Pen Portraits: what happened next
Pen portraits of post-graduation life, as submitted to the 69th Association newsletter over the period 1994 - 2011
Passage to Freedom, Philip Barnard - Airframes
When I was asked to write a synopsis of my past, I had to find a way of condensing my thoughts to a few short paragraphs by omitting the subleties of the topic, though the subject in mind was big with political ingredients in it.
The airbase was at Myitkyina, a remote township in Upper Burma, where a squadron of Vampires were stationed. One early morning in 1962, as the sun tried to break through the heavy fog that shrouded the chain of mountains bordering China and Burma, I seemed to sense an ominous sign was at hand. Is it an intuition we all have sometimes?
Later that morning, a red alert was issued from our Commandant's office that all ranks were to assemble in the hanger at 0900 hours. No one knew what. to expect. However, there were some rumours that a "coup d'etat" had taken place in Rangoon (now called Yangon). At last when the Commandant arrived and addressed all of us, the unexpected "Coup" became a reality. He said that it had occurred in the early hours of the morning without bloodshed.
The Prime Minister, U Nu, and his cabinet were under house arrest. He stressed that the army had no choice but to seize power because the government's policies and directions were not in time with the people. He added that the "junta's" aim was to redirect the country back to "the Burmese way to Socialism". In short, it meant the nationalisation of private enterprises and land distribution for farmers. It sounded doom and gloom for the economy, I thought.
Though Burma was known to be the rice bowl of SouthsEast Asia, there were soon signs of food shortages across the country and as a result food rationing became the norm. The new government also swiftly brought in identity cards for the people. These drastic measures caused a mass exodus of foreign, and some of its own nationals, to leave the country. Cadres were sent to towns, villages and hamlets to implement the regime's ideology. Democracy had come to an impasse and Burma was now truly a one party state.
In the midst of the turmoil in 1962 I was posted to Meiktila, a flying and technical training school in central Burma, as a technical instructor on Vampires. As weeks turned to months, I was desperate for an exit. In early 1964, I plucked up courage and made an appointment to see the base Commandant, Col. Soe Hlaing, for discharge. My reason was based on compassionate grounds, rather than on my disillusionment over the military regime. I told him that half of my family was already in the UK and I wished to rejoin them.
Although he was non-committal to my request, there was a genuine sign of empathy. Having put him in some predicament, the outcome was positive. I tabled my discharge papers through him to the War Office in Rangoon. After a few months I got news that my release was granted.
I wasted no time in making my clearance at base and headed for Rangoon to work on the passport and entry visa. Due to bureaucracy obstacles, I was finding difficulties in getting the passport from the Home Office (Rangoon). However, with help from friends, I eventually got a "Certificate of Identity" in lieu of a passport (a one-way stateless document). In the meantime, the British Embassy in Rangoon was kind enough to grant an entry visa because of my family ties in the UK.
Armed with the necessary documents and the £100 maximum allowed out of the country, I booked a BOAC flight to the UK in September 1965. As we took off from Mingaladon airport, I was leaving a beautiful country full of eastern mystique. The flight was as eventual as my exit. Early into the flight, news came from the Captain that we were not allowed into Indian airspace due to heavy fighting between Pakistan and India or else risk being shot down. We returned to Mingaladon airport for a night stop. The following day the Captain re-routed the flight plan to Karachi and landed safely for refuelling. After several stops on the way we landed at Heathrow (London Airport) in the early hours of the morning. I was met by my sisters and taken to their lodging.
The next day I found my way to the Home Office to sort my status. Having looked at my background, they gave me permission, through the Ministry of Labour, to find work. I found employment with British Eagle Airline in 1966 working on Britannias, till the company unluckily became insolvent in 1968. Briefly out of a job, I applied to join either British Aerospace in Kingston or Fairy's Helicopters division in Hayes. I was lucky to be offered jobs by both companies, but as Fairy's Helicopters was more conducive to my needs, I accepted the job offered in the experimental department. The work entailed modification on Wasp helicopters and also assembling jigs for expenmental purposes. Further opportunity came to light in 1969, when BOAC were recruiting to service their new forthcoming Boeing 747s I joined BOAC in the same year after a successful interview. I initially worked on VC-10s, Boeing 707s before being assigned to work on the Boeing 747s.
During the intervening years at BOAC, I decided to apply for naturalisation with help of my father and his friends. My submission was that on my family side we had served the crown for three generations. My great grandfather was in the Indian army (Lieutenant, Barrack Master, Bombay); my grandfather was a Commissioner, Burma Frontier Service and awarded the CBE and CIE, and my father won the Military Cross in the Far East theatre of the Second World War. Finally, I added my usefulness in the aircraft industry. Based on these grounds, I sought worthiness for consideration of citizenthip. In 1972 I became a naturalised citizen.
After a long spell as a licensed aircraft engineer, I brought my working life to a close at my own violation in 1985, so my long journey of freedom from Myanmar (Burma) to the UK ended. All's well, that ends well!
- RAF Halton and the Brats
- The Aircraft Apprentices Scheme
- Clubs, Societies and Sports at Halton
- RAF Halton's goats
- Tributes to Halton and the Brats
- The 69th and the Apprentices Network, 1951
- The Presentation of the Queen's Colour, 1952
- Summer Camp, RAF Formby, 1953
- The 69th and the Queen's Coronation, 1953
- The 69th's Graduation Review, 1954
- The Senior Entry - a graduate's letter, 1954
- A full list of 69th Graduates
- Halton days: stories from the 69th
- The 69th's Burmese Brats
- The 69th's commemorative window
- 69th Entry Reunions