Hardit Singh Malik
Captain William Barker from 28 Squadron RFC was concerned about his lack of success as Flight Commander and so he concocted a plan to attack Marckebecke aerodrome and tempt ot some German targets. The 28 squadron CO turned the mission down flat, but somehow Barker got it approved by Wing HQ.
He persuaded three of his flight, Lieutenant Norman Cyril Jones, Lieutenant Jack Basil Fenton, and Hardit Singh-Malik, to join him. On the way to Marckebecke Jones and Fenton got separated from Barker in the clouds and rain. Jones returned safely, and Fenton was wounded while straffing a column of trucks but also returned safely.
Barker and Singh-Malik were then set upon by four aircraft from Jasta 18. Singh-Malik duelled with Paul Strahle and Arthur Rahn. Strahle was forced to retire with both his guns jammed. Singh-Malik was wounded and after he crossed the lines passed out and crashed from 500 ft. His plane had 450 holes in it. Barker fought against Otto Schober and Johannes Klein and was credited with two victories. Schober was killed and Klein was forced down though not injured.
Hardit Singh-Malik was the first Indian flying officer with the RFC. He had come to England as a 14 year old to attend school. He had been studying at Balliol College Oxford when war broke out. He attempted to join the Army as an officer but was rejected (mainly due to racial attitudes at the time that white men could not be commanded by blacks). He subsequently served with the French as an ambulance driver and was then accepted as a pilot in the French Air Service.
At this point his Oxford tutor, Francis Urquhart wrote an angry letter to Major-General David Henderson of the Royal Flying Corps (RFC), saying that if Hardit Singh as a British subject was good enough for the French, why wasn’t he good enough for the British Armed Forces. Following a personal interview with Henderson, Singh was appointed to the RFC on 5 April 1917. After a lengthy training period he joined 28 Squadron RFC on 8 October 1917. As a Sikh he wore a turban and beard.
Malik and his Sopwith Camel
After the crash he spent a number of months in hospital eventually rejoining the Squadron on 31 December 1917 in Italy. Unfortunately he was diagnosed with an allergy to Castor Oil, used to lubricate the rotary engines and was reassigned to fly the Bristol F2b with 141 and then 11 Squadron RFC.
After the war he decided against a career in the RAF, again due to the prevailing attitudes to non-white officers and joined the Indian Civil Service. He rose to become Prime Minister of Patiala State, Indian High Commissioner to Canada and Ambassador to France. He was also involved in the establishment of the Indian Air Force.
His service record is one of those featured at the National Archives.
This one was unusual however, as the aircraft was being presented by the Chamber to the Indian Government in recognition of India’s contribution to the war effort. A delegation was taken from Manchester’s Midland Hotel, where they had enjoyed luncheon, to the Athletic Ground in Fallowfield, just a short distance away.
There the new Sopwith Camel, appropriately named Manchester India was presented. Even more appropriately, there to “accept” the aircraft on behalf of the Indian Government was 2nd Lieutenant Hardit Singh Malik the first Indian pilot to serve with the RFC. Malik was currently serving with 141 Home Defence Squadron.
airwar19141918 