John Herbert Townsend

A Sergeant with the 51st/69th Infantry Regiment, John died on 18th of April 1944 aged 30. 

John, also known as Jack, was born in the Basingstoke district in 1913, a son of Herbert and Nellie Elizabeth Townsend. In 1921 the family lived at Huddersfield and, some time later, moved to Lowestoft. John's mother died and his father then married Elsie Brown and they lived at 18 Oulton Road, Lowestoft. 

John married Violet Lilian Cutting, of Needham Market, in 1940. Violet was a mental health nurse and worked in Ipswich in 1939. Violet remarried in 1946.

John worked at Eastern Coach Works. He joined the Royal Artillery (Territorial Army) in 1937. 

In 1943 the 51st Field Regiment and the 69th Anti-Tank Regiment were combined to for the 51st/69th Infantry Regiment Royal Artillery and this formation was part of the second Chindit force, forming 51 and 69 Columns, part of 16 Brigade and taking part in Operation Thursday in 1944. 

In April 1944 the 16 Brigade were in, and around Indaw, Burma, and were engaged in ambushing Japanese units. On 18 April both 14 and 16 launched a renewed attack on Indaw and John was killed in action that day. He was buried at Sahmaw War Cemetery and later reburied at Taukkyan War Cemetery.