Squadron Leader Mahindra Singh Pujji
Squadron Leader Pujji talks about
flying from RAF Kenley:
"I joined the RAF in 1940
and was stationed at Kenley
in early 1941.
I was a fighter pilot,
and Kenley was used only for fighters,
it was our main base.
They chose Kenley because
although it is not very far from Croydon
it is a remote place,
a village on the top of the hill
and it was very well camouflaged.
In fact whenever we took off
even we used to get lost -
we wouldn't be able to see
where Kenley was.
The role of the fighters is twofold -
one is to escort the bombers
and the second
is to intercept enemy fighters.
Whereas in bombers
you have colleagues with you,
and plenty of time,
a fighter pilot is all by himself,
firing machine guns,
dropping bombs etc."
"We were escorting bombers
to occupied France.
We went there in the morning,
in the afternoon
and in the evening,
three times a day.
The risk at that time was so great
that hardly ever
did all of us come back safe.
Every morning
there would be two or three pilots less
sitting round the breakfast table.
The war was ferocious,
there were hundreds
of pilots being killed.
A fighter pilot
has to be a fearless person."
