Supermodel Heidi Klum can crack a joke! I was then mindlessly watching TV (on Channel 5, a kid's programme she hosts) waiting for The Noose to come on... Here's her joke:
Q: What did one frog say to the other?
A: How time's fun when we're having flies!
Regarding my posting yesterday, Nicholas wondered about what other surprising vignettes lurk within Singapore's military history. We already know the likes of World War II heroes like Lim Bo Seng (Force 136), Lieutenant Adnan Saidi (Battle of Opium Hill) and wartime volunteer nurse Elizabeth Choy.
Well, there's this amazing WWII RAF fighter pilot from Singapore, Wing Commander Tan Kay Hai. Not only was he a participant in the Battle of Britain, he was in the thick of the Normandy invasion. His aircraft was shot down and he was taken to a German POW camp.
And he escaped! Imagine a Chinese Peranakan face eluding all those Krauts before making his way back to Britain, where he was awarded a DFC (Distinguished Flying Cross). Later, after the war, he commanded the then pre-independence Malayan Auxiliary Air Force (Singapore Wing). He died in 1991.
I understand that he was a car salesman when WWII broke out. He took up a challenge (a taunt, more likely) from an Ang Moh boss and signed up for pilot training in Canada. The rest is history.
So, hey, film maker Eric Khoo (or any other local film director), go make a damn good movie out of this amazing man's life story. For those keen to know more, here are some links:
http://www.airfieldinformationexchange.org/community/showthread.php?5860-Flight-Lieutenant-K-H-Tan-DFC
http://www.ehangar.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=45&view=next
http://webspace.webring.com/people/rj/jica-aas/airforce/members.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MAAF_(Singapore_Wing)
Hiya, thanks for posting this up! Tan Kay Hai is my grandfather on my mum's side. He has passed on already unfortunately.
ReplyDeleteCheers,
James:)
hi james, yes, i actually learnt about him some time back. i have always been interested in aviation matters. cheers!
DeleteHi James. Tan Kay Hai was imprisoned at the East Compound of Stalag Luft 3. Willem Bakker from Holland was also imprisoned there. He made a drawing of your grandfather. The original drawing is in my possession. I would love to send you a high resolution scan. my e-mail address is b_v_drogenbroek@hotmail.com
DeleteHi James, Sanny, thanks for posting this information. I would like to find out more about Wing Commander Tan, especially the aircraft he flew in WW2. James, do you have pictures and photographs of your grandfather's aircraft to share?
ReplyDeleteTerence Teo
K.H.Tan,(service number was 122100)did not take part in the Battle of Britain, as has been claimed elsewhere.
ReplyDeleteHe commenced combat operations at about the time that the Talalla brothers from Kuala Lumpur did.(late 1942/1943)
He was in the group of young men from Malaya (including the Talalla's) that was sent to Canada via Australia, to train as pilots.
His 1st posting was to a Blenheim Bomber Squadron, then he was posted to a 225 Squadron in North Africa and then Italy, flying Spitfire V's on reconnaissance, artillery spotting and ground attack missions, in which he excelled.
In May 1944, he was posted back to Britain and joined no 2 Squadron, which was flying Mustang II's on identical duties to those performed by 225 Squadron. (The Mustang II was the name given by the RAF, to the Allison V12 engined North American P51A)
He flew Recon missions over France from D-Day (June 6th, 1944) until he was shot down by an ME-109 on 29th June, near Paris, bailing out of his crippled Mustang.
After a few days "on the run" he was captured by the Germans and sent to Stalg Luft III POW camp in Silesia, near the Polish-German border. As the war drew to a close in 1945, Tan used the confusion in German ranks, caused by the advancing Russians, to escape from his POW camp and head West towards the American lines.
By May 1945 was back in the U.K., training on the Spitfire IX for operations against Japan.
For those wanting to ascertain the i.d of the aircraft he was flying with 2 Squadron, in Reconnaissance Squadrons, pilots were not allocated a specific primary or secondary aircraft, but flew according to a roster, in the aircraft allocated to and prepared for, that particular mission.
Wing Commander Tan is buried in Kranji Military Cemetery in Singapore.
There is a photograph of his grave and headstone at:
http://twgpp.org/information.php?id=2704669
The grave is kept in pristine condition as are all graves in that cemetery.
I'm his great granddaughter... I recently did a paper on him... And this is pretty accurate. But I wouldn't want you to leave out the fact he was shot down and taken prisoner, not once. but TWICE. And he escaped both times. He was shot down MULTIPLE TIMES. He often got into fights with Mechanics because he was shot at so much. He was given the noisiest, crappiest planes. But he still managed to do what he did. His philosophy was if he can't shoot them down himself, he will bankrupt them from shooting at him! I just couldn't miss the opportunity to honor my Great Grandfather.
ReplyDeleteHi Aria, I am a children's book author, and recently came across an article in mothership.sg about your great-grandfather. I am interested to share his story with children to help to preserve stories from our heritage for future generations. It sounds like you have a very rich heritage! I would love to hear more from you about him. If you are willing, do drop me a line at storyteachers@gmail.com.
DeleteDear Aria Tan. Kay Hai Tan was imprisoned at the East Compound of Stalag Luft 3. Willem Bakker from Holland was also imprisoned there. He made a drawing of your great grandfather. The original drawing is in my possession. I would love to send you a high resolution scan. my e-mail address is b_v_drogenbroek@hotmail.com
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