Captain Richard Allen Wilding MBE TD (deceased)

Born on 9th December 1910, Richard Wilding was educated at St Edmunds College, Old Hall, Ware, and was admitted to the Roll of Solicitors in 1934. He joined the Territorial Army with the 7th Manchester Regiment in March 1939 and was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant that August. In November 1939 he was attached to 199 Brigade HQ and later appointed Brigade Transport Officer, he was promoted as Captain in June 1940. In March 1942 he left 199 Brigade, reverting to the rank of Lieutenant - he then sailed that May for Indian on an officers draft. In September 1942 he was attached to the 3rd Queen Alexandra's Own Gurkha Rifles and in November posted to 77th Indian Infantry Brigade as Brigade Cipher Officer. Mostly notably, in February 1943 he took part in Operation Longcloth, the first Wingate Chindit Operation in Burma. After the brigade broke up he led a party for four weeks trying to return to India across the Irrawaddy River. In May 1943 he was captured by the Japanese and spent 2 years in Rangoon Central Gaol - only 5 of his party of 28 survived. On 29th April 1945, two days before 'Operation Dracula', he was force marched barefoot by the Japanese together with 600 'fit' prisoners of war during three nights over a distance of 65-70 miles and then left east of Pegu where on 1st May 1945 they were liberated by the West Yorkshire Regiment. He was demobilised in June 1946 and in May 1947 joined the Solicitor's Department of the Board of Trade. He rejoined the Territorial Army in November 1951 with the Princess Louisa's Kensington Regiment and was promoted to Captain in August 1952. He retired from the Board of Trade in June 1972. He died in October 1996.

Items Signed by Captain Richard Allen Wilding MBE TD (deceased)

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