大象传媒

Having earned my wings as Navigator/Radio Operator, I returned from Canada to complete a course of Operational Flying (OFT) at Catfoss on twin engined, propeller, Beaufighters. At stage of training I was being prepared for Operations on Beaufighters or Mosquitoes, both requiring a crew of two, pilot and navigator. Initially I was paired up with a pilot, Doug Reid, with whom I was to stay with for the duration of the war.

Towards the end of this course we spent a whole day practising 'take-offs and landings' with only one engine, rehearsing the procedure necessary for a successful landing should an engine fail due to enemy action. The following day, which was to be our last on the course before posting to a Squadron, we were detailed to fly out over the North Sea and carry out a navigational exercise called 'Creeping Line Ahead Search'. The aim of the exercise was to fly very low over a specific area of sea searching for a ship or dingy in distress.

Before take-off we were told to collect a Homing Pigeon, "just give him a ride." We duly reported to the Pigeoneer who selected our pigeon. The chosen bird was immediately replaced in his cage, with his mate in full view, giving him ample incentive to return home at the first opportunity! We didn't have to wait long!

We had been airborne at extremely low level over the North Sea for 1.5-2 hours with the pigeon (who by now we had christened Percy) in a canister at my feet, when inexplicably a propeller loosened from one engine, rotating in an ungainly manner before eventually breaking free and dropping into the sea.

Emergency radio signals were intermittently sent and our position plotted at base and other radio stations along the East coast of England and Scotland where we landed successfully with one engine. (Incidentally, whilst in trouble, on the way to Leuchars two Spitfire aircraft zoomed overhead and dived down ahead of us, a procedure they repeated several times.'Kamakasi pilots should not be in the RAF' we both agreed. It was later we learned that the two aircraft had been sent to show us the way to the nearest drome or to mark our position should we ditch in the sea!)

However, the landing was successful and we were escorted from the plane for debriefing where we relaxed in the glory of our success when suddenly I remembered 'Percy!' I had sealed hs canister when ditching was looking like a possibility! 'Not to worry' they said, 'our Engineer will look after him'. An airman was sent out to the aircraft, removed the canister and set it down on the aircraft wing. He then removed the sealing cap and wihdrew the pigeon with the intention of giving it a light massage. Unfortunately, Percy had other ideas. He wriggled free from the airman's hands, promptly shook his tail feathers, stretchd out his wings and took off! This didn't look good.

We stayed the night as guests of the Norwegian Squadron and returned to our base at Catfoss the next day. I was extremly concerned about Percy, but when I enquired was told "Not to worry. He arrived back fighting fit early this morning."

A few days after Operational Training was completed we learned we were to be posted to Coastal Command Squadron in the Middle East. Where precisely we were not told, but a new aircraft was to be collected from Melton Mowbray and flown out to Cairo. We had the responsibility of delivering the Beaufighter to an aircraft pool and ourselves to a Personnel pool, both awaiting a call to service.

After a few circuts of air and fuel consumption tests at Melton Mowbray our flight plan was to proceed to Portreath in Cornwall where we would top up with fuel and wait for a convenient time and favourable weather conditions to take-off for Rabat-Sale, Morocco. The Beaufighter was a rocket firing type which involves having four sets of runners under each wing. Preparation for the flight therefore meant removing these runners and stowing them in the aircraft fuselage together with all our personal baggage, leaving precious spare room between pilot and navigator.

The flight plan was for the first leg to fly to North Africa across the Bay of Biscay following an arc well out in the Atlantic to give a wide berth from the French coast, (out of range of the German fighters). It was estimated we had sufficient fuel to be airborne for six and a half hours. We landed at Rabat in 6 hours 20 minutes!!

The rest of the flight across North Africa to Cairo was reasonably uneventful, flying south of Tunisia which was still occupied by the Germans, continuing East across Africa in four hops landing at Biskra, Castel Benito, Marbel Arch and Cairo.

We were immediately parted from the aircraft and allowed to relax over several days before being posted to Mersa Matru to join 252 Squadron, a squadron with whom we remained as a crew for 12 months.

But that's another story ..........

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