Hello all
I thought you may be interested to know that I have just been given WWII US issue shoulder bag and field jacket and a WWII Australian isse back pack. By a veteran of the Burma campaign he was one of the Gurkhas who was stuck on the other side of the Sittang bridge when the british destroyed it.
I do his gardens every once and a while because he has a crook back.
Here is a photo of the things.
WWII artifacts

Hi Andy. I'm afraid I can't get to see the pics, the site won't allow entry. I'm afraid I'm ignorant of the Sittang bridge action you mention. Could you tell me some details?
Martin

Try this link

http://community.webshots.com/photo/75848866/81326275EFnSWZ

Thanks Marty, that link works. Nice one Andy, I love to see memorabilia from guys who were actually there. A few years ago I used to help a guy who was in the RAF in the pathfinders. I used to love it when he showed me his logbook and medals and photos. The trouble is that as time passes there are fewer and fewer of them to share their stories.
Martin

Hi Martin
That is so true every year at our ANZAC parades there are fewer and fewer of the old soldiers.
About the Sittang bridge during the Japanese drive towards In dia the british army was in retreat most of the time. When they came to the Sittang bridge The soldier I recieved the artifacts from was stranded on the other side ( the side the Japanese were on) and the British blew the bridge causing them to try and cross the river downstream but failed iam not sure how long he was stuck on the same side as the Japanese but he was the only officer to come out alive.
Not sure what river the bridge is over abd what town it is in.

thanks for the info Andy. The British veterans of the war against Japan called it the forgotten war as it gets little attention here. I guess my ignorance of the Sittang Bridge proves it. Those fighting in Burma and the pacific islands were actually fighting two enemies, the soldiers facing them and the jungle itself.
Martin