Written by Jane Robinson — Jack Longbottom’s daughter. On 13th November 2005 Jack celebrated his 95th birthday in Bassingham Nursing Home, Bassingham, Lincoln.
During March 1944 Jack was given the task of raising and training a new guerrilla unit which came to be known as the Lushai Scouts. As there were so few Officers he had to undertake this task single-handed, travelling into the Lushai Hills to raise 400 troops. By this stage in the War the Japanese had pushed beyond Tiddim in the Chin Hills, with heavy fighting in the Kohima and Imphal areas. The Lushai Hills lay to the rear of the Japanese and to the west of the Chin Hills.
This remote area required specialist troops and Brig. Marindin, Commander ‘V’ force, had been very firm in his orders. He said that although the Lushai Scouts would be used as guerrillas in the rear of the enemy they had to be raised and trained as regular troops. Their speciality was to be jungle warfare with special emphasis on mobility and minimum transport.Jack travelled for ten days by train, sampan and foot to reach Aijal, capital of the Lushai Hills.
Mules carrying army clothing, weapons and attestation papers accompanied him. On arrival in Aijal he was to find a platoon already being given primary training by the instructors from the Assam Rifles. Jack went on to Biate on the Chin Hill frontier where the new recruits were to follow a month later.
There was reluctance from GHQ Delhi to sanction the raising of the unit and although recruiting began in March 1944, it was not until some months later that the formation of the unit was finally agreed. Brig. Marindin suggested the Lushai Scouts were called “Slim’s Own” as it looked likely that Gen. Slim would have to pay them!
The Lushais were 18 to 20 years old and very keen to be trained to fight. Having been born and bred in the jungle they were completely at ease moving around in it. The young men were immensely proud of their unit and Jack helped to instil a feeling of confidence in their leaders and in each other, but also most importantly, themselves.
Chhiar zawm rawh le:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/30/a7106230.shtml
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July 12th, 2010 at 12:06 pm
#46, “Ka ngaihtuahna a awm daih chu Mizo hnahthlak hnam zingah hian Lushai hi an awm ka hre lova, Sap hovin Lushai min tih avanga tun thleng thlenga lo inla Lushai tawk an la awm hi chu a zia lo deuh ka ti.”
Misualah hian nick atan lushai hi a hmang awm chhun ka niin ka hria a, ka hman chhan pawh Zeph-a post ah khan ka sawi tawh a!
https://misual.life/2010/05/.....-thung-aw/
Hmanlai post WWII a Mizo Sipai tang te reng reng khan an hming tawpah ‘Lushai’ an telh vek thin! Mizo hnahthlak hnam zingah a hran in lushai chu an awm lo ngei a, Lusei hnam erawh chu an awm thung. Lusei tih atangin ‘Lushai’ hi lo chhuak ani tih pawh kan hre chiang hlawm fuin ka ring kei misual hian.
H.V chu min lo phawi khalh a.
Mahse ka rawn thual ve hrim hrim ang! Ka hman ve tep tawh e.
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July 12th, 2010 at 3:14 pm
lushai_er ni tuk e a, rawn phawrh mawlh rawh khai
Ka hmu remchang em a, kan lo khalh mai che a nih kha.
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