Lieutenant (T/Capt.) P.C. Buchanan M.C.

OPERATIONS IN BURMA - MARCH 1943

Captain BUCHANAN entered BURMA as Adjutant of the 2nd Burma Rifles. Duties which he continued to discharge until the death in action of his C.O., Lt.Col. Wheeler, near ZEEBUGYIN East of the IRRAWADDY, when he himself took over command of the small party of Burma Rifles with him at the time, and successfully led them out via FORT HERTZ.

Throughout these operations, Captain BUCHANAN displayed great courage and gave an example of unselfishness and indifference to personal safety that had an inspiring effect on all ranks who witnessed it. In particular, when the Brigade Group was bivouaced 12 miles north of WUNTHO from the 12th to the 15th March 1943, Captain BUCHANAN took a small party actually into the enemy post at WUNTHO remaining in a position immediately overlooking the town and the enemy's dispositions for a period of 36 hours. During this period he relayed messages to the Brigade H.Q. every six hours, containing accurate and detailed information about the enemy's movements. this information resulted in a highly successful attack on WUNTHO by our air forces.

Captain BUCHANAN has the distinction of being the first British officer to carry out a close Guerilla reconnaissance on an enemy post deep in enemy occupied territory resulting in a successful air attack. It is hoped that such reconnaissances will become frequent in future operations, but the success of the first attempt was a matter of great importance and called for high qualities of vigour, imagination and courage on the part of the officer who carried it out.