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Objective Burma
Griff Rhys Jones sets out to find out what went on in Burma as he wanted to know more about his father's role as an army medic. His father Elwyn did not talk a a lot about the war and he died in 1989. Griff's mum is still alive but she knows little more. Griff tracks down some British veterans but not much joy from them.
Griff notices that his father was surrounded by soldiers from West Africa. It was thought that these soldiers would be better at fighting in the jungle because they were brought up in one and they were also resistant to malaria. Although it turns out that the soldiers lived in grass land and had little experience of jungle fighting.
Despite what you might see in the movies, the bulk of the British army soldiers were from India, Ghurkas and what is now Ghana.
Griff sets off the Ghana and encounters people who remember his father and they reckon he was a bit harsh. Elwyn was a newly qualified doctor sent to Burma with little experience of topical diseases. He had to learn fast and learn how to make hard decisions quickly.
Griff goes to Burma with 90 years old Joshua from Ghana who served in Burma. The programme quickly becomes the experiences of the West African soldiers fighting in the Burmese jungle for the British empire, the same empire who later mistreated them.
My mother recounts that some of her relatives lived in Burma during the time of the British Raj and a few died of exhaustion or starvation as they fled to India as the Japanese invaded Burma. So I was interested to find out about Burma during the Japanese occupation and was surprised to learn that the Burmese were more supportive of their new occupiers.
I think Griff was embarrassed that his father was not remembered so kindly by the west African soldiers and the programmed shifted emphasis as the better story was about the forgotten army and how badly they were treated upon their return.
Griff notices that his father was surrounded by soldiers from West Africa. It was thought that these soldiers would be better at fighting in the jungle because they were brought up in one and they were also resistant to malaria. Although it turns out that the soldiers lived in grass land and had little experience of jungle fighting.
Despite what you might see in the movies, the bulk of the British army soldiers were from India, Ghurkas and what is now Ghana.
Griff sets off the Ghana and encounters people who remember his father and they reckon he was a bit harsh. Elwyn was a newly qualified doctor sent to Burma with little experience of topical diseases. He had to learn fast and learn how to make hard decisions quickly.
Griff goes to Burma with 90 years old Joshua from Ghana who served in Burma. The programme quickly becomes the experiences of the West African soldiers fighting in the Burmese jungle for the British empire, the same empire who later mistreated them.
My mother recounts that some of her relatives lived in Burma during the time of the British Raj and a few died of exhaustion or starvation as they fled to India as the Japanese invaded Burma. So I was interested to find out about Burma during the Japanese occupation and was surprised to learn that the Burmese were more supportive of their new occupiers.
I think Griff was embarrassed that his father was not remembered so kindly by the west African soldiers and the programmed shifted emphasis as the better story was about the forgotten army and how badly they were treated upon their return.
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- Prismark10
- Aug 22, 2016
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