Originally Posted by
828a
It is an account of a DC3 squadron engaged in clandestine operations dropping spies and their supplies into Japanese occupied Burma, Inodochina and Malaya. They operated from bases in Eastern India
Same task indeed. They were in Eastern India initially (Gauhati) then moved on across Burma. They did get to Saigon but I think that was after the war ended.
Father worked all his career in Barclays Bank in various British cities, except that when WW2 came along he was just told "you will join the RAF". One tour on Halifax bombers from Topcliffe, Yorkshire, then reassigned to the Far East on Daks (fortunately, as all his fellow crew who did a second Halifax tour were lost and I would not be here). After the war, back to the bank, what a comedown, the RAF was undoubtedly the highlight of his life, and as a small child he would tell me sufficient about the trips that even today I could probably fly my weekends-only PA-28 from Rangoon to Mandalay without charts ! He had, as many aircrew had, a "lucky charm", in his case an 1870 US silver dollar that had come through the bank one day. It's still in my flight bag.
Thanks also for putting up the Malayan Airways timetable. I loved that word Batavia. Do you have any later timetables say about 1958-60? Also would your source of information stretch to something about Borneo Airways.
I'll dig the stuff out. Best I have is a summer 1956. Putting it together will make a pleasant diversion from sweeping up the autumn leaves (don't tell Mrs WHBM
)
I think those Yorks belonged to Dan Air but I'm not sure and if so Arthur Larkman would have been flying them.
Certainly Dan-Air were on this run with Yorks (as were many others). It seems to have been about a fortnight round trip.