It’s been a long slog getting here, with many checks and re-checks of the design, with many a careful move of different elements to get the best fit, but here it is and I am very happy to share it with you.
I had always wished to have the front cover for 'A Battalion in Burma' in a similar style to ‘Fighting Through’ with a prominent figure in the upper third to illustrate the uniform of the campaign. The cover for ‘Fighting Through’ had an unknown Suffolk soldier captured in remarkable colour at Weert on 22 September 1944, and this time, I’ve used the portrait of Battalion Bugler and stretcher bearer, Arthur Partington, who served throughout the campaign from Arakan to Imphal.
It’s one of the very few images of the time showing the jungle green uniform that was worn during the Burma Campaign and although I had to colour it myself, it superb because it illustrates well, the badges of the 5th (Indian) Division which can be seen in his arms, along with the Suffolk woven shoulder titles that were unique to the Battalion.
I posted this earlier today on social media and the initial feedback has been hugely positive, and sales look to have already started, ranking it quite high in the 'Burma' category on Amazon. That’s really great news and I really hope that it inspires people to read about the Burma campaign from the viewpoint of a slogging British infantryman, it more importantly, it may put Second Suffolk back in the public eye.
