The Kohima Educational Trust is delighted to announce this webinar and welcome our trustee Dr Robert Lyman MBE and our guest speaker Elizabeth Lockhart-Mure, author of 'Front Line and Fortitude' - the relatively unknown story of the Women’s Auxiliary Service (Burma), a small contingent of brave women who worked with the men of the XIV Army.
“THE WASBIES” - WOMEN’S AUXILIARY SERVICE (BURMA) - The Forgotten Women of the Forgotten Army
The Women’s Auxiliary Service (Burma), colloquially known as ‘The Wasbies’, were a little-known, small contingent of women who ran a canteen service for the men of the 14th Army during the Burma Campaign of the Second World War.
They were formed in January 1942 to undertake cipher duties for the Army in Burma, but upon the fall of Rangoon, they transferred to India, where, with the blessing of the army hierarchy, they soon set up a canteen service, operating both static and mobile facilities for the men of the South East Asia Campaign.
Their canteens could be found at staging points, air strips, sea ports and railheads, as well as deep in remote mountainous jungle and on hot, dusty plains.
When operating with forward divisions, they were often within earshot of gunfire and could feel the pounding of the big guns. They toiled in steaming heat and dust, in monsoon rain and mud, living in mosquito-ridden camps amongst the men themselves, with little regard to their obvious discomfort.
Where the troops went, the Wasbies went too.
At the time, the Wasbies were considered to be a huge morale boost to those battle-weary men of General Sir Bill Slim’s Forgotten Army, but now they appear to be forgotten.
To join us for this online talk on Thursday 17th April at 8pm, please click the button below:
Speakers:
Dr Robert Lyman MBE - Military Historian, Author and Trustee of KET Born in New Zealand in January 1963 and educated in Australia, Robert Lyman was, for twenty years, an officer in the British Army. Educated at Scotch College, Melbourne he was commissioned into the Light Infantry from the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, in April 1982. In addition to a business career he is an author and military historian, publishing books in particular on the war in the Far East. He is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. Robert is married to Hannah, has two sons, and lives in Berkshire. For information about Robert's publications please visit his website: robertlyman.com
Elizabeth Lockhart-Mure: Author of "Front Line and Fortitude", Elizabeth is the granddaughter of a pioneer family who emigrated to East Africa after the First World War under the auspices of the Soldier Settlement Scheme. Her grandfather was a Tank commander and was awarded an MC at the Somme.
She is an outdoor girl who grew up on a farm in Kenya, with a love of horses and a deep affection for the country of her birth and its wealth of flora and fauna.
Circumstances in post independent Kenya led Elizabeth’s move to England. In the early 80’s she formed her own specialist Freight Forwarding business – the only woman to do so at the time – which she ran successfully until her retirement.
Having retired, and following the discovery of a long concealed cache of documents and medals, Elizabeth was encouraged to write the relatively unknown story of the Women’s Auxiliary Service (Burma), a small contingent of brave women who worked with the men of the XIV Army.
Sylvia May - Managing Trustee of The Kohima Educational Trust Sylvia May was born in New Jersey, USA in 1957. Her parents moved to England in 1963. Educated at High Wycombe School for Girls, she decided to pursue a career in the world of books. Sylvia worked for HarperCollins for 37 years, the last eleven of which she headed up their UK-based International Sales team. Sylvia May is the daughter of the late Gordon Graham, Founder and President of the Kohima Educational Trust. She is proud that her father has inspired many people to share his vision to commemorate those who fought and died in Kohima, and the wonderful Naga people who have done so much for the British in the past. She first visited India in 1994 with her husband Robert, and has returned on numerous occasions, staying in Kohima several times. In 2000, they followed the WWII route of the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders, her father’s regiment. The regiment’s first main engagement in this theatre of war was at Zubza shortly before the Battle of Kohima.
