Credits

The 14th Army -
"The Forgotten Army"

During World War II Britain had to defend over 500 million people in the British Empire. One of the most vulnerable points was the naval base in Malaya.

On 7 December 1941, Japanese landed troops on the East coast of Malay at Kota Bharu, this was done without warning and constituted a formal declaration of war.

Malaya was severely under defended, with not enough aircraft, no tanks and few anti-tank guns. The Japanese were far better equipped.

Because of the war with Germany, few professional troops could be spared to defend Malaya. The 14th Army was the largest World War II army of Commonwealth troops, its ranks swelled by conscripts and soldiers from all over the British Empire.

The speed of the invasion took everyone by surprise. By the end of 1942, the Japanese had captured the whole of Malaya. The conscripts initiation into war was sudden and often deadly.

The "Forgotten Army" continued to fight in appalling conditions until VJ day, mostly in Burma. They fought in locations which were virtually inaccessible, contact with base being by radio, and supplies had to be dropped in by aircraft.

The following link will take you directly to the National Army Museum and BBC History World War II websites, where you can find further information on the conflict in the Far East, and the army that fought there.

The National Army Museum - The British Army in the Far East
BBC History World War II Burma Campaign

Supported by The Big Lottery Fund, the Imperial War Museum is promoting Their Past Your Future. It is a wonderful website, rich with information and learning activities, which is well worth a visit. Detailed below are some of the learning opportunities it offers through the programme and to go directly to the site, please click on the following link: Imperial War Museum

For Students of All Ages
The site and supporting programme provides a wide range of ways for people of all ages to increase their knowledge and understanding of the events of the Second World War and their relevance to the present and future. It has been created to encourage people to become actively involved in remembrance and commemoration of the events of sixty years ago, challenging, and changing values and attitudes. In doing this, they hope to inspire meaningful dialogue on a personal, local and national scale about the significance of remembrance and commemoration for today, and for future generations.

For Teachers
In April 2006 Their Past Your Future
website will be providing teaching resources including lesson plans and curriculum-focused classroom activities. There will also be free access to a range of original sources from the collections of the Imperial War Museum - including documents, photographs, film and sound recordings with the aim of bringing history and citizenship to life in the classroom.

Black and Asian Contributions to The British Army

The British Empire enlisted soldiers from all countries of the British Empire. In World War II over three million troops fought. Black and Asian troops formed a significant part of the 14th Army in particular.

Black and Asian solders have fought for British armies since the 30 Years War (1618 - 1638). After World War II, conscription stopped but those men and women choosing to join the army could not be promoted.

Click on the link below to find out more information about the contribution of Black and Asian soldiers in World War II.

The National Army Museum
Imperial War Museum
BBC WW2 People's War
Memorial Gates Trust
Nigeria Delta Congress
Personal Stories by Soldiers from India
Burma Star Organisation
Anglo Sikh Heritage Trail
The We Were There Exhibition
Black History Month

Part Played by Local Villagers

As the War continued, soldiers stationed away from their base began to rely more on local villages and their people.

Lushai, was a village near which the Wireless Observation Unit of the RAF was stationed in the Burma campaign during the years of 1942 - 1943.

The men became ambassadors to the village and employed people from the village. Developing good relationships like this meant that the villages helped to care for and return some lost soldiers to their base.