RAF Drigh Road

[Franek Grabowski]

Gents
Does anyone have any plan or map of RAF Drigh Road prior or during the war?
Thanks

[Jagan]

You are in luck Franek :)
http://www.rafcommands.com/galleries/SEAC/Air-Routes-India-229-Group---Transport-Command/DrighRoadFront

[Franek Grabowski]

Just great! Do you have it in a better resolution?

[Jagan]

I have it. will email you shortly.

[Franek Grabowski]

Got it and replied on e-mail, thanks!

[Jim Devine]

Hi Jagan,

I wonder if I could also have a better resolution copy of the Drigh Road map please? I'm compiling a piece on the first flight over Everest for the history of 602 (City of Glasgow) Squadron. Can I also ask how "Drigh Road" was pronounced?

Many thanks,

Jim Devine
Committee Member
602 (City of Glasgow) Squadron Museum Association

You are in luck Franek :)
http://www.rafcommands.com/galleries/SEAC/Air-Routes-India-229-Group---Transport-Command/DrighRoadFront

[Jagan]

I can provide you that. Shall I email it to the email address on record?

[Jim Devine]

Yes please. Many thanks! Jim.

[Franek Grabowski]

It is Dry Road more less. Original buildings are still in the base, is there any of your particular interest?

[Jim Devine]

Thanks Franek,

I need to narrate this for audio-visual so needed to know how it was pronounced. I'm preparing the story of the flight over Everest by two 602 Squadron pilots in 1933. The two Westland aircraft were shipped to Karachi in crates, and assembled and tested by the RAF Depot at Drigh Road, so anything relating to the hangar building, general buildings and runways around that time would be of interest.

Best wishes,

Jim.

Jim Devine
Committee Member
602 (City of Glasgow) Squadron Museum Association

[bruce dennis]

Jim/Franek:

There is an interview with a chap who served at Drigh Road in the IWM collections. The recording is here...

https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/80018099

... and at around 9:20 in the third reel of the recording he mentions Drigh Road. The link should take you straight to the third reel but no promises. You can hear he pronounces it 'drig' with a hard G.

HTH
Bruce

[Jim Devine]

Hi Bruce,

that was very helpful. Many thanks!

Jim.

[Jagan]

Pretty sure the map does not represent Drigh Road as it was in 1933. The runways would have come in after 1941 - but the large hangars and buildings would have existed.

I have uploaded some aerial views of Drigh Road in the 1930s. The photos were collected around the net from various auction sites - so not in my collection at high resolution

http://www.rafcommands.com/galleries/India-1930s/Drigh-Road

This particular photo shows the Runways didnt exist

http://www.rafcommands.com/galleries/var/resizes/India1930s/Drigh-Road/DrighRoad04.jpg?m=1521645202 (http://www.rafcommands.com/galleries/photos/2059)

and here is a "Then and Now" comparison via Google Earth

http://www.rafcommands.com/galleries/var/resizes/India1930s/Drigh-Road/DrighRoad-Then-and-Now.jpg?m=1521645206 (http://www.rafcommands.com/galleries/photos/2062)

Now if Franek can leverage his PAF contacts for a current aerial shot :)

-Jagan

[Jim Devine]

Excellent photos! Thanks for posting them!

Jim.

[Franek Grabowski]

I am afraid I have only ground level shots of one or two of the buildings back in 2014. Adjacent to them are hangars of former 102 MU.
Locals pronunced Dry Road, so let's say it is inconclusive.

[Jagan]

Franek , ground level shots are okay too - want to see those big buildings and how they look today!

[Franek Grabowski]

Sorry for silence, I will look for photos.

[Jim Devine]

Sorry for silence, I will look for photos.
Thanks Franek. The main hangar would be of particular interest.

[Franek Grabowski]

I am not sure if I have the hangar on the pictures. I would need to check. I have a number of other buildings, though. I would gladly have them published, but it seems nobody is interested in them.

[Jagan]

http://www.rafcommands.com/galleries/var/thumbs/members/Drigh-Road-2014/.album.jpg?m=1523314567 (http://www.rafcommands.com/galleries/albums/2066)

Franek's photos of buildings at Drigh Road!

Thanks for that.

[Jim Devine]

http://www.rafcommands.com/galleries/var/thumbs/members/Drigh-Road-2014/.album.jpg?m=1523314567 (http://www.rafcommands.com/galleries/albums/2066)

Franek's photos of buildings at Drigh Road!

Thanks for that.

Thank you for posting! Kind Regards, Jim.