2016-12-02 Fri

“A very gallant and determined officer, whose remarkable skill and daring had to enable him on occasion to shoot down two enemy machine in one patrol”

- London Gazette on 21 September 1918 praised Indra Lal Roy

Today on 2nd December 1898 the first Indian flying Ace of India Lieutenant Indra Lal Roy was born. He was the first and only Indian to become a flying in Ace in World War I.

Roy served in the royal Flying Crops first and later served the Royal Air Force. He destroyed five aircraft and five other down out of control. Overall he gained ten aerial victories which were accomplished in 170 hours of flying time. Roy claimed himself the title the flying Ace and was awarded a posthumous Distinguished Flying Cross (The Third Gallantry Award of Royal Air Force) in September 1918.

He was initially rejected by royal flying corps. But five month later the decision was reverted and he was commissioned as second lieutenant on 5th July 1917 under “A” flight, commanded by Captain Richard Maybery. But a few months later he was injured in a crash-landing, but he returned to duty fully healed and achieved this thirteen victories.

To this date, he remains the sole Indian Air Ace. Hence, to pay a tribute to this valiant fighter and soldier of World War I, Government of India issued a commemorative stamp of INR three rupee in 1998 on his 100th birth anniversary.

Lieutenant Indra Lal Roy last victory came with his death. He was shot in Hannover C over Cangnicourt on 22nd July 1918. And he was later buried at Estevelles Communal Cemetery, Pas-de-calais, France.

A unique inscription was inscribed on his grave in French and Bengali. The Bengali legend reads “Maha birer samadhi; sambhram karo, sparsha koro na.” (A valiant warrior’s grave; respect it, do not touch it).