RARE "Burma STAR Association" Members Enamel CAR BADGE by J.R. Gaunt

Very FEW Kiwis earned the Burma Star during WW2 Those few who DID qualify?, were mostly RNZ NAVY

New Zealand did NOT HAVE many ships during WW2

Mostly displayed by UK former SPECIAL FORCES fighters from Burma The "CHINDITS" who fought in the jungles of Burma against the Japanese during WW2

The Chindits, officially known as Long Range Penetration Groups, were special operations units of the British & Indian armies which saw action in 1943–1944 during the Burma Campaign of WW2

The British Army Brigadier Orde Wingate formed the Chindits for raiding operations against the Imperial Japanese Army, especially long-range penetration, attacking Japanese troops, facilities & lines of communication deep behind Japanese lines

Their operations featured long marches through extremely difficult terrain, undertaken by underfed troops often weakened by diseases such as malaria & dysentery

Controversy persists over the extremely high casualty-rate & the debatable military value of the achievements of the Chindits

Chindit INFO at this URL

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chindits

The Burma Star Association is a British veterans' association for ex-servicemen & women of all services who served in the Burma Campaign of WW2

The criterion for membership is the award of the Burma Star for service in Burma in WW2 for the necessary qualifying period or the Pacific Star with Burma Clasp

The Association was formed on 26 Feb 1951 to promote comradeship & the welfare of its members

The arduous nature of the Burma Campaign has been recognised & permission granted to the members to wear a replica of the Burma Star in a lapel badge & cap badge

The Association's Patron was Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh & its President was John Slim, 2nd Viscount Slim, the son of Bill Slim, who commanded the 14th Army in Burma