大象传媒

I don't think I have any real stories to tell but I have in mind the peculiarities of my career in the RAF Volunteer Reserve. It seems to me that I spent the whole time on courses whilst the intention was to fly and fight!

I commenced doing my ITW (Initial Training Wing) course which was prolonged somewhat by my contracting yellow jaundice. I went onto to do 12 hours' flying and I was subsequently selected for pilot training in South Africa. Having completed the course, instead of going on to OTU (Operational Training Unit) on Hurricanes I had to wait for an interview by two officers from Group HQ who told me that I had been selected for a staff navigator's course (this was the price I paid for doing too well in navigation in the pilot's course: top in practice and second in theory!)

Eventually I returned to the UK and after waiting for further selection it was to learn that I had been selected for a flight engineer's course and to fly as second pilot on Lancasters. I had just completed the course when VE Day cam along and I could either go onto Meteors or be made redundant. Because I was in a reserved occupation when I joined the RAFVR and my job was waiting for me, I had no alternative than to be made redundant.

I thoroughly enjoyed my flying career but it was all courses and in some ways, a complete waster of time but it did allow me to occasionally fly privately which I thoroughly enjoyed.

There were some dicey moments such as, when in training, the previous pilot had sensed a fault in the instruments whilst flying at night but did not report it. On taking off I felt the aircraft did not have the correct flying attitude and only by sliding the hood back and flying by looking at the horizon in the dark, was I able to complete a circuit and land safely. It was, to say the least, nerve-wracking!

(I joined the RAF Volunteer Reserve in October 1942 after attending the Aircrew Selection Board based at Lord's Cricket Ground. I was only 17 when sworn in and had to wait till I was 18 before I could begin training as a pilot in South Africa flying Tiger Moths and Harvards. He was awarded his 'Wings' in September 1944 before being posted to 1635 HCU, North Luffenham, Leicestershire. I flew mostly Lancasters with Bomber Command and after attending many courses became something of a one-man crew myself!)

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