Monument Details

Chindit Memorial (1st Air Commando Group & 10th Air Force)

Details:

On the north side of the embankment across the roadway from the river and the Battle of Britain memorial. Monument

The monument remembers the British Army "Chindits" or Special Operation Forces of World War II, who fought in the China-Burma-India campaign. The Chindits were supported by several American units to include the 1st Air Commando Group and the 10th US Air Force. They were also supported by the 900th Airborne Engineer Company and Merrill's Marauders trained with them.

The Commander of the Chindits, British Major General Orde Wingate, was killed on March 24, 1944 while returning to India in a US B-25 (1st Air Commando Group) crashed killing all nine aboard. He is buried with his fellow travelers and crew in Arlington National Cemetery (Plot: Section 12, Lot 288, Grid X/Y-24.5); one of the few foreign military buried in Arlington.

From the Chindits Website:

The Chindit Special Forces took their name from the Chinthe, a mythical beast which stands guard outside Burmese temples. This was a deliberate choice as part of a “hearts and minds” strategy to enlist the support of local Burmese people in the areas they operated. The Chindits were drawn from the armed forces of the United Kingdom, Burma, Hong Kong, India, Nepal, West Africa and the United States of America. They were formed by Major General Orde Charles Wingate, DSO, 1903-1944, a British army officer born in India to a military family. One of the founders of modern guerrilla warfare, he specialised in creating military units which used these tactics, the best known such unit being the Chindit. He is widely recognised as an innovator, developing military tactics with great relevance today.

The Chindit Campaigns of 1943-1944 involved this multi-national Special Force which engaged the Japanese within enemy lines in Burma in the Second World War. These men were trained to penetrate deep behind Japanese lines, attacking supply depots, railways and other communication targets, which in reality meant long jungle marches without adequate food and water supplies in high humid temperatures with a constant fear of ambush and disease including malaria and scrub typhus. Wingate was killed on active service in Burma in March 1944 and the Chindits were disbanded in February 1945. The Chindit campaigns made a major contribution to the Allied effort to eject the Japanese from Burma.

Monument Text:

The text on the monument is written in English.

Front:

The Chindit badge

portraying a Chinthe a mythical

beast guardian of Burmese temples

from which was derived the name CHINDITS. Their motto being

"THE BOLDEST MEASURES ARE THE SAFEST"

In memory of all who fought on the

First and second Chindit expeditions into

North Burma 1943 and 1944

With the Chindit Special Forces

Formed and trained by

Major General Orde Wingate. DSO

Chindits came from the armed forces of

The United Kingdom

Burma

Hong Kong

India

Nepal

West Africa

The United States of America

Air supply and direct operational support was given by

The Royal Air force

And

1^st Air Commando Group

United States Army Air Force

And

10^th United States Army Air Force

Victory was hastened by the Chindit’s daring exploits

Behind enemy lines

His Majesty King George VI

Graciously awarded the Victoria Cross to

Major Frank Gerald Baker MC

Highland light infantry

Attached 3Bn 9^th Gurkha Rifles

Captain Michael Allmand

Indian Armoured Corps

Attached 3BN 9^th Gurkha Rifles

Lieutenant George Albert Cairns

Somerset light infantry

Attached 1BN the South Staffordshire Regiment

Rifleman Tulbahadur Pun

3BN 6^th Gurkha Rifles

Back:

In Memory of

Major General

Orde Charles Wingate DSO

1903-1944

Commander of the Chindits

Killed on Active Service

In Burma 24th March 1944

"A man of genius, who might well have

become a man of destiny" Winston Churchill

An important influence in the creation

of the Israel Defence Force and the

foundation of the State of Israel

Sides:

The following took part in the Chindit campaigns 1943-1944

Royal Army Service Corps

Royal Army Medical Corps

Royal Army Ordnance Corps

Corps of Royal Electrical Mechanical Engineers

Corps of Military Police

Indian Engineers, Sappers and Miners

Royal Indian Army Service Corps

Indian Medical Service

3BN 2nd King Edward VII's Own Gurkha Rifles (The Sirmoor Rifles)

3BN 4th Prince of Wales Own Gurkha Rifles

3BN 6th Gurkha Rifles

3BN 9th Gurkha Rifles

4BN 9th Gurkha Rifles

2BN The Gurkha Rifles

Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Force

6BN The Nigeria Regiment

7BN The Nigeria Regiment

12BN The Nigeria Regiment

Burma Intelligence Corps

RCAF, RAAF, RNZAF

45 Recconnaissance Regiment RAC

Royal Regiment of Artillery

Corps of Royal Engineers

Royal Corps of Signals

2BN The Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey)

2BN The King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster)

1BN The King's Regiment (Liverpool)

13BN The King's Regiment (Liverpool)

1BN The Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment

2BN The Leicestershire Regiment

7BN The Leicestershire Regiment

1BN The Lancashire Fusiliers

1BN The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)

2BN The Duke of Wellington's Regiment (West Riding)

4BN The Border Regiment

1BN The South Staffordshire Regiment

2BN The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment)

1BN The Essex Regiment

2BN The York and Lancaster Regiment

142 Commando Company

Royal Army Chaplains Department

Commemorates:

Units:

10th Air Force

1st Air Commando Group

900th Airborne Engineer Company

British Army

Merrill's Marauders (5307th Composite Unit- Provisional)

Wars:

WWII

Battles:

Burma Road

China India Burma Campaign (CBI)

Operation Thursday

Pacific Theater

Other images :

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