Posted without commentary Res Ipsa Loquitor
jc http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/History/1961Goa/1050-Raghavendran.html The greatest beneficiary in the liberation of Goa was the Indian Navy. They didn't fire a single shot. The Portuguese admiral surrendered with all his ships in the port, including the Albuquerque, the flag ship of the Portuguese navy, with its unbelievable stock of liquor!! Under an archaic law, all the captured vessels were the 'War Booty' of the Navy and they were allowed to sell them and keep the proceeds, which they did. The money would go to the equivalent of the 'Regimental Funds' of the Army and totally controlled by the Naval HQ with no interference by the Govt. The Army and Air Force didn't even know anything about it till about 1980-81 when the information leaked out and the other services claimed a share. As a measure to buy peace the Navy dished out a very small portion of the 'Booty' to the other services then!! In addition the Dabolim airport was up for grabs and it was offered to the Air Force automatically but they didn't need a base in the area as they already had Poona and there was no operational need for a base involving considerable outlay. Then the Navy stepped in and the rest is history. In '62, I was selected along with two other QFIs to go on deputation to Iraq but just as we had disposed of all our belongings and were ready to go, the Chinese attacked us and my mission went "Kaput". That story is in another chapter.