Bristol Blenheim V: A Bristol Blenheim V (known as the “Bisley” for a short time) a not-too-successful medium bomber used by 3 squadrons in the Far East from 1942-43. Fortunately they were able to re-equip with Hurricanes from mid-1943. BA952 was from 113 Sqn. RAF whose stations included Asansol, Feni and Chandina. Standard Temperate day bomber finish but the red was not removed from the insignia.
Although a Japanese storm was breaking over Rangoon the RAF at Mingaladon found a way to go onto the offensive. On 7 January 1942 the Blenheim bombers of No. 113 Squadron RAF raided the docks at Bangkok, the capital of Siam (Thailand), and some 350 miles to the south-east. Japan had entered into an alliance with Siam and, only a week after the Pearl Harbor attack and invasion of Malaya on 8 December, the Japanese Army under General Sakurai Shojiro surged across Siam’s south-eastern border into Burma. They first took Victoria Point, which lies at Burma’s southern extremity of the Tenasserim coastal strip on the western shore of the Malay Peninsula. General Sakurai’s aims were to first take Rangoon, then move north to capture Mandalay, and the oil fields at Yenangyaung.
As Japan’s troops pushed north into Burma they increasingly outflanked British forces. To make a long-distance air raid on Bangkok in response seemed a daring ploy, but was it risking very scarce aircraft and air crew? And would a possible increase in raids by the JAAF as revenge make it counterproductive? In December 1941 General Wavell, C-in-C India, had informed London that the Far East region as a whole, including Burma had only 200 aircraft, and was totally lacking in long-range aircraft and night-fighters. This compared with a requirement, estimated in 1940 by the Chiefs of Staff, that a minimum of fourteen squadrons of some 336 aircraft of various types were required.
The air defence of Rangoon, its port, and the strategic supplies being transported over the Burma Road to China rested for the moment on just two fighter squadrons, No. 67 Squadron RAF and the AVG ‘Panda Bears’ Squadron. On 1 January Air Vice Marshal Stevenson CBE DSO MC had arrived to take up his position as Air Officer Commanding (AOC) Air Forces Burma, which included AVG forces based at Mingaladon. Stevenson, who was previously AOC of No. 2 Group in Britain, had a reputation as being very aggressively inclined, always looking to be on the offensive. Some airmen in No. 2 Group were said to have described him as a ‘bloody-minded butcher’. At Mingaladon he took command of a threadbare and obsolete force that included the Burma Volunteer Air Force, which operated Gypsy Moth biplane aircraft using a beach as a runway at Litkoken.
In spite of inadequate resources Stevenson was intent on using pre-emptive ‘lean-forward’ tactics against the Japanese. His desire to be on the attack received a boost on 7 January when the Blenheim IV bombers of No. 113 Squadron RAF, under the command of Wing Commander R. Stidolph, and Squadron Leaders Peter Ford DFC and Peter Duggan Smith DFC, began to arrive from the Middle East. Duggan Smith, who had flown under Stevenson in No. 2 Group, found in the first briefing that the AOC had not changed in his approach.
When on our arrival, Stevenson asked how long it would take us to bomb up our aircraft – and let’s be honest we were tired after a long flight – there were some pretty surprised looks amongst our crews. Nevertheless, rank prevailed and we finally loaded up four 250lb bombs onto each of the six serviceable aircraft. For reasons still unknown to me, the target selected was any Japanese shipping in the Bangkok harbour area. The maps were poor, and to undertake a night operation over an unknown area by tired personnel seemed rather futile. I participated in this operation and to this day I do not know whether I hit anything!
Sergeant Pilot J.E. ‘Chappy’ Chapman, a Canadian pilot in No. 113 Squadron, who flew in the raid, afterwards came face to face with Stevenson’s tough demands.
We were told to bomb from about 3,000 feet. Now I personally did not like bombing from a low height when I had a plane that could fly higher. Anyway, I think I got to the target first and, as there was no AA, I circled around for a few minutes and then I got bored and bombed from about 6,000 feet. I saw some guys even higher than me dropping their stuff.
They wanted a Pilot’s Report of the raid despite the fact that we told them that we did not see anything, so I put in my report that I had bombed from 6,000 feet. The next thing I knew the AOC called me up, in front of the whole squadron, and asked me what the hell I was doing bombing from 6,000 feet, when he told us to bomb from 3,000 feet. He really did not call me a coward but he certainly inferred it. I need not add that the other pilots were not as stupid as me and escaped his wrath.
Although on the surface it appeared a foolhardy mission, by making the raid on Bangkok, Stevenson’s broader strategy was to send a message to the JAAF, that his air force had a bomber capability. It supported the real aim, which was to make the JAAF retain some fighters at their airfields in Thailand, rather than deploying them to Malaya or the Pacific. However, the pilots of No. 113 Squadron, on reading uninformed and highly favourable reports of the raid in the Rangoon press, gained the impression that the operation to Bangkok might have been arranged as a civilian morale boost.
Desperate measures were the order of the day and the bomber raid on Bangkok was not the only innovative operation. Around the beginning of January, No. 28 Squadron RAF and No. 1 Squadron Indian Air Force (IAF) arrived at Mingaladon. Each squadron was equipped with the single-engined Westland Lysander, an Army Co-operation aircraft. The two squadrons were given outlandish orders to use the Lysanders to bomb Japanese airfields. The AVG, who had been expecting reinforcements by more modern aircraft, were dismayed at the sight of these strange looking, puny aeroplanes. Very soon the AVG pilots had great respect for the RAF and IAF flyers of these seemingly inadequate machines.
Overcoming their initial dismay, the two squadrons discarded their Army Co-operation training manuals and converted to flying their aircraft in a bizarre role as low-level bombers, each carrying two 250 lb bombs. Australian Sergeant Harold Glass of No. 28 Squadron was one of these daring pilots.
We used small bombs, two on each wing stub. Whilst taking off on one occasion from Zayatkwin, which was a particularly rutted airstrip, one of the bombs dropped off just as one aircraft was airborne. The explosion caused the aircraft to flip over on its back, and burst into flames, both of the crew being killed. Three of us managed to get away with our bombs. As sergeants we had not been at the briefing, only the pilot of that aircraft who was now dead, knew what the target was. So we had to dump the bombs.
Another day Flight Lieutenant Hammerback returned with a 250lb bomb hung up. Rather than try a landing on the satellite strip of John Haig airfield, he tried to land at Mingaladon. As he touched down, the bomb released and shot ahead, so he took off again. The Watch Police were not happy, left to have to deal with a live unexploded bomb sitting on their runway!
Despite the hazardous nature of flying these aircraft in such a role, the two squadrons persisted and took the offensive deep into Japanese-occupied territory, against enemy airfields at such as Menogaen, Mae Haiungeau and even the strongly defended Chieng Mai. By flying close to the ground their camouflage made them difficult to see from above, and sometimes their slow speed combined with a very tight turning radius became an advantage. Over some six weeks not one Lysander was lost to enemy fire. Squadron Leader ‘Jumbo’ Mazumdar of No. 1 Squadron IAF was awarded the DFC.
Perhaps in response to the raid on Bangkok, in late January the JAAF raids on Mingaladon became daily attacks, often many times a day, and the losses of AVG and RAF mounted. In one such raid Sergeant Pilot ‘Chappy’ Chapman of No. 113 Squadron, while off roster on the ground at the Mingaladon base, experienced a lucky escape.
We spent a good deal of time dodging Japanese bombs. They came over as often as three times a day to bomb our airfield and so frequently that if you wanted any of the sergeants, you looked in the air raid shelters. One day the air raid alarm went off and we took off for the shelters, slit trenches near the Sergeants’ Mess. We sat there for half an hour, and then Ruddell, one of the ground crew sergeants, decided he was going to get in a truck, and drive out on the road somewhere, as he just had a bad feeling about it sitting there.
Some of the aircrew decided to go along with him, so we all opted to do so too. The net result was some twenty or thirty guys climbed into the truck and went and sat under some trees outside, while the airfield was being bombed and strafed. After the raid we returned to find the area of the Sergeants’ Mess slit trenches completely demolished, and the officers looking for our bodies!
On 20 January six Tomahawks of the AVG escorted six Blenheims on a bombing mission to Mershot in Thailand in another attempt to divert the Japanese fighter squadrons. Flying above the bombers at 10,000 feet, heading north-east, six JAAF fighters were picked up at about 8,000 feet, about 3 miles south-west of Mershot, and two more appeared soon after. The enemy aircraft flew in scattered pairs and their attack was initiated from above and rear, one enemy aircraft coming down to attack, and the other remaining overhead. The AVG Tomahawks claimed four probables from the dogfights, but lost one aircraft, and its pilot, Moss. Or so they thought.
The next day Moss proved their fears wrong and reported back at Mingaladon on what had ensued:
aim, which was to make the JAAF retain some fighters at their airfields in Thailand, rather than deploying them to Malaya or the Pacific. However, the pilots of No. 113 Squadron, on reading uninformed and highly favourable reports of the raid in the Rangoon press, gained the impression that the operation to Bangkok might have been arranged as a civilian morale boost.
After I had shot down an enemy plane, my engine burst into flames when two enemy ships jumped me. I baled out at about 1,500 feet about 7 miles on our side. On the ground I then travelled for about 14 hours by bullock, 4 miles by boat and 14 miles by car, which brought me to Moulmein, where I caught a bomber home.
It was a typical day for the AVG pilots, and a lucky one for Moss. The last week of January however would prove to be not as lucky for other AVG pilots. Bert Christman baled out from his damaged Tomahawk, only to be shot up by a Japanese fighter as he hung from his parachute. Louis Hoffman was shot down while trying to break up an enemy raid on Rangoon, and Tom Cole was downed and lost on a strafing run on Japanese supply trucks near Moulmein.
Death seemed to come at random, at any time. Sergeant Pilot ‘Chappy’ Chapman was witness to another bizarre twist of fate. On one operation he had been on a photo-reconnaissance flight over Thailand and, on the way back, had to land at Moulmein to refuel. Dust in the Buffalo’s carburettor was a recurring problem and, after three aborted attempts to take-off, it seemed to have struck again and he had to give up and seek maintenance support.
This was late afternoon, so we pulled the aircraft under the cover of some trees, and camouflaged it as best we could. Just as well as later we were strafed by half a dozen Jap fighters. After the attack I sent a signal to Mingaladon explaining the situation, and they sent a Tomahawk to pick up the recce film.
By the time the Tomahawk then got back to Mingaladon it was almost dark, and as there was no runway lighting system, they parked a car at the end of the runway with its lights on to guide the pilot. Unfortunately the car was hit by the Tomahawk, and a pilot who may have been sleeping in the car was killed.
On 19 January Squadron Leader C.A.C. ‘Bunny’ Stone of No. 17 Squadron RAF, Squadron Leader Frank ‘Chota’ Carey and Flying Officer Jack Storey of No. 135 Squadron RAF, both squadrons comprised of Hurricane fighters, had arrived at Mingaladon by flying boat in advance of other squadron personnel. Their Hurricane aircraft were still in transit somewhere. Early on the 23 January, to set against the losses of aircraft and pilots, there was more good news.
Squadron Leader T.A.F. ‘Jimmy’ Elsdon with three other pilots of No. 136 Squadron RAF landed in their Hurricanes. Although six of their Hurricane Mk IIB aircraft had departed Egypt on 14 January, one had crashed at Bahrain for refuelling, and another became unserviceable at Karachi. Still, at last No. 67 Squadron at Mingaladon had some reinforcements, and for the first time some Hurricane fighters, which offered more hope against the formidable JAAF fighters.
