Beschreibung:

'Generally we aircrews were kept in the dark about who we were dropping to, in case of a forced landing and being captured and interrogated by the Japanese. We'd heard all about their horrific treatment of prisoners, alive or dead. They seemed to think that killing just wasn't enough … We thought about that on the long-range sorties we did that summer of '43, down on the Arakan front.' Warrant Officer Colin Lynch, a Navigator in Dakotas of No. 31 Squadron, describes one of numerous nightmare scenarios facing him and his gallant supply-aircrew; Burma Drop Zone , refers. An outstanding Second World War Burma 'down the chimney' operations D.F.C. group of six awarded to Squadron Leader G. W. Buckland, Royal Air Force, late Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, a Navigator who completed 330 operations in Dakotas of No. 31 Squadron in the period July 1943 to June 1945 Regular supply drops to Tiddim, Kohima and Imphal aside, he also acted in direct support of Orde Wingate's Chindits in Operation "Thursday" in early 1944, a perilous period of active service vividly documented in the pages of Roger Annett's Drop Zone Burma Distinguished Flying Cross, George VI, the reversed officially dated '1945', with its Royal Mint case if issue; 1939-45 Star; Burma Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; General Service 1918-62, G.VI.R., 1 clasp, Malaya (Sqn. Ldr. G. W. Buckland, R.A.F.), together with an R.A.F. sweetheart's brooch, good very fine and better (6) D.F.C. London Gazette 6 November 1945. The original recommendation states: 'A Navigator of outstanding merit who throughout his two tours on the Squadron - without rest - has shown that his heart and soul was in flying in the particular job of work in hand and it was with the greatest reluctance that he left active flying duties on being posted to a Staging Post for briefing duties. As one of the Squadron's oldest Navigators he took part in some of the most historic operations of this war, including the first (sic) Chindit operation, the siege of Imphal, and also the supply of the Army along the Tiddim Road. I have no hesitation in strongly recommending him for an award.' Geoffrey Walter Buckland enlisted in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve at Lord's cricket ground, London in September 1941 and was embarked for training in South Africa in the following year. On qualifying as a Navigator in March 1943, he was embarked for India, where he joined No. 31 Squadron, a Dakota unit, in July. 'Down the chimney' A quite remarkable wartime career ensued, for by the time of him being recommended for his D.F.C. in June 1945, he had completed no less than 330 operational sorties, 240 of a supply-dropping nature and 90 of a supply-landing nature. As related by Roger Annett in Drop Zone Burma , 31 Squadron carried out the lion's share of supply drops throughout 1943: 'The heavy workload of sorties continued throughout the year in the most hazardous flying conditions imaginable - monsoon weather and thunder-cloud turbulence, mountains up to 8,000 feet, and enemy fighters and ground fire.' In Drop Zone Burma , Warrant Officer Colin Lynch - like Buckland a Navigator in 31 Squadron - describes the realities of enemy ground fire. He relates how his Dak was 'often hit by gunfire and landed with bullet holes in the airframe - once we got a hole as big as your fist from mortar shell fire'. He also describes a tragic encounter with Oscar fighters over Tiddim in late November 1943. The enemy aircraft attacked his Dakota as it approached the DZ at 300 feet, the resultant fire shooting past it and hitting another Dakota, piloted by Flight Sergeant Richards: this broke away, hit a cliff and blew up. By mid-January 1944, Buckland had completed his first tour of duty - totalling 500 hours of operational flying. He immediately volunteered for a second tour, a tour that included direct support to Orde Wingate's Chindits in Operation "Thursday" in March 1944. In this period Buckland's log book notes all manner of sorties, f