Page 25 - Flaming Cauldron – Issue 57

ACC ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER

James Chapman

From WW2 Bombardier to Chef

James Chapman enlisted in the Territorial Army
in 1939, serving with the Royal Engineers and
later the Royal Artillery (RA). He was mobilised
on the outbreak of war and served with an Anti-
Aircraft battery in England. In January 1941
he qualified as a Cook Class I whilst serving with
the Gunners.
After the formation of the Army Catering
Corps (ACC) in March 1941, regimental cooks
were gradually transferred to the newly-formed
Corps. Chapman attended the London School of
Cookery at Hounslow, Middlesex in December
1941 and subsequently, on 13th June 1942, tested
by the Catering Adviser of 68th Anti-Aircraft
Brigade and ‘found to be up to Army Catering
Corps standard’. Although he transferred to the
ACC he remained attached to a Royal Artillery
unit as a cook.
In September 1942 he embarked on a trans-
port for Glasgow, before arriving at Bombay,
India in early 1943. He was attached to 10th Field
Regiment Royal Artillery, part of the British 2nd
Infantry Division and equipped with 25 pounder
guns. Shortly after arrival he was hospitalised with James Chapman The Regiment then fought in the Battle of Kohima
hepatitis but soon re-joined his unit for training in pictured centre (4th April to 22nd June 1944); one of the most sig-
jungle warfare. He later reflected that during train- nificant battles fought during the Burma campaign.
ing ‘the hardship was the shortage of water, enough After a short rest in India, 10th Field Regiment
for cooking and making tea, but none for washing. had to catch up to the forward troops which were
Before returning to base camp, the Pioneer Corps heading towards the Irrawaddy River in Burma.
had arranged a bathing area where there were tin For three days the Regiment was constantly on the
baths with hot water, soap and clean towels’. move and Chapman remembered ‘I would go in
In 1944, 10th Field Regiment RA, as part of front and prepare a meal, and twice I had to pack
2nd Division, was ordered to Kohima in Nagaland, up before I could serve out. This was no problem
North East India. Having to travel many miles as we were equipped with a type of insulated box,
through India by road and rail, Chapman impro- in which the kettles would fit and keep the food
vised in order to keep morale up, remembering hot for hours, so that at the next rendezvous the
‘whenever the train stopped to take on water, ‘I eventually food was ready…moving so fast caused problems
I jumped off with the dry tea in the dixie [camp found the because the supply column could not reach us, and
kettle]… dash[ed] off to the engine and brew[ed] incidentally our food was brought in by air and
the tea with the boiling water from the engine itself. cookhouse, dropped by parachute. If there was a wind some-
Then issue[d] same to thirsty Gunners’. The 2nd and sleeping times the parachutes would drift too far away, and
Division moved towards Kohima in order to relieve the [Japanese] would have the benefit. However we
British and Indian Troops under siege in the area quarters, were very well stocked up food wise and we never
and halt the Japanese ‘U-go offensive’. On arrival went short. It was a treat when our chief scrounger
at camp, Chapman remembered ‘I eventually found a hole in shot a deer, the fresh meat was very welcome’.
the cookhouse, and sleeping quarters, a hole in the the ground Over the following months, 10th Field
ground six foot deep by three feet wide and six foot Regiment were involved in the crossing of the
long, this was to be my home for six weeks… It six foot deep Irrawaddy River and subsequent battles against the
did not take long to brew up and serve the tea and by three feet Japanese. At times, the unit and cookhouse were
porridge, then set about lunch. We had plentiful exposed to enemy bombardment and aerial attack.
supplies of dried potatoes, dried cabbages and car- wide and Chapman vividly remembered another Corporal
rots, with tinned stewed steak. Tinned bacon, dried cook of the unit being killed by enemy shellfire.
egg and plenty of corned beef, biscuits galore, we six foot long’ After one successful engagement, Chapman was
had to keep ringing the change with these rations’. given the opportunity to restock with fresh food,

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