Gentlemen, I just wish to thank you all for your fascinating reminiscences.
The minutiae if your times is what brings them to life....the many "throwaway " comments that must hide another good yarn...the massive difference between US and UK training (did you survive because of the superior training, or was it just luck,was it cost-effective to spend that long training a pilot that comprehensively for such a short "working life"
I had the honour of working for Wing Commander E.J.Milne, DFC, when I maintained his motorcars. I only became aware of his DFC,by accident.
A very self-effacing gentleman, he claimed his decoration was due to cowardice...I couldn't let that go,so over a "brew" I made him spill the beans.
Eric was a Recce pilot, latterly flying Mustangs, no armament but FAST....so, Eric, having decided that the war wouldn't finish "tomorrow" would fly to his alloted target, do a photo-run and hightail it.
If, subsequently, the pics were not up to scratch, he would repeat the exercise after about three weeks had elapsed...his theory being that the jerries had nodded off again, He claimed that the concientious guys took a second run if the first was questionable,-but that had woken the defence who proceeded to reinforce the statistical chance of 1 1/2 missions for a recce pilot!
Eric lived in a large house and grounds on the side of Wharmton (father was a mill-owner) and apparently would announce his safe homecoming by howling down the valley and pulling up over Wharmton!
After numerous complaints, this activity was apparently curtailed.
(according to locals who witnessed these "flypasts"
RIP Eric, a true gentleman.
Please keep writing, the people who were there are passing and the memories are going with them.
My own father was in the merchant navy, WW1....was blind,but never found out the "whats and whys" apart from a terse "gunflash".
Thank you for the memories you're sharing.