Review: Fighting Through to Kohima: A Memoir of War in India & Burma

Pen & Sword Books is part of The Barnsley Chronicle newspaper group. The Barnsley Chronicle is one of the UK’s oldest provincial newspapers and one of the few weeklies still in private ownership. It was launched in 1858 and is due to celebrate its 150th anniversary in 2008.

Over recent years the company has continued to grow and has added new imprints to its core area of military history. Pen & Sword now specialise in all areas of military history, naval and maritime history, aviation, local history, family history, collectables and antiques, nostalgia and true crime.

With over 200 books published every year, Pen & Sword has established itself as a specialist book publisher.

Recap

This author is extraordinarily lucky to be alive! All those who read this splendid Second World War memoir will doubtless come to the same view.

After joining up in 1939 with the Queen’s Royal Regiment the Author was posted to the North West Frontier of India where he cut his teeth chasing Pathan tribesman bandit gangs for two years. This was exciting enough but only a taste of what was to come. The Japanese advance into Burma threatened India and along with many thousands of British and Colonial troops Lowry found himself fighting in the Arakan region. Conditions were appalling and the fighting was extremely bitter by any standards. His Battalion was cut off by the Japs for three weeks but refused to surrender yet even worse was to come as the Battalion was thrown into the thick of the action at Kohima which is rated as the most desperate defensive action for the campaign. In one week 173 members of this Battalion were lost. Lowry himself was seriously wounded when a Japanese officer dropped out of a tree onto him. All this is vividly described in this fascinating and inspiring book.

The Good

Michael Lowry is a charming author who draws you in with his honesty and instant likability. In typical British fashion, he downplays any personal strengths and instead makes it look as though he was merely lucky to be serving with such fine soldiers.

Britain’s war against the Japanese in Burma goes often unnoticed in the annals of history at the expense of America’s effort against Japan, and this book gives a more than an insightful look of what the men of the UK suffered through to win the war.

The Bad

None.

The Ugly

None.

Product Summary
Name: Fighting Through to Kohima: A Memoir of War in India & Burma
Author: Michael Lowry
Publisher: Pen & Sword Books
Category: Book
Cost: £12.99
SKU: N/A
ISBN: 9781844158027

Rating