
On this day, 04/02/1945, British Commandos were engaged in a 24 hour hand-to-hand battle for Hill 170, Kangaw, Burma. The attack was described as a ‘do-or-die’ effort by the Japanese trying to escape the Arakan Peninsula. The two WW1 entries today are of NI men serving with Canadian regiments. Joseph Cardwell came from Coalisland and Robert Hall from Fivemiletown. John McKessick and two others from NI died in the minesweeper HMS Sphinx in 1940. In 1943 RAF men Hugh McCabe from Kesh died in Algeria and Andrew Scott of Belfast in Italy. James McCready from Bushmills died in 1944 serving with 221 Squadron. The Squadron was twice stationed at Limavady during WW2.