Picking up on my post of the 24th June I am able to offer what I hope may become the "contents" page of my father's route to Gaining An R.A.F. Pilots Brevet in WWII. He is still alive and whilst physically not in good health retains his all-important marbles....I hope that he can keep up the tale for a little while longer!
His story is a little unusual as it began in Trinidad, then part of the British West Indies and begain in November 1940 at the ITW run by the Empire Air Training Scheme in Trinidad. This involved square bashing and ground school and lasted until January 1941 and on completion was followed by EFTS at Piarco in Trinidad on No. 3 course with two civil registered Tiger Moths (VP-TAC and VP-TAD) which had been previously used by the Light Aeroplane Club (LAC). These had been commandeered (and painted in camoflage!) and the CFI was a F/L Carroll and an RNVR Lt. Williams as deputy CFI. (He later became CFI).
There were 5 on the course which included two close friends, Richard Bryden and Sandy Fraser. Both were subsequently killed in flying accidents and my father was deeply affected by their deaths and found meeting their respective mothers on his return in 1946 very hard. (Richard was killed in May 1942 flying Hurricane V7466 aged 19 following an engine failure. Sandy was killed in a mid air collision whilst flying a Mustang on the 27th May 1944.)
Lt. Williams ended sending him off solo after 7 hours dual on the 21st Feb 1941. The entire course lasted 50 hours and dad's log book shows him having 24.15 dual and 26.10 solo all by day with the course finishing at the end of April 1941. He was graded "above average" with 88% and posted to England travelling of course by ship (the MS Vibran from Norway) arriving on the 2nd June 1941.....
More to follow....
MB