Marciejean53
17th May 2014, 07:22
We are the family of the late Paddy Lamb who was a pilot in 110 Squadron during WW2. We would love to hear of any memories anyone may have of him and we also have his diaries and some photos from that time which we are happy to share if that is appropriate. Many thanks
Danny42C
18th May 2014, 16:30
Marciejean53,
Paddy Lamb and I were together on 110 (Hyderabad) Squadron in '43 in the Arakan (N. Burma). I recall a cheerful young man: I was rather surprised that he'd not been commissioned, as he seemed obviously the "type". Perhaps he just wasn't interested. I'd be a sergeant pilot then, as mine didn't come through till late in the year (after we had pulled back for the monsoon).
We flew the Vultee Vengeance dive-bomber (of which much has been said on this Thread). I remember Paddy well from one incident when our "box-of-six" had been practising "Fighter Affiliation" exercises (I was playing the attacking "fighter").
EDIT: Vengeances appear on the "Gaining a Pilots' Brevet in WW2" Thread.
Returning to our strip, everyone was hot and pretty well exhausted (it was very hard work, lugging the heavy lumps round in steep turns in formation).
Paddy was "hot and high" on finals, and should've gone around. But "What the heck", thought Paddy, "I'll get in all right !" (he was a happy-go-lucky chap).
Of course he didn't, and went charging off the end into the bundoo . He and the aircraft were all right, but it was the devil's own job to drag it out back again.
We should be grateful for any diary excerpts and photographs you can Post.
Cheers, Danny.