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5781888
Corporal
Alfred John Tofts
Known as Jack
1914/07/23 - Born 56 Gold Street, Saffron Walden, Essex
Son of William and Ellen (known as Nellie) Tofts
Occupation Clerk
Married Doris Regelous
They lived at Battle Cottage, Barnards Yard, High Street, Saffron Walden, Essex.
They were blessed with one daughter, Barbara Jill Tofts born 13th June 1940.
Royal Norfolk Regiment
2nd Battalion
Service
The 2nd Battalion of the Royal Norfolks, landed at Bombay in June 1942, and immediately embarked upon intensive training in jungle warfare and combined operations.
For nearly two years the 2nd Battalion went through their training in India, where they got the nickname of the Forgotten Army.
The 2nd Royal Norfolks were still getting on with their jungle training through 1943 and into 1944; if they should not go to war by sea, then they would go by train, truck or on foot. In the event, they went soon enough and, as it turned out, by air, flying from Calcutta to Dimapur, via Belgaum and Bangalore a distance of 600 miles, arriving at Damapur on the 10th April 1944.
They then set out to releive Kohima, Burma.
Late April the Royal Norfolks, Royal Scots, and Lancashire Fusiliers left Khonoma and skirting Mt Pulebadze, headed towards Aradura spur it was a bloody hard slog. Reaching the fringe of the spur on the 3rd May and held there before attacking GPT Ridge (General Purpose Transport) the next day.
On the 4th John Randle had taken over command of his company when the company commander was wounded. Although painfully wounded in the knee by grenade splinters, he continued to cheer his men on, until the company had captured its objective and consolidated the position. He then went forward and brought in all the wounded men who were lying outside the perimeter. Despite his wound, Randle displayed the contempt for pain, which seemed almost commonplace among officers of the Royal Norfolks, and refused to be evacuated.
On the night of the 5th, Randle carried out a daring reconnaissance in bright moonlight, prior to a further attack by his company on positions to which the enemy had withdrawn.
On the 6th May Capt J.N.Randle along with Sgt. B.Fitt lead an attack on "Bunker Hill" a series of strongly held bunkers, with 9 platoon, 12 platoon took the right.
The 9th platoon managed to reach the crest of a hill held by the Japs, the 12th ran into heavy machine-gun fire from a bunker. John Randle immediately realized that this particular bunker covered not only the rear of his new position, but also the line of communication of the whole battalion. His knee, from the wound he had received two days earlier, troubled him badly and he had been hit yet again, this time in the face. Barely able to walk and with his face covered with blood, John Randle knew what he must do.
Armed with a rifle and bayonet he charged alone at the machine-gun post. He was hit again and again by bursts of fire, but he reached the bunker and silenced the gun with a grenade which he threw through the slit. He was dying fast, but he had one more duty to perform in death; he flung his body across the opening bunker slit so that the aperture should be completely sealed. Capt J.N Randle was awarded the V.C for his actions.
After Randle was killed, Fitt received a call to say 12 platoon were pinned down by heavy machine gun fire, not able to see this particular bunker he threw a number of grenades until one actually bounced straight in killing those inside,
GPT Ridge was captured but with heavy casualties, the Norfolk's lost 120 killed or wounded and renamed it "Norfolk Ridge". Sergeant B.Fitt won the D.C.M.
The sappers of the 2nd Division then cleared the mines from the Kohima Ridges letting in the tanks and by the 14th May the Japanese were pushed back. This was the turning point in Asia and from this defeat the Japanese never recovered.
The unrest against the British being in India was still evident after the Japs had been beaten, Many were caught up in anti- British demonstrations, not a farewell tribute expected.
1945/11/16 - Repatriated and disembarked back in UK
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Burma Star
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War Medal
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1939-1945 Star
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Medals
Post War
Jack died 19th January 1985
Jack survived the war, but with shrapnel injuries and other wartime issues contributed to his acute rheumatoid Arthritis that was cause of death
Information
Keith Wilson - Grandson
Royal Norfolks in France
Royal Norfolks by Tom Carew
Burma Campaign
KEW Files:-
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