RAF Chakulia, India and abbreviation help

[pete102]

Hi,
The last posting I have for an Officer is at 210 SP Chakulia from Nov 45 to Feb 46, has anyone any idea what the SP stands for?
I think Chakulia was part of 229 Group Transport Command, did they transport anything in particular? men, supplies, VIP's etc? There is quite a bit on the web regarding Chakulia when the Americans were based there but nothing of note from when the RAF returned in 45.
One thing that has come up when searching was the RAF mutiny of January 46, something I knew little about. It is said 22 Stations took part in strike action, would anyone know if Chakulia was one of them?

Many Thanks

Pete

[allan125]

Hi Pete

SP = Staging Post - basically from 1941 a series of un-numbered Air Staging Posts was established, then later they became numbered and titled Staging Post, Terminal Staging Post, (Forward) Staging Post etc. - my 1997 copy of "RAF Flying Training and Support Units" only shows for 210 SP "was to form 13.7.45 in No. 229 Group at Monywa (NTU?) - NTU means Not Taken Up, but as you have it at Chakulia it would appear this is in error. No doubt it was corrected in the amended version of the book published in the last year or so.

Whilst aware of the RAF mutiny in 1946 I have no idea if Chakulia was one of them - however, something like 60 stations were involved, not 22 - see also http://www.socialisthistorysociety.co.uk/RAF04.HTM

Hope this helps

Allan

[pete102]

Thanks for your help Allan. I'd seen two different figures quoted for the mutinies, 22 Stations or 60 Units and was unsure as to which one to quote.

[Matt Poole]

Hi, Pete and Allan,

Of very minor help is the fact that Monywa is in Burma, on the banks of the Chindwin River about 60 miles west of Mandalay.

In Burma in the first months of 1946 (and maybe earlier; squadron records are scarce in late 1945) I know that RAF Liberators were involved in dropping rice to villages. I don't know if 229 Group was supporting this mission.

Nothing else of value to add...

Cheers,

Matt

[pete102]

Thanks Matt

[Oldduffer]

The mutiny was widespread across South East Asia and the figures seen probably include stations in Malaya and Singapore in addition to Burma and India.

My 'old man' was on 684 Sqn at the time and his CO was able to sidestep the mutiny by taking the entire squadron to Chiang Mai in Thailand/Siam.

From the limited accounts I have heard, the mutiny was a rather gentlemanly affair and violence wasn't offered but people simply refused to work. The whole thing apparently stemmed from the Government's repatriation and discharge policy after the war was over. I expect food quality and quantity was in there somewhere.

I sense there's a good book to be written about it!!!!

Colin Cummings

[pete102]

Thanks Colin, from what I've read the strikes were indeed gentlemanly although I'm not sure the repurcussions were.
This a newspaper cutting from the Observer I found on a blog.
http://williammartinpoet.com/page52.htm
There was also a "Secret History" documentary made in the 90's that aired on Channel 4 although I cannot find it on the web.