AERODROMES INDIA

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=80 BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF" bgproperties="fixed" background="0c200500dvldtc.gif"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="BauerBodni BT" ><B>113 SQUADRON</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#FFFFCC" FACE="Arial" ><B>     |    </B></FONT><B> </B><A HREF="home_of_113_squadron.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="WELCOME"><U><B>HOME</B></U></A></div> <div> <B> </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFCC" FACE="Arial" >back to</FONT><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFFFCC" FACE="Arial" >  </FONT><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#00FFFF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="id38.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="INDIA"><U><B>INDIA</B></U></A></FONT></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=215 BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF" background="0c3d7c00dvldtc.gif"> <bR> <bR> <div> <U>LANDING GROUNDS</U></div> <bR> <div> Dum Dum</div> <div> Fyzabad</div> <div> Asansol</div> <div> Tezpur</div> <div> Jessore</div> <div> <A HREF="id144_m.htm#feni" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="AERODROMES INDIA"><U>Feni</U></A></div> <div> Chandina</div> <div> Comilla</div> <div> Yelahanka</div> <div> Madras St Thomas Mount</div> <div> Cholavarum</div> <div> Dimapur</div> <div> Tulihal</div> <div> Silchar</div> <div> Patharkandi Assam</div> <div> <A HREF="id144_m.htm#palel" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="AERODROMES INDIA"><U>Palel</U></A></div> <div> Kangla</div> <div> Tulihal</div> <div> Imphal</div> <div> Yazaygo</div> <div> Chandina - Comilla</div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=400 BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <bR> <bR> <div> INDIA<FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="University Roman LET" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="University Roman LET" > </FONT></div> <div> AERODROMES - LANDING GROUNDS - BASES</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> DIMAPUR</div> <bR> <div> (future pic of aerodrome)</div> <bR> <div> From Dec 43 to March 44, No 113 flying Hurricanes were located at the strip at Dimapur. The following is a short extract from a Book by  Harry Homer who was in charge of the RAF Regiment defending that strip.</div> <bR> <div> Dimapur airstrip lay 5 miles up the Manipur Road from the railhead in Dimapur. Great trees had been felled, undergrowth cleared and massive roots blasted out of the earth. There had been a small river or jungle stream there once whose dried up  bed formed the base for the strip which was then hacked strraight out of the jungle.....the ground is baked hard and consists of tough clay....and goes on to state how it became almost impossible to operate as an airfield in the monsoon season. The Hurricanes of 113 found it hard going and eventually they were moved out kit and caboodle but the Regiment detachment stayed and during the siege of Imphal the strip was used by transports both RAF and USAF and the Regiment did all the refuelling etc. 113 left their petrol bowser behind, along with a couple of wrecked Hurricanes and there was a big tank of gas guarded by a detachment of Punjabis</div> <div>  </div> <div> After the flap was over he states that various items were left behind by various units including 3 Hurricane Mk 2 s with 4 cannon apiece all gassed up and armed ready to go. Whatever happened to them he does not say as his unit was moved up to Impahl once the Siege was broken.</div> <div> SOURCE: Author Harry Homer - edited by F/Lt Tony Day</div> <bR> <div> Johnny Bott: "we all moved by train up to the Naga Hills to a place with a runway called Dimapur. Here we slept on bamboo beds in bashas surrounded by stone shapes in the form of the male anatomy. Up in Assam we were. From that strip, we the squadron became operational on Dec 4th 1943 ( 04/12/1943 ). At this time we had a C/O called Buck Courtney and his younger brother Pat had joined us. My wonderful flight commander was a chap by the name of Ken Rolls. Our Sorties were over the Eastern Hills and down to straffing sampans and things supplying the Nips. After awhile they cut the main supply line at Kohima "where the famous battle was won and the nips gave up their intention of invading India through use of the railway line which began at Dimapur. 113 moved to Palel via Jorhat and Tulihal and Silcharwest.  <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" >Source W/O Johnny Bott.</FONT></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <U> <A NAME="palel"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></U><U>PALEL</U></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="72e9a1a0.jpg" border=0 width="410" height="538" ALT="Sketch map of Imphal Valley area India and Burma border 1944. Aerodromes RAF 113 Squadron" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Relational Sketch of Imphal Valley area India / Burma border </div> <div> which contained the airstrips of Palel - Kangla - Imphal - Tulihal</div> <div> Sketch courtesy of F/Lt Stanley Chilton DFC</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>Palel - Kangla - Imphal - Tulihal</B></div> <div> <IMG SRC="72c71000.jpg" border=0 width="369" height="512" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Relational sketch of Airfields in Imphal Valley</div> <div> Note the hills surrounding the area. Dwg not to scale</div> <div> Sketch courtesy of F/Lt Stan Chilton DFC</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="38b046d0.jpg" border=0 width="516" height="365" ALT="Palel Airstrip Assam India, 1944. RAF 34 Squadron dispersal upper left, 113 Squadron Upper right." ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Palel Assam Airstrip - SOURCE: F/O Graham Skellam</div> <div> Upper left 34 Squadron Dispersal, Upper right 113 Squadron Dispersal</div> <bR> <div> Palel in the Imphal Valley is a small so called 'all weather Strip' at the southern extremity of the Imphal valley. The term all weather is a bit of a misnomer meaning simply that the runway is a hard surface and you won't sink in the mud. Other than that, it is the last place you would want to land a plane in inclement weather such as a monsoon. The Imphal valley is encircled by mountains peaking to several thousand feet in elevation at the northern end, here Palel sits a few hundred feet from the bottom. Overlooking the runway on the hillside were thatched huts used as accomodation. S/Ldr R Courtney states that at certain times of the year the cloudbase was often well below the summits of the surrounding mountains. In order to get out one had to thread their way through the valleys at low level and hope that these didn't close in as well on the return trip. </div> <bR> <div> The 113 Squadron moved back to the airstrip at Palel on 25/05/1944. Here they were located with several other squadrons, one of them being 34 Squadron. Wellington bombers were also regular visitors bringing in 250lb bombs for the Hurricanes. It was also here at Palel, among others, that the well liked Army Laison Officer Major Kennington could be found. While the boys were away on Operations, Major Kennington would be making arrangements for hot tea and coffee and await the boys return for de-briefing. During this time the Adninistrative part of the Squadron was located at Patharkandi. </div> <div> SOURCE: K Crawford per various sources compiled, incl memoirs S/Ldr Courtney, S/Ldr Newman 34 Sqd, W/O Johnny Bott, W/O Joe Ward</div> <bR> <div> Johnny Bott: 113 moved to Palel from Dimapur via Jorhat and Tulihal and Silcharwest. We then operated from Pathakandi for awhile, flying down to a strip called Tulihall each day in the Imphal Valley and back to Pathakandi, but when the Kohima road was finally opened we landed up at Palel via other airfields on the way.</div> <bR> <div> Palel was a strip almost surrounded by Jap forces and they lobbed a few shells at us one night and destroyed at least two of our aircraft, I remember that the Flight Sergeant Bill Lockerbie (in charge of our ground staff) was furiously annoyed that a Jap used his office for a washroom. Palel was the scene each day of shooting up the enemy attacking our soldiers in 17 Div. </div> <div> Most of us did 3 or 4 Sorties a day assisting 17 division but there came a time in June 44 when our targets were up towards the Kohima area where the army was beginning to push the Japs back towards Burma. <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" >Source: </FONT><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" >W/O Johnny Bott</FONT></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="9e6f86f0.jpg" border=0 width="504" height="367" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Target Map, Palel airstrip Imphal 1944. 34 Sqd & 113 Sqd Dispersal </div> <div> areas indicated. The airstrip was 6000 ft by 150ft and remains abandoned in 2007. Compare this map with the one above.</div> <div> Sketch courtesy of F/Lt Stan Chilton DFC</div> <bR> <div> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</div> <div> <U>BULLSHIT and BRASS</U></div> <bR> <div> Bullshit and brass from afar,</div> <div> Stepped haughtily down from his bloody great car</div> <div> Into a cesspool, full up with shit</div> <div> Enquired for Palel, and told this was it.</div> <div> Source: Senior Medical Officer - Palel Manipur 1944</div> <div> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <U> <A NAME="feni"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></U><U>FENI</U></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="47e08980.jpg" border=0 width="520" height="152" ALT="Sketch of Feni aerodrome RAF 113 Squadron 1943 Burma / India" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Feni Airfield - Sketched by Corp Lightbody</div> <bR> <div> The shaded area was dug out to make the bricks for the runway and often flooded during the rainy season. The bricks were baked in the sun and laid parkay fashion.</div> <bR> <div> Major Vinney was C.O. at this time. From 05/01/1943 to 09/01/1943 the squadron maintained a detachment at Feni for army co-operation duties. It is unknown how many aircraft but W/O Jack Barnes was one in BA398.  On January 21, 1943 (21/01/1943) the balance of the squadron moved to Feni, although there is some indication that not all arrived here on this date. On Feb 28, 1943 (28/02/1943) the Squadron in support of the Army moved up to Chandina to be closer to the front lines, and then on May 6, 1943 (06/05/1943) it moved up again to Comilla. With the Monsoon season now well underway by  May 30, 1943 it was reported that only two aircraft remained available for immediate use as the rest were bogged down in the mud. At this the Squadron returned to Feni on June 27, 1943 with operations against various points through which the japs were bringing supplies to their front from Rangoon. </div> <bR> <div> It was at Feni that the Squadron was visited by a Mr Bovill of the Path`e Gazette who took many action film shots of operations in the rain and mud. Around this time W/Cdr Jones posted in, Major Viney currently leading the squadron had been a F/Cdr under Jones. On August 15, 1943 (15/08/1943) it was a historic day for the squadron when the last operational flight as a bomber unit was carried out. This day was also the last operational flight of the Bisleys (Blenheim MkV) when, from Feni,  113 raided Japanese targets at Kudaung and Laundaung. Following a farewell dinner, some squadron members were posted to other duties and the balance of the squadron moved via Khargpur to Yelahanka, near Bangalore to begin conversion to Hurricanes.    </div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <A HREF="id144_m.htm" TITLE="AERODROMES INDIA"><U><IMG SRC="22932320.gif" border=0 width="50" height="50" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="id144_m.htm" TITLE="AERODROMES INDIA"><U> </U></A></FONT></div> <div> <A HREF="id144_m.htm" TITLE="AERODROMES INDIA"><U>BACK TO TOP</U></A></div> </td> </tr></table></body>