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I joined the RAF in 1941 and did my initial training at Babbacombe. I was accepted for air crew and trained at Marshalls, Near Cambridge, after which I managed my first solo flight in ten hours in a Tiger Moth. One afternoon I was Practising aerobatics for which I used the railway line to regain my sense of direction after a ‘loop the loop’. Unfortunately fog and mist appeared and I was lost. I found a field and landed safely near a house. I walked over and found that it was a rectory and asked if I could use the phone, which was agreed. Upon asking if I could pay the vicar I was charged sixpence. I paid, but was a bit miffed as the going rate then was twopence. I was picked up by RAF Transport Bottisham and an instructor was sent to pick up the Tiger Moth aeroplane — all OK!
After qualifying I taught flying at Shellingford near Farringdon, Berkshire. I was sent to RAF Pocklington to sample a raid in a Lancaster bomber. I was there for three days but was fogged in so missed this!
In 1944 I was sent to Rhodesia to train cadets in the pleasant climate. They still used railway lines for guidance, and this was known as ‘Flying by Bradshaw’. On cadet overshot the turning point and had to land miles away — but that is another story. The airbase was Gwelo. One turning point was a ‘watering hole’ where wild life was plentiful. I was demobbed in June 1946 after 5 years in the RAF at Tenby, S Wales.

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