Wolverhampton pub the Chindit set to honour namesake World War Two special forces unit at VJ Day event

The Chindit on Merridale Road in Wolverhampton is inviting the community to come and enjoy a day of music on August 9, dubbed Chinfest, while remembering the anniversary of the end of the Second World War.

The pub is using the event to also mark the week of Victory over Japan day, which will be marked on August 15 and will be the 80th anniversary of the day that the war ended in the east.

It will be a day that holds extra significance for the pub, which is named after the Chindits.

The Chindits - officially 'Long Range Penetration Groups' - were British and Indian special forces units that conducted operations in Burma (now Myanmar) during the Second World War.

Their primary goal was to disrupt Japanese supply lines and communication, forcing them to divert resources away from the front lines. and the Chindits were known for their unconventional, guerrilla-style tactics, operating deep behind enemy lines.

Historian Phil Farmer, who is a regular at the pub and has helped gather information about the Chindits, said it was a great way to remember the people who served in the unit, as well as celebrate the pub.

He said: "We will obviously be treating the event with some respect, such as planning to have two minutes of reflection, and we're putting up a considerable amount of photographs of people who fought for the Chindits during the war, which have been provided to us by the Chindit Society.

"It's very important for the Chindit, which I believe is the only pub in the country called the Chindit, which goes back to 1958 when Eric Butler, who was a Chindit, was persuaded to turn this into a pub by a friend who served in Burma, Harold Ellison, who became the first landlord."

The event will feature a wide range of musical acts throughout the day, with all funds raised going to Midlands Air Ambulance.

For more information about Chinfest and the commemorative events, go to the Chindit Facebook page.