Sign In Sign-Up

Welcome!

Close

Would you like to make this site your homepage? It's fast and easy...

Yes, Please make this my home page!

No Thanks

  Don't show this to me again.

Close

---

---

Chindit Chronology

POACHER, BURGLAR, GUNMAN

In 1942 the Imperial Japanese forces literally exploded into Burma, chased the British back into India, the Chinese forces back to the province of Yunnan and cut the Vital Burma road that ran from India to China.

Orde Wingate sent an expeditionary force (1^st Chindit operation) into Burma in 1943. He proved that his strategy of sending in troops to man "strongholds" deep in the heart of enemy territory, that were supplied entirely by air, would work and if on a large enough scale, could tie down many times their number by operating a hit and run guerrilla war.

N.B Wingate was a Zionist sympathizer and had contact with the Zionist movement when he was in Abyssinia. His methods deployed in "Operation Thursday" and his strategic thinking were taken up by the as then yet to be Israeli military to great effect in the conflicts of 1948, 1967 to date.

The Allied high command decided a plan to recover northern Burma from the Japanese (who controlled all of Burma at this time) and to build a new road from Ledo in India to the "old" Burma road near Myitkyina. The Chinese and American forces, plus tens of thousands of laborers were commanded by the U.S General "Vinegar Joe" Stillwell.

To support General Stillwell‘s push, the Allied High Command decided at the Quebec conference to invade central Burma in an airborne assault using Wingate‘s strategy and planning. 10,000 "Chindits", 1000 mules, artillery and bulldozers would be flown over the 8,000 ft high mountains 100s of miles behind the front lines to specially picked out strongholds that Wingate had reconnoitered in 1943. Wingate‘s own words were "The force was going to be inserted into the guts of the enemy".

It was hoped that the strategy of inserting such a large force into the Indaw area would disrupt the flow of men and supplies to the Ledo "Burma road" construction area and to foul up supplies to the Japanese forces attacking Imphal and Kohima by creating havoc along the Mandalay-Myitkyina railway.

Special Force, commanded by Maj. General Orde Wingate.

Force consisted of six brigades of infantry, the first three were constituted from 70^th division, which saw action in the western desert and Tobruk

The Chindits had 6 months training to get the skills of jungle fighting, were trained to use initiative, to survive behind enemy lines plus to be able to operate with only air support for supplies.

The rigorous training produced what Viceroy Wavell called his "Poacher, Burglar, Gunman", who could live and fight with scant support.

The columns would fly into strongholds that could be held against heavy Japanese attack if need be, there would be no retreat and for the first time the forces would fight and fly through the monsoon.

Every man who took part in the ground operation "Thursday" was classified fitness category A1+. Men who wore glasses found out very close to "H" hour that they wouldn‘t be going in, even a common cold would stop a man from taking part in the ground operation.

4^th February 1944.

16^th Brigade began its long and difficult march from the Ledo Road into Burma. It marched 450 miles in arduous conditions and opened the jungle airstrip that Wingate christened "ABERDEEN" for that is where his wife resided.

"ABERDEEN" stronghold was constructed 20 miles west of "WHITE CITY" stronghold near Henu.

March

The Japanese made a double thrust attack from the Mandalay area towards IMPHAL and KOHIMA as a precursor to the invasion of India. The L.R.P (Chindit) airborne phase of "OPERATION THURSDAY" began on the night of 5^th-6^th of March.

6^th-7^th March

111^th Brigade began to land at "CHOWRINGEE", but the landing ground was found to be very vulnerable to ground and air attack, so the rest of the Brigade was re-directed to land at "BROADWAY".

The block at the railway and road crossing, east of Henu, was soon christened "WHITE CITY" because of the amount of parachutes hanging from the trees and covering the surrounding area.

"WHITE CITY" was a "block" across the railway at Henu, about 1 mile north of Mawlu.

"White City" was thoroughly strengthened with materials taken from the nearby railway, steel tracks, sleepers, railway ballast and the like. All the positions from Platoon upward were well dug in, with bombproof dugouts and extensive barbed-wire emplacements.

23^rd-24^th March

General Slim wanted the 14^th, 3^rd and 23^rd Brigades for the defense of IMPHAL and KOHIMA, as those were the only jungle-trained troops available. These Brigades were the "CHINDITS" only reserves, so Slim had to follow Allied Command‘s orders for them to fly in.

14^th Brigade and 3^rd West African Brigade began to fly into "ABERDEEN" in C-47 Dakota transport aircraft. The 2^nd Battalion "Black watch" was greeted by Wingate saying, "The first Scottish Battalion to land at a Scottish airport in Burma!".

The "Black Watch" is split into two separate columns:- 42 and 73 (numbers of the 42^nd and 73^rd Highlanders from which the Royal Highland Regiment was formed)

77^th Brigade captured the town of MAWLU (1 mile south of "WHITE CITY"). The town wasn‘t well defended and was taken easily. Japanese documents were discovered which were found to be very useful for the operation objectives.

March

Wingate‘s American "Mitchell" bomber took him from "ABERDEEN" to IMPHAL for a conference. The aircraft then took off and unaccountably dived at full speed into the forward hills of the Silchar plain, all on board are killed. A signal was sent by Wingate to all L.R.P units the day before his death "One day You‘ll be proud to say I was there!"

Brig. Lentaigne, promoted to Maj-General, then took over the position that Wingate‘s death has left. He was an excellent leader of men but lacked Wingate‘s genius of strategy.

Modifications were then made to Wingate‘s strategic plan that were so rapid and rushed, that the 14^th Brigade were to expend a great amount of energy marching and counter marching all over the Indaw area.

Lte.Colonel Green, The Black Watch C.O, was reported to have said at H.Q,

"This ought to confuse the Japs, We don‘t even know where we are going ourselves!"

A Sergeant said,

"We‘re criss crossing so much, I‘m going to march up my own arse!"

"Cocky" Cochrane had his own ideas about the situation,

"Frick this for a game of soldiers!".

But Glen put it in his own words which really summed up the situation,

"We‘ve been here before! I remember havin‘ a shite over there!"

The Indaw valley was nicknamed "Death Valley" by the troops who are constantly criss-crossing the area.

There were so many British troops in the area of Aberdeen that 73 column played hide and seek with what it thought to be Japanese forces. To their embarrassment the Japanese turned out to be a column of Gurkhas who were equally embarrassed to find that the Japanese forces they had been stalking was in fact 73 column.

5^th April 1944

5^th and 6^th April, General Hyashi decided to attack "WHITE CITY" to try and remove the block.

The Japanese "Banzai" attack went terribly wrong when 27 Mustangs (P-51) of the United States No1 Air Commando were directed onto the assembled Japanese troops, as they were in close order in an open jungle area.

5th April Indaw road

Both Columns ambush a convoy on the Indaw road

14^th Brigade destroys the main railway bridge over the BONCHAUNG GORGE, as well as several other bridges on the way to INDAW.

12^th April

42 Column destroyed a fuel dump and called in an air strike as the troops attacked. The men were astounded to hear the pilots "playing tunes" on their guns as they strafed the Japs.

26^th-27^th

14^th Brigade destroyed 21 dumps of Japanese supplies and ammunition, 15000 gallons of precious petrol and cut the railway line in 16 places south of Indaw. Mines and booby-traps were left behind in the area. It greatly damaged the lines of communication to the Japanese 31^st Division attacking Kohima and the Japanese 15^th Division attacking Imphal.

At the end of April, and the approach of the Monsoon, it was decided that "ABERDEEN" and "WHITE CITY" would be given up and a new block would be established further north closer to General Stillwell‘s forces in the north, who were fighting their way down from the Ledo road.

14^th Brigade took over "WHITE CITY" for it‘s evacuation of 77 Brigade

3^rd West African Brigade is moved north to a new block named "BLACKPOOL".

May

The Monsoon breaks

Japanese 53^rd Division, Commanded by Lieut. General K. Takeda, reached the INDAW area in May. He assumes command over the remnants of the 24^th Independent mixed Brigade, 4^th Infantry regiment., 11/29^th Battalion and all other units that had been defeated by the "CHINDITS".

Two regiments plus Artillery attacked "WHITE CITY" but the Black Watch side stepped with such a degree of secrecy and agility that the Japanese found nothing but booby-traps and bombs waiting for them, the traps took a high toll.

On finding "WHITE CITY" empty, Takeda quickly moved up the railway and prevented the "BLACKPOOL" block from being successfully put in place. In fighting the 111^th Brigade, the Japanese 53^rd division took over 500 casualties, but "BLACKPOOL" fell to the siege.

The 3^rd West African Brigade was then redirected to the INDAWGY LAKE area to help evacuate the wounded and sick by flying boat.

East of "WHITE CITY" 5^th May 1944

This ambush was to be the biggest single action in the Burma Campaign. A force of 200 Black Watch ambush 1200 Japanese to cover the evacuation of the "White City" stronghold.

17^th May

A Chinese regiment plus "MERRILL‘S MARAUDERS" seized MYITKYINA airfield, but the 12 Chinese divisions on the SALWEEN were inactive, to say the least! (Americans told us later that to get the Chinese to fight, they had to drop their rations on the other side of the Japanese, if they didn‘t fight, they didn‘t eat! I doubt that it was true though), When the Marauders attacked the airfield, General MIZUKAMI was sent to the town of MYITKYINA with a battalion and various units with the order to "Hold the town at all costs!".

The "CHINDITS" are ordered to attack MOGAUNG while Stillwell flew in 30,000 reinforcements to MYITKYINA airfield.

Mizukami, with about 3000 troops, held out for 76 days against odds of 15-1.

77^th Brigade attacked around and close to MOGAUNG, stopping any reinforcements from reaching Mizukami who held on desperately in MYITKYINA.

May Kyusunlai Pass

30th & 31st May Noquan Pass

June & July

The commander of the "CHINDITS", General Letaingne, urged 111^th Brigade to attack west of the railway.

The 111^th, 14^th and 3^rd West African Brigades were suffering terribly from tick typhus and cerebral malaria because they are in the swamp areas close to Indawgy Lake.

June

A Medical Officer using mess-tin handles for clamps and an Officers sponge for a swab operates a soldier with appendicitis on. The operation was successful.

The medical officers checked the men and it was reported that in July only 50 men were deemed fit to stay in the jungle for another month due to their physical deterioration.

11^th & 12^th July

We were in such a dilapidated and exhausted state that it took us 4 days to make a 10-mile march to a rendezvous.

70 Men have died from Typhus so far in the terrible conditions of the swamps at Indawgy Lake. Though all the men were ill and suffering from extreme exhaustion, they still fought a number of small actions. The greatest enemy wasn‘t the Japanese but illness and the weather conditions.

7^th August

A set of bagpipes was air dropped to the Black Watch. The village of Labu was taken at the point of the bayonet as the Regimental Piper played the Regiment‘s march "Highland Laddie".

Padiga Hills

The Black Watch attacked Heavily dug in Japanese positions on the tops of the Padiga hills and holds them against counter attacks. This was to be the last action of the Chindit campaign

8^th August

No. 1 section and another patrol near the station meet the first men of 36^th Division advancing from India.

9^th August

3^rd West African Brigade takes over Sahmaw.

12^th August

14^th and 3^rd West African Brigades are directed onto the railway town of Taugni, south of Mogaung.