Man Mohan Singh (pilot): Difference between revisions

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}

{{Use Indian English|date=July 2020}}

|birth_date      = 1905/6

|birth_place      = [[Rawalpindi]], [[British India]]

'''Man Mohan Singh''' (1905/06 – 3 March 1942), also spelled '''Manmohan Singh''', was an early Indian [[aircraft pilot]] who, in 1930, was the first Indian to fly solo from [[Croydon Airport]], England, to [[PAF Base Faisal|Karachi]], India.

Singh was born and educated in [[Rawalpindi]] (now in Pakistan). He later travelled to England  and trained in [[civil engineering]], [[aeronautical engineering]] and learnt to [[flight|fly]].

[[File:Manmohan Singh and Gipsy Moth Miss India with Maharanee of Cooch Behar 1930.jpg|thumb|Manmohan Singh at the christening of his Gipsy Moth ''Miss India'' at [[Stag Lane Aerodrome]] with the Maharanee of Cooch Behar, 1930.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/141427456|title=Pictures from overseas|date=1 March 1930|website=www.trove.nla.gov.au}}</ref>]]

Man Mohan Singh was born in [[Rawalpindi]] (now in Pakistan), in 1905 or 1906,<ref name="AustralianSikhHeritage" /> to physician Makhan Singh, who had at one time received the [[Kaisar-i-Hind Medal]].<ref name="AustralianSikhHeritage">{{Cite web|url=http://www.australiansikhheritage.com/flying-officer-manmohan-singh/|title=Remembering Flying Officer Manmohan Singh —|website=www.australiansikhheritage.com|language=en-AU|access-date=30 December 2018}}</ref><ref name="WhoswhoIndia1914">{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/secondsupplement00luckrich|title=Second supplement to Who's who in India [microform] : brought up to 1914|date=1914|publisher=Lucknow : Newul Kishore Press|others=University of California Libraries}}</ref>

He completed his early education in Rawalpindi, first attending Denny's High School and then [[Gordon College (Pakistan)|Gordon College]]. At the age of 17 years, in 1923, he travelled to England to study [[civil engineering]] and received his [[bachelor's degree]] four years later at the [[University of Bristol]]. In addition, with a scholarship from the Government of British India, he studied [[aeronautical engineering]] and learnt to fly<ref name="AustralianSikhHeritage" /> while a member of [[Bristol and Wessex Aeroplane Club]]<ref name="Chowdhury2018" /> and subsequently received his [[Pilot licensing and certification|pilot certificate]] from [[Bristol Filton Airport|Filton]].<ref name=Flight10Jan1930>{{Cite journal|date=10 January 1930|title=Private Flying and Club News|url=https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1930/untitled0%20-%200103.html?search=man+Mohan+singh|journal=Flight|pages=103}}</ref> He lived in Bristol for five years, residing at 24 Woodfield Road with the Leate family.<ref name="Chowdhury2018" />

In November 1929, keen to promote aviation, the [[Aga Khan III|Aga Khan]], 48th Imam of the [[Isma'ilism|Ismaili]] sect of Muslims<ref name="Chowdhury2018" /> announced a prize of £500<ref name="Chowdhury2018" /> to the first Indian pilot who could fly solo between England and India.<ref name="Rao2000"/>  The contestants in 1930 included; [[J. R. D. Tata]], who later founded [[Tata Motors]] and [[Air India#History|Air India]], [[Aspy Engineer]], who would later be appointed head of the Indian Air Force, [[Ram Nath Chawla]], who was Engineer's friend, and Singh.<ref name="Chowdhury2018" /><ref name="Rao2000">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pBCIAwAAQBAJ&q=Aga+Khan+1929+flight+prize&pg=PP8|title=J. R. D. TATA|last=Rao|first=Prof L. S. Seshagiri|date=2000|publisher=Sapna Book House (P) Ltd.|isbn=9788128017438|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.airspacemag.com/history-of-flight/karachi-to-bombay-to-calcutta-77003851/|title=Karachi to Bombay to Calcutta|last=Shaftel|first=David|date=November 2011|website=Air & Space Magazine|language=en|access-date=30 December 2018}}</ref>

The [[Indira Devi|Maharani of Cooch Bihar]] presided over the naming ceremony of Singh's aircraft, a [[de Havilland DH.60|Gipsy Moth]] he named ''Miss India''.<ref name="AustralianSikhHeritage" /><ref name="Chowdhury2018" /><ref name="Wings">{{Cite web|url=http://www.tatasteel100.com/people/wings-for-nation.asp|title=JRD Tata :: Wings for a nation|website=www.tatasteel100.com|access-date=30 December 2018}}</ref> It was fitted with an additional 20-gallon fuel tank.<ref name=Flight10Jan1930/> Singh, a self-confessed poor navigator, had a map of India painted on its rudder because,<ref name="Chowdhury2018" /> he jokingly claimed, he frequently lost his way.<ref name=Lala2017>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LcUDAQAAQBAJ&q=man+mohan+singh+miss+india+1930+flight&pg=PT102|title=Beyond the Last Blue Mountain|last=Lala|first=R. M.|date=2017|publisher=Penguin UK|isbn=9788184753318|language=en}}</ref><ref name=Bhattacharya2013>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xj-VAgAAQBAJ&q=man+mohan+singh+croydon+flight&pg=PA126|title=Nothing But!: Book Two: the Long Road to Freedom|last=Bhattacharya|first=Brigadier Samir|date=2013|publisher=Partridge Publishing|isbn=9781482814743|pages=126|language=en}}</ref> One editor of a flight journal reported, "Mr Man Mohan Singh called his aeroplane ''Miss India'' and he is likely to!"<ref name=Lala2017/>

He made his first attempt to fly to India on 24 January 1930, when he took off from [[Croydon Airport]] near London in his aircraft, reaching Rome six days later. After reaching Naples, thick fog forced him to land on a mountain road in southern Italy, damaging his aircraft and injuring his left eye. His second attempt was also abandoned before completion.<ref name="AustralianSikhHeritage" /> Both times, he returned to Croydon.<ref name="Wings" />

It was at his third attempt that he completed the journey from Croydon to India, starting off on 8 April 1930<ref name="Chowdhury2018">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TGpUDwAAQBAJ&q=aga+khan+prize+1930+man+mohan+singh&pg=PA368|title=Defence of Europe by Sikh Soldiers in the World Wars|last=Chowdhry|first=Mohindra S.|date=2018|publisher=Troubador Publishing Ltd|isbn=9781788037983|language=en}}</ref><ref name=Flight1930>{{Cite journal|date=23 May 1930|title=The Aga Khan Prize|url=https://www.flightglobal.com/FlightPDFArchive/1930/UNTITLED0%20-%200583.PDF|journal=Flight|pages=559}}</ref> and was the first to land at [[PAF Base Faisal|RAF Drigh Road, Karachi]] on 9 May 1930, one day after the one-month deadline.<ref name="Chowdhury2018" /><ref name=Sapru/> As he had not completed the journey within the specified time frame due to a forced landing near [[Marseilles]],<ref name="AustralianSikhHeritage" /> the prize was awarded at the decision of the [[Royal Aero Club]],<ref name=Sapru/> to Aspy Engineer, who completed the journey solo and within a month.<ref name="AustralianSikhHeritage" /><ref name=Sapru>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SEa6DQAAQBAJ&q=Aga+Khan+1929+flight+prize&pg=PT95|title=Combat Lore: Indian Air Force 1930–1945: Indian Air Force 1930–1945|last=Sapru|first=Somnath|date=2014|publisher=KW Publishers Pvt Ltd|isbn=9789383649259|language=en}}</ref><ref name=Sapru2014>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=k35_SlDMyUsC&q=Aga+Khan+1929+flight+prize&pg=PA153|title=Services Chiefs of India|last1=Abidi|first1=S. Sartaj Alam|last2=Sharma|first2=Satinder|date=2007|publisher=Northern Book Centre|isbn=9788172111625|pages=153|language=en}}</ref>

The whole series of events was regularly reported by ''[[The Times]]'' and ''[[Flight (magazine)|Flight]]''.<ref name=Fyzee1991>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NkDbAAAAMAAJ&q=man+mohan+singh+flight+1930|title=Aircraft and engine perfect: the story of JRD Tata who opened up skies for his country|last=Fyzee|first=Murad|date=1991|publisher=Tata McGraw-Hill Pub. Co.|isbn=9780074601204|language=en}}</ref> Singh received a hero's welcome upon his return to Bristol when he was greeted at the station by his landlords Mr and Mrs Leate and their daughters Jean and Margaret with garlands of flowers. The president of the Bristol Indian Student Society, G. A. Ahmad recalled his students from university holidays to attend a special reception.<ref name="Chowdhury2018" />

As a result of his achievement, [[Maharaja Bhupinder Singh]], ruler of [[Patiala|Patiala state]], appointed Singh as his chief personal pilot and he subsequently became the first Indian to fly solo the journey from England to South Africa, albeit following his fourth attempt to do so and after a crash which resulted in a broken leg and a wrecked "Miss India".<ref name="AustralianSikhHeritage" /><ref name="Chowdhury2018" /> By this time, he was a familiar and popular figure at Croydon airport.<ref name="Flight22Aug1935">{{Cite journal|date=22 August 1935|title=A Week at Croydon|url=https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1935/1935%20-2-%200238.html?search=man%20Mohan%20singh|journal=Flight|pages=212|via=Flightglobal Archive}}</ref>

Singh joined the [[History of the Indian Air Force|Indian Air Force]] Volunteer Reserve as a [[pilot officer]] at the onset of the Second World War. He became the leader of a group of [[Indian Air Force]] pilots sent to England for training and action, where he was affectionately referred to by colleagues as "Chacha Man Mohan Singh" (uncle).<ref name="AustralianSikhHeritage" />

He was appointed to the [[RAF Coastal Command]] and took command of a [[Sunderland flying boat]] during the [[Battle of the Atlantic]]. His role was to find submarines. Later, he became a [[flying officer]] in the British Indian Air Force based in Singapore, taking responsibility for a [[Consolidated PBY Catalina|Catalina]] flying boat in operations in Indonesia and the Philippines. After withdrawing from Singapore due to the extent of their losses in the [[Battle of Singapore|Japanese invasion]], his squadron moved to Java and then to [[Broome, Western Australia|Broome]], Western Australia, where he contributed to the rescue of Dutch civilians.<ref name="AustralianSikhHeritage" /><ref name="Chowdhury2018" />

On 3 March 1942, after the [[flying boats]] reached Broome, a [[Attack on Broome|Japanese air attack]] by nine Japanese [[Mitsubishi A6M Zero|Mitsubishi Zeroes]] began just before 10 am and caused the destruction of all the flying boats remaining on the water in Broome harbour. Singh is believed to have survived the initial attack only to drown in the harbour, being unable to swim.<ref name="AustralianSikhHeritage" /> Eighty-seven other people were also killed.<ref name=AG2015>{{Cite web|url=https://www.australiangeographic.com.au/blogs/on-this-day/2015/03/on-this-day-in-history-broome-air-raids/|title=On this day in history: WWII Broome air raid|date=3 March 2015|website=Australian Geographic|language=en-AU|access-date=28 January 2019}}</ref>

Singh is remembered on the [[Darwin Military Museum]] Memorial Wall<ref name="AustralianSikhHeritage" /> and has a memorial in Singapore.<ref name="Chowdhury2018" /> His story is recounted in ''Defence of Europe by Sikh Soldiers in the World Wars'', written by his nephew Mohindra S Chowdhry and published by Troubador in 2018.<ref name="Chowdhury2018" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.troubador.co.uk/bookshop/history-politics-society/defence-of-europe-by-sikh-soldiers-in-the-world-wars/|title=Defence Of Europe By Sikh Soldiers In The World Wars – Troubador Book Publishing|website=www.troubador.co.uk|access-date=1 January 2019}}</ref>

 

 

*[http://www.sikhsinthearmy.co.uk/man-mohan-singh/4555822575 Sikhs in the army – Manmohan Singh]