大象传媒

Edward Maslen-Jones was in the Royal Artillery, and was a Pilot in 656 Air Observation Post Squadron RAF/RA. The Squadron played a vital role in the reconquest of Burma.
From 1943 until the end of the war,the three flights of five tiny Auster aircraft provided air observation for the whole of the 14th Army, in driving the Japanese out of Burma.

Their flying hours broke all records and their feats of endurance and airmanship in appalling conditions became legendary.

Edward Maslen-Jones has kindly agreed to allow this excerpt from his book Fire by Order to be reproduced here.

Having settled into our new LG at Thetkegyin, on Christmas Eve, 1944, five information sorties were carried out with messages being dropped on leading units, the principal contender being 4/10 Gurkhas who, with tanks in support, were engaged in battle at Wainggyo about eight miles east of our airstrip. It was also an accepted part of the reconnaissance at this stage to report on the location of water. The record of one of my own sorties on that day started:
鈥榳ater in small quantities in Sipandon Chaung, E of Square 59 and in all tributaries from N. Three water holes near large temple at 593599. Villagers and many cattle in area. Life appears normal.鈥�

That sortie was completed at 1315 and is in stark contrast to the report of fighting only a few miles away and made by Ian Walton on a sortie that finished four hours later.
Ian had engaged a defensive position ahead of 4/10 Gurkhas and was about to drop a report on the result when he saw a group of Japs making their way round the rear of the Gurkha position. He quickly added a postscript to his message, which had already been concluded with 鈥楬appy Christmas鈥�, giving coordinates and direction of movement of the patrol.
His was in fact the last flight of the day and I suppose that we were all now entitled to begin to think about Christmas. We already knew that LAC Whitelock had been scrounging as much as he could in the way of festive rations and we were confident that he would, as usual, come up trumps. The strip was comparatively large and there was, on the north side of the runway, an excellent dispersal area with our camp alongside. Our neighbours on the south side were a unit of the RAMC and a dental unit. At about 1800 hours we heard the sound of an aircraft and, although it would normally have been too late for Dakotas to be visiting the divisional dropping zone, our assumption was that it was a late arrival.
The aircraft eventually appeared from the south-east at about 1000 feet. It was not a Dakota and immediately an air-raid alert was put into effect. It was, of course, too late for anything effective in the way of anti-aircraft fire to be mounted; we either dived for the cover of slit trenches or just hit the deck according to our position at the time. I recall watching the raider, a Japanese Dinah medium bomber, as it dived to about 200 feet across the airfield and released a stick of six to eight bombs. There is no doubt that he had targeted the strip which would have been a most visible clearing in the jungle, but he would not have had the opportunity to single out any of our aircraft which were camouflaged. The bombs landed some thirty yards from the nearest aircraft and missed the runway; the main impact was on the medical lines opposite our camp area, where they killed a dental officer and wounded two orderlies. In retrospect, even though this was recorded as a hit and run raid by a single aircraft, it did seem to have been conducted in a feeble manner without much resolution. We were lucky to get away with it.
LAC Whitelock, although managing to accumulate some extra rations, had not been able to obtain anything special. However, late on Christmas Eve a jeep arrived from Squadron HQ with a good supply of drinks and festive food that had been prepared by the squadron cook. Bombadier White had timed his arrival perfectly, but in reality he had a dreadful journey and great difficulty finding us. He was supposed to have been with us two days earlier but was now happy to spend Christmas Day with us and, needless to say, he was made very welcome.
This was a typical gesture by HQ, who never failed to show their concern and support for the Flights ahead of them. Indeed Christmas Day began with the arrival of an Auster which contained the CO, Dennis Coyle, and Captain Mike Gregg who circled the airstrip trailing a banner which had been cut out of aircraft fabric and carried the message 鈥楳erry Christmas鈥�. They spent an hour with us before flying off, again trailing their banner and visiting the most forward infantry positions. We had been able to give them the coordinates of some of them, and they not only saluted them but dropped packets of cigarettes and other goodies. This was all greatly appreciated, judging from the messages that filtered through to us. There was also a reference to the 鈥楳ission鈥� in 33 Corps Sitrep.
Denis and Mike returned to join us for a Christmas drink. We were also joined by two officers from 2 Dorset Regiment for what was in the circumstances a most civilized seasonal party which ended in the heat of the day at which time our visitors took off to repeat their operation with 鈥楤鈥� Flight some one hundred miles away The day was not yet over, because at 5 p m we all sat down, officers and men together, to a dinner that was simply magnificent. Frank McMath records it in his memoirs as follows:

鈥楾hose of us who knew nothing about the preparations were amazed at what had been done. A 鈥渂anqueting hall鈥� had been created on a small paddy field at the edge of the forest. They set up a U-shaped table by robbing the office and workshops, while 鈥渃hairs鈥� were made from anything from petrol cans to logs of wood. Parachute cloth covered the table and message bags were used for decoration. The whole Flight, with the exception of the two cooks, sat down and we were served by the Indian enrolled followers who were attached to our unit. The menu was Fine Rich Soup, Steak and Kidding Pudding, Tinned Peaches, and finally Mince Pies which Whitelock had made himself and also the Iced Cake which had been sent from Squadron HQ.鈥�
It was a fantastic effort and, looking back, one is still filled with gratitude for the sheer dedication and generosity of effort that went into this celebration. In effect it gave us all a tremendous lift and above anything else reinforced the feeling of comrade ship that was already very strong, but is so much easier to recognize on such occasions.
The meal itself was at its height when, once again, we heard the sound of an approaching aircraft. The festivities came to a grinding halt as everyone present recalled what had happened almost exactly twenty-four hours before. Without exception we all made for a position of relative security from which the situation was assessed. This aircraft was, in any case, approaching from the north-west and soon identified as a DC3. As we began to resume our seats, it flew over the airstrip, circled and came in again low, on a path that took it over our dinner table. At the same time an object was ejected from the side door and descended on the end of a parachute. There was a great rush to retrieve it as it landed, when it was found to be a large basket loaded with goodies of all kinds: cigars, cigarettes, sweets, biscuits, a marvellous collection of Christmas fare, plenty to go round, and greatly appreciated. On top of the basket was a card which carried the message:
鈥楬appy Christmas to 鈥淎鈥� Flight 656 Air 0 P. Squadron from 鈥淎鈥� Flight 62 Squadron RAF. Good luck.鈥�
It was an emotional moment in which to think of the trouble that had been taken and the generosity of those that had made this gesture. We saw them every day circling over dropping zones and they had taken the time to identify with us at this time. It was frustrating not to be able to thank them individually.
For security reasons the evening had to be cut short soon after dark, but not before Gunner Taffy Harris had led the assembled company in a seasonal sing-song. It had without doubt been a day to remember. There are, I am sure, a number of Christmases in everyone鈥檚 lifetime that are remembered in detail for some special reason. For me, at least, this had been one of them. There had been just one sortie on the 25th which was carried out by Pip who dropped a set of maps on 4/10 Gurkhas. On this occasion he had Gunner Vince Weaver as an observer. It was late in the afternoon and I have no doubt that, seeing an Auster coming over again, the troops thought that they were about to get another handout of cigarettes!

entered by Petersfield Library

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