A BURMA Star veteran didn't let his 98 years get in the way of making a return trip to the country where he served during the Second World War.

Jack Osborne, who lives in Pembroke House in Salisbury, has just returned from the Chindit pilgrimage to Burma, organised by the travel force of the Royal British Legion.

Mr Osborne served as a Chindit in Burma (now called Myanmar) when he was in his 30s. He was based in White City where he was in control of West African troops.

He said: "I went on the pilgrimage with great trepidation because I am registered severely sight impaired and I am 98.

"I had always wanted to go back because I had served there, but through work and then an invalid wife, I could not go until I was so old. But I managed to go and managed to come back."

Whilst out there, Mr Osborne visited Broadway, the famous landing strip where troops were once flown in. He said it has changed greatly and is now paddy fields. He also saw remnants of the Japanese trenches.

He visited Mandalay to see the real Chinthes and went to Maymyo, the country's best-known colonial hill station.

From there, they went to Rangoon war cemetery. Services were conducted there and in Rangoon Cathedral. The group also visited the Shwedagon Pagoda.

Mr Osborne said: "It was an interesting experience. It was good to see the country - the rural areas have not changed but the big towns are being transformed."