AFVOA Newsletter 03 of 2020

Section 5 - Memoirs CV 2 No. 03 / 2020 Page 90 of 167 There were more miseries piling up. War psychosis has a tendency to meander through peculiar and unexpected pathways. This time the axe fell on poor, non - protesting animals, which had nothing to do with humans, fighting each other. Some wise brain in British administration imagined unfounded horrors of Japanese bombs falling on Madras zoo; and wild animals escaping into the city. The administration hallucinated that the escaped 'lions and tigers and bears ' would kill more people than Japanese bombs!! The result was that sharp shooters were deployed by government to kill own zoo animals in their cages!! They shot dead three lions; six lionesses; four tigers; eight leopards; four bears; and a black panther, all inside an hour. Happy hunting, Sir!! [ Where was SPCA?] There were many other problems, the description of which can fill a whole book. The British requisitioned the railway bogies. There were travel restrictions on one side and compulsory evacuation on the other side. The overcrowded trains were a painful sight to watch. Air travel was also curtailed. There was night black out as a rule, prohibiting every movement. Living was tense and miserable in Madras. There were some funny laterals, to give comical relief during the war days. We all have heard of the educationist Montessori, when our kids had attended Montessori schools at their early age. The poor lady Montessori (from Italy) landed in Madras on an educational mission; but was duly arrested because her country Italy sided with Japan and Hitler! Another joke those days was that there was hat collection of funds on Madras streets - believe me, for buying fighters and bombers for British Royal Air Force!! Having prepared the air defence of Madras covering divergent possibilities and likely after effects of bombing (like shooting dead, zoo animals) the British were ready for the day when Japanese would drop the eggs on Madras. The Japanese on their part attacked Sri Lanka (Ceylon those days), Kakinada and Vizag; but somehow kept Madras waiting. The bombing of Madras did happen finally on 11 Oct 43, but it was a feeble damp squib, falling much short of British hallucinations and nightmares, to every one’s great relief!