Desert Air Force - RAF: Sergeant Pilot Albert Digby Cooper

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Sergeant Pilot Albert Digby Cooper - No. 108 Squadron

November 3, 1942 - Canadians in one of the busiest R.A.F. bomber squadrons in Egypt find smashing up Rommel's retreating columns a more exciting job than flying the nightly "milk route" to Tobruk. The squadron has almost lost count of tons of high explosives dropped in the past few weeks. Canadians have been the the battle from all angles including the view a crew in the Wellington captained by Sergeant Pilot Albert Digby Cooper got when it skimmed homeward only a few feet above an artillery barrage. Cooper, whose crew includes two other R.C.A.F. men, Sergeants J.K. Lawson, Thorold, and P.J. Hom, was returning from a raid on Fuka when an engine cut out. He lost height so rapidly he couldn't reach his base, and pointed the nose groundward. Skimming over the artillery barrage, he set the bomber down just inside the British front line. "One minute less flying time and we would have landed smack in the middle of No-Man's-Land." Advance British troops picked up the crew and headed them for the rear. "Toughest part was the long walk back," said Hom. "We couldn't get a transport as every darn thing was moving the other way." Since the push against Rommel began, night squadrons have taken over where day bombers left off. The usual routine for No. 108 Squadron is two trips nightly on alternate nights. (Pilot Officer Cooper was killed in a flying accident, June 16, 1944)

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No. 3 Squadron

Squadron Leader R H M "Bobby" Gibbes, Commanding Officer of No. 3 Squadron RAAF, sitting in the cockpit of his Curtiss Kittyhawk, shortly after rescuing one of his pilots who had been brought down by anti-aircraft fire while the Squadron was attacking an enemy airfield on 21 December 1942. Gibbes landed his aircraft by the wreckage and took the pilot into his own cockpit. Although a wheel was knocked off on take-off, they got airborne safely and returned to base at Marble Arch, Libya, where he managed a successful landing on one wheel. The award of a DSO followed. (IWM)

Squadron Leader Robert Henry Gibbes, D.S.O., D.F.C
Bar to Distinguished Flying Cross
Citation: "This officer has displayed exceptional leadership, skill and courage, contributing in a large measure to the success of the squadron, he commands. On one occasion, daring an attack on an airfield at Bir Dufan, his aircraft was shot down. After walking for about 50 miles he was picked up by friendly forces and enabled to rejoin his squadron. Since then, Squadron Leader Gibbes has taken part in many sorties, attacking the enemy with vigour. He has destroyed at least 10 and damaged several other enemy aircraft."

Distinguished Service Order
Citation: "This officer has completed many operational sorties in which he has destroyed at least 9 enemy aircraft and damaged several others. On one occasion, he led a small force on a long range expedition to reconnoitre and attack an enemy airfield. Owing to his excellent leadership 7 enemy aircraft were destroyed on the ground. During the engagement, one of his pilots was forced to land his aircraft. Squadron Leader Gibbes immediately landed as near to him as possible and after waiting some time for his comrade, flew off with him. During the take-off, a wheel was knocked off the aircraft, but on reaching base, Squadron Leader Gibbes, effected a masterly landing, causing only slight further damage to his aircraft. Squadron Leader Gibbes, has displayed outstanding qualities of leadership and enthusiasm throughout his long
career of flying duties."

No. 6 Squadron

Flight Lieutenant Philip Snowdon Alexander Hillier
Distinguished Flying Cross
Citation: "In June, 1942, this officer participated in 2 sorties against a column of enemy armoured vehicles near Sidi Rezegh. On his first sortie, in the face of heavy fire, he made 4 low level attacks on the target, hitting several tanks. On his second sortie, he flew so low that part of the tail, unit snapped off on the turret of one of the vehicles he attacked. Despite the damage sustained to his aircraft he flew it safely to base. Flight Lieutenant Hillier played a gallant part in the operations which were attended with much success."

Flight Lieutenant Allan James Simpson
Distinguished Flying Cross
Citation: "In June, 1942, this officer led a fighter formation in an attack on a large number of enemy armoured vehicles in the Bir Hacheim area. Although he was wounded in the chest by enemy ground fire he continued to attack and obtained several hits on the objective. Although weakened by the loss of blood, and with his right arm useless, he attempted to gain height and evade the heavy barrage but his aircraft was hit. Hot oil sprayed over his face and, being unable to see owing to smoke which was penetrating into the cockpit, he was forced to leave his aircraft by parachute at about 500 feet. Flight Lieutenant Simpson descended safely however, and was rescued by one of our ambulance units. Throughout, he displayed great gallantry and outstanding devotion to duty."

No. 38 Squadron

Acting Flight- Lieutenant Michael Foulis
Distinguished Flying Cross
Citation: "In June, 1942, this officer captained an aircraft which participated in an attack on an Italian naval force. Despite poor visibility and in the face of an intense defensive barrage, he courageously pressed home his attacks from a very low altitude. His complete disregard of danger and his determination, set a splendid example. This officer has completed numerous sorties and he has invariably displayed daring of a high degree."

No. 40 Squadron

Pilot Officer Fred Craig Derry

Distinguished Flying Cross

Citation: " During his first tour of duty Pilot Officer Derry operated in support of the army in Egypt from June to November 1942. Since joining his present squadron in June 1943, he has completed a number of sorties in Sicily, Italy and Sardinia, consistently obtaining good results confirmed by excellent photographs. In August 1943, in an attack on Naples, he was the first to enter the defended area, and in the face of intense and accurate anti-aircraft fire he performed his allotted tasks with extreme efficiency."

No. 80 Squadron

Pilots of No. 80 Squadron RAF gather in front of one of their Hawker Hurricane Mark Is at a landing ground in the Western Desert, during Operation CRUSADER. In the middle of the group, wearing a white flying overall and smoking a pipe, is Squadron Leader M M Stephens, who commanded the Squadron from November until 9 December 1941 when he was shot down and wounded. During CRUSADER, 80 Squadron acted in close support of the Army, their Hurricane fighters being fitted with bomb racks to carry four 40 lb GP bombs, as seen here. Their first effective sorties as fighter-bombers were conducted against enemy vehicles south of Bir el Baheira on 20 November. (IWM)

No. 80 Squadron

Flight Lieutenant The Hon. David Arthur Coke
Distinguished Flying Cross
Citation: "This officer participated in an attack on enemy transport on the El-Adem-Acroma road one day in November, 1941, in which a large number of vehicles, tanks and mechanised transport were bombed and machine-gunned. The damage inflicted played a very large part in the blocking of the road. By his skill and leadership, Flight Lieutenant Coke contributed materially to the success achieved. In addition to the low flying machine-gunning operations which have been carried out, Flight Lieutenant Coke has led the squadron with great success in air combat. During an engagement 2 days later, the squadron shared in the destruction of 5 Messerschmitt 109's."

No. 92 Squadron - F/O P.C.J. Brickhill - POW

At 1243 hours on 17 March 1943, 12 aircraft of 92 Sqdn took off from Bou Grara. The incident concerning F/O Brickhill occurred at approx. 1305 hours. P/O Bruckshaw was at about 9000' about 2 miles out to sea when he saw three aircraft in line astern coming towards him about a mile away from the South, and about 500' above him. The leading aircraft, a Spitfire, when at the above position from P/O Bruckshaw turned about rate two to port and was closely followed by his No. 2 (50 yds behind) into the turn. As the third aircraft turned P/O Bruckshaw identified it as a Machi 202 and it was only about 50 yards behind the No. 2 (F/O Brickhill), he called up on the R/T to try to warn him. Simultaneously with his transmission, P/O Bruckshaw saw the enemy aircraft fire while in the turn and immediately F/O Brickhill's aircraft flicked into a turn the opposite way, and the ammunition was seen to explode in both mainplanes. The aircraft then fell down apparently out of control, and as P/O Bruckshaw was then himself being attacked, he lost sight of the a/craft. When next he saw the aircraft it was at about 2000' and a parachute was just opening. The aircraft crashed and burst into flames at Z.6109, and when the parachute was last seen it was drifting slightly to the S.W. of the burning aircraft.

No. 92 Squadron

(J/15044) Flight Lieutenant William Lawrence Chisholm
Distinguished Flying Cross
Citation: Pilot Officer Chisholm arrived in the Western Desert with No.92 Squadron at the beginning of July when the Squadron was flying Hurricane aircraft of No.80 Squadron. On his first patrol one wheel refused to retract; letting his enthusiasm override his good sense he carried on and when the squadron engaged escorted Stukas he succeeded in badly damaging a Stuka. Since that day, both on Hurricane and later on Spitfires, Pilot Officer Chisholm has flown and fought with great courage and shown great determination to get to grips with the enemy; moreover he has displayed considerable skill as a leader of a flight. He has destroyed five enemy aircraft, shared a further two destroyed, has probably destroyed two more and damaged three others.

He has proved himself a cool and capable leader; his invigorating influence and personal example have gone a long way to make "B" Flight a formidable fighting unit.

Bar to Distinguished Flying Cross
Citation: This officer has taken part in the squadron's activities since its arrival in the Western Desert. Throughout he has displayed gallant leadership and outstanding keenness. On one occasion he led the squadron in an attack on a force of enemy fighters and in the ensuing engagement two of them were destroyed without loss. Flight Lieutenant Chisholm, who has destroyed six enemy aircraft, has invariably displayed great courage and devotion to duty.

No. 108 Squadron

Acting Squadron Leader Donald Herbert Jacklin, D.F.C.
Bar to the Distinguished Flying Cross
Citation: "One night in "June, 1942, this officer was the pilot of a bomber aircraft detailed to attack the enemy near Fuka. After flying over the area for some 2 hours an enemy column was observed. Despite difficulties, Squadron Leader Jacklin manoeuvred to attack, but, whilst making his bombing runs, his aircraft was intercepted by a Junkers 88. In the ensuing engagement the bomber was repeatedly hit and the rear turret was put out of action. The aircraft lost height and was subjected to fire from the ground defences. Despite this, Squadron Leader Jacklin, by skilful manoeuvring; enabled his front gunner to deliver an effective burst at the attacking aircraft, setting the fore-part on fire. He then flew his damaged aircraft safely to one of our landing grounds where he made a skilful landing. Throughout, this officer displayed great courage and determination."

Sergeant Pilot Albert Digby Cooper

No. 148 Squadron

Acting Flight Lieutenant William Astell
Distinguished Flying Cross
Citation: "One, night in May, Flight Lieutenant Astell was captain of an aircraft which carried out an attack on an enemy landing ground. Following the attack, his aircraft was intercepted and damaged by an enemy fighter. The rear turret and rudder control were rendered unserviceable whilst fire broke out in the fuselage, the starboard wing, the engine nacelle and an ammunition container also caught fire and 2 members of the crew were wounded. The aircraft lost height and Flight Lieutenant Astell ordered his crew to escape by parachute. Two of them-were able to do so but time did not permit of similar action being taken by the navigator and Flight Lieutenant Astell. The latter was able to make a successful crash landing, however, and both he and his colleague managed to extricate themselves from the wreckage. After, a period of 5 days, fraught with danger, they eventually observed one of our patrols. Flight Lieutenant Astell went forward to make contact but, unfortunately, was unable to do so. He returned to the place where he thought he had left his colleague but he could not find him. Flight Lieutenant Astell eventually discovered another friendly detachment and reached safety. Throughout the engagement, and subsequently; this officer displayed great courage and fortitude."

No. 213 Squadron

Stanley Gilbert Brook, +(R/66328) John Richard Rebstock, +(J/7452) Clement Francis Amedee Cantin (Oct. 9, 1942), (R/54292) Harry Marcus Compton (1 SFTS); (J/15181) Gordon P. Waite, Lennoxville, Que.; (AUS401096) Ronald Prior Baines; (J/6367) Clifford Luxton (6 SFTS); (AUS404054) Barton Jodrell Campbell - PoW; +(NZ403502) Gordon Stuart Bolton - July 3, 42; + R.F. Wollanston - Sept. 1, 42; P.P. Wilson missing June 13, 42; G.A. Waite - PoW Nov. 13, 42; Frederick Albert William Johnson Wilson - 80/213/443 Sqns. Cdn. in RAF; (J5033) William Warman Swinden (Co. 19 2 SF); W.H. Stephenson - PoW Oct. 21, 42; +(R78215) John David Ritchie (Co. 20 1 SF) - killed July 3, 42; + D.R. Redhill - killed July 4, 42;

(402004) Sgt. Joseph Michael McCullough - Tomahawk AK. 554

August 25, 1941: While on patrol over shipping off Sidi Barrani, our aircraft were engaged in combat with the enemy, during which one of our machines were shot down. This was approximately 25 miles E.N.E. Ras El Mil Point. The aircraft was attacked by two Me.109's simultaneously, the machine immediately burst into flames, and I last saw it approximately 1,000 feet off the water. We continued our defense and returned to our base. As only one aircraft, the pilot of which was Sgt. McCullough was missing it is presumed that this was his aircraft.

J.E. Scoulan,
Squadron Leader,
Commanding
No. 250 Squadron

No. 260 Squadron

Flight Lieutenant William Ronald CUNDY, D.F.M. (Aus-402732), Royal Australian Air Force, No. 260 Squadron.
Distinguished Flying Cross
Citation: In November, 1942, this officer made an exceptionally daring attack on an enemy fighter in the vicinity of Tobruk. Undeterred by damage sustained by his aircraft from heavy anti-aircraft fire, Flight Lieutenant Cundy, displaying great coolness and determination bombed the ship which was set on fire and destroyed. Many troops were on board the vessel at the time. This officer has exhibited outstanding tenacity and gallantry on numerous occasions. He has taken part in many operational flights on escort duties, and in bombing and machine gunning ground targets. Since September, 1942, Flight Lieutenant Cundy has destroyed two enemy aircraft bringing his total victories to 5.

Distinguished Flying Medal
Citation: In the course of numerous operational sorties over enemy, he possesses fine qualities of leadership, keeness and determination. One recent occasion he displayed great skill in destruction of an enemy aircraft which attacked a fellow pilot. Undeterred by difficulties and hardships this airman has participated in various operational duties with outstanding gallantry and devotion to duty.

Wing Commander Robert Gordon Yaxley, M.C., D.F.C.
Distinguished Service Order
Citation: "Since the operations in the Western Desert commenced this officer has led his squadron with conspicuous success. Enemy airdromes far west of the battle area as Benghazi, have been attacked daily and other serious damage has been inflicted on the enemy. On the opening day of the operations a number of Junkers 52 aircraft carrying troops were encountered and seven of them were shot down. In addition to a daily toll of enemy aircraft destroyed, heavy casualties have been inflicted on ground crews, while lines of communication have been harassed and petrol tankers set on fire. Altogether, within a space of six days operations, no fewer than 46 of the enemy's aircraft were destroyed. Much of the brilliant success achieved can be attributed to the courageous leadership and determination displayed by Wing Commander Yaxley. Throughout he has set a magnificient example."

+(402139) Raymond Shaw

(3rd Draft) Embarked Sydney for Canada October 31, 1940

1 SFTS November 24, 1940 - February 11, 1941

30 Squadron: September 17 - December 1, 1941, 238 Squadron: December 14, 1941 - January 27, 1942, 450 Squadron: February 8 - +May 28, 1942

Kittyhawk AK 998 Sgt. Shaw was a member of a formation of 10 aircraft patrolling over Acroma. The formation was attacked bt 2 - 109Fs without result. A further 2 - 109Fs joined in. The attack lasted approximately 3 minutes. Later over El Adem, 4 more 109Fs attacked the formation for approx. 3 minutes, then broke off. The formation then pursued and attacked several Stukas 28 miles east of Gazala after which our aircraft returned to base. From this operation Sgt. Shaw failed to return and no news has yet been received.

Jack Donald - No. 3 Squadron RAAF

I cheered when war was declared because I was getting paid to fly instead of having to pay to fly. And in my mind then there was no question of patriotism or anything like that, it was just a matter of getting free flying. I was keen to fly and that was a way to get there. And at that particular time I thought it would be a good idea to get in early and get the experience up, and
all the rest of it but it didn't turn out that way. We were out at Mascot at mid-summer in September, October, November, '40. On our way (to Canada) we went into Suva. We experienced what kava was. I remember I was romantically inclined in those days and we went to Hawaii. America wasn't in the war then and some of us jumped in and swam ashore but we were promptly picked up by the MPs, the American MPs, and brought back on board boat. They brought the hula girls on board the ship, the old Oranje, and that was just a part of adventure. We got in towards Canada and we were asked then to what we were suited to be - a fighter pilot or a single-engine fighter pilot, a twin-engine, so forth. We went from mid-summer to mid-winter in Canada. I'd never seen snow before. I was in Banff, (Alberta) Canada on Christmas Day '40. In those days they wanted fighter pilots, and we went on to the middle of Canada where the single-engine trainees were in the service training units. They did ask us what we would prefer. And I think they did take some notice of it because some fellows got off at Calgary, they did twin-engines, they went onto Ansons. We went on to (Camp Borden) Ontario, we went onto singles. But by the same token, later on, you will find that fellows did a single-engine course and they ended up on twins. It just depended upon what was needed and what stage the fellows were. This Empire Air (Training) Scheme was only in its initial stage and they had to feel their way. But I think that because of the newness of the Empire Air Scheme I think they did very, very well. I mean to say, for the standard of flying and the standard of operations that we did carry out, they were really colossal efforts. I remember we went into huts and they were all centrally heated and we had a bit of a do-in with the Canadians because we put the windows up to let a bit of fresh air in and they pulled them down because they were used to central heating, and we almost came to blows with it as far as that goes. I got lost in Canada (while training at Camp Borden). You couldn't see what was ground or what was water or lakes or anything like that. I was lost. There's nothing but snow underneath and I just put down into a field there which I knew - which I saw on the map. I was very embarrassed to have to catch a train up near Nottawasaga Bay. I can remember getting on the train with my parachute and a bunny suit and helmet and goggles and all that sort of stuff and then meeting my instructor back at the base. He was just going on leave. It was a bit hard for some of us. Probably me in particular but I was just lost in the snow. I left in March '41 and all that time I had one leave and that was New Year's Eve because of blizzards and because of weather we didn't get, we had to stop back at Camp Borden to get our hours up. And the only leave I had was really New Year's Eve in Toronto.

The Spits we had on our operational training (57 OTU), they were used in the Battle of Britain, what we called 'clapped out Spit 1s'. But the Spitfire had no faults really. They were beautiful to fly: beautiful landing, beautiful to fly, handle.

September 1941 to 452 Squadron Bob Bungey was CO of the squadron. It was recently formed up in Kirton-In-Lindsey in southern Yorkshire about a month before. I think they were down at Kenley about a few weeks before I joined them and they had a colossal record, there's no doubt about it. And I think Paddy Finucane and Bluey Truscott, Thorold Smith, quite a lot of the fellows that are known today as probably aces, they were part of the unit and we did quite a lot of flying over France, over the Channel. As far as our experiences were, we did our practice flying, battle formation and all the rest of it. Turnabouts, more or less got us used to what we'd have to do when you crossed the Channel in France if we sighted aircraft and that sort of stuff. It was more or less to acquaint us with, and familiarise us with, what would have to be done later on when we went into combat. Well, I left England in 1941. We were, the RAF were calling for volunteers for the Far East with a hundred Spit hours and I had a hundred Spit hours and felt, well, if I get to Singapore I could get home on leave to Australia. But, as it turned out, it didn't work out that way. Japan entered the war, it was in the newspapers in Scotland, the day that I left England. We had twenty-one air-raids in three days (in Malta). In fact, I can never understand how they ever did any work over there because they were in and out like moles in a mole-hill, you know. But unfortunately I had a hearing problem and I came up on deck, and the guns were just opening up and that was the way my hearing problems started. I was with 450 Squadron for a day and then I spoke with the CO and ... What really happened was that I pranged a Kittyhawk and I did a three-point landing as I did in a Spit and you never do a three-point landing in a Kittyhawk the first time. Consequently I ground looped and wiped the Kitty off. Gordon Steege who was CO at the time, he was just reforming from Tomahawks to Kittyhawks, and Kittyhawks were very scarce and I can understand him say, 'Well, Jack, I'm very sorry, that's it'. There was no conversion training at the start. Later on we were pranging so many Kittyhawks - the Spitfire pilots were - that they did start a conversion course at a place called El Ballah and I attended it later on.

The transit camp part was more or less a camp that you enter in transit from one unit to another. There seemed to be quite a lot of bods there. In my case I went to there, transit camp and was transferred to the Indomitable. We were going - or actually to some unit down in the Red Sea called Port Sudan. We flew down there on a commercial flight from Cairo
down to Port Sudan through Wadi Halfa. And I remember it was a big airliner. It was one of the British Airways airliners and I did about three hours on a Hurricane with long-range tanks on, like a block of flats to fly round - very heavy. And then we went aboard the Indomitable to ... We were supposed to fly off Java. Somebody was supposed to come out from Java and pick us up and lead us in. But at the last minute, before the Indomitable left they took the majority of Australians off to reinforce the squadrons in the desert against Rommel. We didn't like the sound of it because some of us never seen an aircraft carrier before and we were lucky - we were very - we thought very much of it when we were taking off and put on the Lake's boat, in the Lake Kathleen I think it was, Princess Kathleen, to go up to Alexandria again. I did a conversion onto Kittyhawks at El Ballah and then I think it was about four or five fours, something like that and then I was posted to 3 Squadron. I think the Kittyhawk was a bit heavier, much heavier than the Spit. Also the Spitfire seemed a better fighter all round, although the Kittyhawk did a colossal job. It did a wonderful job for its particular role as a fighter bomber later on. But I do think that it was a bit too heavy. I think there's too much electrical gear. There was about twelve or fifteen switches you had to switch on to even start it. I never found anything wrong with the Kittyhawk. As far as the engine's concerned, it's a wonderful .... It always amazed me, under the conditions that we flew in in the desert, the sandstorms and the dust storms and the worst of it, how the ground engineers, the fitters who keep and maintain, sustain the airworthiness of them. I've never had an engine failure in the Kittyhawk. As far as handling's concerned, well then, once you got used to it, it was easy to fly. It had no inherent problems or anything like that. I remember in the desert, not so much in Europe, in Kenley/Red Hill, but in the desert we had a fitter that used to steer the plane and he used to sit on the end of the wing, and we had to take instructions with him whether it was right or left, that sort of thing. He more or less steered us. He more or less brought the aircraft out back. the majority of sorties in those days were dive-bombing sorties. What would happen was that we'd take off in probably 3 Squadron's wing - there were four squadrons in the wing, 239 Wing. There were 450, 3 - both Australian - and 250 and 112 RAF, and we would go out to escorting the Boston bombers. We'd pat and bomb the target, mainly they were Jerry aerodromes. Then we would go in and dive-bomb with 250-pounders. They had a long stick - a long fuse on them - so that they'd explode above the ground. And then we'd go in and strafe and clean up what was left. That sort of thing. As far as the Stuka parties were concerned, we went out, we had .... In my mind we had two or three Stuka parties. One of them was very good from our point of view that some of the boys shot down and got stuck into some of the Stukas and the 109s, and we were flying from anything from three or four thousand cloud base down to the tent tops. And I remember seeing 109s gaily painted and going the other way about twenty or thirty feet - you were going one way and they were going the other way. So there's no way you could do anything about it. But they did. They did bring down quite a few. The most dangerous times in operation is keeping your wits about you and seeing no aircraft were on your tail. That was the dangerous part about it. Unfortunately they operated in pairs. They'd dive down and they could be up again - go straight down and straight up just like that, at very high speed and that's how I was shot down eventually because I never saw him. Well, it originated, I think Nicky Barr was leading the flight I was in, (June 16) and the objective was one of Rommel's hide-outs, one of his headquarters, but unfortunately an explosive bullet came up and through the canopy. We were very low level. And I got hit in the neck (at Gambut) and I had blood everywhere; I thought I'd had it. I called up Nicky and he thought I ... I said I'd been hit in the leg, instead of the neck. And I remember when we got back to base they just pulled me out of the aircraft sort of thing and I went back into hospital at Alexandria. I was hit by an explosive bullet. It wasn't by ack-ack. It was probably just a stray explosive bullet that somebody flew. Somebody fired at me, and it was just one bullet. It came up through the windscreen and fortunately I had my head turned to the left. I was weaving looking out to the left-hand side and it went straight through and hit the head rest at the back.

Well, I don't think any pilots thought much about (fellow pilots killed) at all. It was just accepted that you had your mates there and you just say they'd 'gone for a burton', or that sort of thing. You just accepted the fate. You thought of buying it at times but you never thought of being shot down. But we just carried on regardless sort of thing. You'd just say to one another, 'Oh, Buck Horne's had it', you know, that's the way it went. I think anybody that's been in a war has had certain times of fear but you're more or less try and overcome it.

We had a tri-motor that used to fly back from the forward aerodrome back to base, back to Cairo, back to Alex[andria] at least. But we were so close to the lines that that's how I came to go back by ambulance. And I don't remember the retreat because I went to the hospital in Alex for a couple of weeks. I don't remember being in hospital. And then I joined the squadron after the retreat at Amiriya.

We had a battle of Knightsbridge; we supported the Free French in May and June, but I don't remember any retreat. I remember the - I think it was Lord Tedder - he came to the squadron and gave us a pep talk, and saying that they expected Jerry to start an operation and if Jerry didn't start that we were going to start. Well, the next thing, instead of starting and heading west, we were in retreat. That was the set-up there. But I don't remember ... I remember the battle of Knightsbridge and Bir Hacheim but I don't remember anything about the retreat because, as far as I was concerned, the retreat started when I was hit in the neck and then I joined the squadron back, after the retreat, back in the Delta.

The airstrips were just like a field, a field without any grass on; a lot of dust. And I can remember in one stage where we were instead of formating right-handed where you have a leader formating, everybody formates on him on the right-hand side. Apparently they started off right and left and I was in the middle and I was just about out of space. But there were actually no strips there; they were just fields without any - just fields in the desert.

Well, in the English aerodromes you had better facilities and better surroundings. Navigation-wise, in England we'd fly back across the Channel, hit the coast at a certain point and then fly north until we hit the railway line, along the railway line and that was our navigation, there was your pin-point. In the desert you didn't have the pin-point so much, they were more sparse sort of thing, but you, somehow looking back, we found our way.

In England we'd be over the Channel and doing ops over France and that night we'd get a train twenty to thirty minutes out of London and we'd be in London that night. Out in the desert, we'd have our sing-songs and our mess life and we'd wait .... We'd hear 'Lily Marlene' on a European station - I think it was a Hungarian station - half past ten we'd go to bed. We'd have our air-raids and Junkers 88s coming over and get into slit trenches and all that sort of stuff. But in comparison the two, I'd say that the desert we'd have a harder life and I remember going down ... I think Bobby Gibbes had organised a camp, a rest camp, so that we could get some decent sleep down at the rest camp.

Well, I put in for confirmed but it was only probable. I've checked on reports since and I think there were four shot down that day and two confirmed, or two were found on the ground. But this point of confirmation that goes from the DAF and you've to have definite identification. It has to be found on the ground; it has to be confirmed by another pilot or by army confirmation. There is no point at all in trying to confirm an aircraft unless it is confirmed.

There's a very small percentage of fighter pilots that were really fighter pilots. The majority of us, we were just there to make up the numbers. What I mean by a fighter pilot, there's chaps that first of all they have a very keen eyesight, they probably see aircraft. Why I am saying this, I've more or less looked upon different fellows such as the different aces that we've heard about. I flew with Paddy Finucane in England and I've flown with Bobby Gibbes and Nicky Barr in the desert and these chaps, they can see aircraft long before other pilots would see them. They also are quicker on the uptake and they can more or less really be fighter pilots. Now the average
fighter pilot, he can't see aircraft to the same extent. He picks them out. As far as firing, air firing, well some of us have it and some of us haven't got it. But I do believe that there is only a small percentage of pilots that were really fighter pilots; the rest of us were just there to support, in other words, the squadron. At the time we were all fighter pilots and there was no animosity, there was no saying that you're a better man than I am. But since the war I've thought of it and it has come to me that that's the way I feel.

There's a difference altogether between the RAF command in England, where the officers were in an officers' mess and the sergeants were in a sergeants' mess and that sort of thing, there's a lot of difference between that type of life as a sergeant pilot and what we had as a pilots' mess in the desert. This was an innovation that I don't know who brought it about, but it was very successful because we were all doing the same job whether you were commissioned, or whether you weren't commissioned and I believe it helped quite a lot because we were all doing the job. We all talked together, we flew together; it was just a communal set-up. Even on leave we mixed. We carried capes and all that as sergeant pilots and for the duration of the leave we were more or less commissioned. But there was just esprit de corps between us there that was not available as we knew it in Britain.

We did feel then and we feel now that the ground crew, they were very, very proud that they had an aircraft to maintain and proud of their pilot. And I know in my case, a fellow - I was the first plane that he lost and he'll always remember that. He's told me that. But there was a colossal bond between the air crew and the ground crew. I'll never understand how the ground crew maintained the serviceability of the aircraft because I've never had an aircraft that would .... That had any trouble at all, you know. I mean to say, even with spark plugs in dust storms and all that sort of stuff. But it was amazing. There was a wonderful bond between us.

15 September, the date when you were shot down, this was I know an operation when the squadron was flying a top-cover for bombers and just quoting briefly from the book you showed me: 'The squadron became involved in a terrific dogfight about twenty miles south-west of El Alamein when fifteen 109s and then more 109s came down from the sun'.

Since I've been shot down other fellas have come up and said well, it was a great show and all the rest of it. Some fellas would come up and my No. 2, he came up to me - Garth Glaven, he came up and apologised for letting me get shot down. But that was the set-up. Apparently it was a good sortie. It was really a mix-up but unfortunately I was shot down and I don't remember much about it. The only thing I can remember we were in 450 dispersal and we were eating watermelon, the bell went, and we took off. Before we knew it we were involved in a dogfight and I was shot down.

Well, my greatest fear was it was going to catch alight. I have always had a fear of fire in the air and I was hit in the wing and I had a job more or less keeping the wing up - the left wing.
And then the motor started to burn and I just thought it's time I left it. So I just let it roll over and I did all the steps and out I went. It all happened so quickly you haven't got that much time to think. First of all you're trying to keep the aircraft level; you're trying to keep the wing up and then the motor starts burning and then you just do things without thinking. Everything is so automatic. And then the next thing you know you're very quiet and you're on the end of a parachute. Well, it just rolled over itself, I just undid all the straps and went out head first.

Well, all I can remember is coming down on the end of the 'chute and I knew I was going to drift into a camp. The old saying, 'I landed on the cookhouse - Italian cookhouse', but normally you more or less turn a little release button on a box in front of your parachute and hit it when you touch down and everything falls away from you and you're supposed to walk away. But unfortunately I came down, I was still in the 'chute, trying to work out how I was going to get away, and the next thing I knew was trying to throw money away - a belt that I had with probably German money and maps and that in it - and a couple of fellows with Tommy guns saying, 'Inglesi', and that was my introduction to prisoner of war life.

From then on I flew from Derna to a place called [Ecchi ?] in the middle of Italy on a tri-motor transport. Then I went to a transit camp in Bari, then on to Sulmona. I would say that POWs were well treated. The Italian generally was very emotional, they were upset very easily, in comparison with the German treatment and the German personality.

Well, put it this way, if we played up a little bit in Italy or did things we shouldn't done, they'd cut off magazines, they'd cut off walks, they were more emotional, whilst in Germany they
were more of our own kind. We were under the control of the Luftwaffe in Germany. In Italy all prisoners of war were under the control of the German Army and there was a certain
amount of esprit de corps between the Luftwaffe and the RAF in Germany. We did have, in the camp, we did have fifty of us that were shot. We had a great escape. I think there were
about seventy-two got away. Unfortunately, the thing that I noticed so much about it is that the majority of these fellows, the seventy-two got out okay, there were only about five that were really equipped - they were dressed in civilian clothes, they had passports, money, they could speak the language - that had an opportunity of getting away. The majority of the fellows that escaped just went out in their own uniforms as they were, or anything, just to tie up the German war effort, to more or less tie them up and that was it. And unfortunately they were picked up and unfortunately they were shot. But I would say that they did treat us well in comparison with what the Japs handed out.

There's nothing in war to have a war. I can't understand why people want to fight. That's my impression. I can't understand why they have wars. (Australian War Memorial for the purposes of research and study)

Harry Compton - 213 Squadron

Shot down in Libya in November 18, 1942, Compton spent five and one-half days in the desert walking 125 miles to regain contact with Allied forces; he thus became a member of the "Late Arrivals Club" (otherwise known as the "Order of the Boot"). On rejoining his unit he found his friends preparing to ship his effects back to his parents. "I came down in the desert after my plane had been shot up by a Nazi air gunner. I had a rough idea of where I was. I knew I was within 20 miles of an enemy airfield so i charted out a course as best I could and started walking. I was five and a half days before I made contact with the British and i must have walked 125 miles. It was hard on the legs and it was a month before I fully recovered. The days in the desert were very hot but the nights surprisingly cold. It rained nearly every night. For food I had the emergency rations. It was really not too bad. All I saw during the six days was a few enemy aircraft. But they fortunately, were not interested in me."

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Sergeant Pilot Albert Digby Cooper - No. 108 Squadron

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