Gaining An R.A.F.Pilots Brevet in WW11
Thank you Danny and Chugalug. Addendai!
1. All but one of the American Cadets on 18 and 19 Courses at Terrell were commissioned. One was a Flight Officer, possible equivalent W.O.
2. Jimmy Edwards was a Flt Lt pilot on one of the Broadwell Dakotas.I don't think that he was famous then, but certainly deserved his D.F.C.
3.Short straw or not, I didn't have to fly 30, or less, ops in Bomber Command.
The Hotspur was built by General Aircraft and was designed to carry 12 soldiers and two pilots. Luckily never on operations as the back would have been very crowded and dark. Concrete blocks were fitted to make up weight and to make us very of what a bad landing would mean! We had main wheels and a tail wheel, no brakes, push forward after touch down on to the skid under the nose ( and pilots) would bring us to a halt. The flap lever was to the left of the pilot, pull up to 3 o'clock position would give half flap, and to the 12 o'clock for full flaP.
A nice aeroplane and we were towed by Miles Masters so quite fast. Lots of low flying and a couple of high releases, 9000 feet, given a course to Shobden and released.
VE Day happened whilst we were at Shobden so no more European Ops.
We spent the rest of the summer at Timber Hill Camp on the outskirts of Lyme Regis. We lived in a derelict laundry in the town and made our way each morning to the camp at the top of the hill.
A number of the pilots were sent out to various farms around and a few of us were retained in Lyme Regis. I was lucky enough to become the Squadron despatch rider. My job was to take mail and orders to the "farmers" and go once a week to our Regimental Depot at Fargo for orders. We also used the R.A.F. Marine Craft in the harbour to take ammunition and explosive and dump it in Lyme Bay.
We knew that we were destined for the far east and had several detachments to the Dakota OTU at Leicester East to give the Dakota crews practice in towing, and to keep us in flying practice.
I was on embarkation leave in August when the bombs were dropped on Japan so we didn't go.
We were moved about for a few weeks, interviews for staying on in the R.A.F. and then sent to the R.A.F.Regiment depot at Market Harborough. We had to fill in various forms about weapon training etc. Well, we knew about that but the Regiment thought that we were "taking the Mick" and had us on their ranges etc. Then they sent us on indefinite leave. In January I was posted to 14 PAFU at Wheaton Aston to fly Oxfords. A number of ex P.O.W's obviously had priority, and I was made the Assistant Adjutants Assistant.. My Warrant came through in the June. I was luck enough not to become redundant but due to delays in training I decided to leave the Service when my demob number came up in January 1947...a mistake!!