大象传媒

It was whilst I was on Air/Sea Rescue that my aircraft was shot up one evening, again by a Me 110 which should have come back and finished us off. Fortunately for us it didn't and we were just high enough for me to keep the aircraft out of the sea. Once more I limped home on one engine, coming in on a wing and a prayer again, whilst in great pain from the pressure on my body of preventing the aircraft from turning over and crashing. I was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for saving the lives of my crew that day.

Not long after this I had completed three tours of Ops and my front line flying was definitely over this time. I was selected to be a Top Gun Instructor with Training Command and was posted to RAF Castle Combe in Wiltshire. There, on a cold, wet, starless, pitch dark February evening I took off for a routine weather check. Just 50 feet into the air the propeller blade on my starboard engine shredded and I just managed to prevent the aircraft from turning over and crashing into the houses of Castle Combe village.

The young WAAF R/T controller who talked me down that night and undoubtedly saved my life later became my wife. On 12 July this year (2005) we will celebrate our Diamond wedding anniversary.

You can read much more about Ted Cowling's wartime exploits in his fascinating, funny and sometimes desperately tragic autobiography, 'The Journey', proceeds of which will go towards the Severn Hospice.

This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by Becky Barugh of the 大象传媒 Radio Shropshire CSV Action Desk on behalf of Ted Cowling and has been added to the site with his permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

See more of Ted's stories:

• 1) How important it is to feel welcome
• 2) Neither darkness nor fighter cover for protection
• 3) Highly dangerous missions
• 4) A hand picked crew
• 5) I left Oban for the last time
• 6) Winds that cut like a knife

漏 Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.