No.6 Squadron of the IAF was raised by merging two
of the Coastal Flights at Trichnopoly in Dec 1942 under the command of Sqn Ldr Mehar
Singh. After participating and taking part in numerous exercises, the Squadron flew its
first operational sorties in November 1943 from Cox Bazar.
The Squadron was involved in the thick of the fighting in
February 1944. They encountered opposition in the form of Japanese Oscar fighters during
their daily recce missions. Several aircraft were lost.
Flt Lt J C Verma of the squadron created history by
becoming the only Indian to shoot down an enemy aircraft when he shot down a Japanese
Oscar fighter near Taung Bazar, earning a DFC for his effort.
Towards the end of the tour, the Squadron was churning
out an average of 16,000 photographic prints and recieved visits from important people
including the SEAC commander Lord Mountbatten and the Field Marshal Slim. The CO, Sqn Ldr
Mehar Singh was awarded the DSO for his leadership , The only such award to the IAF
in the war. Flt Lt M S Pujji received the DFC. . An award of an MBE was given to Flt Lt
Rawal Singh.
One of the members of No.6 during that period was Fg Offr
Hoshang Patel, who later retired as a Wing Commander in 1967. His experiences and some of
his Photographs are explained in 'Flying Ops on the Burma Front' |
No.6 Squadron |
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The members of No.6 Squadron meet for a
'chai' break after a sortie. From L to R: Flt Lt M S Pujji DFC, Fg Offr H
K Patel, Unk, 'Doctor', Sqn Ldr Mehar Singh DSO, Fg Offr Bhattacharjea , Fg Offr E D
Masillamani, Fg Offr L R D Blunt, Flt Lt J D Acquino, Fg Offr Aziz Khan. |
Mehar Singh with Air Vice Marshal
Pearse during a visit to the front lines. |
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A Hurricane IIc of No.6 Squadron being
flown over the Akyab by Fg Offr Murkot Ramunny. Note that the pilot is flying with his
canopy open |
| Baba Mehar Singh showing a photo mosaic
compiled by No.6 Squadron to the visiting AOC , Air Marshal Baldwin. |
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The success of No.6 Squadron in a
reconnaisance role earned the squadron a visit from the supreme commander SEAC himself.
Lord Mountbatten visited the squadron to give one of his famous frontine speeches standing
on the wing of a Hurricane fighter from the Squadron |
| Flying Officer Jagdish Chandra Verma
being awarded the DFC by Air Vice Marshal Taylor. Verma was the only IAF pilot to shoot
down an enemy aircraft in aircombat. He shot down a Japanese Nakajima fighter 'Oscar'
while flying a Hawker Hurricane with No.6 Squadron. |
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From the Squadron Commanders Meet, the
Sikh COs get together. L to R Sqn Ldr Arjan Singh, Sqn Ldr Mehar Singh and Sqn Ldr
Prithpal Singh. Prithpal Singh died later in the year in a Hurricane crash. Mehar Singh
died in a civilian aircraft crash after retiring from the IAF. |
| A Recce Hurricane skims in low over the
River Irrawady's Maya Bridge during a Photo-Ops mission. |
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