Eric Gascoyne Cecil Todd

Second Lieutenant

Conflict:

WW2

Additional Information:

Son of Robert Nicholas and Elsie Gascoyne Todd, of Invercargill, Southland, New Zealand.

References:

CWGC

BDM Online

NZ WAR GRAVES

Biographical Notes:

"TODD.—On June 23, 1942, 2nd Lieut. Eric Gascoyne Cecil Todd, of the 19th Hyderabad Regiment, aged 23, dearly beloved youngest son of Elsie G. and R. N. Todd, Avenal, Invercargill." [Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 249, 18 July 1942, Page 1]

Public Contributions:

Submitted by: Dugald Wilson

Relationship to casualty: Nephew

Eric Gascoyne Cecil Todd was born to Robert and Elsie Todd in Invercargill on 21/11/1918. He was educated at Southland Boys' High (2yrs), Christ's College, Christchurch (3yrs). He began wor...king for the Maritime Department in Wellington as a clerk but volunteered for service in 1940. He entered training as an officer at Trentham on 7/1/1941 and was part of a small group chosen to be seconded to provide leadership in the Indian Army. He embarked on 27/6/1941 for India and arrived on 16/7/1941 to continue officer training at the Belgaum Officer Training School near Bombay. The 300 trainees were predominantly English and Indian, but included a wide range of nationalities. Training included learning the working of the Indian Army, fighting and fieldcraft skills, physical fitness, and learning Urdu. Days were full and they obviously worked hard both physically and mentally. Eric had a bearer assigned to his personal care who would wake him each morning with a cup of tea and biscuits before training began at 7.00am. The NZ recruits performed well, no doubt able to handle some of the changes better than some of the English recruits. Learning Urdu would prove to be a challenge with personal tuition from a ‘munchi’, or teacher, as well as group lessons. He quickly discovered the long lasting qualities of khaki, having brought a lounge suit from NZ for the evening dinner served in the cool at 9pm. Such clothing was attacked quickly by local insects. He notes the interesting wildlife including snakes, frogs, crows, vultures, lizards, baboons, and monkeys, and the amazing variety of clothing worn by the natives. For a lad from little NZ with little exposure to the wider world the culture shock must have been immense. He seems to retain an attitude of interest and seeks to learn and understand. One of the learnings was that local shopkeepers were “magnificent salesmen!” Contact with home was by mail and the odd short telegram. Letters it seems took about 14/15 days to get through from NZ by airmail (longer going from India to NZ) and parcels of goodies (eg a cake from sister Catherine and oysters from Invercargill took a few months). News magazines like the Southern Cross and the Weekly News were devoured. In October 1941 he got news that he would be joining the 2nd Battalion of the 19th Hyderabad Regiment, based in Secunderabad. (Middle of India). He reports that not being able to speak Urdu fluently was a huge disadvantage. Platoon commanders did not speak English, as was the case with his bearer, but he found he could make himself understood. His comments on driving in India are interesting… “The driver has an infallible belief in the efficacious use of the horn which he thinks entitles him to the whole road, both edges and the middle, all the time.” [I echo this observation – it’s fun driving in India with one hand constantly on the horn - DW!] He notes also the presence of goats, cows, and water buffalo wander around the roads and anywhere they fancy at will. They are almost as bad as the Indians themselves with the ability to occupy road space preferably the middle.” Maybe there is a touch of racism here, but he is also quick to praise the locals who were being trained as drivers as the Battalion was mechanized. He received the first trucks in the Battalion having been appointed as the Motor Transport Officer in charge of 60-70 trucks. The new drivers received 2 months training, “and considering they have never ridden anything faster than a bicycle they progress remarkably well.” Early in January 1942 he reports that he had spent 10 days in hospital with sandfly fever. He recovers quickly and continues to write of his good fitness. In mid February he writes that he is now at Fighting Vehicles School at Ahmednagar, Maharashtra. He was undertaking a Driving and Maintenance Course designed to make him proficient in the care of trucks. This was intensive but enjoyable study. It was hot, 110 deg F, but relaxation included the cinema. He says they were on par with the Regal in Wellington, and in Bombay there was even an air conditioned cinema. Most of the movies were English. The study also included practical navigational drives undertaken at night with no lights. Navigation was by the North Star, as they headed cross country in low gear trying to avoid trees and large ditches. Thankfully there were no fences in India and no irate farmers to be compensated. Airmail letters were now taking 8 weeks to arrive as the Allied position in the war against Japan deteriorated. Singapore had fallen in early February 1942 and the Japanese were moving very quickly into Burma. In mid April the 2nd Regiment was on the move with two other regiments. Eric was part of a group of five officers who were charged with reconnaissance for each days travel. This involved scouting ahead to find suitable stopping places where camp could be set up and fuel and other supplies sourced. Moving north and east they passed through Cawnpore (Kanpur), Allahabad, Benares (Varanasi), and on to Burdwan (Bardhaman) in West Bengal. The humidity was increasing with associated issues. Finally they reached the Battalions area at Barrackpore just out of Calcutta.. The war was getting closer and a visit to Calcutta (Kolkata) revealed the news that air raid warnings had been sounded the night before and expectation was high that the Japanese would shortly bomb the city. Blast walls were being set up outside principal businesses and places of importance. People were evacuating the city and a nighttime blackout was in force. There were also huge numbers of refugees pouring into this part of India from Burma. After attending another course Eric writes on 13th May that he was heading north again to rejoin the Battalion in Assam. He says he is very fit and as he writes he has his feet on a small case of whiskey which he was taking back to the mess. “It’s worth its weight in gold”. On the 21st May he reports that he is at no 3 Rest Camp at Dimapur, Assam. He is waiting for transport to get to where his Battalion is, but notes things are rapidly changing. The rest camp however is located in the bush that is very similar to the Eglington Valley. Insect life is fortunately small with a few mosquitoes and ants. At night there are fireflies. The number of refugees coming out of Burma he says is prodigious. Indians, Burmese, Chinese and a smattering of Europeans were arriving in pitiful condition. On 29th May he reports he has moved from rest camp to be with the Battalion. He brought up a small convoy having an exciting time on the way and losing two trucks. We are not told how. (All letters had to pass the censors so details were often left out.) He also gives us the news that he is fated to not stay long with the Battalion because he has a special task dealing with transport for the division. The refugee situation was critical and Eric’s new job was to help deal with them. He also reports he managed to listen to the BBC thanks to a wireless and a car battery. He also reports acquiring a 1942 Chevrolet car for his own use. Unfortunately it turned out to not be abandoned as he thought so he had to revert to using his motor cycle. His last letter tells us that his sister Catherine has just married back in NZ. The invitation had just arrived having taken 3 months to get there. He pleaded, “urgent business in a most remote part of the world”, as his excuse for not being there. On June 23 1942 Eric died of malaria. He is buried at the war cemetery in Imphal, Assam close to the Burmese border. This area would be critical as it marked the furthest extent of the Japanese advance. In 1944 the very significant defeat of the Japanese at the Battle if Imphal saw the Allied forces take the upper hand and Japanese intentions to invade India crushed. If this battle was lost the outcome of WW2 would have been very different. [Record since amended - NZWGT] Read More

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Casualty

Service Number:

40457

Name:

Eric Gascoyne Cecil Todd

Rank:

Second Lieutenant

Date of Birth:

21 November 1918

Place of Birth:

Invercargill, Southland, New Zealand

Education:

Southland Boys' High School

Next of Kin:

Robert Nicholas Todd (father), 320 Dee Street, Invercargill, South Island

Date of Enlistment:

Not known

Marital Status:

Single

Occupation on Enlistment:

Clerk

Employer:

Maritime Department, Wellington

Nationality of Force:

Indian

Unit:

Indian Army, 19 Hyderabad Regiment, 2 Battalion

Casualty Details

Cause of Death:

Died of sickness

Date of Death:

23 June 1942

Day of Death:

Tuesday

Age at Death:

Conflict:

WW2

Embarkation Details

Text in italics supplied by Cenotaph Online, Auckland War Memorial Museum

Cemetery

Cemetery:

Imphal War Cemetery

Cemetery Reference:

9. G. 1.

Cemetery Location:

India