Chotie enrols in the ATS

On 17th December 1942 Chotie was enroled

into the Auxiliary Territorial Service at Southampton

20^th December 1942 – the new Oboe navigational radar system (developed by the Telecommunications Research Establishment) becomes operational, greatly increasing the accuracy of RAF bombing within its 270 miles range. (See Oboe and H2S.)

21^st December 1942 - British troops advance into the Arakan in Burma from Calcutta. The Japanese blocked their advance down the coast of the Maya Peninsula and then withdrew, returning with re-inforcements and a counter-attack.  By March 1943 the Japanese were threatening the rear of the British position and the Allies had to retreat back to India having suffered 3,000 casualties.  (From ‘The Second World War’ by Antony Beevor, published by Weidenfield and Nicolson 2012)