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15 October 2014
WW2 - People's War

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The day we saved Jonny Johnson

by mehefin

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Archive List > Royal Air Force

Contributed by听
mehefin
People in story:听
Frank Willmot
Location of story:听
Mainland Europe
Background to story:听
Royal Air Force
Article ID:听
A2406115
Contributed on:听
09 March 2004

Dad, was an RAF member attached to the RCAF 39 Recce Wing in a ground control role and told the following story:
The airfield ( he couldn't remember which one as they were moving so often during those days)had closed down for the night, and all flying operations had come to an end. In the darkness, and the stillness that came with it, personnel were settling down for the night.
One of the 'oiks' suddenly said - "there's a 'plane still up. It's one of ours" and in the darkness they could quite clearly hear the sound of an aero engine.
The CO was called and took an instant and dangerous decision to put the runway lights on. The plane made a beeline for them and came into land, its engine stuttering to a halt as it rolled along the runway. It was a Spitfire, so relief all around. The lights were quickly extinguished and the plane was investigated. It was out of fuel, and the pilot turned out to be none other than the legendary Jonny Johnson, a mere sergeant at that time. Apparently the officers were all over him like a rash, but the oiks who had done the hard work to get him down were completely ignored by the great and good. Dad wasn't a bit embittered, as far as he was concerned it was another success and a life saved, and that was all that really mattered. It does make you wonder though what might have happened if someone hadn't had sharp hearing

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