A library for WWII
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: April 02, 2014 -

The interest that has been generated among different sections of the people over the news report that we carried in connection with the proposed visit of Mayor of Fordingbridge Malcolm Connolly and his brother Pewsey Spar owner Andrew Connolly to Imphal to represent their father, 92-year old Malcolm Connolly Srn, the only living survivor of the fiercest and decisive battle of the Second World War, in the 70th commemorative event of the Battle of Imphal, is something that we have never prepared and bargained for.

To be honest, for us it was just a news report that we chanced upon while surfing the net to get more information on the Second World War Battles fought at Imphal and Kohima, which, though voted as the greatest battles fought in the history of the British Army in a contest organised by the National Army Museum, England; are not known much about to many among the younger generation today.

And, we reproduced the same news report with proper courtesy given in the interest of the reading public.

But after the publication of the news report, many people, who have taken great interest in it, have been pestering us with so many queries even to the extent of requesting us to give the contact numbers of the two sons who are proposed to visit Imphal, as if we know them personally.

Leaving aside the obvious joy that must have been felt by the organisers of the commemorative event over the enthusiastic response given by the two sons to represent their father even if senior Malcolm, to whom the invitation was send, would not be able to make the 5,500-mile journey due to old age; the interest generated over proposed visit of Malcolm Connolly and his brother Andrew Connolly to Imphal among different groups of people back home has become a greater source of interest for us as well.

While we truly appreciate the desire shown by the two sons who have made it a point to visit an orphanage at Kanglatongbi while they are at Imphal with a view to set up a charity at their hometown Whitshire so that a close bond could be developed with the people of Manipur and leave behind a legacy not just for their father but also for all other members of the forgotten British Army, we feel that the ongoing commemorative event of the Battle of Imphal is a great opportunity for taking up necessary initiatives for giving Imphal its rightful place as one of the greatest living sites for learning the history of Second World War.

As far as we know, the young amateur war researcher Rajeshwar Yumnam and his team of Second World War Imphal Campaign Foundation, who went around digging up war-items in different parts of the State without any help from the Government and other agencies, may have at last succeeded in set up a museum with some support from State Tourism Department, but we still do not have a comprehensive library in the State where people could come to study books related to the Battle of Imphal and do some serious research works.

Well, this shortage is what we would have in mind surely, if we have the power of persuading the two visiting sons of the only living survivor of Battle of Imphal or any other invitees to the commemorative event this time.