hist2004
05-21-2004, 11:28 PM
Chindits
The Chindits were a British jungle Special Forces unit that served in Burma during the World War Two in 1943-1945. They served especially behind the Japanese lines.
Beginnings
The Chindits were a brainchild of a British brigadier general Charles Orde Wingate when he was serving under the Alexander Wavell in India. He borrowed the name from a Burmese mythical beast Chinthé or Chinthay; Officially their name was 77th Indian Infantry Brigade. Wingate took personal charge of the training of the troops in jungles of central India.
The first Chindit troops were found in 1942 in Jhansi. The majority of the Chindits were British infantry soldiers (King's Liverpool Regiment, 142 Commando Company) but they also included number of Gurkha soldiers and 2nd Burma Rifles. Wingate trained them as Long-Range Penetration units that were to be supplied through air. Usual armament was rifles, Thompson submachine guns, pistols, mortars, grenades and knives. A mule transport company carried their supplies. They were trained to move in small columns and reform into larger groups for a specific objective.
Operation Longcloth
In February 8 1943 in Operation Longcloth, 3000 Chindits, Wingate with them, begun their march into Burma. The original intent had been to use the Chindits as a part of a larger offensive but it was cancelled when the thrust along the Arakan coast faltered.
The chindits crossed the Chindwin River February 13 and faced the first Japanese troops two days later. Two columns marched to the north and received their air supply drops in the broad daylight to create an impression that they were the main attack. They even had a man impersonating a British general along them. RAF mounted air attack to Japanese targets to enforce the deception.
Five other columns, lead by one under the command of brigadier Michael Calvert, proceeded eastward. Three of them later turned north to attack Japanese garrisons but two, of Calvert and Bernard Fergusson, proceeded towards a valley with most railway connections. March 4 Calvert's column reached the valley and demolished the railway from 70 places. Fergusson arrived two days later to do the same.
Many times they could not take their wounded home; some were left with friendly Burmese villagers. Since there were no established paths in the jungle, they had to clear their own with machetes and kukris. A single RAF squadron of 6 planes supplied them by air and not all supply drops found their way to the troops.
When the major force of Chindits crossed Irrawaddy river in March 18, the Japanese already knew about them and had sent three regiments against them. First Japanese sent troops to cut their supply lines before they noticed the air drops; after that, those troops were sent against the Chindits.
On March 24 Wingate received an order to withdraw. By that time the men were exhausted and short of supplies. Back on the Irrawaddy River they abandoned nonessential supplies and either killed their mules for food or set them loose. The columns dispersed and proceeded back with their own routes and methods; one group built an airstrip in the jungle and evacuated their wounded by air, another continued to China. Fergusson's column tried to create a diversion by making false trails and camps. Others crossed the border rivers in one column or in small groups. Many were captured.
By the end of April, after the mission of three months, the rest of the Chindits had crossed the Chindwin river. They had lost a total of 818 men and only 600 of the survivors were regarded fit for further service.
US support
Although British army officers in India criticized the effectiveness of the Chindits - Japanese railway connections had been out of commission for less than a week - Winston Churchill was impressed and took Wingate with him to Quebec Conference. There they were promised support of whole air task force. US Army also began its own plans for group that would later become Merrill's Marauders.
The second Chindit brigade was called Special Force, officially 3rd Indian Division, Long Range Penetration Groups, but the nickname had already stuck. Six brigades were trained in Gwalior and organized into six brigades. In addition to men from previous regiments, new men came also from Black Watch, Queen's Royal, Leicesters, Lancashire Fusiliers and two regiments of Royal Artillery but included also three Nigeria Regiments and more Gurkhas. Men were trained in crossing rivers, demolitions and bivouacking. Brigadiers Calvert and Fergusson took command of two columns.
Operation Thursday
In January 1944 Japanese begun an offensive to India. In February 5 Fergusson's column of Chindits left Ledo for Burma, before the main Chindit operation, Operation Thursday.
In the beginning of March 5, when Fergusson had crossed the Chindwin River, two more Chindit brigades were flown onto landing zones in Burma, codenamed Broadway and Piccadilly, at night. Piccadilly, however, could not be used because the locals used it to dry teak logs so Calvert's 77th Brigade had to land on Broadway that had to be hurriedly cleared. The Chindit gliders landed on the third landing zone, Chowringhee, the next day. The next week 600 sorties transferred 9000 men to landing zones.
Chindit groups established heavily defended strongholds with an airstrip in easily defensible positions where they could not be harassed by artillery or armoured troops. They were again supplied and wounded relieved through air, this time mainly by US Air Force No 1 Air Commando. From these strongholds the chindits harassed Japanese communication and supply lines in northern Burma with hit-and-run tactics.
Ferocious jungle fighting ensued. At times, British and Japanese troops were in close combat, bayonets and kukris against katanas. on March 27, after days of aircraft attack, Japanese attacked Broadway for several nights before the attack was repulsed with flown-in artillery and the aid of Kachin guerrillas.
More men - total of 12.000 - were flown in. Still, when columns from Chowrinhee and Broadway met in March 20, it took them a month to establish themselves south of Indaw. Japanese also diverted more troops against them from the attacks against Imphal and Kohima. Fergusson's attempt to take Indaw from him base Aberdeen failed. In India, major part of the air support and the 6th Chindit Brigade, yet to be flown in, was diverted to defend Kohima.
After Wingate's death in an aircraft crash on March 24 1944 the command of the Chindits was handed to brigadier Lentaigne, one of the Chindit Brigade commanders known for his caution. In April he ordered the part of 111 Brigade that was west of the Irrawaddy, now commanded by John Masters, to leave their earlier outposts, move north near Hopin and to build a new stronghold, codenamed Blackpool. Fierce fighting ensued when the Japanese discovered the Chindit's position. Masters' troops had to be evacuated in March because the men were too exhausted after 17 days of continual combat. 19 Allied soldiers, who were so injured as to be beyond hope of recovery, were shot by the medic. When the rest of 111th brigade, under Fergusson, arrived in Blackpool, the Japanese attacked them before they could fortify.
In May 17th general Slim handed the control of the Chindits to US general Joseph Stillwell. Stillwell used them mainly as normal infantry (albeit without tank support), which lead to the larger casualties than before. In June 6-27 77th Brigade took Mogaung and suffered 50% casualties. When they were ordered to advance to Myitkina, commander Calvert shut down his radios and retreated to Kamaing. 111th Brigade in Blackpool had to abandon the stronghold when the Japanese took over the airstrip; they also had to shoot the wounded that could not move. The retreated to Mokso Sakan and were evacuated.
Due to the intervention of Lord Mounbatten, doctors were sent to evaluate the Chindits. At that time, most men were badly exhausted and suffered from malaria and dysentery. One column, containing four and a half battalions (2,200 men) was found to contain only 119 fit men. Mountbatten ordered Stillwell to evacuate all the wounded and the rest of the Chindits retreated. The last Chindit left Burma August 27 1944.
The end
The Chindits had lost 1396 killed and 2434 wounded. Over half had to be hospitalised with a special diet afterwards. The rest began training for the next operation but the unit was disbanded in February 1945.
Military historians disagree on the Chindits' military significance. Many think that the casualties they caused were relatively light. Others have asserted that the idea was a sound one, they were just badly handled and used in operations for which they were not properly equipped or trained, static defence, for example. A third view is that despite the relatively insignificant losses that the Chindits were able to inflict, their propoganda value, at a time when the 14th Army was on the defensive, was a good filip to the people of India and Britain. It has been hard to reach a consensus on this issue due to the partisan nature of the discussions surrounding Wingate himself.
Regards,
Hist2004
The Chindits were a British jungle Special Forces unit that served in Burma during the World War Two in 1943-1945. They served especially behind the Japanese lines.
Beginnings
The Chindits were a brainchild of a British brigadier general Charles Orde Wingate when he was serving under the Alexander Wavell in India. He borrowed the name from a Burmese mythical beast Chinthé or Chinthay; Officially their name was 77th Indian Infantry Brigade. Wingate took personal charge of the training of the troops in jungles of central India.
The first Chindit troops were found in 1942 in Jhansi. The majority of the Chindits were British infantry soldiers (King's Liverpool Regiment, 142 Commando Company) but they also included number of Gurkha soldiers and 2nd Burma Rifles. Wingate trained them as Long-Range Penetration units that were to be supplied through air. Usual armament was rifles, Thompson submachine guns, pistols, mortars, grenades and knives. A mule transport company carried their supplies. They were trained to move in small columns and reform into larger groups for a specific objective.
Operation Longcloth
In February 8 1943 in Operation Longcloth, 3000 Chindits, Wingate with them, begun their march into Burma. The original intent had been to use the Chindits as a part of a larger offensive but it was cancelled when the thrust along the Arakan coast faltered.
The chindits crossed the Chindwin River February 13 and faced the first Japanese troops two days later. Two columns marched to the north and received their air supply drops in the broad daylight to create an impression that they were the main attack. They even had a man impersonating a British general along them. RAF mounted air attack to Japanese targets to enforce the deception.
Five other columns, lead by one under the command of brigadier Michael Calvert, proceeded eastward. Three of them later turned north to attack Japanese garrisons but two, of Calvert and Bernard Fergusson, proceeded towards a valley with most railway connections. March 4 Calvert's column reached the valley and demolished the railway from 70 places. Fergusson arrived two days later to do the same.
Many times they could not take their wounded home; some were left with friendly Burmese villagers. Since there were no established paths in the jungle, they had to clear their own with machetes and kukris. A single RAF squadron of 6 planes supplied them by air and not all supply drops found their way to the troops.
When the major force of Chindits crossed Irrawaddy river in March 18, the Japanese already knew about them and had sent three regiments against them. First Japanese sent troops to cut their supply lines before they noticed the air drops; after that, those troops were sent against the Chindits.
On March 24 Wingate received an order to withdraw. By that time the men were exhausted and short of supplies. Back on the Irrawaddy River they abandoned nonessential supplies and either killed their mules for food or set them loose. The columns dispersed and proceeded back with their own routes and methods; one group built an airstrip in the jungle and evacuated their wounded by air, another continued to China. Fergusson's column tried to create a diversion by making false trails and camps. Others crossed the border rivers in one column or in small groups. Many were captured.
By the end of April, after the mission of three months, the rest of the Chindits had crossed the Chindwin river. They had lost a total of 818 men and only 600 of the survivors were regarded fit for further service.
US support
Although British army officers in India criticized the effectiveness of the Chindits - Japanese railway connections had been out of commission for less than a week - Winston Churchill was impressed and took Wingate with him to Quebec Conference. There they were promised support of whole air task force. US Army also began its own plans for group that would later become Merrill's Marauders.
The second Chindit brigade was called Special Force, officially 3rd Indian Division, Long Range Penetration Groups, but the nickname had already stuck. Six brigades were trained in Gwalior and organized into six brigades. In addition to men from previous regiments, new men came also from Black Watch, Queen's Royal, Leicesters, Lancashire Fusiliers and two regiments of Royal Artillery but included also three Nigeria Regiments and more Gurkhas. Men were trained in crossing rivers, demolitions and bivouacking. Brigadiers Calvert and Fergusson took command of two columns.
Operation Thursday
In January 1944 Japanese begun an offensive to India. In February 5 Fergusson's column of Chindits left Ledo for Burma, before the main Chindit operation, Operation Thursday.
In the beginning of March 5, when Fergusson had crossed the Chindwin River, two more Chindit brigades were flown onto landing zones in Burma, codenamed Broadway and Piccadilly, at night. Piccadilly, however, could not be used because the locals used it to dry teak logs so Calvert's 77th Brigade had to land on Broadway that had to be hurriedly cleared. The Chindit gliders landed on the third landing zone, Chowringhee, the next day. The next week 600 sorties transferred 9000 men to landing zones.
Chindit groups established heavily defended strongholds with an airstrip in easily defensible positions where they could not be harassed by artillery or armoured troops. They were again supplied and wounded relieved through air, this time mainly by US Air Force No 1 Air Commando. From these strongholds the chindits harassed Japanese communication and supply lines in northern Burma with hit-and-run tactics.
Ferocious jungle fighting ensued. At times, British and Japanese troops were in close combat, bayonets and kukris against katanas. on March 27, after days of aircraft attack, Japanese attacked Broadway for several nights before the attack was repulsed with flown-in artillery and the aid of Kachin guerrillas.
More men - total of 12.000 - were flown in. Still, when columns from Chowrinhee and Broadway met in March 20, it took them a month to establish themselves south of Indaw. Japanese also diverted more troops against them from the attacks against Imphal and Kohima. Fergusson's attempt to take Indaw from him base Aberdeen failed. In India, major part of the air support and the 6th Chindit Brigade, yet to be flown in, was diverted to defend Kohima.
After Wingate's death in an aircraft crash on March 24 1944 the command of the Chindits was handed to brigadier Lentaigne, one of the Chindit Brigade commanders known for his caution. In April he ordered the part of 111 Brigade that was west of the Irrawaddy, now commanded by John Masters, to leave their earlier outposts, move north near Hopin and to build a new stronghold, codenamed Blackpool. Fierce fighting ensued when the Japanese discovered the Chindit's position. Masters' troops had to be evacuated in March because the men were too exhausted after 17 days of continual combat. 19 Allied soldiers, who were so injured as to be beyond hope of recovery, were shot by the medic. When the rest of 111th brigade, under Fergusson, arrived in Blackpool, the Japanese attacked them before they could fortify.
In May 17th general Slim handed the control of the Chindits to US general Joseph Stillwell. Stillwell used them mainly as normal infantry (albeit without tank support), which lead to the larger casualties than before. In June 6-27 77th Brigade took Mogaung and suffered 50% casualties. When they were ordered to advance to Myitkina, commander Calvert shut down his radios and retreated to Kamaing. 111th Brigade in Blackpool had to abandon the stronghold when the Japanese took over the airstrip; they also had to shoot the wounded that could not move. The retreated to Mokso Sakan and were evacuated.
Due to the intervention of Lord Mounbatten, doctors were sent to evaluate the Chindits. At that time, most men were badly exhausted and suffered from malaria and dysentery. One column, containing four and a half battalions (2,200 men) was found to contain only 119 fit men. Mountbatten ordered Stillwell to evacuate all the wounded and the rest of the Chindits retreated. The last Chindit left Burma August 27 1944.
The end
The Chindits had lost 1396 killed and 2434 wounded. Over half had to be hospitalised with a special diet afterwards. The rest began training for the next operation but the unit was disbanded in February 1945.
Military historians disagree on the Chindits' military significance. Many think that the casualties they caused were relatively light. Others have asserted that the idea was a sound one, they were just badly handled and used in operations for which they were not properly equipped or trained, static defence, for example. A third view is that despite the relatively insignificant losses that the Chindits were able to inflict, their propoganda value, at a time when the 14th Army was on the defensive, was a good filip to the people of India and Britain. It has been hard to reach a consensus on this issue due to the partisan nature of the discussions surrounding Wingate himself.
Regards,
Hist2004