executive (SOE). The words used... Continue Reading →
If you like what you see on my website consider buying my book HERE Map Credit The two SOE operations in Burma which have had the most exposure are Operation Character and Operation Nation. The former was the largest Force... Continue Reading →
If you like what you see on my website consider buying my book HERE This post is purely about data. The aim is simply to show the extent of the SOE / Force 136 commitment to Burma and Southeast Asia... Continue Reading →
If you like what you see on my website consider buying my book HERE General Slim & Lt.Col. Cumming At the end of December 1944, as XIV Army were poised to push into Burma and chase the Japanese down to... Continue Reading →
If you like what you see on my website consider clicking HERE, or buying my book HERE A supply drop to Operation Character in 1945 Based upon reports from late 1942 and the early part of 1943, the following post... Continue Reading →
If you like what you see on my website consider clicking HERE, or buying my book HERE HMS Scarab, from 'The Navy's Most Important Ship' This post is specially for K.T. Lwin, ex Burma Navy. What follows is likely to... Continue Reading →
If you like what you see on my website consider clicking HERE, or buying my book HERE The Japanese Emperor, Hirohito, made his first radio broadcast in the afternoon of 15 August 1945. In it, he told his nation that... Continue Reading →
The Special Operations Executive in Burma 1941-1945 