Chindits 1943

[Billyblue]

Well I didn't find the Wiki explanation, but there's another interesting one at
http://chinaburmaindiatheatre.blogspot.com/2010/01/chindits-operations.html

Dawn M

[Ruskie]

The reason a lot of war stuff hasn't been told is that it was so horrific the returning servicemen and women didn't want to talk about it.
Forty or more years ago I nursed returned soldiers at Greenslopes Repat Hospital in Brisbane.  Most of them didn't want to relive the horrors.  But they often did, in their nightmares!
Sometimes you would walk into a room where they were exchanging stories, and all talk would stop.

My OH was a RAAF Spitfire pilot and apart from a few escapades while over Australian territory, he has always been reluctant to relive a lot of his  experiences, especially overseas when, as he says, 'they were all trying to kill you'.   A couple of years ago his daughter urged him to dictate his memoirs - we got life in detail up until he joined up, then a complete refusal to go further.  In his original squadron, he and one other were the only ones to survive.
When he was discharged from the RAAF he was given a life expectancy of 55.  He's now 87! 
Dawn M

That's a fascinating insight Dawn, and I'm sure you're correct. Very different these days with councelling for every traumatic event and people being encouraged to 'talk'. Still it would give a great insight if more were able to tell their stories - not just the traumatic events, but any and every other tale that can be told about these years - happy ones too.

Just my thoughts ....

[Pete Keane]

Hi all

The word Chindit is a corruption/anglicization of the word Chinthe - which is the name of the dragon on the Chindit badge.

Billyblue - completely agree with your point, I am contact with several members of my grandfathers Regt and there are bits of time they are not willing to discuss - I cant pretend to understand how they feel as I havent been through the same experience, but I take their wishes seriously and always avoid those areas.

Ruskie....any other abbns other than 8M & 9M - I find it very interseting that his diary stops in February 1945 - is there a date....possibly around the 12th/13th, that week?

The 13th Feb was the date the 14th Army started to cross the Irrawaddy - solid fighting after that.

Pete

[Ruskie]

Hello again Pete.

Yes there are lots of abbreviations but most don't seem to relate to units or any other kind of identifiable group.

The last diary entry is Friday 23 Feb 1945, so unfortunately doesn't tie in with your Irrawaddy idea. On this day they arrived in Monywa at 1430 and were "met by Capt Sangdon". This entry also mentions that he watched ... "Libs and Mitchells going over to bomb Mandalay et al."

I'm not sure if this will help but I know one of those in charge (I don't know his title) was a chap called Mingaye. An entry covering the days 12 to 17 Feb 1945 mentions that Mingaye tells them "he's been posted to 243 W/T". A couple of days earlier Mingaye flew to Monywa, and Hoekstra (this is my best translation of his handwriting) was their new OC.

Obviously I've googled these names, found this on National Archives Documents Online, and wonder if this is the same chap:

Name  Mingaye, Harold William Frank
Rank:  Temporary Captain
Service No:  268268
Regiment:  Royal Corps of Signals
Theatre of Combat or Operation:  Burma
Award:  Member of the British Empire
Date of Announcement in London Gazette:  06 June 1946

It's an interesting puzzle to try to solve and I've learned a lot along the way.

[Pete Keane]

Its got to be a strong possibility.

[bessingby]

pete i just been looking at the chindits well as you know i waswith them but as much as ive tried i cannot think what 8m if it means medim the ra where formed in quetta 41
then i thought is metres but only the yanks used them was it mules ,miles
you was right as ever the chindit badge is a replica of the god that stands at the bottom of the steps at the foot of a burmaes temple
                                                                        bessingby

[Pete Keane]

Hi Bessingby

Hopefully his service history (when it is acquired) will reveal all !

Regards

Pete

[Ruskie]

Thanks for trying bessingby - oddly enough I came across something the other day which mentioned "medium" and I wondered then if that's what the 8M might mean.

Yes, I think the service record is the only way forward. Does anyone know how much information you usually get for your £30? I've seen some of the WW1 service records - are the WW2 ones similar?

[bessingby]

Hi ruskie as Pete says if (9m) stayed in england how as you say their paths crossed.was it in england or on a map  i was in the royal sigs but i never heard  of any M .not any w /sets had numbers like that .you are asking of something that happened  over  60years ago TIME DIMS MEMORIES       
                                                    bessingby