Date: 25th August 1944.
Unit: No. 263 Squadron R.A.F.
Type: Typhoon 1b.
Serial: MN477.
Coded: HE-T
Location: Pont-Audemer France.
Pilot: P/O Sayana Puram Duraiswamy, Thyagarajan. R.A.F.V.R. 177663. Age 26, Killed.
REASON FOR LOSS:
Shot down by flak and crashed near Pont-Audemer France.
It is thought that "Tiger Rajan" (as he was well known by) had been heavily hit by ground fire and he tried to force land the Typhoon, the aircraft hit a row of Poplar trees and the aircraft flipped upside down and blew up in the orchard - killing him instantly. British soldiers had already retrieved his body when the village priest turned up and he insisted that he be buried in the local churchyard rather than at the crash site as was normal at the time.
One of five Typhoons, six Spitfires and two Mustangs lost this day. A second Typhoon from 263 Squadron MN883, crashed near Theillement, F/O A W Campbell R.C.A.F. killed.
Left: Sgt Thyagarajan (Courtesy of Bharat Rakshak) and Right: P/O Sayana Thyagarajan with his Typhoon. (Photo A.R.S. Collection)
P/O Sayana Thyagarajan sitting on the top. (Photo courtesy of Laurent Viton)
Sgt. Thyagarajan 2nd from left with other members of the squadron L- R; Blackshaw, James Coyne, Max Cotton and Ken Ridley. (Courtesy of Bharat Rakshak)
Actual crash site of Typhoon MN477 (Courtesy of Bharat Rakshak)
Sayana's grave at La Lande Churchyard. (Courtesy of Bharat Rakshak)
Burial Details:
P/O Sayana Puram Duraiswamy, Thyagarajan. R.A.F.V.R. 177663. La Lande, France.
Son of Suna Duraiswamy and S. D. Duraiswamy, of Pondicherry, South Arcot, India.
La Lande is a village and commune about 65 kilometres north-west of Evreux and 12 kilometres south-west of Pont-Audemer. The one Commonwealth war grave in the churchyard is near the south wall and the small entrance gate.
Research and photographs by David King (A.R.S. February 2009) The Aircrew Remembrance Society appreciate the use of photographs supplied by Bharat Rakshak October 2009.
