Description The Chindits Brief History The Chindits were the largest of all the Allied special forces during World War II. Formed and led by Major-General Orde Wingate DSO, they operated behind enemy lines in Northern Burma in 1943 and 1944, fighting against Japan. Their operations were unconventional, relying entirely on airdrops for supplies and wireless communication. Wingate and Long Range Penetration In March 1942, then Lt. Col. Wingate arrived in India after successful guerrilla operations in Palestine and Abyssinia. Drawing on his expertise in guerrilla warfare, he proposed Long Range Penetration operations deep within enemy-held Burma. By July 1942, the 77th Indian Infantry Brigade was formed for this mission. Wingate organized and specially trained the Chindits in commando methods, preparing them for jungle fighting, sabotage, and air supply drops. The Chindits infiltrated deep behind Japanese lines in Northern Burma, living and fighting in the jungles of occupied Burma for many months, often hundreds of miles behind enemy positions. Their mission was to raid enemy communication lines, destroy bridges, railway tracks, and block supply routes. They aimed to harass the enemy, cause confusion, disrupt plans, and divert resources. The Chindits were organized into columns of about 340 men, each strong enough for self-defense and capable of mounting surprise attacks, yet small enough to remain concealed and mobile to evade enemy detection. Columns would join forces to strike larger targets and then disappear back into the jungle.
