Big dance

And so we hit December 1943. Dad is flying a Hurricane IIC and is a solo pilot. For the first time, he is undertaking G.C.I (Interception). Had to use Dr Google for this one! It stands for Ground-Controlled Interception and seems to have been used to guide interceptor aircraft to an airborne target. Dad was also involved in dog fighting maneuvers; low flying formation; practice attacks; air to sea and formation; plus flying to Beirut (presumably from the 127 Squadron base). Knowing Dad, he would have enjoyed the cross-country flying to Beirut and back to base (December 9).

I’m having a bit of trouble deciphering his comments and their meaning.

• December 3: Beirut gun-posts. Not sure what this means. On this day, Dad was involved with “ack-ack co-op, low level” – I’ve encountered this term in his log book before. I’m not entirely sure but I believe it means anti-aircraft fire but I don’t understand the co-op part. Help please! I don’t get the comment about gun posts either.
• December 4: Tripoli – practice homings on way back – 10,000 ft. No idea, help!
• December 6: I can’t decipher the first word in the Comments section. The rest reads Baalbeck – quite nice! This was during low flying formation.

Dad would have really enjoyed the dance on December 8 back at base (I presume; although he says airport). My mother was a marvellous dancer. According to my Mum, Dad was so-so at dancing but I remember, as I was growing up, watching them dance together in the living room of my childhood home. Usually to Glenn Miller music – Dad’s favourite songs being Moonlight Serenade and A String of Pearls. To this day, I hear Glenn Miller music (which I’m very partial to) and it takes me back to that living room scene. Sometimes, Dad would ask me to dance with him but I trod all over his toes. Well, actually since I was around 10 years old or so, I would stand on his feet and he would guide me whilst he danced. It wasn’t until my 20s that I took up Latin and ballroom dancing for a few years.

So it was great to read that Dad attended a “big dance at airport last night – a real good show too“. I wonder what orchestra or musicians played? And where did the girls who surely participated in this dance come from? Did they have a big assembly hall that was cleared for the dance? I would SO love to have been there!

On December 8, Dad was flying to base (I think) and recorded “Curses” in the comment section of his log book. Why I wonder? Presumably, he wasn’t too keen on returning to base because he loved flying so much. On December 9, whilst flying cross-country to Beirut and back, Dad writes 1.10. I’m guessing this is for 1 hour and 10 minutes? The time it took to fly to Beirut and back?

And finally, a very intriguing comment on December 13 – Hitch-Hiked Back. From log book entries, doesn’t seem that Dad was involved in delivery of aircraft, so why was he hitchhiking back? On that day, he flew to Beirut in a Hurricane IIC marked with U, which he’d only flown once before in December (on the 1oth to Balbo). Where the heck is Balbo? Dr Google (as I lovingly refer to Google and its ability to give you answers) suggests that Balbo could be Baalbeck.

Well, a bit of a frustrating time for me in this section of Dad’s log book. The last date on this page is December 24 and that means the next page will be all about Christmas 1943. Can’t wait!

Click on photos below to enlarge.

Fireworks and shooting

Well, Dear Reader: I must offer up apologies for my long absence. My only excuse is that life and work is busy. I’ve been travelling too – to the North Island to see Dad’s brother, Uncle Peter; to South Africa; and to Australia. I have a bit of quiet time this week, so hopefully can start blogging again.

We now hit the week of November 20, 1943 and Dad is a solo pilot in a Hurricane IIC. I presume this is the same Hurricane he christened Valerie. He seems to be practicing low flying formation; undertaking convoy patrol; sector recco; air to sea firing; and, on November 23, flying the Kleiat-Rouad-Base route.

Dad noted quite a few things:

• November 22 – Lebanese President released. Fireworks and shooting in Beirut;
• on the same date – Shield leak over hills whilst in formation with C.O.;
• During the Kleiat-Rouad-Base flight – Lovely flying – the Lebanese hills looked wizard!;
• on November 24 – Five A/C – a record!;
• During formation on November 25 - Again 5 A.C.! The whole of the Beirut Detch! (can’t quite make out Dad’s handwriting – could be short for detachment?).
• During convoy patrol on November 27 – Lots of low cloud and rain.

Signing off Dad’s log book summary for November 1943 are F/Lt O.C. 127 Det.Beirut John Distin Hill and Squadron Leader Charles Frank Bradley. Well, at least I think this is right – both signatures are difficult to decipher but, a quick look at the list of pilots and squadron leaders for 127 squadron, leads me to think I have the names correct.

Click on photos below to enlarge.

Uncle Peter

Well dear reader: you probably think I’ve disappeared, never to update this blog again. Wrong! I’ve just been super busy with work, Christmas, New Year and getting to know my Dad’s brother, Uncle Peter. I’ve mentioned my Uncle a few times before and quite literally this blog has reunited me with him.

At the end of January, I went up to Levin to meet him again. I told you about my first visit in February 2012. That was the first time I’d seen my Uncle in about 30 years I think. From memory, I’d only met him twice before this, very briefly and with my father. Last year’s visit was a bit awkward because we don’t really know each other and he was too busy giving me my grandmother’s engagement ring and the family Bible.

This time around we spent a fantastic afternoon together and I learnt a lot about my Uncle and my grandfather. We didn’t spend too much time talking about Dad. Uncle Peter admitted that he didn’t really know or understand why they hadn’t kept in contact after WWII.

Last visit, Uncle Peter was reserved and I was too busy asking questions about Dad. For this visit, I asked a ton of questions about my Uncle and found out something I had no idea about – he too served in the War as an aircraft mechanic and was stationed on Guadalcanal. I was floored to hear that Lloyd Mason had been a tailor and had taken on my other uncle (David who died in 2006) in the tailoring business. So Lloyd Mason continued to be involved with Dad’s family after WWII (I hope Uncle Peter has this right – he was adamant it was Lloyd Mason).

He also told me that servicemen who were in the Pacific theatre of War, on returning home to NZ, were referred to as coconut men. The misconception being that they had not flown the dangerous missions of the European or African theatres of war; rather they snoozed under coconut trees. At least I think it was coconut men. I know it was coconut-something – we spoke about SO much that afternoon my memory might be a bit hazy.

He showed me some photos of my grandparents and I scored more of my grandmother’s jewellery – little brooches with a horse or arrow theme. I’m like my grandmother when it comes to horses – I have five and she had horses on her family farm back in Sussex, England. There was also a key-shaped brooch, which I suspect was given to her as a 21st birthday gift. Another brooch has NZ etched on blue enamel with the word Onward – I believe this is called a Sweetheart brooch. I guess my grandfather gave it to her. 

I discovered that my Uncle was a commercial artist (not a copywriter as I originally thought). In his living room are some fantastic drawings he did – you can see them below. Then he brought out the cap he wore during WWII and plonked it on his head. When he did this, I saw he has the same sense of humour my father had. Uncle Peter was much less reserved this time and told me he had just celebrated his 88th birthday. Both he and my Aunt Joyce seem to be in excellent health and now that I’m in contact with them, I plan to visit them again later this year.

Click on images below to enlarge.

The letterhead for my grandfather’s advertising agency – J.Jenkins Advertising Service.

Uncle Peter’s illustrations.

A photo of my Dad’s father – in Wellington and taken in his earlier years. I learnt that my grandparents didn’t have English accents despite both being born in the UK.

Uncle Peter’s WWII cap.

Uncle Peter wearing his WWII cap.

Uncle Peter told me that the childhood home was 10 Bristol Street, Wellington. I went for a visit.

Some of my grandmother’s brooches – the one at the top is my favourite with a horseshoe.

NZ Sweetheart brooch – the middle of the three brooches on the right.

Two years and 500 hours

Forgive me dear reader – I have been very busy over the last few weeks, so little time to blog. But anticipation is always a good thing and I know I have some dedicated readers who are eagerly awaiting new posts.

We’ve now hit November 1943 in Dad’s flying log. And the big news is that Dad seems to now have his own aircraft – a Hurricane IIC, which he christened Valerie. Here we go again with Valerie! I still haven’t quite cleared up the Valerie mystery. A South African pilot who flew with my father has one memory; but my Uncle Peter has an entirely different version of the Valerie mystery. At this point, I’m wondering if there were two gals named Valerie who knew my Dad.

Anyway. On November 5, 1943, Dad comments (when referring to a Hurricane IIC with the aircraft number L): A wizard A/C – the best Hurricane I’ve flown! Christened it Valerie. He seemed to fly this particular Hurricane a lot during November but wasn’t flying it when he escorted King Peter of the former Yugoslavia (November 10). I presume this was King Peter II who was in exile during WWII. No idea why Dad would have been escorting him or where King Peter was going.

But on the same date, Dad also reached his 500 flying hours and seemed to be very excited. Three days earlier (November 7), was the the two year anniversary of Dad receiving his wings and commission.

There are a few more comments of interest:

• November 11 during night flying in his Valerie Hurricane (as I call it) Dad remarked: Riots in Beirut between Lebanese and French.
• November 12 during night flying in his Valerie Hurricane – Lebanese President and Party imprisoned by French.
• November 13 during convoy patrol in his Valerie Hurricane – Wheel trouble, so went down to Base. Ok in the end.

Thank goodness Dad’s Hurricane didn’t let him down on November 13, otherwise I might not be here to tell you all the tales! I find the remarks that Dad is now making in his logbook fascinating. I can’t imagine what it must have been like to fly over Beirut during the night knowing about (or even seeing) riots taking place. And I know I keep saying this but…..since Dad rarely talked about his wartime flying experiences, it’s very hard for me to reconcile the fighter pilot with the man I knew as my father.

Click on images of logbook entries below to enlarge.

Helluva storm

October 1943 ends with Dad practicing section attacks; air to sea; low flying formations; and height climb to 25,000 feet. The summary of his flying for the month shows he flew the Hurricane IIC; Spitfire VC; and the Waco. There also seems to be a new squadron leader. P.W.Lovell signed off the flying summary for September 1943 but I can’t quite make out the signature for October.

Looking up the list of 127 Squadron pilots, which includes squadron leaders, it could be Charles Frank Bradley. Above the squadron leader’s signature is another signature – not Dad’s – looks to me like surname is Currie. There is a P/O James Hogan Currie appearing in the list of pilots but not a Flight Lieutenant Currie. But guess it is the same person as the one signing off in Dad’s logbook.

Entering November, 1943 there was apparently a wild storm brewing in Beirut where Dad was on detachment with 127 squadron. He comments (November 3): one helluva storm camp up – wind 60mph. We’d landed!

Wonder if any planes we’re damaged whilst parked at whatever airfield Dad was stationed at? Click on photos below to enlarge.

On detachment again

So back to Dad’s fighter pilot log – October 7th through to 23rd, 1943. He’s flying a Hurricane IIC; different ones I think due to the changing aircraft numbers (see photos below). Dad’s flying solo and practicing various flying maneuvers – low flying; air to sea with cine gun; practice interception; and formation.

There’s two new maneuvers – aerobatics and cloud flying; and ack-ack co-op. Dedicated readers will need to help me out on that last one. I had to look up ack-ack. I thought it was anti-aircraft fire and I seem to be right – but anyone who knows exactly what ack-ack co-op means, please leave a comment.

Dad makes four comments:

• October 9 – To Beirut (low flying) – on detachment again – aw! shucks! I NEVER heard Dad say aw! shucks! He must have been hanging around some Americans. Dad’s Record of Service (which is at the back of the logbook) shows that from October 9th through to December 8th, he was on detachment with the 127 Squadron in Beirut, Lebanon. But I have no idea why. On December 8th, he then went back to Palestine before returning to Beirut again on January 26, 1944.
• October 1o – Cine gun – Not a clue – too early in the morning I think!! Guess that means Dad wasn’t too impressed with being up early and having to practice with the Cine gun.
• October 17 – Practice interception – stomping around in 10/10ths cloud – cold as ice. No joy! No idea what 10/10ths cloud refers to. Help please!
• October 22 – Ack-Ack Co-Op – Four a/c beating up Beirut Harbour – whizzo! So we know that Dad was sent on detachment to Beirut on October 9. So I’m presuming he was there to help defend Beirut?

His Grand Total flying hours are now 471 and 15 minutes. Click on photos below to enlarge.

Code letters

I’ve said a few times now that I’m totally clueless about WWII aircraft and aviation history. Funny thing is, I have a Uni degree in History but I majored in American History. Anything you want to know about the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s, just ask me.

So I’m partly placing my neck on the proverbial chopping block every time I do a post. Because there are so many knowledgeable people out there with far more expertise than I’ll ever have on WWII. And that’s okay because, when I picked up Dad’s logbook and WWII photo album, I knew I had to create this blog and go through the logbook page by page as a learning experience. To find out more about the man as WWII fighter pilot; rather than the man I knew so well as a great and loving father who rarely talked about his war or flying experiences. And part of this learning is to be corrected or given additional information.

One of the knowledgeable people now giving me some guidance is Errol W. Martyn, who I found on the Wings over New Zealand aviation forum. Errol has published three volumes under the title: For Your Tomorrow – A record of New Zealanders who have died while serving with the RNZAF and Allied Air Services since 1915. You can read a review here.

Errol has pointed out a correction needed to my post called First Effort. In that post, I asked why the Hurricane II had a letter as the aircraft number (W, T, X, P, H and so on). As Errol explains:

EJ, BZ and 9N were 127 Squadron’s code letters used at certain times during the war (depends when, but only one two letter code at any one time). W, T, X, etc are the code letters allocated to individual aircraft. Each aircraft also had an RAF serial number (e.g. X1234) usually painted in small letters on the rear fuselage. Log book entries can vary, depending on the pilot’s inclination, in identifying which aircraft was flown on a sortie – he might use the serial, the full three letter code or just the individual aircraft letter. When an aircraft went missing or was written off a replacement machine would in due course normally take up the ‘lost’ code letter. So an aircraft identified as EJ-W or just W could have been, for argument’s sake, serial X1234, then V9876, etc.

And another interesting piece of information Errol has passed on is this:

Incidentally, radio (voice) transmission from aircraft was very short range in those days. This was generally limited to use between fighters in the air and when operating near base (or stations as they were then called). Multi-crewed aircraft with a wireless operator (trained in Morse, not voice transmission) in their crew relied mostly on radio telegraphy (Morse). Only when near base was radio normally used, then by the pilot, not the wireless operator.

Awesome! Thanks Errol.