Chindits

The Chindits (Officially in 1942 77th Indian Infantry Brigade and in 1943 Indian 3rd Infantry Division) were a British jungle Special Forces unit that served in Burma from 1943 until 1945 as part of the Fourteenth Army during the Burma Campaign in World War II. They were formed into long range penetration groups trained to operate from bases deep behind Japanese lines.

Beginnings

The Chindits were the brainchild of British Brigadier General Orde Charles Wingate when he was serving under Archibald Wavell, the Supreme Commander of the Far Eastern Theatre in India. He borrowed the name from a Burmese mythical beast Chinthé or Chinthay, stautes of which guarded Buddhist temples. Officially their name was 77th Indian Infantry Brigade. Wingate took personal charge of the training of the troops in jungles of central India.

Related Topics:
Orde Charles Wingate - Archibald Wavell - Far Eastern Theatre - India - Chinthé - Chinthay - Buddhist

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In the Ethiopian campaign of 1940 Wingate had begun to explore the ideas that he used with the Chindits, when he created and commanded a group of Ethiopian 'patriots', known as the Gideon Force, which disrupted Italian supply lines and provided vital intelligence to British forces. The Commander-in-Chief of the Middle East in 1940 was Wavell who had only given permission for the Gideon Force for political reasons, because he had thought Wingate's idea to be too unorthodox. However given the success of the Gideon Force, he was willing to give Wingate the benefit of the doubt and have another go in Burma.

Related Topics:
1940 - Gideon Force

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The first Chindit troops were formed in 1942 in Jhansi. The majority of the Chindits were British infantry soldiers from the King's Liverpool Regiment, and volunteers who were formed into 142 Commando Company. There were also 3/2 Gurkha Rifles 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.

Related Topics:
1942 - Jhansi - King's Liverpool Regiment - Commando - Gurkha Rifles - Burma Rifles - Thompson submachine gun - Mortar - Grenade - Mule

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