Lieutenant George Henry Borrow
2nd Lieutenant 228394 George Henry Borrow MC, as a young subaltern served as Intelligence Officer for both Column 8 and Northern Group Head Quarters on Operation Longcloth. Born in the town of Broome in south Norfolk, he was the son of Edward Borrow who had received his own gallantry award, the Distinguished Service Order whilst serving with the 13th Battalion of the Durham Light Infantry in WW1. With such previous endeavour behind him, it seemed almost inevitable that George would excel in his own service for King and country.
Fellow Chindit officer, Philip Godfrey Stibbe described his new comrade at arms in his book, Return via Rangoon:
In George Borrow, another officer of my battalion of the Royal Sussex Regiment, I found a kindred spirit. An East Anglian, like his famous forebear, George was slightly built, quiet and studious, with a face like a baby owl. At first sight definitely not the kind of person one would expect to feel at home in the Army; an academic, I decided, and not a man of action. I soon discovered my mistake.
There was about George a remarkable integrity and sincerity and a wonderful gift of being able to devote himself entirely to what he was doing. This, combined with a phenomenal amount of determination, enabled him to endure far more than most of those who appeared to be better equipped for warfare. He was also one of the gentlest and least selfish men I have met. Everyone who met him came to like and admire him. Before joining the Army he had spent a year at Cambridge and, as I had spent the same period at Oxford, we had much in common.
George Borrow was suffering from jaundice in early 1943, but insisted that he could still take up his place in Chindit Column 8 and cross the Chindwin with 77 Brigade. Although weakened by his illness, he did not waver in the performance of his duties that year. He was rewarded for his efforts in 1943 with a Military Cross, recommended by the commander of Northern Group, Lieutenant-Colonel S.A. Cooke.
The recommendation read:
Throughout the operations in Burma from mid-February to mid-May 1943, Lieutenant Borrow acted as Intelligence Officer to H.Q. No. 2 Group. He insisted on accompanying the expedition [Wingate’s first Chindit operation] despite the fact he was suffering from jaundice. The continued privations and hardships of the campaign prevented him from ever recovering his health in the course of it, and in the latter stages he suffered intensely from internal disorders, general weakness and a malady which attacked his legs and made marching extremely difficult and painful.
Despite the effects of these serious inroads upon a state of health already poor, he showed throughout the campaign a superb example of doggedness and courage which aroused the admiration of every officer and man who saw him, and inspired them all to emulate his magnificent endurance.
His work as Intelligence Officer not only did not suffer from his bad state of health, but would have been remarkable for its thoroughness and efficiency in ordinary circumstances; while his behaviour under fire was exemplary. His high spirit helped immeasurably to carry the party with which he was travelling through the most arduous trials until the British lines were reached, when, after an example of steadfastness and endurance which cannot often have been surpassed, he finally collapsed.
After recovering from his tribulations on Operation Longcloth, George Borrow re-joined Chindit training in November 1943. He was then promoted to Staff Captain at Special Force Head Quarters, before Wingate made him his A.D.C. (personal assistant in the field) in time for the second Chindit expedition in March 1944.
George was constantly at Major-General Wingate's side during the early weeks of the operation, as the Chindit leader visited his brigades inside Burma. On the 24th March, they flew in to the Chindit stronghold codenamed Broadway, in order to congratulate the occupants on their recent successes against the Japanese. Wingate then flew on to several other Chindit positions including White City, before heading back to his head quarters at Sylhet in India.
Tragically, the B-25 Mitchell Bomber in which he was travelling never made the return journey that day, crashing in to the jungle-covered hills of Manipur State and killing all on board. Wingate, George Borrow and the other casualties present in the plane were all buried close to the scene of the accident, near a village called Thuilon. In 1947, at the request of the United States Government all the remains from this burial were exhumed and re-interred at the Arlington National Cemetery in the State of Virginia. To read more about the places where Wingate is commemorated, please click on the following link: Memorials and Cemeteries
To view George Borrow's CWGC details, please click on the following link:
http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2720064/BORROW,%20GEORGE%20HENRY
The short narrative above is a basic outline demonstrating the Chindit journey of Lt. George Borrow. Through good fortune, I became aware of a more in depth biography of this soldier, written by the author and essayist, Peter Missler. To understand more about Peter Missler and his work, please click on the following link: georgeborrowstudies.net/aboutus.html
The article in question is shown in the next gallery, along with some other images in relation to George Borrow and his time during the years of WW2. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
Fellow Chindit officer, Philip Godfrey Stibbe described his new comrade at arms in his book, Return via Rangoon:
In George Borrow, another officer of my battalion of the Royal Sussex Regiment, I found a kindred spirit. An East Anglian, like his famous forebear, George was slightly built, quiet and studious, with a face like a baby owl. At first sight definitely not the kind of person one would expect to feel at home in the Army; an academic, I decided, and not a man of action. I soon discovered my mistake.
There was about George a remarkable integrity and sincerity and a wonderful gift of being able to devote himself entirely to what he was doing. This, combined with a phenomenal amount of determination, enabled him to endure far more than most of those who appeared to be better equipped for warfare. He was also one of the gentlest and least selfish men I have met. Everyone who met him came to like and admire him. Before joining the Army he had spent a year at Cambridge and, as I had spent the same period at Oxford, we had much in common.
George Borrow was suffering from jaundice in early 1943, but insisted that he could still take up his place in Chindit Column 8 and cross the Chindwin with 77 Brigade. Although weakened by his illness, he did not waver in the performance of his duties that year. He was rewarded for his efforts in 1943 with a Military Cross, recommended by the commander of Northern Group, Lieutenant-Colonel S.A. Cooke.
The recommendation read:
Throughout the operations in Burma from mid-February to mid-May 1943, Lieutenant Borrow acted as Intelligence Officer to H.Q. No. 2 Group. He insisted on accompanying the expedition [Wingate’s first Chindit operation] despite the fact he was suffering from jaundice. The continued privations and hardships of the campaign prevented him from ever recovering his health in the course of it, and in the latter stages he suffered intensely from internal disorders, general weakness and a malady which attacked his legs and made marching extremely difficult and painful.
Despite the effects of these serious inroads upon a state of health already poor, he showed throughout the campaign a superb example of doggedness and courage which aroused the admiration of every officer and man who saw him, and inspired them all to emulate his magnificent endurance.
His work as Intelligence Officer not only did not suffer from his bad state of health, but would have been remarkable for its thoroughness and efficiency in ordinary circumstances; while his behaviour under fire was exemplary. His high spirit helped immeasurably to carry the party with which he was travelling through the most arduous trials until the British lines were reached, when, after an example of steadfastness and endurance which cannot often have been surpassed, he finally collapsed.
After recovering from his tribulations on Operation Longcloth, George Borrow re-joined Chindit training in November 1943. He was then promoted to Staff Captain at Special Force Head Quarters, before Wingate made him his A.D.C. (personal assistant in the field) in time for the second Chindit expedition in March 1944.
George was constantly at Major-General Wingate's side during the early weeks of the operation, as the Chindit leader visited his brigades inside Burma. On the 24th March, they flew in to the Chindit stronghold codenamed Broadway, in order to congratulate the occupants on their recent successes against the Japanese. Wingate then flew on to several other Chindit positions including White City, before heading back to his head quarters at Sylhet in India.
Tragically, the B-25 Mitchell Bomber in which he was travelling never made the return journey that day, crashing in to the jungle-covered hills of Manipur State and killing all on board. Wingate, George Borrow and the other casualties present in the plane were all buried close to the scene of the accident, near a village called Thuilon. In 1947, at the request of the United States Government all the remains from this burial were exhumed and re-interred at the Arlington National Cemetery in the State of Virginia. To read more about the places where Wingate is commemorated, please click on the following link: Memorials and Cemeteries
To view George Borrow's CWGC details, please click on the following link:
http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2720064/BORROW,%20GEORGE%20HENRY
The short narrative above is a basic outline demonstrating the Chindit journey of Lt. George Borrow. Through good fortune, I became aware of a more in depth biography of this soldier, written by the author and essayist, Peter Missler. To understand more about Peter Missler and his work, please click on the following link: georgeborrowstudies.net/aboutus.html
The article in question is shown in the next gallery, along with some other images in relation to George Borrow and his time during the years of WW2. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
Contained within Peter Missler's narrative, comes mention of George Borrow's father, Edward. I thought it would be both interesting and worthwhile to add some information about Edward and in particular his own Army career.
Edward Borrow was born in 1879 in London; he served with the Imperial Yeomanry during the Boer War in South Africa (1899-1902) and then re-enlisted as a Trooper in the 2nd King Edward's Horse in August 1914 at the beginning of WW1. Later during the Great War he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant into the 13th (Service) Battalion Durham Light Infantry. He fought on the Western Front with 13 DLI and then the 10th West Riding Regiment and was wounded at Ypres in 1917, receiving a bullet to his right hand. He also served at times with the 12th Battalion of the Durham Light Infantry and the 11th Battalion of the Northumberland Fusiliers, on this occasion in Italy during 1918.
In 1917, Major Edward Borrow was awarded the Distinguished Service Order whilst attached to the 10th West Riding Regiment during the third battle of Ypres. His medal citation released on the 22nd March 1918 read:
"For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in an attack. When the leading troops who were suffering severe casualties he kept the men together by his splendid leadership. Though twice wounded himself, he led his men to the final objective, and stuck to his post until he collapsed from the effects of his wounds. His courage and example were an inspiration to all ranks."
This citation was recorded in the London Gazette, published on the 19th November 1917.
Major Edward Borrow retired from the Army in 1920. His medals are located in Medal Case No. 21, Display Group 8, at the Durham Light Infantry Museum. To view his full medal entitlement, please click on the following link:
dlimuseum.durham.gov.uk/pgMedalSummary.aspx?&BioId=25179&BioSurname=&AZ=
Seen below is a gallery of images in relation to Edward Borrow and his service during the Great War. Coincidently, he shared a later posting in 1918 with Eric Dorman-Smith, the brother of Reginald Dorman-Smith, who was to become the Governor of Burma throughout the years of WW2, including of course both Chindit expeditions. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
Edward Borrow was born in 1879 in London; he served with the Imperial Yeomanry during the Boer War in South Africa (1899-1902) and then re-enlisted as a Trooper in the 2nd King Edward's Horse in August 1914 at the beginning of WW1. Later during the Great War he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant into the 13th (Service) Battalion Durham Light Infantry. He fought on the Western Front with 13 DLI and then the 10th West Riding Regiment and was wounded at Ypres in 1917, receiving a bullet to his right hand. He also served at times with the 12th Battalion of the Durham Light Infantry and the 11th Battalion of the Northumberland Fusiliers, on this occasion in Italy during 1918.
In 1917, Major Edward Borrow was awarded the Distinguished Service Order whilst attached to the 10th West Riding Regiment during the third battle of Ypres. His medal citation released on the 22nd March 1918 read:
"For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in an attack. When the leading troops who were suffering severe casualties he kept the men together by his splendid leadership. Though twice wounded himself, he led his men to the final objective, and stuck to his post until he collapsed from the effects of his wounds. His courage and example were an inspiration to all ranks."
This citation was recorded in the London Gazette, published on the 19th November 1917.
Major Edward Borrow retired from the Army in 1920. His medals are located in Medal Case No. 21, Display Group 8, at the Durham Light Infantry Museum. To view his full medal entitlement, please click on the following link:
dlimuseum.durham.gov.uk/pgMedalSummary.aspx?&BioId=25179&BioSurname=&AZ=
Seen below is a gallery of images in relation to Edward Borrow and his service during the Great War. Coincidently, he shared a later posting in 1918 with Eric Dorman-Smith, the brother of Reginald Dorman-Smith, who was to become the Governor of Burma throughout the years of WW2, including of course both Chindit expeditions. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
Also mentioned within the pages of Peter Missler's article, was the reference to the sale of Captain George Borrow's medals at auction. To my knowledge his medals have come up for sale on no fewer than three occasions in recent times. Firstly, at the Dix Noonan Webb Medals and Militaria auction, held on the 27th June 2002:
Group of Four medals to Captain G. H. Borrow, M.C., King’s Liverpool Regiment, late Royal Sussex Regiment, A.D.C. to Major-General Orde Wingate and killed with him when their B-25 Mitchell Bomber crashed in Burma in March 1944. The lot comprises:
1939-45 Star, Burma Star, Defence & War Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaf, together with the Army Council condolence slip named to Capt. G.H. Borrow MC. Condition extremely fine. Estimate £200-300.
Additional information:
George Henry Borrow was born at Broome, Norfolk, on the 25th September 1921, son of Major Edward Borrow, D.S.O., and his wife Alys. After his education at Greshams School and Selwyn College, Cambridge, George joined the Army in 1941 and was commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant into the Royal Sussex Regiment in March 1942. In May 1942, having volunteered for service overseas, he joined the 13th Battalion King’s Liverpool Regiment in India, one of the battalions of 77th Indian Infantry Brigade commanded by Brigadier Orde Charles Wingate.
In November 1943 he became Wingate’s A.D.C. and Staff Captain to Special Force Headquarters, the force which Wingate was preparing for the second Chindit expedition, which was finally launched on 5th March 1944. The next 19 days were ones of constant movement for Wingate and Borrow, flying in and visiting forward troops.
On the 24th March, they flew in to Broadway where Wingate congratulated Calvert’s Brigade, flew on to White City, a second stronghold established by Calvert, then on to Aberdeen, a stronghold established by Bernard Fergusson. From there Wingate returned to Broadway and thence back to Imphal to confer with the Air Officer Commanding, Air Marshal Baldwin. He was flying in a B-25 Mitchell Bomber of the U.S. Army Air Force, piloted by Lieutenant Brian Hodges with a crew of four. From Imphal Wingate decided to return to Lalaghat to see Colonel Cochran, commander of the 1st USAAF Air Commando, and left at 5p.m. With him in the plane, in addition to the crew and Captain Borrow, were two British War Correspondents who has asked for a lift to Lalaghat, Stuart Emeny of the News Chronicle and Stanley Wills of the Daily Herald.
Wingate was in the co-pilot’s seat, George Borrow and the journalists crouched uncomfortably in the back. Their plane crashed flying over the Bishenpur Hills and all were killed. A search party on 29th March found the wreckage, buried 18 feet into the hillside, and identified it by, amongst other things, the remains of Wingate’s famous Wolseley helmet. In July 1944, a second party visited the scene, led by the Senior Chaplain of Special Force, Stewart Perowne. The remains were collected together and buried, a service held and a cross erected, inscribed with the nine names. In 1947 on the orders of the United States Government, the remains were exhumed and reinterred in Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia, U.S.A.
On the 14th December 2011, these medals and associated paperwork reappeared for sale, this time at the Bonhams Auction House in New Bond Street. There had by this time, been a significant addition to the lot, in the form of a dated (1943) Military Cross medal. The estimate price was placed at £1200-1300.
On the 18th September 2014, George Borrow's medals were once again up for sale with Dix Noonan Webb. Lot 1360, which again included the dated Military Cross, was estimated at £1200-1500, with an informational note stating that the MC had been added by the most recent owner of the group for display purposes. The medals remained unsold.
Group of Four medals to Captain G. H. Borrow, M.C., King’s Liverpool Regiment, late Royal Sussex Regiment, A.D.C. to Major-General Orde Wingate and killed with him when their B-25 Mitchell Bomber crashed in Burma in March 1944. The lot comprises:
1939-45 Star, Burma Star, Defence & War Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaf, together with the Army Council condolence slip named to Capt. G.H. Borrow MC. Condition extremely fine. Estimate £200-300.
Additional information:
George Henry Borrow was born at Broome, Norfolk, on the 25th September 1921, son of Major Edward Borrow, D.S.O., and his wife Alys. After his education at Greshams School and Selwyn College, Cambridge, George joined the Army in 1941 and was commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant into the Royal Sussex Regiment in March 1942. In May 1942, having volunteered for service overseas, he joined the 13th Battalion King’s Liverpool Regiment in India, one of the battalions of 77th Indian Infantry Brigade commanded by Brigadier Orde Charles Wingate.
In November 1943 he became Wingate’s A.D.C. and Staff Captain to Special Force Headquarters, the force which Wingate was preparing for the second Chindit expedition, which was finally launched on 5th March 1944. The next 19 days were ones of constant movement for Wingate and Borrow, flying in and visiting forward troops.
On the 24th March, they flew in to Broadway where Wingate congratulated Calvert’s Brigade, flew on to White City, a second stronghold established by Calvert, then on to Aberdeen, a stronghold established by Bernard Fergusson. From there Wingate returned to Broadway and thence back to Imphal to confer with the Air Officer Commanding, Air Marshal Baldwin. He was flying in a B-25 Mitchell Bomber of the U.S. Army Air Force, piloted by Lieutenant Brian Hodges with a crew of four. From Imphal Wingate decided to return to Lalaghat to see Colonel Cochran, commander of the 1st USAAF Air Commando, and left at 5p.m. With him in the plane, in addition to the crew and Captain Borrow, were two British War Correspondents who has asked for a lift to Lalaghat, Stuart Emeny of the News Chronicle and Stanley Wills of the Daily Herald.
Wingate was in the co-pilot’s seat, George Borrow and the journalists crouched uncomfortably in the back. Their plane crashed flying over the Bishenpur Hills and all were killed. A search party on 29th March found the wreckage, buried 18 feet into the hillside, and identified it by, amongst other things, the remains of Wingate’s famous Wolseley helmet. In July 1944, a second party visited the scene, led by the Senior Chaplain of Special Force, Stewart Perowne. The remains were collected together and buried, a service held and a cross erected, inscribed with the nine names. In 1947 on the orders of the United States Government, the remains were exhumed and reinterred in Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia, U.S.A.
On the 14th December 2011, these medals and associated paperwork reappeared for sale, this time at the Bonhams Auction House in New Bond Street. There had by this time, been a significant addition to the lot, in the form of a dated (1943) Military Cross medal. The estimate price was placed at £1200-1300.
On the 18th September 2014, George Borrow's medals were once again up for sale with Dix Noonan Webb. Lot 1360, which again included the dated Military Cross, was estimated at £1200-1500, with an informational note stating that the MC had been added by the most recent owner of the group for display purposes. The medals remained unsold.
I would like to thank Les Deacon for his invaluable help in bringing the story of Captain George Henry Borrow to these website pages. Les has produced his own website, devoted to the men of the Royal Sussex Regiment in all their nominal guises since 1701. To visit his site, please click on the following link: theorangelily.jimdo.com
To read more about the other soldiers from the Royal Sussex Regiment, that served on Operation Longcloth in 1943, please click on the following link: The Six Sussex New Boys
To read more about the other soldiers from the Royal Sussex Regiment, that served on Operation Longcloth in 1943, please click on the following link: The Six Sussex New Boys
Update 17/04/2017.
From the pages of the Diss Express, dated 21st April 1944 and under the headline:
Died With Wingate
It has now been announced that the only son of Major Borrow and Mrs. E. Borrow of Brome, Captain G.H. Borrow, was among those who met their death with Major-General Orde Wingate, when the plane in which they were passengers crashed in Burma last month. At twenty-two years of age, Captain Borrow was educated at Gresham's School and Selwyn College, Cambridge. After six months at Sandhurst, he volunteered for service overseas in 1942 and went to India in May. He was with the famous Wingate's Follies, which covered over 1000 miles on foot in enemy occupied Burma and was awarded the Military Cross for the part he played in this expedition. He was then appointed General Wingate's A.D.C. in December last (1943).
From the pages of the Diss Express, dated 21st April 1944 and under the headline:
Died With Wingate
It has now been announced that the only son of Major Borrow and Mrs. E. Borrow of Brome, Captain G.H. Borrow, was among those who met their death with Major-General Orde Wingate, when the plane in which they were passengers crashed in Burma last month. At twenty-two years of age, Captain Borrow was educated at Gresham's School and Selwyn College, Cambridge. After six months at Sandhurst, he volunteered for service overseas in 1942 and went to India in May. He was with the famous Wingate's Follies, which covered over 1000 miles on foot in enemy occupied Burma and was awarded the Military Cross for the part he played in this expedition. He was then appointed General Wingate's A.D.C. in December last (1943).
Update 31st March 2018.
A commemoration and wreath laying ceremony was performed at the plane crash site of General Orde Charles Wingate on 10th February 2018. The site is located near the village of Thiulon in the Tamenglong District of Manipur State, India. The crash site is around 1.5km from the south western perimeter of the village. The coordinates measured by GPS were N 24*59’17”and E 93*23’27”. The elevation read 740 meters above sea level.
The ceremony was conducted and arranged by WW2 battlefield researcher, Yumnam Rajeshwor Singh with assistance from his many associates and the Headman from the village Thiulon. The journey to the crash site began on the 9th February and involved travelling through some extremely testing terrain. Rajeshwor had always been keen and interested to make the pilgrimage to Thiulon and now his chance had come. After passing through Tamenglong, the road deteriorates badly and vehicles cannot go beyond a speed of 20km per hour. From the town the road immediately bends like a snake on a steep downward gradient towards the Barak River. A new hanging bridge on the Barak River had recently been built, with the old broken bridge lying next to it in the river.
Raj and his party reached Thiulon later on the 9th February and were greeted by the village elders at the church. After enjoying a meal prepared by the villagers, the explorers bedded down for the night in the Church Office. The next morning, Raj was taken around the village and shown what seemed to be various pieces of plane debris from the Mitchell Bomber. These included part of a radial engine and some landing gear apparatus.
The villagers then told the story of the 24th March 1944, as passed down from one generation to the next. They explained that were having their evening prayer when they saw a ball of fire coming down from the sky. A plane had caught fire and was falling down onto the western slopes of the mountain, some 2km from the village. Just after the crash, loud explosions were heard by the villagers and pebbles and debris from the explosion rattled down on the village houses. They also remembered that several soldiers made the trip to the crash site over the coming weeks to investigate what had happened and to remove items from the scene.
Thanks to Raj’s efforts and visit to the crash site, the villagers of Thiulon have agreed and wish to commemorate the anniversary of General Charles Orde Wingate’s death, alongside the other eight casualties on the 24th March each year. A full report of this pilgrimage, together with some excellent photographs can be seen on the Chindit Society pages, here: The Chindit Society
Update 31st March 2019
After his first visit to Thiulon last year, Raj returned to the village once more on the 24th March 2019. During this second visit he joined with the local villagers in commemorating the 75th Anniversary of Orde Wingate's death, including the unveiling of a permanent memorial stone at the crash location. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
A commemoration and wreath laying ceremony was performed at the plane crash site of General Orde Charles Wingate on 10th February 2018. The site is located near the village of Thiulon in the Tamenglong District of Manipur State, India. The crash site is around 1.5km from the south western perimeter of the village. The coordinates measured by GPS were N 24*59’17”and E 93*23’27”. The elevation read 740 meters above sea level.
The ceremony was conducted and arranged by WW2 battlefield researcher, Yumnam Rajeshwor Singh with assistance from his many associates and the Headman from the village Thiulon. The journey to the crash site began on the 9th February and involved travelling through some extremely testing terrain. Rajeshwor had always been keen and interested to make the pilgrimage to Thiulon and now his chance had come. After passing through Tamenglong, the road deteriorates badly and vehicles cannot go beyond a speed of 20km per hour. From the town the road immediately bends like a snake on a steep downward gradient towards the Barak River. A new hanging bridge on the Barak River had recently been built, with the old broken bridge lying next to it in the river.
Raj and his party reached Thiulon later on the 9th February and were greeted by the village elders at the church. After enjoying a meal prepared by the villagers, the explorers bedded down for the night in the Church Office. The next morning, Raj was taken around the village and shown what seemed to be various pieces of plane debris from the Mitchell Bomber. These included part of a radial engine and some landing gear apparatus.
The villagers then told the story of the 24th March 1944, as passed down from one generation to the next. They explained that were having their evening prayer when they saw a ball of fire coming down from the sky. A plane had caught fire and was falling down onto the western slopes of the mountain, some 2km from the village. Just after the crash, loud explosions were heard by the villagers and pebbles and debris from the explosion rattled down on the village houses. They also remembered that several soldiers made the trip to the crash site over the coming weeks to investigate what had happened and to remove items from the scene.
Thanks to Raj’s efforts and visit to the crash site, the villagers of Thiulon have agreed and wish to commemorate the anniversary of General Charles Orde Wingate’s death, alongside the other eight casualties on the 24th March each year. A full report of this pilgrimage, together with some excellent photographs can be seen on the Chindit Society pages, here: The Chindit Society
Update 31st March 2019
After his first visit to Thiulon last year, Raj returned to the village once more on the 24th March 2019. During this second visit he joined with the local villagers in commemorating the 75th Anniversary of Orde Wingate's death, including the unveiling of a permanent memorial stone at the crash location. Please click on any image to bring it forward on the page.
Copyright © Steve Fogden, October 2016.