a clerk at the squadron forward airfield at Miranshah until press stories emerged in London that he was conducting diplomacy and espionage in Afghanistan. As such news was likely to disturb the local political situation, he was posted away from 20 Squadron on 8 January 1929, returning to the UK. In 1932, 20 Squadron exchanged its Bristol Fighters for Westland Wapitis and these, in turn, were exchanged for Hawker Audaxes in December 1935. World War II During the opening period of the Second World War, 20 Squadron continued its air control work on the Northwest Frontier. After Italy's entry to the war, defence of India's ports was assigned a higher priority; on 14 February 1941 A and B Flights moved to Bombay and Madras respectively to provide reconnaissance and attack for coastal defence. These flights re-joined the rest of the squadron at its new headquarters at RAF Secunderabad on 10 June 1941. It was re-equipped with Westland Lysanders in December 1941, remaining in the army co-operation role. After Japan's entry to the war on 7 December 1941, Japan attacked Burma in early 1942, forcing British forces to retreat towards India. 20 Squadron was moved closer to the Burmese front at RAF Jamshedpur on 1 May 1942 via a short stay at its previous home at RAF Peshawar. For the remainder of 1942, the squadron was headquartered at Jamshedpur, moving 70 miles north to RAF Chharra in during December 1942 and remaining there until May 1943. During this time, the squadron continued to fly its Lysander aircraft in support of the Army on the Burmese front. Although the Lysanders were old, somewhat unreliable and short of spare parts, 20 Squadron maintained detachments at Imphal and Chittagong. Often unescorted, 20 Squadron Lysanders conducted armed reconnaissance and attack missions in Arakan, and in support of Chindit raiding activities in the Chindwin River Valley; they would fly at or below treetop height to avoid detection when Japanese fighters were nearby. The Flight at Chittagong also conducted some Air-Sea Rescue missions. In May 1943, 20 Squadron exchanged their Lysanders for Hurricane IIDs ; this variant of the Hurricane was armed with two 40mm underwing cannons designed specifically for destroying tanks and armoured vehicles. The squadron moved to RAF Kalyan, near Bombay, for training on the new aircraft. The monsoon delayed completion of this training and it was December 1943 before the squadron was ready to