[C]umbria Museum of Military Life in Carlisle Castle Tuesday Talks series continues with Simon Sole & Murdo Urquhart talk on The Battle of Imphal: Things we did not know. The pair visit the Museum on Tuesday 11th September 2018.
The Battle of Imphal/Kohima was Japan’s last attempt to avert defeat in World War 2. It was an extraordinary battle leading to some compelling personal stories and of course included the 2nd Battalion and 9th Battalion Border Regiment. The siege of Imphal and the resulted failure of the Japanese to take Imphal in 1944 was to have a major impact on the war in the Far East. Imphal, along with the unsuccessful attack on the nearby garrison town of Kohima ended the Japanese drive to Delhi. The failure of the Japanese to take Imphal and Kohima also signalled the start of the Allied re-conquest of Burma.
Simon Sole’s father was at Imphal with the 2nd Battalion Border Regiment. He will offer an event-narrative and a new perspective for those who do not know the battle, but will concentrate on new information he has found in Tokyo and Mito the home of 33 Japanese Infantry Division which faced both the 2nd and 9th Battalion Border Regiment. There are many excellent histories of the battle but there are still new things to say.
Simon runs a film company www.bandoolaproductions.com He is an ex Royal Engineer, a geo-political intelligence analyst, graduate of Pakistan Staff College, digital entrepreneur and now film maker working on a documentary about Imphal. He has visited and filmed much of the battlefield, presented on Imphal at Japanese MOD, and he and his team worked in archives in UK and Tokyo and interviewed Japanese military historians.
Talk starts at 6:00pm with doors opening at 5.30pm
Seats are limited, pre-purchase tickets to avoid disappointment. £5.00 pre-booked or £6.00 on the door. A Licensed bar, limited disabled access (contact Museum for details). Suitable for 14 years and over. To book your seat contact the Museum. Tel: 01228 532774.
