Danny enjoys his first "chukka" by rail.
I do not remember much about Worli, except that water was rather short and I developed a technique for having a bath out of a pint mug (and that takes some doing, believe me). It must have been straight after Christmas that my posting came through - 110 Squadron at Madhaiganj. Nobody in the Orderly Room had any idea where that was, but a consensus emerged that it must be in the jungle East of Calcutta. River steamers and dug-out canoes (?) were mentioned. What did 110 do ? They neither knew nor cared.
But this was no particular concern to them. They would give us railway warrants to the place and trust to Indian Railways to get us to our destination. Us ? Here my memory is rather hazy. I was in a group of either four or six. Six is more probable. Assuming six to a bunch, ours was one of four bunches posted to (respectively) 45, 82, 84 and 110 Squadrons in separate places. This accounted for 24 of the total. The other 12 (which included Ronnie Bray) were left behind and later scattered to the four winds (he ended up on a Ferry flight in Ceylpn).
Next came an introduction to the Indian railway system at Victoria Station. This huge cathedral has to be seen to be believed. Much of India's population seems to live on railway stations, and spends its time travelling in, hanging on the sides of, or sitting on top of trains. There was a theory that fares had to be kept very low - so as to be less than the smallest bribe which a guard or ticket collector would take - otherwise the railway company would get nothing and its employees grow fat.
The booking clerk had no more idea than Worli where Madhaigang was. Go to Calcutta, and ask there, was his advice. Nobody had a better idea, so we did just that. The journey must have taken three or four days, and I'll say no more about it for now as I give a full description of rail travel a bit later.
We arrived in Calcutta (Howrah station) late one evening. The RTO greeted us with the news that we'd overshot our proper stop (Asansol) by a hundred and fifty miles. There were no trains back that night. He found us an upper room with half a dozen charpoys, and some scruffy blankets, but no mossie nets, and we bedded down fully clothed for the night. (Why ? where were our own bedrolls and nets ? Don't know). We were eaten alive, even wrapped up in the blankets with only the tips of our noses out to breathe. We should all have been certain of a dose of malaria, but as far as I remember, we all escaped. Beginner's luck !
What we should have done, and what we would have done without hesitation a few months later, was to grab a taxi over to the Grand Hotel, where in those days you could get a bed in a (twin) room, no choice of room mate - and the answer's "no such luck" - (but full board), for 10 Rupees* a night. That was about 14/- (say £30 today), and on our pay as Sergeant Pilots (13/6 a day) we could afford to live like kings.
* Hereinafter "Rs10".
That's your lot for the moment,
Take care.
Danny 42C
Softly, softly, catchee monkey.
Last edited by Danny42C; 26th Apr 2012 at 20:35.
Reason: Add Title