Beschreibung:

A rare Second War ‘Chindit Special Force’ M.M. group of five awarded to Sergeant Harold Bottomley, 1st Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers, who was awarded his M.M. for gallantry during the ‘Defence of White City Stronghold’, whilst serving as the Platoon Sergeant of the Commando Platoon, No. 20 Column, in Brigadier ‘Mad Mike’ Calvert’s North Burma Chindit Force - For gallant and cool leadership during a dangerous and sustained Japanese attack on a vital sector of the stronghold’s perimeter Military Medal, G.VI.R. (3451647 Sjt. H. Bottomley, Lan. Fus.); 1939-45 Star; Burma Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, together with original Chindit and Army Commando uniform patches, and Lancashire Fusiliers cap badge, nearly extremely fine (8) £4000-5000 Footnote M.M. London Gazette 26 April 1945. The original July 1944 Recommendation - for a D.C.M. – by Major Shuttleworth, who commanded 20 Column at White City before taking over 50 Column, states: ‘Sergeant Bottomley was Platoon Sergeant of the Commando Platoon which held an important position. The Platoon position was under constant artillery and mortar fire and received mortar attacks for thirteen nights. During this time, Sergeant Bottomley kept his section in constant supply of ammunition and attended to casualties. This task was made extremely difficult as there was not a vestige of cover on the whole position. In particular, on the night 13 April, when the enemy put in a very strong attack, knocking out 3 L.M.G. bunker positions, Sergeant Bottomley by his immediate grasp of the situation extricated the weapons and wounded men, re-sited the guns and kept the platoon in action during a very critical time. After this he returned to the damaged bunkers and attended to the wounded men.’ The DCM recommendation was endorsed by Major General Lentaigne, who took command of the Chindit Special Force after Orde Wingate was killed. In October 1944 it reached General Sir George James Giffard, C-in-C, 11th Army Group, who had been dismissed due to his inability to work with Admiral Mountbatten and General Joseph Stilwell, specifically for lack of initiative during the climactic battle of Imphal. As one of his final acts, Giffard, who strongly disliked the ‘Special Force’, approved the recommendation, but amended it to an award of the M.M. Sergeant Harold Bottomley (1918-1993), a native of Chadderton, Oldham, Lancashire, originally enlisted in the Territorial Army battalion of the Lancashire Fusiliers. He was one of a group of men from the Oldham/Leigh/Wigan area who transferred to the 1st Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers, a Regular Army unit, for war service. He was drafted out to India early in 1940. The 1st Battalion was based at Quetta on the North-West Frontier of India and Bottomley participated in a number of small actions against the Baluchi tribes in the border region, notably the Kojak Pass leading to southern Afghanistan. In 1942 the 1st Lancashire Fusiliers moved to Cawnpore in North India for Internal Security duties, at the height of Gandhi’s ‘Quit India’ campaign. At the end of the year they were mobilized for operational service outside India, and moved to Jhansi in July 1943 to join the 77th Indian Infantry Brigade, part of Major-General Orde Wingate’s Chindit forces. The Lancashires began a rigorous training program throughout the rainy season, designed to build up their fitness and give them the skills and confidence to fight successfully in the jungle. Bottomley recalled that, after one arduous Physical Training session, the Commando Platoon was surprised by a sudden unannounced visitor. Amongst other questions, Wingate asked men directly if they were satisfied with their food. On receiving a politely negative reply, he said “I will attend to it.” Their rations were doubled. Training for Long Range Penetration Operations Wingate’s original concept was that the Chindits would move directly across country on foot, rather than follow roads or railway lines, and penetrate deep into