[ian hunt]

Hi Steve

That sort of sounds like it would make sense. Crews were still being sent to the squadrons at (and beyond) the end of the war in Europe so as, at that time (May/June/July '45), they were 'out of a job' (in bombing Europe at least) and the war -v- Japan was still ongoing, eyes must have been turning to their redeployment out there.

As I said, I don't know how far 'beyond paper' things had got with setting up and operating Tiger Force, but that may well have been 'the word' as to what would be happening next, and that fits in with what your man heard.

Must have been a lot to organise, the mass transfer of a chunk of Bomber Command with its heavy bombers, crews, personnel, supplies, admin and equipment, 9,000-or-so miles out to the FE!

But the atomic bombs suddenly called a halt to that idea too.

Ian