raf in India 1942/3

[paulh]

I note from my late fathers service records that he was posted to India in July 1943 and returned to the UK in March 1943 for 2(O)AFU.
Does anyone know what the RAF were doing in India at that time? The posting seems to be for B HQ Bombay-so wrong side of India to Burma etc.

Thanks in advance for your valuable assistance
Paul.

[Dick]

Hi Paul
Sorry but you seem to have your dates the wrong way round !
From Flying Training and Support Units since 1912- Ray Sturtivant and John Hamlin,
2(O)AFU was based at Millom in Cumberland and it seems a little odd that he should have been sent back from India when I am fairly sure that there were closer training facilities available, and in 1943 there was a need for trained personnel in the theatre.
India was part of the Empire in 1943 and was garrisoned as such.Use was made of the permanent facilities(strongly re-inforced) as bases for defending India when the Japanese entered it at Imphal and it remained a base throughout the war against them including the supply to China. Western India was effectively out of a/c range and relatively safe against Japanese attack, (although this could have changed if the Japanese had not been stopped and then turned back at Imphal and Kohima), so was useful as the start of the supply chain whether for goods or personnel and also for training. We tend to forget how late the war went on in Burma, the siege of Imphal and Kohima were in 1944 so your father was initially entering a very active war front, even if at a point somewhat distant from the focus of the action at the time.
Regards
Dick