A Collection of Awards for Burma Operations during the Second World War

A good Burma and South East Asia campaign group of five awarded to Major T. G. Picard, 3/3rd Gurkha Rifles, a noted company commander who distinguished himself at Shenam, May - July 1944, and during the Tengnoupal offensive, before coming to the rescue of scores of Dutch women and children during the evacuation from the hostile Indonesian village of Depok, 16-17 October 1945

1939-45 Star; Burma Star; Defence and War Medals, M.I.D. Oak Leaf; General Service 1918-62, 2 clasps, S.E. Asia 1945-46, Malaya, G.VI.R. (Major T. G. Picard. 3 G.R.), mounted for wear, edge bruising, very fine (5) £400-500

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Awards for Burma Operations during the Second World War.

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M.I.D. London Gazette 16 December 1943:

‘In recognition of gallant and distinguished services in Burma and on the Eastern Frontier of India.’

T. G. Picard served during the Second War as a Major with the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Gurkha Rifles in Burma. He commanded A Company, as part of the 37th Brigade, 23rd Division at Shenam during the period May - July 1944, and he provides extensive accounts in the Regimental History for that period:

‘On the 14th May 3/3rd took over from the Border Regt. of 20th Division the most forward positions of Scraggy, Pyramid, pimples and Malta and from then onwards until its relief by 3/10th G.R. on the 18th May it was treated to shelling, grenade discharge fire and spasmodic attacks and nuisance raids, which caused the death of 14 G.O.R.s and wounding of 24 others.

Major T. G. Picard, who commanded A Coy. during the fighting on Scraggy, has given the following account:

“Scraggy was the foremost feature in the Shenam position and was of paramount importance. Originally occupied by 20th Division, it consisted of a system of strong points running along a contour 30 ft. below the peak.

When the 3/3rd G.R. took over from the Border Regt., half the posts were occupied by the Japs and half by the Borders and no-man’s-land was from 6 to 10 yds. This made it impossible to dig and our foremost men were barely 2 ft. underground until mortar boxes, filled with earth, were brought up to provide the essential cover. Wiring was impracticable. Sanitation was non-existent; dead Japs in varying stages of decomposition lay around while men plugged their nostrils with cloth and cotton wool.

Our position came under heavy artillery fire from Nippon ridge in addition to grenade, rifle and mortars from Scraggy itself. Each side raided the other’s trenches, night after night, but grenades were scarce, as our main supply line was cut at Kohima and artillery defensive fire was at times limited to one round per gun per day.

Eight weeks of this trench warfare passed before the Japs, now increased to two corps, put in an attack late one evening after their artillery had knocked out our foremost L.M.G. posts, one by one. They failed to overrun the whole feature but retained Scraggy peak which commanded our side of the hill. We put in three rapid counter-attacks with the one platoon available and each one failed for lack of weight. In these hectic hours many gallant deeds were performed, among them Lieut. J. M. Carew, twice wounded, was outstanding. He and Sub. Dalparsad Gurung were both awarded the Military Cross and Rfn. Mitralal Sanyasi, the I.O.M., posthumously. This rifleman seized the Bren gun of a dead gunner, stuffed the magazines into his shirt, and led his men on to the peak, firing as he went. Mortally wounded as he jumped into the Jap trenches, he continued to fight until he finally dropped.’

By the end of June the casualties amounted to 24 killed and 169 wounded. The advent of July heralded the commencement of the Tengnoupal offensive by the 23rd Division. Picard’s 3/3rd Gurkhas were to capture the features Cyprus and Crete East, the 3/10th Gurkhas to capture Scraggy and Crete West, the 3/5th Gurkhas to hold Malta, Gibraltar and Recce Hill, whilst the 1st Battalion Seaforths were to attack and capture Nippon Hill. Picard records the following:

‘The 3/3rd G.R. left Patiala Ridge some twelve hours before the attack, complete with about 50 Manipuri porters who were carrying extra ammunition and R.A.P. stores. Slow progress was made during that night owing to the thickness of the jungle and the intense darkness. The column, of necessity in Indian file, was very strung-out, but phosphorescent bark attached to each man’s back helped in maintaining touch.

The order of march had been first D Coy., which was going to support B Coy. to take Cyprus. Then A Coy. which was going to move through B Coy. and secure the Saddle between Cyprus and Crete East, and lastly C Coy. to move through and take Crete East.

At first light we heard the firing of the 3/10th G.R. as they commenced their attack on Scraggy, and within a minute or two B Coy. was launching the first part of the 3/3rd G.R. attack on Cyprus... B Coy. put in a grand attack, scattering the Japs on Cyprus and killing a lot of them. A Coy. then moved through and secured the Saddle area. C Coy., who were to move through us, had been delayed by the enfilade fire along the road below and by the time taken in closing up the drawn-out column. The position of A and B Coys. was becoming untenable owing to heavy fire from above us from Crete East. Pulley, who happened to be on the scene, asked me if my company could do anything about it until C Coy. arrived.

In order to provide support, during our attack, a small patrol, all armed with automatics, was sent out under L/Nk. Jitbahadur Gurung to make a strong-point higher up Crete while I extended my company further up Crete East. With two platoons of my company I started up towards the summit of Crete East covered by the patrol with automatics, but before we reached the level of L/Nk. Jitbahadur’s position he noticed the Japs hurriedly evacuating the summit. With commendable dash he led his small party into the attack, and captured the feature, killing many Japs. The Battalion remained in the positions gained.’ (Ibid)

Picard moved with the 3rd Battalion to Indonesia in October 1945. On the 16-17th October and incident occurred at Depok, a village some 30 miles from Batavia (Jakarta). Picard records the incident at length in the Regimental History, detailing that news had reached Divisional HQ from a B.B.C. correspondent of hundreds of Dutch women and children being held against their will in Depok. A mob of armed Indonesians were converging on Depok, and Major Picard with No. 3 Platoon in a 3 tonner and 15 cwt truck raced to the aid of No. 1 Platoon who had been sent on ahead. Upon Picard’s arrival, he took control of the situation and at dawn on the 17th decided to evacuate the civilians. Utilising the two trucks they made several journeys under sniper fire - with one child being killed and three others wounded. Despite this a massacre was averted and the civilians were successfully evacuated from the clutches of the armed mob at Depok.

After Picard left the army, his final request was that upon his death his ashes be scattered on the foothills of the Himalayas.