Stewart Cochrane

“Over the hills and far away” was the original title of the manuscript published on the internet in 1998 by Fatback publishing. The manuscript was written for the author’s Son’s 21st birthday in 1997, as that was the age that William “Cocky” Cochrane attained a couple of months after taking part in the Chindit Special Force Operation “Thursday”. The manuscript was discovered online by Lieutenant Colonel David Rose D.S.O (Black Watch R.H.R retired), printed out and added to the Royal Highland Regiment’s historical archive in Balhousie Castle, Perth, Scotland as an important historical text relating to the Regiments role in fighting the Imperial Japanese Forces during WWII in Burma (Myanmar).

Fatback publishing went out of business but the author was contacted about a new web based publishers Xlibris. As Xlibris was a new venture, the company offered the author the chance to publish the now titled Chindit, Special Force, Burma gratis. The offer was taken up and the new offering was published in May 2000.

Fast forward to Fall 2022, the author’s Mother had passed away and he needed something to keep his mind off of his loss. Hence the re-publishing of the original manuscript with added photographs and other unknown documents.

Stewart Cochrane

Gloucestershire England 2023