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Aviation History
1955
1955 - 0497.PDF
15 April 1955 497 SERVICE AVIATION Royal Air Force and Fleet Air Arm News Air Marshal Sir Harold Lydford, A.O.C.-in-C, Home Command (on right) and A. Cdre. M. H. Dwyer, A.O.C. No. 62 Group (left) recently visited Bristol Aircraft at Filton. They were flown there in a Sycamore piloted by Mr. C. T. D. Hosegood (left centre) and are seen after being met by Mr. W. R. Fames, aircraft division sales manager. Promotion to Air Chief MarshalT HE promotion is announced of AirMarshal Sir Donald Hardman to the rank of air chief marshal. Since May 1954he has been Air Member for Supply and Organization, and before that he was C.A.S.of the R.A.A.F. from January 1952. Imme- diately before that he was A.O.C-in-C,Home Command. Sir Donald was born in 1899 and wasawarded a D.F.C. while flying with the R.F.C. and R.A.F. during World War I.After the war he went up to Hertford College, Oxford, and then rejoined theR.A.F. with a short-service commission in 1921. He was granted a permanent com-mission four years later. Cranwell Passing-outT HE 64th Entry of General Duties Branch flight cadets who passed out from the Royal Air Force College, Cran- well, on April 5th, 1955, were placed in the following order of merit: — 1, U/Off. J. F. Merry; 2, S. U/Off. F. M. A.Hines; 3, S. U/Off. J. N. Sawyer; 4, S. F/Cdt. A. D. Meeks; 5, U/Off. R. Horsfield; 6, U/Off.A. Salter; 7, S. U/Off. D. N. Cousins; 8, U/Off. D. C. Whitman; 9, U/Off. J. Breden-kamp; 10, S. F/Cdt. C. A. Herbert; 11, U/Off. P. M. Papworth; 12, S. F/Cdt. J. C. Holdway;13, S. F/Cdt. A. W. Skinner; 14, S. F/Cdt. M. G. Thomas; 15, S. F/Cdt. P. D. Penfold;16, U/Off. L. R. Morgan; 17, S. F/Cdt. J. S. Cresswell; 18, S. F/Cdt. S. M. V. Situnayake;19, U/Off. M. A. Noble; 20, S. F/Cdt. R. A. Jackson; 21, S. F/Cdt. F. S. Masterson; 22,S. F/Cdt. A. P. Hilton; 23, S. F/Cdt. K. McDonald; 24, S. F/Cdt. A. L. Willings; 25,S. F/Cdt. N. G. Lea; 26, S. F/Cdt. R. L. Barcilon; 27, S. F/Cdt. C. G. Richardson. Equipment Branch: 1, S. F/Cdt. D. A.McArthur; 2, S. F/Cdt. G. H. Hopkins; 3, S. F/Cdt. M. A. K. Ayub. R.N.Z.A.F. Sqn. Leaves CyprusO N April 7th No. 14 Squadron,R.N.Z.A.F., began its move from Cyprus to Singapore, in accordance withthe decision to concentrate New Zealand and Australian contributions to defence inthe Far Eastern area. The squadron has been in Cyprus fornearly two-and-a-half years, flying R.A.F.- supplied Vampire 9s. The aircraft havebeen left in Cyprus and Venom fighter bombers are being taken over in Singapore.Some families and squadron personnel are travelling by ship, while the remainder arebeing flown by Hastings of No. 40 Sqn, R.N.Z.A.F.Sir Robert Armitage, the Governor of the Island, reviewed the squadron at afarewell ceremony which was also attended by Air Marshal Sir Claude Pelly, C-in-C. M.E.A.F., A. Cdre. C. D. C. Boyce, A.O.C.Cyprus, and senior officers of H.Q., M.E.A.F. During the war No. 14 Squadron flewKittyhawks and Corsairs in the South Pacific and afterwards formed part of theair forces of occupation in Japan. During its attachment to M.E.A.F. it has gaineda fine reputation, not only during visits to most of the stations in the area, but alsofor its prowess in sports; throughout the unit's stay, its rugby team remained un-beaten. While in Cyprus No. 14 was com- manded by S/L. S. M. Hope and S/L.N. H. Bright. Kenya Awards '"THE following is a continuation of the••• list of awards made to members of the R.A.F. for service in Kenya, the first partof which appeared last week. D.F.C.F/L. F. A. Train. Since joining No. 1340 (Harvard) Flight in Kenya in June 1953 foroperations against the Mau Mau, F/L. Train has flown 404 sorties against terrorists, involv-ing 410 hours' flying. At the altitudes at which the Harvards operate in Kenya there islittle room for error by pilots, the terrain being extremely difficult and the weather unpredict-able. From August to October 1954, he served as flight commander and with his command-ing officer shared the responsibility of organ- izing and controlling the Flight's operations. A.F.C.F/O. S. Brisk. From March 30th, 1953, until February 1954, F/O. Brisk served withNo. 1340 (Harvard) Flight on operations against the Mau Mau, completing 105 strikes.Later he joined the East African Communica- tions Flight at Eastleigh, in charge of Auster"sky-shouting" operations (broadcasting from aircraft to terrorists on the ground below).Up to October last year he had completed 83 sorties on this work. In addition he hasflown 370 hours on various types of com- munications aircraft, and his total flying timein the R.A.F. amounts to 3,750 hours on 25 types. B.E.M.F/Sgt. D. D. Clack. F/Sgt. Clack joined No. 1340 (Harvard) Flight at Mweiga, Kenya,in September 1953, being responsible for all aircraft armament, the bomb dump and thestation armoury. Under him, no aircraft has ever been held up by any armament deficiencyand up to October 1954 No. 1340 Flight had fired 1,237,300 rounds and dropped 28,200bombs on anti-Mau Mau operations, often exceeding 50 sorties daily with only six aircraftin constant use. Sgt. W. S. Williams. Senior armamentN.C.O. of No. 214 Squadron, Sgt. Williams • has been mainly responsible for the fact thathis squadron has been able to maintain the high intensity of bombing required of it onanti-Mau Mau operations. Sgt. R. Cowling, N.C.O. in charge of Harvard 2nd line servicing at R.A.F. Eastleighsince No. 1340 (Harvard) Flight was formed in 1953, Sgt. Cowling's initiative and drivehave been mainly responsible for the high standard of servicing and turn-round of air-craft from second-line servicing, which has helped the Flight achieve its exacting flyingtarget. Sgt. G. D. Watson. N.C.O. in charge ofR.A.F. Eastleigh's instrument section for 2i years, Sgt. Watson has been responsible forall second-line instrument servicing of the operational aircraft at the station. When troopswere being flown into Kenya early in the Mau Mau emergency he worked very long hoursservicing navigational instruments, and contri- buted in some measure to the success of theairlifts of that time. Mentioned in DespatchesF/O.s D. J. Hill and M. R. Holmes; Sgt. F. A. Brown; Cpl. M. V. Davis; Sen. A/C.sR. H. V. Ashley, H. C. R. Hill and M. Thomas; L. A/C.s K. E. Eagleton, P. N. Fallows andW. Henricks. R.A.F. Champions XJY drawing (six all) with the Army" at Twickenham on March 26th—on the run of the play they should have ledby a small margin—the R.A.F. won the season's inter-Services rugby football cham-pionship. In previous matches the Navy had defeated the Army and the R.A.F. the Navy.The Army led 6-0 well into the second half with a try by L/Bdr. S. A. Lowdonand a penalty goal kicked by Capt. A. B. Edwards. The R.A.F. had much the best ofthe closing stages of the game and scored a classic along-the-line try, with S.A/C.R. Blair, on the wing, the man to go over. F/O. M. R. Channer kicked a good penaltygoal, in gusty conditions, a few minutes later. If individual credits are to be given tothe airmen, they should perhaps go to for- wards F/O.s Collingridge, Bleasdale andCollard, to F/L. Paterson at full-back, and to the unusual football sense of F/O.Channer at stand-off. Reunions TT has been suggested that a reunion cock--*• tail party and dinner for past and present aircrew and officers of No. 613 (City ofManchester) Squadron, R.Aux.A.F., be held in Manchester next October. Thoseinterested in such a function are asked to contact F/L. L. A. Prickett, R.A.F., Ring-way, Manchester. R.N. Seaplane Bases, Port Said andAlexandria, and No. 269 Squadron will hold their 33rd annual reunion at StewartsRestaurant, Old Bond Street, London, W.I, on April 30th. Particulars from Mr. W. C.Shilling, Kewferry Drive, Northwood, Middlesex.
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