Danny and the final Wrap-up.
About the middle of April I got my "Marching Orders". Not for release yet, but as my (extended) overseas tour had time-expired. 1340 Flight had ceased to have any purpose (except to act as a holding unit for the aircrew officers who had come out just after VJ and would have to wait some time yet before shipping was available for their return home).
They would still need a C.O. "Alex" Bury was named to succeed me, he would inherit my "as new" rank cuffs on the 29th of the month (and I would revert to Flight Lieutenant). On that date I would hand over the safe keys and the code & cypher books. My one-and-only Command had lasted for only 13 months, but it had been interesting. Alex would not need to catch up with much paperwork, but I would still leave him a problem (in the shape of an unintended legacy to the good folk of Cannanore). It happened like this:
A couple of days before I left, there was an agitated message from the local Stationmaster. My chain had arrived ! It was taking up a lot of room, could I please come and take it away ? I went to have a look. No, I couldn't !
When we put the demand in, we'd blithely assumed the "one inch" referred to the overall size of a single link (well, it stands to reason, doesn't it ?) Unfortunately, it doesn't ! - It's the thickness of the rod from which the links are forged that counts ! What we had specified would serve as anchor cable for the Queen Mary (or at least a Mersey ferry) ! And IIRC, there was 100 fathoms of it. Of course the stuff shouldn't have been sent at all; it was the M.U's mistake as we'd cancelled the order. We signalled them to come and take it back.
Meanwhile there was this monstrous pile taking up half the goods yard, and the Stationmaster was tearing his hair out. I left for Bombay and never did hear the end of it. But everyone was in the winding-down phase, chaos reigned and I would not be at all surprised if the huge heap of rusting chain is there yet. By now it will be covered in vegetation and may have acquired religious significance. Mothers will tell their babes tales of the Great Danny Sahib, who once flew in a Huge Iron Bird from the maidan and in gratitude for his safe return to Earth had caused this stupa to be raised in honour of whichever God ruled the roost in those parts.
Curiously enough, I've never been able to find out how much longer the Flight (or CDRE for that matter) carried on before they finally closed down. I didn't keep in touch (no point). For 1340 Flight Wiki just quotes back our Thread to us; there may be some way to get at the final F.540s (the ORB), but I don't know how.
Wiki is no more use when I fed in: "Chemical Defence Research Establishment in WW2". This throws up: " WW2 Mustard Gas Tests on Indians / Military History", which leads to: "Militarian" Military History Programme. This carries a "Guardian" story all about alleged large scale mustard trials up North on supposedly unsuspecting Indian troops; all I can say is that I was in India at the time and never heard a whisper of any such places in the CDRE Mess in Cannanore (or anywhere else). (Cow or Pig fat to grease the cartridges, anyone ?). It contains no mention of us. Both Cannanore and Porton always seemed to be treated as "hush-hush" to a great extent; there was some sort of a security angle to them.
Now we must think of small details. What kit did I have to go home in ? (besides my KD, of course - and I may have had a bush-jacket & slacks in jungle green - "bottle-green battledress" - or (colloquially): "battle-green bottledress"). Did I have a No.1 SD - certainly not ! Greatcoat - no. * Blue battledress - certainly - I would need it for the Med. Where did I get it ? I must have had it to come out in '42, and had to have it for Ski School. Meanwhile it must have mouldered away for three years at the bottom of my tin box/Uniform Case with my Black Shoes.
* Near the end, RAF Stores "Officers' Shops" out there had "sealed pattern" blue serge (but not Crombie) greatcoat cloth for sale by the yard (dirt cheap). For a few rupees, I got enough for a coat, borrowed another coat to show the dherzi how to set about it, got measured up and left my stuff for him to have a go. It was a woeful mess, I think I gave it to my Bearer, "Joseph".
So when I went to Worli (again !) all I'd need with me was battledress, blue shirts , u/wear, black socks & shoes, plus a bit of KD, towel and "small kit". All the rest of my belongings went into my Uniform Case. A CDRE carpenter crated it up for me, it was handed in to RAF Stores (Cochin). I would not see it again for a month or three, then it turned up safe & sound in Southport (mirabile dictu). Even the bottles were intact !
Not long to go now. Goodnight, chaps,
Danny.
DCO.
Last edited by Danny42C; 16th Nov 2012 at 22:25.
Reason: Correction.