|
The Leicestershire Regiment was unique in that it contributed two battalions
to the Special Force - the 2nd & 7th. Each battalion provided two columns, which were numbered at random to avoid giving
away clues to the Japanese. The 2nd battalion provided 17 and 71 Columns, whilst the 7th battalion, a war-raised formation,
provided 47 and 74 Columns.
After many months of intesive training in the jungles of central India,
in which the men learned how to survive in the jungle, how to move silently, construct booby traps and demolish railway bridges,
they were ready to go. Only those physically up to the challenge were selected. 17 and 71 Columns marched in to Burma from
India, whilst 47 and 74 were flown into specially constructed landing strips deep in the jungle behind Japanese lines, and
then began causing havoc.
Mules went in with the men and were the main means of transporting heavy
items such as machine guns and mortars. They also carried the heavy radio sets which the Chindits used to call in a supply
drop from the air. As the Chindits had no heavy weapons apart from the mortars, they instead relied on close support from
the air, in the form of American Mustang fighter bombers.
Although there was much fighting, with ambush and counter ambush
taking place, jungle conditions also accounted for many lives. Lieutenant Richard Perkins (left), of 74 Column remembered:
"the deaths among my own platoon during the latter stages [of the campaign] were far more due to illness, malnutrition
... malaria and scrub typhus. Many of my men died of that, far more than were lost in actual combat."
In retrospect, far more important than any collateral damage which they
may have inflicted on the Japanese was the effect which the Chindits had on morale. Prior to Wingate's campaign, many British
soldiers were frightened of the Japanese, indeed there was a reluctance to go into the front line. The Chindits
showed that the Japanese were not supermen, and that they were far from invincible.
Right: Before leaving India, many Chindits ordered
a beautiful portrait frame made from black glass and foil, from local
craftsmen. This shows Pte H.W.Partridge, 2nd battalion
|
 |
|
Pte Harry Slaney (above) was from South Wigston and in 1939
had been called up for the 2nd battalion. In 1944 he was among those selected for Chindit training. He marched into Burma,
covering 630 miles. On 25 March 1944 his column came under fire from Japanese forces, a round just missed him but hit his
pack. He was eventually flown out on 30 April from the airstrip known as 'Aberdeen', bringing with him the Japanese helmet
(below) as a trophy
|
|
|
|
|
Bugler Frank Pollard (above), of the 7th battalion, took his
bugle into the jungle with him. Weakened by disease, he was forced to leave it behind in an effort to save weight. Prior to
the war he had been a member of Melton Mowbray Silver Band
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
