大象传媒

By Tom Proctor, on 80 years of age almsman of St Johns Hospital within the Close of Lichfield Cathedral;.
Tom's second world war service was as a Royal Air Force Coastal Command General Reconnaisance Pilot. After training in Southern Rhodesia, South Africa and Palestine and service in the Middle East theatre of operations, he was posted to the South East Asia Air Forces, Aden Commands 244 Squadron based on Masirah Island in the Indian ocean convenient to the Gulf of Oman.
It is of his 10 months tour of operations with 244 squadron that Tom's recollections remain the strongest of the 33 RAF stations and air fields known to him during his five years of RAF wartime service.
The 244 squadron of Coastal Command was formed in 1943 at Sharjah in Trucial Oman and based on Masirah Island. It was engaged on night anti-submarine patrols, anti-shipping patrols and maritime reconnaissaince of the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Oman.
The squadrons theatre of operations from Jask in the Gulf itself, Masirah island, Salalah in Oman, Socotra Islands to Mogadishu in what was then Italian Somalialand. Flying out westwards over the Indian Ocean.
The squadron was equipped with the Mark 13 Wellington Aircraft, fondly called 'stickleback', this from the 4 vertical ASV (air to surface vessels) radar aerials along the top of the fuselage, later with the mark 14 (radar dome) models :flying nine hour patrols invariably over the sea and usually at night. With overload petrol tanks and armed with six depth charges. The 'Wimpy' night sorties flew at 1500 feet (no automatic pilot) with homing procedures down to 50ft using radio altimeters and the Leigh light searchlight being switched on at a quarter mile range to illuminate the surfaced submarine.
Toms impression 'it was a right dicey do' is without doubt an understatement. Masirah itself, just rock, sand and sea, was without any natural resources. Every drop of fresh water, food,fuel and equipment came by ship, mainly Arab dhows during five months of the year. Then the monsoon struck only wireless and aircraft linked Masirah with its Aden based nearly a thousand miles away.
When the first RAF detachment arrived, building was the first problem. Every item of material to erect living accomodation, stores, offices,workshops had to be brought in by ship. If a handle or hinges were forgotten it might mean months of delay before a door could be fitted.
However, a further problem brought a solution to the first, aviation fuel came in four gallon tins, as it took 270 tins to fuel a Wellington aircraft for its 9 hour operational flight, soon thousands of empty tins had accumulated on the island. Then someone had a bright idea and a remarkable and unique form of architecture was born. Tins were filled with sand and laid like bricks on a three inch concrete foundation, the tin roofs were covering with plastering of sand and cement.
So Masirah became Petrol Tin Island. The practical tin found many uses (desert lilies) were everywhere as relief stations for Masirahs all male population. The lack of natural resources effected every aspect of life on the island. The airfield take off and landing runways were simply levelled and flattened strips. Runway night flying lighting was by paraffin 'gooseneck flares', roads were little more than dirt tracks. The islands geographical position made leave impossible. Fresh water was restricted to drinks with meals and an issue water bottle of water per day collected after breakfast. Fresh food was rare being generally prepared from tinned and dried foods. The lunch time curry meal was based on McConachies tinned stew with lashings of curry powder. Occasionally there were seagulls eggs and fish on the menu. Beer was rationed to one bottle per fortnight but supplies could fail near the end of the close shipping season. The petrol tin construction accomodation huts had doors but no windows or lighting. Beds were the 'charpoy' design of woven rope construction on locally wood manufactured frames. The prudent hung there kit well up on the walls as the huts were subject to flooding in the monsoon season. Yet discipline showed an understanding of the restrictions of life in such an isolated outpost with limited living and leisure facilities. Formal parades were rare. All ranks accepted these shortcomings with understanding.
Home mail was regular and prompt, an outdoor cinema and housey-housey games were well patronised. Whilst sporting facilities were available the close proximity of swimming beaches with good surfing rollers attracted crowds in the off duty hours.
Operationally 244 squadrons war followed the Coastal Commands pattern, flights were not spectacular, invariably gruelling, wearying, a supreme test of airmanship and navigation.
Most of the aircraft crews never saw the human enemy not even one. The main enemy was the sea, the weather and mechanical failure. If the worst occured from 1500 feet altitude and even at night death was seldom swift, a lingering lonely and in a dinghy, perhaps for thirst and exposure. A war of ceaseless discomfort.
In peace the Coastal Command Veterans seldom wrote of their war a career of nine hour patrols and an eternity of grey ocean untroubled by a periscope, unbroken by the prow of a U boat, any achievement probably unknown. In the year 1943-1943 for 10 U boats possibly sunk, Coastal Command lost 170 aircraft and crews.
It is nearly 60 years since the war ended. No 244 squadron raised in 1943 and disbanded in 1946, a war time expediency, but they served in the best tradition of the Royal Air Force Coastal Command.
It was bizarre but after coming through 10 months of operations unscathed Tom returned to the Middle East with both knees covered in 'Desert Sores' diagnosed as due to lack of fresh food, local treatment and he was hospitalised in Palestine where penicillin was available.

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