A. Claud Wright. Had served in the Royal Flying Corps. Air Commodore, Royal Air Force 1937; attached to Air Forces in India in the early years of the second world war but had retired by 1943.
Given by Dr M.E. Wallace (daughter).
Diary written by Air Commodore Wright when he accompanied H.E. Lady Dorman-Smith on a holiday tour in Bashahr State, in the Himalayan foothills, October 1-25 1943. She was the wife of Sir Reginald Dorman-Smith, Governor of Burma 1941-46. From May 1942 to October 1945 the Burmese government continued, in exile, at Simla and it was from there that they set out on their journey . They were a party of four or five persons – and three dogs. By car they travelled to Thanadhar where they were met with mules and ponies. From there they continued, sometimes walking, sometimes riding. Covering about ten to fifteen miles a day they made a circular tour striking Northeast from Thanadhar, visiting Rampur, Sarahan, Sangla, Tiklik, Rohru, and back to Simla. Part of their route followed the Sutlej river and the changing and dramatic scenery is described. They passed through villages and small towns. At Sarahan they stayed at the State Rest House and were visited there by the Rajah of Bashahr who had his summer home in Sarahan. The diary is illustrated with 13 pencil sketches showing various places of interest – temples, the fort at Kamru and views of the high peaks of the Himalayas. The travellers themselves were more than once at heights of nearly 10,000 feet but they had spectacular views of much higher mountains. 12ff.
