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On Arriving at Group H.Q. in Delhi, the Adjutant said I had been posted as a Pilot Officer, not as a Warrant officer. My commission papers had not arrived at my Squadron before I departed there so he said I would have to return to 117 Squadron as my papers had arrived there just after I had left. So I had to fly back the 1,000 miles or so and rejoin the Squadron for a few days as the most junior pilot officer. This of course required another party in the Officers mess, again getting clearance form all departments as before but as a pilot officer. Then again flew back to Delhi where I stayed at the transit officer’s mess called Travancore. Though I had expected to be posted to a flying job but non-operational I was told this was not to be as so many aircrew were arriving form the UK for operations against the Japanese as the European war was drawing to a close (3 months Later). I was given the choice of several posting around India as an ABC Officer (Air Booking Centre). I opted for Delhi as it was the 229 Group H.Q. and would be better placed to try to get back flying. My C.O. at Delhi, when I told him of my disappointment at not getting a flying job said that providing a did a good job of it he would recommend me for flying after 3 months, instead of the usual 6 months. As an ABC duty officer wit my team at Delhi 229 group H.Q. we organised military personnel onto flights around \India. On one occasion I briefly met Sir Malcolm Campbell who before the war had held the world land speed record in his Blue bird and later the water speed record. Years later his son, Donald Campbell, was killed on Coniston also attempting the world water speed record.

After the 3 months were over I was offered a posting back to flying on either 353 Squadron or the Liberator 232 Squadron, both based at Apalan, Delhi. I opted for 353 Squadron a VIP squadron that operated to most cities within India and Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). We were known as the “White Overall Boys” that being our special uniform — very smart but a bit impractical as any grease or dirt picked dup I the cockpit showed up. Our schedules were to the following places: Karachi; Bombay; Bangalore; Colombo; Madras; Gwalior, and Calcutta. On our night stops in Karachi we met up with Bomber Command crews who after a day or so at Karachi then returned to the UK having stocked up with items that were unobtainable back home.

After several months flying with 353 Squadron I had a fortnight’s leave to get away from the heat of the plains and traveled up to a hill station in the foothills of the Himalayas called Mussorie. These hill stations were beautiful places and we certainly appreciated the cool climate and civilized living. As well as Mussorie during my three years in India I also had some leave in Murree (towards Kashmire) and Darjeeling (already mentioned).

As my demob and repatriation were almost going to coincide I at first decided to apply for an extension of my commission so that back in the UK I could acclimatise myself and prepare for civilian life. But my Adjutant advised me against this as I would probably spend my extension as an instructor but still out East. Naturally I opted to return to the UK for demob, my group being number 36 due April 1946. Firstly my pilot and I were asked if we would be interested in ferrying an Expeditor aircraft — a short range communication aircraft back to the USAF at Furstenfellbrook in Germany, these aircraft being part of the Lease-Lend arrangements during the war. We both decided against this as it meant leaving most of our personal effects behind to lighten the payload of these short-range aircraft even when modified with long-range fuel tanks. So I prepared myself for the return to the UK by troopship, my fourth during the war. Incidentally a few months before I qualified for a month’s UK leave flying home via Aden, Tel Aviv, Sardinia to an airfield in Oxfordshire. Towards the end of my leave staying with mum and dad and sister Joan at Ilford, Essex I received instructions to report to Liverpool. That surprised me as I had expected to be flying back to India. The Adjutant there said I would be escorting some hundred airmen by troopship, a Polish vessel called the Sobieski to their units in India. Armed with all the necessary paperwork we sailed via the Med back to Bombay. The war, having been over for several months the airmen were a little bolshie at the conditions on board and did not appreciate my remarks that during the war troopship conditions had been far worse as I had experienced the Duchess of Richmond and even worse on the Turkish vessel the Khedive Ismail.

On arrival in Bombay I thought that was the end of my responsibilities after handing over all the posting notices for the airmen. But it was not to be. The Adjutant said I had to escort them by troop train from Bombay to their various units in India. Indian troop trains were very basic event though, as an officer, I had first class accommodation. Eventually I delivered the last airman to Peshawar in the North West frontier before flying back to the Squadron at Delhi. My crew said how lucky I had been, not only getting a month’s UK leave but having it extended by a month. I put them right about the extra month being spent on a troop ship and train. I think I had a little sympathy from them.

I recall the reaction of Abdul, my bearer, when I told him I was leaving shortly for the UK. He broke down saying he didn’t know what his future would be a she and his father and grandfather had always worked for the military “sahibs” and now we were all leaving India. I pointed out that Indian politicians were visiting India for the Indians, which came about a year later in 1947 under Lord Mountbatten the Last Viceroy of India. And that he would probably get a job with an Indian contractor but he replied that the British Raj had always treated him well, far better than treatments meted out by these contractors some of whom exploited the Bengal famine in 1942/3 and horded rice, the staple diet of the land whilst thousands were dying of starvation. I did not see the worst of this but recall my first visit to Calcutta seeing the death cart going round the streets picking up those who had died during the night.

Then my Group 36 came up for demob, but before leaving 353 Squadron I and others had to have an anti smallpox jab as there had been several outbreaks in India and this was often fatal for a European though less so for the Indians who had some natural protection having been exposed to the germ over the centuries. For some time I had been acting as our Squadron Signals Leader so now handed over my duties.

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