“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 team 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 Teesdale’s courage, technical skill and devotion to duty were leading factors in the success of these operations and his example was a great inspiration to the Chinese Forces with whom he established most cordial relations.” (signed) L T Ride, Colonel.
T/Capt E B Teesdale - Secret Operations, India. Member of "Z Force" Hongkong, and second in command of Recce Unit . Took course at No 101 Special Training School, Singapore, Sept 41. Chief instructor at training course for Recce Unit (Nov 41) which on outbreak of hostilities in Hong Kong he commanded. Left New Territories 24 Jan 42 and was attached to Oriental Mission, China (SO). Left China 2 Jun 42. Posted "V Force", Assam, Jul 42. Sent by SO India to Poona for special course Jan 42, Is a fluent Cantonese speaker.
Comments
Edmund Brinsley Teesdale
Captain/Major, attached to 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 team 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 Teesdale’s courage, technical skill and devotion to duty were leading factors in the success of these operations and his example was a great inspiration to the Chinese Forces with whom he established most cordial relations.” (signed) L T Ride, Colonel.
From BAAG papers 1943:
From BAAG papers 1943:
T/Capt E B Teesdale - Secret Operations, India. Member of "Z Force" Hongkong, and second in command of Recce Unit . Took course at No 101 Special Training School, Singapore, Sept 41. Chief instructor at training course for Recce Unit (Nov 41) which on outbreak of hostilities in Hong Kong he commanded. Left New Territories 24 Jan 42 and was attached to Oriental Mission, China (SO). Left China 2 Jun 42. Posted "V Force", Assam, Jul 42. Sent by SO India to Poona for special course Jan 42, Is a fluent Cantonese speaker.
Edmund Brinsley Teesdale 1915 - 1997 CMG, MC.
UK Death Index
Edmund Brinsley Teesdale born 30 September 1915 died in Oxford 5 March1997
Colonial Secretary of Hong Kong 1963 - 1965
June 1947 Birkenhead to Hong Kong
Edmund Brinsley Teesdale 31 Colonial Official
Joyce Teesdale 27
Sale of his awards
https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auction-catalogues/wallis-and-wallis/catalogue-id-srwall10060/lot-b6944191-861a-4e3a-a151-a97000ffaca2