Group Captain MPO (Micky) Blake. Vir Chakra.

Indian Air Force

Micky Blake was was commissioned at the age of 20, in the Indian Air Force, on 27 Sep 1943. Serving with 42 Squadron, RAF and 3 Squadron IAF during the Second World War.

He served in the 1947 - 1948 Kashmir Operations with 8 Squadron. In the mid 1950s, he was the Commanding Officer of 7 Squadron, IAF., "The Battle Axes."

Now living in Sydney, Australia. 2004. Mick writes, 10/4/04.

I got to the Imphal valley just after the siege of Kohima and Imphal were lifted.

I had been posted to No 42 RAF Sqdn by error. I was with 42 Sqdn for a month before Air Headquarters realised the mistake; I was pulled out and sent to the other end of India to No 3 IAF Sqdn in Kohat.

However, during my stay in 42 Sqdn I forced landed a Hurricane due to engine failure. As I was not keen on bailing out over the thickest jungle I have ever seen, I made for a small grass strip at a place called Tamu. Our troops had taken the village but not the airstrip. I had to walk on the road as the undergrowth in the jungle was taller than me. Days later when we took the airstrip, the Sqdn sent a team of aircraft mechanics to examine my aircraft. When they returned they handed me a leather glove which they assumed was mine; it was a Jap glove not mine!! I must have just got out before they arrived!

See also this web site for more about MickyBlake.

www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Sites/Blake.html

www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/History/1948War/Blake.html

On this page you will find that Micky's first names are not MPO, but M.O.

Micky Blake writes later, (November 2005):

In Burma I served with 42 RAF Sqdn for about a month until it was discovered later that I should have been in an IAF Sqdn. I was then posted to 3 IAF Sqdn in the NWFP. The Sqdn then moved to the Burma front where we were located at Bawli Bazaar and then Akyab. Altogether I flew 58 sorties against the Japs.

Micky was recently awarded aVeterans medal by the Australian Government. He writes, in the VSDH Email List.

These photographs were taken by my grand daughter Michelle Blake yesterday. All Commonwealth Veterans were given the medallion for the 60th Annivesary of the Japanese surrender.

Thats me receiving my medallion from Mr Ruddock the MP for our constituency. (Mr Ruddick is also the Attorney General of the Federal Government. John f.).

I wonder if anyone will be able to recognise this old geeza!!!

Click on each image to see it in a larger scale.

Obverse.

World War II Veterans Medal - 2005

Inverse.

World War II Veterans Medal - 2005

Mickey's World War II Medal Group.

Left to right:

1. Vir Chakra. (Equivalent to an RAF Distinguished Flying Cross), for service in Kashmir in 1948.

2. General Service Medal - Kashmir - 1948

3. Independence Medal - 1947

4. 1939 - 1945 Star

5. Burma Star

6. The War Medal 1939 - 1945