PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Calling Fleet Air Arm air and ground crew
Old 24th Jun 2018, 13:04
  #26 (permalink)  
Ormeside28
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Llandudno
Age: 100
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A dear friend of mine, since deceased, was an Observer in the Fleet Air Armfrom 1939 onwards and later in the Reserve. He flew the last Swordfish ( his pilot did!) out of Crete under fire and escorted some Greek generals to North Africa in their Aircraft. Much later , back in U.K. he commanded a Squadron of Wellingtons ( 3 Aircraft)). Used for gunnery practice. They were quite old and well used. Coming home to North Wales on leave in the train, he passed Harwarden and saw new Wellingtons on the hard standings. Borrowing his fathers car he went to Harwarden to see the OC Maintenance Unit and managed to swop his old ones for new. Later, in 1943 after I was commissioned he took me to RNASStretton, where he did his reserve training on Fireflies, and arranged for me to have a trip in their Sea Fury, two seater! Later he came to Topcliffe and came in my Neptune on a navex’s. Happy days, couldn’t do that now!!
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