Bharat Rakshak:Indian Air Force

The entire contingent of No.4 Squadron, officers and men that went to Japan as part of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force (BCOF). Note the 4 Squadron Crest displayed in the center. The photo was taken in Japan in front of the Airmens Mess during

Squadron Officers at Miho. Standing (L to R): AIK Suares, Toric Zachariah, Foster , FS Hussain, Bahadur Ji, D Subia Sitting: Balan, Andrew Wiseman with a local stray dog, Anthony

Squadron Officers with one of their Spitfire XIVs. Flt Lt C D Subia in the center. Balan is standing fifth from left.

Balan (far right) and three other officers, Carlton, Sen and Unidentified pose by a statue. The photo was taken on an Island off Iwakuni.

Horsing around on a field trip - Balan (right) and Anthony (left) stand over the Accounts Officer Haider as if on a Shikar

Balan In Winter working uniform

Officers of No.4 Squadron standing outside a Hangar at Miho. Balan took this photograph. L to R Standing sideways is Hussein. Facing camera is Johnny Rollo. Back to camera is George Nallaiya, close friend of Balan. Standing a distance

Playing around - Balan on the shoulders and back of F/O Afridi, a Pathan officer. Note the BCOF shoulder patch.

George Nallaya, Suares and FS Hussain at Miho. Suares retired as an Air Commodore - having earned a Vir Chakra in 48 and a bar to it in 1961 in Congo. F S Hussain went to

George Nallaya with Elkins. Nallaya would late raise No.41 Squadron on the DHC-3 Otter in 1958.

M D Khanna with FS Hussain and R D Rollo. Khanna commanded No.3 Squadron and was later AOC Ambala. Note Spitfire NH871 in the background

Rollo and FS Hussain haul up Nallaya - Rollo retired as a Wg Cdr from the PAF.

Laurie Elkins, AIK "Tony" Suares, Balan , Cecil Digby and Srinivasan (Equipment Officer)

The pilots of No.4 Squadron were taken to a Geisha House along with some Army officers. L-R: Zachariah, Rollo, Japanese hostess, S/L Barker, Elkins (Mustache), Flt.Lt Subia, an unnamed Army Signals Officer (with turban), Rampal, Balan

There was little interaction with the Japanese civilians at either Miho or at Iwakuni. Some civilians and soldiers are seen in this photograph

Buildings and Barracks at Miho, Japan.

At Trichy- Kajamalai, before Balan was posted to No.4 Squadron. L-R: F/O Christopher Thangaraj Muthayah of 8 Squadron (who died in a Spitfire crash in Trichy a few days after the photo was taken), Balan and F/O Mohite, a Maharashtrian p

Balan with F/O C T Muthayah in Trichy. Muthayah was killed on 19 March 46 during a belly landing in a Spitfire at Trichnopoly.

Balan at the wheel of a "battle wagon". Balan was the officer in charge of Motor Transportation as part of his general duties while not flying .

George Nallaya

Balan, pondering at the sky in a moment of solitude

Balan getting a light from F/O Andrew Wiseman. Wiseman was an Anglo-Indian who later joined Tata Air India and perished in the crash of a Dakota passenger plane he was piloting in Ooty in the 1960’s; there were no survivors.

C D Subia relaxing at Miho

Balan - unknown place and date

Fg Offr Qadir with a Japanese Lady

Hanging loose - Balan smoking a pipe

Standing L to R: F/O Zachariah and F/O Suares. Sitting L to R - F/O Balan and F/O Afridi (looking down at child)

George Nallaya and FS Hussain

Japanese Cleaning Ladies who worked at Miho - The work crews would clean up the accomodation and barracks while the pilots were gone for thier duty

Fuad Hussain and Afridi with one of the Spitfires. Hussain seems to have just returned from a sortie.