On go the uniforms

October 15, 2017 1083 Views No Comment

Mrs Betts and her guests Left to Right: Maj-General Gwizan, Governor Yanthan, General Sukhai and Mr Yongkong

Naga chiefs pay visit to woman who taught them to fight Japanese

Without the Nagas the war in Burma would have been lost: Ursula

Four Naga tribal leaders are staying in Mull with the woman they call their queen.

They are having a break before going on to New York to seek United Nations support for their plan for independence.

Mrs Ursula Betts (48), of Ardura, Craignure , worked as a typist for the army in Nagaland when the Second German war broke out.

When it looked as if the Japanese would overrun Burma, she taught the tribesmen how to use machine-guns, then led them into battle.

She had the acting rank of Captain—there was no time to replace her with a man—and was awarded the M.B.E.

When the Nagas arrived in Britain, she invited them to her home. “I am proud to have them as mu guests”, she said.

And yesterday two of the Naga leaders, General KaitoSukhai and Major-General MowuGwizan, were able to wear their army uniforms for the first time in Britain—because they were on private land.

The British Government does not recognize their army.

They spent the day cleaning rifles in preparation for their hunting expedition today. “The only thing that disappoints us is that there are no tigers here,” said their spokesman Mr Yongkong.

“It is wonderful to see them again,” said Mrs Betts. “They have had a terrible time of it. They had to fight their way out of their own country because of Indian domination”.

Mrs Betts goes on to say: “I know these men well because they fought alongside me in Burma. Without the Nagas the war in Burma would have been lost. They saved many a Briton’s life including many Scots of the 11th Army”.

When the battles were over they asked me to stay in Nagaland and be their queen, Mrs Betts concludes.

In : Nagas—History, culture...