Once assigned to Special Forces (the Chindits)
,the Battalion, for all intents and purposes, ceased to exist
as a unit, split instead into two columns, (47 and 74 Columns).
Lieutenant Colonel. Wilford took command of 47 Column, in
which Harold was placed, with Major J. Lockett assigned to
74 Column.
The 20 weeks of vigorous jungle training
at Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh and Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh
were to enable the Battalion to operate deep behind enemy
lines.
Consisting of 16 hour marches with heavy packs, the various
Battalions practiced preparing the ground for the air drops
which would be their main means of supply, and covered bivouacking,
river crossings, demolition, laying ambushes, explosives training
as well as map-reading skills and taking evasive action by
dispersing into small groups and regrouping at prearranged
rendezvous points.
Christmas was spent along side Ken River, in
the New Year the Battalion practice river crossings, particularly
with their mules, and sometime in January 1944 the Battalion
moved to Deogarh Camp, an American base before assembling
at Lalitpur where it took part in "Operation Torch"
an exercise in defending an airstrip in a "Stronghold",
the base in the midst of enemy territory form which roving
columns would attack and disrupt enemy supplies and communications
and which formed a"safe haven"
to return to.
"Map Courtesy of The General
Libraries, The University of Texas at Austin."
This vigorous training provided what Viceroy
Wavel called his "Poacher, Burglar and Gunman",
who could live and fight with scant support. It did however,
take a large toll on manpower, and a large number of reinforcements
arrived from other regiments, including two RAF officers
assigned to oversee the Battalions Air Supply and Support.
By the end of January all was set for
the launch of "Operation Thursday".The 7th
Battalion Leicestershire, along with the other Battalions
started to assemble at the to Lalaghat in Assam,in February,
ready to launch what at the time was the largest ever
airborne invasion
Order
of Battle
Special Forces Indian
3rd Army
CHINDITS
DIVISIONAL
COMMANDERS
MAJ/GEN. Orde.C. Wingate (D.S.O.)
MAJ/GEN. W.D.A. Lantaigne
H.Q.
Special Forces
2nd Btn Burma Rifles 145th Brigade
Coy R.A.S.C.
219th Fld Park Coy (Royal Engineers) 61st Air Supply
Coy R.A.S.C.
Divisional Artillery
160th Field Regt (Royal Artillery)
69th Light A?A Regt Royal Artillery)
16th Infantry Brigade(Enterprise)
Commanded By Brig. B.H. Fergusson
1st Btn Queens Own Royal Regt 2nd Btn Royal Leicestershire
Regt
45th Recon Regt R.A.C. 2nd Fld Coy Royal Engineers
51/69th Fld Regt Royal Artillery
77th Infantry Brigade(Emphasis)
Commanded By Brig. M. Calvert.
1st Btn Kings Regt (Liverpool) 1st Btn Lancashire Fusiliers
1st Btn South Staffordshire Regt 3rd Btn 6th Gurkha
Rifles
3rd Btn 9th Gurkha Rifles 4th Btn 8th Gurkha Rifles
Mixed Coy of Royal & Indian Engineers
111th Infantry Brigade(Profound)
Commanded by Brig. W.D,A. Lentaign
1st Btn Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) 2nd Btn Kings
Own Royal Regt
3rd Btn 4th P.W.O. Gurkha Rifles 4th Btn 9th Gurkha
Rifles
Mixed Coy of Royal & Indian Engineers
14th
Infantry Brigade(Javelin)
Commander Brig. T.Brodie.
1st Btn Beds & Herts Regt 2nd Btn York & Lancs
Regt
7th Btn Royal Leicestershire Regt 54th Fld Coy Royal
Engineers
2nd Btn The Black Watch Regt
3rd West African Brigade (Thunder)
Commanded By Brig. Gillmore
6th Btn Nigerian Regt 7th Btn Nigerian Regt
12th Btn Nigerian Regt 3rd W/African Fld Ambulance
7th Fld Coy W/African Engineers
23rd Infantry Brigade
Commanded By Brig Perowne.
1st Btn Essex Regt 4th Btn Border Regt
12th Fld Coy Royal Engineers 60th Fld Regt Royal Artillery
This Brigade trained as a Chindit Brigade,but was removed
from Special Force and used elsewhere
Regiments Attached to 3rd Indian Division
160th
Fld Regt Royal Artillery (Four Troops)
3rd Btn 9th Gurkha Rifles
No1 Air Commando(U.S.A.F.)
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