Wilfred James Bramhall
- Family History
- Military history
- Extra information
- Photographs
He was the son of Walter Bramhall (a civilian who lived from 1889–1946) and Florence Ada Bramhall. He grew up alongside an older brother, Cyril Walter Bramhall (born 1914).
By the time the war broke out, Wilfred was living with or in close contact with his maternal/paternal extended family in Sneinton. This is why his immediate military notification contact was listed as his aunt, Mrs M. Simpson of Sneinton, Nottingham
Given that he is buried at Maynamati War Cemetery (modern-day Comilla, Bangladesh), his unit war diaries indicate he likely succumbed to severe tropical disease (such as malignant malaria or dysentery) at a frontline field hospital or dressing station in the Comilla/Chittagong sector.
In August 1943, 269 Battery of the 77th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery (77 Lt AA Regt) was deployed on the frontline of the Burma Campaign, operating under the 13th Anti-Aircraft Brigade within the British Eastern Army.
Operational Context (August 1943)
Having arrived in India via Convoy WS17 in July 1942, the regiment was rapidly moved eastward to counter the Japanese aerial threat. By August 1943, 269 Battery was stationed in the vital Chittagong and East Bengal border sectors (modern-day Bangladesh/Myanmar border).
The Mission: Equipped primarily with 40mm Bofors anti-aircraft guns, 269 Battery's crucial role during the monsoon season of mid-1943 was providing air defence for frontline support airfields, logistical supply dumps, and assembly areas. These hubs were frequent targets for the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service aiming to disrupt Allied preparations for the upcoming Arakan offensives.
The Environment: August in this region meant battling the peak of the tropical monsoon. The gunners faced extreme, muddy terrain, relentless downpours, and a devastating toll from tropical illnesses—particularly malaria and dysentery—which frequently caused more casualties than direct enemy action.
No photos