大象传媒

We were sent to South Africa under the Empire Air Training Scheme during the begining of 1944. On Hansards - they were advanced trainer aircraft. They carried eight practice bombs, four under each wing. They weighed eleven and a half lbs each. They detonated on contact with the ground, giving off a cloud of dense white smoke. We used to pratice low level flying for dive bombing. On one occasion I was informed by the ground observers - they only detected seven bombs. So they asked me to do a low level pass for them to observe whether or not I had a "hang up" - this phrase meant that the bomb hadn't dropped. It was a "hang up" This meant that I had to throw the aircraft about in order to try to disloged it! But it did not budge. I then followed "stand by" orders and flew directly back to the airfield. I got out and went to replace the safety pin! When I looked there was no bomb there! The chief flying instructor - called me into his office and reported that my bomb had gone through the roof of a bungalow on the way back. Luckily the two inhabitants were in their lounge. The bomb had made a neat hole and landed in the bedroom. The only damage was the roof and dense smoke in the bedroom.

I was cleared of any wrong doing, and standing orders were altered. Stating that in the future, you must fly as direct a route as possible, but must avoid built up areas or buildings.

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