Flt Lt John Dunbar DFC (RIP) Five into four won't go
Taken from two tapes
We were trained not to leave anybody to the japs. There was nothing brave or clever about it. I was just about to start the engine when I saw the look on his face. . I just got out of the plane and said “ Stay there and I'll try to get back for you – give me two hours – go and hide in the jungle and make sure you are near.”
We took off, all of us, we only just made it, the clearing was so tight. My aircraft was the ever reliable KJ 400. Another twenty yards or less and I don't think any of us would have made it. We were helped that by the fact that our passengers all weighed a hundred pounds or less, emaciated bodies and not much else.
The flight back was fairly uneventful, and talking to the other chaps afterwards, quiet. This was the reverse of when we took the odd bod behind the lines. Going out they would be quiet but coming back they were full of question about how things were going with the war. When we landed those chaps they were quiet and just hopped out of the plane and disappeared.
I can't even remember if I got out of the plane when we got back, but just said 'fill her up' and went back as fast as I could and landed after completing a circle of the strip. I did have an idea I was running out of time. I wasn't sure I would be able to land . The circle before landing was very low and at very high speed. I could see the Indian soldier rushing out of the trees and waving. I landed, he flew open the back seat ( BB the L5 had two side by side seats and what might be termed a jump seat behind for a small person – the back of the seat folded down )
It is very interesting talking about it now. Nottage and the others were more thrilled by my getting the Indian soldier out than coming out themselves. Everyone knew what fate awaited him.
It was witnessed after we left, that the japs were so furious that they had lost these bods . They knew what was going on, they had been alerted by the first time and don't forget, it takes time to go through the jungle. 136 Force told the story afterwards about how the japs came onto the strip just literally minutes after we left, and in their rage they went and got hold the local elder of the native village and beheaded him in the middle of the strip as a example.
To be continued.