Geoff goes up the Jungle
F/Sgt Geoff managed to fly out of Palam on 10 days in December 1944, which was quite good going as Delhi is notorious for fog during that month. Several air tests were flown, and 2 Majors, 1 S/LDR, and 1 Captain were safely conveyed to their various destinations by him, in a Proctor or an Argus and he also logs 2 more hours 2nd pilot in the Expediter. No flying was undertaken from 23rd Dec. until 4th Jan. '45.
Summary for Dec. 1944. Expediter 2.00 Proctor 12.45 Argus 16.45
Just an air test on Jan 4th and then, a serious block of flying commences on Jan 6th which occupies him for 19 days.
He flies Argus No. 806 with a S/LDR Bates as his passenger for the entire trip.
Jan 6 Palam Allahabad 3.15
Jan 7 Allahabad Gaya Dum-Dum 4.45
Jan 10 Dum-Dum Jessore Comilla 2.15
Jan 12 Comilla Silchar Kumbhirgram 2.00
Kumbhirgram Imphal 1.00
Jan 14 Imphal Tamu Indainggale Kalemyo 1.30
Kalemyo Indainggale Tamu Imphal 1.30
Jan 15 Imphal Kohima Manipur Road 1.30
Manipur Road Kohima Imphal 1.15
Jan 16 Imphal Kumbhirgram 1.00
Kumbhirgram Silchar Comilla 2.15
Jan 17 Comilla Fenni Hathazari 1.00
Hathazari Chittagong 0.30
Chittagong Fenni Comilla 1.30
Jan 18 Comilla Jessore Dum-Dum 2.15
Jan 22 Dum-Dum Bishnupur Charra 1.45
Charra Ranchi 1.00
Jan 23 Ranchi Jharsuguda 1.30
Jharsuguda Local Flying 1.00
Jan 24 Jharsuguda Allahabad 4.15
Allahabad Palam 3.45
So what was that map-reading-marathon all about? Any theories anyone?
No rest for the wicked. Jan 27 he takes a Major Warren up to Peshawar via Lahore in a Proctor (656) and comes back, same day, with no return pax. Jan 28 In Expediter 476 he does 1.30 circuits & bumps with F/LT Archer. Jan 29 an air test in Argus 554. Jan 31 F/LT Archer gives Geoff a 30 minute air test in Expediter 149 and passes him as 1st pilot henceforth on the Twin Beech with 9.45 on type. Thus concludes 17 days flying in January.
Summary for Jan. 1945. Expediter 2.00 Argus 42.00 Proctor 8.30
Ian BB