"A VETERAN who fought in the Second World War has died aged 102. George Claxton, who lived in Southbourne, was one of a small number of Chindits still alive and was part of one of the most gruelling operations of the war. Known officially as the Long Range Penetration Groups, the Chindits were specially-trained troops who fought behind Japanese lines during the Burma campaign in 1943-44. George, who was part of the Reconnaissance Corps, was involved in Operation Thursday - the second of the Chindit campaigns. Faced with disease, difficult terrain and days without food, the troops faced, arguably, the worst prolonged infantry fighting experience of the war. The veteran died at St Anne’s nursing home in Southbourne on July 31. His niece, Veronica Evans, said: “He moved to Bournemouth with me in 2011 after his wife died, he had lived in Essex since 1954. “He loved cycling and would have loved to see all these people cycling these days. “There are five Chindits still alive who are over 100 years old.” www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/18629036.world-war-two-veteran-survived-chindit-campaign-dies-aged-102/?ref=fbshr&fbclid=IwAR3tJlXeUppS3txPPneHyuh3dbXnejfdzuyEJl8yVrKSAA9LGZLSydZIorU
