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    © Imperial War Museums 2026

    Memorial

    Major General O C Wingate DSO And The Chindits

    Chindits

    Source: Copyright orphan

    1/7

    Current Location

    At the rear of the Ministry of Defence building, Victoria Embankment Gardens, Richmond Terrace, London, City Of Westminster, Greater London, SW1A 2JL , England

    OS Grid Reference

    TQ 30306 79931

    View location on Google Maps

    Names listed on this memorial

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    © WMR-11348

    To share information or photographs, contact us.

    Type of Memorial
    Allegory (eg: Victory)
    WMR Reference Number
    11348
    Description
    STONE TALL COLUMN WITH BRONZE BURMESE GUARDIAN TEMPLE CREATURE (CHINDIT) ON TOP/CARVED ON STONE ARE LISTS OF UNITS INVOLVED IN THE GROUP. THE PLINTH IS SET ON THREE RED GRANITE STEPS. BLUE ENAMEL CREST OF THE CHINDITS ASSOCIATION ON FRONT FACE
    Inscription
    Front of plinth: THE CHINDIT BADGE/ PORTRAYING A CHINTHE, A MYTHICAL/ BEAST, GUARDIAN OF BURMESE TEMPLES/ FROM WHICH WAS DERIVED THE NAME/ CHINDITS, THEIR MOTTO BEING/ THE BOLDEST MEASURES/ ARE THE SAFEST/ IN MEMORY OF ALL WHO FOUGHT ON THE/ FIRST AND SECOND EXPEDITIONS INTO/ NORTH BURMA 1943 AND 1944/ WITH THE CHINDIT SPECIAL FORCES/ FORMED, TRAINED AND COMMANDED BY/ MAJOR GENERAL ORDE CHARLES WINGATE, DSO/ CHINDITS CAME FROM THE ARMED FORCES/ OF THE UNITED KINGDOM, BURMA,/ HONG KING, INDIA, NEPAL, WEST AFRICA/ AND THE/ UNITED STATES OF AMERICA/ AIR SUPPLY AND DIRECT OPERATIONAL/ SUPPORT WAS GIVEN BY/ THE ROYAL AIR FORCE/ AND/ IST AIR COMMANDO GROUP/ UNITED STATES ARMY AIR FORCE/ AND/ 10TH UNITED STATES ARMY AIR FORCE/ VICTORY WAS HASTENED BY THE CHINDITS/ DARING EXPLOITS BEHIND ENEMY LINES/ HIS MAJESTY KING GEORGE VI/ GRACIOUSLY AWARDED THE VICTORIA CROSS/ TO/ (NAMES) Right side of plinth: THE FOLLOWING TOOK PART IN THE CHINDIT CAMPAIGNS 1943 – 1944/ Royal Army Service Corps/ Royal Army Medical Corps/ Royal Army Ordnance Corps/ Corps of Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers/ Corps of Military Police/ Royal Army Veterinary Corps/ Indian Engineers: Sappers & Miners/ Royal Indian Army Service Corps/ Indian Medical Service/ 3bn 2nd King Edward VII’s own Gurkha Rifles (the Sirmoor Rifles)/ 3bn 4th Prince of Wales’s Own Gurkha Rifles/ 3bn 6th Gurkha Rifles/ 3bn 9th Gurkha Rifles/ 4bn 9th Gurkha Rifles/ 2bn the Burma Rifles/ Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Force/ 6bn the Nigeria Regiment/ 7bn the Nigeria Regiment/ 12bn the Nigeria Regiment/ Burma Intelligence Corps/ RCAF RAAF RNZAF/ Left side of plinth: THE FOLLOWING TOOK PART IN THE CHINDIT CAMPAIGNS 1943 – 1944/ 45 Reconnaissance Regiment RAC/ Royal Regiment of Artillery/ Corps of Royal Engineers/ Royal Corps of Signals/ 2bn the Queen’s Royal Regiment (west Surrey)/ 2bn the King’s Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster)/ 1bn the King’s Regiment (Liverpool)/ 13bn the King’s Regiment (Liverpool)/ 1bn the Bedfordshire & Hertfordshire Regiment/ 2nb the Leicestershire Regiment/ 7bn the Leicestershire Regiment/ 1bn the Leicestershire Fusiliers/ 1bn the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)/ 2bn the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment (West Riding)/ 4bn the Border Regiment/ 1bn the South Staffordshire Regiment/ 2bn the Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment)/ 1bn the Essex Regiment/ 2bn the York & Lancaster Regiment/ 142 Commando Company/ Royal Army Chaplains Department Back of plinth: IN MEMORY OF/ MAJOR GENERAL/ ORDE CHARLES WINGATE, DSO/ 1903 – 1944/ COMMANDER OF THE CHINDITS/ KILLED ON ACTIVE SERVICE/ IN BURMA 24TH MARCH 1944/ “A MAN OF GENIUS WHO MIGHT WELL HAVE/ BECOME A MAN OF DESTINY” WINSTON CHURCHILL/ AN IMPORTANT INFLUENCE IN THE CREATION/ OF THE ISRAEL DEFENCE FORCES AND THE/ FOUNDATION OF THE STATE OF ISRAEL
    War
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Number Commemorated
    5
    Served
    1
    Died
    4
    Information shown
    surname,rank,year died,regiment,forename,manner of death,age of death,decorations
    Maker(s)
    • DAVID PRICE, Architect

    • FRANK FOSTER, Sculptor

    Sponsor Type
    public
    Additional Cost/Sponsorship Information
    The land for the monument was acquired through contributions from former Chindits.

    Ceremonies

    Unveiled

    16th October 1990

    HRH THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH

    Components

    Plinth

    Made from: Stone - Portland


    Condition: Good


    Historic England

    Grade: II

    List Entry: 1470017

    Reasons for listing from Historic England website: Architectural interest: * as a striking and well-executed tall Portland stone plinth topped by a bronze statue of a Chinthe with the Chindits badge, a portrait of Wingate and explanatory inscriptions. Historic interest: * commemorating the role of the Chindit Special Forces which served in Burma under Major General Wingate in the Second World War; the Chindit campaigns made a major contribution to eject the Japanese from Burma. Group value: * with the Ministry of Defence (Grade I) and 34 lamp standards and the Statue of Lord Trenchard (all Grade II).

    Figure

    Made from: Bronze


    Condition: Good


    Historic England

    Grade: II

    List Entry: 1470017

    Reasons for listing from Historic England website: Architectural interest: * as a striking and well-executed tall Portland stone plinth topped by a bronze statue of a Chinthe with the Chindits badge, a portrait of Wingate and explanatory inscriptions. Historic interest: * commemorating the role of the Chindit Special Forces which served in Burma under Major General Wingate in the Second World War; the Chindit campaigns made a major contribution to eject the Japanese from Burma. Group value: * with the Ministry of Defence (Grade I) and 34 lamp standards and the Statue of Lord Trenchard (all Grade II).

    Report a Concern

    War Memorials Trust Reference Number
    112243

    To report a concern about the condition of this memorial, visit War Memorial Trust.

    Help update these details if the condition is wrongWar Memorials Register Logo
    • FOR YOUR TOMORROW: BRITISH SECOND WORLD WAR MEMORIALS by BOORMAN, DEREK 60 Source: Image Library NIWM Published:SESSIONS 1995 YORK
    • "Chindits Memorial." Historic England, https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1470017. Accessed 6 September 2024.