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Ursula Graham Bower: Anthropologist and Guerrilla

KET is delighted to introduce this webinar talk on the life and story of Ursula Graham Bower: her story, told by her daughter Catriona Child and introduced by Dr Robert Lyman MBE. This talk tells the story of Ursula Graham Bower, a British amateur anthropologist who, in the 1940s, lived among the Zeme Nagas in Assam’s North Cachar District. As the Japanese advanced rapidly through Burma to the Naga Hills, her outpost became closer and closer to the front line. Due to her excellent relations with the local people, she was recruited into ‘V’ Force and asked to organise a ‘Watch and Ward’ system comprising 150 Naga and Kuki Scouts, armed initially with ancient muzzle loaders. By 1944, the Japanese had advanced so far that she and her scouts were behind enemy lines and almost the only defenders of a valuable rail link. At Ursula’s urgent request her scouts were given modern rifles and ammunition. A platoon of Assam Rifles and a captain arrived and Ursula was given the rank of acting captain. She thus became the only woman to hold a de facto combat command in the British Army during the Second World War. Her weapon of choice was a Sten gun, and she is said to have worn out two of these weapons in active service. Ursula’s story is quite well known, especially among anthropologists and students of the Battle of Imphal and Kohima. However, Catriona takes us behind the scenes to explore what drove Ursula, a girl denied a university education, to first settle in one of the world’s most remote locations and then plunge actively into guerrilla warfare with no training. She also shares some less well-known stories about Ursula, as told to her by the Naga villagers with whom she has interacted over the last 20 years.