“During the autumn of 1944, in order that the Allied airfields at Kweilin and Liuchow should be evacuated with minimum loss of stores and supplies, it was essential that the enemy advance be delayed Northeast of Kweilin. In the absence of any Chinese units capable of undertaking demolition work, the BAAG offered the services of a demolition party to Marshal Chang Fa Kwei.
The preliminary reconnaissance and the operations were carried out over some hundreds of miles of road, with inadequate transport and often with little or no protection; nor was it possible in the state of chaos existing then, to obtain in advance any accurate or reliable information concerning the many enemy columns operating through the adjacent hills. In spite of these difficulties and with commendable ingenuity and improvisation, the teams succeeded in demolishing all road bridges for 40 miles NE of Kweilin and all villages and all natural cover for M/T accessible from the road; all the bridges in and around Kweilin were demolished and those on the Kweilin-Lipu-Liuchow road all mined. As a result, the fall of Kweilin and Liuchow was delayed for some weeks thus enabling the 14th USAAF to continue to employ their fighter aircraft with much success against the enemy columns, operations which would have been impossible had they not been able to use Liuchow as a forward base.
Major Salinger took part in all this work, but he was especially responsible for the demolitions in and around the city of Kweilin itself and his valuable work there earned the high praise and thanks of the Chinese Garrison Commander. During this period Major Salinger was one of the three officers who remained at BAAG HQs during the fire which destroyed half the deserted city and he displayed commendable courage during the 12 hours that these HQs were threatened with destruction.
There can be no doubt that the operations in and around Kweilin were the most important British Military operations in South China, and that they were directly responsible for the restoration of British prestige in the Chinese eyes. In all these field operations, Major Salinger consistently rendered most distinguished and valuable service.” (signed) L T Ride, Colonel.
Comments
Capt/Major, General List
Capt/Major, General List (Force 136)
“During the autumn of 1944, in order that the Allied airfields at Kweilin and Liuchow should be evacuated with minimum loss of stores and supplies, it was essential that the enemy advance be delayed Northeast of Kweilin. In the absence of any Chinese units capable of undertaking demolition work, the BAAG offered the services of a demolition party to Marshal Chang Fa Kwei.
The preliminary reconnaissance and the operations were carried out over some hundreds of miles of road, with inadequate transport and often with little or no protection; nor was it possible in the state of chaos existing then, to obtain in advance any accurate or reliable information concerning the many enemy columns operating through the adjacent hills. In spite of these difficulties and with commendable ingenuity and improvisation, the teams succeeded in demolishing all road bridges for 40 miles NE of Kweilin and all villages and all natural cover for M/T accessible from the road; all the bridges in and around Kweilin were demolished and those on the Kweilin-Lipu-Liuchow road all mined. As a result, the fall of Kweilin and Liuchow was delayed for some weeks thus enabling the 14th USAAF to continue to employ their fighter aircraft with much success against the enemy columns, operations which would have been impossible had they not been able to use Liuchow as a forward base.
Major Salinger took part in all this work, but he was especially responsible for the demolitions in and around the city of Kweilin itself and his valuable work there earned the high praise and thanks of the Chinese Garrison Commander. During this period Major Salinger was one of the three officers who remained at BAAG HQs during the fire which destroyed half the deserted city and he displayed commendable courage during the 12 hours that these HQs were threatened with destruction.
There can be no doubt that the operations in and around Kweilin were the most important British Military operations in South China, and that they were directly responsible for the restoration of British prestige in the Chinese eyes. In all these field operations, Major Salinger consistently rendered most distinguished and valuable service.” (signed) L T Ride, Colonel.