1st Bn The King's Regiment, (Liverpool), Chindits.

I have not read much about the Chindits, so this passage came as a surprise about 77 Brigade:

The passage is in a footnote and cites the original source as Julian Thompson, The Imperial War Museum Book of War Behind Enemy Lines (London: Sidgwick and Jackson, (pub. 1999). From pg. 294 in a PhD thesis: http://bear.buckingham.ac.uk/520/1/Andrew Wheale Complete Thesis 30-06-21.pdf

It is the conclusion and makes a comparison between the 6th Airborne Division and the Chindits, which is - let me say - direct. I shall, perhaps wisely now retreat from this thread.

 

It seems to be a fair analysis. Wingate's two escapades were enormously expensive and used up precious resources that were needed elsewhere. They did not actually achieve that much in terms of the British war in Burma. Of course, the author has not considered them in their true role as Churchill's sop to the Americans; that would not serve his thesis. In any case it is not really comparing like with like. Airborne divisions were true Special Forces while 'Special Force' was not. They certainly were not a well trained elite volunteer formation that we would consider to be Special Forces today. Doctrine and tactics were made up as they went along and the whole idea was fundamentally flawed. This was known at the time and has been argued ever since. Unfortunately, Churchill and the Americans had to have their way.

 

Remembering today the 78th anniversary of the begining of Operation Thursday and all those who lost their lives flying into Broadway.

Bless them all.

 

I will happily second that sentiment.

 

Some newsreel footage (no sound) of the Chindits readying to fly-in to Burma. You can see the apprehension on some of their faces as they sit in their aircraft:

 

Chindit Peter Heppell celebrates his 102nd birthday today. He was an RE attachment to the 1st King's in 1944 and flew in to Broadway on March 5th 1944.

 

HighWood and B43

I have WO 361/740 Searcher Parties Burma 1945-47 from TNA Kew. It has some lists that the searcher parties were working from for 1st Kings, 13th Kings, Inniskillings, KOYLI etc. They are of those still considered Missing at the time and have very brief notes on where they were last seen. The info may also be found in the Missing Personnel Files by Regiment in WO361 with backup correspondence but I wondered if you had seen them already and they would be of interest?

 

Hi SK89,

I have the five pages of listings for the 13th King's from WO 361/740, but the other pages might be of use for HW and his files. It would be great to place them up on here in any case, if you would be so kind. That way any families or other passers by can pick them up.

Many thanks

Steve

 

They would be of great interest to me regarding both the 1/Kings and the KOYLI for another of my projects.

 

I will put them on DropBox and send you both the link. I'll look into posting some on the site (there are many pages and I guess all of them will be above 2MB per jpeg which makes it a long process).

 

I, too second that sentiment. But didn't the operation start a month earlier when 16 Brigade started the march in to Burma?

 

You are right, but I believe that Operation Thursday was strictly speaking, the code name for the glider landings and subsequent Dakota landings once the airstrip had been completed.

 

Hi all, it’s been a while since I researched here and contributed to the Chindits 2 discussions. I am about to do a session with some students here in Spain about it all so picked up my fathers book again. In it was mentioned a guy called “Streak” O’Donnell, who had come down in a glider the week of the Broadway Landings. It doesn’t say which regiment he and the others were from but suspect it was the Kings. Apparently he took a photo of the meeting between his group and my fathers group on 12 th March...I would dearly love to track him/it down. According to my father he joined 20 column at a later stage. So maybe one of you experts have come across him elsewhere. Thanks in advance.

 

The only O'Donnell that I have is the following:

06/03/1944. The King's Regt. 109404. Major O'Donnell. Cecil Hector Major O'Donnell's glider party. FDTD page 113. Nicknamed Braces. Commited suicide? Deceased on L.G. list 1949

 

"Major O'Donnell of the King's (nicknamed 'Braces' because he was so thin), with his batman, Danny Lehane, came up to where we were with supplies and stopped for a talk. He asked me if I had any souvenirs, and I gave him a Hari Kiri knife I had taken from a dead Jap. The knife was in a purple sheath and I suppose today, would be priceless. But all we at the front wanted was food and ammunition.
'Braces' O'Donnell was highly delighted and said "Do you know Lindo, if we ever get out of this alive, you, me and Danny here will get really pissed". I never saw 'Braces' again, he was a sick man, and was evacuated, and I believe down graded. (Sadly, Major O'Donnell later committed suicide.")

Jack Lindo. From Dingle to Delhi.

 

A very sad ending there HW. Thanks for posting.

 

Thanks very much guys. Sad story indeed. Along with many others.

 

It would appear that he died during the Palestine campaign in 1947 whilst serving with the 2nd battalion, The King's Regt.

Major Cecil Hector O'Donnell | War Casualty Details | CWGC

 

I am not sure where Jack Lindo got the idea that O'Donnell's death was suicide.

 

His brother was killed in action whilst serving with the Royal Air Force.

Pilot Officer Peter Joseph O'Donnell | War Casualty Details | CWGC