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On this day, Maj. Gen. Orde Wingate, leader of the 77th Indian Brigade, also called the Chindits, dies in a transport plane crash. He was 41 years old.
Wingate, a graduate of the Royal Military Academy, was a famous eccentric who both quoted the Bible and advocated irregular warfare tactics. His career as a guerrilla fighter began as he organized Jewish underground patrols to beat back Arab raids in British-controlled Palestine in the 1930s. In 1941, Wingate led a mixed Ethiopian and Sudanese force in retaking Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, from the Italians, who had invaded in 1935.
Upon the beginning of Japan’s China-Burma campaign, Wingate was sent to India to employ his experience as a guerrilla fighter and organize what became known as the Chindits–a brigade of specially trained Gurkha (Nepalese), Burmese, and British troops. The Chindits were composed of two units of Long Range Penetration Groups, each made up of men-and mules. Wingate and his brigade entered Japanese-controlled Burma from the west, crossed the Chindwin River, and proceeded with sabotage activity: sneakily penetrating Japanese-held territory, attacking supply lines, and cutting communications. Once in the field, the Chindits were cut off from other units and could be supplied only by airdrops.
One of the most effective Chindit attacks was against the Mandalay-Myitkina railway, when they blew up three bridges while also beating back Japanese troops determined to stop the demolitions. The Chindits continued to wreak havoc–at one point killing 100 Japanese soldiers while suffering only one loss themselves–until a lack of supplies and troublesome terrain forced them back to India.
On the night of March 24, Wingate boarded a transport plane at the Broadway Base in Burma, destined for India. The pilot had complained earlier about the performance of one of the plane’s twin engines, but after Wingate talked with the aircrew, a decision was made to take off. The plane never made it to India. The crash was so violent that virtually none of Wingate’s remains were found.
British Prime Minister Winston Churchill eulogized Wingate before the House of Commons that August: “There was a man of genius who might well have become also a man of destiny. He has gone, but his spirit lives on in the long range penetration groups, and has underlain all these intricate and daring air operations and military operations based on air transport and on air supply.”
Wingate, a graduate of the Royal Military Academy, was a famous eccentric who both quoted the Bible and advocated irregular warfare tactics. His career as a guerrilla fighter began as he organized Jewish underground patrols to beat back Arab raids in British-controlled Palestine in the 1930s. In 1941, Wingate led a mixed Ethiopian and Sudanese force in retaking Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, from the Italians, who had invaded in 1935.
Upon the beginning of Japan’s China-Burma campaign, Wingate was sent to India to employ his experience as a guerrilla fighter and organize what became known as the Chindits–a brigade of specially trained Gurkha (Nepalese), Burmese, and British troops. The Chindits were composed of two units of Long Range Penetration Groups, each made up of men-and mules. Wingate and his brigade entered Japanese-controlled Burma from the west, crossed the Chindwin River, and proceeded with sabotage activity: sneakily penetrating Japanese-held territory, attacking supply lines, and cutting communications. Once in the field, the Chindits were cut off from other units and could be supplied only by airdrops.
One of the most effective Chindit attacks was against the Mandalay-Myitkina railway, when they blew up three bridges while also beating back Japanese troops determined to stop the demolitions. The Chindits continued to wreak havoc–at one point killing 100 Japanese soldiers while suffering only one loss themselves–until a lack of supplies and troublesome terrain forced them back to India.
On the night of March 24, Wingate boarded a transport plane at the Broadway Base in Burma, destined for India. The pilot had complained earlier about the performance of one of the plane’s twin engines, but after Wingate talked with the aircrew, a decision was made to take off. The plane never made it to India. The crash was so violent that virtually none of Wingate’s remains were found.
British Prime Minister Winston Churchill eulogized Wingate before the House of Commons that August: “There was a man of genius who might well have become also a man of destiny. He has gone, but his spirit lives on in the long range penetration groups, and has underlain all these intricate and daring air operations and military operations based on air transport and on air supply.”
Wingate dies in Burma - Mar 24, 1944 - HISTORY.com
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WWII World War Two
WWII World War Two
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Thanks for posting. He was one of the true visionaries in warfare. He was invaluable to Field Marshall Slim.
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Thanks for reminding us TSgt Joe C. that CHINDITS founder and leader British Army Maj. Gen. Orde Wingate, leader of the 77th Indian Brigade, died in a transport plane crash at the age of 41 years old.
Images: Chindits patch; 1944-04-24 Chindits prepare a railway bridge behind Japanese lines for destruction; Chindits making tea at their jungle bivouac; chindits mule power
"The Chindits were the largest of the allied Special Forces of the 2nd World War. They were formed and lead by Major General Orde Wingate DSO. The Chindits operated deep behind enemy lines in North Burma in the War against Japan. For many months they lived in and fought the enemy in the jungles of Japanese occupied Burma, totally relying on airdrops for their supplies.
There were two Chindits expeditions into Burma, the first in February 1943 Operation Longcloth, consisted of a force of 3,000 men who marched over 1,000 miles during the campaign. The second expedition, Operation Thursday, in March 1944 was on a much larger scale. It was the second largest airborne invasion of the war and consisted of a force of 20,000 British and Commonwealth soldiers with air support provided by the 1st Air Commando USAAF. Tragically their leader, General Wingate, was killed a few weeks after the launch of Operation Thursday.
During the 1939/45 War a Special force was trained in Commando methods to infiltrate behind the Japanese lines in Burma. They were known as the CHINDITS, a name given to them by their leader, Major-General Orde C. Wingate, D.S.O.
After the initial expedition in 1943 the full force was marched or landed in the jungle on makeshift air-strips by glider or Dakota aircraft 200 miles behind enemy lines in March 1944.
The mission was successful and called Operation Thursday, this eventually started the rot, which led to the Japanese surrender.
The force suffered many casualties killed, wounded or taken prisoner. Many of the survivors still suffer today from the hardship, rigours and strain of the two long arduous campaigns, when the only contact with base was by radio, all supplies came by air-drop.
The Chindits were very much an International Force, which include British, Burma Rifles, Hong Kong Volunteers, Gurkhas and West African Serviceman. The R.A.F. and First Air Commando , U.S.A.A.F. provided air support.
The Chindit badge on the front of this card illustrates a Chinthe, a symbolic guardian of Burmese temples, a mythical beast, half lion, half-flying griffin."
December 2009 - New citations added
Distinguished Service Order -
Brig. J.M. Calvert, DSO Brig. D.C.C. Tulloch, MC
Lt-Col W.P. Scott, MC
Military Cross -
Lt P.B. Chambers Lt B.S. Burns
Lt D.L.G. Scholey Sub Indra Bahadur Khattri
Jem Yembahadur Sahi Jemadar Godwiller
Capt D.M.E. McGillycuddy Capt J.S. Ross
Lt. J.C. Salazar Lt. D.E. Arnold
Lt S.J. Smith
Distinguished Conduct Medal -
Sjt J. Donald Sjt W. Bolton
Sjt J.T. Chandler
Military Medal -
Sjt W. Clift Bdr L.J. Summers
Cpl G.A. Ferrand Pte A.B. Bristow
Rfn Chhiring Lama Nk Khalbahadur Khattri
Cpl Adamu Gafasa Pte Mailafu Shangev
Sjt F.W. Pratt Gnr L.E. Turner
L/Sjt L. Mahon Tpr M.J. Flynn
COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Stephen C. CPT (Join to see) Capt Seid Waddell Capt Tom Brown CW5 Charlie Poulton SGM David W. Carr LOM, DMSM MP SGT SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL SFC William Farrell SSgt Robert Marx SSG James J. Palmer IV aka "JP4" SSgt (Join to see) SCPO Morris RamseyCPL Eric Escasio SGT John " Mac " McConnell SP5 Mark Kuzinski SP5 Robert Ruck SPC (Join to see) SrA Christopher Wright
Images: Chindits patch; 1944-04-24 Chindits prepare a railway bridge behind Japanese lines for destruction; Chindits making tea at their jungle bivouac; chindits mule power
"The Chindits were the largest of the allied Special Forces of the 2nd World War. They were formed and lead by Major General Orde Wingate DSO. The Chindits operated deep behind enemy lines in North Burma in the War against Japan. For many months they lived in and fought the enemy in the jungles of Japanese occupied Burma, totally relying on airdrops for their supplies.
There were two Chindits expeditions into Burma, the first in February 1943 Operation Longcloth, consisted of a force of 3,000 men who marched over 1,000 miles during the campaign. The second expedition, Operation Thursday, in March 1944 was on a much larger scale. It was the second largest airborne invasion of the war and consisted of a force of 20,000 British and Commonwealth soldiers with air support provided by the 1st Air Commando USAAF. Tragically their leader, General Wingate, was killed a few weeks after the launch of Operation Thursday.
During the 1939/45 War a Special force was trained in Commando methods to infiltrate behind the Japanese lines in Burma. They were known as the CHINDITS, a name given to them by their leader, Major-General Orde C. Wingate, D.S.O.
After the initial expedition in 1943 the full force was marched or landed in the jungle on makeshift air-strips by glider or Dakota aircraft 200 miles behind enemy lines in March 1944.
The mission was successful and called Operation Thursday, this eventually started the rot, which led to the Japanese surrender.
The force suffered many casualties killed, wounded or taken prisoner. Many of the survivors still suffer today from the hardship, rigours and strain of the two long arduous campaigns, when the only contact with base was by radio, all supplies came by air-drop.
The Chindits were very much an International Force, which include British, Burma Rifles, Hong Kong Volunteers, Gurkhas and West African Serviceman. The R.A.F. and First Air Commando , U.S.A.A.F. provided air support.
The Chindit badge on the front of this card illustrates a Chinthe, a symbolic guardian of Burmese temples, a mythical beast, half lion, half-flying griffin."
December 2009 - New citations added
Distinguished Service Order -
Brig. J.M. Calvert, DSO Brig. D.C.C. Tulloch, MC
Lt-Col W.P. Scott, MC
Military Cross -
Lt P.B. Chambers Lt B.S. Burns
Lt D.L.G. Scholey Sub Indra Bahadur Khattri
Jem Yembahadur Sahi Jemadar Godwiller
Capt D.M.E. McGillycuddy Capt J.S. Ross
Lt. J.C. Salazar Lt. D.E. Arnold
Lt S.J. Smith
Distinguished Conduct Medal -
Sjt J. Donald Sjt W. Bolton
Sjt J.T. Chandler
Military Medal -
Sjt W. Clift Bdr L.J. Summers
Cpl G.A. Ferrand Pte A.B. Bristow
Rfn Chhiring Lama Nk Khalbahadur Khattri
Cpl Adamu Gafasa Pte Mailafu Shangev
Sjt F.W. Pratt Gnr L.E. Turner
L/Sjt L. Mahon Tpr M.J. Flynn
COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Stephen C. CPT (Join to see) Capt Seid Waddell Capt Tom Brown CW5 Charlie Poulton SGM David W. Carr LOM, DMSM MP SGT SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL SFC William Farrell SSgt Robert Marx SSG James J. Palmer IV aka "JP4" SSgt (Join to see) SCPO Morris RamseyCPL Eric Escasio SGT John " Mac " McConnell SP5 Mark Kuzinski SP5 Robert Ruck SPC (Join to see) SrA Christopher Wright
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