Dad's arrival back in the UK.
POST TERRELL - 1943 - 1946 Back in UK.
Arriving back in the UK at the docks in Liverpool we moved by train to Harrogate in Yorkshire from where we were all dispersed in different directions depending on our future in the RAF.
In my case I started on the route to train as a fighter pilot. I spent a period of time in Perth, Scotland, on a familiarisation course for a few hours flying in the UK. I flew the Tiger Moth again for about 30 hours in June 1943 this was to prepare us for the different - ie worse weather conditions in Europe. Then on to much more powerful stuff even than the Harvard - the Miles Master 2 at Peterborough (50hrs day & 15hrs night) - the prelude to flying in a Spitfire, Hurricane or Mustang. This course lasted until the end of the first week in September prior to a posting to an AFU (Advanced Flying Unit) or O.T.U. (Operational Training Unit) on fighters.
At this point, September l943 at the very moment I might have got my hands on a ‘Spit’ or ‘Hurri’ my life again changed completely. During my leave I received a telegram from ‘those on high’ informing me that my posting was cancelled and I was to be reposted to No.2 FIS (Flying Instructors School) based at Montrose, Scotland. It was a little time before this news sank in. I could not believe this change in direction but my attempts to have this reversed met, as you would expect, with a ‘Do as you are told’ attitude! No longer were you master of your own fate. With hindsight this posting probably ensured that the odds of my surviving the war had lengthened considerably.
More bad news followed. When I reported for duty at 2FIS I was informed that my course would not be on the Harvard Flight for potential flying instructors but the Oxford, a twin-engined aeroplane. I had of course no experience of flying a twin. So there I was, up in Scotland, being trained to do something I did not want to do and surrounded by a group of colleagues who had already flown twins! I now had to do 2 things: learn to fly a twin and learn to teach a pupil to fly a twin both at the same time! But I have to say it added a little sugar to the spice and I quickly settled down to do both. They were interesting times.
Scotland is famous not only for its whisky but also for its salmon fishing. One day one of the CFI’s (Chief Flying Instructor) decided I was due for a check ride. After my check ride in Terrell with Ed Smith I was not at all concerned. Although I say so myself, I had adapted well to flying a twin-engined Oxford and, although I missed the aerobatics of the Harvard, the aircraft produced its own challenges. Off we went. Everything went well and towards the end of the check ride Smithy (S/L Smith) took the controls and we did a ‘little low flying’ over the nearby rivers. Smithy was a very keen fisherman and was looking for the best parts of the river to cast his fishing rod! Fresh almon at mess dinners provided by the ‘boss’ in wartime rationed Britain went down well - and who was I to complain about a bit of illicit low flying? I think we all did it at times, sometimes, though, with fatal results.
So came the day in mid-December 1943 I qualified as a Flying Instructor and was let loose on a group of young ‘wannabe’ pilots to teach them how to fly a twin-engined aeroplane at an airfield in Gloucestershire - 3(P)AFU at Southrop near Fairford.
I see that the RAF hadn't really changed when I went through training. I was the only one on my course who wanted to fly helicopters and I knew that there were 2 slots available at Ternhill - a shoe in I thought.
Just before the end of the course I met 2 of my course mates looking a little downcast - "what's up?" I asked - "we have been posted to helicopters" they said - "WHAT" I said and made off towards the Flt Cdr's office to ask why I wasn't selected as a volunteer. ( We graduates had no "fear" of the RAF system of do as you were told
)
My Flt Cdr was a good egg and explained that I was provisionally selected for the Buccaneer which surprised me as I thought it was too early to tell what type one would be suitable for. I protested that a volunteer was better than pressed men and I had always shown an interest in helicopters despite ribbing from both staff and studes.
To cut a long story short I did end up on helicopters and my 2 course mates went on to Valley - one was chopped and the other became a Jaguar QFI so he and I got what we wanted
So like Dad my training was going to take a route I didn't want but luckily the RAF let me change course - unlike Dad!!
HF