Man Mohan Singh (pilot)

Singh is remembered on the Darwin Military Museum Memorial Wall and has a memorial in Singapore. His story is recounted in Defence of Europe by Sikh Soldiers in the World Wars, written by his nephew Mohindra S Chowdhry and published by Troubador in 2018.

Singh joined the Indian Air Force Volunteer Reserve as a pilot officer at the onset of the Second World War, following which he joined the RAF Coastal Command and took command of a Sunderland flying boat during the Battle of the Atlantic. He later became a flying officer with the British Indian Air Force. In 1942, he was with the flying boats that arrived at Broome, Western Australia when a Japanese air attack destroyed them all. Singh survived the attack only to drown in the harbour.

On 3 March 1942, after the flying boats reached Broome, a Japanese air attack by nine Japanese Mitsubishi Zeroes began just before 10 am and caused the destruction of all the flying boats remaining on the water in Broome harbour. Singh is believed to have survived the initial attack only to drown in the harbour, being unable to swim. Eighty-seven other people were also killed.

On 11 January 1930 Singh made his first attempt to fly to India. That day, he departed from Croydon Airport near London, but smashed his propeller when landing at Noyon, France, the following evening. His second attempt, from Lympne on 24 January 1930, was also abandoned before completion. After flying for six days, he reached Rome and after reaching Naples, thick fog forced him to land on a mountain road in Paola, southern Italy, damaging his aircraft and injuring his left eye. Both times, he returned to Croydon.

It was at his third attempt that he completed the journey from Croydon to India, starting off on 8 April 1930, and was the first to land at RAF Drigh Road, Karachi on 9 May 1930, one day after the one-month deadline. As he had not completed the journey within the specified time frame due to a forced landing near Marseilles, the prize was awarded at the decision of the Royal Aero Club, to Aspy Engineer, who completed the journey solo and within a month.

He was of one of the contestants who participated in a competition set by the Aga Khan in 1929, who offered a prize to the first Indian to fly the England-India journey (either way), solo and within a one-month time frame. In 1930, Singh was the first to complete the journey solo, in his aircraft which he named "Miss India". However, he missed the deadline by one day and the prize was awarded to pilot Aspy Engineer. Singh later also became the first Indian to fly solo to South Africa from England.

In November 1929, keen to promote aviation, the Aga Khan, 48th Imam of the Ismaili sect of Muslims announced a prize of £500 to the first Indian pilot who could fly solo between England and India. The contestants in 1930 included; J. R. D. Tata, who later founded Tata Motors and Air India, Aspy Engineer, who would later be appointed head of the Indian Air Force, Ram Nath Chawla, who was Engineer's friend, and Singh.

He completed his early education in Rawalpindi, first attending Denny's High School and then Gordon College. At the age of 17 years, in 1923, he travelled to England to study civil engineering and received his bachelor's degree four years later from the Bristol University. In addition, with a scholarship from the Government of British India, he studied aeronautical engineering and learnt to fly while a member of Bristol and Wessex Aeroplane Club. He received his pilot certificate from Filton on 4 September 1928. He lived in Bristol for five years, residing at 24 Woodfield Road with the Leate family.

Man Mohan Singh (21 March 1906 – 3 March 1942), also spelled Manmohan Singh, was an early Indian aircraft pilot who, in 1930, was the first Indian to fly solo from Croydon Airport, England, to Karachi, India.

Man Mohan Singh was born in Loralai (now in Pakistan), on 21 March 1906, to physician Makhan Singh, who had at one time received the Kaisar-i-Hind Medal.