Glory days
Photograph: Rajib De Rude shock greets former RAF man in city, writes Mathures Paul Decades of indifferent and incompetent rule have robbed Kolkata of its past grandeur, leaving most hanging on to memories and a rude shock greets those returning after more than half a century. With an eye on a scrapbook of memories, and a box of Navy Flake Smoking Tobacco, Mr AW Holden tried to understand what went wrong since 1946 and whether any of his familiar places remain. The former RAF man spent his salad days in India, facing numerous problems, but the period between 1942 and 1946 remains his glory years. The 88-year-old is travelling across India ~ Calcutta, Shillong, Delhi ~ to find old acquaintances and pay homage to a few of his friends buried at Bhowanipore Cemetery. In his scrapbook ~ a well maintained diary ~ are photographs of RAF aircraft landing on Red Road, Kolkata’s thoroughfare, and friends celebrating here and there. A menu card from Firpo’s, dating back to 8 December 1942, made M...