​​On 7 December 1941, Imperial Japan launched attacks on US naval base at Pearl Harbour, resulting in the US joining the Second World war. 

​Two weeks later the Japanese forces had captured Hong Kong from the British Empire. By 8 February 1942, Singapore had then fallen. Imperial Japanese forces pushed through Thailand and towards the capital of Burma. By March this was also now under their control. 

​By this time the British forces had withdrew to India. Back home in Great Britain, this was campaign being fought was referred to as the ‘Far East’. As 1942 progressed the British and Indian armies looked to strike back against Imperial Japan. They looked to form units of men that could penetrate through the jungles of Burma, targeting the supply lines and communications of the Japanese, deep behind enemy lines. 

​In the summer of 1942, the ‘Chindits’ were formed under the 77th Indian Infantry Brigade. This collective group of army and commandos were made up of British, Indian, Burmese and Nepalese soldiers. They would be tasked with penetrating deep behind the lines using mules for transportation of equipment and supplies. They would be reliant of supply drops by the Royal Air Force. The training that these men went through was one of the hardest and toughest regimes, they needed to be fit and able to cope with the unforgiving jungle conditions with limited support. 

​The first operation of 3,000 men headed out into the Burmese jungle on 8 February 1943 and within seven days were engaging Japanese forces. With supplies and equipment limited the ‘Chindits’ ordered were to leave the wounded behind. In some cases this was true, but they would look to recover the wounded men for treatment. But due to this many of the ‘Chindits’ have no known grave. They would not be fighting just the Imperial Japanese troops; tropical diseases were an issue. 

​The total casualties for ‘Chindits’ during the Second World War fighting in Burma is not fully known. Estimates of around 30%-50% casualty rates are recorded for those killed, died of wounds or missing.