‘Develop Amarda Rd airstrip as tourist hub’

A memorial service was held at the Amarda Road Airstrip at Rasgovidpur in Mayurbhanj district on July 26 for the 14 airmen who had died in a crash here on the same date in 1945.

War historian Anil Dhir, Gandhian Aditya Patnaik, social activist Dr Biswajit Mohanty and the staff of the Gandhi Eye Hospital at Rangamatia, besides locals including school children paid homage to the dead airmen who have been forgotten in history.  Wreaths were laid for each of the dead airmen.

On the July 26, 1945, two British Royal Air Force B-24 Liberator four-engine bombers collided at low altitude.

The aircrafts were based at the Amarda Road airfield and were part of a six-plane contingent from the Air Fighting Training Unit engaged in a formation flying exercise.

14 airmen, the crews of the two aircraft, died in the crash. They comprised six British, three American, one each Canadian, Dutch,  New Zealander, Australian and Indian.

Meanwhile, historian Dhir requested the Governments of Odisha and West Bengal to erect small memorials for these airmen at Amarda Road and the crash site.

He has also requested to open up the sealed underground bunker which may hold relics of the period.

Aditya Patnaik proposed that he would give ample space in the Gandhi Gurukul at the airbase for setting up a small museum which will highlight the importance of the airbase during World War II.

The setting up of a Peace Museum was mooted last year and Dhir has contacted the British, Australian, Dutch and USA authorities for material to be displayed at the Museum. The response has been very positive. Dhir also said that a book on the history of the base the and crash would be released on the next commemoration day.

Dr Biswajit Mohanty said that the Odisha Government should understand the importance of the historical airfield and promote it as a destination. There is a big tourism potential of the base. Many groups from Japan, Britain, America and other countries come to visit the war memorials in the North East every year.

Ankit Kotecha from Baleswar, who is  a  pilot with Spicejet, too attended the memorial service.