The Sergeant York Battlefield - 1918

 Ever since I reviewed Michael Kelly's book 'Hero on the Western Front: Discovering Alvin York's WW1 Battlefield' for the Western Front Association, I've wanted to visit the Meuse- Argonne area and walk the Sergeant York Trail. The fame of Congressional Medal of Honour winner Sergeant York was amplified considerably by the Academy winning film 'Sergeant York' which was released in 1941, just in time for the USA's entry into the Second World War. Alvin York (played by Gary Cooper) was a modest man with strong family values - a true 'all-American hero'. His profile would have resonated with many of his fellow countrymen, and this would not have been lost on the authorities who had the responsibility of mobilising the population for a later war.

The Sergeant York Trail - Chatel-Chéhéry

Sergeant York's heroism is well documented and is the stuff of legend. A Corporal at the time of the action, York was serving with the American 328th Infantry Regiment. Operating in the Argonne Forest in October 1918, the Battalion was pinned down by machine gun fire. Sergeant Bernard Early sent a party of seventeen men - including the then Corporal York, to infiltrate the German position and neutralise the guns. In pressing forward the group came upon a large group of enemy troops having their breakfast. Taking them all prisoner, the Americans came under fire from German machine guns which left eight of their number killed or wounded. York was the senior man left and under his superb leadership and through his personal bravery the guns were taken-out and 132 of the enemy brought back to base as prisoners.

The Start of the Sergeant York Trail

En-route to Chatel-Chéhéry our small group decided to stop off at Montfaucon which was liberated from the German 37th Division on September 26-27, 1918. My 1919 Michelin battlefield guide 'The Americans in the Great War: Volume 3 Meuse- Argonne Battle' contained some intriguing pictures of the destroyed church and a nearby observation post which the German occupiers had built using the old stonework. To our amazement the post is still there, preserved as part of a memorial site. The rubble has been cleared but the 'before and after' photos still make compelling viewing.

Montfaucon - German Observation Post - 2023

Montfaucon - German Observation Post - 1918

The capture of Montfaucon came at a heavy cost. According to the signboard on the site, over 150 men of the attacking American regiment (numbering 4,000) were killed. About 150 Germans were captured from the surrounding dugouts (many of which remain). Eleven large artillery pieces were captured, in addition to more than 150 machine guns. There is a huge memorial column on the site (currently closed for repairs) - dominating the landscape for miles around. One of my fellow travellers was somewhat disingenuous when he observed "bloody hell, they turned up late and still get the biggest monument in the area and a car park the size of Wembley Stadium!". He was suitable chastened when we later visited the magnificent American Meuse- Argonne Cemetery with its' rows of white crosses.

Montfaucon American Monument

The site of Sergeant York's action at Chatel-Chéhéry is nearby. One of the things that pricked my interest in Kelly's book is that this small battlefield must be the most studied of all such similar sites. Unlike the site of most First World War battles, the ground was fought over only once. This means that archaeological methods have a particular relevance. Every shell case, every bullethead and every contemporaneous artefact is from the action that York was involved with. Never has a heroic action been so thoroughly investigated, and indeed validated. The town is a typical provincial French community. There is a plaque to York outside the Town hall and the well-sign posted trail starts from a point about 200 metres beyond this point.

Signboard on the Sergeant York Trail

The walk is a couple of miles. The trail skirts around a small lake, runs along the mid- point of a ridge turns in a horseshoe through woodland before returning to the start- point. There are eight information boards and directional signs. At the point where York charged and neutralised one of the German machine guns there is a memorial listing the names of the Americans involved in the action. It also references the trail funders (the Weider family) and the builders (Nate Eggert and his Eagle Scout group).

The Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery

To complete the day, we visited the stunningly moving Meuse-Argonne American Cemeterv - 130 acres containing 14,246 burials. The site is very impressive and features tree-lined walkways, a central fountain, a chapel and a visitor centre. We weren't able to visit the latter. Maybe next time? My review of 'Hero on the Western Front: Discovering Alvin York's Battlefield' is here.

The Battle of Imphal (March - July 1944)

 The road down from the Kohima in the Himalayan foothills down on to the plain below played a vital part during the Battle of Imphal. The Japanese 33rd Army had successfully cut in behind the 17th Indian Division further south on the Tiddim Road and when the only metalled road into Imphal from the north was also severed then the Allied ability to hold Imphal was, for a number of weeks in, jeopardy. When the relief of Imphal did come, the Allied attack was launched from the north. Earlier, on the same road, the Japanese had attacked - unsuccessfully - a large scale Allied defensive 'box' at Tangla Tongbi. Our journey was interrupted by informal checkpoints set up to protect various villages en-route. Money changed hands and we were allowed to pass. The one official checkpoint is on the Nagaland / Manipur border is a triumph of Indian bureaucracy!

The Advance to Imphal started her - 7 June 1944

If one is so inclined, it is possible to get a tourist-eye view of Nagaland at the Kisama Heritage Village which is a useful stopping off point on the way down the valley. It is here that the famous Hornbill Festival is held every year and there is an arena dedicated to this culturally important event. Opposite the festival grounds is the recently built '2nd World War Museum' which offers a collection of artefacts dating back to 1944, various audio-visual presentations and some informative and well-balanced interpretive panels.

Kisama - Second World War Museum

Japanese Artefacts, Kisama Second World War Museum

Heading through Imphal, taking the Tiddim Road towards the Myanmar border, one can easily find Maibam Lokpaching (Red Hill) which was the closest that the Japanese got to Imphal during the four month long battle. The Japanese losses in and around this small settlement were extremely high and this may account for the fact that the only Japanese memorial to the battle, is located at the foot of the hill. The so-called 'Peace Shrine' was built by veterans of the Japanese Army's 33rd Division (the White Tigers) and has since become a place of pilgrimage - more so now that an 'Indian Peace Memorial' has been constructed nearby, along with another museum which places a degree of emphasis on the Indian National Army (INA) which fought in the area, on the side of the Japanese. 

Japanese Peace Shrine - Maibam Lokpaching

Maibam Lokpaching Indian Peace Museum

Beyond Red Hill, the Tiddim Road circumvents Loktak Lake - a huge expanse of water and a haven for wildlife (now the Keibul Lamjao National Park). To go further is impossible as the Myanmar border a few miles beyond, is closed to visitors. We tracked back to Moirang where one can find the INA Memorial Complex which is essentially a showcase for the nationalist ideas propagated by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and the INA leadership. If you have the stomach for it, you can peruse the gallery of pictures showing Chandra Bose hob-nobbing with Adolf Hitler, and others who shared a similar world view.

Fishermen on Loktak Lake

As the Japanese advanced along the Tamu / Palel axis to the east of the lake, as a result of orders received, Acting Major-General Douglas withdrew his 20th Indian Division to a series of hills called the Shenam Saddle - more easily defended. Yamamoto (no, not that one!) force, consisting of elements from the Japanese 33rd and 15th Divisions - supported by tanks and artillery attacked the Saddle and heavy fighting amongst the five peaks took place from 8 - 22 April 1944. We chose to explore this battlefield and were rewarded with spectacular views, trenches, dugouts and clear evidence of the intensity of the fighting.

Walking the Shenam Saddle

Major Lindsay Adams and I - Recce Hill towards 'Gibralter'

Imphal was never taken by the Japanese but nevertheless it is an interesting place to explore. Manipur is very different to Nagaland but shares a similar history - 'hill people' with distinct cultures and a history of turbulent regional politics. We didn't have time to visit the Khongjom War Memorial (Anglo-Manipur War 1891) but there was ample opportunity to learn more about this conflict in the Kangi Palace (Fort) grounds where there is evidence of the destruction visited on these historic buildings by vengeful British troops following a local 'uprising'. Also of interest is Slim's bungalow in the grounds, sadly in disrepair but occasionally used socially by Officers of the Assam Rifles.

Replica Statues - Kangla Fort

Slim's Cottage

The sign outside Slim's cottage reads: This cottage was constructed in 1901 and initially was the residence of the Co. 4 of the Assam Rifles. During the Second World War this was the residence of Field Marshall W.J.Slim, KG. GCB. BC. MG. GCVO. DSO. MC commander of the Allied Forces. Later it was the residence of IGAR (North) and thereafter it housed GOC Mike Sector. Presently it houses the Officers Club of HQ Manipur Range (9 Sector).  Then, back to Kolkata ... and home.

For my portfolio of Imphal photographs, click here.