NAM.1989-04-117-346-2
Photograph of a river crossing exercise on the 'Ken River', Northern India, 1944 (c). One of three photographs collected by Maj K M Robertson, Royal Engineers, India 1943; Robertson was responsible for training HQ 14th Infantry Brigade Special Force (Chindits) in watermanship. Associated with World War Two, Far East (1941-1945). From the Burma Memorial Collection of Mr R Moffat.
World War Two, India (1939-1945)
'INDIA 1943 [underlined]/ MAJOR K.M. ROBERTSON, R.E. H.Q. 14TH. INFANTRY BRIGADE/ SPECIAL FORCE (CHINDITS)/ THE MAJOR WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR TRAINING THE BRIGADE IN, JUNGLE NAVIGATION, DEMOLITIONS, BOOBY TRAPPING, BOAT/ AND RAFT CONSTRUCTION, AND GENERAL WATERMANSHIP./ HE IS SEEN HERE KEEPING AN EYE ON ONE OF OUR EARLY RIVER CROSSING EXERCISES, ON THE 'KEN RIVER' NORTHERN INDIA./ JUNE 1984 I HAD THE PLEASURE OF MEETING COLONEL ROBERTSON/ AT MY EXHIBITION IN WOODBRIDGE, IN AID OF THE WOODBRIDGE BRANCH OF THE BURMA STAR ASSOCIATION. 40 YEARS FROM THE TIME HE LEFT OUR COLUMN IN BURMA JUNE1944, TO TAKE CHARGE OF THE INDAWGYI LAKE OPERATIONS TO EVACUATE OVER 600 SICK AND WOUNDED CHINDITS. ON DISPLAY IN THE BURMA ROOM ARE SOME VERY FINE MODELS OF THE BOATS THE COLONEL CONSTRUCTED TO CARRY OUT THE EVACUATION.'