Hugh Seagrim | |
|---|---|
| Nickname | Grandfather Longlegs |
| Born | (1909-03-24)24 March 1909 |
| Died | 22 September 1944(1944-09-22) (aged 35) Rangoon, Burma |
| Buried | |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Branch | British Indian Army |
| Service years | 1928–1944 |
| Rank | Major |
| Service number | 49359 |
| Conflicts | |
| Awards | George Cross Distinguished Service Order Member of the Order of the British Empire |
| Relations | Derek Seagrim (brother) |
Hugh Paul Seagrim,GC, DSO, MBE (24 March 1909 – 22 September 1944), nicknamed "Grandfather Longlegs", was aBritish Indian Army officer notable for his leadership ofKaren rebels in fighting Japanese invaders inBurma during theSecond World War.
Seagrim's brother wasDerek Seagrim, a recipient of theVictoria Cross. He and his brother have the distinction of being the only siblings awarded theVictoria Cross and theGeorge Cross, both posthumously.[1]
Seagrim was born inAshmansworth,Hampshire, England, on 24 March 1909. He was educated atNorwich School, graduated from theRoyal Military College, Sandhurst, and joined theBritish Indian Army, becoming an officer in the19th Hyderabad Regiment. He was later seconded to the20th Burma Rifles with the temporary rank of major, becoming an expert in several Burmese languages. When theJapanese invaded Burma, he was given the task of raising irregular guerrilla forces from theKarens and other groups.[2]
The British were driven from Burma by May 1942, and Seagrim and his force were isolated for a long time. EventuallyForce 136 dropped agents and wireless operators who made contact with his guerrillas in October 1943.
Seagrim led Karens in a campaign of sabotage against the occupation. His force enjoyed much support from Karen civilians despite a series of brutal Japanese reprisal killings against Karen villages. His force was gradually wiped out by a concentrated Japanese manhunt. To prevent further bloodshed Seagrim surrendered himself to the Japanese forces on 15 March 1944.[3] He and eight of his Karen companions were executed by the Japanese on 22 September 1944 inRangoon. For gallantry under captivity, he was posthumously awarded the George Cross in 1946.[4]
Seagrim's George Cross citation appeared in theLondon Gazette on 12 September 1946:
Awarded the George Cross for most conspicuous gallantry in carrying out hazardous work in a very brave manner. Major Seagrim was the leader of a party which included two other British and one Karen officer working in the Karen Hills of Burma. By the end of 1943 the Japanese had learned of this party who then commenced a campaign of arrests and torture to determine their whereabouts. In February 1944 the other two British officers were ambushed and killed but Major Seagrim and the Karen officer escaped. The Japanese then arrested 270 Karens and tortured and killed many of them but still they continued to support Major Seagrim. To end further suffering to the Karens, Seagrim surrendered himself to the Japanese on 15th March 1944. He was taken to Rangoon and together with eight others he was sentenced to death. He pleaded that the others were following his orders and as such they should be spared, but they were determined to die with him and were all executed.
— London Gazette
Seagrim was 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 m) tall, and sometimes referred to as "Grandfather Longlegs".
