Wg Cdr Adrian Warburton DSO DFC
Champagne anyone...?
From reading of his extraordinary exploits and array of medals it seems he had big balls for a long time. I think for the VC you need huge balls, albeit briefly.
Seriously though, he sounds like yet another WWII RAF absolute legend - flying low enough and close enough to record all the ships names in Taranto harbour after his recce camera failed. Or
Seriously though, he sounds like yet another WWII RAF absolute legend - flying low enough and close enough to record all the ships names in Taranto harbour after his recce camera failed. Or
While photographing Bizerte his plane was disabled by flak. He struggled on to Bone and landed unhurt. After being kept under lock and key for two days suspected of being a German agent he was able to establish that he was British and was given a French plane to fly to Gibraltar. There he changed it for a Spitfire and flew back to Malta, picking up his cameras and film at Bone and shooting down a Ju88 on the way. When he landed at Malta his first remark was - allegedly- "Sorry I'm late".
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Warburton won the DSO and bar, the DFC and 2 bars and the American DFC. Worth remembering that he flew throughTaranto harbour in daylight "at suicidally low level" according to his first DFC citation, so that the Fleet Air Arm knew exactly where the rats were tied in the barrel and then went back to provide the evidence of the great victory achieved by the Swordfish crews from Illustrious. He was very successful on small units in a particular theatre but struggled in the bigger world of the later war RAF. A sad loss. I would love to have met him.
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I saw this on Wiki.
"He was not a pilot with any degree of support from
Air Vice Marshall Park, the Air-Officer-Commanding"
What are they getting at.
Is this related to the post above
"He was very successful on small units in a particular theatre
but struggled in the bigger world of the later war RAF. "
"He was not a pilot with any degree of support from
Air Vice Marshall Park, the Air-Officer-Commanding"
What are they getting at.
Is this related to the post above
"He was very successful on small units in a particular theatre
but struggled in the bigger world of the later war RAF. "
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Read "Warburton's War" by Tony Spooner and you will see that he was completely different in character to Gibson and Bader. He always obtained his photographs, but was totally unconventional both in his dress and military manners. Openly living with his girlfriend on Malta (while he was already married to a girl back in England), he had been originally sent to Malta by a sympathetic flight commander in order to save him from disciplinary action involving mismanagement of money.
He was perhaps very useful in theatre, but would have been an embarassment back in Blighty had the full story of his way of life come out - which it certainly would had he been awarded the VC. Described by Teddar as the most valuable pilot in the Mediterranean theatre, he is a complex conundrum for us to assess. Perhaps it was best that he was not awarded his no doubt deserved VC - the publicity would have destroyed his way of life on Malta. It was Malta that brought out the best in him, and his decline once the war moved on is most marked.
He was perhaps very useful in theatre, but would have been an embarassment back in Blighty had the full story of his way of life come out - which it certainly would had he been awarded the VC. Described by Teddar as the most valuable pilot in the Mediterranean theatre, he is a complex conundrum for us to assess. Perhaps it was best that he was not awarded his no doubt deserved VC - the publicity would have destroyed his way of life on Malta. It was Malta that brought out the best in him, and his decline once the war moved on is most marked.
Sounds like his character was the same a Lt Col Blair 'Paddy' Mayne DSO and three bars, of the SAS, wonderful soldier but his acceptance of authority was lacking at times. maybe someone else from WW2 who should have been awarded a VC.
Quite right Wander 00, although the relationship between Peter Ross (the "Warburton" character) and the local girl is toned down to make the film acceptable to an early 1950s audience.
The Victoria Cross is rightly regarded as the pinnacle of gallantry medals and its holders are held in awe by us lesser mortals. If everyone who "should have got the VC" actually received it, I suspect it would be just another medal. Tough on those who deserved it but didn't get one, but I think we have it about right as it stands.
The Victoria Cross is rightly regarded as the pinnacle of gallantry medals and its holders are held in awe by us lesser mortals. If everyone who "should have got the VC" actually received it, I suspect it would be just another medal. Tough on those who deserved it but didn't get one, but I think we have it about right as it stands.
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It was said that the main character (played by Alec Guinness) of the film
Malta Story is loosely based on AW
It was said that he always got his photographs,and should the pictures not be of sufficient quality after landing then he would fly another unofficial sortie. He once reported that a particular Italian ship was in a certainposition.... the Navy on Malta stated that he was wrong and the ship could not be there, so Warbuton took his aircraft back to the location and provided a close-up shot of the bows of the ship with the name clearly visible. He flew over 300 official wartimemissions and probably many more unofficial sorties, including filling in as a gunner on Malta based Wellingtons when one was needed (of course his superiors did not know).
One of his DFCs involved his actions after a Malta based Blenheim ditched not far from the Italian ships that had been their targets - Warburton had been shadowing and providing positions. He then flew over the Italian ships - waggling wings - and despite being shot at several times finally got the message to the Italians that there were survivors to be picked up.
Adored by most of his squadron - especially the lower ranks and tollerated by Senior Officers because he got the results, Warburton was often resented by other pilots on his Squadron because he always flew the plum missions himself and did not give oportunities for the juniors. For example, he photographed the Sicilian beaches single handedly prior to the Invasion and was awarded his second DSO for the trouble.
He was involved in a car accident soon after the war had left Malta behind and he became Liaison Officer for USAAF reconnaissance forces in the UK. Grounded because of his injuries, Warburton did not tell this to the Americans and he flew several unofficial sorties over Europe wearing the uniform of an American lieutenant. It was on one of these missions - to Schweinfurt - that he went missing. He was buried as an unidentified American aiman, and his remains were only identified a few years ago when enthusiasts unearthed the wreckage of his aircraft. It had been rumoured that his aircraft had sufficient fuel to get back to Malta where he had rejoined his beloved Christine - the Warburton legend on Malta lived on.
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hi I don't know if anyone is interested but I think I've found some live footage of Warby on you tube just tap in side lights on the western war 1942 and at 1.33 you will see Warby greeting Russian pilots at a desert air strip hope you like it Ducie
