Comments on: Lifeline Through the Sky – Ladakh 1962

By: Kapn Kirk

Kapn Kirk — Fri, 29 Jan 2021 05:58:38 +0000

Long live the Gooney Bird !!

By: Vinod K Rastogi

Vinod K Rastogi — Fri, 29 Jan 2021 05:57:38 +0000

Great. My first posting too was in 43Sq – Apr64

By: Ajit Jhala

Ajit Jhala — Fri, 29 Jan 2021 05:53:48 +0000

Tommy Sir, I was delighted to read the article put forth by you. Beautifully narrated.
I still have to see the pictures of the airstrips. I joined the sqdn in 1964 December. I think you were on your way to Agra for Canberra conversion. Met you briefly then.
Like you mentioned the areas and routes remained same for us to operate upon.
I felt like I was in Time Machine going back to good old days of 43 Squadron.

Amazing aircraft. What memories— J&K–From Srinagar and Jammu and East — From Jorhat and Mohanbari. It was a great learning graph flying these aircraft in difficult terrain and different kinds of weather with minimal navigational aid. Glory be thy name!!!

By: Joseph Thomas

Joseph Thomas — Tue, 27 Mar 2018 14:46:23 +0000

Thanks Gopal. Good to hear from you. How can anyone forget you ? “I have no comments to make !”

I did hear about the squadron celebrating “50 years of the move to Jorhat.” Surprising that they seem to have forgotten the earlier history. Air Mshl Viren Puri forwarded my article to them.

12 squadron opened up the air link to Ladakh, starting in 1948. Then 43 took over and did a tremendous job from 1959 onwards. We were the only airlink to Kargil and Thoise. In winter, we were the only link, ground or air. Even now, I look back to the hot tea served at Kargil as the best drink I’ve ever had.

Best wishes and look forward to meeting up with you.

By: Capt. B S Gopal

Capt. B S Gopal — Mon, 26 Mar 2018 17:29:34 +0000

Hello Sri Joseph Thomas, I read your above article just today. You may remember me. I came to 43 as a volunteer from Indian Airlines in early 1963 and left at the end of 1965 when my tenure finished.
Your article was very interesting as it was the earlier period of 43 sqn, During my stay we have done a few flights together.
In Dec 2017 43 sqn celebrated the 50th year jubilee of their move to Jorhat. By chance someone from Bengalore remembered that I was in 43 and informed them. I received an invitation from them and attended the function. It was very nostalgic for me to be able to visit my old and only squadron once more at my age. I was treated extremely well and enjoyed the visit. I was the only person from our old J & K unit and the oldest present.
You may remember about the only Dakota that survived an engine failure in Ladakh region and I happened to be the Captain. Bachu Prasad was the co pilot and Advani was the navigator. Sgt Swaminathan was the signaller. Aircraft was HJ 922 and the date I think was 12th March 1964. I have to recheck. The biggest co incidence was that this aircraft has also survived all these years and was done up and installed as a show piece on the grounds of IAF school. That aircraft has a history now known by the school and the squadron.
God bless you all.
With regards. From Capt B S and Smt Gopal. (Retired Director Air Safety from Air India).

By: Arunesh Prasad

Arunesh Prasad — Tue, 20 Oct 2015 13:05:32 +0000

Great narration Tommy and it has revived memories of the best flying I did in the service. Strange how I missed this in all this while since I do stay in touch with Air Force stories. Thank you for taking me back in time. Neither that time or that kind of flying will ever return. I was privileged to have experienced it.
Bachu

By: Joseph Thomas

Joseph Thomas — Wed, 23 Sep 2015 05:27:24 +0000

Thanks PPS. Sorry for the late response. I did not get any intimation from the website about your post — is supposed to be automatic. I now visited the site after a Facebook post about our Thoise friend, Col SS Randhawa.

Thanks for filling in the details about your two aircraft detachment to Gauhati. However, I am positive that Flt Lt Rajagopalan also captained an aircraft on detachment to the Eastern sector. Not sure whether he went to Gauhati or Jorhat. But he did tell me stories of how they had dropped so much at Tsangdhar (?) that the DZ became white with parachutes.

Yes I remember the tragedy of S/L Kanitkar. Also your narrow escape earlier in the day of that accident. S/L Kanitkar was with us at lunch and he said “If the Dakota can’t go and the Packet can’t go, how can I go ?” Nevertheless he tried and probably got into a CB. Among his passengers was Maj Gen Grewal, father of my course mate. S/L Kanitkar’s wreckage was found years later.

Hope you and family are well.

By: Joseph Thomas

Joseph Thomas — Wed, 23 Sep 2015 05:13:10 +0000

Thanks Dipali. Say Hi from me to your Dad.

By: Lifeline Through the Sky — Ladakh 1962 | HimLynx

Lifeline Through the Sky — Ladakh 1962 | HimLynx — Sun, 05 Jul 2015 16:53:24 +0000

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By: Dipali Hunjan

Dipali Hunjan — Tue, 10 Feb 2015 23:28:20 +0000

We grew up listening to the stories from the person in the sixth picture We still have the photo with the Dakota wing. I will share this. Thanks!