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2nd Battalion, Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment
The 2nd Battalion, Duke of Wellington's West Riding Regiment spent the early years of the war in defence of Britain. In February 1942 the 2nd Battalion was hastily mobilised and sent to reinforce Burma. Within a week of landing at Rangoon the battalion was in the rearguard action defending the bridge across the River Sittang, which was then blown up before the battalion could withdraw across the river.
They were in action in the Battle of Paungde in March that year and the campaign became a long retreat until they reached India in May. After reorganisation the 2nd Battalion was assigned to the Chindits and formed two columns, the 33rd and the 76th. As part of that force both columns were involved in the Relief of Imphal from March to July 1944.
Feb 1944 Chindit force preparations In early February 1944 preparations began for the 2nd Chindit Expedition. The Special Force or 3rd Indian Division as it was known consisted of the following units, which were split into Columns.
3rd West African Brigade and 14th Brigade
- 6th Btn. Nigeria Regiment. (Columns 66 & 39)
- 2nd Btn. Black Watch (Columns 42 & 73)
- 7th Btn Nigeria Regiment (Columns 29 & 35)
- 1st Btn. Beds & Herts Regiment (Columns 16 & 61)
- 12th Btn. Nigeria Regt (Columns 12 & 43)
- 2nd Btn. York & Lancaster Regiment (Columns 84 & 65)
- 7th Btn Leicestershire Regiment (Columns 47 & 74)
- 54th Field Company, Royal Engineers
77 Brigade and 111 Brigade
- 3rd Btn. 6th Gurkha Rifles (Columns 36 & 63)
- 1st Btn. Cameronians (Columns 26 & 90)
- 1st Btn. Kings (Liverpool) Regiment (Columns 81 & 82)
- 2nd Btn. Kings Own Royal (Lancaster) Regiment (Columns 41 & 46)
- 1st Btn. Lancashire Fusiliers (Columns 20 & 50)
- 3rd Btn. 4th Gurkha Rifles (Column 30)
- 1st Btn. South Staffordshire Regiment (Columns 38 & 80)
- 3rd Btn. 9th Gurkha Rifles (Columns 57 & 93)
23rd Indian Infantry Brigade
- 1st Btn. Essex Regiment (Columns 44 & 56)
- 2nd Btn. Duke of Wellington's Regiment (Columns 33 & 76)
- 4th Btn. Border Regiment (Columns 34, 55)
- 60th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery, deployed as infantry, (Columns 60 & 68)
- 12th Field Company, Royal Engineers
16th Brigade Morris Force
- 1st Btn. Queens Royal West Surrey Regiment (Columns 21 & 22)
- 4th Btn. 9th Gurkha Rifles (Columns 49 & 94)
- 2nd Btn. Leicestershire Regiment (Columns 17 & 71)
- 3rd Btn. 4th Gurkha Rifles (Column 30)
- 45th Recce Regiment (Columns 45 & 54)
- 51st and 69th Field Regiments, Royal Artillery, deployed as infantry (Columns 51 & 69)
- 2nd Field Company, Royal Engineers
Dah Force
Stronghold Defences
- R S & U Troop 160th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery (25 Pounders)
- W X Y & Z Troops 69th Light Anti Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery (Bofors)
Divisional Troops
- 219th Field Park Company, Royal Engineers
- Detachment 2nd Burma Rifles
- 145th Brigade Company, R.A.S.C.
- 61st Air Supply Company, R.A.S.C.
- 2nd Indian Air Supply Company, R.I.A.S.C.
Feb 1944 Chindit force preparations
1st May 1944 Patrols
2nd May 1944 Intelligence
3rd May 1944 Recce
4th May 1944 Recce
5th May 1944 Prisoners Taken
6th May 1944 Prisoners Taken
7th May 1944 Exchange of Fire
8th May 1944 Straffing
9th May 1944 New Positions
10th May 1944 Orders
11th May 1944 Under Attack
12th May 1944 On the Move
13th May 1944 On the Move
14th May 1944 On the Move
15th May 1944 Rifles
16th May 1944 On the March
17th May 1944 On the March
18th May 1944 Enemy Position
19th May 1944 Plans
20th May 1944 On the March
21st May 1944 Intentions
22nd May 1944 Ambush
24th May 1944 Move
26th May 1944 Rations
28th May 1944 Supplies
29th May 1944 Ambush
30th May 1944 Attack
31st May 1944 Intelligence
If you can provide any additional information, especially on actions and locations at specific dates, please add it here.
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Want to know more about 2nd Battalion, Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment? There are:1364 items tagged 2nd Battalion, Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment available in our Library
These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Second World War. |
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Pte. Peter Seddon MM. 2nd Battalion Duke of Wellingtons (West Riding) Regiment Initially, my dad, Peter Seddon, was in the 6th Manchester Regimen in England before being sent to India and being transferred to the 2nd Battalion, Duke of Wellingtons Regiment in late 1942.
While in India, he was put in the 23rd Chindit (Reserve) Brigade and received intense training to prepare for the Second Chindit Expedition. However, when the Japs invaded Kohima and Imphal, the 33rd & 76th Columns of the 23rd Brigade were sent to Kohima in April 1944.
Based in the Naga Hills, they operated behind enemy lines in order to stop food, communication and medication reaching the Japs. They contributed to the starvation of the enemy which was the decisive factor in that battle. Although not engaged in major battles they accounted for large numbers of Japenese stragglers and foragers and suffered 158 battle casualties themselves.
The defeat of the Japanese at Kohima and Imphal was a turning point. Previously the Japs had won the Battles of Rangoon and Arakan. They had seemed unbeatable as they were harded soldiers who had been fighting the Chinese since 1931. They had suicide squads and were brainwashed to die for their Emperor. They were also very vicious and inhumane towards their enemies. In addition, the British Army's job was made harder as it suffered from lack of resources. The majority of money went to the fight in Europe.
In January 1945, my Dad was then transferred to 1st Battalion, West Yorkshire Reg, 17th Indian Division, where he was involved in Operation Extended Capital. The Burma Campaign intended to take back Rangoon from the Japs.
My Dad was temporary made Lance Corporal in 1945. While taking part in the fierce Battle in Meiktila, he earned the Military Medal for rescuing his fellow soldiers wounded in battle.
In 1945, the Japs were defeated again.
My Dad had Malaria 12 times while in India and Burma.
It wasn't until late 1945 that my Dad returned to England. He was nearly 26 years by then.
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Pte Arthur Mortimer 2nd Btn. Duke of Wellington's Regiment (West Riding)  My father, Arthur Mortimer, who served with both lst and 2nd Battalions DWR during his service (from June 1936 - April 1944). He was 15 when he enlisted into the West Yorkshire Regiment Territorial Army, and into the Regular Army (1 DWR) in 1937. He was posted to 2 DWR in December 1938 and served with them in India and also during the Burma Campaign during the retreatand later as a muleteer. He was wounded by shrapnel in September 1944 and invalided back to the UK. In the photograph my father (seated) is shown with his friend (name unknown) who disappeared in the Burmese jungle; my father says that they had been asleep and that during the night his friend had disappeared - presumably taken by the Japanese.
My dad spoke only rarely about his time during the war - just snippets here and there. He told me that he had learned to swim crossing the river Sittang during the retreat - it was either swim or be left behind. He also told me that on one occasion in the Burmese jungle when they were without food he had shot and killed a pig, but that as punishment for potentially giving away their position to the enemy he was told that he would not get any of the bounty. The pig was duly cooked and dished up whilst my dad went without; by the following morning everybody who had eaten the pork either had the runs or were feeling quite ill!!
As a postscript I would just like to add that my great grandfather, grandfather, father and myself all served with The Dukes as Regular soldiers in a time span that covers from 1882 to 1975.
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Capt. William Donald Meryck Coningham 2nd Btn. Duke of Wellington's West Riding Regiment (d.30th March 1942)  In February 1942 the 2nd Battalion was hastily mobilised and sent to reinforce Burma. Within a week of landing at Rangoon the battalion was in the rearguard action defending the bridge across the river Sittang, which was then blown up before the battalion could withdraw across the river.
They were in action in the Battle of Paungde in March that year and the campaign became a long retreat until they reached India in May.
Captain Donald Coningham, 2nd Battalion, The Duke of Wellingtons Regiment, according to those who served with him, was a very brave man who sacrificed his life in order that his company might be successfully withdrawn.
He was killed at Paungde at 4:30pm on March 30, 1942. He was put in for a DSO but Brigadier Slim didn't award it. His men still contended that the award was well deserved.
Details of the action in which Donald Coningham lost his life can be found in: Burma: The Longest War 1941-45 by Louis Allen, Phoenix Press 1984. (pp40 & 62).
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L/Cpl. George Boynton 2nd Btn Duke of Wellington's West Riding Regiment (d.23rd Feb 1942) My Grandpa's brother George Boynton served in the 2nd Battalion, Duke of Wellington's West Riding Regiment in WW2. He died on 23rd of February 1942 in Burma, I believe on the last day of the Battle of Sittang. He was just 23 and the son of Thomas and Annie Boynton from Roos in East Yorkshire. He is commemorated on the Rangoon Memorial and I believe he is listed as missing in action as he was never found.
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Cpl. Thomas Herbert Hardwick 2nd Battalion Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment) (d.30th March 1942) Thomas Hardwick was my grandad's cousin. We don't know much about him, but we have some photos of him in his uniform, he was a very handsome chap. He died at the Battle of Paungde and has no known grave, but is on the Rangoon memorial.
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Capt. Denis John Roche 2nd Btn. Duke of Wellington's West Riding Regiment (d.24th July 1943) I would like to find any information concerning the circumstances of my Uncle's death, his name was Dennis Roach and he is buried in Bhowanipore Cemetery in Calcutta, India.
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