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Photocopy of a very detailed word-processed account (330pp, written 2000 - 2002), entitled ‘Ask Him if He’s Lucky’, illustrated throughout with copies of photographs, cartoons, pamphlets and other documents, covering his service in the Royal Air Force (RAF) 1942-1947, with details of leaving the Home Guard after losing a rifle, training as a cadet with 480 Squadron, Air Training Corps (ATC), Longbridge Works (October 1940 - November 1942), age and status as engineering apprentice, promotion to Sergeant, attending summer camp at RAF Wyton (1941), his interest in joining the RAF but worrying about his lack of physical stature, volunteering at a RAF recruiting Centre in Birmingham (May 1942), continuing his engineering apprenticeship at Austin Motor Company but failing the engineering degree exams (July 1942), attending ATC summer camp at RAF Atherstone on Stour (Summer 1942), including air experience flights in Wellington, getting engaged to his landlady’s daughter (November 1941), being called up and reporting as a cadet to Air Crew Receiving Centre (ACRC), RAF St John’s Wood, London (November - December 1942), accommodation, clocking in/out system, copies of letters he sent home to his sister, inoculations, fellow volunteers, equipment, church parades, posting to ‘B’ Flight, 2 Squadron, 8 Initial Training Wing (ITW), Newquay, Cornwall, billeted in Penhallow Hotel (December 1942), equipment, photos taken of the Flight, fellow cadets, sports training and PT, cross-country escape and evasion exercises (March 1943), rifle training and clay pigeon shooting, Aldiss lamp Morse code training, aircraft recognition, lectures on importance of oxygen at altitude, the removal of an impacted wisdom tooth and after effects, his opinion of Squadron Leader Fabian and a story of satirising unofficial system of lanyard awards, recreations and walking, his selection for training as navigator under PNB Scheme (Pilot/Navigator/Bomb Aimer) (March 1943), the reactions of Squadron Leader Fabian and relative status of pilots and navigators within RAF, not regretting his decision, promotion to Leading Aircraftman on passing out (April 1943), leave, advice from flight sergeant navigator on forming crew at Operational Training Unit (OTU), a period at Heaton Park Transit Camp, Manchester (April – May 1943), period at Ludlow Transit Camp (May – July 1943), tent accommodation, pubs in Ludlow and drinking habits, ‘record concerts’ held by local civilians, his decision not to volunteer for training and rapid posting as air gunner, a tactical ambush exercise (June 1943), a period at Heaton Park Transit Camp, RAF, Manchester (July 1943), issue of tropical and flying kits, train journey to Greenock, voyage aboard RMS HIGHLAND CHIEFTAIN to Durban, South Africa (July – August 1943), the hold, messdeck and hammocks, absence of seasickness, sailing in convoy, relationship with crew, visit to Freetown, Sierra Leone, concert parties, flying fish and phosphorescence, practical jokes, disembarkation at Cape Town, reception from ‘the Lady in White’ Perla Siedle Gibson on arrival at Durban, a visit ashore, disembarkation, initial period at Clairwood Transit Camp (August – September 1943), airgraph letter contact with the UK, visits to Durban, train journey and posting to ‘C’ Flight, 21 Course, 48 Elementary Air Navigation School, Woodbrook Camp, East London, South Africa (September – December 1943), train journey via Ladysmith, hut accommodation, reception, air navigation/meteorology lectures and manuals, introduction to astronomical navigation and memories of instructor, navigation exercises and tests, fellow cadets, hospitality provided by Jewish Club in East London, concerts, cinema and stage shows, 36-hour local leave in East London hotel, awareness of the colour bar and segregation, question of anti-British element amongst Afrikaans, thoughts of ‘The Outspan’ magazine, story of an unpopular officer inspecting parade and his reaction to cadet’s comical appearance, seeking posting to Oudtshoorn to stay with friends, posting to 49 Course, 45 Air Navigation School, Oudtshoorn, Cape Province (December 1943 – April 1944), the train journey to Port Elizabeth, his wariness of homosexual approaches, bungalow accommodation and roommates, continuation of navigation training related to flying experience, relationship with officers and navigation instructors, 1st and 2nd navigator training during flights in Anson and Oxford, Air Ministry Bombing Trainer tower system, enjoyment of posting and opinion of “eccentric” CO Group Captain ‘Firpo’ Chichester, Christmas celebrations (December 1943), attack of gastro-enteritis, treatment of a case of ‘dhobi itch’, teaming up with a pilot friend, Mervyn Burchill, 48-hour local leaves at Mossel Bay (January 1944), including hospitality of South African civilians, getting severe sunburn and discomfort during subsequent flight as navigator, photographic and bombing training, night navigation exercises including use of visual bearings and sextant, his room-mates, another Mossel Bay trip, using an Astro-graph projector to fix position, bombing practice in Oxfords, an officer failing to open bomb doors, a nervous Belgian pilot, writing articles for ‘The Sprog’ the 45 ANS magazine, and ‘Ashton Gazette’, coming top in exams, getting an RAF Commission, end of course dinner in the Hotel Imperial (April 1944), story of Group Captain Chichester at passing out parade and receiving his brevet, handing in airman’s uniform and grant to purchase officers kit, posting to Clairwood, train journey, reading his personal report, hospitality of South African civilians during overnight stop at Bloemfontein and anti-British nature of Boer War Museum, time at Clairwood Transit Camp (April 1944), improved conditions of service as officer; tailored uniforms, visits to Durban nightclubs, question of pass outs, his 21st birthday, story of a late return to camp, posting to Pretoria, then a flight on Dakota to Almaza airfield, Cairo, Egypt (April – May 1944), overnight stops, an incident with a charpoy bed and scorpion, period at 22 Personnel Transit Camp, Almaza and No 5 (Middle East) Air Crew Reception Centre, RAF, Heliopolis, Cairo (May 1944), tent accommodation, impressions of recreational visits to Cairo including street vendors, musicians, and pimps, trips to Heliopolis, posting to No 1 (ME) Air Crew Reception Centre, RAF, Jerusalem, Palestine (May 1944), another homosexual approach by a fellow officer, meeting Pilot officer Harry Tennant and stories of local leave to religious sites in Palestine and Syria, a trip to Beirut, visit to ‘Garden Tomb’ religious site, period in 179 Leave Camp, Nathaniya and story of riding horses from army remount centre, flying Wellington Bombers with 76 Operational Training Unit, RAF at Aqir, Palestine (June – September 1944), joining an initial crew with a pilot who subsequently deliberately failed the course, joining another crew with Flying Officer George Hingley (Pilot), Pilot Officer William Greensmith (Wireless Operator), Sergeant Norman Morris (Bob Aimer) and Sergeants ‘Taffy’ Harries, John Lorman and Frank Mortimer (Air Gunners), differences in flying in Wimpey’s, cold flying at height, individual trade training on ground including classroom navigational exercises, story of forgetting height of Mt Etna while ‘flying’ over Sicily, introduction of ‘Gee’ electronic navigation and the crew’s dislike of its inaccuracies, simulating operations including question of avoiding being coned by searchlights, corkscrew evasion technique and air sickness, relationships within crew and stories illustrating attitude to Pilot Officer Bill Greensmith, posting to 1675 Heavy Conversion Unit (HCU), RAF Abu Sueir, Canal Zone (September – October 1944), flying Liberators, details of some of the twelve crews there, barrack room shared with Pilot Officer Harry Tennant, training on Bendix radio ‘compass’ and Fluxgate distant reading compass, training on gyroscope B3 drift meter, nature of Liberator including layout, crew stations auxiliary power unit, access to nose compartment, navigator’s, station, communication with pilot using message chits to confirm course alterations, navigational instrument panel, airspeed indicator, astro-watch and importance of accurate time-keeping, compass corrections, question of sights on Pole Star from astrodome and bomb aimer carried, thoughts on the Liberator’s shortcomings, question of use of throat mike or oxygen mask mike on intercom system, question of ground training and lectures, amusing story of briefing room noticeboard illustrating navigators’ attitude to pilots, role on first flight as ‘pilot’s mate’ in Liberator (29 September 1944), problems of Flying Officer George Hingley in landing Liberator and accidents flying Wellingtons on previous tour, navigational problems on night propaganda leaflet mission over Crete (5-6 October 1944), leave in Alexandria (October 1944), a week in tents at 22 Personnel Transit Camp, Almaza, purchase of camp kit for when on tours, duties as orderly officer, posting to Italy, flight there (October 1944), based at 3 Base Personnel Depot, Portici, Italy (October – November 1944), accommodation, story of visit to Pompeii ruins and rude souvenirs, getting drunk on wine in a bar with Sergeant Norman Morris for his 21st birthday and reception on return to camp, background to delay in posting to squadron due to conversion of 205 Group, RAF to Liberator, consequent posting as replacement crew to 34 Squadron, South African Air Force based at Celone, Foggia, Italy (November 1944 – January 1945), first impressions of muddy camp, officers and men, nature of accommodation, nature of officers’ mess including relationship with South African officers, memories of various South African and RAF officers and stories of their prior raids, facilities in the camp, disadvantage of life under canvas, food rations, playing cards, mess games and drinking habits, a familiarisation flight including navigation using GEE, steel (PSP) runway and question of construction of new runway at Celone, account of partisan supply operation in mountains SE of Trento, Yugoslavia (12 November 1944), supply drop marking flares and role of partisan, cloud problem over DZ, turning back to drop containers over DZ, flight back, landing procedure, taxing to dispersal zone, handover to ground crew, debriefing and crew morale, daylight bombing raid on Visegrad road bridge, Yugoslavia (19 November 1944), including route over target, use of GEE, confusion over bombs ‘hanging up’, consequent use of emergency jettison lever and debriefing, night bombing raid over Padgorica, Yugoslavia, (20 November 1944), including use of timed photo flash device to photograph results of bombing, question of inadequate release chute for British photo flash in Liberator and consequent requirement to release by hand from hatch, role of pathfinders and master bomber of 614 Sqdn, RAF in marking target with parachute flares, nature of photos, story of throwing out photo flash device, walking back across bomb doors and subsequent realisation of risk entailed, review of rival partisan groups in Yugoslavia, supply drop to Tuzla (23 November 1944), escape and evasion kits, supply drop to Teslic (6 December 1944), flights carrying troops from Manduria airfield, Brindisi area to Athens, Greece, detailing the situation, adaptions required to Liberator and reduced crew carried, overnight accommodation at Manduria, carrying 20 soldiers, flying at 8,000 feet, question of ELAS artillery fire on Athens airfield, story of landing in poor weather conditions at RAF Foggia Main, problems in carrying cargo of ammunition to Athens, reports of Liberator landing in bad weather at Araxis, Greece, delayed take off and attacks by ELAS insurgents and consequent loss of aircraft, officers’ mess Christmas party, including use of ‘Window’ decorations, story of securing medical attention for Sergeant Johnny Larman injured in fight and getting drunk, daylight supply drop mission to partisans in Cromelji, Yugoslavia, story of hangover on supply mission to Tuzla, Yugoslavia (26 December 1944), including replacement rear gunner Flying Officer Harry Goucher, use of oxygen to clear hangover, reaction of Goucher to highly strung character of Flying Officer George Hingley and personal opinion of Hingley, South Africans seeing snow, story of having drinks spiked by Sergeant Johnny Larman during sergeants’ mess party, story of US Flying Fortress night raid in bad weather (January 1945), including sound of take-off and crash landing of Fortress on take-off, supply drops to Circhina, Yugoslavia, 15 and 18 January 1945) (Op Crayon), cold conditions in Liberator, heating device and latrine arrangements, leaving 34 Squadron SAAF, local leave in Rome including lorry journey, assistance from army personnel, reactions to view of Monte Cassino battlefield and hotel accommodation, amusing story of selling cigarettes on black market, story of buying false noses and visit to variety theatre, suspicions of apparent Italian prostitute, visits to bars, contact with army officers, drinking habits, visits to opera and photos, including visits to St Peters and Vatican, story of visit to bar and impromptu rugby scrum and return to unit, posting to ‘B’ Flight, 70 Squadron, 205 Group, RAF, based at Tortorella, Italy (February – April 1945), initial quiet period during conversion of unit to Liberators, officers’ mess in farmhouse, memories of Squadron Leader ‘Frosty’ Winterbottom, Squadron Leader Pat Ferrie and CO Wing Commander Geoffrey Mills, tent accommodation and water heater, food rations, a daytime raid on Trieste docks (17 February 1945), problem with bomb doors failing to open, flight back and question of dumping bombs on freeing jammed bomb doors, a raid on Udine marshalling yards targeting rolling stock, absence of forward turret and question of consequent tail-heavy flying characteristic, question of photoflash thrown out by rear gunner, successful daylight raid on naval armaments depot at Pola (21 February 1945), with photos of the bombing, issue of Irvin jackets and khaki battledress due to lack of blue battle dress, automatic promotion to Flying Officer, unofficial squadron scarf, visits to officers’ club in Foggia including drinking habits, background to writing of 70 Squadron parody song ‘As Flak Goes By’, casualties during missions over heavily defended Verona railway marshalling yards, rumour that aircrew were lynched by local fascists, being able to get copies of bombing photographs, operation against marshalling yards at Brescia, introduction of points system based on type of raid to determine length of flying tour, superstition amongst crews, story of forgetting protractor from navigation kit; superstition over aircraft code letters ‘G’ and ‘T’, raids on Arsa Channel facilities, and night attack on marshalling yards at Casara (4 March 1945), memories of Flying Officer Frank Hales and circumstance of death in mid-air collision with 34 Squadron Liberator whilst circling airfield, reports on condition of burnt corpses, burial party journey to Bari, effects of explosion of ammunition ship in Bari harbour, the military funeral, precautions to prevent future mid-air collisions in aircraft circling over airfields, story of collecting replacement Liberator from Capdichino airfield, Naples (8 March 1945), including view of rapid US road repairs, problem with undercarriage selector, attitude of US passenger, story of Flying Officer George Hingley using wrong latrine tube and messages left from US women who had built Liberator, seeing two ME 210s that did not attack, and question of German morale, story of use of 70 Squadron ‘war cry’ ‘Hod Hod’ whilst over target, story of volunteering as stand-in navigator for Flying Officer Cartwright during raid on Treviso (13 March 1945), including aborted raid, stories of bartering whisky with US personnel, popularity of ‘Two Types by ‘Jon’; story of flying ‘doglegs’ to correct discrepancies in flight plan during supply mission to Cronomelj (15 March 1945), with a photo of the drop, story of Liberator hit by bomb which did not detonate during daytime raid on Monfalcone (16 March 1945), including damage to aircraft, question of responsibility for accident and photos of incident, duties as orderly officer and question of allowing bar to remain open for ground crews, ground crew tent accommodation, stove heating and consequent fires, night raid on railway marshalling yards at Bruck, Austria (19 March 1945), including failure of pathfinders to mark target and consequent aborted raid, background to development of Skywave Synchronised (SS) Loran long range navigational aid using sky waves and test flight, attack on yards at Novska, abandonment of points system to determine length of operational tour due to a casualty on his 44th mission, celebrations on completion of second tour by Flying Officer George Hingley, attitude of Wing Commander Geoffrey Mills, lack of pilot and status as spare crew, stories of local leave in Sorrento camp (April 1945), including hotel accommodation, story of Flying Officer George Hingley getting drunk in bar and parties, drunken party in sergeants’ mess on departure of Flying Officer George Hingley, (April 1945), volunteering for staff navigator course, joining crew as replacement navigator with Fight Lieutenant Bobby Lockhart and Flying Officer Stacey (Bomb Aimer), a photo of 70 Squadron officers, flying missions to assist ground operations against German troop concentrations and supply dumps in Bologna area (11-19 April 1945), reactions to approach of end of war, final mission of raid on removable span bridge at Verona (23 April 1945), end of operations by 205 Group, RAF, being granted tour-expired despite only doing 38 operations, leaving 70 Squadron, flying from Bari to Cario (May 1945), then posting on staff navigator course in Palestine, joining a course at Middle East Staff Navigational School at Eine Shemer, Palestine (May – September 1945), the course being put back due to VE Day celebrations, fellow officers and instructors, the training and lectures, boring dictated course notes, navigation training flights in Wellingtons including difference in techniques required for different RAF Commands and exercise flight to Catania, Sicily, news of atomic bomb (6 August 1945), question of VJ celebration in Lydda officers’ club (15 August 1945), assessment and award of 2nd class navigator’s certificate, leave in Alexandria (August 1945), period at 22 PTC, Cairo, finding out Hingley had been awarded a DFC, posting to 104 Squadron, 236 Wing, RAF, at RAF Abu Sweir and RAF Shallufah, Egypt (October 1945 – June 1947), background to his initial posting as replacement navigation leader and his reception, a flight in a Liberator back to the UK (November 1945), visiting his fiancée but feeling no affection and subsequent decision to break off engagement, story of landing on wrong runway at RAF Mawgan and flight back to Abu Sweir, re-equipment with Lancaster and engine problems suffered in Middle East conditions, posting of Lancaster trained crews to unit, re-equipment with Lancaster Mark VII originally intended for Far East service, comparisons of Lancaster VII, Liberator and Flying Fortress, Christmas celebrations (25 December 1945), background to replacement as navigation leader by Flight Lieutenant Harry King, relationship with Wing Commander Marriott, memories of Wing Commander William Jennens, exercises and transport flights, hospitalisation with appendicitis at Castle Beneto, Tripoli, Libya, attending a court martial as a junior officer under instruction, political situation and squadron move to RAF Shallufah, Canal Zone (July 1946), situation on takeover of airfield with advance party, resumption of role as navigator leader, wondering whether to apply for temporary or permanent commission, turning down a return to the Austin works and his apprenticeship, his role in charge of German POW camp at Shallufah, having a German batman, cigarettes supplied by South African German sympathisers, flying in the Canal Zone and Palestine, a flight to buy gin from Mogadishu distillery, Somaliland, reorganisation of reduced strength squadrons and composition of 236 Wing with 37, 40, 70, and 104 Squadrons, role as wing navigator leader (September 1946), relationship with and memories of navigators including organisation of demobilisation, an attack of sandfly fever, story of an aircraft crashing on landing, voluntarily deferring his demobilisation for six months (November 1946), leave in the UK, visiting St Catherine’s monastery, Mount Sinai, local leave in Valley of Kings, Luxor, flights to Aden, Khartoum and Asmara, Christmas 1946, memories of a visit to a bar in Athens, Greece (January 1947), question of piloting skills of new Wing Commander Eversely due to his lack of recent experience and story of refusal to act as his navigator, Yugoslavian pilots at Shallufah and their black market activities, officers’ mess returning to pre-war formality including introduction of regular formal dining, training new navigators including use of Air Position Indicator and H2S radar, a visit to Rome, Italy (February 1947), his opinion of Squadron Leader Wolsey and reprimands for poor drill standards, story of being late on parade and subsequent reprimand from Wing Commander Oxley, applying to BOAC, destroying a lot of his letters received, recreation including ENSA and opera performances, reactions to left-wing lecturer in officers’ mess, a group being attacked by Egyptian civilians during recreational visit to Port Suez and breaking his nose (March 1947), a search for a missing French JU52 airliner over Western Desert, newcomers at Shallufah, reaction to formation and abandonment of Ferry Flight to fly Lancasters back to the UK, low morale, Egyptian currency and reactions to increase in price of beer, role providing navigational support flying with Spitfire to Nicosia, Cyprus, and another to Nairobi, Kenya (April 1947), problems with various watches used in navigation, conversion of Lancaster to carry senior army officers, securing a flight in the Lancaster carrying General Sir Miles Dempsey’s kit back to the UK, demob party in officers’ mess and story of ducking Flying Officer Tyler and Squadron Leader Ken Hubbard in static water tank (8 June 1947), flight in Lancaster back to the UK (10-11 June 1947), including use of GEE chain along North African coast, overnight stay at Castle Benito, opinion of ADC, prior new navigation kit, running into storm and air sickness suffered by ADC, reception at customs at RAF Marston, flight on to RAF Aston Downs, the period in England prior to demobilisation at Lytham St Annes (June 1947), reception on return to Alcester, leave in Lake District with his sister, visit to Blackpool, demobilisation procedure and demob suit, his post-war career, joining BAOC (March 1948), work as navigating officer with BAOC (1948-1964), and British United Airways (1964-1965), crews and planes, training and brief employment as teacher 1965-1967; flying as navigator with British Caledonian Airways, 1969-1976, and meeting with old RAF friends.
Together with appendices (66pp), including photocopies of extracts from his Flying Log Book, mostly showing operational flying, photocopies of photographs of aircrew at 1675 Heavy Conversion Unit (HCU), Abu Sueir, copies of Jon’s ‘Two Types’ cartoons, sketch maps of places he went to, songs sung in 70 squadron and elsewhere, photocopies of ENSA and other theatre programmes, photocopy of his Royal Air Force Navigation Warrant Second Class (March 1946), a glossary of abbreviations he used, photocopy of his RAF Service and Release Book (RAF Form 2520C).
