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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Veteran returns to Burmese jungle | Veteran returns to Burmese jungle |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| By Robert Hall BBC News | By Robert Hall BBC News |
| Mr Heppell left a commemorative plaque at the site | Mr Heppell left a commemorative plaque at the site |
| To mark the 64th anniversary of VJ Day, one veteran has returned to the Burmese jungle, where he fought as part of the Chindits Special Force, to place a memorial. | To mark the 64th anniversary of VJ Day, one veteran has returned to the Burmese jungle, where he fought as part of the Chindits Special Force, to place a memorial. |
| Peter Heppell, from East Grinstead, West Sussex, had dreamed of a return to Broadway for most of his adult life, but his story does not involve theatrical performances or rapturous applause. | Peter Heppell, from East Grinstead, West Sussex, had dreamed of a return to Broadway for most of his adult life, but his story does not involve theatrical performances or rapturous applause. |
| For him, Broadway represents time spent not in New York, but in the heat and danger of the Burmese jungle. | For him, Broadway represents time spent not in New York, but in the heat and danger of the Burmese jungle. |
| It was the code name for a secret landing site for a mission behind enemy lines that would lose him close friends, but play a vital role in achieving victory over the Japanese army during the final months of WW2. | It was the code name for a secret landing site for a mission behind enemy lines that would lose him close friends, but play a vital role in achieving victory over the Japanese army during the final months of WW2. |
| Mr Heppell, then a sergeant in the Royal Engineers, was serving with the Chindits Special Forces, which were the brainchild of General Orde Wingate. | Mr Heppell, then a sergeant in the Royal Engineers, was serving with the Chindits Special Forces, which were the brainchild of General Orde Wingate. |
| 'Laying ghosts' | 'Laying ghosts' |
| The jungle clearing he knew as Broadway was used for Operation Thursday, a glider landing involving 9,000 Allied troops, which would see five months of fighting. | The jungle clearing he knew as Broadway was used for Operation Thursday, a glider landing involving 9,000 Allied troops, which would see five months of fighting. |
| Mr Heppell's unit had been split into two gliders, but the second glider missed the landing strip and nose-dived into the trees, killing almost all of the men on board. | Mr Heppell's unit had been split into two gliders, but the second glider missed the landing strip and nose-dived into the trees, killing almost all of the men on board. |
| The officer in charge of the unit asked Mr Heppell to set fire to the glider, so the men would at least have some sort of cremation. But he said he would rather concentrate on the job for which he had been trained. | The officer in charge of the unit asked Mr Heppell to set fire to the glider, so the men would at least have some sort of cremation. But he said he would rather concentrate on the job for which he had been trained. |
| "I've always felt slightly guilty that I should have done that job, and there is the old phrase of the laying of ghosts, which to me didn't mean a lot, but there was something like that in going back to Broadway," he said. | "I've always felt slightly guilty that I should have done that job, and there is the old phrase of the laying of ghosts, which to me didn't mean a lot, but there was something like that in going back to Broadway," he said. |
| With his 86th birthday fast approaching, he resolved to find and visit Broadway, with the help of his children, maps from 1944, and the latest aerial photos, which helped him pinpoint the spot. | With his 86th birthday fast approaching, he resolved to find and visit Broadway, with the help of his children, maps from 1944, and the latest aerial photos, which helped him pinpoint the spot. |
| Their journey from Rangoon took them far to the north by air, road, and eventually by river. The family's home video captures their excitement as the tiny fishing boat moves up the vast Irrawaddy. | Their journey from Rangoon took them far to the north by air, road, and eventually by river. The family's home video captures their excitement as the tiny fishing boat moves up the vast Irrawaddy. |
| They also recorded their trip in a diary. The entry which recalls the day says: "Our crew of two are known as the Captain and Mr Peaceful, who spends 99% of his time baling out the boat...We are sitting on thin planks of wood which are far from comfortable, but we are on our way..!" | They also recorded their trip in a diary. The entry which recalls the day says: "Our crew of two are known as the Captain and Mr Peaceful, who spends 99% of his time baling out the boat...We are sitting on thin planks of wood which are far from comfortable, but we are on our way..!" |
| The river journey took them to within 20 miles of Broadway but there were other hazards en route, as the diary records. | The river journey took them to within 20 miles of Broadway but there were other hazards en route, as the diary records. |
| It said: "It is hard to believe that we are really here, deep in Burma, behind- dare I say it- enemy lines, we are without doubt somewhere that we shouldn't be! That doubt is abruptly confirmed as a shot is fired across our bows..it takes a while to realise that we have come across hunters shooting monkeys." | It said: "It is hard to believe that we are really here, deep in Burma, behind- dare I say it- enemy lines, we are without doubt somewhere that we shouldn't be! That doubt is abruptly confirmed as a shot is fired across our bows..it takes a while to realise that we have come across hunters shooting monkeys." |
| Instantly recognised | Instantly recognised |
| After celebrating Mr Heppell's birthday in a village guest house, the family, escorted by local guides, continued on foot. | After celebrating Mr Heppell's birthday in a village guest house, the family, escorted by local guides, continued on foot. |
| By the afternoon of the second day, they reached a large clearing which Mr Heppell instantly recognised, although he last stood there as a young man of 24. | By the afternoon of the second day, they reached a large clearing which Mr Heppell instantly recognised, although he last stood there as a young man of 24. |
| He said: "We still weren't quite sure that we were in the right place. But as soon as we cleared the edge of the jungle and got into the clearing, it was definitely obvious to me that this was Broadway. | He said: "We still weren't quite sure that we were in the right place. But as soon as we cleared the edge of the jungle and got into the clearing, it was definitely obvious to me that this was Broadway. |
| "It was a beautiful open space, in contrast to what I had seen before, which was absolute chaos, with crashed gliders all of the way round, troops wandering around." | "It was a beautiful open space, in contrast to what I had seen before, which was absolute chaos, with crashed gliders all of the way round, troops wandering around." |
| The memories, they certainly came flooding back Peter Heppell | |
| On that day he had watched as gliders crash-landed and other young soldiers died in the subsequent fighting. There was no memorial to the loss of life on the spot, but Mr Heppell had travelled across the world to put that right. | On that day he had watched as gliders crash-landed and other young soldiers died in the subsequent fighting. There was no memorial to the loss of life on the spot, but Mr Heppell had travelled across the world to put that right. |
| Family members helped him fasten the plaque he had made to a tree on the edge of Broadway, and recorded his words of tribute from the Kohima Epitaph: "When you go home, tell them of us, and say for your tomorrow, we gave our today." | Family members helped him fasten the plaque he had made to a tree on the edge of Broadway, and recorded his words of tribute from the Kohima Epitaph: "When you go home, tell them of us, and say for your tomorrow, we gave our today." |
| Mr Heppell said: "The memories, they certainly came flooding back. This really was about the people who were lost in the other gliders. I was hoping we would get back and thought there really should be something left there, to show somebody had been there. | Mr Heppell said: "The memories, they certainly came flooding back. This really was about the people who were lost in the other gliders. I was hoping we would get back and thought there really should be something left there, to show somebody had been there. |
| "And for future generations to remember there were people who were able to do that sort of thing, who did it, and a lot of them didn't come back. | "And for future generations to remember there were people who were able to do that sort of thing, who did it, and a lot of them didn't come back. |
| "The Chindits - in fact, their official title was a special force. And to me, they were special." | "The Chindits - in fact, their official title was a special force. And to me, they were special." |
| As the world prepares to remember VJ Day, one veteran has completed another successful mission. | As the world prepares to remember VJ Day, one veteran has completed another successful mission. |