Forgotten Voices of Burma

Ebury Publishing

£19.99

Published: 28 October 2009

Burma was the largest land campaign that the British forces were engaged in during World War II. Yet, compared to the knowledge that’s been passed down through generations about the Normandy and Africa campaigns, for example, very little is known about what went on there.

Through the first-hand accounts, Forgotten Voices of Burma sheds light on why this campaign was so significant. Like other books in the Forgotten series, the stories recorded here enable the reader to appreciate the emotional story of the conflict, rather than simply dishing out facts about ‘what happened where’.

Through these accounts – many from testimonies found in the Imperial War Museum’s vast archives – this book provides a vivid description of the fear, bravery and heroism of those who were in Burma at the height of the conflict.

An account from Private Ivan Daunt of Queen’s Own Royal West Kents, for example, provides an insight into the frightening situation at Kohima

“We started getting out of the trucks and getting our kit out. Mortar bombs and shells began falling around us. The drivers were screaming and hollering, and we didn’t know what to do….”

With many more moving stories packed into this book, Forgotten Voices of Burma is an insightful read for anyone – regardless of their knowledge of the battle – and will go a long way to ensure that the heroes who served out there will no longer be overlooked.