People
Sikh-Briton War-Hero Sqn-Ldr Mohinder Singh Pujji [1918-2010]
BBC
A Sikh pilot and British war-hero who flew Hawker Hurricanes during World War II has died.
Squadron Leader Mahinder Singh Pujji, 92, died at at Darent Valley Hospital in Kent (United Kingdom) on Saturday, September 25, 2010, following a stroke.
Sqn Ldr Mohinder Singh was believed to be the last surviving fighter pilot from a group of 24 Sikhs and Indian pilots who arrived in Britain in 1940 to serve in the War.
Born in Simla (pre-partition Punjab), he learned to fly as a young man, and sailed to England after reading an advert in a newspaper. He warned his family he might never return.Upon his arrival, the 24 pilots from the subcontinent were invited to tea by the Royal family at Windsor Castle as a thank you for their willingness to risk their lives for the Allies. Within a year, 12 of the pilots had been killed.
Sqd Ldr Mohinder Singh began training in the autumn of 1940 and early the next year began flying Hurricanes, protecting coastal convoys and intercepting bombers and fighters when Hitler ordered the bombing of London in the Blitz.
He survived several crashes and flew combat missions throughout the war in Britain, Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and Burma and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.
After the war he became a champion air race pilot in India, and set endurance records in gliders. He even flew the first Indian prime minster Jawaharlal Nehru in his glider.
Earlier this year, he published a book about his wartimes experiences entitled, For King and Another Country.
Following the war, he became a champion air race pilot, setting endurance records in gliders.
He later settled in Gravesend in Kent.
September 27, 2010
Conversation about this article
1: Dr. Birinder Singh Ahluwalia (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), September 27, 2010, 6:25 PM.
You will always be remembered, your memory will always be in our hearts and souls!
2: Taran (London, United Kingdom), September 28, 2010, 5:37 AM.
People like him have made Sikhs and the land of the Gurus distinguished all over the world. It's a pity that he and those like him are not heard of in schools in India/ Punjab. The Punjab govt. and the S.G.P.C. need to do something so that each one like him is remembered in the hearts and minds of our coming and present generations. God bless your soul!
3: I.J. Singh (New York, U.S.A.), September 28, 2010, 7:42 AM.
Excellent. One question: Did Squadron Leader Mohinder Singh Pujji retire at that rank? I had the impression that he rose to Air Marshall. Can someone enlighten, please? Thank you.
4: Sandeep Singh Brar (Canada), September 28, 2010, 1:57 PM.
A great Sikh warrior who will not be forgotten. I know that Mohinder Singh was disappointed that in England the contribution of the Sikh pilots in WWII was not adequately recognized. After the war, when he moved to England in 1974, he was not even invited to Remembrance Day Services. Thankfully, that changed in his final years as he appeared as the guest of honour at numerous functions and memorial services in the U.K. Although there were some other Sikh pilots in the RAF during WWII, Mohinder Singh was one of the few that refused to remove his turban when flying missions to wear the leather helmet, something most of the other Sikh pilots did. Even though later in his life he no longer wore a turban, he is still a pioneer in fighting for and winning the right to wear the Sikh articles of faith as a combat pilot. I will always remember his ironic observances about the changes in British society from an interview that he gave to a newspaper about eight years ago, talking about the war years: "Everybody was lovely and wonderful. In the evenings we would have VIP treatment. They wouldn't let us pay for tickets in the cinema and in restaurants we got sugar (which was rationed). People saluted me and called me 'Sir'." Contrast this with modern Britain: "Now, the man in the street thinks every Indian is illiterate. Once I was driving in town and I had to pick my wife up - it was a double yellow line. And this young policeman started shouting at me, as if I was stupid. Then I saw him across the road with a white driver being very polite. I didn't want to tell him I was an officer - he would have saluted me during the war. This is not the England I knew - but maybe if my story is told, then people will remember us and what we have done." Well, rest assured, old soldier - we will always remember you and we all salute you. To answer Dr. I.J. Singh's question, Mohinder Singh left the military after the war. His fellow Sikh RAF pilot and one of the last remaining survivors from that era, Arjan Singh, remained in the military and eventually rose to the rank of Marshal of the Indian Air Force. Marshal Arjan Singh is the only officer of the Indian Air Force to ever be promoted to five-star rank and currently he is the only living Indian military officer from any service with that rank.
5: I.J. Singh (New York, U.S.A.), September 28, 2010, 4:44 PM.
Sandeep, thank you. I should have known better, having seen a movie on him as well as reviewed a book on the life of Air Marshall Arjan Singh.
6: Peter Singh Bance (London, United Kingdom), September 30, 2010, 8:34 AM.
My sincere condolences to Sqn Ldr Mohinder Singh`s family. I became acquainted with Mohinder ji over the years when I was researching 'Sikhs in Britain' and, as Sandeep said, it was only recently he began getting acknowledged by the British authorities. In July this year he was chief guest at the the Brighton Chattri Memorial service, and only last month I chatted with him at his book launch in Gravesend. He still had more stories to tell which could not fit into the book. During his lifetime, he received many honours and held numerous world records. He met the likes of Churchill and Roosevelt, and dined with the young Princesses Elizabeth and Maragaret during the War in the officers lounges. In fact, on a recent visit to the Queen, she giggled when she met up with him again as Mohinder ji shared an old joke with her. Amongst his feats were single-handedly rescuing 300 American soldiers in the jungles of Asia during WWII. Had this been an English pilot with his record and honours, he would surely have had a film made on him - with Charlton Heston in the lead role! I was talking to his son Satinder Singh last week and he told me how he was due to be one of the chief guests at the service at Westminster and how they had been making the preparations. In the coming weeks, as Britain marks the 70th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain, Mohinder ji had a whole agenda of events to attend as a guest. Sadly, they will be missing a key figure who defended this country and inflicted great losses upon the enemy. We must make sure that men like Mohinder Singh are never forgotten!