Arthur Marment RIP

Kyt · Feb 16, 2009

Arthur Marment - Telegraph

Arthur Marment, who died on January 17 aged 91, fought in the Arakan and Kohima campaigns in Burma, won two Military Crosses, was twice mentioned in dispatches and wounded twice.

In March 1945, the capture of the Irrawaddy port of Myingyan was an major strategic objective in the struggle to control the railway junction at Meiktila and loosen the grip of the Japanese 33rd Army on central Burma.

On March 17, 4th Battalion 15th Punjab Regiment (4/15 PR) and a squadron of tanks were ordered to break out of the area and form a bridgehead across a nullah. This ravine, 100 yards wide, was a natural tank obstacle preventing the British armoured column from advancing on Myingyan.

Dust clouds from the flat, sandy plain revealed every movement to an enemy concealed in foxholes, screened by trees or hidden in the undergrowth of deep gullies waiting to ambush the attackers. When every attempt failed, Marment commanding "B" Company, was ordered to force a direct crossing of the nullah.

Tanks could only give limited support because of mines and the leading platoon suffered severe losses. Marment followed on their heels under heavy fire from small arms and grenade dischargers. He had been hit in the leg by shellfire and was losing a lot of blood but he ignored his wound and the harassing fire and brought in his other two platoons.

He organised the wiring and consolidation of the defences of the new bridgehead and, later that night, drove off two determined counter-attacks. The next morning, as the armour crossed the nullah to take Myingan, he was evacuated. He was awarded a Bar to an earlier MC.

Arthur Verriour Marment was born on July 17 1917 and educated at Oundle. He worked for a bank before being commissioned into the King's Shropshire Light Infantry in 1939.

Marment volunteered for attachment to the Indian Army. He learned Urdu and Pushtu and, in 1942, was posted to 4/15 PR in Waziristan on the North West Frontier. In September 1943 he accompanied the battalion to Burma and fought in the battle of the Arakan Valley, where the Japanese were defeated for the first time. He was mentioned in dispatches and wounded.

On May 11 1944, 4/15 PR was ordered to attack a feature in the Kohima area. The two leading companies came under devastating fire and suffered many casualties. Marment, the second-in-command, played a vital part in evacuating the wounded and in getting food and ammunition through to the forward troops.

The next day, when one of the company commanders was wounded, he volunteered to take over. When an attached company of Gurkhas put in an attack and suffered severe casualties, he led men of his company forward with stretchers under fire, evacuated all the wounded and, with the Gurkhas, beat off a counter-attack.

On May 26 Marment was in Naga village, Kohima, in command of the most forward company when the Japanese attacked in battalion strength. The assault was preceded by an artillery and mortar bombardment and just before the attack was launched an enemy plane dropped a 500-pound bomb 15 yards from his position. The men were badly shaken but Marment rallied them and repulsed the attack. He was awarded the first of his MCs.

He was mentioned in dispatches once more before being demobilised in 1946. He joined the family department store in Cardiff, and was general manager from 1946 to 1952 and subsequently chairman and managing director. He was closely involved in a number of local charities.

Arthur Marment's wife predeceased him. Their two sons and three daughters survive him.
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