Withdrawal of Indian contingent BCOF from Japan

The first phase of withdrawals of the Indian contingent from Japan began today. The 2/5th Royal Gurkha Rifles embarked at Kure onto the troopship Devonshire on their first leg home. Four special troop trains were needed to transport the draft from Okayama. At the station the 268 Brigade Group Commander, Brigadier (Brig) S N Shrinagesh and the 34th Infantry Brigade Commander 26 (N392) Brig Ronald Nicholas Lamond Hopkins greeted each train load of troops as they arrived at Kure station and boarded trucks which transported them to the Kure docks area where they embarked onto the troopship. The Gurkha Pipe Band supplied music while the troops were embarking, both at the station and docks.