Chindits of the Lancashire Fusiliers
WW2 - 1939-1945
If you're looking for the Chindit Society, click here!
Related
Special Chindit Force 'Emphasis'
See a list of Chindits from WW2 who paid the ultimate sacrifice
Chindits served in the 1st Battalion
Thomas Cunningham took part in Chindit Operations
John Millar went to Chindit mortars
Francis Wright
Francis Wright, 1st Bn Lancashire Fusiliers Chindit
Related Locations
The Chindits were the brainchild of British Brigadier Orde Charles Wingate when he was serving under Archibald Wavell, the Supreme Commander of the Far Eastern Theatre in India.
Not whilst theres a Lancashire Fusilier left standing
"The First Chindit Expedition (Op Longcloth) and the lessons learned from it"
Very good background information on the 1st Chindit Expedition, Operation Longcloth, and
how the lessons influenced the second phase of operations can be found here.
Harold Bottomley
The Chindit Memorial
The Unveiling of the Chindit Memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum, Alrewas. Sunday 10th June 2007 by The Viscount Lord Slim OBE DL - Sent in by Eric Freeman
Sgt William James Stowell
One of Wingates, LF Chindits, 1922-2006
These are 2 addresses used by the 1st Bn The XXth The Lancashire Fusiliers during their time in Burma as
Chindits
14274165 J Stawell
Somerset 1 1
1 Coy 4 Wing BBR 6
India Command
We have also seen another addressed as follows:-
14274165 J Stawell
B Coy 1st Lancashire Fusiliers
India Command
Robert Ashton
Robert Ashton was under age when he joined 1LF in Salford in 1936. He took part in the re-enactment of the Battle of Vimy Ridge at the 1938 Aldershot Military Tattoo.
He was one of the Lancashire Fusiliers who landed by glider behind Japanese lines in Burma to form the Chindit Column and the Block at White City.
Known for his smart turnout and ever present silk scarf, he was also a highly skilled boxer. He was demobbed at York following WW2.
Chindit Photo Archive
"At dawn on the 18th June 1944, the 1st Bn XX Lancashire Fusiliers attacked a Japanese gun position at Nuanghaiktaw, near Moguang. A Company attack went in, supported by 2 machine guns in close support,along with a flame thrower detachment to clear any dug out positions. The Japanese defenders found themselves being overwhelmed and made a run for it, straight into the fire of the "Stop" Company who had been placed there for just such an eventuality. A follow up with grenades and the flamethrowers resulted in at least 70 of the estimated 100 Japanese defenders being killed.
The LFs lost 16 killed and 38 wounded.
Fusilier Harold Kyte was one of those heroes killed in action here"
Chindit USA Graves
When aircraft were lost in Burma, particularly if they caught fire, it was decided that the entire crew and passengers would be buried wherever the majority of them originated.
This was often the USA and we have a number of LFs buried in USA graves. These are some of them.
- LOUISVILLE (ZACHARY TAYLOR) NATIONAL CEMETERY
- Country: United States of America
- Locality: Kentucky
- No. of Identified LF Casualties: 2
- LANE, GEOFFREY STEPHEN
- Initials: G S
- Nationality: United Kingdom
- Rank: Fusilier
- Regiment/Service: Lancashire Fusiliers
- Unit Text: 1st Bn.
- Age: 24
- Date of Death: 20/03/1944
- Service No: 3452246
- Additional information: Son of Dorothy Lane, of Lower Broughton, Salford, Lancashire, England.
- Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
- Grave/Memorial Reference: Sec. E. Coll. grave 249/250.
- Cemetery: LOUISVILLE (ZACHARY TAYLOR) NATIONAL CEMETERY
- MACE, WILLIAM HENRY
- Initials: W H
- Nationality: United Kingdom
- Rank: Fusilier
- Regiment/Service: Lancashire Fusiliers
- Unit Text: 1st Bn.
- Age: 25
- Date of Death: 20/03/1944
- Service No: 3655932
- Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
- Grave/Memorial Reference: Sec. E. Coll. grave 249/250.
- Cemetery: LOUISVILLE (ZACHARY TAYLOR) NATIONAL CEMETERY
Further Chindit Photo Archive
Sent in by Arnold Cragg
Further Chindit Photo Archive
Broadway Revisited
"News from Khine........Our Intrepid Far East Reporter"
(Khine meet Bill Dalton on his recent visit to Burma)
BROADWAY REVISITED
We did it!!! We managed to locate "Broadway".
The participants arrived on Feb 28 and we left Rangoon on Mar 02. We returned on Mar 10 late afternoon, after two nights break in Mandalay.
We tried to reach "Broadway" on Mar 05, to coincide with D-day of "Operation Thursday" which also happens to be Peter's birthday but were delayed by a day and therefore we got to the old airfield on Mar 06.
CHINDIT Veteran, Peter Heppell and his family members were present with him as he placed a CHINDIT plaque on one of the trees at the edge of the forest. He then gave his final respects towards all fallen comrades and spent about one hour and a half at the site.
It was a fantastic journey as well as an exhausting one. My admiration goes to Peter who turned 86 on Mar 05 where we celebrated his birthday at a small quaint little village called Myo Hla. We camped out at the water's edge near Kaukkwe Chaung the next day after our visit to "Broadway". I am certain many Chindit veterans will remember the name of this river: Kaukkwe Chaung.
Kudos to Peter who managed to keep up with us until the very end of this journey.
There were all together 9 people to take part in this journey. Peter and his family, David Bradly, a Chindit enthusiast who joined last minute, myself, my assistant Steven and Dr. Cecilia Tang Gyi and her husband, Lewis.
Cecilia's father was a Kachin Ranger who worked for OSS-101 during WWII, a very well-known figure, and Lewis's father was also a Kachin Levie.
Peter, his family and David were the first western group who has traveled up the Kaukkwe Chaung to visit "Broadway" since 1944. Their names deserved to be mentioned in the history books from now.
We also met an 88 year old Kachin WWII Levie, Maj. Khun Jar Naw, one of the last Kachin Levies still living in Myitkyina. Peter and he made a certain connection when they shook each other's hands.
It was the most amazing trip I have ever organized. Truly one of a kind.
For more information, I am only an email away at: khaingt@gmail.com
Sincerely,
Khine
Remembering is a time-honored pastime.
Boardway map coordinates Latitude 24.43 North.
Longtitude 96.422 East.
