6 Group Unavailable
194 Squadron (Surrigere coligere) Akyab Main, Burma (now Sittwe, Myanmar). Dakota Mk III KG-694 suffered an engine failure on take off, which resulted in the aircraft crashing and catching fire three miles south of Myingyan Aerodrome, Burma, while on an airborne supply drop flight
Flight Lieutenant James Murray Rice (RCAF), Warrant Officer 2 John Maynard Cox (RCAF), and one passenger, Pioneer Mohi Din of the 1588 Company, Indian Pioneer Corps were killed in action. After the crash, the Navigator, Flying Officer John James Baillie (RCAF) , badly injured, awoke inside the burning wreckage. He extricated himself from the aircraft but then heard the screams of other crew members trapped inside. He re-entered the burning Dakota to pull out the Wireless Operator, Alexander Smith (RAFVR) and two other passengers, Sepoy Dehru Ram and Barber Nawab Ali, both from the Indian Army Service Corps. Smith later succumbed to his injuries but the other two crew members survived
In 1946 Flying Officer Baillie was awarded the George Medal for this act of bravery (D Burke www.rafcommands.com)
Seven to One, A Collection of Stories by John James Baillie and Catherine Louise Baillie
Royal Air Force Serial and Image Database