Extracts from the London Gazette
Awards for the 1942 Evacuation

http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/35882/supplements/547

29th January 1943

CHANCERY OF THE ORDER OF SAINT MICHAEL AND SAINT GEORGE
The King has been graciously pleased to give directions for the under mentioned appointment to the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George, for services in the evacuation of Indian subjects from Burma.
To be an Additional Member of the Third Class of Companions of the said Most Distinguished Order:-

Robert Howell Hutchings, I.C.S. Agent of the Government of India in Burma.
Mr Hutchings dealt with the vast mass of Indian refugees from Burma and discharged this responsibility with distinction and never failing courage, resourcefulness and sympathetic understanding of their suffering and needs. By his courage, foresight, cool determination and dogged endurance in most difficult and exacting circumstances, Mr Hutchings rendered outstanding service to the whole India community in Burma.

CENTRAL CHANCERY OF THE ORDERS OF KNIGHTHOOD
The King has been graciously pleased to give orders for the following appointments to the Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire for services in the Burma evacuation. To be Additional Companions of the said Most Eminent Order:-

Henry (Harold) Frederick Clark, Secretary, Surma Valley Branch, Indian Tea Association.
From March to July 1942, Mr Clark devoted the whole of his time and energy first to building camps and providing stocks of food on the difficult Bishenpur route from Manipur and then controlling it. The route carried 37,500 refugees to safety with many fewer casualties than might have been expected. This achievement was due in no small measure to the industry, ability and self-sacrifice of Mr Clark.

Lt.-Col. Eustace Trevor Neave Taylor,M.B. Ch.B I.M. S.
Lt.-Col. Taylor was posted in February 1942 to Kalewa on the Refugee Organisation where by untiring efforts he succeeded in checking a cholera epidemic among the refugees which might have brought work on the India-Burma road to a standstill and resulted in great loss of life. On the advanced refugee camps being withdrawn he became responsible for the medical arrangements in the Manipur area, at a time when reductions of staff and the state of exhaustion and disease in which the refugees were arriving made his task particularly difficult. Before leaving he had re-established the civil medical administration in Manipur. Throughout he displayed tireless energy, complete disregard of hardship and outstanding organising ability.

CENTRAL CHANCERY OF THE ORDERS OF KNIGHTHOOD.
The King has been graciously pleased to give order for the under mentioned appointments of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire and for the following awards of the George medal and of the British Empire Medal, for bravery and distinguished services in the Burma evacuation:-
To be Additional Commander of the Civil Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire:-

Harold Roper,M.C., General Manager. Burma Oil Company, Lt., Rangoon
Mr Roper played a leading part in the oil denial schemes in Burma. By his personal example and influence he contributed very largely to the maintenance of the morale of his employees without whose services the successful denial of oil supplies to the enemy would have been impossible. He remained in Rangoon to the very end and left by sea with the last demolition party.

Published by the Anglo-Burmese Library 2012. All rights reserved.

Extracts from the London Gazette
Awards for the 1942 Evacuation

http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/35882/supplements/547

To be Additional Officers of the Civil Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire :-

Denis Jackson Atkinson, T.F.S., Conservator of Forests, Burma
Mr Atkinson was posted to organise the evacuation of refugees from the Chindwin region. The resources at his command were never large but by his energy and untiring work he improvised both transport and supplies. It was largely due to his personal efforts that nearly 200,000 refugees safely traversed this difficult route. He carried out a further arduous tour of duty for several weeks in extremely difficult conditions and helped to being in refugees who were making their way to India by other routes. Mr Atkinson showed personal courage, a deep sense of duty and a great capacity for organisation.

Peter Burnside,Burma Forest Service, Deputy Conservator of Forests, Burma
When evacuation started, Mr Burnside was placed in charge of the land evacuation from Lower Burma. This was the first land route used by Indian refugees and he had much to contend with in the way of sickness and shortage of water, food, transport and medical supplies. He did everything possible to minimise the heavy casualties that occurred on this route and to prevent the spread of disease. It was mainly due to Mr Burnside’s courage, energy, resource and devotion to duty that nearly 80,000 refugees were able to reach safety by this route.

John Revill Case, Manager, British Burma Petroleum Company, Ltd. Yenangyaung.
Both in Rangoon and in the oilfields Mr Case was outstanding among the oil companies’ executives in his whole-hearted support of the oil denial scheme. He gave a splendid lead to his own employees in the personal share that he took in the work, and his constant unqualified assistance was of the utmost value during the preparation and operation of the scheme.

George Chettle,Indian Police, Dist. Superintendent of Police (for some time offg. Deputy Insp.-General) BurmaMr Chettle, as Deputy Commissioner, Salween District, rendered good service when that District was evacuated during the early part of the Japanese advance. He was then posted as Superintendent of Police, Meiktila, and managed to hold his police force together until the district was evacuated. On one occasion he protected at great personal risk to himself, the Meiktila treasury which had been partially looted by a mob. Mr Chettle as Offg. Deputy Inspector General, Sagaing Division, gave the greatest assistance in restoring morale in Shwebo, Sagaing and Monywa during constant bombing.
His fighting spirit, efficiency and determination made him a tower of strength to the administration during the closing days of Upper Burma.

Lt.-Col. Robert Ross Ewing Director of Civil Transport, Rangoon. (Deputy Commissioner, Burma)During the last days of Rangoon, Lt.-Col. Ewing was responsible for the provision of transport for the final demolition contingent and was then chief adviser. He discharged his duties with utmost efficiency and in a difficult and dangerous situation, his cool common sense and unruffled temperament did much to maintain the morale of the last party of officials left in Rangoon.

Published by the Anglo-Burmese Library 2012. All rights reserved.

Extracts from the London Gazette
Awards for the 1942 Evacuation

http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/35882/supplements/547

Marr Grieve Chief Superintending Engineer, Burma Oil Co., Ltd., Yenangyaung
Mr Marr Grieve was Director of Operations for the oilfields denial schemes and was responsible for the formation and training of the demolition crews as well as for the operational control and detailed planning for the Yenangyaung field.
He carried out this task with exceptional skill in the most trying circumstances and the success of the operations in the oilfields was very largely due to his work. His careful planning and foresight, his attention to detail and his personal drive were apparent in every aspect of the demolitions.

Christopher Jerome Harrison Toklai Experimental Station, Assam
Mr Harrison was responsible for the camps on the Pangsau Pass route. He worked in the most advanced camps, giving aid to the refugees and cooking for them himself. Working for long periods in appalling conditions he was always ready to go forward to bring in the sick and infirm.
In July he lead a last rescue party over the pass and brought in over a hundred persons who otherwise could have hardly survived. Throughout, his courage, resource and cheerfulness were outstanding.

Kenneth James Hulme Lindop, M.C., I.C.S. Deputy Commissioner, Magwe, Burma
Mr Lindop was responsible for the very efficient evacuation of a large number of Europeans, Anglo-Indians and Indians. He gave great assistance to the Army in their retirement through Magwe and kept his district administration functioning till the end. Mr Lindop continued to carry out his duties of civil administration and of supervising evacuation in the Mandalay and Sagaing Divisions. On reaching Manipur he rendered very valuable service in rescuing refugees who were making their way out of Burma through the unhealthy Naga tracks during the rains. Later, he volunteered to take charge of the forward refugee camps and stationed himself at the advanced headquarters where he still remains at work.

29th January 1943

Lt.-Col. David Kenneth Llewelyn Lindsay M.D., D.T.M., I.M.S., Civil Surgeon, Lashio.
Lt.-Col. Lindsay did magnificent work when Lashio was bombed and by his personal influence and leadership, kept his hospital functioning at full strength and dealt with, in addition to bomb casualties, a large number of evacuees and many Chinese military patients.

Although heavy fighting was going on just south of the Lashio-Hsipaw road and it was not clear how long the road would remain intact, he managed to get medical supplies to the Chinese military hospital at Hsipaw, which had been bombed and had lost all its stores. He then successfully evacuated the remainder of his patients from Lashio and stayed well in the rear giving what medical help he could to the stream of refugees.

After reaching Myitkyina, he attempted to get medical supplies for the hospital. Although well aware that the Japanese forces were advancing rapidly along the Bhamo road, he went back 20 miles to the Kasu river but was cut off and machine gunned by the Japanese advanced guard. He managed, however, to escape into China. His devotion to duty, cool fortitude and courage during the Shan States retreat from the Japanese were of the highest order.

Published by the Anglo-Burmese Library 2012. All rights reserved.

Extracts from the London Gazette
Awards for the 1942 Evacuation

http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/35882/supplements/547

Major William McAdam M.B., Ch.B., I.M.S.
Major McAdam was in charge of the medical arrangements in the Chindwin area during the period of evacuation and he contributed largely to the success with which disease along this route was kept at a minimum. Although gravely handicapped by the state of the road and the lack of adequate transport, he was constantly on the move between Kalewa and Tamu encouraging the medical staff at each of the camps, remedying, as far as he was able, deficiencies in equipment and medical stores and generally helping the refugees on their way.

He also assisted the military in the treatment and evacuation of casualties. His work was characterised by a calm devotion to duty in all emergencies.

Robert Ely McGuire I.C.S., Deputy Commissioner, Joint Secretary to Govt. of Burma, Reconstruction Dept.As Warden of the Oilfields, Mr McGuire bore a heavy load of responsibility in connection with the denial schemes. He was largely responsible for keeping essential labour in the fields and for arranging finally for their evacuation and for that of the denial squads and was himself one of the last to leave.

After the Japanese had occupied the oilfields, Mr McGuire dealt with large numbers of refugees waiting to be flown from Myitkyina. When that town was evacuated he proceeded to march towards India through the Hukawng Valley. He remained at the Chindwin ferries to help in regulating the traffic and by his tact and persuasiveness, kept the local villagers at work. Only when the ferries could no longer be worked did he move on to Shinbwiyang. There he stayed for several days helping and advising, thus jeopardising his chance of reaching India, as by that time the monsoon had broken. After leaving Shinbwiyang he assisted 3,000 refugees who were held up at the Namyung river.

Mr McGuire had reason to believe that the ordinary route had become impassable for large numbers and in order to get them forward, he had to depart from the normal refugee route and undertake an arduous and hazardous journey over a Naga path. During both the denial and evacuation phases Mr McGuire showed great qualities of leadership, courage and endurance.

Capt. (acting Lt.-Col. ) Alfred Ottaway M.M., In Charge of Transport, Indian Refugee Organisation (B.A.F.).Lt.-Col. Ottaway was in charge of all the Indian Refugee Organisation transport arrangements, from Manipur to the railway. Only a residue of transport was available when all military requirements had been met but by extremely long hours of hard work and his excellent liaison with the military authorities, Lt.-Col. Ottaway successfully dealt with this very serious problem.

When Manipur was bombed, 10,006 refugees then in camp started to stream down the Dimapur Road, with no arrangements for food or transport. Lt.-Col. Ottaway managed to secure transport, to move food down the road and to have it placed in dumps in front of the fleeing stream of refugees. As a result the lives of a large number of refugees were saved. Lt.-Col. Ottaway's initiative, drive and personal influence with his subordinates, to whom he was always an inspiring example, were outstanding.

Published by the Anglo-Burmese Library 2012. All rights reserved.

Extracts from the London Gazette
Awards for the 1942 Evacuation

http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/35882/supplements/547

Hedley Herbert Crawford Pudden I.F.S., Exe. Officer in Charge, Civil Transport Dept., RangoonDeputy Conservator of Forests, Burma.
Mr. Pudden rendered valuable service during the evacuation of Rangoon. In spite of difficulties in controlling the civilian corps of transport drivers after the transport park had been twice bombed, Mr. Pudden managed to retain a sufficient number of drivers to keep the civil transport service operating till the end.

He remained at his post till the final demolition party left. He then went to Monywa where he did sterling work in getting away the last of the Indian refugees to leave that place before the civil administration was finally withdrawn.

Thomas Charles Donald Ricketts M.C., I.F.S., Deputy Director of Evacuation and Deputy Conservatorof Forests, Burma.
During the early stages of the evacuation of Rangoon, Mr Ricketts was in charge of the construction of all labour camps and welfare work in these camps. Later, when making arrangements at Mohnyin for housing and feeding evacuees, he was ordered, owing to the rapid Japanese advance, to start for India with his able-bodied refugees. Mr Ricketts however, refused to leave behind any of the refugees in his charge and set out with a large number, including women, children and invalids. He led these overland 300 miles and was able to get more than 300 to safety. Mr Ricketts showed courage, determination and devotion to duty.

Col. Colin Lethvin Scott Chief Telecommunications Engineer, Burma Posts and Telegraphs Dept.On the outbreak of war, Posts and Telegraphs Dept. was faced with unprecedented expansion of
services, and the planning and execution of this work fell to Col. Scott. In addition, on many occasions, he personally supervised immediate repairs both during and after many heavy raids on the Rangoon airfields.

He was one of the last officers to leave Rangoon and returned to the front line on many occasions to superintend arrangements for Army communications. He remained in Mandalay throughout the bombing of that town, organising line parties to restore communications and seeing to the erection of a temporary telegraph office and telephone exchange.

He also remained in Sagaing, Shwebo, Ye-U and Kalewa attending to Army communications until these places were evacuated by the Military authorities. Col. Scott showed courage and resolution throughout.

Frank Woolley-Smith, Tea -Planter, Tingiri, Hoogrijan, Assam.
Mr. Woolley-Smith took charge of the evacuee route from Shinbwiyang via the Pangsau Pass when the evacuation by this route started. In spite of a very frail constitution his qualities of leadership were magnificent. He administered his charge from Nampong Camp 36 miles from railhead and was constantly ahead of this point dealing with the difficulties that arose in forward camps, and encouraging those stationed in those camps.

His work was invaluable and was performed with complete disregard of his own personal safety and comfort.

Father James Stuart, R. C. Mission, Bhamo, stationed at Khajihtu, North Triangle, Myitkyina District.
Father Stuart was asked to take charge of refugee children from Rangoon who had been evacuated to Sumprabum and were unable to proceed further. Owing to lack of transport he was unable to do so immediately. Although ill and under-nourished he stayed on to look after his charges and Kachin interests.

When the Japanese arrived he managed to obtain good treatment for his refugees and later was able to evacuate the survivors. Throughout, Father Stuart showed a fine disregard of danger.

Published by the Anglo-Burmese Library 2012. All rights reserved.

Extracts from the London Gazette
Awards for the 1942 Evacuation

http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/35882/supplements/547

Irwin Walker, Chief Engineer, Rangoon Municipal Corporation.
Mr Walker was in charge of the vital water supply and sanitation services of Rangoon up till the very end when he left with the final contingent. During the last period, when only the demolition party was left in Rangoon. Mr Walker, at great personal risk, undertook the repair of the water supply at a point some distance from the town, where there had been sabotage. Without the water and sanitation services the demolition parties would have found real difficulty in remaining in Rangoon to complete their work.

Mr. Walker was also responsible for the demolition of a number of smaller factories and mills from which the personnel had fled.

Earlier he had rendered very valuable service in charge of the civil defence rescue and repair services and was responsible for designing and constructing a type of air-raid shelter, suitable for the climate of Rangoon, which stood up very successfully to Japanese bombing.

The following are to be Additional Members of the Civil Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire:-

Jehangir Ardeshir Anklesaria, M.B., B.S., D.P.H., D.T.M. & H., Port Health Officer, Rangoon.Mr. Anklesaria went to Monywa, the base camp for the Chindwin evacuation, on special anti-cholera duty.

He worked there for nearly two months in very trying and difficult circumstances and by his outstanding devotion to duty and marked administrative ability, dealt very successfully with a serious epidemic outbreak of cholera, which at one time threatened to close down the Chindwin entirely as an evacuation route.

William Reginald Bickford, I.C.S., Deputy Secretary to the Govt. of Burma, Reconstruction Dept.Mr Bickford acted as an Assistant with the Civil Defence Commissioner in Rangoon and during the air raids he personally helped in the collection of corpses in the streets. He also gave very valuable aid in the great task of feeding the refugees.

When Lashio was evacuated he worked tirelessly, during the last few days, in the evacuation of women, children and the sick. At Kutkai, Namhkam and Bhamo he stayed and continued to look after the stream of refugees passing through those places and himself drove a lorry picking up stragglers by the way.

Mr Bickford then went to Mogaung to take charge of a party of elderly European and Anglo-Burman officials with two bullock carts and managed with the greatest perseverance to get this ill-equipped party through the Hukawng Valley.

At the first Chindwin ferry he himself swam with the bullocks across the river. Later, at Shinbwiyang he took charge of the collection and distribution of food dropped from the air and left with the last party of officials. From there until he reached the Assam camps, he continued the work of collecting and supervising the distribution of food during the journey. Mr Bickford showed outstanding courage and devotion to duty.

James Brodie, Irrawaddy Flotilla Company, Ltd., Rangoon.
Mr. Brodie carried out duties of Transport Requisitioning Officer in Rangoon, and in this capacity did extremely good work. He remained with the final demolition party and left Rangoon with the last party to leave by sea.

Throughout the last few trying days in Rangoon Mr Brodie's unfailingly high morale and sense of duty set a magnificent example.

Published by the Anglo-Burmese Library 2012. All rights reserved.