Once, they had to fix their bayonets and face a hail of bullets.

Now, the latest recruits to the Army have a somewhat less perilous challenge...sitting behind a computer and logging on to Twitter and Facebook.

The new brigade is inspired by the spirit of the Chindits - the Second World War special forces unit which served in Burma and became renowned for its unconventional methods.

Digital warfare: The latest Army recruits will use social media including Facebook and Twitter in fight against radicalised young people

Rather than sending hundreds of troops around the world, the newest force is aimed at the social media war being waged by Islamic State and other terror organisations and their fight to radicalise young people.

The brigade is designed to ‘meet the challenges of modern conflict and warfare’ by winning the hearts and minds of those in battle by both monitoring and engaging with digital and social media channels.

Others will try to gather as much intelligence about what the enemy are doing, including their up to date movements, which may mean they are deployed in the field.

Some will be responsible for putting out false information in a variety of ways to create diversions and throw the enemy off track.

Elite: The new brigade will be name the 77th Indian Infantry Brigade – the elite British guerrilla unit known as the Chindits who fought in Burma in the 1940s. They were led by General Orde Wingate (pictured centre, wearing a pith helmet)

This includes a ‘psychological’ element – undermining the enemy’s morale by covertly leaking messages to them and disseminating details of British successes.

It comes after Islamic State jihadists gathered support from young Muslims around the world by posting propaganda on social media sites such as Twitter.

A defence source said: ‘We are being challenged in this complex world. It is warfare short of what we would describe as war. We are thinking about fighting in a cleverer, smarter way.

‘It is a different way of thinking and it is a different way of fighting.’

The Ministry of Defence will establish Brigade 77 in April this year. It takes its name from the 77th Indian Infantry Brigade – the elite British guerrilla unit known as the Chindits who fought in Burma in the 1940s.

Its badge will be a Burmese Lion – the mythical creature that guards Burmese temples - known as 'Chinthe', which was the word used to form the Chindits.

It is similar to the one used by the Chindits, who were known for penetrating the Japanese lines during the Second World War.

The Chindits were formed and led by Major General Orde Wingate during the Burma Campaign and their original brigades were irregular, special forces-style guerrilla units.

They were trained as long-range penetration units and did not operate in regular battalion formations. They also did not enjoy the regular supply chains that support normal army operations.

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Based in Hermitage, Berkshire, the new brigade will comprise as many as 2,000 troops – including elite special forces soldiers. Around half will be reservists. The unit will support other regiments in operations around the world, including Eastern Europe and the Middle East. Some of the members will be specialists responsible for the delivery of ‘psychological operations’, ‘security and stabilisation’ and ‘media operations’.

As well as using Facebook and Twitter, personnel will learn how to use sites such as Instagram effectively so they can engage with a younger population.

General Sir Nicholas Carter, the Chief of the General Staff, said: ‘The brigade consists of more than just traditional capabilities.

A source said: ‘One of the great lessons we have learnt from Afghanistan and Iraq is the extent to which you can change the fact on the ground by thinking through the orchestration of a range of different effects. (Brigade 77) is a recognition that warfare is changing – the character of war is changing. We have seen this in terms of behaviour on the ground by the Taliban and insurgents in Iraq.

‘It is fair to say in the information age in which we will fight and operate in the future, the number of audiences is much greater than it ever was.’

A defence source said: ‘The force that fought in such difficult conditions adapted to a new type of warfare, using a mixture of original, creative thinkers who integrated with local indigenous forces to multiply effects; the exact requirement for the modern age.’

Announcing the formation of Brigade 77, General Sir Nicholas Carter, the Chief of the General Staff, said: ‘The brigade consists of more than just traditional capabilities. It is an organisation that sits at the heart of trying to operate “smarter”.

‘It comprises a blend of regular troops from all three services as well as reserves and civilians. In fact the Brigade is 42 per cent reservist, drawing upon talent specialists from across the nation.