Dinshaw Eduljee: Difference between revisions

{{more footnotes|date=February 2022}}

{{Use Indian English|date=February 2022}}

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Dinshaw Eduljee is presumed to have died following the crash of the fighter plane he was piloting. The crash took place near Sizwe, Burma not too far from the Indian border on 27 November 1944, a date some records use as the date of his death.<ref name="Service Record">{{cite web|title=Service Record - Flight Lieutenant Dinshaw Ferozeshaw Eduljee|url=http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Database/1669|access-date=12 July 2022}}</ref>

In January 1942, Eduljee began service as a flight instructor at No. 1 Service Flying Training School (SFTS), Ambala<ref name="SFTS Ambala">{{cite web|title=Training units - No.1 Service Flying Training School (India)|url=http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/History/1940s/Trg-1SFTS.html|access-date=12 July 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120803171431/http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/History/1940s/Trg-1SFTS.html|archive-date=3 August 2022}}</ref><ref name=SFTS>{{cite web|title=Training Units - Aircraft of No.1 SFTS (India)|url=http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/History/1940s/Trg-1SFTS02.html|access-date=12 July 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120803012709/http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/History/1940s/Trg-1SFTS02.html|archive-date=3 August 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> - the same school at which he received his flight training and at which school he received an award and the highest performing trainee.

He was stationed in Bairagarh, Bhopal, from 16 October 1943 up to an unknown date.<ref name=Bairagarh>{{cite web|title=Officers & Flight Crew List - 1AGS (1939-47)|url=http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Database/Units/WW2/1AGS}}</ref><ref name=AFC>{{cite web|title=Awards for 1 SFTS - Dinshaw Ferozeshaw Eduljee|url=http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Database/Awards/awards.php?qunit=1%20SFTS&qaward=all|access-date=12 July 2022}}</ref> The unit to which he was assigned in Bairagarh was 1AGS (No.1 Air Gunners School also called No.1 Gunnery School). No.1 Air Gunners School undertook training of wireless operators and air gunners of the IAF. An aircraft deployed at Bairagarh 1AGS was the Boulton-Paul Defiant TT.I & TT.III <ref>{{cite web|last=Pillarisetti|first=Jagan|title=Boulton-Paul Defiant TT.I & TT.III|url=http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/History/1940s/AC-Defiant.html|access-date=13 July 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121002141600/http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/History/1940s/AC-Defiant.html|archive-date=2 October 2022}}</ref>

Since then two other Indian Air Force officers were awarded the AFC: Flt. Lt. Pothery Charuvary Ramachandran (on 1 January 1945) and Flt. Lt. Homi Dhanjishaw Bharucha (on 1 September 1945).<ref name="AFC Awardees">{{cite web|title=Air Force Cross Awardee List|url=http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Database/Awards/awards.php?qaward=AFC|access-date=12 July 2022}}</ref>

Dinshaw Eduljee's AFC citation reads: "This officer has been a flying instructor since January 1942. During that period he has done much to provide liaison between the British and Indian members of his unit. An excellent flight commander, Flight Lieutenant Eduljee has set a fine example by his efficiency and enthusiasm. He has contributed a great deal to the training of the Indian Air Force."<ref name="AFC Citation">{{cite web|title=Bharat Rakshak|url=http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Database/Awards/awards.php?qunit=1%20SFTS&qaward=all|access-date=12 July 2022}}</ref>

The account of Nanu K. Shitoley as related to Mukund Murty and recorded in the Bharat Rakshak archives:<ref name=Shitoley>{{cite web|last=Murty|first=Mukund|title=Air Cmde Nanu Shitoley DFC|url=http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/History/1940s/Shitoley01.html|access-date=12 July 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090201090741/http://bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/History/1940s/Shitoley01.html|archive-date=1 February 2022}}</ref>

From the records maintained by Hansard of a debate in the British House of Commons on 3 April 1933,<ref name="IAF formation">{{cite web|title=HC Deb 03 April 1933 vol 276 cc1473-501|url=http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1933/apr/03/clause-4-relations-between-royal-air|work=Hansard|access-date=12 July 2022}}</ref> it would appear that the Hon. Rhys Davies took exception to his treatment as well as a memorandum that stated "The Government of India have decided that steps shall be taken at once to commence the formation of an Indian Air Force." Mr. Davies wondered if the Indian Government could take such as unilateral step.

The first operation unit of the Indian Air Force, a flight, was formed in April 1933 with six officers and 19 airmen (hawai sepoy). At the outbreak of the Second World War (WW II), the IAF consisted of one squadron, 16 officers and 269 airmen. At the end of WW II, the IAF had nine squadrons. Squadrons  1,2,3,4,6,7,9 and 10 had Hurricanes and No.8 had Spitfires. Five of the Hurricane-equipped squadrons played a major role in the Arakan offensive which began in December 1944. They disrupted Japanese communication lines and constantly harassed the Japanese forces, thus planning a significant role in the victory of the Allied forces over the Japanese in Burma - a victory that culminated in the retaking of Rangoon on 3 May 1945.<ref name="IAF" /><ref name=IAF-WWII>{{cite web|last=utubekhiladi|title=History of the Indian Air Force (1932-1944)|website=[[YouTube]] |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Et9FEv8G2Ts|access-date=12 July 2022}}</ref>

At its formation, the Indian Air Force consisted of one flight, "A" Flight, that was part of a planned squadron called No. 1 Squadron. "A" Flight of No. 1 Squadron was formally established on 1 April 1933 and was located at Drigh Road in Karachi. Its complement of aircraft consisted of four outdated Westland Wapiti IIAs.<ref name=Wapiti>{{cite web|last=Singh|first=Polly|title=The Westland Wapiti in the IAF Service|url=http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/History/Aircraft/Wapiti.html|access-date=12 July 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130728123414/http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/History/Aircraft/Wapiti.html|archive-date=28 July 2022}}</ref>  The flight which was commanded by Flight Lieutenant C. A. Bouchier (DFC) from the Royal Air Force (RAF), included six Indian officers and nineteen support personnel and technicians then known as Hawai Sepoys (literally Air Soldiers).

On 16 March 1939, Subroto Mukherjee who was the Flight commander of the squadron's  "A" Flight took over command of the Squadron from Squadron Leader C. H. Smith, the first Indian Air Force officer to gain that position.<ref name="IAF" /><ref name="IAF#1">{{cite web|title=Bharat Rakshak - No. 1 Squadron|url=http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Units/Squadrons/1-Squadron.html|access-date=12 July 2022}}</ref>