airborne_artist
9th Apr 2012, 17:59
"Colin Ian Blyth, known throughout his life as “Joe”, was born on April 1 1925 in Maidstone and was educated at the local County School. Aged only 15, in 1940 he volunteered for aircrew duties in the RAF, having “stolen” his older sister’s national insurance number, allowing him to claim that he was 18."
"On the night of September 24 1942, Blyth’s Whitley crash-landed in the Ardennes. Some of the crew were captured but Blyth was able to head south on foot, en route being helped by French farmers. In Lyons he was picked up by the local escape line and moved to a “safe house” in Marseilles. From there he was taken with other evaders to Canet Plage, near Perpignan. After a nerve-racking wait on the beach, the party was transferred to the Polish-manned felucca Seawolf, and arrived safely in Gibraltar two days later."
"Blyth was an experienced instructor on the Meteor jet fighter when he left for Korea in March 1951 as one of four RAF pilots selected to assist No 77 Squadron of the Royal Australian Air Force to convert from the piston-engine Mustang to the Meteor. Although not authorised to fly on operations, Blyth managed to persuade his Australian CO to allow him to go on a few sorties — in the event he completed more than 100. "
Squadron Leader Joe Blyth - Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/military-obituaries/air-force-obituaries/9194400/Squadron-Leader-Joe-Blyth.html)
They really don't make them like that any more.
"On the night of September 24 1942, Blyth’s Whitley crash-landed in the Ardennes. Some of the crew were captured but Blyth was able to head south on foot, en route being helped by French farmers. In Lyons he was picked up by the local escape line and moved to a “safe house” in Marseilles. From there he was taken with other evaders to Canet Plage, near Perpignan. After a nerve-racking wait on the beach, the party was transferred to the Polish-manned felucca Seawolf, and arrived safely in Gibraltar two days later."
"Blyth was an experienced instructor on the Meteor jet fighter when he left for Korea in March 1951 as one of four RAF pilots selected to assist No 77 Squadron of the Royal Australian Air Force to convert from the piston-engine Mustang to the Meteor. Although not authorised to fly on operations, Blyth managed to persuade his Australian CO to allow him to go on a few sorties — in the event he completed more than 100. "
Squadron Leader Joe Blyth - Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/military-obituaries/air-force-obituaries/9194400/Squadron-Leader-Joe-Blyth.html)
They really don't make them like that any more.