By: Snoopy
- 12th November 2001 at 11:27Permalink- Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
RE: M S Pujji and other Indian aircrew in WW2
Whee!! :-) Thanks for that link, Jagan.
The squadron referred to in the article, which Sqn Ldr M S Pujji commanded in the Burma-India theatre, was I think No 4 Squadron RIAF. IIRC they were tasked with low-level Tactical Recce and support operations; and yes, they did suffer particularly heavy casualties (ref his comment that they lost 35 pilots and he didn't manage to shoot down any Zeros). In common with other Tac R units in the theatre, they would have been under orders *not* to engage in air combat, as it was deemed more important for them to bring the results of their recce missions back, than to shoot down enemy aircraft.
Incidentally, if a mere enthusiast may be permitted to offer a possible correction to a BBC article, the Japanese aircraft that Sqn Ldr Pujji's squadron was up against in Burma might have been Oscars, not Zeros -- the Oscars were the Army version of the Naval Zeros, and AFAIK were more widely deployed in Burma.
Posts: 562
By: Jagan - 9th November 2001 at 17:05 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
RE: Non-European aircrew in European theatre during WW2
Talk about coincidences....
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/uk/newsid_1645000/1645374.stm
an interview with M S Pujji...IMagine my surprise when someone sent me this link
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By: Snoopy - 12th November 2001 at 11:27 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
RE: M S Pujji and other Indian aircrew in WW2
Whee!! :-) Thanks for that link, Jagan.
The squadron referred to in the article, which Sqn Ldr M S Pujji commanded in the Burma-India theatre, was I think No 4 Squadron RIAF. IIRC they were tasked with low-level Tactical Recce and support operations; and yes, they did suffer particularly heavy casualties (ref his comment that they lost 35 pilots and he didn't manage to shoot down any Zeros). In common with other Tac R units in the theatre, they would have been under orders *not* to engage in air combat, as it was deemed more important for them to bring the results of their recce missions back, than to shoot down enemy aircraft.
Incidentally, if a mere enthusiast may be permitted to offer a possible correction to a BBC article, the Japanese aircraft that Sqn Ldr Pujji's squadron was up against in Burma might have been Oscars, not Zeros -- the Oscars were the Army version of the Naval Zeros, and AFAIK were more widely deployed in Burma.