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Clash of empires: the Far Eastern War Revisited An illustrated talk by Ian Binnie

I

Ian Binnie

master brummie
Monday 20th April 2026,1.00pm

At the Birmingham and Midland Institute, 9 Margaret St, Birmingham B3 3BS
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This is part of a series of talks put on by the Birmingham People's History Archive. Last year many countries commemorated V.J. Day, that is the 80th anniversary of the end of the war in the Far East. However, the conflict in Asia did not end in 1945, nor did it begin in 1941 with the attack on Pear Harbour. Only the Soviet Union suffered more casualties than China during the war. Ian will bring a new perspective to this topic, outlining recent research and writing on what was vicious conflict fought on a massive scale.

Ian is a retired history teacher and amateur historian. He is a member of a number of local and national history groups. He regularly gives talks on subjects as diverse as the American Civil War in Film and the Royal Warwickshire Regiment in World War Two.

The cost is £5 on the door (there is always lots of space) or £6.13 by Eventbrite. Use this link https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/clas...sited-tickets-1980070340691?aff=oddtdtcreator
 
Hi,
As we are the second city there was a lot of Birmingham men (and a few women) involved. There are a number of memorials in Brandwood End Cemetery to those who died in the Far East. Likewise there are names on Moseley and Kings Heath church memorials of those who died in the Far East. I have researched the involvement of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment and contrary to popular belief, many served in the Far East. Some were Brummies. I found there was a Territorial searchlight battalion, originally based near Wythall, who ended up as an anti tank unit fighting on the Burma/Chinese border. My research will undoubtedly find more. There is a website on Brummie Far Eastern POW's. but it hasn't been updated for a few years https://www.cofepow.org.uk/news/birmingham-association-of-far-east-prisoners-of-war-bafepow
 
Some info can be gained from Wikipedia and the Fusilier Museum…

The 1st Battalion (Royal Warwicks) spent most of the war on garrison/internal security duties in India, then trained for jungle warfare and took part in the final stages of the Burma campaign (including the period around the capture of Rangoon/Operation Dracula in 1945).

Some “Warwickshire” units were re-roled into anti-aircraft / artillery formations and served in the Burma campaign (they still counted as Royal Warwickshire in lineage terms). Wikipedia notes, for example, that the pre-war 5th Battalion had been converted to an anti-aircraft unit and later served in Burma as part of 36th Indian Infantry Division.

There are also indications (from the regimental museum context) that some Royal Warwickshire soldiers became Chindits (the long-range penetration groups operating in Burma).

Individuals from the Royal Warwicks could certainly have ended up in other Far Eastern locations via attachments, postings, or transfers.
 
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