* Order of the Propitious Clouds
Prized Decoration
After the fall of France on 22 June 1940 Japanese troops swarmed into Indochina with the blessing of Vichy France. Never satisfied, the forces of the bloated victors viewed with glee the rich rice bowl and mineral resources of countries that lay, mostly undefended, further west.
During these momentous events the transport planes of CNAC were busy throughout China, Burma and India. For Captain Syd de Kantzow each assignment was an adventure. At an early stage of his CNAC service he followed the example of Captain Royal Leonard, another hero of mine, to become the personal pilot of Generalissimo Chiang. In his book Wingate’s Phantom Army, W.G. Burchett tells of a flight he made with the Generalissimo, Madame Chiang Kai-Shek and Brigadier Orde Wingate, whose Chindits were harassing the Japanese in the Burmese jungles.
The aircraft had just reached cruising level when de Kantzow acknowledged a radio call from one of the many observation posts that CNAC had established throughout the mountains. The conversation went like this,
Do you know there are Jap planes on the lookout for you?
Where? Asked de Kantzow
Well, I can see you, and I can see fifteen Nips stalking you from above!
Unfortunately Syd de Kantzow’s response is not recorded, which is a great pity since he was noted for an exceptionally descriptive and lurid turn of phrase. We can only speculate that it was short as the subsequent display of close terrain and cloud flying would have given any hedgehopper a feeling of inferiority.
The only casualty was Madame’s breakfast. She later remarked that it tasted so much better going down, but the episode disturbed none of the VIPs. The Generalissimo took his approval further by decorating his pilot with the prized Chinese Order of the Flying Cloud.
During these momentous events the transport planes of CNAC were busy throughout China, Burma and India. For Captain Syd de Kantzow each assignment was an adventure. At an early stage of his CNAC service he followed the example of Captain Royal Leonard, another hero of mine, to become the personal pilot of Generalissimo Chiang. In his book Wingate’s Phantom Army, W.G. Burchett tells of a flight he made with the Generalissimo, Madame Chiang Kai-Shek and Brigadier Orde Wingate, whose Chindits were harassing the Japanese in the Burmese jungles.
The aircraft had just reached cruising level when de Kantzow acknowledged a radio call from one of the many observation posts that CNAC had established throughout the mountains. The conversation went like this,
Do you know there are Jap planes on the lookout for you?
Where? Asked de Kantzow
Well, I can see you, and I can see fifteen Nips stalking you from above!
Unfortunately Syd de Kantzow’s response is not recorded, which is a great pity since he was noted for an exceptionally descriptive and lurid turn of phrase. We can only speculate that it was short as the subsequent display of close terrain and cloud flying would have given any hedgehopper a feeling of inferiority.
The only casualty was Madame’s breakfast. She later remarked that it tasted so much better going down, but the episode disturbed none of the VIPs. The Generalissimo took his approval further by decorating his pilot with the prized Chinese Order of the Flying Cloud.
* Order of the Propitious Clouds
* Order of the Propitious Clouds - a civilian award usually awarded to foreigners for outstanding civilian merit. Ribbon is light blue, with coloured stripe towards each edge.
