Colonel John Brough - Telegraph Colonel John Brough, who has died aged 89, commanded a company in an action in Burma in which one of his men was awarded a Victoria Cross; subsequently he himself won a DSO and an MC. In March 1944, 1st Battalion 11th Sikh Regiment (1/11 SR), part of 7th Indian Division, took part in heavy fighting in what became known as the Admin Box in the Arakan. On the night of March 6, Brough, then a major in command of a "C" Company, was ordered to capture a strategically important hill near Buthidaung in the Kalapanzin valley. The only approach to the hill was by way of a narrow track, and they came under heavy machine-gun fire as they attacked up a precipitous knife-edge ridge held by about 40 Japanese dug into bunkers. The leading section was commanded by Naik Nand Singh who, although wounded, closed on three trenches and killed all the occupants. His platoon followed up with the company. Thirty-seven of the enemy holding the ridge were killed and the position was eventually taken. Nand Singh was awarded a VC. A few nights later, a Japanese platoon infiltrated the battalion position and moved on to a hill overlooking the main Maungdaw-Buthidaung road. The feature was of vital importance, and Brough was ordered to drive them off. He quickly organised an attack with the support of tanks and directed it in person. The offensive was carried out with great boldness, the hill was captured and the Japanese position annihilated. Brough, who killed six of the enemy himself, was awarded an immediate DSO. John Brough was born at Carlisle on January 18 1920. His parents farmed near Oulton, Cumberland, and he was educated locally. In 1938 he joined the Army and served with the Coldstream Guards until he was commissioned into the Border Regiment. He was posted to India and, after joining 1/11 SR in Rangoon, accompanied the regiment on its long fighting withdrawal into India, during which time he was wounded. At first light on May 21 1945, 1/11 SR set out on a long approach march to Kabaing, which was held by a strong party of Japanese. The monsoon was breaking, the humidity was stifling, and after several days of heavy rain the track which wound through the hilly terrain was deep in mud. By late afternoon the battalion had managed to reach the high ground dominating the village undetected. Brough, in command of "D" Company, was ordered to attack at 5pm. The plan was for him to lead his company's assault from a direction that the enemy would least expect. This was across 500 yards of open rice fields. His men were tired, so the element of surprise was vital. Two minutes before the hour, Brough and his men were on the edge of the jungle and ready to go when a report came in that another company had encountered a Japanese foraging party and had been forced to open fire. A large number of the enemy who had been bathing in a stream scurried back to their posts in the village. All chance of surprise appeared to have been forfeited, and the attack seemed certain to bring severe losses. The CO, however, took the view that the few shots fired had been in an area where the Japanese were expecting an attack. He believed that they would not alter their defensive positions, and ordered Brough to keep to the original plan. At five minutes past five Brough and his men began their dash across the fields behind a heavy concentration of mortar bombs. Surprise was complete. The mortars caught the enemy in the open as they rushed to man alternative positions, and the company went in with the bayonet. By 6.30pm the last strongpoint had been taken and a substantial number of heavy weapons captured. Brough was awarded an immediate MC. After the end of the campaign in Burma, Brough rejoined the Border Regiment (later renamed the King's Own Royal Border Regiment) and served with the 1st Battalion in Mogadishu, the Canal Zone, BAOR and the Cameroons. He was appointed MBE and retired as colonel in 1969. He then worked for a firm of sugar brokers for five years before serving as a retired officer at the Ministry of Defence. A tall, imposing figure who concealed considerable warmth behind a bluff exterior, he lived in Sussex after he retired, enjoying gardening and watching rugby. John Brough died on February 21. He married, in 1946, Glenys Jones, who survives him with their two sons.
When reading about operations in Burma, I am never sure what's worse - the conditions they fought in or the Japanese the fought against. An exemplary career. RIP.
