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| 31 squadron raf: A Goldstar Century Ian Hall, 2015-10-30 Number 31 Squadron RAF will celebrate its centenary in 2015; a pivotal milestone for a Squadron engaged at the forefront of military activity for the past 100 years. With a number of events lined up to celebrate this important anniversary, former Commanding Officer of the Squadron, Ian Hall, has set himself the ambitious task of penning the Squadron's entire history, from formation right up to current-day activities. This lively and informative narrative is interspersed with first-hand accounts taken from interviews conducted with the men who made/make up the Squadron. The first twenty-five years of the Squadron's history were spent on India's North-West Frontier, hence the Squadron motto 'First in the Indian Skies'. During the Second World War, it was occupied mainly in the Middle East and North Africa, before moving to the Burma theatre for the remainder of the war. Upon returning to the UK in 1948, the Squadron performed communications duties until, in 1955, it joined the Cold War in West Germany, operating successively in reconnaissance and strike/attack roles. Operational deployment in recent years has seen the Squadron deployed during the Gulf War, the Iraq War, in Kosovo, and Afghanistan. With troops pulling out of Afghanistan in 2014, 31 Squadron have now completed a circular history, and there seems no better time than now to commit it to print.Each and every facet of this long and varied history is relayed in a style that serves to provide an account that is at once celebratory and objective when it comes to recording not only the facts of the various deployments but also the personal stories of the men behind the headlines. |
| 31 squadron raf: RAF's Centenary Flypast Kevin Lee Gatland, 2021-05-30 On 10 July 2018, exactly 100 years and 100 days after the formation of the world’s first independent air force, 103 aircraft of twenty-four types from twenty-five squadrons flew over London in the largest formation of military aircraft seen over the capital of the UK in nearly thirty years. Involving over 250 aircrew and operating out of fourteen military and two civilian airfields, with nineteen back-up aircraft and a standby air-to-air refueling tanker, the Royal Air Force put on a unrivaled display to mark the centenary of its creation on 1 April 1918, in the closing months of the First World War. Exemplifying that long and proud history, was the Spitfire, Hurricane, Lancaster and Dakota of the Memorial Flight, as well as the enduring Hercules, with the newly acquired F-35B Lightning displaying the RAF’s continuing global importance. This book reveals how the flypast was conceived and examines the detailed planning involved in the event, written by someone who would know – the project manager and coordinator. The composition and size of the flypast was truly momentous, comprising virtually every type of aircraft that the RAF operated at the time. As Chief of Staff at the Tornado GR4 Force Headquarters operating from RAF Marham, and an experienced Tornado GR4 Navigator, Wing Commander Kevin Gatland had the task of pulling together all the necessary components, both military and civilian required to produce an unrivaled aerial display. This involved considering the feasibility of assembling so many varied types of aircraft, all with different speeds and capabilities, in addition to concentrating them into a tight schedule to produce a virtually continuous stream of aircraft over central London, with elements breaking off to pass over the northerly runway at Heathrow Airport, the RAF Memorial at Runnymede, Windsor Castle and the RAF Museum at Hendon. Beautifully illustrated with glorious color in-flight photographs of the magnificent aircraft of the current RAF as well as the briefing and planning session, this book demonstrates the enormous range of factors that had to be taken into consideration to produce the amazing spectacle that was witnessed by the Queen from Buckingham Palace and the thousands who gathered in The Mall – an event captured in the pages of this fascinating book. |
| 31 squadron raf: Air Pictorial , 1960 |
| 31 squadron raf: The History of Operation Iraqi Freedom Edward Emering, 2012-10-31 This work provides a complete review of Operation Iraqi Freedom from 2003 to its official conclusion on September 1, 2010. It covers all combatant nation detailing their contributions, assignments in Iraq and their awards. Many of the images have been contributed by the participants themselves and detail numerous many never before seen awards. |
| 31 squadron raf: Far East Air Operations, 1942–1945 John Grehan, Martin Mace, 2014-09-30 Despatches in this volume include Air Operations in Burma and Bay of Bengal 1 January to 22 May 1942 by General Wavell, the despatch on air operations in South-East Asia November 1943 to May 1944, by Air Chief Marshal Sir R.E.C. Peirse, the despatch on air operations in South-East Asia from June 1944 to May 1945, by Air Chief Marshal Sir Keith Park, and the despatch on air operations in South East Asia between May 1945 and September 1945, by Air Chief Marshal Sir Keith Park.This unique collection of original documents will prove to be an invaluable resource for historians, students and all those interested in what was one of the most significant periods in British military history. |
| 31 squadron raf: The Burma Air Campaign, 1941–1945 Michael Pearson, 2006-10-19 The scene is set with an overview of the respective states of the RAF and Japanese Airforce, and an explanation of how the American Volunteer Group (The Flying Tigers) came to be in China. There is a concise description of air ops covering the Japanese invasion of Indo China, Malaya and Singapore, together with a close study of the sinking of the Prince of Wales and Repulse, which altered the air/sea power equation. The main emphasis is on the use of air power both offensive, defensive and air transport during the protracted Burma Campaign. This embraces operations in the Arakan and the various Chindit long range penetration expeditions. These relied almost totally on air supply and evacuation. In the later stages of the War, the US and RAF combined forces and predictably this was not without controversy. Few realize that US B29s operating from India attacked Japan itself. Finally the role of ground attack aircraft against the retreating Japanese played a significant part in the Allied advance in Burma. |
| 31 squadron raf: Aces, Warriors and Wingmen Wayne Ralph, 2008-09-11 A celebration and a tribute to the warriors of the air who as young men served their country with unselfish devotion. Hear their words. Join these young Canadians in combat. AN EXCERPT FROM THE ACCOUNT OF GROUP CAPTAIN RAYNE SCHULTZ, 410 SQUADRON. It was heading home very fast, a Junkers 188, in thin cloud, well out over the North Sea. We hit it badly, and it was flaming, two-three hundred yards [of] flames streaming behind... my navigator, being a serious-minded individual said, Let's get in closer and take a good look at it, as it is a different type of aircraft and I can report on it when we get down. So I closed in, which was the stupidest thing I ever did.... The mid-upper gunner was not dead; he was sitting inside of the flames. The next thing I saw the gun traversing down toward us. I broke as fast as I could, but he put forty to forty-four 13mm cannon shells into us. I had pistons blown out of one engine and the constant speed unit blown out in the other. We were going to bail out! We jettisoned the door and the navigator was halfway out when the chap came back from the Ground Control Intercept (GCI) and said, There is a Force 9 to 10 sea and we will never be able [to rescue] you. So we brought that aircraft back to Bradwell Bay and I can tell you it near flew again. My navigator was wounded, bleeding from the face. I could see the engines running red hot, one was actually running on molten metal... the whole thing glowing inside. The air bottles were shot away and I had no brakes for landing. The Mosquito was in ribbons. |
| 31 squadron raf: RAF Canberra Units of the Cold War Andrew Brookes, 2014-06-20 A detailed history of the Canberra, which saw considerable service as a photo-reconnaissance platform for no fewer than 19 squadrons from the early 1950s through to 2006. From its first public demonstration at the Farnborough Airshow of 1949, the English Electric Canberra bomber captured the attention of the aviation world. It could outmanoeuvre all the fighters of the time and it could climb way above their operating ceilings. Yet this Cold War equivalent of the Mosquito was simple to maintain and a delight to fly, although it could bite any pilot who did not treat it with respect. The Canberra B 2 first flew on 21 April 1950 and entered frontline service with No 101 Sqn in May 1951. In a testament to the aircraft's benign handling characteristics, the transition programme consisted of only 20 hours in the Gloster Meteor and three hours in the dual-control Canberra trainer. With a maximum speed of 470 knots (871 km/h), a standard service ceiling of 48,000 ft (14,600 m) and the ability to carry a 3.6-tonne (7,900-lb) payload, the Canberra was an instant success. Here is its story. |
| 31 squadron raf: Hitler's Gulf War Barrie G. James, 2012-09-20 This military history of the Iraqi revolt in WWII, told from the point of view of the men who were there, is “a fantastic and enjoyable book” (Col. Tim Collins, OBE). In the spring of 1941, on an airfield fifty-five miles from Baghdad, a group of RAF airmen and soldiers were outnumbered by the better equipped Iraqi forces—soldiers who were aided by the Germans and Italians. After thirty days, this battle resulted in the first real defeat of the Axis powers in World War II. Hitler’s Gulf War presents the story of the Iraqi revolt from the perspectives of the British, Iraqi, and Germans who were involved in the battle. Along with the group at the airfield, historian Barrie G. James examines the small relief column of cavalry, infantry, and Bedouins who traveled across a five-hundred-mile unmapped desert to support the RAF. With Germany’s successes in Greece and the Western Desert in 1941, a British defeat here would have changed the course of World War II. Hitler’s Gulf War traces how the battle destroyed Axis aspirations in the Middle East and also set the scene for Iraq’s future relations with the West. |
| 31 squadron raf: The Men who Went to Warsaw Lawrence Isemonger, 2002 |
| 31 squadron raf: A Contemptible Little Flying Corps I. McInnes, J. V. Webb, 2012-03-30 Many books have been written about pilots of the Royal Flying Corps but the men on the ground, who kept the planes in the air and the guns firing, have been sadly neglected - and yet their role was a vital one. This truly remarkable book, the production of which must have seemed an impossible task, has more than remedied the situation. The authors have managed to locate all the non-commissioned airmen who enlisted in the RFC prior to the outbreak of war in August 1914, and for each one they have provided a mini-biography. The length of each entry varies, available records being what they are, but detail is provided for over 1,400 men. For those who became pilots, details of their certificates are given. Statistics include the establishment of the Corps at various times and there is a list of non-commissioned ranks as well as notes on uniforms, badges etc. There is a full record of works consulted at the Public Record Office and an excellent bibliography. |
| 31 squadron raf: British Army of the Rhine Paul Chrystal, 2018-09-30 The nervous geopolitical tension between East and West, the Cold War, emerged before the end of the Second World War and lasted until 1991 with the collapse of the Soviet Union. The British Army of the Rhine was born in 1945 out of the British Liberation Army at the close of the war as the military government of the British zone of occupied Germany. As the Soviet threat increased, so BAOR became less of an occupational army and assumed the role of defender of Western Europe, and as a major contributor to NATO after 1949.This book traces and examines the changing role of BAOR from 1945 to its demise in the 1993 Options for Change defence cuts. It looks at the part it played in the defence of West Germany, its effectiveness as a Cold War deterrent, the garrisons and capabilities, logistics and infrastructure, its arms and armour, the nuclear option and the lives of the thousands of families living on the front line. |
| 31 squadron raf: B.O.A.C. Review British Overseas Airways Corporation, 1964 |
| 31 squadron raf: The Royal Air Force Michael Napier, 2018-02-22 A fully illustrated history of the Royal Air Force while on operations, publishing to mark the centenary of its foundation in World War I. The world's first independent air force, the Royal Air Force celebrates its centenary in 2018. In the 100 years since the end of World War I, the service has been involved in almost continuous operations around the globe, giving the RAF the longest and most wide-ranging history of any air force in the world. But over the years this history has also become entangled with myths. The Royal Air Force: A Centenary of Operations sets the record straight, dispelling these as it uncovers – in both words and photographs – the true exploits and accomplishments of RAF personnel over the last 100 years. From its formation as an independent service in the dying days of World War I, its desperate fight against the Axis air forces in World War II, to its commitments during both the Cold War and modern times, this is the complete story of how the RAF has defended Britain for a century. |
| 31 squadron raf: The War Against Japan: India's most dangerous hour Stanley Woodburn Kirby, 1957 |
| 31 squadron raf: Military Low Flying in the UK Michael Leek, 2012-03-19 The UK has some of the most dramatic landscapes for NATO pilots to exercise the increasingly important military art of high-speed low flying. It also offers splendid opportunities for photography of close-up dramatic shots taken from the hillsides and mountains of Wales, Scotland and other steep terrain within the UK. Pilots training for operations in Afghanistan, Iraq and other potential war zones, learn their skills flying through the valleys of the UK at near subsonic speed. For the legions of enthusiastic aviation photographers, thousands of whom can be seen at air shows, it provides ideal viewpoints.This book contains firsthand accounts from the pilots and expert advice for the photographer, together with stunning close-up color photos of the aircraft flying at eye-level and sometimes below the camera. It has the full support of the Royal Air Force and articles by the leading photographers in this field. |
| 31 squadron raf: Moonlight Flyer John Gellner, Pavel Vancata, 2017-03-19 ** This electronic edition includes 2 black-and-white maps and 66 black-and-white photographs ** One of the many wartime airmen who documented his day to day experiences in a diary, was RCAF navigator Jan Gellner. Prior to the outbreak of the Second World War, Jan was a lawyer practicing in the Czechoslovak town of Brno. With the outbreak of hostilities on the European continent, he went to Canada and trained as an air observer on the first course of the fledgling British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. Jan Gellner began his operational tour with No. 311 Czechoslovak (B) Squadron flying the venerable Vickers Wellington. It did not take long for Jan's abilities to shine, especially as an instructor in astro navigation. For his farrowing role in the attack on the German cruise Prinz Eugen, Jan received the coveted Distinguished Flying Cross. After an incredible 37 operations over occupied France and Germany, he became Operational Tour Expired. Jan was selected for pilot training and went to Canada. During his postwar service with the RCAF, he had a distinguished career as an administrative officer, retiring in 1958. Now a civilian, Jan turned to writing and became one of Canada's most knowledgeable and sought after aviation and military affairs journalist. ** This electronic edition includes 2 black-and-white maps and 66 black-and-white photographs ** |
| 31 squadron raf: The Aeroplane , 1953 |
| 31 squadron raf: Seek and Strike Nigel Walpole, 2020-05-30 Seek and Strike – RAF Brüggen in War and Peace is an anecdotal history of the largest RAF station in Germany. Optimized for a new breed of aircraft, and to NATO requirements, this huge airfield was cut out of the Elmpt Forest, on the German border with Holland, and completed in one year to become operational in 1953. First occupied by a fighter wing equipped with Vampires, Sabres and Hunters, its ‘Seek and Strike’ motif took on real meaning when the station re-equipped with strike, attack and reconnaissance Canberras, followed by strike/attack Phantoms, Jaguars and finally Tornados. RAF Brüggen was at the forefront of the Cold War, during which innovation and determination brought it many accolades. It further distinguished itself in the Gulf War and continued to play its part in subsequent monitoring operations in that theater; it was also the only Tornado Wing to operate directly from its home base during the Kosovo campaign. This is the story of a station at war, of the men and women at the sharp end and in support. At work and play, it was they who made Brüggen what it was, excelling in all things and justifying a claim to have been RAF Germany’s ‘jewel in the crown’. With its closure in 2001, the RAF relinquished its last main operating base outside the UK. Brüggen was indeed ‘last and best’. |
| 31 squadron raf: The Battle for Burma: Wild Green Earth Bernard Fergusson, 2015-11-30 Bernard Fergusson was one of Orde Wingate's Column Commanders in the heroic but battered Chindit expedition behind Japanese lines in Burma in 1943. By 1944 Wingate had persuaded Churchill and Roosevelt that a bigger force, on the same unorthodox lines, could make a strategic difference. Aged 32, Fergusson returned to Burma as part of this, as a Brigadier, leading the only Brigade in the new force which entered Burma on foot. It was one of four Brigades which established well-defended strongholds within Japanese-occupied Burma. Fergusson also reflects candidly, and often humorously, on different aspects of the campaign. These include the ingenuity and sheer courage of the US Army Air Force pilots who flew in supplies and evacuated wounded. One glider pilot whom Fergusson saw making a particularly bad landing turned out to be Jackie Coogan, child star of Chaplin's The Kid, and later known as Uncle Fenster of the Addams Family. In apparently light hearted, but often profound sections, he analyses the management of a large and diverse force, up against physical extremes far from normal amenities and command structures; the importance of maintaining morale and of medical management; and, not least, an immediate portrait of Wingate himself, whose death at a crucial stage of the campaign and the conflicting or at least confusing orders he left behind directly affected Fergusson's men and the fate of the campaign.The Wild Green Earth follows the author's account of the 1943 campaign, Beyond the Chindwin. Both were written with the events, and reactions even the smells fresh in the author's mind, and vividly but sensitively conveyed. The excitement of the narrative remains today. And the reflections are timeless, fascinating for those with an interest in leadership and motivation as much as for readers of military history. |
| 31 squadron raf: Drop Zone Burma Roger Annett, 2008-10-30 Air-dropped supplies were a vital part of the Allied campaign in Burma during World War II. The transportation of munitions, food and medical supplies was undertaken in the most difficult situations, both on the land where the air bases were often situated in remote tropical jungle terrain and in the air when hazardous flying conditions were met in the steamy airs above the carpet of forest treetops.This book is based upon the memories of nine veterans of the campaign: John Hart, an air-dispatcher with 194 Squadron; Peter Bray, a Dakota pilot with 31 Squadron; Arthur Watts, a fitter with both 31 and 194 Squadrons; Colin Lynch an Observer on 31 Squadron; Norman Currell, a Dakota pilot with 31 Squadron; George Hufflett, 1st Queens Infantry; Ken Brown, Royal Signals; Eric Knowles, the Buffs and Dame Vera Lynn who was with ENSA during the campaign. It describes how they arrived in Burma and their previous wartime experiences and then explains there parts in the famous actions such as The Defence of Arakan, The Sieges of Imphal and Kohima, the Allied Counterattack, the Advance to Mandalay and the Race to Rangoon.The author explains the background to this theater of war and then puts the veterans memories into context as the campaign progresses. |
| 31 squadron raf: Among the Italian Partisans Malcolm Edward Tudor, 2017-03-13 Here is the remarkable story of the Allied servicemen who took part in the guerrilla war against Nazis and Fascists in Second World War Italy. The partisans included Britons, Australians, Canadians, New Zealanders, South Africans, Americans, Russians, Poles and Yugoslavs. Most were escaped prisoners of war who fled their camps after the Italian armistice and surrender in September 1943. The British Special Operations Executive (SOE) and the American Office of Strategic Services (OSS) sent personnel into enemy territory to carry out sabotage and to support and encourage the partisans. Allied air forces provided the planes and crews to transport agents, deliver weapons and supplies, evacuate personnel, and drop propaganda leaflets. Among the Italian Partisans provides the uplifting story of the Allied contribution to the Italian Resistance, which became one of the greatest insurgent movements in Western Europe. This is a testimonial to the brave servicemen of many nations who cooperated in the armed struggle so that Italy would be free. |
| 31 squadron raf: Wait for the Waggon John Sutton, 1998-01-12 The first ever published comprehensive history of the Royal Corps of Transport and its Predecessors, relating the proud part played in helping to develop the highly successful logistic system that the British Army now possesses. |
| 31 squadron raf: Tracing Your Air Force Ancestors Phil Tomaselli, 2007-07-19 Whether you are interested in the career of an individual air-man or woman, researching medals awarded to a pilot or crew member or just want to know more about a particular squadron or operation, this book will point you in the right direction. Assuming that the reader has no prior knowledge of the air force, its history or organization, Phil Tomaselli explains which records survive, where they can be found and how they can help you in your research. He also recommends resources available online as well as books and memoirs. Each era in air force history is described, from the pioneering days of early aviation and the formation of the Royal Flying Corps in the First World War to the creation of the Royal Air Force, its operations during the Second World War and its postwar development. The author explains the evolving organization of the air force in each period. He also provides pointers and examples which should help researchers find the records of units and bases that individuals served in. |
| 31 squadron raf: Long Flight Home Lainie Anderson, 2019-05-15 The First World War is over and air mechanic Wally Shiers has promised to return home to his fiancee, Helena Alford. But Wally never reckoned on charismatic fighter pilot Ross Smith, and an invitation to compete in the world's most audacious air race. A £10,000 prize has been offered for the first airmen to fly from England to Australia. Smith is banking on an open-cockpit Vickers Vimy, a biplane with a fuselage that looks ominously like a coffin. And who can resist a hero? Wally writes to Helena to say he won't be home for another year - and the love of his life is left holding her hand-stitched wedding dress ... Using war diaries, letters and Churchill Fellowship research from along the race route, Long Flight Home recreates one of the most important - and largely forgotten - chapters in world aviation history. Lainie Anderson's ambitious and moving novel is told through her narrator, Wally Shiers. The tale spans the decades and crosses the globe, and at his journey's end we're left peering down from an open cockpit on two beacons of truth. There is no heroism without honour. There is no legacy without love. |
| 31 squadron raf: British and Japanese Military Leadership in the Far Eastern War, 1941-45 Brian Bond, Kyoichi Tachikawa, 2004-08-26 Some sixty years after the Far Eastern War ended, this innovative new collection brings together five distinguished UK-based scholars and five from Japan to reappraise their respective country's leadership in the Malaya and Burma campaigns. This leadership is analyzed on various levels, ranging from the grand strategic to operational. |
| 31 squadron raf: The Panavia Tornado Michael Leek, 2015-07-30 Through a collection of dramatic and informative photographs, supplemented by cutaway illustrations, this book highlights the agility and flexibility of this dedicated RAF aircraft. Throughout the course of its career, it has formed the backbone of the RAF across its many different theaters of operation. Utilized in a strike, anti-aircraft, air superiority, air defense, reconnaissance, electronic warfare and fighter-bomber capacity, this aircraft type has enjoyed an immensely varied career. Each aspect is illustrated in this photographic celebration.The book includes photographs by the author and a select number of other amateur photographers, with the vast majority of photographs never previously published taken low level around the hills and mountains of England, Scotland and Wales. This impressive new photographic publication will be presented in full colour and is sure to be prized as a collector's piece amongst fans of the genre. |
| 31 squadron raf: The Border Regiment in the Great War Harold Carmichael Wylly, 1924 |
| 31 squadron raf: The Westland Lysander in Indian Air Force Service , |
| 31 squadron raf: Westland Lysander , |
| 31 squadron raf: Beaufighter Simon W. Parry, 2001-02 This is a photographic album of the units that went to war in the Bristol Beaufighter. |
| 31 squadron raf: Spitfire Singh Mike Edwards, 2017-05-24 Their willingness to pay any price to uphold the honour and integrity of their Air Force meant an uphill battle against bigotry, difficult conditions of work and outdated equipment. However, showing tremendous fortitude, Harjinder and his men took the fight to the enemy and rose splendidly to the occasion. Be it the formidable Japanese, the mighty Germans or the resolute tribal warriors none could break the spirit of these airborne Indians. It is a story of relentless adventure, journeying from the scrublands of the North Western Frontier, to the jungles of Burma, to the UK on the eve of D Day and to the corridors of power in an independent India. The resourcefulness of the Indians and their sheer skill and determination meant that they could overcome the myriad of challenges thrown at them, much to the surprise and dismay of some officers of the Raj. It is a story of mutual respect forged and strengthened across lines of religion, caste, creed and race, as the Indian's undeniable courage and resilience won even the hearts and minds of their British counterparts and one man was the center of it all. Harjinder's is a life of intense friendship, of great ingenuity and of hard-work and dedication, interspersed with the humor and merriment that is ever present in the military environment. It was a bottom to top career for the lowly Hawai Sepoy who went on to become one of the top officers of the IAF. He is credited with the endeavor to make the Indian Air force self-reliant and designed, built and test flew two different aircraft to prove his point. He was one of the driving forces behind making the Indian Air Force the 4th largest in the world, an astonishing feat given the twin challenges of nation building and partition. Thus the only 'disgrace' to emerge from this book is how Harjinder's story could remain untold for so long. |
| 31 squadron raf: War in the Wilderness Tony Redding, 2011-10-01 War in the Wilderness is the most comprehensive account ever published of the human aspects of the Chindit war in Burma. The word ‘Chindit’ will always have a special resonance in military circles. Every Chindit endured what is widely regarded as the toughest sustained Allied combat experience of the Second World War. The Chindit expeditions behind Japanese lines in occupied Burma 1943–1944 transformed the morale of British forces after the crushing defeats of 1942. The Chindits provided the springboard for the Allies’ later offensives. The two expeditions extended the boundaries of human endurance. The Chindits suffered slow starvation and exposure to dysentery, malaria, typhus and a catalogue of other diseases. They endured the intense mental strain of living and fighting under the jungle canopy, with the ever-present threat of ambush or simply ‘bumping’ the enemy. Every Chindit carried his kit and weapons (equivalent to two heavy suitcases) in the tropical heat and humidity. A disabling wound or sickness frequently meant a lonely death. Those who could no longer march were often left behind with virtually no hope of survival. Some severely wounded were shot or given a lethal dose of morphia to ensure they would not be captured alive by the Japanese. Fifty veterans of the Chindit expeditions kindly gave interviews for this book. Many remarked on the self-reliance that sprang from living and fighting as a Chindit. Whatever happened to them after their experiences in Burma, they knew that nothing else would ever be as bad. There are first-hand accounts of the bitter and costly battles and the final, wasteful weeks, when men were forced to continue fighting long after their health and strength had collapsed. War in the Wilderness continues the story as the survivors returned to civilian life. They remained Chindits for the rest of their days, members of a brotherhood forged in extreme adversity. |
| 31 squadron raf: The War Against Japan: The decisive battles Stanley Woodburn Kirby, 1957 |
| 31 squadron raf: RAF Operations 1918-38 Chaz Bowyer, 1988 Beretter om det engelske flyvevåben RAF i mellemkrigstiden |
| 31 squadron raf: Air Battle for Burma Bryn Evans, 2016-11-30 After a long series of crushing defeats by the apparently unstoppable Japanese air and ground forces, the eventual fight back and victory in Burma was achieved as a result of the exercise of unprecedented combined services cooperation and operations. Crucial to this was the Allies supremacy in the air coupled with their ground/air support strategy.Using veterans firsthand accounts, Air Battle For Burma reveals the decisive nature of Allied air power in inflicting the first major defeat on the Japanese Army in the Second World War. Newly equipped Spitfire fighter squadrons made the crucial difference at the turning point battles of the Admin Box, Imphal and Kohima in 1944. Air superiority allowed Allied air forces to deploy and supply Allied ground troops on the front line and raids deep into enemy territory with relative impunity; revolutionary tactics never before attempted on such a scale.By covering both the strategic and tactical angles, through these previously unpublished personal accounts, this fine book is a fitting and overdue tribute to Allied air forces contribution to victory in Burma. |
| 31 squadron raf: Born in the Jungles of Burma Andrew Wax, 2010-08-11 This researcher examined the evolution of warfare in an unforgiving environment, necessitating an innovative method of warfare never attempted on a large scale. It details the early history of air supply and support near the end of WWI up to and including the war in Europe in 1939 and the expanding war in Asia following the December 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and subsequent offensives in southeast Asia. The China-Burma-India Theater (CBI) became an important component of Allied efforts. Low in Allied priority, the difficulties encountered by the Southeast Asia Command (SEAC) increased. Burma, a British colony, was a region with few all-weather roads; the only rail lines available were in enemy hands 150 miles inside Japanese lines. Temperatures reached 110 degrees Fahrenheit with rainfall as much as 200 inches per year. Additionally, the nearest friendly seaport was more than 500 miles away. The Allied offensive, scheduled for the spring of 1944, incorporated a multi-pronged ground attack on three different Japanese fronts. To achieve success, it was essential to develop the only logical means of sustainability for ground forces: Air Supply and Support. Described herein are the efforts of the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) and the Royal Air Force (RAF), creating a singularly unique air unit: Air Commando 1. The coordination of Allied tactics and doctrines were worked out with a clear delineation of the chain of command. When Air Commando 1 arrived in India, the framework that became the Allied offensive, codenamed “Operation THURSDAY” was laid. For the survival of soldiers contracting one of the numerous diseases (Burma has the largest number of snakes per square mile) or suffering from combat related wounds and injuries, it was essential to receive quick medical attention. It was in the CBI that SEAC established an effective method of air evacuation that made the difference between life and death. The research unearthed most of the heretofore publicly unknown aspects of the campaign, explored in the author’s thesis, which indicate that the first sustained effort of air supply and support deep within enemy-held territory established a vital method of warfare deployed in subsequent wars. |
| 31 squadron raf: Sustaining Air Power Trevor Stone, 2017-11-07 Draws on 25 years of original and exhaustive researchRichly illustrated with many previously unpublished photographsContent and style will appeal to a wide readership The Royal Air Force is the world’s oldest independent air arm, yet little has been written about its logistics. This ground-breaking book, which draws on 25 years of original archival research, opens the hangar door on this highly important discipline that has been at the forefront of supporting British air power since 1918. Written by a former senior RAF logistics officer and supplemented by material from veterans and currently serving military personnel, Sustaining Air Power: Royal Air Force Logistics since 1918 explores the fascinating development of RAF logistics. This journey, just short of a century, explores the inter-war years, Second World War, Cold War and the major campaigns the service has been involved in since the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1990. The main narrative ends in 2014 with the RAF’s withdrawal from Afghanistan. Dedicated chapters consider the more specialist aspects of logistics such as tactical and expeditionary logistics, fuels and explosives, transport, training, information technology and how the RAF has managed its extensive supply chain. Richly illustrated, its content and style will appeal to a wide readership. |
| 31 squadron raf: Forgotten Voices of the Secret War Roderick Bailey, 2008-09-04 'The Gestapo kept me three days in this interrogation house. They especially wanted to know what I did after my escape, and precise things on the organisation of the SOE. And just for fun I suspect, because I had really not much to tell them, they pulled one of my toenails out...' - Robert Sheppard, SOE agent The Special Operations Executive (SOE) was a secret British organisation created early in World War 2 to encourage resistance and carry out sabotage behind enemy lines: in Winston Churchill's famous phrase, to 'set Europe ablaze'. Drawing on the vast resources of the Imperial War Museum Sound Archive and featuring a mass of previously unpublished personal testimonies, Forgotten Voices of the Secret War tells the stories of SOE agents, HQ staff, diplomats, aircrew and naval personnel in their own words. As the war unfolds, we learn of parachute drops into enemy territory, torture by the Gestapo and nerve-wracking sabotage missions in far-flung climes. Forgotten Voices of the Secret War is both an incredible account of espionage during World War 2 and a fitting testament to the efforts and sacrifices of a dedicated group of courageous men and women. |
| 31 squadron raf: The Royal Auxiliary Air Force Frances Louise Wilkinson, Tony Freeman, 2023-09-30 Owing its origins to Lord Trenchard’s desire to establish an elite corps of civilians who would serve their country in flying squadrons during their spare time, the Auxiliary Air Force (AAF) was first formed in October 1924. Today, the Royal Auxiliary Air Force (RAuxAF) is the primary reinforcement capability for the regular RAF. It consists of paid volunteers who, at weekends, evenings and holidays, train to support the RAF, particularly in times of national emergency and conflict. This has seen the AAF play important roles in the Battle of Britain, its squadrons claiming 30 per cent of enemy ‘kills’. Other notable achievements by AAF pilots include the first German aircraft destroyed over the British mainland and its territorial waters, the first U-boat to be destroyed with the aid of airborne radar, the first destruction of a V-1 flying bomb, and an AAF squadron claimed the highest score of any British night fighter squadron. It was an AAF squadron which was the first to be equipped with jet-powered aircraft. Receiving ‘Royal’ status in 1947 in recognition of its contribution to victory in the Second World War, the RAuxAF also came to the fore during the Cold War providing home defense as the regular squadrons were shipped to hotspots around the world. In more recent times, squadrons and personnel of the RAuxAF have seen action in Iraq and Afghanistan This book presents, for the first time, the history and development of all the squadrons and units that made up the Auxiliary and the Royal Auxiliary Air Force, including the Balloon Squadrons, the Maritime Headquarters Units, Fighter Control and Radar Reporting Units, Royal Auxiliary Air Force Regiments and of course the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force. These devoted warriors continue to serve alongside the regular forces in defense of the United Kingdom, ready to be called into action whenever their country is in time of need. |
31 (number) - Wikipedia
31 (thirty-one) is the natural number following 30 and preceding 32. It is a prime number. 31 is the 11th prime number. It is a superprime and a self prime (after 3, 5, and 7), as no integer added …
31 Facts About The Number 31 - The Fact Site
Dec 31, 2020 · Number 31 is attributed to a number of areas including numerology, movies, holidays and more. Here are 31 amazing facts all about the number 31.
31 (film) - Wikipedia
31 is a 2016 American action horror film written, directed, and produced by Rob Zombie, and starring an ensemble cast featuring Sheri Moon Zombie, Jeff Daniel Phillips, Lawrence Hilton …
Uncovering iPhone’s Secret Code *#31# - DeviceMAG
Dec 20, 2024 · In this article, we will explore the secret code *#31# and how it can be used to mask your phone number. The *#31# code allows you to hide your phone number when …
ช่อง one31 ช่องวันของคุณ ทั้งวันทุกวัน รับชมช่องวัน กดหมายเลข 31
ช่องวัน 31 ทีวีดิจิทัล ที่สร้างความสุข ความบันเทิงหลากหลาย ละคร ซิตคอม รายการวาไรตี้ เพื่อให้ทุกวันเป็นวันของคุณ ชมสดได้ ...
31 Facts About Number 31/ Shocking Facts Revealed
Jun 13, 2023 · The number 31 is special because it is the maximum number of days in several months of the year. January, March, May, July, August, October, and December all have 31 …
31 (2016) - IMDb
Five carnival workers are kidnapped and held hostage in an abandoned, hellish compound where they are forced to participate in a violent game, the goal of which is to survive twelve hours …
Number 31 facts - Number academy
Psalm 31 is a passage from the Bible, specifically from the Book of Psalms, which is a collection of prayers, praises and poems largely attributed to King David. Psalm 31 is known as a prayer …
31 Numerology: Symbolism & Meanings of This Number Explained
Feb 8, 2024 · When 31 appears to you as an angel number, it’s said that celestial guidance is near. Angel number 31 is a message to maintain a positive outlook and trust your skills and …
31 (2016) - Full cast & crew - IMDb
31 (2016) - Cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more.
31 (number) - Wikipedia
31 (thirty-one) is the natural number following 30 and preceding 32. It is a prime number. 31 is the 11th prime number. It is a superprime and a self prime (after 3, 5, and 7), as no integer added …
31 Facts About The Number 31 - The Fact Site
Dec 31, 2020 · Number 31 is attributed to a number of areas including numerology, movies, holidays and more. Here are 31 amazing facts all about the number 31.
31 (film) - Wikipedia
31 is a 2016 American action horror film written, directed, and produced by Rob Zombie, and starring an ensemble cast featuring Sheri Moon Zombie, Jeff Daniel Phillips, Lawrence Hilton …
Uncovering iPhone’s Secret Code *#31# - DeviceMAG
Dec 20, 2024 · In this article, we will explore the secret code *#31# and how it can be used to mask your phone number. The *#31# code allows you to hide your phone number when …
ช่อง one31 ช่องวันของคุณ ทั้งวันทุกวัน รับชมช่องวัน กดหมายเลข 31
ช่องวัน 31 ทีวีดิจิทัล ที่สร้างความสุข ความบันเทิงหลากหลาย ละคร ซิตคอม รายการวาไรตี้ เพื่อให้ทุกวันเป็นวันของคุณ ชมสดได้ ...
31 Facts About Number 31/ Shocking Facts Revealed
Jun 13, 2023 · The number 31 is special because it is the maximum number of days in several months of the year. January, March, May, July, August, October, and December all have 31 …
31 (2016) - IMDb
Five carnival workers are kidnapped and held hostage in an abandoned, hellish compound where they are forced to participate in a violent game, the goal of which is to survive twelve hours …
Number 31 facts - Number academy
Psalm 31 is a passage from the Bible, specifically from the Book of Psalms, which is a collection of prayers, praises and poems largely attributed to King David. Psalm 31 is known as a prayer …
31 Numerology: Symbolism & Meanings of This Number Explained
Feb 8, 2024 · When 31 appears to you as an angel number, it’s said that celestial guidance is near. Angel number 31 is a message to maintain a positive outlook and trust your skills and …
31 (2016) - Full cast & crew - IMDb
31 (2016) - Cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more.
