British RAF officer’s sons visit the Hump Museum in Pasighat, recalled how their father flown through the Hump in Arunachal during WW-II

The two brothers, Ian, who is a British citizen and Roderick who now lives in USA expressed their extreme delight.

Reported by Maksam Tayeng
As a part of their mission and longingness to see the memories of their late father, Major Ronald John Macdonald, who had flown over the Hump, the present day mountainous region of Arunachal Pradesh to supply logistics and other necessities to the military troupes of allied forces in China while fighting against the Japanese forces under Axis powers, two brothers, namely, Roderick Macdonald and Ian Macdonald visited the Hump Museum here in Pasighat on Wednesday.

The two brothers, Ian, who is a British citizen and Roderick who now lives in USA expressed their extreme delight after seeing the Hump Museum established here in Pasighat, Arunachal Pradesh wherein the relics, artifacts and remnants of those fallen airmen from the US Air Force during the World War-II while flying over the Hump, are displayed. Both Ian and Roderick informed that their late father, Major Ronald John Macdonald was a British officer serving in India running an Indian Army Workshop who was later promoted and selected to take the command of the small British Military Mission in China who had to fly over the Hum to get there.

“His logistics came over the Hump as he was running convoys through China in support of the Chinese. His name and rank was Major Ronald John Macdonald under Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) and he remained in China until 1947 and his flights over the Hump were with the Royal Air Force, British”, added the brother duo Ian and Roderick sharing about the background of their late father Major Ronald John Macdonald. While fondly recalling the history of their late father working in the Indian sub-continent then during the WW-II fighting against the Japanese, they also said “our father loved India, he brought that love of India, its people and its taste of foods to us in the UK. We are very happy to be here visiting this wonderful ‘the Hump museum’, Arunachal Pradesh and India”

While sharing the photographs of their late father Major Ronald John Macdonald, photo shot with the plane, mountain behind a waterfall including the flying Jacket that their father wore during those operations, both Ian and Roderick said that they will donate those memories of their father to be displayed in the Hump Museum here in Pasighat. They also expressed their thankfulness to the Government of Arunachal Pradesh led by its Chief Minister, Pema Khandu including the Hump Museum Director, Oken Tayeng (now a Member of Legislative Assembly from 39th Mebo Assembly Constituency) and Chief Curator of the Hump Museum, Arambam Angamba Singh for establishing and maintaining the museum dedicated for the airmen who lost their lives while flying over the Hump. Both Ian and Roderick have also appealed to others from the USA and UK to come and visit this beautiful museum at Pasighat, Arunachal Pradesh in India.

While Roderick Macdonald is a retired Brigadier in British Army currently he is consultant with CORE corporate consulting who lectures for the Marine Corps Logistics Operations Groups etc in USA and Ian Macdonald is a Chartered Psychologist and is also the Executive Chair of two international consultancies (Macdonald Associates and a non profit systems leadership company) etc in UK.

It is to mention here that, the Hump Museum here in Pasighat showcasing remnants of USA aircraft that went missing and crashed down here in Arunachal Pradesh ‘the Hump’ during World War-II was inaugurated on 29th November last by the US Ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti amidst the presence of Chief Minister, Pema Khandu and other dignitaries. The Hump museum was set up at the initiative of Chief Minister Pema Khandu and it would pay tribute to ‘Hump Operation’, one of the most remarkable feats of aviation history.

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