Burma comrades to meet 63 years after war ends
A Burma war veteran is looking forward to swapping stories with a comrade he has not seen for more than 60 years.
An e-mail from the secretary at the Norfolk branch of the Burma Star Association put Lincolnshire member Alan Barkes (87) in touch with Norman Hunt. Both had served with the 2810 Parachute Regiment.
The pair will meet at the Carlton Hotel, Great Yarmouth.
Mr Barkes, of High Street, Holbeach, said: "We have chatted on the phone and I am really looking forward to us meeting up.
"It is more than 63 years ago that we served in Burma. I have been trying to track a lot of people down but there are not many left now."
The Burma campaign of World War II took place between December 11, 1941, and September 2, 1945, during which time the Japanese invaded Burma, driving British forces to the Indian border.
As the Japanese held superiority in the Pacific, it was not until early in 1944 that the Allies were in a position to strike back and regain a foothold in Burma with the aim of finally defeating the Japanese in the Pacific and Far East.
The Japanese surrendered on September 2, 1945, after the Allies dropped atom bombs on two Japanese cities.
Mr Barkes, who was a keen boxer during his time in the forces, was in the RAF Regiment from early 1942 to June 1946 and served in Burma with 2846 Squadron for around 14 months.
He volunteered to join a new parachute squadron regiment and completed a gruelling two-week course in Chakalala, India.
The group was waiting for orders to parachute onto the Malaysian jungle, a move Mr Barkes feared he would not survive, but it was called off when the Americans ended the war.
However, the group did parachute into Indonesia as some Japanses troops did not realise the war was over.
Mr Barkes has been a member of the The Burma Star Association for a couple of years.
The association meets at Gosberton Church Hall from 2.30pm on the second Wednesday of every month and all Burma veterans are welcome to attend.
Mr Barkes is keen to hear from anyone who was a member of 2810 Squadron. He can be contacted on 01406 425688.
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Thursday 24 May 2012
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