Chindit website at last!!!

I remember speaking with author, Phil Chinnery back in 2010. He met with Calvert several times and enjoyed many of the stories he had to tell.

 

Many thanks for taking the trouble to respond Steve - much appreciated. Keep up the great work!

Thanks also for sight of Sinnett's POW card (yet another spelling variation!) - I found its harsh starkness rather poignant.

 

My grandfather's was much the same (see attached). After spending about 3 years going through all 56 boxes of POW cards at Kew back in 2008-2011 and picking out all those for Rangoon Jail, I began to piece together an understanding of the Longcloth related cards. These scantly detailed cards were I believe compiled after the deaths of the 30 or so soldiers involved, who had already perished before the main body of Chindit 1 POWs had reached their final incarceration destination at Rangoon Jail, or who died on route, or shortly after reaching the jail.

The POW card collation for Rangoon Jail took place in March 1944 and so I believe that the 'Maymyo' cards (as I call them) were completed from the memory of whoever could recall the soldier's details by that time. Hence, Cinnett/Sennett and in my family's case: Harney instead of Howney. Thankfully, his age was correct and the details on the reverse provided the correct date of death and other information.

 

Thank you Steve. I had wondered whether that was why the card was so sparsely populated and your notion that they were likely compiled after death makes sense. I can't imagine how you must have felt to actually hold your grandfather's own card amongst those boxes!

 

It was the first real breakthrough for my research and yes, a tearful moment but filled with elation. A few years later in 2010, the WO361 series were released and the doors were flung wide open.

 

Hi Steve,
I’m researching the Rear Brigade HQ for 111 Bde in Op Thursday. I have found that much of the initial planning for Chindit 2 started from the basis of Chindit 1.
I wonder if you have any information regarding the setup of Rear Brigade HQ for Longcloth. I’m looking for something like a WE, but with rear Bde HQ separated from adv Bde HQ, or even a list of names so I can work out any parallels that might have been taken forward.

For instance on your Chindit site, in your section of Wingate’s men, you mention Major Anderson who spent some time as a cipher clerk before becoming Bde Maj.

Also you have a table - an Operational order of battle which shows Capt Lord with rear HQ. Are there any other names available of those with him.
Were the signal section at Rear Bde HQ part of that group or an additional attachment with more names.

I hope you can help

Jim

 

Hi Jim,

Thanks for your post. I'm not sure that I can really help I'm afraid. As you will of seen, my focus is soldiers rather than administration or set up. I can tell you that Captain Lord was backed up a by the then Lieutenant Arthur Tuck (13 King's) as his second in command at Rear Base. Tuck served again on Chindit 2 in the same capacity and was awarded an MBE for his efforts.

The Signals section for Operation Longcloth was a very last minute affair, with the positions not filled until late December 1942. On my travels I have not seen much information on Rear Brigade HQ construction for either operation sadly. Apologies for my rather poor reply.

Steve

 

No bother, thanks for the swift reply.

My original search is included in LRPG Indian archives thread, because that is where i am currently looking, and I didn’t want to double up, but while I can find lots of signal traffic from 111 rear Bde HQ where my father Maj RA Cole-Hamilton was working, I can’t find what position he held, and all the WE seems to indicate is staff captain and others at rear HQ. So your description of Major Anderson working ciphers gave me a glimmer to look towards.

I’ll keep digging through the India files.

thanks
Jim

 

Good luck with the digging Jim.

 

From Dr. Robert Lyman's circulation: robertlyman.substack.com/p/ambush-in-the-jungle?

The opening passage (not the intro):

There are two other threads that refer to Harold James, this seemed the best place. I do not know if the passage appears in his book.

 

Thanks David.

 

The latest edition of the Forgotten War Podcast series covered Operation Longcloth. Thought I'd place it here for longevity:

13. Operation Longcloth: the first Chindits | The Forgotten War Podcast: Burma Campaign WW2