2 R Norfolk in India and their return on the MV Georgic Aug 1947

The late Jim Cameron, who died in Aug 2006 (click here for his obituary), did what we should all do - ie ‘Write it down’. However, he did more than that by sending it to the BBC WW2 People's War site. Sadly, it ceased taking entries in Jan 2006 but Jim’s account of his 2 R Norfolk service is there in perpetuity for all to read at: www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/99/a2169399.shtml
It is reproduced below.
'In 1945 I was shipped to India to join my unit, 2 Royal Norfolk, who were being re-enforced after great losses in Burma, then came the atom bomb and everything changed, for the better I guess, because I am here today. With the cessation of the war, we were back to regular army training, and then came the trouble with Ghandi. Rioting began between the different religious sects and our duties changed to trying to prevent this awful blood letting period, the worst of which happened in Calcutta in 1946, to which we were shipped. When this finally stopped we went back to our barracks in Rawalpindi, where we remained, still doing riot duties until Britain gave India her independence in 1947. My regiment was the first British army unit withdrawn from India and returned to England on the MV Georgic in August 1947. We were split up in England between Bardney in Lincolnshire and Hull in Yorkshire until our demob the following spring. Soon after, our Bn was disbanded. The purpose of this letter is to try and find some of our old buddies. About 25 of us have met and hold a reunion in London UK in August each year. I was able to attend 2 years ago and cannot express my feelings at meeting those guys after so many years.’
An article on the departure appeared in B&C 88 Jun 97 and led to the formation of The ‘Independence of India 1947 Club’ meeting annually in mid- Aug at The Union Jack Club in London.
For more, see Georgic Index.

Left, Jim Cameron with the re-furbished MV Georgic in 2005.

(Sadly, Jim kept the news of his spreading cancer from his family for much longer than they had known. A few days before he died, he sent a message to all at the forthcoming 15 Aug 06 gathering, thanking his 2nd Bn comrades for their friendship and ending ‘Thank you again, guys, and goodbye.’

Jim was a regular correspondent and it was planned that the next time the Webmaster was in Ontario we would meet. Another gallant soldier departs. JLR)

[B&C 107]