1942

Despite the best efforts of the staff at 29 EFTS, the second ab initio flying training course did not pass out as expected in December 1941, and into the new year a brief spell of favourable weather enabled the final flight training to be achieved. No.2 Grading Course terminated on 3rd January, with 53 cadets being successfully passed to further training overseas. Seven cadets were transferred to No.3 Grading Course, which began on the same day and at the same time 30 new cadets were posted in to the course from Air Crew Disposal Wing (ACDW) at Brighton and a further 30 from No.1 ITW at Babbacombe. But a period of adverse weather – preceded by an abundance of low cloud, poor visibility and high winds – then put a stop to further activity.

(Above) - This is how most 29 EFTS Tiger Moths would have looked in early 1942. Of note is the yellow-bordered Type A1 roundel on the fuselage side. Introduced for all camouflage surfaces in 1937, by 1939 this type of roundel was restricted to fuselage locations only, and was in use until replaced by the Type C.1 from July 1942. Therefore Clyffe Pypard's trainers would only have worn this marking for a short time.

While December 1941 had seen unseasonal weather, with mainly dry, mild days and periods of fog, January of 1942 was very much more the type of weather that could be expected in winter. The new year saw the arrival of snow. From the 5th January there was a decided fall in temperature across the United Kingdom, and a large anticyclone to the southwest of Iceland moved to the southeast and as a result, a period of cold, showery weather with northerly winds ensued. Snow began to fall on Clyffe Pypard during 13th January and initially restricted – but did not stop – flying activity. However from 19th January, snowstorms laid up to 12 inches of undrifted snow in the west of England, and Clyffe Pypard, being in an exposed position atop a plateau, was affected particularly badly. On the morning of 20th January the station awoke to snow drifts on the aerodrome up to three feet in height. The station was cut off from the Swindon to Devizes road by further drifts up to four feet in height and the Snow Plan was put into action. Using an AMWD snow plough, 2½ miles of roads from the camp to the main road were cleared by 2 o’clock in the afternoon and then work turned to creating a clear east-west runway, three lorries being put to use in removing the snow, though with only one snow plough available (two others, plus a snow sweeper not yet available), it was mainly manual work that saved the day.

Work on the runway continued into 21st January but was hampered by further snowfalls in the following days. It was not until 23rd January that the station could declare itself operational again, with the establishment of a 900-yard long runway, 30 yards wide to allow emergency landings. But low cloud and further snow showers followed by high winds and rain prevented any local flying. Nevertheless somehow on 24th January, No.3 Grading Course was declared complete, with five flying hours per pupil. 53 cadets passed out and seven transferred to No.3 War Course for ab initio training with 29 EFTS. No.4 Grading Course was immediately commenced, with 60 cadets from No.7 ITW at Newquay, but in accordance with orders from No.50 (T) Group, all transfers from the Grading Course would not go to an EFTS, but continue on a subsequent Grading Course, though there must have been limitations on how many times a student could do this.

A semblance of normality returned on 26th January, but from 7 to 11pm, night flying was possible again. The sporadic periods of suitable flying weather continued to the end of the month, but a separate Night Flying Flight was formed on 31st January, to begin operations in February.

(Left) - It is worthwhile remembering that many of the permanent staff at 29 EFTS went on to serve tours with front-line squadrons once they had done their time as instructors. Sadly a number did not see the end of the war. L-R are PO Geoffrey Douglas Priestley, PO Thomas Herbert Ottewill Richardson and PO Noel Curtis Tatam. Richardson served on 29 EFTS from October 1941, Priestley and Tatam from May 1942: all had departed by the end of the year. PO Priestley was killed on 13th May 1943 (Lancaster W4762 on a raid to Duisberg with 50 Sqn), Richardson on 3rd April 1943 (Halifax JB845 of 78 Sqn on a raid to Essen) and Tatam on 18th December 1944 (Halifax III LV818 of 10 Sqn on a mission to Duisberg).

During January, preparations were made for the first station exercise, with arrangements being made with the OC Mechanised Troops at Chiseldon for his personnel to act as attacking forces. On 30th January, the Signals Officer from the Hilmarton Relief Striking Force (CO – Major Hugh Jones of Lower Penn Farm) was contacted, to enable a practice of W/T and R/T equipment in preparation for the exercise, as well as to test communication via visual signalling. At the end of the month, Colonel Drew, Home Guard Staff Officer visited Clyffe Pypard to discuss administration of the civilian staff Home Guard unit, with a view to unifying the local civilian aerodrome staff into a single battalion as well as separating them from the village Home Guard.

On the social side, regular ENSA concerts and cinema shows began in January, often sharing ENSA visits with Bulford Camp on Salisbury Plain. In January alone, these ENSA visits included two ‘B’ concert parties, two ‘D’ concert parties and five cinema shows. Generally only the ‘A’ concert parties would have featured well-known stars and the ‘D’ party would include as few as five performers. Two further concerts were arranged by station personnel, plus three station dances. During November of 1942, Flanagan and Allen were part of an ENSA ‘B’ party which visited Clyffe Pypard. The Service Institute was filled to capacity for this performance.

Poor weather continued into February, though night flying was possible on the Saturday 7th, this session running from 7pm until 4.15 am the following morning. Just a few hours later, a full daylight flying programme was able to commence, and this time the flexibility of having a separate Night Flying Flight meant that full advantage could be taken of the break in the weather. Sadly, it also brought the station’s first fatal accident. In the afternoon of 8th February, the Tiger Moth (s/n T6747) piloted by Sgt Will Lawrence Brockie Wright, RAFVR with LAC John William George Johnson RAFVR as his pupil, collided in mid-air with a similar aircraft (s/n T7233). Aboard the second aircraft was LAC Roy Edward Charles Pollard. The collision occurred half a mile northwest of the airfield and both pilots died at the scene. LAC Johnson was admitted to the RAF Hospital at Wroughton with serious injuries from which he succumbed the following day.

(Below left): Though not taken at CP, this contemporary photograph does show a typical NCO

pilot instructor at left, briefing pupils at an EFTS. Note camouflaged DH.82s at rear.

No.2 War Course finally graduated on 11th February, and was considered ‘above average’ in both ground and flying subjects, though the former is probably to be expected, since the course had lasted 18½ weeks due to the bouts of inclement weather. As a result, No.2 Course would have had far more ground schooling (and drill!) than would be the norm. With its depletion by 38 cadets in the previous November, just 14 cadets actually progressed to SFTS training, with a further two transferring to No.4 War Course and two more awaiting an upgrade to their medical status. Seven were suspended. Average dual flying time for the course was 42 hours and 42 minutes, with 3 hours and 2 minutes of night flying. Each student averaged 36 hours and 6 minutes of solo time, just over 14 hours each in the Link Trainer and 8 hours 10 minutes of instrument flying.

It seems that the students being transferred to No.4 War Course enjoyed a period of leave (of up to 44 days in some cases), because it was No.3 War Course that immediately commenced training on 14th February, with the arrival of a new intake. This course took airmen from a wider variety of locations, with one warrant officer and one flight sergeant coming from Air Crew Reception Centre (ACRC) at Regent’s Park, one U/T cadet from No.3 ITW at Torquay, seven more from No.5 ITW, also at Torquay and twenty from Air Crew Disposal Wing (ACDW) at Brighton.

A planned station exercise for February did not eventually take place, neither did the planned communications exercise (on ‘Panda I’ and ‘Panda II’), because the station did not yet possess an R/T set. However, weekly manning of ‘Action Stations’ was carried out and manning times were gradually improving. A joint meeting between military commanders, police and local defence commanders was due to take place in Calne town hall on 9th March, “…with the object of promoting understanding between the services and the working of HQ under invasion conditions”. With the creation of the RAF Regiment on 5th February 1942, a reorganization of RAF defense units was undertaken, and Clyffe Pypard’s 830 (Defence) Squadron was renumbered as 2830 (Defence) Squadron, but in general retained its organization and responsibilities.

Though no women were employed among the flying staff at Clyffe Pypard (later the Air Transport Auxiliary became the sole opportunity for female flyers during wartime), it did not necessarily preclude them from flying. Joy Pond was a good example of this, and in fact her experiences are rather unusual and well worth recounting.

(Right) - Joy Pond pictured at the time of her first solo on 8th

October 1938: the aircraft is DH.60M G-AASR. Joy would run

Clyffe Pypard's Central Registry from 1941 and though

officially precluded from flying with 29 EFTS, she did in fact do

so on a number of occasions. Joy would later marry Clyffe

Pypard instructor Flt Lt DS Davies and go on to train with the

Air Transport Auxiliary (via Ginny Dreyer).

Joy had learnt to fly in 1938 (she took her Royal Aero

Club certificate (16421) with Cambridge Aero Club on

22nd October that year) but with the outbreak of war

she found her options limited if she wished to

continue a career along this path. Despite being a

Marshall’s employee at Cambridge, when she

transferred to Clyffe Pypard it was in an admin

capacity and she ran the station’s Central Registry. In

1940 she had married pilot Fg Off Renford Davey, a flying instructor with 14 SFTS. Tragically, he was shot down on 8th May 1941 and died the following day (he was pilot of Airspeed Oxford W6636, which was attacked by a hostile aircraft on approach to the Sibson RLG; his pupil survived). It was towards the end of that tumultuous year that Joy was sent to Clyffe Pypard, doing what many had to do in wartime: grin and bear it. In September 1941 instructor Flt Lt Derrick Stephen Davies also arrived at 29 EFTS, and in the fullness of time a relationship began to flourish between the two. In such a close-knit community it would have been well-known that Joy was already a qualified pilot and Davies (‘Stephen’ in her contemporary letters), along with fellow officer Flt Lt John Barnett – with the blessing of the CFI, Sqn Ldr Tribe - enabled her to grab the odd opportunity to fly the 29 EFTS Tiger Moths. Barnett and Davies, who because of their physical similarities were nicknamed, “The Heavenly Twins”, would be lifelong friends and Davies married Joy in the summer of 1942, with John Barnett as his best man. Excerpts from Joy’s letters make interesting reading,

31st December 1941:

“I am now allowed to fly!! The CFI says I may go up at any time when they are testing aircraft for night flying, as that is the one time when there is no check on the passenger, so in the afternoons about 4pm they wheel out the aircraft and up I go! I have been up mostly with John Barnett and he wants to send me solo, but of course that is impossible. However he lets me fly the aircraft entirely, and I certainly haven’t lost the knack. Bert [Tribe] is tickled to death, and fusses about, adjusting my parachute and wrapping me up in his scarf!”

“PS - Tell Paddy [her sister, a Marshalls employee at Cambridge] not to mention the flying up at the aerodrome - might get the CFI into trouble!”

11th January 1942:

“I am doing lots of flying and I enjoy it so much. The CFI is quite keen and gives me instruction in powered approaches, formation etc. Says he’ll make a bomber pilot of me!”

9th March 1942:

“[The CFI] has said that as soon as the weather improves I can start flying again, but I must camouflage myself as a pupil and sneak out to the aircraft when no one is looking!”

4th September 1942:

“Stephen is now teaching me Air Navigation - how complicated it all is! He is very patient - up to a point and then the roof lifts!! It is very good of him to take so much trouble - he really is most painstaking and after a day’s flying with a lot of dumb pupils I wonder he doesn’t go quite mad!”

Joy’s flying was not for fun however: on 29th July 1942 the newly-married Mrs Davies had taken her ATA test at White Waltham and was accepted at the end of the following month. She was posted to Luton at the beginning of September 1942.

Meanwhile March of 1942 had been another poor month for flying at Clyffe Pypard, and as well as many days of strong winds, more snow and rain showers showed the limitations of grass runways; on at least one day flying was not possible due to waterlogging. However, flying did take place despite these challenges and an interesting entry in the log book of Sgt Otho Hubert ‘Pop’ Furlong, an instructor with No.1 Glider Training School at Thame shows that he flew into Clyffe Pypard as pilot of GAL Hotspur glider BT542 on 9th March on a 40-minute hop and departed back to Thame later in the day, carrying Sqn Ldr Hervey (OC 1 GTS) and Flt Lt Marshall. The reason for this visit is not known, but it is certain that he was towed to and from the airfield, probably by one of 1 GTS’ Hawker Hector tugs.

(Left) - Log book pages for Sgt OH 'Pop' Furlong for March 1942 shows the 9th March entry when he flew GAL Hotspur glider BT542 Thame - Clyffe Pypard and later in the day, on to Stoke Orchard. The Hotspur was a wooden glider, constructed mainly of wood and intended to accommodate eight fully armed airborne troops. It had a wingspan of 62 feet (18.90 m) and it was 39 feet 3.5 inches (11.98 m) in length.

Further planning for the Station’s Home Guard continued with a visit to Clyffe Pypard on 24th March of Colonel Drew, GSOI Home Guard, Salisbury Plain District and Lt Col MO Darby,

OBE. They discussed training and administration, as well as the possibility of coordinating the Home Guard units of Wroughton, Yatesbury and Clyffe Pypard under one Command. Five days later a Panda II exercise was undertaken between No. 2830 (D) Squadron and the Wiltshire Striking Force. The Station R/ set failed, and in any case since the Army signal reception was weak, and so communications were established by using a Despatch Rider. It was not a promising start to the initial use of R/T as a means of communications in the event of invasion.

But bizarrely, it was not the Luftwaffe that registered the first attack on Clyffe Pypard, but the RAF. At 1.30 in the early morning of 16th April the night flying Rendezvous Lights at White Horse Hill were bombed by a friendly aircraft, assumed to be a Wellington (though there was no explanation for this assumption). Three small magnesium flash practice bombs were dropped, but caused no damage. HQ No.50 (T) Group was informed, but efforts to trace the offending aircraft were not successful. And amid a busy night flying schedule on the following day (which ceased at 4.30 am), the bombing was repeated in the early hours of 17th April, when at just past midnight, six bombs were dropped 60 yards from the gooseneck flares. One of these landed just five yards from the Armadillo vehicle which was guarding the flares, and following a flashed red beam from the guard’s Aldis Lamp, the aircraft ceased bombing and flew away. Again, HQ No.50 (T) Group was informed, but again the culprit was never traced. The cessation of bombing proved the attack to have been a case of friendly fire.

Though these alarming attacks had proven to be merely accidental, they did serve to focus the minds of Station personnel and show that the war was closer than many had realised. No. 2830 (D) Squadron continued to train in the locality, and to quote the Station Record Book for April,

“Advantage has been taken of the surrounding countryside cliffs, streams, and wooded parts, to practice field training and woodcraft. Tactical exercises, route marches, in which distance covered has been increased up to 18 miles, and gun crew drill and weapon training revision have formed the majority of the subjects dealt with. Action Stations drill has been a weekly feature, and times have improved. Flying Instructors and cadets – ‘backers-up’ – in the defence plan, have been given weekly periods of field training and a Battle Course including bayonet fighting, unarmed combat, and live grenade throwing, in which instructors and cadets showed marked keenness, and good progress was made”.

Meanwhile, training of the Station Home Guard continued, tuition being given by the resident RAF Regiment squadron. When Col GC Hamilton, North Wilts Sub-Area Commander visited Clyffe Pypard on 13th April, he was able to announce that the Home Guard unit had been approved for inclusion in the local Aerodrome Defence Scheme.

On 17th April 1942, the log book for instructor Flt Lt Derrick Davies carried an entry for a flight in Tiger Moth T7392 ‘a/c test’ with Lt Berlandina as passenger. A second sortie for that day with Berlandina aboard T6294 covered exercises 19 and 23 (instrument flying and air navigation - 1 hour and 20 minutes). Over the following days Berlandina flew with Flt Lt Davies, including 18th April (45-minute sortie (instrument flying again) to Worthy Down and a return (navigation) the same day.

John Laurence Hillel Berlandina (born 23rd December 1913 in Loughton) had learnt to fly in the immediate pre-war period, taking his Royal Aero Club certificate (No.19713) with the Redhill Flying Club on a DH.60 on 21st August 1939. Prior to this Berlandina had been a cadet in the Cranleigh School Contingent

of the Officer Training Corps’ Junior Division and from there received a commission into the 24th London Regiment as a 2nd Lieutenant in June 1931. To Lt June 1934 and to the Reserve in May 1936. By 1938 he was with the 7th Battalion, The Queen’s Regiment, resigning his commission in May of that year. At the start of WW2, Berlandina was commissioned as a 2nd Lt in the 2nd Battalion Wiltshire Regiment and was with the Battalion at Dunkirk.

On 1st/2nd June 1940 the 2nd Battalion was evacuated back to the UK and then spent two years on the home front. 2Lt Berlandina was seconded to the RAF effective from 6th October 1941 and would seem to have been at Clyffe Pypard (but now as a Pilot Officer (temporary) though he seems to have used his army rank) to pass through the hoops before being taken on as a full-time RAF pilot. Berlandina was promoted to the RAF rank of Flying Officer (war substantive) with effect from 1st October 1942, and to Flt Lt in October 1943.

Later served in North Africa with 13 Sqn and, now with 114 Squadron he received the DFC in June 1944 and a bar to his DFC in January 1945. To Sqn Ldr Nov44, then W/Cdr Flying, 232 Wing (comprising 13Sq, 18Sq, 55Sq,114Sq) and DSO Jul45.

An interesting exercise was carried out on the night of 19th April 1942, when No.64 Searchlight Brigade arrived on Station. The Brigade was present to perform a Homing Demonstration, and all instructors and students were invited to attend. The demonstration began at 22.40 hours, when Flt Lt DS Davies and army pupil Lt Norman George Kirkland (on secondment to the RAF as a Fg Off (temp)) took off in Tiger Moth R4768 and flew away from the aerodrome on a bearing of 160 degrees magnetic (in the direction of Upavon). After a 15-minute pause, the Officer in charge of Night Flying telephoned the Market Lavington Operations Room, requesting searchlight assistance to help home the ‘missing’ aircraft of Flt Lt Davies, who by this time was believed to be up to 17 miles distant from Clyffe Pypard. At 22.56 hours, under direction from Market Lavington, five searchlight beams provided by No.64 Searchlight Brigade illuminated the sky over north Wiltshire, to provide a guiding light, and much against expectations, since the night was hazy, Flt Lt Davies’ aircraft appeared over the flare path at 23.15 hours and landed safely. Davies was able to report that the searchlights had been easy to see, despite the distance and weather conditions: the exercise was deemed to be a complete success.

(Left) - April 1942 page from Flt Lt DS Davies' log book, showing the unique 'searchlight co-operation' sortie on 19th April at bottom. Note also preceding night flying 'N/F' exercises on 17th April, aboard Tiger Moth N4766. Davies also logged two training sorties with Lt JLH Berlandina (an army officer learning to fly prior to becoming an RAF pilot) during this same week (via Ginny Dreyer).

Lt Kirkland later wrote-up the sortie for circulation around the unit in a letter titled, ‘To all Cadets who may be Night Flying in future’,

“Last Sunday night Flt Lt Davies took off in a Tiger Moth with the intention of flying some considerable distance from the aerodrome and proving the efficiency of the Search Light Homing System. This he accomplished to such good effect that I myself, who was his passenger and who in the past have always been apprehensive about losing my way at night, am now not in the least worried about the possibility of this happening; in fact, as I said to Flt Lt Davies after he had landed, I would not mind going up and repeating the same performance solo now that I have seen the system in operation. I am sure any of you would say the same had you been up with him that night.”

“You may be interested to hear some details of this flight. We took off at 22.40 hrs and after circling the aerodrome to gain height, we set off in a rough south-easterly direction. In a few minutes, first the flare path and then the Rendezvous Lights disappeared. We saw a beacon flashing on our port side but 6 miles this too became invisible.”

“About twenty minutes after we had left the aerodrome a glow in the sky indicated that the searchlights had been turned on and I was able to see them clearly. We did not turn back at once but flew on until the searchlights became invisible and then turned round.”

“We calculated that we were then nearly 17 miles from the aerodrome, our height by that time being 3000 ft. The night air was very hazy so that the test was carried out under very unfavourable conditions.”

“By the time that we had reduced our distance from the ‘drome to 14 miles, the searchlights were again clearly visible. I could see seven or eight of them pointing along the ground to intersect at the landing field. Every 30 seconds they lifted several times to form a canopy so that there could be no mistaking the position of the aerodrome.”

“Soon we were circling the landing field, asking permission to land, and, having been granted, we landed at 2330 hrs.”

“We learned later that the assistance of the Searchlight Battery had not been requested until we had been in the air nearly twenty minutes (in practice this delay would be much less). Once asked for the lights were on in under two minutes!”

“After what I saw, I am sure that no-one who carries out properly his part of the procedure properly can fail to put down safely after being lost at night and I can best sum up my impressions of the whole show by saying “It’s a piece of cake”.”

(Signed)

UT Pilot

A number of changes to the training syllabus were made during May of 1942, and other novel occurrences were reported. On 3rd May, volunteers were called for from all courses for training in the new aircrew category of Air Bomber (or ‘bomb aimer’ in common parlance). Eight candidates volunteered for duties and were posted to No.9 (Observers) Advanced Flying Unit at Penrhos later in the month for training in their new role. The new category had been brought about by the abolition of the old ‘Observer’ role in April, splitting the duties into the two new categories of Navigator and Air Bomber.

Further, from 7th May a new aircrew training policy came into effect at Clyffe Pypard. From this point, all cadets would be given 12 hours of flying training and they would then be tested by the CFI, irrespective of whether they had gone solo. Pilots would then be selected by an Air Crew Classification Board. Concurrently, the official Grading Course would be discontinued, and instead, an intake into a grading-type course (though not titled as such) would be governed by the output of pupils who had done 12 hours of flying by midday on each Sunday. They would then go on to a ‘grading-style’ course, which began on the Wednesday of the next week. All cadets who had not completed 60 hours of training by 21st April 1942 were brought into this new scheme.

The immediate effects of this meant that on 13th May, Fg Off HG Litchfield and 25 cadets were posted to 22 EFTS for further flight training, having flown more than 60 hours. On the same day, No.3 and No.5 War Course (for ab initio trainees) were terminated. There were 49 graduations from No.3 Course and 17 suspensions, with three suspensions from No.5 War Course. The remainder of those on the latter intake were transferred to the ‘New Grading Scheme’, having flown fewer than 12 hours. No.4 War Course had in the meantime fizzled out, with the despatch of 25 of its cadets for overseas training in early March. Those remaining continued training until May.

But probably the biggest change was yet to come. To meet the need for large numbers of fully-trained Army glider pilots, from early 1942 four RAF flying schools were designated to carry out Pre-Glider Courses, as follows:

No. 3 EFTS, RAF Shellingford (began training from July 1942)

No. 16 EFTS, RAF Burnaston (began training from January 1942)

No. 21 EFTS, RAF Booker (began training from May 1942)

No. 29 EFTS, RAF Clyffe Pypard (began training from May 1942)

Prospective glider pilots would be asked to volunteer for this duty from all regular Army units and each unit commander was asked to forward these applications to a Joint Air Force/Army Selection Board. The standard RAF aircrew selection system was used, with successful candidates passing to the Glider Pilot Regiment Depot at Tilshead on Salisbury Plain for what was effectively a six-week selection process. Recruits were assessed for aptitude as well at attitude and would be Returned to Unit (the dreaded ‘RTU’) if the staff decided that they were not fit for duty as glider pilots. If a candidate survived the Tilshead process, he would then pass on to an RAF EFTS for the Pre-Glider Course, which would last for 12 weeks, at the end of which he would be a qualified pilot on powered aircraft. From the EFTS, the pilot would then pass on for another 12-week course at a Glider Training School where he would finally qualify as a glider pilot.

Pre-Glider training of Army personnel began at Clyffe Pypard on 20th May 1942, with 4 officers and 41 other ranks attached from the 1st Glider Regiment. This first course deviated from the norm in only being planned for an 11-week duration, the policy being to carry out a minimum of 80 hours’ flying per pupil, starting on the Tiger Moth but with the last four weeks of training using the Miles Magister aircraft (which were due to arrive at Clyffe Pypard imminently to support the new tasking). It was planned that by 15th July 1942 all training of RAF cadets would have ceased and 29 EFTS would be completely dedicated to pre-glider training courses. Marshalls reportedly sponsored a challenge cup and medal for the best non-commissioned member on each glider course, and the Army recognised this by automatically promoting the winner to the rank of sergeant.

As mentioned above, concurrent with the start of glider pilot training, 29 EFTS began to receive the first of 36 Miles Magisters on 24th May, and these came mainly from 15 EFTS at Carlisle, with delivery complete by the end of the month. 29 EFTS was then categorised as a Class A-2 training school on 1st June 1942, with an official establishment of 72 Tiger Moth and 36 Magister.

(Left) - Sadly images of 29 EFTS Miles Magisters are rarer than hen's teeth, and so this photo will have to serve to illustrate the type. Note the 'blind flying' screens folded at the rear of each pupil's (aft) cockpit on these machines, both of which were flying with 15 EFTS at Carlisle. T9735 (front) was first flown on 28th June 1940 and delivered straight to 15 EFTS two days later. It was damaged in an air raid at Hawarden on 14th November that year, but repaired and was eventually sold to Short Bros in 1948, but would appear to have been scrapped at that poin. The aircraft at rear is R1853, delivered new to 24 MU at Ternhill on 10th October 1939 and destined to go to the Siamese Air Force in February 1948. (Peter Amos).

Organizational changes were also put in place at this time, with Major RPP Smyly of the 13/18th Hussars being attached to Clyffe Pypard from 23rd May to act as Army Liaison Officer. In addition, thirteen flying instructors were posted from the No.51 Group Pool on 26th May to cope with the expected increase in workload. With the swift change of training emphasis, No.2 Pupil Pilots Pool was disbanded on 27th May and its remaining personnel (three officers at this point) were posted to the RAF College at Cranwell for SFTS training.

It would appear that efforts were now made to ensure a minimum of ‘wash-outs’ from the RAF training courses, and as a result during May the output of the ‘new grading policy’ (note the lower case letters) was 63 cadets and no suspensions. On average each cadet took just 10.11 hours to go solo.

For No.2830 (Defence) Squadron, May of 1942 had been a hectic month, beginning on 8th May, when Brigadier MH Green, OBE MC from Flying Training Command arrived on a Station visit. On arrival he inspected a parade from the Defence Squadron and took the salute at the march-past. For the rest of the morning Brigadier Green observed some routine training exercises and in the afternoon watched the Squadron on a tactical exercise in which the RAF Regiment personnel attempted to recapture the radio station at Winterbourne Monkton, which had been reported as captured by ‘enemy’ paratroops. It seems that the mission was not successful, for Brigadier Green later declared himself satisfied with the standard of training for No. 2830 (D) Squadron, but thought that the task for the tactical exercise was too large an undertaking for the size of the unit. Strict fitness levels were also introduced at this time, and a period of intensive training was begun to ensure a minimum of rejects. There was a definite purpose to this increased activity, for on 2nd June, Acting Sqn Ldr Pooley, four officers and 161 airmen of No. 2830 (D) Squadron were posted to RAF Southend and 33 airmen who had not reached the fitness standard were attached to Lower Standard No.2857 Squadron for duty, and immediately assumed the role of Defence Squadron. Acting Flying Officer AE Boyd then took over as Senior Defence Officer at Clyffe Pypard with No.2857 (D) Squadron and later became CO of the resident No.4182 Anti-Aircraft Flight, which moved to Sutton Bridge in April 1943, after which all AA installations at Clyffe Pypard and Alton Barnes were manned by Station personnel.

In the meantime, the Action Stations drills continued, but now by day and night, the ground and flight crews also being given field training by the Station ‘Rock Apes’. This training could be decidedly hazardous, as shown by the fact that on 2nd May, Cpl J Green was admitted to Station Sick Quarters after he had, “…sustained injury to [his] right shoulder from exploding hand grenade whilst on defence exercises.”

On 28th May, one of the RAF flying instructors, Sgt RJR Docker, was tried by Court Martial, charged with two counts of low flying. The Court was convened by Air Commodore Bowen, AOC HQ, No.50 (T) Group and unusually Docker was acquitted of both charges. In the case of NCO pilots, such charges usually produced a ‘guilty’ verdict and resulted in being reduced to the ranks.

In May 1942, Sgt John L Whiteley arrived at Clyffe Pypard to take up the post of Flying Instructor, having previously done his Elementary Flying Training there.

“With war clouds gathering over Europe at the start of 1939, I joined the Territorial Army at Grimsby where I lived with my parents. I was called up for a month’s regular training in the August, little realising that I should not see “civvy street” again for almost seven years.

Shortly after the Battle of Britain in 1940 and no doubt inspired by the exploits of the Hurricane and Spitfire pilots, I learned from Regimental Orders that the RAF were seeking volunteers for aircrew training in the expanding air force. I

submitted my application for a transfer although I have to say that I had no knowledge of how an aircraft flew nor had I ever left the ground in my life! I passed the RAF’s written examination, was pronounced fit for pilot training and, in July 1941, I joined the RAF in the Long Room of Lord’s Cricket Ground.

My flying training proceeded apace and after eight and a half hours dual instruction in tiger Moth aircraft, my instructor, a Battle of Britain pilot sent me on my first solo flight [John appears to have been in one of the first Clyffe Pypard EFTS

courses]. I was the second trainee pilot to do so from an intake of 50 ex-soldiers. My Elementary Flying Course was completed just before Christmas 1941 and I went home leave.

After returning from leave in January 1942 I learned that I was posted to Canada for advanced flying on the twin engine Oxford but, unfortunately, my trip across the Atlantic never materialised as I had contracted the mumps. In fact, I completed my advanced flying in this country [at 4 FIS, Cambridge], was awarded my wings as a Sergeant Pilot on 30th April 1942 and was destined to become an Elementary Flying Training School (EFTS) Instructor.

In May 1942, I was posted to RAF Clyffe Pypard near Swindon to begin an 18 months stint as an instructor, initially teaching RAF cadet pilots followed by flying instruction on powered aircraft to soldiers before they transferred to gliders. I was commissioned a year later as a Pilot Officer when I met a new instructor colleague, Flying Officer Peter Dimmock who, after the war, became the head of BBC TV Outside Broadcasting.”

With the return to service of the RLG at Alton Barnes, in May a test of the water supply there was conducted, with the SMO commenting , “Water – very slight trace zinc, not enough to cause symptoms. Painting of tank with waterproof cement has been sufficient”. On 30th May the medical staff met with 29 EFTS’ CFI to discuss medical arrangements for the RLG and it was decided that a Medical Orderly would accompany the cadets to Alton Barnes at 0800 hours, returning at 1pm. A second Orderly would then go back with the second group of cadets, returning to Clyffe Pypard when flying ceased. In the event of an emergency, a Medical Officer would be flown to Alton Barnes. At the same meeting it was decided that, should an aircraft see an accident, the pilot would circle the crash site to aid its location by assistance on the ground. In addition, a dedicated phone line from the Observer Corps to the Station would be installed to further hasten the locating of aircraft accidents.

(Left) - An impromptu 1942 birthday card for Joy Davey (nee Pond)'s sister Paddy, who was employed by Marshall's at Cambridge and obviously held in some esteem by the 29 EFTS permanent staff. Prominent among the names who signed the card are CFI Sqn Ldr Bert Tribe "The Big White Chief", Flt Lt FR Fowler (OC A Flight), Flt Lt DS Davies "Stephen" (OC B Flight), Flt Lt FP Davis (OC C Flight) and Flt Lt FHP Conner (OC D Flight). Two months later, two more Flights would be added to 29 EFTS. (Ginny Dreyer)

On 3rd June, 29 EFTS was upgraded to six Flights, with four Flights (reportedly 'C', 'D', 'E' and 'F') operated from Clyffe Pypard and 'A' and 'B' from Alton Barnes. Concurrent with the start of operations at the RLG, No.2 Pre-Glider Training course began, with the arrival of 45 NCOs from 1st Glider Pilot Regiment. 28 RAF cadets also passed out from grading and another 20 were posted in. The final RAF grading course started on 17th June. Glider training then ramped up, with No.3 Course commencing on 24th June.

In terms of RAF flight cadets, June 1942 rendered 165 graduations, with 89 going solo. The latter group averaged 10.18 hours until first solo. The final RAF students on the grading scheme passed out on 10th July and were granted leave pending attachment to ACDC and overseas movement.

To increase the effectiveness of the resident No.2857 (D) Squadron, on 11th June the Demonstration Rifle Flight arrived from HQ Flying Training Command. The Flight consisted of one officer and 39 airmen and they immediately began a

series of demonstrations in the skills of reconnoitring, camouflage and cover. These sessions were done in the locale that would be used in the case of invasion, and thus were doubly useful. They were also attended by the flying personnel. The Flight departed for RAF Watchfield on 16th June.

At 2pm on 16th June 1942, Tiger Moth T7454 piloted by Cpl FH Palmer of No.1 Pre-Glider Training Course went into a spin ½ mile south of Bushton (1 mile northwest of the airfield) and crashed. Cpl Palmer suffered spinal injuries and was taken to the RAF Hospital at Wroughton.

Night flying returned to the syllabus on 5th July, the opportunity being taken to re-acquaint the instructors from just before midnight until 0500 hours the following morning. No.1 Pre-Glider Training course then got its first taste of flying in the dark on 12th July and this also introduced a new aspect, whereby there would be two night flying details, with one being taken at Clyffe Pypard and the other with No.3 EFTS

at Shellingford in Oxfordshire, some 20 miles to the

northwest. Shellingford was used for night flying on a

number of subsequent occasions. However, with the

Luftwaffe probing deeper into England and gaining in

boldness, on a number of days in July, night training had

to be delayed because of the presence of enemy aircraft.

A Station defence exercise was staged on 13th July, with

all personnel involved. Permanent staff manned Action

Stations while those on the Pre-Glider course were used as

a mobile striking force. On completion of the exercise,

weapon training was given to all. Flying had stopped at

4.30 pm to ensure a 100% Station attendance on the

exercise. A similar call-out was completed on the 20th,

followed by a gas exercise on 21st July. On these

occasions, the practices were fairly low-key but on later exercises, external umpires attended and would then submit full reports to the Station Commander.

Another Court Martial was convened at Clyffe Pypard on 4th August, to try Captain AMD Carr (Seaforth Highlanders)

one of the students on No.1 Pre-Glider Training Course. His charge was, “When on active service, neglecting to obey local orders in that he, in the vicinity of Tilshead Camp, on 8th July 1942, when pilot of His Majesty’s aircraft Magister T9736, performed a loop at a height of approximately 900 feet, contrary to Station Standing Orders for Royal Air Force Station, Clyffe Pypard Part 2.13 (i) which directed that aerobatics must not be commenced below 4,000 feet”. He was found guilty and severely reprimanded.

Earlier in the year, an ATC squadron from nearby Swindon had begun regular visits to the Station and from 4th August 1942, under a scheme which allowed for Air Training Corps squadrons to spend a week on their affiliated RAF Station, weekly intakes of officers and cadets began, with the arrival of youngsters from No.1244 ATC Squadron in Swindon and

No.302 Squadron in Calne. During these Summer Camps, the ATC cadets were housed under canvas and a full working programme was drawn up for them. In the morning they would be employed at the dispersals and in the airframe and engine repair sections, then in the afternoon they would attend lectures and do range practice with rifle and revolver. Each cadet would be given two official flights per year and the opportunity was given them to gain air experience for Night Flying Tests.

(Left) - World War 2 ATC cadets prepare to get an experience flight aboard Biggin Hill Station Flight's Tiger Moth T6463. Swindon ATC personnel would have taken similar flights from Clyffe Pypard (IWM)

The first army course – No.1 Pre-Glider Training Course – was completed on 5th August 1942 with two officers and 22 NCOs successfully graduating. Eighteen other pupils were suspended from training and returned to their units, while a further three were transferred to No.3 Course. Average dual flying per pupil was 48.35 hours day and 6.28 night, with 44.42 day solo and 1.48 by night. Average time to go solo was 12.56 hours. Standard of flying for those who passed was assessed as ‘average’ for 19 and ‘above average’ for five. The lucky few were granted 14 days’ leave before posting to a Glider Training School.

There was a brief return to the training of RAF cadets from 26th August, when due to a lack of suitable candidates for No.6 Pre-Glider Training Course, it was instead decided to postpone the intake for three weeks and in their place undertake the grading of 50 RAF pupils. The first thirty arrived on 28th August and twenty more on 1st September. The first grading cadets passed out on 8th September.

But then, as now, the British summer is a fickle thing, and in August alone, 72 hours were lost to bad weather. For another 72 hours only restricted flying was possible, with rain, fog and stormy conditions accounting for many of these lost training hours. A number of accidents and incidents also didn’t help matters, though thankfully none was serious. On 1st August, Sgt Sudron spun-in whilst attempting to forced land at Wick Farm near Headington following a partial engine failure. The pilot was admitted to the Station hospital at Yatesbury, while his Tiger Moth, T7394 was a write-off. On 20th August, Cpl Hannah also spun-in, this time at Charlton near Malmesbury, from 6,000 feet whilst practicing spins. Hannah was admitted to the RAF hospital at Wroughton with facial injuries and a fractured heel bone. His Magister, R1959 was also a write-off.

The final major accident for August occurred on the 23rd, when Sgt Patrick N O’Sullivan with Cpl Cussans as his pupil, hit a bank while low-flying half a mile northeast of Broadway Farm near Devizes aboard Tiger Moth T6640. Both were taken to hospital in Devizes. O’Sullivan was transferred to the RAF Hospital at Wroughton a few days later. He spent many months in recovery and following a Medical Board in which he was awarded a category of, “Single-engine light and medium twins only”, he returned to instruct at 29 EFTS. Sadly, despite his efforts, Sgt O’Sullivan never managed to get onto an operational squadron due to the limitations of his medical category (though he did later convert onto Wellingtons), but he did complete more than 600 flying hours in Tiger Moths at Clyffe Pypard, teaching others who would then go on to fight. Surely the quotation, “They also serve who only stand and wait” was rarely more appropriate.

(Right) - Re-validation of flying instructors by staff from

the Empire Central Flying School was a part of EFTS life.

Pilot Officer Alexander Smith's log book for 1942 shows

one such check flight, on 27th August, with PO Wilson

aboard ECFS Airspeed Oxford V3337. Mission symbols 7

, 8 and 9 indicate that the sortie included taking off (into

wind); power approach and landing; and approach and

landing. (John May)

Wednesday 9th September 1942 marked the first anniversary of the opening of the Station, and despite the wartime conditions a Guest Night was held. Original members of the Station were invited. Incredibly, in the space of just one year there were just eight of the original officers and senior NCO’s still serving at Clyffe Pypard (many of whom had in the interim been promoted or commissioned): the CFI, Sqn Ldr Tribe, flying instructors Flt Lt Ogilvie-Forbes, P Offs Balme, Bryceson and Urlwin-Smith, FS Addy, Sgt Docker and the MO, Fg Off Clarke.

A new system of airfield control was instituted at both Clyffe Pypard and Alton Barnes from mid-September whereby the aerodrome was divided into two portions by the Airfield Controller, who was provided with a black and white chequered flag atop a ten-foot pole. The Controller was positioned on the leeward airfield boundary such that all incoming aircraft would land to the right of the pole and departing aircraft would take-off to the left. The main duty of the Airfield Controller was to signal aircraft with a red Aldis lamp if he considered it unsafe to land or depart. He was also to report breaches of discipline.

Though the Miles Magister was now in use by the Pre-Glider Training Courses, No.3 Course, which graduated on 16th September had used just the Tiger Moth throughout its training. Of an initial intake of 48 pupils, No.3 Course was able to pass-out 5 officers and 30 NCOs, with the standard being generally above average. It was considered that the success of this course was largely down to the training on one type of aircraft and conversion onto the Magister mid-course for other pupils had been found to have a retarding effect on learning. Though the Magisters remained with 29 EFTS into 1943, their days were numbered from this point onwards.

The case for the Magister was not helped by a number of accidents on the type, and this trend continued; at 11 am on 22nd September, Sgt WJC Needham was giving instruction on spinning to pupil Cpl WJ Jebbitt on a flight from Alton Barnes. The aircraft could not be recovered and at 2,000 feet both airmen took to their parachutes and landed safely. The Magister, T9687 crashed at Pugh Combe Farm near Ogborne St Andrew.

Sadly the relatively innocuous nature of these incidents was broken when, at 10.10am on the morning of Wednesday 30th September, Magister V1026 crashed at Purton, 7 miles north-northwest of the airfield. The instructor, P Off Peter Graves was killed and his pupil, Cpl Alec John Bowerman, a trainee pilot on No.4 Pre-Glider Course, died from his injuries in Wroughton Hospital three days later. A Court of Inquiry considered that the aircraft had stalled during the final turn during a forced landing, but it could not be determined if the forced landing was a practice or an intentional one. P Off Graves was later buried in the graveyard of St. Peter’s church in Clyffe Pypard on 3rd October, with full military honours.

The weather in October had a serious effect on flying, initially with early-morning mist preventing any activity prior to lunchtime, and then from 6th October, rain showers, low cloud and high winds set in. The net effect was that 113 hours were completely lost and a further 110 hours allowed only restricted flying. Nevertheless, the Pre-Glider Courses continued to graduate (No.4 PGC passed out on 7th October), but it is also worth mentioning that further RAF grading cadets also arrived during this period, so Clyffe Pypard still had not fully converted to ‘Army-only’ training.

And despite promulgation in Station Standing Orders and a number of Courts Martial, trainees were still being reported for low flying. The latest, involving Lt AE Pickwoad (180092) from No.5 Pre-Glider Course, resulted in a Court Martial which sat on 17th October. Pickwoad was found guilty under Section 11 of the Air Force Act and severely reprimanded. His charge read, “When on Active Service, neglecting to obey Local Orders in that he in the vicinity of Tilshead Camp on 25th September 1942, whjen pilot of His Majesty’s aircraft Magister No. V1026, flying solo, flew the said aircraft at a height of approximately 50 feet, contrary to Station Standing Orders, Clyffe Pypard, Part 2 No.5(a), which directed that “low flying of any description except with an instructor in the low flying area was prohibited”. These cases began to form a pattern, and always seemed to involve an Army pilot in a Magister buzzing Tilshead Camp. It would almost seem that they were the result of wagers placed with colleagues who were still going through the 6-week ‘weeding-out’ process there.

The weather for 18th October was reported as, “very poor visibility [which] prevented any more than 115 hours of day flying to be carried out”, and it would seem that poor visibility played a large part in an incident later in the day. At just gone half-past six that evening (though the Medical staff reported the time as 7.15pm), a Consolidated Liberator from 1445 Flight, on a ferry flight from Prestwick to Lyneham crashed whilst attempting to land on the airfield. The cloud base at the time was 200 feet and the visibility had not changed throughout the day. The aircraft had been homed into nearby RAF Lyneham by radio but the pilot had understandably mistaken Clyffe Pypard for his correct destination, bearing in mind the weather conditions. The pilot of the Liberator, Sgt KW Jones, had set up his approach from down-wind, but with a speed considered excessive (certainly for Clyffe Pypard’s short grass runways), and this resulted in the bomber overshooting the airfield and crashing through an area of scrub outside the eastern boundary fence. The aircraft, s/n AL538, caught fire as it came to rest but the flames were soon put out by the Station Fire Picket. As it had skidded across the airfield, the Liberator had struck the port wing of Tiger Moth T7392, which was picketed next to the boundary fence. T7392 would appear to have been repaired locally following the accident.

The same could not be said of the Liberator, which was a total loss, but fortunately its crew and passengers all survived the incident with only minor scratches. Aside from the pilot, the crew had comprised Sgt JL O'Sullivan (Second Pilot), Sgt G McDonnell (Observer) and Sgt J Westermark (W/Op), all from No.1445 FIight, based at Lyneham. The aircraft had also carried two passengers – Lt(A) Gough RN from 781 RN Squadron and Sub Lt Tolstoy RNVR of 772 RN Sqn. 1445 Flight had been formed at Lyneham on 20th April 1942 for the preparation and despatch to Middle East Command of 32 Liberator IIs, to begin the formation of Nos.159 and 160 Squadrons, and then for preparation and despatch of replacement aircraft.

The Station Fire Picket was busier than usual during October, for shortly after the Liberator accident, at lunchtime on 26th October fire broke out in the old Nebo Farm buildings. With the assistance of Station personnel the blaze was brought under control, but the thatched roof of the building was almost completely destroyed and there was limited damage to RAF equipment. It is interesting to note the presence of farm buildings on the site (to the east of the main hangar area) at this time.

During what must have been a damp and miserable time for crawling around in the undergrowth, on 28th October a full-scale defence exercise was launched. Station ground staff acted as the defence force, with the ‘airborne’ element playing the part of attacking forces. The object of the exercise was to train the RAF personnel in the occupation of defended localities on strange ground and under semi-mobile conditions, and to practise the station striking force in a selected counter-attack role. Blank ammunition was used to add realism to the scenario and assessment of the exercise resulted in 50% casualties among the attackers and a further 20% in the in-fighting which ensued. In return the ‘enemy’ forces were awarded 40% ‘kills’. The defence of the Station was always a top priority, and in order to maintain awareness among the trainees, the Local Defence Advisor would give a lecture on the Defence Scheme to each course upon arrival. For the local staff, Security Patrols were a regular part of life and these were maintained at both Clyffe Pypard and Alton Barnes, supported by the RAF Regiment.

Despite these necessary distractions, the Station still maintained a strong devotion to the few leisure hours that were available. Hangar 4 in particular was a focus of attention, and in October 1942 alone, it gained a new badminton court, while in their spare time others continued in the construction of a stage for the new Station theatre.

The RAF cadet grading scheme came to an end on 10th November 1942 due to a shortage of new pupils. Fourteen cadets at 29 EFTS, who had not completed their training were posted to No.6 EFTS at Sywell to complete the process, while others whose graduation was imminent, continued until the end of November. Clyffe Pypard then reverted to an ‘Army only’ training syllabus, though ultimately this was not the status quo for long. In the meantime, grading pupils did remain on site, because congestion within the overseas training programme meant that cadets who had passed through grading were being attached to other units for temporary ground duties while they waited for vacancies in the training schools abroad. Therefore, on 19th November, eight cadets from No.2 EFTS at Worcester arrived at Clyffe Pypard, where they were assigned for seven days to various ground roles, including guard duty. There then began a routine rotation of ex-grading students from 2 EFTS for ground duties, every seven days until the backlog eased.

(Above) - Staff and trainees of 29 EFTS 'B' Flight, May 1942. Back row L-R are: Sgt LG Hardy (instructor), Mrs Dorothy Bathe, Sgt E Topham (instructor), Flt Lt DS Davies (Flight Commander), FO THO Richardson (instructor), unknown pupil, Marjorie Charlesworth, FO CH Holyoake (instructor), FS JH Robinson (instructor) and an unknown pupil. Front rown L-R are: FO AG Hamiltton (instructor), LAC Woods (pupil) , LAC Woolley (pupil) and an unknown pupil.

(Ginny Dreyer).

From 21st November 1942, the Tiger Moths and Magisters from 29 EFTS began using the Manningford RLG. This was another site (along with Alton Barnes), which had been recently vacated by the Central Flying School. But unlike Alton Barnes, Manningford was just a field, which was used every so often to land and take off from, and there were no facilities or buildings there.

The return to grading at Clyffe Pypard began on 4th December with the arrival of 18 cadets from ACDC, and ten more on 18th December (these cadets should not to be confused with the continued rotation of graded pupils from 2 EFTS, who were still present at this time, awaiting movement overseas). Training of RAF cadets was possible due to a directive that, due to a change in policy, there would be no further glider training until May of 1943 (No.10 Pre-Glider Course had been scheduled to begin on 2nd December but was cancelled), and 29 EFTS continued to train the existing glider pilots, but now put its emphasis on grading RAF cadets, the first of the latter graduating in January of 1943.

1942 ended more with a whimper than a bang: heavy rain and high winds towards the end of December meant a sever restriction in the amount of flying activity, though a brief window of better conditions in the days before Christmas did at least give the grading students a chance to begin their selection process. Christmas Eve brought the opening of the Station Theatre in Hangar 4 and a performance of two, one-act plays and variety by the Station Dramatic Club kicked the seasonal celebrations off in style. Christmas Day itself was a holiday, and to quote the 29 EFTS Operations Record Book, “Owing to the restrictions on rail travel, a ‘stay at home’ Christmas was organised. The day commenced with a United Church Service in the New Theatre at 0945 hours. This was followed by a sports programme which included two football matches, with teams from the Army, Station personnel, RAF Regiment, and civilians; a shooting tournament, between teams representing the Officers’ Mess, Sergeants’ Mess, SHQ [Station Headquarters] staff, RAF Regiment, Army personnel, and the Station Home Guard. This was followed by Christmas dinner served in the Airmens’ Mess, and conforming to the customs of the service, the officers and senior NCOs waited on the other ranks. In the evening there was a performance in the New Theatre by an ENSA company. The general feeling amongst all ranks was that it had been a most successful Christmas”.

29 EFTS Flying hours for 1942:

January 1506 hours day, 33.35 hours night

February 2175:40 hours day, 111:50 hours night

March 2123 hours day, 90:35 hours night (or 108 hours night?)

April 2069 hours day, 137 hours night

May 2575 hours day, 32 hours night

June 4334 hours day, 12 hours night

July 4810 hours day, 312 hours night

August 4757 hours day, 308 hours night

September 4753 hours day, 454 hours night

October 3217 hours day, 227 hours night

November 3369:25 hours day, 127:50 hours night