Yumnam Rajeshwor Singh
Rangoon was abandoned on 7th March 1942( by British) and occupied by the Japanese the following day. The British managed to evacuate sufficient supplies of food and petrol to maintain their forces on the retreat, saving the army from starvation as it trudged towards India. After a fortnight on 19th March General Alexander appointed Major General Slim, a former officer of the Gurkha Regiment(Fergal Keane).
General Slim’s regiments came out of Burma as skin and bones, in rags, though under arms, and took post along the frontier for the monsoon…. The end of the retreat was in sight. The British columns disappeared into the mountains of Manipur as the monsoon rains broke. As the last echelons passed over the Tamu road it was washed out behind them. On May 20th, Alexander’s Army of Burma ceased to exist as a command, and his troops were incorporated into the IVth corps of the Indian Command based on Imphal… There is a tale which must be told elsewhere of the suffering of the 4,00,000 Indian and Burmese refugees who fled before the fire and sword of the enemy( Japanese). Probably 10,000 died on the road to India, most of them in the dreaded Hukawng Valley beyond Myitkina ( Frank Owen).
A refugee camp was established just north of Imphal at Koirengei. Here they came in their hundreds. Many had no money, food or spare clothing. Many, above all the women and children, were desperately ill. On most days the road was packed, until one felt one must be emerging from a football stadium. For the refugees India had become the Promised Land. Manipur was for them not India. They must go farther, beyond the Brahmaputra, in their search of safety…. Day and night the march went on. Those who dropped out lay where they fell. Vultures waiting above the refugee camps and halting-places could be seen from afar. Every night a score of corpes was burnt lest an epidemic break out. Children were leaving their parents, and parent their children. The farther they walked, the less they carried (Geoffrey Evans).
On 9 March 1942, the 64th Sentai was transferred to Chieng Mai airfield, in Thailand, in preparation for operations over Burma… The Unit arrived with 15 Ki-43s and two Ki-27s, as well as one captured Hurricane. Both the Ki-43s and Ki-27s were used for escorts of 52 Ki-21s bombers which were operational at that time. From early May 1942, the 64th Sentai operate from its new air base at Toungoo in Burma (Hiroshi Ichimura)
In April (1942) Japanese reconnaissance planes began to fly over nearly everyday. The siren whined, but never a bomb dropped. After a sequence of false alarms the warnings became little more than tiresome interruptions to the day’s leisurely routine, and soon they were regarded with scant respect. Indeed Gimson (Christopher Gimson was the then British Political Agent) recalls that when the siren did sound mid – Morning on May 10th, he said to his assistant: “I must remember to tell Hurrell ( Commanding the 4th Assam Rifles at Singjamei) to stop these silly signals’. An hour later the siren wailed again. ‘Damn!’ exclaimed Gimson on his verandah. ‘I forget to tell Hurrell’… These were almost famous last words. Bombs crashed upon bazaar and cantonment alike. Seventy civilians were killed and another eighty wounded, while a score of European refugees, one of them, a judge, were caught either in camps or lorries and killed (Geoffrey Evans)
As per the British Records, following 84 Manipuries were recorded death on that fateful day of 10th May 1942. There are mistakes in spelling of names of individuals and name of places. The exact words from the record are reproduce to adhere to authenticity.
SL NO SURNAME AGE IN GRAVE RECORDS
1 ABDUL HALIM 33 OF KHERAGAO. DIED AT IMPHAL.
2 ACHUNGPA KABUI NAGA 26 OF MANJER KHUL. DIED AT MANJER KHUL.
3 AJIGAR 34 OF MANTRI PUKHRI. DIED AT MANTRI PUKHRI.
4 AKOIJAM THARE DEVI 50 OF LAMABAM LEIKAI, IMPHAL AT LAMABAM LEIKAI, IMPHAL.
5 ALIGAR KHAN 32 OF KHAN SAHIB’S HATTA, IMPHAL. DIED AT EUROPEAN REFUGEE CAMP, IMPHAL.
6 AMARU NAGINEE 22 OF MANJER KHUL. DIED AT KHOYATHONG.
7 AMIR-UD-DIN MIAN 30 OF KAIRANG. DIED AT CHINGMEIRONG.
8 AMUREIMA DEVI 32 OF SINJABUNG LEIKAI. DIED AT LAMABAM LEIKAI.
9 ANGANGMACHA DEVI 80 OF LAMABAM LEIKAI. DIED AT LAMABAM LEIKAI.
10 BAJET PAO KABUE NAGA 35 AT MANJER KHUL.
11 BARUNI DEVI 32 OF KONSAM LEIKAI. DIED AT CHINGMEIRONG.
12 BHADUR THAMI 45 OF CHINGMEIRONG. DIED AT REFUGEE CAMP, BRITISH RESERVE, CHINGMEIRONG.
13 CHABANGBAM TOLMU SING 55 OF KHURAI, SOIBAM LEIKAI. DIED AT SOIBAM LEIKAI.
14 CHABUNGBAM ONGBI BHUMAR 40 OF KOIRENGEI. DIED AT CHINGMEIRONG.
15 CHINGANGBAM LALA SING 20 OF KHURAI, CHINGANGBAM LEIKAI. DIED AT MANTRI PUKHRI.
16 DALIP SINGH 43 AT IMPHAL.
17 GINAM BHUBAN SING 13 OF FOUSANGBAM LEIKAI, THANGMEIBAND. DIED AT THANGMEIBAND.
18 HACTOMBA KABUI NAGA 45 AT MANJER KHUL.
19 HEIKRUJAM MEINA SING 27 OF SAGOLBAND. DIED AT REFUGEE CAMP, BRITISH RESERVE.
20 HEIKRUJAM RAJMANI SING 19 OF NUNGU VILLAGE. DIED AT LAIKANGBAM LEIKAI.
21 IBEM LAL DEVI 34 AT LAMABAM LEIKAI.
22 IBEMCHAOBI DEVI 11 OF POLEM LEIKAI. DAUGHTER OF SAKHI DEVI. DIED AT POLEM LEIKAI.
23 IBETON DEVI 2 AT POLEM LEIKAI.
24 IROM IBOCHA SING 20 OF KHURAI KONKHAM, LEIKAI. DIED AT MANTRI PUKHRI.
25 JANAB ALI 50 OF KHAN SAHIB’S HATTA, IMPHAL. DIED AT EUROPEAN REFUGEE CAMP, IMPHAL.
26 JUBATI DEVI 20 AT MAINAM LEIKAI.
27 KAKHUPUM KABUI 25 AT MAJORKHUL, IMPHAL.
28 KAMINI DEVI 35 OF SAGOLBAND, NANDIEBAM LEIKAI, IMPHAL. DIED AT LAMABAM LEIKAI.
29 KAMINI DEVI 36 OF KONSAM LEIKAI. DIED AT CHINGMEIRONG.
30 KANGHUJAM THORI THORI SING 23 OF KHURAI LALANBUNG, KHEIDEM LEIKAI. DIED AT AWANG.
31 KARAM SINGH 28 AT IMPHAL.
32 KETUKI DEVI 20 OF NINGTHOUBUNG. DIED AT IYAMAPAL.
33 KHETRIMAYUM ANGRU SING 34 OF KONGPAL, KHETRI LEIKAI. DIED AT CHINGMEIRONG.
34 KHETRIMAYUM NINGOL PENU 36 OF KANGAJABI, NAGAMAPAL, MANIPUR. DIED AT KANGAJABI.
35 KHOMDON SANA RAJ KUMAR 14 AT POLEM LEIKAI.
36 KHOMEI DEVI 19 AT MAINAM LEIKAI.
37 KUMARI DEVI 36 OF KONSAM LEIKAI. DIED AT CHINGMEIRONG.
38 LAIMAYUM CHAOMACHA SHARMA 66 OF POLEM LEIKAI, IMPHAL. DIED AT POLEM LEIKAI.
39 LAISAM YAIMA SING 17 OF CHINGTHAM LEIKAI. DIED AT MXWELL BAZAR, IMPHAL.
40 LAISRAM TOMBA SING 30 AT TOP NOARIA.
41 LAMABAM IBOONGOTON SING 56 AT LAMABAM LEIKAI.
42 LEIRIK DEVI 21 AT MAINAM LEIKAI.
43 LEMABAM TAMPHAMANT DEVI 13 AT LAMABAM LEIKAI.
44 LOITONGBAM TOMBA SING 60 OF LALAMBUNG MAKHONG. DIED AT KWAI LALAMBUNG, IMPHAL.
45 LUCAS TOPPO OF KUTUNIA, GANGPUR. DIED AT MANIPUR ROAD.
46 MADHUMATI DEVI 22 AT POLEM LEIKAI.
47 MALIKA DEVI 50 AT LAMABAM LEIKAI.
48 MANI SHARMA 24 OF TERA KEITHEL. DIED AT KHOYATHONG.
49 MOIRANG LEIMA DEVI 74 AT LAMABAM LEIKAI.
50 MUHAMMAD MIAN 30 OF KHERAGAO VILLAGE, IMPHAL. DIED AT THE IMPHAL-DIMAPUR ROAD.
51 NAKE NAGINEE 45 OF THANGMEIBAND. DIED AT MANJER KHUL.
52 NAMRAM YAIMA SING 25 OF NAMEIRAKPAM LEIKAI, MOIRANGKHOM. DIED AT MANTRI PUKHRI.
53 NANDIESBAM MOHAN SING 25 OF CHINGTHAM LEIKAI. DIED AT MAXWELL BAZAR, IMPHAL.
54 NGANGBAM AMUTHOI SING 18 OF LAMABAM LEIKAI. DIED AT TERA URAK.
55 NGANGBAM GOUREMANI SING 46 OF KANGABAM LEIKAI, IMPHAL. DIED AT KHOYATHONG.
56 NINGTHAN KHONGJAM NARAN 53 OF MOUGSANGEI, IMPHAL. DIED AT LEI INGKHOL.
57 NINGTHONJAM GOKUL CHAND 40 OF MOIRANG KAMPU. DIED AT REFUGEE CAMP, BRITISH RESERVE.
58 NIPAMACHA SING 41 AT POLEM LEIKAI.
59 NONGTHONBAM ONGBI TONSIJA 40 WIFE OF NONGTHONBAM TOMBA. DIED AT LAMLONGGEI, IMPHAL.
60 NUPIMACHA DEVI 35 AT POLEM LEIKAI.
61 PANCHASANI NAGINEE 50 OF THANGMEIBAND. DIED AT NAGA BAZAR.
62 PANTI SINGHIK NAGINEE 35 AT MANJER KHUL.
63 PENU DEVI 22 AT LAIKANGBAM LEIKAI.
64 PHIJAM CHAOBA SING 50 AT LALAMBUNG MAKHONG.
65 RULIA RAM 38 AT IMPHAL.
66 SAGOLSEM MANI SING 30 AT LOURUNGPUREL LEIKAI.
67 SAKHI DEVI 38 AT POLEM LEIKAI.
68 SAMSOO MIAN 35 AT KHETRI.
69 SANASAM MEINE SING 37 AT LOURANGPUREL LEIKAI.
70 SARAF-UD-DIN MIAN 26 OF KAIRANG VILLAGE. DIED AT CHINGMEIRONG.
71 SHYAMA 29 (ALIAS YAIMABI DEVI). OF SAGOLBAND, NANDEIBAND LEIKAI. DIED AT LAMABAM LEIKAI.
72 SHYAMA DEVI 39 AT LAMABAM LEIKAI.
73 THAKCHOM BRAJAMANI SING 20 OF URIPOK SOIRABAM THINGEN, KABRAMBAM, LEIKAI. DIED AT KHUYATHONG.
74 THAMBAL DEVI 40 AT KANGJABI LEIRAK, MEINAM LEIKAI.
75 THARO DEVI 40 OF KHONGHAMPAT. DIED AT CHINGMEIRONG.
76 THIAM IBOTON SING 28 OF KEISAMPAT, IMPHAL. DIED AT MAXWELL BAZAR, IMPHAL.
77 THIAM NARAHARI SING 39 OF THANGMEIBAND. DIED AT MAXWELL BAZAR, IMPHAL.
78 THIAM NARHARI SING 40 OF LILASINGKHONGRANG MAKHONG. DIED AT AWANG DUKAN.
79 THOKPAM LALA SING 21 OF KONGKHAM LEIKAI. DIED AT MANTRI PUKHRI.
80 THOUDAM DEVEN SING 24 AT MAINAM LEIKAI.
81 THOUDAM IPI SING 23 AT MAINAM LEIKAI.
82 THOUDAM UPENDRA SING 28 AT MAINAM LEIKAI.
83 YUMLEMBAM MANGI 16 SON OF YUMLEMBAM CHANDRAHAS. DIED AT KHUYATHONG POLEM LEIKAI,
84 YUMNAM KAMAL SING 35 OF LAMABAM LEIKAI. DIED AT MANIPUR.