101-year-old WWII veteran receives Freedom of City of London

Sidney Machin is one of the last surviving Chindit soldiers from the Burma campaign (James Manning/PA) James Manning

One of the last surviving "Chindit" soldiers from the Second World War's Burma campaign has received the Freedom of the City of London. Sidney Machin, now 101, landed behind enemy lines in a glider at night in the jungle as part of a special forces unit that wreaked havoc on Japanese supply lines and infrastructure.

Mr Machin, from Dorset, received his honour alongside his son Trevor Machin, 64, of Milford-on-Sea, Hampshire, who retired two years ago after nearly 35 years in the City of London Police. The ceremony took place at the Guildhall in the City, where the centenarian proudly wore his Burma Star medal and 77th Brigade tie.

Veteran recalls jungle warfare

After Friday's special ceremony, Mr Machin senior said he did not think of himself as brave or heroic, adding: "I never really think about it really." He recalled that Burma was "hard going and I was a young lad, only 19".

The father-of-five said he was proud of his son, who was also made a freeman, as "I think he deserved it as well". The Chindits were a British and Indian special forces unit which operated in Burma during the Second World War, known for their deep-penetration jungle warfare tactics.

Five months behind enemy lines

Mr Machin senior said: "The Americans dropped us behind the lines. We stayed there about five months and we marched out. It was a bit tough going but it is all water under the bridge."

"We lost quite a few," he added. "Some particular friends of mine never made it, but it was just your luck really."

Ancient City tradition honours service

The Freedom is one of the City of London's ancient traditions and is a way of paying tribute to someone's outstanding contribution to London or public life, or to celebrate a very significant achievement. Mr Machin senior, who was born in Tottenham, north London, initially served in Chindit HQ as a signaller.

He later returned to 1st King's (Liverpool) Regiment and flew into the "Broadway" landing strip by glider in March 1944. "Chindit" is derived from the Burmese word chinthe, a mythical lion-like creature which guards temples.

Dangerous glider operations

Broadway was the code name for a jungle landing strip used during Operation Thursday in the Second World War. It was a key part of the Chindits' campaign, a series of long-range penetration operations behind Japanese lines.

Gliders and, later, Dakota transport aircraft, were flown into Broadway to deliver troops, supplies and equipment. The landing strip was hastily constructed in a logging clearing, posing significant challenges because of the terrain and weather.

Combat injury and recovery

As a member of 81 Column, 77th Brigade, Mr Machin senior was part of a floater platoon operating around Broadway. On its closure, the 1st King's marched across to support 111th Brigade at the stronghold codenamed Blackpool.

While supporting 111th Brigade, a sliver of bamboo pierced his foot and became infected, requiring him to be carried on an officer's horse for several days to be treated in hospital in Meerut. He returned to Regimental HQ in Liverpool and then to Officers Training Unit at Maresfield, East Sussex.

Modern military honours wartime courage

After retiring from the Army, Mr Machin senior spent more than 40 years working in the City of London as a telephone engineer and later in management. Brigadier Jim Allen, Commander 77th Brigade, who attended the ceremony, praised the veteran's extraordinary courage.

"Sid was on a glider as a 19 or 20-year-old, and they were basically towed up to speed, let go, and then at night, on a compass, no GPS, effectively crash-landed behind the enemy lines in the middle of the night," he said. "Many of them died from their injuries because of the crash-landing."

Fighting spirit continues today

Brigadier Allen added: "What they did was truly amazing in the defence of that part of the world in the Second World War. Their sacrifices, their kind of fighting spirit, the atrocious conditions they faced and they just didn't stop."

"Sid embodies that fighting Chindit spirit," he said. "It's a real privilege for me, as the commander of 77th brigade, being here today, because we represent their heritage, their ethos, their culture."

Son praises father's character

After the joint ceremony, Mr Machin junior said of his father: "He is a lovely man and I am very proud of him. He just keeps going and going. He is amazing."

"He served his country back in the day. He is not boastful. He is our rock of the family. He is just a great man - and everyone who meets him likes him," he added.

Police career in challenging times

Mr Machin junior joined the police in 1989 and was based in Snow Hill Station, where he had to deal with several IRA bombs and riots. He said: "It was just a varied lovely job and day-to-day you did not really know what you were getting into."

Colonel Simon Duckworth, lieutenant for the City of London, said it had been "a really wonderful opportunity" to give "the City freedom together to a father and son, both of whom have exemplified public service and service to the Crown".

(PA) Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.