Did You Know?
A list of interesting facts and anecdotes about Operation Longcloth and the men of the 13th Battalion, the King's Liverpool Regiment.
The ribbon of the Burma Star medal.
The official number of participants for Operation Longcloth was 3056. As of 12th July 1943, only 2182 had returned to India.
The men from Operation Longcloth had never heard of the name Chindit until they returned to India in mid-1943 to see their exploits described in the world's press. Some of the returning Chindits were more than a little amused to see these editorials and how they portrayed the mission as a victory over the Japanese 'superman'.
31Squadron personnel, Air Liaison and Rear Base had codenamed Longcloth as Operation Vicki. This was reputedly named after an Officer's Club the men used to frequent in Calcutta.
When the 13th King's left Britain (Liverpool docks) on the 8th December 1941, they had no idea that Japan had just entered the war with the surprise attack on Pearl Harbour.
The families back home in the UK had no idea that their men were involved in Operation Longcloth, and due to the high level of secrecy surrounding the operation and normal Army censorship this remained the case until after the story broke in the National Press. Below is an example of the standard communication letter the families received from India. The communication told them very little about the activities of their loved one, but encouraged them to still write to their man. Letters were dropped to the men along with the other supplies by Hudson and Dakota aircraft.
The men from Operation Longcloth had never heard of the name Chindit until they returned to India in mid-1943 to see their exploits described in the world's press. Some of the returning Chindits were more than a little amused to see these editorials and how they portrayed the mission as a victory over the Japanese 'superman'.
31Squadron personnel, Air Liaison and Rear Base had codenamed Longcloth as Operation Vicki. This was reputedly named after an Officer's Club the men used to frequent in Calcutta.
When the 13th King's left Britain (Liverpool docks) on the 8th December 1941, they had no idea that Japan had just entered the war with the surprise attack on Pearl Harbour.
The families back home in the UK had no idea that their men were involved in Operation Longcloth, and due to the high level of secrecy surrounding the operation and normal Army censorship this remained the case until after the story broke in the National Press. Below is an example of the standard communication letter the families received from India. The communication told them very little about the activities of their loved one, but encouraged them to still write to their man. Letters were dropped to the men along with the other supplies by Hudson and Dakota aircraft.
There was only one American citizen on Operation Longcloth: Flight Lieutenant James Gibson or 'Carolina' to his pals. He was part of the Air Liaison section in Wingate's Head Quarters. He had crossed into Canada at the outbreak of WW2 and joined the Royal Canadian Air Force taking part in the Battle of Britain.
Pte. 5250536 F. Clyronomides previously of the Worcestershire Regiment and part of 142 Commando in Column 7, was the only Greek descendant to take part in Operation Longcloth.
Three Canadians took part in 1943: Flight Lieutenant Kenneth Wheatley (see photograph below), from Alberta and part of Column 8 Air liaison, Captain Roy McKenzie, from Ontario and Column 3 Animal Transport Officer and Captain George V. Faulkner, also from Ontario, who was Southern Group's Medical Officer.
Major J. B. Jefferies, C/O of 142 Commando, impersonated Brigadier Wingate as part of the decoy plan played out by Southern Section in February 1943. See his photograph below. He later joined up with Wingate and dispersed with his commander in April the same year.
To my knowledge there are only 4 participants of Operation Longcloth still alive today (as of September 2012).
 Kenneth Wheatley, liberated from Rangoon Jail.
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 Major Jefferies, just prior to dispersal in April 1943.
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Chocolate was an important and warmly welcomed part of a Longcloth air supply drop. Twice during the operation the chocolate consignments were stolen whilst at the Agartala Airbase.
'Freddie' was the name of the bullock from Column 8. Sadly, the men decided to eat him as part of their rations on the 18th February 1943.
Column 3 had use of an elephant in 1943, which they stole from the Japanese. The men named their new column member 'Flossie'.
Pte. Richard Coates of Column 7, was possibly the first British serviceman to lose his life on Operation Longcloth once the Brigade were behind Japanese lines. He attempted to swim his mule across the Chindwin River whilst riding on her back, he sadly drowned on the 17th February. See his CWGC certificate below.
Between 9-13th January 1943 it took 9 railway locomotives to move the entire 77th Indian Infantry Brigade from their setting off point at Jhansi Rail Station.
'Freddie' was the name of the bullock from Column 8. Sadly, the men decided to eat him as part of their rations on the 18th February 1943.
Column 3 had use of an elephant in 1943, which they stole from the Japanese. The men named their new column member 'Flossie'.
Pte. Richard Coates of Column 7, was possibly the first British serviceman to lose his life on Operation Longcloth once the Brigade were behind Japanese lines. He attempted to swim his mule across the Chindwin River whilst riding on her back, he sadly drowned on the 17th February. See his CWGC certificate below.
Between 9-13th January 1943 it took 9 railway locomotives to move the entire 77th Indian Infantry Brigade from their setting off point at Jhansi Rail Station.
Richard Coates, who is remembered upon the Rangoon Memorial.
When the original 13th King's battalion first reached the Gough Barracks, part of the Secunderabad Cantonment, they were confronted with the remnants of the previous tenants, the Cameronians. The two regimental units did not get on and many confrontations took place. The two battalions Burma campaign pathways were to intertwine many times from that point on.
By Christmas 1942 the ill-fated men of Column 6 numbered just 45. Wingate ordered the unit to be disbanded and the remaining men distributed amongst the other British Columns. The men of Column 6 had suffered numerous unfortunate incidents during training, these included, drownings, landslide, fire-arm accidents and several outbreaks of malaria and dysentery.
'Pukka Kings' was the nickname for men from the original 13th Kings battalion which left England in December 1941, and who had survived the full training regime, to take their place amongst the 3000+ soldiers that crossed the Chindwin River in February 1943. The men who had fallen out through illness, injury or fatigue were called somewhat unkindly 'Jossers'.
Of the Longcloth participants that became prisoners of war and were held in Rangoon Jail, 62% did not return home.
Seen below is the standard letter of condolence from King George VI, this was sent to all casualties families after the war.
Condolence letter from George VI.
The smallest number of personnel in any one column at the outset was Column 5 with 297, the largest was Column 2 with 402.
Column 5 received just 20 days full ration supplies during nearly 80 days behind Japanese lines. There is no doubt this contributed heavily to the Columns appalling rate of personnel loss on Operation Longcloth.
Eighteen men were air lifted out of the Burmese jungle on 28th April 1943, most of these were part of Column 8 under the leadership of Major Scott. A jungle clearing had been found and the idea of landing a Dakota was discussed, in the end, after one failed attempt, a pilot named Mike Vlasto succeeded in putting his plane down. This landing strip was set to be used again in 1944, but at the very last moment and fearing Japanese sabotage the plan was aborted. The jungle clearing in question was nicknamed 'Piccadilly'.
Wingate insisted that the men carry silver rupees whilst in Burma, these were to be offered to Burmese villagers in return for food, transport (usually boats) or helpful information, this worked far better than the almost worthless paper notes the Japanese had printed and handed out.
The Japanese entered Burma under the guise of freeing all Asiatic races from the tyranny of British colonial oppression, the Burmese soon understood what this freedom truly meant. The Japanese called the newly acquired territory the 'Asiatic Co-Prosperity Sphere'. Seen below is a photograph of the Japanese occupation forces entering Burma in early 1942.
Japanese occupation forces enter Burma in 1942.
Communication between Rear Base at Agartala and the columns in the field was achieved using the RAF 1082/88 Wireless set. These sets were the standard wireless set of the Blenheim Bomber in WW2 and they gave the Chindits approximately 800 miles in range. For communication between columns whilst in Burma, the FS.6 radio set was used and was deemed a valuable piece of equipment. However, the type 21 radio sets used locally between platoons, proved to be next to useless. All code/cipher systems on Operation Longcloth were standard RAF 'one-time pads'.
Some of the non-breakable items (animal fodder etc.) were 'free-dropped' onto the waiting Chindits in 1943. This simply means they were pushed out of the aircraft without a parachute. Men were actually killed during the operation when such items fell on them.
A quote from Brigadier Wingate's 1943 operational debrief: " The most important thing to note is that SD (Supply Drop) was a brilliant and unexpected success. All kinds of gloomy prophesies had been made by the experts. None was fulfilled.
Two new wireless operators were parachuted into Burma in March 1943, these were to reinforce the beleaguered Chindit columns, sadly both were killed later on during the operation.
The code word sent back to Rear Base requesting more ammunition or explosives was, UPLIFT. Whereas the code word for new RAF wireless equipment was SKYLARK.
Some of the non-breakable items (animal fodder etc.) were 'free-dropped' onto the waiting Chindits in 1943. This simply means they were pushed out of the aircraft without a parachute. Men were actually killed during the operation when such items fell on them.
A quote from Brigadier Wingate's 1943 operational debrief: " The most important thing to note is that SD (Supply Drop) was a brilliant and unexpected success. All kinds of gloomy prophesies had been made by the experts. None was fulfilled.
Two new wireless operators were parachuted into Burma in March 1943, these were to reinforce the beleaguered Chindit columns, sadly both were killed later on during the operation.
The code word sent back to Rear Base requesting more ammunition or explosives was, UPLIFT. Whereas the code word for new RAF wireless equipment was SKYLARK.
The standard FS.6 (Mark 2) radio set. Used on Longcloth for Column to Column communication.
Did you know that Gurkhali for: "I shall take ten men with me." (Meaning if I die in combat) is …."Mon aphnu sangma das manchhelai-janchhu!"
That, "Each man must carry his own rounds." translated is............ "Fi manchhe le aphnu aphnu goli boknu prehha."
Gurkhali for: "As soon as you pick up a rifle always see if it is loaded." Is…......... "Koi raifal tipne bhitikai load bhayeko chha ki chain bhani sadhaingari hernu."
Advice such as "To surprise the enemy you must keep quiet until he is on you." Translates as…."Dushman lai jhukyannu lai u timro najik na ai-puginjyel samba tiki chip chap basnu parchha."
Finally that: "All the men with Bahadur in their names sit down." In Gurkhali is....….. "Sabai manchheharu jakso nam ma Bahadur chha basi-jau." (At this point just about everyone sits down I would imagine).
A Gurkha Rifle Company.
It was on 10th July 1942 that the 13th Kings Battalion first learned that they were to be trained as 'Guerilla troops', under the command of a man named Brigadier O.C. Wingate.
On 29th May 1942, four 13th Kingsmen who had absconded whilst on furlough in Durban were court-martialled for desertion at an Army trial in Secunderabad.
That during the rest of the war, every time Archibald Wavell was in Karachi he used to visit the 13th King's at the Napier Barracks and would ask them to provide his 'Guard of Honour' whenever he moved throughout the region. On the 11th November 1943 he visited the King's at Karachi to deliver and present a number of promotions and Gallantry Awards to the men who served on Operation Longcloth.
Wingate's thoughts on the extremely heavy losses suffered on Operation Longcloth were:
"Some of us did not come back. But they have done something for their country. They have demonstrated a new kind of warfare, the combination of the oldest with the newest methods. They have not been thrown away".
Seen on the image below, some of the generally held views about the strengths and weaknesses of the 13th Battalion, King's Liverpool Regiment circa 1942/43.
On 29th May 1942, four 13th Kingsmen who had absconded whilst on furlough in Durban were court-martialled for desertion at an Army trial in Secunderabad.
That during the rest of the war, every time Archibald Wavell was in Karachi he used to visit the 13th King's at the Napier Barracks and would ask them to provide his 'Guard of Honour' whenever he moved throughout the region. On the 11th November 1943 he visited the King's at Karachi to deliver and present a number of promotions and Gallantry Awards to the men who served on Operation Longcloth.
Wingate's thoughts on the extremely heavy losses suffered on Operation Longcloth were:
"Some of us did not come back. But they have done something for their country. They have demonstrated a new kind of warfare, the combination of the oldest with the newest methods. They have not been thrown away".
Seen on the image below, some of the generally held views about the strengths and weaknesses of the 13th Battalion, King's Liverpool Regiment circa 1942/43.
History and Overview of the 13th Kings, their calibre and performance as Chindit troops in 1942/43.
The 13th Battalion set sail from Liverpool at 1400 hours on 8/12/41. The convoy, WS. 14, was attacked by both U-boat and enemy aircraft whilst still in British waters.
The SS Oronsay, the troopship which took the 13th Kings to Durban was sunk by an Italian submarine, the 'Archimede' in October 1942. The troopship was lost in the Atlantic 500 miles west of Freetown whilst travelling unescorted, several crew members drowned before help finally arrived.
The original task set for the 13th Battalion whilst in India, was to perform simple policing and garrison duties in the town of Secunderabad. Political unrest was commonplace in many cities, as the sub-continent struggled for independence from British rule.
After re-grouping in late 1943, the 13th Battalion's Longcloth survivors took up residence at Napier Barracks in Karachi. Over time their depleted numbers were brought back up to full unit strength, some 800 men.
The standard and most common medal entitlement for a 13th Kingsman who had served on Operation Longcloth was: 1939-45 Star, Burma Star, Defence Medal and the War Medal (as shown below). The Defence medal was awarded for the battalion's 12 month service in India, prior to crossing the Chindwin River in February 1943, an action which then qualified the men for their Burma Star medal.
The most common medal entitlement of a 13th Kingsman serving on operation Longcloth.
On the 25th and 26th March 1944 the 13th King's Battalion won an inter-regimental rifle shooting competition, beating the 10th Baluchis and the 16/14th Punjabis along the way.
On the 16th October 1944, the 13th Kings gave up 240 of their number to 'Special Forces', most joining the 1st Battalion King's Liverpool and some going on to form the 15th Battalion the Parachute Regiment.
On 26th June 1945 the last of the original battalion that had left Liverpool Docks in December 1941 numbered just 87 men. They were granted a repatriation order and moved across to Deolali Camp, before embarkation from Bombay. They represented just 10% of the original number.
The 13th Battalion were used as guinea-pigs once more in early 1944, this time as food tasters by the Army Catering Corps in Karachi. Here is an extract from that year's War Diary:
"The battalion were served buffalo meat as an experiment, the meat was served up as a Lancashire Hot Pot and very few realised that is was not normal beef. This, in spite of the fact that they had been warned that an issue of buffalo meat would be made on an undisclosed day."
The 13th Battalion, King's Liverpool Regiment was officially disbanded on December 5th 1945. The majority of the men were posted across to the 1st Battalion King's Liverpool at their headquarters in Dehra Dun.
Company photograph at the Napier Barracks, Karachi in 1945.
Each Chindit Column in 1943 had one Medical Officer and three medical orderlies to take care of the men's well being once inside Burma.
The RAF code word for Japanese fighter aircraft interference during Supply Drops or SD's was 'Pancake'. This would be radioed up to the Hudson or Dakota pilot on the rare occasions that enemy aircraft were sighted by the Chindits on the ground. The waiting columns used to build make-shift 'Thor' signals designating their Column identity out of bamboo and parachute silk. These would be placed on open ground, or, if need be in tree-tops to help bring the supply aircraft on to the prepared 'drop-zone'.
Wingate's own RAF Liaison detachment (see photograph below) included:
Squadron Leader Cecil J. Longmore
Flight Lieutenant James 'Carolina' Gibson
Flight Lieutenant Albert Tooth
Flight Sergeant Alan Fidler
RAF Sergeant Douglas L. Mills and
RAF Sergeant Arthur Willshaw.
Longmore and Mills were captured during dispersal and became prisoners of war, the others all successfully returned to India.
Whilst holding up for a time in the jungles near the Irrawaddy River's eastern banks, Brigadier Wingate personally disposed of some of the HQ Company mules. These animals were cut up and eaten by the then starving Chindits.
On 1st April 1943, Northern Group Head Quarters, then led by Lieut. Colonel Cooke became a single dispersal group and joined up with Major Scott's Column 8 to begin their journey out of Burma.
Part of Wingate's dispersal party, April 1943. Longmore (hat/map) Tooth (front left) and Fidler (next to Wingate's left arm).
The Longcloth Chindit survival rate for prisoners of war makes for grim reading. Of the 213 non-officer ranked men, 141 perished in Rangoon Jail, with 6 of the 33 officers also dying in the camp. Column 5 had the worst record for having men fall in to enemy hands with 85 soldiers becoming POW in 1943.
In Rangoon Jail the men were paired up with a friend or 'buddy', this was an attempt to keep morale high and not to let anyone drift away into solitude. Sadly, as disease and despair slowly crept over the men this system proved to be ineffective. In fact, on many occasions if one of the pair succumbed and died, very often his pal followed on shortly after, such was the psychology of internment in the camp.
The POW's who were still left inside Rangoon Jail at liberation in 1945 were transported back to India by the hospitalship HMHS Karapara (see image below). In early May that year the men were taken down to Rangoon Docks and placed aboard the awaiting vessel, which then took them across the Bay of Bengal to the British Military Hospital in Calcutta.
One of the biggest killers in Rangoon Jail was the disease beri beri. The disease is caused by a continuous diet which lacks the Vitamin B1 (thiamine). Thiamine is involved in the breakdown of molecules such as glucose and is also found on the membranes of neurons. Symptoms of beri beri include severe lethargy and fatigue, together with complications affecting the cardiovascular, nervous, muscular, and gastrointestinal systems. In Rangoon the two types of beri beri, 'wet' and 'dry' would show through with symptoms such as tingling and loss of feeling in one's feet, or in many cases, dramatic water retention in the lower limbs. A source of Vitamin B was discovered in the jail by collecting all the discarded rice husks from the store room floor and mixing them into a paste by adding water. This paste was named 'nuka' by the prisoners and although it tasted foul and bitter, saved many lives thereafter.
In June 1945 some of the men taken prisoner during Operation Longcloth paid a visit to the 13th King's at their garrison base in Karachi. Recorded in the battalion war diary on June 30th:
"During the month several members of the battalion who were captured in 1943 and now released after the fall of Rangoon, came to see us while on route to the U.K. by air. Among these men were Lieutenants Stibbe and Kerr, Sergeant Quick and Lance Sergeant H. Palmer."
HMHS Karapara.
During the time that Britain controlled Burma and it's territory, the sarong or longyi clad Burmese called the colonialists 'the trouser people', for fairly obvious reasons.
There had been a strongly held superstition in Burma throughout the years of British control, that the Irrawaddy River would take the life of at least one soldier of every battalion sent to garrison the country. The local population stood firmly behind this belief and it sunk in to the psyche of the British Forces. Whether this became a self-fulfilling prophecy, or simply coincidence (or inevitability), the number of deaths by drowning remained constant and not all happened during times of conflict.
Dr. Ba Maw was the political leader of Burma during most of the Japanese occupation. Bogyoke (General) Aung San was the Defence Minister, previous leader of the Communist Party and Commander of the Burmese Independence Army. He was the father of Aung San Suu Kyi the opposition leader to today's ruling 'junta'. Both men had studied in Japan before the war and visited Tokyo just before Japan's infamous attack on Pearl Harbour.
For more information on the lives of Ba Maw and Aung San, please follow the links below:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ba_Maw
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aung_San
On December 28th 1941 the Burma Independence Army was formed. The B.I.A. numbered just 291 personnel at it's outset, some of the original recruits were second-generation Burmans who now resided across the border in Thailand. The force participated in the Japanese invasion in 1942, mostly as intelligence gatherers, saboteurs and guides. By the time the Japanese had reached Rangoon in March 1942 the B.I.A. numbers had grown to more than 12,000.
Captain Aung Thin, nicknamed 'Chet-taw' or 'Jungle Cock' was the senior Burma Rifle Officer in Wingate's Brigade Head Quarters. He travelled back to India with Wingate which included swimming the Chindwin River together in April 1943. Aung Thin was awarded the Distinguished Service Order for his efforts in 1943 and was possibly the oldest participant on Operation Longcloth, although this cannot be confirmed. His main concern whilst serving with the British Forces inside Burma, was the safety of his wife Hta Hta and his two young daughters. All three still lived in the village of his birth and were vulnerable to retribution from locals loyal to the Japanese.
Ba Maw with Japanese Military,1942.
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General Aung San and Clement Attlee in January 1947.
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As far as I can discern there were 63 Gallantry Medals awarded to Longcloth participants. Some of these were for service later on in the war, mostly and unsurprisingly during the second Chindit Operation in 1944. Here are some of the details.
There were three recipients of the British Empire Medal, including Sgt. Patrick Randall Chivers from Column 3 and Corporal Ronald Walter Pike of Column 5.
Eight MBE awards were made, recipients included Captain Horace James Lord, Brigadier Major Robert Bromhead and Senior Nursing Matron Agnes McGeary who tended the Longcloth survivors at the Casualty Clearing Station in Imphal.
Five men received the Distinguished Service Order or DSO. Included amongst the recipients were Major Bernard Fergusson, Major Mike Calvert and Brigadier Wingate himself.
A Royal Humane Society Testimonial was awarded to Quartermaster Sergeant W. D. L. Bett. 'Duncan' as he was more familiarly known had attempted to save Sergeant George Bateman from drowning during training in 1942.
Jemadar Manbahadur Gurung from Column 2 was awarded the Indian Order of Merit for his courage and leadership during the battle at Kyaikthin in March 1943.
One man who served on Operation Longcloth was to eventually receive a Victoria Cross. Lance Naik Bhanbhagta Gurung who served in Column 4 in 1943 was awarded the VC for his service with the 25th Indian Division in March 1945.
Four Distinguished Conduct Medals were given out to men from Operation Longcloth. Two recipients were Colour Sergeant Richard Murdock Cheevers of Column 8 and Corporal Peter Dorans of Column 5.
Lieutenant-Colonel Sidney Arthur Cooke commander of Northern Group HQ was awarded the OBE for his efforts on Operation Longcloth.
Nine Gurkha Riflemen received the Indian Distinguished Service Medal including Subedar Kum Sing Gurung from Column 3 and Subedar Tikajit Pun of Column 4.
The Burma Gallantry Medal or BGM was presented to three Burma Riflemen, one of whom was Lance Naik Tun Lwin from Column 1.
Eighteen men who served on Longcloth were awarded the Military Cross, included amongst these were: William James Livingstone and Lieutenant George Henry Astell from Column 8 and Jemadar Godwiller and Lieutenant Saw Chit Kyin of the Burma Rifles.
CSM John Cairns, Sergeant John Thornborrow and Lance Corporal William Robert Jordan all representing Column 5 received the Military Medal for their efforts in 1943. They were amongst the nine British Other Ranks and Gurkha NCO's to be awarded this honour.
To see some of the recipient's gallantry medal citations, click on the following link and scroll down the page:
http://www.chindits.info/Awards/Awards%20List.html
The MBE citation for Acting Matron Agnes McGeary.
Chindit uniform on Operation Longcloth consisted of re-dyed, Indian made Khaki drill, the now famous Australian 'Bush hat' and standard 1937 pattern Army webbing. On their feet they wore standard issue heavy ammunition boots.
The major weaponry used for a British Column was: .303 short magazine Lee Enfield Rifle with long sword bayonet, .303 Bren light machine gun and tripod and the .45 Thompson machine gun. The Gurkha troops still retained their famous kukri knife, whilst the British soldiers were issued with a machete or Burmese 'Dah'. The name Bren is derived by the first two letters of where the gun was originally designed, at Brno in Czechoslovakia, and the British Royal Small Arms factory at Enfield, where it was manufactured.
The Chindit pack was supported on the recently issued 'Everest' frame, this was not overly popular with the men and many discarded it fairly early on during the operation. The total weight of a typical pack could be between 50-70lbs, the Chindit pack was always heaviest when the soldier was carrying seven days rations as well as his other equipment.
The more unusual items found in a Chindit pack included an Army 'housewife' (needle, thread, repair-kit etc.), drugs to combat the effects of malaria, chlorine purifying tablets for local fresh water and Army issue condoms, used to keep matches, fuses, watches and compass dry during river crossings.
Simple box cameras were given out to NCO's and Officers and some columns even had a cine camera to record their progress during the operation. How much of this equipment, or the images taken with it, ever returned to India is difficult to say, but some photos do exist of the men behind enemy lines that year.
The Army issue 'housewife'.
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Army issue condoms, for keeping things dry.
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The standard issue compass on Operation Longcloth was the Prismatic Army Compass MK. 3. Marked in real units of degrees and minutes, the compass had a hinging lid centrally set with a glass viewing lens with a vertically scribed aiming line in the centre. The height adjustable pivoting brass and prismatic glass viewer folded over the lens allowing the soldier to see the aiming point and the compass dial simultaneously. The turntable glass and brass lens cover is seized solid and is graduated in single degrees up to 360. Suspended within the compass liquid is a mother of pearl dial marked North, South, East and West.
It is said that the Chindits had been issued with the first ID discs that would float in water. This was due to the amount of rivers that needed to be crossed during Operation Longcloth and the hope that if a man was lost whilst swimming, at least his disc might identify that he had drowned.
The men were issued with silver rupees at the beginning of the expedition in 1943. These were to be used in Burma, when the men required food, boats, guides or any other assistance from local villagers. The Japanese had been using their own printed paper money to pay for goods in Burma and Wingate realised how much more appealing solid silver coin would be to the Burmese they met along the way.
Back in India and during training in the summer of 1942, the cost of rations for the 13th Battalion was on average 800 rupees per month.
The Chindits were issued with water sterilisation tablets in January 1943. The instructions for use were fairly straight forward and were written on the inside of the tin. However, Gurkha troops sometimes struggled to understand the procedure. Here is how one Burma veteran remembered their behaviour in this regard:
"We had been without water for two days when we came across what can only be described as a large puddle of muddy and stinking water. I told the men to dig down a bit to see if there was anything more suitable for our needs. No joy at all, so we scooped up the slimey liquid with our bottles. 'Don't forget your purification tablets I said.'
"My two Gurkha muleteers looked at each other, brought out their tablets from their packs and before I could stop them, popped them into their mouths and swallowed them down, followed by a long swig of the foul smelling water. Seemingly, they had no serious after effects or repercussions."
It is said that the Chindits had been issued with the first ID discs that would float in water. This was due to the amount of rivers that needed to be crossed during Operation Longcloth and the hope that if a man was lost whilst swimming, at least his disc might identify that he had drowned.
The men were issued with silver rupees at the beginning of the expedition in 1943. These were to be used in Burma, when the men required food, boats, guides or any other assistance from local villagers. The Japanese had been using their own printed paper money to pay for goods in Burma and Wingate realised how much more appealing solid silver coin would be to the Burmese they met along the way.
Back in India and during training in the summer of 1942, the cost of rations for the 13th Battalion was on average 800 rupees per month.
The Chindits were issued with water sterilisation tablets in January 1943. The instructions for use were fairly straight forward and were written on the inside of the tin. However, Gurkha troops sometimes struggled to understand the procedure. Here is how one Burma veteran remembered their behaviour in this regard:
"We had been without water for two days when we came across what can only be described as a large puddle of muddy and stinking water. I told the men to dig down a bit to see if there was anything more suitable for our needs. No joy at all, so we scooped up the slimey liquid with our bottles. 'Don't forget your purification tablets I said.'
"My two Gurkha muleteers looked at each other, brought out their tablets from their packs and before I could stop them, popped them into their mouths and swallowed them down, followed by a long swig of the foul smelling water. Seemingly, they had no serious after effects or repercussions."
The first enemy casualties on Operation Longcloth came at the hands of Lieutenant William Douglas 'Taffy' Griffiths of the 2nd Burma Rifles. 'Taffy' had been part of a pre-operational reconnaissance party and on the 10th January 1943 had killed two Japanese soldiers patrolling the area around Paungbyin.
Captain Denis Clive Herring, also of the 2nd Burma Rifles had been sent on ahead during Operation Longcloth into the Kachin Hill Tracts. His mission was to encourage and promote the formation of Guerilla Levies in the area, which was still pro-British in it's outlook. An amusing aside to this mission was the codename for all propaganda material used in enlisting the Kachin tribesmen, inexplicably an 'Elephant never forgets'.
Previously, back in India, the initial Chindit Jungle training directed at Officers was delivered by a Mr. Tara Singh. Singh had been a Forestry Commissioner in the Saugor region and taught the men techniques in jungle survival and river craft.
Two men from Operation Longcloth, Pte. John Critchley and Corporal David Humphrey Jones chose to remain behind and live as Burmese natives rather than attempt the march back to India. Both men were already in a state of exhaustion and extremely malnourished and had been lost from their original dispersal party, when they made their unusual decision to remain in Burma. They were located in March 1944, when Bernard Fergusson re-entered the country with 16th British Infantry Brigade. Jones sadly died soon afterward, suffering from scrub-typhus.
Young Gurkha Riflemen often chose to enlist to escape the monotony of family life in the hill tracts of Nepal. The British Army offered them security, the guarantee of regular food, a roof over their heads and a well earned pension at the end of their career. Most of all however, it gave them the opportunity to achieve a promotion within the Gurkha Ranks and the chance to be awarded the much prized 'bahaduri' or bravery award.
Captain Denis Clive Herring, also of the 2nd Burma Rifles had been sent on ahead during Operation Longcloth into the Kachin Hill Tracts. His mission was to encourage and promote the formation of Guerilla Levies in the area, which was still pro-British in it's outlook. An amusing aside to this mission was the codename for all propaganda material used in enlisting the Kachin tribesmen, inexplicably an 'Elephant never forgets'.
Previously, back in India, the initial Chindit Jungle training directed at Officers was delivered by a Mr. Tara Singh. Singh had been a Forestry Commissioner in the Saugor region and taught the men techniques in jungle survival and river craft.
Two men from Operation Longcloth, Pte. John Critchley and Corporal David Humphrey Jones chose to remain behind and live as Burmese natives rather than attempt the march back to India. Both men were already in a state of exhaustion and extremely malnourished and had been lost from their original dispersal party, when they made their unusual decision to remain in Burma. They were located in March 1944, when Bernard Fergusson re-entered the country with 16th British Infantry Brigade. Jones sadly died soon afterward, suffering from scrub-typhus.
Young Gurkha Riflemen often chose to enlist to escape the monotony of family life in the hill tracts of Nepal. The British Army offered them security, the guarantee of regular food, a roof over their heads and a well earned pension at the end of their career. Most of all however, it gave them the opportunity to achieve a promotion within the Gurkha Ranks and the chance to be awarded the much prized 'bahaduri' or bravery award.
A group of Gurkha NCO's, seen at Saugor in 1942.
According to the memoirs of Mike Calvert, some men from the 13th King's were killed by local protestors during the Indian Congress riots at Jhansi in late 1942. This of course cannot be confirmed, but there are several King's casualties from around that time.
Ian MacHorton's book, 'Safer than a Known Way' was first published in the popular magazine 'John Bull' on 10/07/1957. It was then entitled 'I Refused to Die'.
The Kachin tribe's translation for the Irrawaddy River at its source near Myitkhina is 'Mali Hka' or Four Waters. In turn Myitkhina is Burmese for 'Near the Big River'.
A number of stragglers from Operation Longcloth were rescued by the Northern Kachin Levies or NKL in 1943. The tribes people of this area although generally pro-British, were not predisposed toward the Wingate expedition because it had brought unwanted Japanese attention to the area with severe consequences for local villages.
The Chindit prisoners in Rangoon Jail gave humorous nicknames to some of their Japanese guards, usually depicting a physical characteristic or personality trait. Guards such as:
'Pompous Percy', who was present on the Pegu march in 1945; an arrogant and obnoxious creature.
'The Kicker', no need to explain this man's special skill I shouldn't think.
'The Jockey', said to be the guard responsible for bayonetting stragglers on the Pegu march in April 1945. His nickname came from the style of his Army cap.
'Creeping Jesus', a bespectacled guard who attempted to surprise POW's by appearing out of nowhere, then beating them for not acknowledging his presence with a bow.
'Smiler', a decent character unluckily killed by an Allied bombing raid on the jail.
'Weary Willie', could be hot or cold, typical Jap. (Quote by Denis Gudgeon).
Others included:
The Bullfog, Limpy, Little Lance Corporal, Moose Face, Death Warmed Up and The Bulldozer.
Medical Officer Lieutenant Akio Onishi was the senior Japanese doctor in Rangoon Jail, he withheld drugs from being administered to POW's causing great and unnecessary suffering. He was also probably involved in the callous experimentation on prisoners, testing the effects of malarial strains on the already physically exhausted men. Sentenced to death by a War Crimes Court after the war, this sentence was commuted to life imprisonment. See photograph below.
Ian MacHorton's book, 'Safer than a Known Way' was first published in the popular magazine 'John Bull' on 10/07/1957. It was then entitled 'I Refused to Die'.
The Kachin tribe's translation for the Irrawaddy River at its source near Myitkhina is 'Mali Hka' or Four Waters. In turn Myitkhina is Burmese for 'Near the Big River'.
A number of stragglers from Operation Longcloth were rescued by the Northern Kachin Levies or NKL in 1943. The tribes people of this area although generally pro-British, were not predisposed toward the Wingate expedition because it had brought unwanted Japanese attention to the area with severe consequences for local villages.
The Chindit prisoners in Rangoon Jail gave humorous nicknames to some of their Japanese guards, usually depicting a physical characteristic or personality trait. Guards such as:
'Pompous Percy', who was present on the Pegu march in 1945; an arrogant and obnoxious creature.
'The Kicker', no need to explain this man's special skill I shouldn't think.
'The Jockey', said to be the guard responsible for bayonetting stragglers on the Pegu march in April 1945. His nickname came from the style of his Army cap.
'Creeping Jesus', a bespectacled guard who attempted to surprise POW's by appearing out of nowhere, then beating them for not acknowledging his presence with a bow.
'Smiler', a decent character unluckily killed by an Allied bombing raid on the jail.
'Weary Willie', could be hot or cold, typical Jap. (Quote by Denis Gudgeon).
Others included:
The Bullfog, Limpy, Little Lance Corporal, Moose Face, Death Warmed Up and The Bulldozer.
Medical Officer Lieutenant Akio Onishi was the senior Japanese doctor in Rangoon Jail, he withheld drugs from being administered to POW's causing great and unnecessary suffering. He was also probably involved in the callous experimentation on prisoners, testing the effects of malarial strains on the already physically exhausted men. Sentenced to death by a War Crimes Court after the war, this sentence was commuted to life imprisonment. See photograph below.
Japanese Medical Officer Lt. Akio Onishi. Seen here before his War Crimes trial in 1946.
3/2 Gurkha Rifles arrived at the Bharon Camp for Chindit training in June 1942 with 26 British Officers, 35 Gurkha Officers, 1289 Gurkha OR's, 18 British OR's and 20 Followers.
During the pre-Xmas period at Jhansi in 1942 the columns enjoyed a magician show, mobile cinemas, a sports day including mule races and cholera injections for the whole Brigade. On 18th November there had been an outbreak of cholera at Saugor town which soon claimed the lives of many of its inhabitants.
A Chindit unit marched in what was termed a 'Column snake', some of these could be well over half a mile in length.
Column 7 and Column 2 were twinned for both the final training exercise at Jhansi and then travelled together on the same train from Jhansi to Dimapur in January 1943. Wingate's Brigade HQ entrained with the Burma Rifle HQ, Column 3 and Column 8. Bernard Fergusson's Column 5 were accompanied by Northern Group HQ and remnants of Column 6.
The smallest Chindit Column in terms of personnel numbers was Column 5 at 297. Even Wingate's Brigade Head Quarters was larger.
A Chindit unit on the march in 'Column snake' formation.
The 13th Battalion, King's Liverpool Regiment were formed out of the 50th (Irish) Holding Battalion in 1940 at Newtown, Powys Wales. Their first war service posting found them performing coastal defence duties at Felixstowe as part of 155 Brigade. On the 22nd December 1940 at Felixstowe a German Dormer bomber was shot down, the 13th King's were sent out and instructed to search for the missing crew.
The first recorded 13th King's casualty was Pte. James Upton who was accidentally shot with a revolver on the 8th November 1940 whilst at the Felixstowe Army Camp. James now lies alongside his mother and father at the Philips Park Cemetery, Manchester.
A representative side from the 13th King's played Blackburn Police at Ewood Park (the home of Blackburn Rovers FC) on 25th November 1941, just before the battalion left British shores for India. The King's won 6-2.
On the 8th December1941 the 13th King's set sail for India, the weather was cloudy and dull, the sea was recorded as 'choppy' in the battalion War diary. By the time they had reached the Bay of Biscay the weather had become 'stormy'.
Although I am sure that the King's did not take part, Russian Roulette was a popular game played by the officers aboard the 'Oronsay'. The idea behind this game is that the weight of the bullet will always take it to bottom of chamber and therefore never be in the firing position in a clean and well oiled gun.
The first recorded 13th King's casualty was Pte. James Upton who was accidentally shot with a revolver on the 8th November 1940 whilst at the Felixstowe Army Camp. James now lies alongside his mother and father at the Philips Park Cemetery, Manchester.
A representative side from the 13th King's played Blackburn Police at Ewood Park (the home of Blackburn Rovers FC) on 25th November 1941, just before the battalion left British shores for India. The King's won 6-2.
On the 8th December1941 the 13th King's set sail for India, the weather was cloudy and dull, the sea was recorded as 'choppy' in the battalion War diary. By the time they had reached the Bay of Biscay the weather had become 'stormy'.
Although I am sure that the King's did not take part, Russian Roulette was a popular game played by the officers aboard the 'Oronsay'. The idea behind this game is that the weight of the bullet will always take it to bottom of chamber and therefore never be in the firing position in a clean and well oiled gun.
The gravestone of Pte. James Upton, killed in a firearms accident in November 1940.
Crimes, misdemeanours and bad behaviour
When a large group of men congregate in one place there are always those who will cause trouble or behave badly, the Army during WW2 was no exception. Here are some examples involving the 13th King's in 1942-43 and as the saying goes: "no names, no pack-drill."
From the 13th King's War diary dated 25th May 1942:
"News today, and it seems we are to receive the seven men who deserted the battalion during the voyage to India, that being the three from the UK and the four from Durban. It is to be hoped that they have already been court-martialled, so as not to spoil our good record here in Secunderabad."
Unfortunately Captain Hastings hopes for the battalion's good record were dashed and four court-martial hearings were necessary and four jail sentences meted out to the miscreants.
During the same period the 13th King's were required to share the Secunderabad Cantonment with the 1st Cameronians. The mixture of Scousers and Glaswegians often proved challenging for the Military Police in the area:
"Two Cameronians turned up today, saying they had walked out of Burma, their stories seem rather flimsy, one is now under close arrest, the other in hospital. These men seem to be quite an awful lot, with hardly a clean conduct sheet amongst them, we are to place them under close arrest until further orders are received."
Although the King's may not have bonded with the Cameronians at Secunderabad, the men from Liverpool were soon to realise exactly what these Scots had experienced during the retreat out of Burma and all was quickly forgiven and forgotten.
One of the 13th Kingsmen had first hand experience of trying to control the Cameronians when they were out on the town in Secunderabad. Here is how Pte. Leon Frank (pictured below) remembered those times:
"We settled down to some pleasant garrison duties and I became a regimental policeman. I was told I volunteered for it! I must tell you an amusing incident during my duty there. We had a canteen, we called it the coffee shop, and every Friday night they would hold a dance for soldiers and the local girls and residents.
We'd recently received a new intake of Cameronian troops and I believe a lot of them had been in trouble and had been on detention. Of course when they came ashore and re-stationed at our barracks, Meadows Barracks, they were all released but some of them still bore the semblances of their misdemeanours - the close cropped hair and such. Anyway, one night I was on duty at the coffee shop with a dance in progress and this burly Cameronian - he must have been well over six feet tall and was slightly the worse for drink - approached an Anglo-Indian girl and asked her for a dance. Evidently, seeing the state he was in she refused, so he promptly took a bottle and hit her on the head with it.
Sergeant Evans, the Welsh police sergeant, turned to me and said "Private Frank, arrest that man". You know how big I am (5'3") and I've told you how big he was. Without further ado I whipped my arm-band off, went over to him, put my arm round his shoulders, full of sympathy, and told him I knew a far better place where he could enjoy himself. I just gently led him to the police cells and put him away for the night."
By late November 1942 the 13th King's were completing their Chindit training in the Central Provinces and had been granted, what would turn out to be their final leave before entering Burma. Many men chose Bombay as their destination for this time away from training; once again some did not behave too well. From the battalion War diary dated 27th November 1942:
"The latest draft have caused trouble in Bombay whilst on leave. A telegram was received today from the Commander of the Bombay District saying that he was not prepared to have any more unless discipline and turn-out improves."
On a more serious note; whilst on the operation in Burma column discipline was quite rightly deemed vital for the safety and survial of the men. The Column Commanders dealt with any offences against discipline in their own individual ways. Those who fell asleep whilst on sentry duty for instance; in one column this was considered worthy of corporal punishment, whilst in another the derision of one's piers was judged sufficient.
Men who had become so hungry as to steal food from their own comrades were sent away from the unit, expelled for a time and left to their own devices. This may seem extremely harsh, but it was necessary to stamp out such petty thieving before it destroyed morale. Other misdemeanours were dealt with by demotion through the ranks and sometimes withholding rations from a man who had seriously offended the larger group.
Pte. Leon Frank, the 5'3" Military Policeman at Secunderabad.
It has often been mentioned in Chindit writings, that the real heroes of both campaigns were the transport mules. On Operation Longcloth there were about 1000 of these tough and hard working animals which were roughly shared out between the various columns. Only a handful survived their time in the Burmese jungle in 1943.
There were generally three different breeds used on Operation Longcloth; the smaller Indian mule which was employed to carry general supplies, rations, medical equipment and so on. The heavy equipment such as the wireless set and all its paraphernalia tended to be carried by much larger animals, these were sourced from Argentina and the 'Missouri' breed from the United States.
The health and well being of the mules was paramount and during training mule stewardship was given a high priority. There were qualified Veterinary Officers available, but usually the Animal Transport Officers and the mule handlers (muleteers) took care of the health of an animal. Wingate set high standards for these officers, often carrying out inspections at short notice and correcting any mistakes or mishandling (see image below).
Bill Smyly from Column 5, George Worte of Column 3 and John Fowler of Column 1 were just some of the Chindit Animal Transport Officers present on Operation Longcloth. A draft of Gurkha muleteers from 10th GR were last minute reinforcements for the first Chindit expedition, arriving just a few weeks before the Brigade set out for the Chindwin. Two members of this draft were; Janga Bahadur Thaman from Column 1, who unfortunately became a prisoner of war in 1943, but was liberated by a Chindit Column from the second expedition in 1944 and Rifleman Lal Bahadur, known as 'Red the Fearless' also from Column 1. Lal Bahadur served with Major Jefferies in February 1943, during the time when he was impersonating Brigadier Wingate as part of Southern Group's deception and decoy duties.
Some of the 13th King's were used as muleteers in 1943, most grew to love their four-legged partners and were devastated when the animal finally perished along the tracks and pathways in Burma that year. Some examples from Operation Longcloth are; Mabel, Mike Calvert's favourite mule in Column 3. She carried explosives for his 142 Commando platoon and was one of the few animals to survive the expedition. Then there was Pte. Fred Holloman's mule, Betty, who carried the wireless set for Wingate's Brigade HQ, she was lost when the Brigade failed to cross the Irrawaddy in early April. An example of a 'Missouri' breed was Big Bertha, Column 8's wireless mule. Bertha died from exhaustion shortly after the column had crossed the Shweli River on 2nd April.
Mules were fed on fodder dropped for them during column air supply drops. When this ran out and supply drops proved unrealistic, they were fed on fresh bamboo shoots from the surrounding jungle. After a time in Burma the animals began to suffer from leg galls, bloated stomachs (due to the lack of suitable fodder) and eventually anthrax. Most of these animals had to be destroyed. It is also well documented that when rations became scarce for the men, mules were sometimes eaten to supplement their diet, the ultimate sacrifice for these unfortunate animals.
In 1944 many of the mules used on the operation were flown into Burma by United States Airforce Dakotas (see image below). They had been previously 'de-voiced' in order for them to be as silent as possible whilst marching through the jungle. The mules were loaded into specially designed wooden stalls.
Pte. Horace White of the Beds and Herts Regiment in 1944 recalled:
There were two columns of our Battalion. I was the No 2, on the Vickers machine gun. No 1. was a Scot from a machine gun battalion. He was, of course called “Jock” and I was “Whitey”. We also had a muleteer to look after the mule which carried our machine gun and tripod. Mules carried all the kit, medical supplies and so on.
We were flown into Burma from India. The mules were all devoiced before we went in to keep them quiet. Jock and I were at first surprised to find we had three mules in our old Dakota. We were given a revolver each just in case!
Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
In every Chindit column there was a platoon of Commandos. These men were given the overall working title of 142 Company R.I.A.S.C., this of course was merely a cover name for their more clandestine activities.
142 Commando was raised in mid-June 1942 and attached for a short while to the 2nd Battalion of the Green Howard's at Jubbulpore in the Central Provinces of India.
Commanded in the first instance by Lieu-Colonel T. Featherstonehaugh of the King’s Royal Rifles, the group became part of the 77th Indian Infantry Brigade and was handed over to Brigadier Wingate at the Ramna Camp in Patharia.
Under the draft recognition serial, RZGHA, men were gathered together to make up the strength of the newly formed Chindit Commando unit. At first it was bolstered by men from the 6th and 8th Commando Regiments, who had arrived in India during the middle months of 1942; many of these men had served in the European and Middle Eastern theatres and had already taken part in several operations against the Axis alliance.
On July 13th 1942, command of 142 Commando was given to Major Mike Calvert of the Royal Engineers. The unit was supplemented by soldiers from the Bush Warfare School at Maymyo and the 204 Chinese Military Mission. Both these former units had experience in Special Forces operations behind enemy lines and had only recently exited Burma or the Yunnan Provinces of China.
The structure of each Chindit Commando platoon was as follows:
1 Commanding Officer, usually a Lieutenant promoted to Acting/Captain.
1 2nd Lieutenant
1 Sergeant
1 Corporal
2 Lance Corporals
1 Sapper from the Royal Engineers
12-14 Privates
By their very nature, the men selected to form the Commando platoons were fitter and perhaps possessed a greater strength of character. This seems to have given those men from 142 Commando who were captured by the Japanese in 1943, a greater chance of surviving their time as a prisoner of war.
Of the Commandos captured during Operation Longcloth over 50% were liberated in May 1945.
The overall figure for Chindit Other Ranks that became POW’s is much less at just 39%.
Although these are interesting numbers, it would of course depend on what condition the soldier was in when first captured. A man may well have been wounded or suffering from a debilitating disease such as malaria or dysentery. The soldiers of Column 5 for example, had received barely one quarter of their supply drop rations during the operation; these men were already in a state of malnutrition and exhaustion even before becoming POW’s. It is no surprise that their survival rate was the poorest of all.
Seen below are some Chindit Commandos. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
142 Commando was raised in mid-June 1942 and attached for a short while to the 2nd Battalion of the Green Howard's at Jubbulpore in the Central Provinces of India.
Commanded in the first instance by Lieu-Colonel T. Featherstonehaugh of the King’s Royal Rifles, the group became part of the 77th Indian Infantry Brigade and was handed over to Brigadier Wingate at the Ramna Camp in Patharia.
Under the draft recognition serial, RZGHA, men were gathered together to make up the strength of the newly formed Chindit Commando unit. At first it was bolstered by men from the 6th and 8th Commando Regiments, who had arrived in India during the middle months of 1942; many of these men had served in the European and Middle Eastern theatres and had already taken part in several operations against the Axis alliance.
On July 13th 1942, command of 142 Commando was given to Major Mike Calvert of the Royal Engineers. The unit was supplemented by soldiers from the Bush Warfare School at Maymyo and the 204 Chinese Military Mission. Both these former units had experience in Special Forces operations behind enemy lines and had only recently exited Burma or the Yunnan Provinces of China.
The structure of each Chindit Commando platoon was as follows:
1 Commanding Officer, usually a Lieutenant promoted to Acting/Captain.
1 2nd Lieutenant
1 Sergeant
1 Corporal
2 Lance Corporals
1 Sapper from the Royal Engineers
12-14 Privates
By their very nature, the men selected to form the Commando platoons were fitter and perhaps possessed a greater strength of character. This seems to have given those men from 142 Commando who were captured by the Japanese in 1943, a greater chance of surviving their time as a prisoner of war.
Of the Commandos captured during Operation Longcloth over 50% were liberated in May 1945.
The overall figure for Chindit Other Ranks that became POW’s is much less at just 39%.
Although these are interesting numbers, it would of course depend on what condition the soldier was in when first captured. A man may well have been wounded or suffering from a debilitating disease such as malaria or dysentery. The soldiers of Column 5 for example, had received barely one quarter of their supply drop rations during the operation; these men were already in a state of malnutrition and exhaustion even before becoming POW’s. It is no surprise that their survival rate was the poorest of all.
Seen below are some Chindit Commandos. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
31Squadron personnel, Air Liaison and Rear Base had codenamed Longcloth as 'Operation Vicki'. This was reputedly named after an Officer's Club the men used to frequent in Calcutta.
The average weight per plane for a supply drop delivery on Operation Longcloth was 1100-1300 lbs.
There were rarely more than three aircraft allocated to supplying 77th Brigade at any one time. Amongst the planes involved, the DC-3 Dakotas, MA-928 and MA-943 and the Lockheed Hudson serial number LR-234, were the most regular callers on the Chindits.
The first supply drop for Northern Group took place at the Burmese village of Tonmakeng in late February 1943. There were six sorties flown that day over twenty one flying hours, supplying 38,500 lbs of rations and equipment. MA-928 crewed by Flight/Officer Lord and Sgt. Earney, along with MA-943 flown by Flight/Officer Coughlin and Sgt. Hodgson did the majority of the work.
On the 23rd March, MA-928 crashed during take-off at the Agartala Airbase. The crew of Pilot/Officer Smeaton and Sgt. Guthrie both seemed to have survived the incident and it was not long before their Dakota was back in business. To read the Squadron Operational Record Book entry for that day, please see the image below.
The average weight per plane for a supply drop delivery on Operation Longcloth was 1100-1300 lbs.
There were rarely more than three aircraft allocated to supplying 77th Brigade at any one time. Amongst the planes involved, the DC-3 Dakotas, MA-928 and MA-943 and the Lockheed Hudson serial number LR-234, were the most regular callers on the Chindits.
The first supply drop for Northern Group took place at the Burmese village of Tonmakeng in late February 1943. There were six sorties flown that day over twenty one flying hours, supplying 38,500 lbs of rations and equipment. MA-928 crewed by Flight/Officer Lord and Sgt. Earney, along with MA-943 flown by Flight/Officer Coughlin and Sgt. Hodgson did the majority of the work.
On the 23rd March, MA-928 crashed during take-off at the Agartala Airbase. The crew of Pilot/Officer Smeaton and Sgt. Guthrie both seemed to have survived the incident and it was not long before their Dakota was back in business. To read the Squadron Operational Record Book entry for that day, please see the image below.
The Operations Record Book (ORB) for 31 Squadron, entries for 24/25th March 1943.
By the time of dispersal in late March 1943, there were over 20,000 Japanese troops on the lookout for the Chindits of Operation Longcloth over a wide area of Northern Burma. This situation, at the very least, must have deflected the enemy's attention away from strengthening defences at Myitkhina and preparing for their advance on Imphal and Kohima.
The wives of both 13th King's and 3/2 Gurkha Rifles personnel were given a reduced pension until their husbands fate whilst serving on Operation Longcloth could be determined. In the case of those held as prisoners of war, this reduction would remain in place until incarceration was clarified and confirmed. In some cases this resulted in an under payment for well over two years.
On the 9th October 1945, the men from the original battalion of the 13th King's qualified for the award of the Defence Medal for their service in India and Burma. Recipients of the medal included Jim Suddery and William Crowhurst from 8 Column and Ptes. Coyne and Fordy, members of 142 Commando in 1943 and formerly with the Durham Light Infantry.
By mid-1945, the 13th Battalion, the King's Liverpool Regiment, were comprised by barely 10% of the original personnel that voyaged to India in December 1941 aboard the troopship Oronsay.
On the 29th November 1945, the men of the 13th King's amalgamated with the 1st King's at the premier battalion's Head Quarters in Dehra Dun. This was to bolster the strength of the 1st King's, after numerous repatriation drafts had left the battalion in order to travel home to the United Kingdom.
War diary entry confirming the amalgamation of the 1st and 13th King's at Dehra Dun on the 29th November 1945.