Lieutenant Saw Chit Kyin M.C.

Operations in Burma March - April, 1943

This Karen officer was second in command of a Guerilla Platoon consisting of Karens like himself . In the course of operations his senior officer became separated from the Column and Lieut. SAW CHIT KYIN found himself in command of a greatly reduced platoon. For nearly 3 months he bore the whole burden of gathering information and foraging for a force of 600 men. He was completely fearless in entering villages, which in many cases proved to be occupied by Japanese, and whatever the conditions preserved an unfailing cheerfulness, which infected everyone who saw him. Brave and resolute in action and tireless in circumstances which would have exhausted most others, it was largely due to his efforts that the column to which he was attached was able to operate for two months living solely off the country. It was also due to the intelligence which he procured that it was enabled to carry out a spectacular march round Mogmit without annihilation, although greatly superior forces were seeking to envelop it. This march had a profound bearing on the course of the campaign as a whole.