Battle of the tennis court (Friday 27 May 2011)

Complimentary breakfast at the Orchid then up to the War Cemetery just above the hotel. Having a car / driver is fantastic but we have found that as a result we drive everywhere that before we would have walked, might be fat by the time we get home.

The war cemetery we notice when we enter the driveway to the carpark is meticulously kept by the Commonwealth, with terraced lawns and flowers planted beside each of the low marked graves. Initially semi keen to visit as we did not come looking for stories of war nor the cemeteries that they create, but wandering the rows and terraces and reading the names, ages and short two line obituaries from loved ones the history felt real and the loss fresh. It is a strange feeling as many people die everyday having lived lives of value, having left loved ones behind, having struggled with personal challenges and yet they blend unknown in history. War for what ever it's political reasons leaves human scars of living deeper than ordinary life.

From Nagaland, May 2011

The Second World war battle of Kohima as we later read further at the War museum at the Kisama Herritage Park was a battle initially planned as little more than a disruption by the Japanese of the English supply lines and support of positions in south east Asia. The Japanese had already decisively attacked the then British held Burma forcing the British and Indian contigents garrisoned there to retreat westward over the river Chindwin and into Indian Naga country. The goal of the Japanese attack was to acquire the Imphal Kohima road from where progress could quickly be made to Dimapur and the stores held there. Imphal was also the location of the only airfield in the densely rugged jungles and the British commander, a General William Slim, was planning on basing his defensive line from there.

The Japanese committed the 31st division to the plan sending men through jungle that was considered impenetrable to circle in on British positions in surprise. One location was Kohima where the British had a garrison of both combatants and non combatants of about 2500. The Japanese commenced their attack of Kohima on the 6 April 1944. It quickly turned into a war of attrition being fought on the ridge in the middle of the then small Kohima centered around the District commissioners residence and tennis court. Crazily at one stage the Japanese were dug in on one side of the court and the British on the other exchanging fire for two weeks across little more then a few meters.

The Japanese lacked supply lines having pushed through the jungle carrying only three weeks supplies and the intention of restocking from the British. Unfortunately for their plan they were held at Kohima and with the onset of the monsoon many men died of starvation and malnutrition. The battle of Kohima lasted until the 22 June with losses of 4000 British/Indian troops and 5000 Japanese. Further many Japanese men are believed to have died on their retreat eastward.

The Japanese army included some platoons of Indian nationals who had joined with the Japanese in the hope of achieving independence for the Indian people from the colonial British. Similar support had been secured for the same reason in Burma by Burmese but I believe that much of this support soured once the invasion had actually occurred and the reality of the then Japanese focus had actually been seen and felt.

The Naga during this period supported the British as they were seen as more engaging with the tribal people than the Japanese who often forced themselves on the Naga for food. As a result the people acted as ammunition porters, stretcher bearers and scouts for the allied forces. Many Naga had not seen nor heard planes prior to the Second World war and thought that they were too far from the rest of the world to be effected. Unfortunately this proved not to be correct.

We inherently value life and whether as an initial result of adventure seeking, patriotism, mateship, duty these men gave theirs in action, for wrong or right in terrible conditions for others. Two Victoria Cross medals were awarded to two soldiers buried on the ridge. One main plaque in the cemetery reads "When you go home tell them of us and say for your tomorrow we gave our today". So for Corporal Smith, 24 years of age when he died, from the Royal Norfolk Regiment, I would like to share what a Florence wrote as his epitaph, "to the world you were only a part, to me you were all the world".

Following our time in the cemetery we drove along the Kohima - Imphal road to the Kisama Herritage Park where after spending an hour or so in the war museum, which is well laid out moved further up the hill to the Herritage Park where there are traditional tribe Morungs and houses spread across the hillside. The Hornbill festival, Nagalands largest is held here annually in early December. A rock concert also at the same time.

Back to town in the rain and stop in South Kohima on a high point to see the Cathi drill as pronounced by Tesio all day. Tesio has great english, sometimes better than my own so we had been pondering over this one for most of the morning. I even promised a beer if it turned out to be an internationally used term. It was only when we got to the top of the hill and saw the sign that we both said almost simultaneously ahhh Cathedral.

The cathedral is huge and quite fittingly the outside and inside beams resemble more a fancily shaped aircraft hanger than a traditional church (of which there are many around here). This seems to make sense partially because of the location and also as Japanese survivors committed funds to it's construction. Inside the space feels and is huge, with seating capacity of 3000 all is lit in daylight by a large stain glass wall above the alter showing the episcopal dove. On the walls behind the alter large mosaics which are fantastic with the last identifying the churches interaction with the early naga. The pulpit and altar incorporate Naga symbols in their designs. Outside brass plaques of the Stations of the cross lead down the hill toward the front entrance.

Through afternoon post school traffic and meticulously uniformed students into town. Quite a range of people patrolling from Traffic police, to normal police, army and paramilitary (the IRB - Indian Reserve Battalion ex separatists or nagas who are seen as sellouts by the remaining factions like Khaplan, as a result when the two happen to meet things can apparently turn nasty) Lots of guns for a place that feels no different to any other hill town. Pizza (sadly disappointing) at the Dream Cafe whilst the rain and thunder increased outside or at least we were able to order once the power came back on. Headed onto to a cyber cafe where we had fifteen minutes of startup time, five minutes of emails and than the power dropped out. Back to Hotel Orchid greeted by staff and then settled in for the stormy evening.