We've tried to ensure the information displayed here is as accurate as possible. Should there be any inaccuracies, we would be grateful if you could let us know at info@ipohworld.org . All images and content are copyright.
(Please click on the thumbnail for a bigger image.)
55 Company RASC (AD) And The RAF Deliver Psywars Leaflets To The CTs - Part 1
Thumbnail :
Subject :55 Company RASC (AD) and the RAF deliver Psywars Leaflets to the CTs - Part 1
Published By : None
Location : Malaya
Estimated Year : 1958
Media Type : Photograph
Source : Norman Doctor / Ken Thomas, UK
Remark : Our two donors of this sequence of photographs, which demonstrate how psywars leaflets were dropped into the jungle, served in Malaya in the late 1950's in 55 Company Royal Army Service Corps (Air Despatch), RASC (AD). Ken Thomas was a Crew Commander/Despatcher at the time and Norman Doctor was a Despatcher/Parachutist. They were based at Sungei Besi airfield, Kuala Lumpur. Their camp was opposite the old Control Tower and flying duties involved one day packing supplies, in teams of four, then the next day delivering them, with the aircraft door removed, all over the Malayan jungles, particularly in Perak and Pahang, day in day out.
RAF Changi was used for training pilots in this specialist role; they would practice at the end of the runway nearest Changi Prison where there would be two AD crews on a two week detachment, one crew dropped the packs and the other was on the drop zone to retrieve them. The aircraft employed in this sequence of photographs was the Vickers Valetta, a military transport development of the Viking civil airliner, which was used widely by the Royal Air Force (RAF) for parachute drops and transportation. A close relationship between RAF pilots and the AD crew was vital. The company also used the RAF's Handley-Page Hastings (that flew with two open doorways) and the RNZAF Bristol Freighter with their New Zealander pilots.
The pictures make this look an easy task and our donor Ken, the Crew Commander, sits happily at the open doorway sometimes only 30 feet above the treetops. But it was not that easy for flying so low is inherently dangerous and in 1956 alone 15 despatchers were killed.
The photographs show, from left to right, top to bottom:
To go to Part 2, click here.
To see an example of a Psywars leaflet, click here.
RAF Changi was used for training pilots in this specialist role; they would practice at the end of the runway nearest Changi Prison where there would be two AD crews on a two week detachment, one crew dropped the packs and the other was on the drop zone to retrieve them. The aircraft employed in this sequence of photographs was the Vickers Valetta, a military transport development of the Viking civil airliner, which was used widely by the Royal Air Force (RAF) for parachute drops and transportation. A close relationship between RAF pilots and the AD crew was vital. The company also used the RAF's Handley-Page Hastings (that flew with two open doorways) and the RNZAF Bristol Freighter with their New Zealander pilots.
The pictures make this look an easy task and our donor Ken, the Crew Commander, sits happily at the open doorway sometimes only 30 feet above the treetops. But it was not that easy for flying so low is inherently dangerous and in 1956 alone 15 despatchers were killed.
The photographs show, from left to right, top to bottom:
To go to Part 2, click here.
To see an example of a Psywars leaflet, click here.
Filename : 20090802-012