C/Sgt. Eric James Owen Smith
British Army 2nd Btn. Royal Berkshire Regiment
from:Manchester
My father, Eric Smith told me while in Burma he was awakened one night to a feeling of something heavy on his chest, it turned out to be a very large snake that had found a warm place to curl up. He managed to get the attention of another soldier in the next cot who after much deliberation took the side of an axe and flipped the snake off my Dad. Of course, by this time everyone in the tent had awoken and they finally got the snake into a sack.
Another time he was a guard on a train carrying mail through to Mandalay when the roof of the train caught fire, they were able to get all the mail bags off but the train was left with nothing but the engine and another coach so the mail did get through.
Dad started out with the Royal Gloucestershire Regiment which was disbanded and was ordered to join the 2nd Battalion, Royal Berks attached to the 19th Indian Division. After moving through jungle and swamps he said just about everyone was suffering from some form of dysentery or malaria. They finally located the camp emplacement of the 2nd Btn who had consolidated their position on the plains of Zeyawady. He said they used their Japanese prisoners to clear roads.
He got a telegram saying his mother was seriously ill in hospital so the Army sent him back to England where he served the remainder of his Army time in a camp guarding German prisoners, one of whom made him a shoe caddy. That prisoner was just a young man who was a carpenter in Germany. Dad always said they were all young men full of passion and willing to die for their own countries.
My dad was a wonderful, compassionate man who lived his life with integrity, loyalty and loved his whole life.
