Never having come across Sharkey Ward or Douglas Bader, I feel certain I've met their characters before in uniform. They suffer fools lightly, are very sure of themselves and yes indeed, expect unquestioning obedience from their juniors but there isn't a rule or military order which they are not prepared to sweep aside. The other most prominent legend of the WWII RAF, Wg Cdr Guy Gibson, was, I have always read, a difficult individual to get to know. Rumours about his popularity with the ground crew were particularly notable, one chap who served alongside Gibson, can't recall in what capacity, but described Gibson as having been unpopular with those who didn't like the idea of being sent on regular PI exercises, such as cross-country runs or around the airfield. At the other extreme is one of the books in the 'Ghost Station' series by Bruce Barrymore Halpenny, an ex-Provost Marshal. Bruce suggests in one chapter that the loss of Gibson and his Navigator in the pathfinder Mosquito they flew over Holland on the night of 19 September 1944, was a result of sabotage by Gibson's ground crew? Err, I'm committing another thread drift crime, so I'll stop! Sharkey is in good company, RAF wise I suppose.
FB
PS Sabotage was unlikely as Gibson swapped aircraft at short notice, but without giving a reason why. The crew of the other aircraft were unhappy with being ordered to climb into the reserve aircraft which Gibson and his Nav were to have flown!?
Last edited by Finningley Boy; 9th Aug 2020 at 08:56.