The forgotten war A new paint job on a Dakota symbolises one squadron’s defiance of the Imperial Japanese Army in the jungles of Burma

NEWS that the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Dakota is to be painted in Southeast Asia colours has been greeted with considerable acclaim by 31 Squadron Association veterans.

The venerable Coningsby-based aircraft is currently undergoing major servicing at Duxford – hopefully it will return to display flying in time to commemorate the World War II campaign known as ‘The Forgotten War.’

May 2023 heralds the 80th anniversary of Operation Longcloth – the first long-range patrols deployed behind Japanese lines in Burma by troops later known as the legendary Chindits under the command of Brigadier Orde Wingate.

Crucial to the success of the campaign were daily airdrops of 300 individual 70lb backpacks for each man and even more for the mules that carried the rest of the supplies as they marched deeper into enemy-held territory. in India in 1916 and specialised in Army cooperation sorties.

They were now the first transport squadron tasked to move personnel and equipment quickly as Japanese forces swept through Burma at an incredible pace.

Its CO Wg Cdr William ‘Bill’ Burbury was well acquainted with supply missions and troop movements over barren mountains from landing Valencia bombers on desert airstrips in Iraq, Syria, and Egypt.

That job fell to 31 Sqn that had recently moved to Northeast India from the Northwest Frontier – from desert to jungle – and ‘B’ flight consisting of two DC2 and 10 newer DC3 aircraft detached to Agartala in Bengal next to the Burmese (now Myanmar) border to carry it out.

The unit had made the first military flight

Now he flew the first monoplane transport aircraft in theatre – the upgraded Douglas DC3 airliner that became the military C-47 variant Dakota – which proved essential in getting food and ammunition to retreating British soldiers and the Chindits.

In October 1942, 31 Sqn gave birth to 194 Sqn to assist with campaign, initially flying converted Hudson bombers.

On April 11, 1943, Plt Off David “Lummy,” Lord spotted a plea for help spelt out in a jungle clearing in parachute silk deep behind Japanese lines.

PO Lord would later become the only RAF Transport Command VC winner with 271 Sqn after he was killed dropping supplies to besieged paratroops at Arnhem despite his port engine and wing being on fire.

Back in India

Wg Cdr Burbury sanctioned a daring rescue operation recorded by a London Illustrated News and Time Life Magazine reporter on board the Dakota.

Swooping down to a makeshift landing site Flt Lt Mike Vlasto discovered 17 wounded Chindits and carried them out in his well-laden DC3 with the undercarriage touching the tops of the trees as he lifted off at full throttle – a feat for which he was awarded the DFC.

This was the first of many ‘drop and recover,’ operations that 31 Sqn and its successor Douglas Dakota units undertook well into 1945 – often flying in 12 inches of rain an hour during the May to September monsoon season over a vast battlefield measuring 1,000 miles by 600 miles.

The air supply technique proved so successful that four squadrons were generated as part of a new Southeast Asia Command to combat the Japanese offensive against Imphal and the siege of Kohima.

The BBMF Dakota will hopefully be back flying by April 2024 to mark the 31 Sqn effort to supply the encircled Kohima Garrison whose 3,000 men fought off and routed 30,000 Japanese troops in a major turning point of the war.

Airdrops of water, food, ammunition, and replacement weapons were delivered with incredible accuracy to a small DZ that centred on a bitterly fought-over tennis court at the Governor’s bungalow.

Veterans of 31 Sqn are preparing to mark five 80th anniversary dates of significant campaigns during the next 16 months to remember the RAF’s role in driving the Japanese out of Burma a year before the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Meanwhile the unit known as the “Goldstars,” which disbanded on March 14, 2019 at Marham will reform in the summer at Waddington and eventually operate the new Protector unmanned air vehicle.

Kohima Dakota DVD

DAKOTA, AIR Supply Drops, Kohima DVD produced by Life Publications with 31 Sqn Association is available from: lifepublications.co.uk @ £17.50 + £1.90 p&p. The price includes a £5 donation to The Kohima Educational Trust in acknowledgement of the help and sacrifice of the Naga people of Northeast India.

By Terry O’Halloran and Russ Morgan, 31 Sqn RAF Association