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‘I wanted to fly so I volunteered for the RAF as call up approached so I had the initials VR on my uniform. I was asked where I wanted to do my flying training and choose Rhodesia. As Christmas 1942 the cadet pilots like myself were asked if we would like to go to a local family who had offered us hospitality over the Christmas holiday.
‘I put my name down and on the appointed day was dropped with the other cadets at a hotel to await our hosts. I went with family who owned a gold mine. They said they wouldn’t be giving us any gold but we could have everything else. It was a lovely time even though we were far from home.
‘When I left I was told I was welcome to come and visit them whenever I had some leave. I made several return visits. On one of these we were looking at their photo album and I pointed to on photo and said that is Mr and Mrs Codling and their 2 daughters.
‘My hostess replied that they were her aunt and uncle. When I eventually returned to England after flying in the desert and more training in South Africa I met the Codlings at church and told them I had met their niece.’
This story was submitted to the people’s War site by a volunteer from CSV Oxford on behalf of the Ken Jones. It is the edited transcript of a taped interview and he gave written permission for the material to be edited and published.

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