BBC RADIO 4

Today Weekdays 6-9am and Saturdays 7-9am

Page last updated at 10:48 GMT, Monday, 7 November 2011

Surviving the Chindit war

Advertisement

Chindits travelling through the jungle with their donkeys

New book War in the Wilderness: The Chindits in Burma, 1943-1944 tells the remarkable story of the Chindits, an Allied special forces unit that suffered heavy losses and faced extreme physical and psychological pressures in Asia during the World War II.

Author Tony Redding explained how troops marched 1000 miles behind Japanese lines, carrying half their body weight in kit, slowly starving due to a lack of air-drop food supplies, and engaging in fearsome hand-to-hand combat.

"They really were quite remarkable men," he said.

And John Hutchin, a veteran of the campaign, described how he was left behind by his fellow soldiers suffering from exhaustion with three days' rations and a clip of ammunition.

"I've only got one nightmare left, and that is being left," he added.


Get in touch with Today via email , Twitter or Facebook or text us on 84844.

SEE ALSO

Americas Africa Europe Middle East South Asia Asia Pacific