Memoirs of a Ghanaian Soldier in World War II

Joseph Hammond, a young man from Ghana, saw the outbreak of World War II as an opportunity to fulfill his desire to join the army. In July 1943, at the age of 18, he enlisted as a driver mechanic and was quickly integrated into British military operations in West Africa. His training in mechanics and combat soon led him to participate in one of the most brutal and lesser-known campaigns of the war: the fight against Japan in the Far East.

The Journey to the Frontline

In November 1943, Hammond and nine other men from his unit were selected to join the war outside of Ghana. They boarded the HMS Circassia, a massive ship carrying 2,500 British and allied troops, bound for India. Attached to the 3rd Gurkha Regiment, 3rd Infantry Battalion, they were about to face one of the most ferocious campaigns of the conflict.

After a stopover in India, where the soldiers underwent rigorous training in Khulna, Bangladesh, Hammond was sent to the front lines in Buthidaung, Burma. The fight against Japanese forces, marked by relentless brutality, was far different from what was being faced in Europe. “All soldiers were trained to kill, without fear,” Hammond recalls. “The training was to ensure that when you got to war, there was no hesitation.”

The Hell in Burma

The conflict in Burma was marked by ambushes, hand-to-hand combat, and harsh conditions. “The Japanese were the fiercest fighters I have ever seen,” Hammond remembers. He recounts that, for Japanese soldiers, being captured was an unbearable dishonor, while dying on the battlefield was seen as an act of honor. This mentality made every advance a bloody challenge.

In the battle along the Irrawaddy River, Hammond’s battalion managed to prevent the Japanese from crossing the river. “They realized they would be massacred if they tried to cross, so they retreated south, and we followed.” The battles were often intense and prolonged, with days of fighting without significant advances. “Sometimes the fighting was so fierce that we couldn’t push them for three days,” he reports. “In Ma-ubin, we lost six men while crossing the river. Their bodies floated in the very water we had to drink.”

The Struggle for Survival

In addition to the violence of the battles, the soldiers faced a shortage of supplies. “We went without food for three to four days. We survived on biscuits and canned meat until supplies were dropped by parachute.” The situation worsened in Kindaungyyi, where Japanese resistance, aided by snipers hidden in trees, made advancing nearly impossible. “We had to call for artillery support to bombard the enemy positions; the ground shook with the intensity.”

It was during one of these intense battles that Hammond noticed a serious injury to his left eye. “My eye was swollen, but I didn’t know what had happened.” He was evacuated to a hospital in Pune, India, where he was treated for a severe infection caused by contaminated blood. “Maybe I touched someone wounded and then touched my face,” he says.

The End of the War and the Pride of Having Fought

Hammond remained in the hospital until the end of the war in August 1945. Even from a distance, he felt pride in having contributed to the Allied victory. “After the victory parade, General Slim congratulated the troops on their performance. I feel proud to have defended the British Empire. We fought fiercely against the Japanese and defeated them.”

Returning to Ghana in December 1945 marked the end of a transformative experience. “We were the first to bring the green battle dress to the country, the uniform that became a symbol of the Ghanaian Army.” After being demobilized in January 1946, Hammond resumed his civilian life, but the marks of war remained.

Joseph Hammond, like many other African soldiers who fought alongside British forces, played a crucial role in one of the toughest campaigns of World War II. His story is a reminder of the brutality of the conflict in the Far East, often overshadowed by events in Europe. At 95 years old, Hammond continues to live in Ghana, his life marked by sacrifice and the struggle in one of the darkest chapters of human history. “I also participated, and I am very proud to have contributed,” he concludes.