World War-II veteran Wing Commander Jumbo Majumdar getting the Distinguished Flying Cross
In about one month from now, the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) and war medals of the World War-II veteran Wing Commander Jumbo Majumdar will slip away from Indian hands for the second time in six months.
NDTV has learnt that the Indian Air Force (IAF) has failed to pay the UK-based auction house Morton and Eden 30,000 pounds (approximately Rs 28 lakh) despite entering into a binding contract for which an invoice was issued but no settlement reached.
Morton and Eden have now told the Indian Air Force's Air Attache in London that they intend to negotiate the sale of Jumbo's treasures elsewhere if the IAF is to miss the May 26 deadline.
In November last year, the Indian Air Force belatedly entered an agreement with Morton and Eden after an auction for the medals fell below the reserve price and they couldn't be sold. Following this, the IAF entered into an agreement with the auction house that it would internally raise the funds, something which it has been unable to do. NDTV has also learnt that the file on Jumbo Majumdar has moved from IAF Headquarters to the Ministry of Defence and then on to the Ministry of Culture which may well have a decisive say on the true worth of the medals, surprising since the IAF itself has no doubts on their true worth. It is also unclear at this stage if the IAF Chief will use discretionary funds available to him to acquire the medals. Air Marshal (retired) Anil Chopra who once commanded 1 Squadron, Jumbo's old squadron had also gone on record on NDTV's The Buck Stops Here (on NDTV 24x7) offering to buy the medals from his pension fund but was told by the IAF to stand down since they intended to raise the funds themselves.
In a statement to NDTV, the Indian Air Force had said, "Jumbo ... worked relentlessly to lay the foundation of the IAF. His spirt shall live as long as there are young men to take up the challenge of his legacy and the trail of glory will be remembered and cherished by the IAF forever."
The sad story of the medals first came to light when Sailen Majumdar, Jumbo's UK-based son, decided to auction them in a move strongly criticised by his sister Anjali Lobo who says she never consented to the medals being auctioned.
Anjali Lobo today told NDTV, "I feel really sad about it. What else can I say. My father died for the IAF. He would be very sad at this impasse. These are my father's medals and they have become an object of commerce and it is shocking."
Karun Krishna 'Jumbo' Majumdar was the ultimate flier, a hero in the truest sense of the word. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross by the Royal Air Force not once, but twice, for bravery during the Second World War where he flew over both the Burma front and in Europe.
The auction documents state, "Jumbo Majumdar's seeming disregard for his own safety on solo bombing raids and leading others against what appeared to be insurmountable odds made him a legendary figure both in the Royal Air Force and among his own countrymen. It is generally agreed that had he lived, his example and vision for Indian air power would have seen him rise to the highest level in the post-Independence Indian Air Force."
In 1942, Jumbo commanded a squadron flying Lysanders in Burma where he led two unescorted attacks to enemy airfields in Thailand and conducted attacks in support of the army in Tennasserim. He also led invaluable reconnaissance missions over the Rangoon region. On one occasion, he had to crash land in the jungle where he was eventually rescued after four days by Shan tribesmen.
Deployed in England in March 1944, Jumbo went on to fly 65 sorties in 100 days operating in densely defended airspace. His efforts were not unnoticed.
In January 1945, when he was awarded a second (Bar) to his DFC, the London Gazette wrote, "His keenness for operational work and his skill on difficult and dangerous missions has always been outstanding. Before the advance northwards in France, he completed exceptionally valuable photographic reconnaissances of the Seine bridges, in the face of heavy ground defences. He has also participated in long tactical reconnaissances on which he was several times intercepted by superior formations of enemy aircraft. His skill and courage have always been outstanding."
'Jumbo' Majumdar was killed on February 17, 1945 in Lyallpur (in Faisalabad, Pakistan) in an air crash when the Hurricane fighter he was flying during an aerobatic display developed problems - one of the undercarriage legs deployed mid-flight upsetting the balance of the fighter as it was being put through tight turns. True to form, Jumbo had gone ahead with the display despite knowing that this particular Hurricane had a series of mechanical problems. He was killed instantly in the crash. The display was meant to raise public awareness to improve recruitment prospects to the Indian Air Force.
The inability to acquire the medals comes at a time when the government has stated its interest in preserving the memory of the thousands of Indians killed in the First and Second World War. Arun Jaitley, as Finance Minister, had ordered a consolidated history of the Indian Armed Forces to be commissioned and the Prime Minister honoured Indian soldiers killed in Neuve Chappell at a memorial during his recent visit to France. In Delhi, the Indian Army had set up a large display at its Manekshaw centre on the centenary of the First World War.
For many in the Armed Forces, it would be a sad day if the medals of one of its finest sons were to be purchased by a foreign collector instead of being showcased in India at an Air Force museum.