Charlie Richards, one of the last surviving members of the elite Chindit unit from the Second World War, has died at the age of 104. Mr Richards, from Kettering, Northamptonshire, was a veteran of brutal jungle warfare in Burma and was celebrated for his bravery in the ‘forgotten army.’
He served in the 7th Battalion of the Leicestershire Regiment and was selected for the Chindits, a special forces group tasked with guerrilla operations deep behind Japanese lines. The missions, under Operation Thursday, began in March 1944 and involved living in harsh conditions with constant threat of malaria and enemy attack.
Last year, Mr Richards was one of only two surviving Chindits and was invited as a guest of honour by the Royal British Legion for the 80th anniversary of VJ Day. He met King Charles III, who thanked him for his service. Mr Richards also spoke of his fears of global conflict, urging world leaders to ‘bash their heads together and see sense.’
During the war, he lost his best friend, Horace ‘Son’ Johnson, who was shot and killed just yards away. Of the 400 men in his column, only 140 returned unscathed. The Royal British Legion paid tribute, calling him a ‘lion of a man’ and noting his humour and charm in recounting his war experiences.
