1945

A bout of fine weather right at the start of January 1945 allowed No.3 Naval Grading Course to be completed, with No.4 Course starting immediately as the good weather continued. Meanwhile the ex-PRC Courses (now titled, Pre-AFU Courses) also continued to arrive, with 36 officers posting-in to 29 EFTS on 12th January. But from the 24th, when up to three inches of snow fell, conditions took an abrupt turn. Initially, restricted flying continued, and No.4 Naval Grading Course was even able to complete its flying commitment on 29th January, but then more heavy falls of snow closed the airfield completely.

The heaviest of the snow was experienced on 30th January, when night time gales caused drifting and cut the Station off from the main road. Station personnel set-to with shovels and battled drifts up to 5 feet deep, with one road cleared by the afternoon. But almost immediately, a thaw set in and the airfield continued to be closed, this time because of waterlogging. Flying commenced again on 3rd February.

As the war began to wind down, inevitably the training commitment did too, and along with prolonged periods of non-flying weather in early 1945, it fell to the sports and leisure side to relieve the monotony. On 22nd February, RAF Clyffe Pypard took part at home in the first-round cup tie for the 50 Gp Rugby Cup against Watchfield. AOC, HQ 50 Group, Air Commodore JJ Williamson, AFC, was also present to see the home station beat the visitors by 15 – nil. On this occasion the AOC arrived by car, but he more usually came by air and was a regular visitor to both Clyffe Pypard and Alton Barnes. A week after the first match, Clyffe Pypard beat Shellingford by 11 to 3. The final took place on 20th March, with Clyffe Pypard winning at home against Sywell, 9 to 3.

(Left) - Clyffe Pypard village, 1945: the Goddard Arms pub (still open as of 2016) is at the centre of the picture, with the airfield atop the high ground above it to the rear. (Ginny Dreyer)

On the leisure side, the Station by now boasted a very proficient Dramatic Society, and during the month it performed the play, “Saloon Bar” on camp, as well as travelling to Yatesbury, where two performances were given, as well as RAF Compton Bassett and at Wroughton Hospital. Clyffe Pypard had also formed a Dancing Club, which held weekly functions and gramophone recitals were also held every week. Taking advantage of its gymnasium in Hangar 4, there were many inter-station sports matches, for sports ranging from billiards and darts to tennis and squash, with the home teams usually prevailing.

Another effect of the impending conclusion of the war in Europe was the understandable focus by many on returning to civilian life. In preparation for this, on 15th March Wg Cdr George of FTC Accounts Unit gave a lecture to all permanent staff on the Government’s Release Scheme.

And with the early completion of the flying commitments for No.6 Naval Grading Course on 21st March, an informal Inter-Flight competition was

arranged. This event comprised a series of Navigation, Aerobatics and Formation Flying for the instructors, and occupied the whole day, arousing considerable interest. The event was won by ‘B’ Flight, with ‘E’ Flight second, ‘A’ Flight 3rd, ‘F’ Flight 4th, ‘D’ Flight 5th and ‘C’ Flight last. It was probably the closest that Clyffe Pypard ever got to holding its own airshow and it was a pity that the public was not invited.

From 22nd March, authority was given from HQ Flying Training Command for all Naval Grader pupils to receive an extra 3 hours of instructional flying, to focus mainly on navigation. The changes came into effect from No.7 Naval Grading Course, which began with 8 officers and 95 cadets on 30th March.

(Right) - Axel Gunnar Anderson, born 6th May 1908 in Norrkoping, Sweden, was at the outbreak of war, a

bus driver. He had learnt to fly in the early 1930’s and trained in the RAF as an NCO pilot and did a tour as

an instructor with 29 EFTS from March 1943 to October 1944. Commissioned in September 1944, as a Pilot

Officer he returned to Clyffe Pypard on 3rd March 1945, again as an instructor, until being posted out to

10 FIS at Woodley on 5th November that year. He remained in the RAF until relinquishing his commission on

27th July 1955.

At approximately 1645 hrs on 15th April, Fg Off Frederico V Davico (153034) was forced to

bail out of Tiger Moth N6726 following a control restriction. He made a partially successful

landing near Mangotsfield, suffering a broken ankle and was taken to the RAF Hospital at

Wroughton.

The war in Europe ended on 8th May 1945 and for the personnel of Clyffe Pypard the day

started with a parade and Thanksgiving Service. There was a Station dance in the evening

and a bonfire – the latter something that had been impossible during the blackout

conditions of the previous 5 years or more. The following day was observed as a holiday

but from 10th May, flight training recommenced and was marked by the crash of Tiger Moth DF116 at Ham near Marlborough. Both occupants, FS JR Taylor (AUS.433630) and Sgt DR Louden (1570270) were uninjured. FS Taylor was subsequently charged for low flying and tried by Court Martial. On 7th June he was found guilty, reduced to the ranks and sentenced to 56 days’ detention.

The final pre-AFU intake was received on 18th May, comprising 19 NCOs from No.7 PRC. From this date, 29 EFTS was instructed that there would be no further output of PRC personnel and Clyffe Pypard would instead act as a Holding Unit for the PRC. In the interests of economy, flying for these airmen would now be restricted to 2 hours per man, per week and as a result, all PRC activity was transferred to ‘C’ Flight. With most of their week now devoted to activities other than flying, a new programme was drawn up to include discussion groups, organized games, lectures and other duties.

Tiger Moth N6578, 1945. This machine arrived at 29 EFTS from No.3 Glider Training School, Stoke Orchard on 20th March 1943 and served at Clyffe Pypard for 3½ years. It was sent to 38 MU at Llandow on 9th September 1946 and scrapped there four years later.

In connection with the pilot selection method for Naval candidates, during May the unit was visited by Mr SN Jordan, the High Commissioner for New Zealand and Mr. Skinner the New Zealand Naval Affairs Officer. Accompanied by Lt Cdr Kent from the Admiralty, they visited the Flight dispersals and the High Commissioner spoke with New Zealanders, who were present at Clyffe Pypard on both PRC and Naval Grading courses, as well as the Flight Instructors.

Brian Buss arrived at Clyffe Pypard on 22nd June 1945, aiming to become a pilot in the Fleet Air Arm. Part of the Navy’s No.109 Y Entry, he joined No.10 Naval Grading Course at 29 EFTS, which comprised 11 officers and 142 cadets (3 transferring from No.9 Course). His recollections of this later period make interesting reading,

“No one seemed to know where we were heading when we detrained at Swindon Station other than we were to learn to fly. Why we were not allowed to know seemed ridiculous. Several RAF blue Fordson aircrew vans were waiting for the 100 or so that had passed the aptitude tests and the convoy of vehicles chugged out of Swindon to the south. On gaining the brow of a steep hill not far out of town, several large hangars came into view and we were convinced we had arrived. But no, we still chugged on. The hangars we found out later belonged to the pre-war airfield of RAF Wroughton which we would later see from the air many times.

(Left) - Hut 43, July 1945 looking north with cadets of No.10 Naval Grading Course (L-R): Roy Jamieson, Brian Buss, Jimmy Randle and Gerry Dorland. (Brian Buss)

(Above) - Location of Hut 43 on the technical site.

After what seemed like miles (actually nine), the last few along narrow country lanes, we arrived at No 29 Elementary Flying Training School, Clyffe Pypard. It was like a large square with the hutted quarters making a rectangle in the northwest section, sloping down to the main grass landing area running SE to NW . The huts and landing area were separated by 3 large hangars and crew rooms making almost a straight line. There was a further landing area to the SE of the hutted section, but the surface was poor and was not used by 109 Course. A Dakota however appeared one Saturday afternoon and did circuits and bumps for about an hour, using this area as part of the diagonal of the square to maximise runway length.

The flying grading course consisted of 12 hours of flying tuition to assess the suitability of each course member to become a pilot. For those who failed, they could be considered for the post of navigator. Four sub-lieutenants were assigned to 109 Course to gain flying experience that would help them to appreciate the duties of pilots when undertaking non-flying duties within the FAA. It was not essential for everyone to solo during the course, although it was expected. If you received flying tuition in the morning then you received ground instruction in the afternoon and this was reversed the next day. Because this meant that some 50 aircraft would be using the airfield at any one time, half of the course had to fly from the 29 EFTS Relief Landing Ground at Alton Barnes about 10 miles south, but take ground instruction at Clyffe Pypard. I was one who had to.

In a way I was pleased to do so, because every day we had to be transported both ways through Avebury with its mysterious circular mount and avenue of stones. It also meant we had to pass over Milk Hill with its white horse carved out in the chalk. Alton Barnes was a pre-war grass airfield and had the Kennet & Avon canal running along one side and Milk Hill the other, However it was far from flat and whichever way you took off at some point you appeared to be in a valley.

Our crew room was at the north eastern corner. We were separated [into] Port and Starboard, as wherever naval personnel were stationed you were always placed into one or other of these two watches. All ground instruction took place at Clyffe and all my flying was at Alton Barnes until it was closed down about half way through the course. But on alternate days these took placed during either am or pm. We always had lunch at Clyffe whichever you were doing, so you either bussed to Alton Barnes in the morning and back for lunch and ground instruction in the afternoon and the opposite way round next day.

I clearly recall my first instruction on what the cockpit of a Tiger Moth biplane consisted of. In front of the control column, or joy stick as it was known, was a large magnetic compass which at this stage we were not concerned with. On the instrument panel above there was an airspeed indicator in miles per hour, an altimeter in feet, a turn and slip indicator, an engine revolution counter and an oil pressure gauge. The fuel contents gauge was a simple glass tube mounted above the tank situated between the two sections of the upper wing and the contact switches were outside on the fuselage.

Only 5 instruments to co-ordinate, surely it must be simple. This was our first lesson. “You may think this”, our instructor said, “but you will find it most difficult in the early stages and you will think you will never master it. Do not worry for at some point it will suddenly all come together. Everyone goes through this. Secondly you will become extremely tired after flying for just an hour or two each day”. We all found these hard to believe, but he was right on both counts. We were issued with a one piece Sidcot suit of rubberised cotton that zipped up to the neck with large pockets for maps, etc. We also had a leather flying helmet, goggles and leather gauntlet gloves. Being summertime we were not given flying boots or the detachable fur collar, although we were advised to wear one’s own scarf, which I found most necessary. When I put my hand into one of the pockets of my issued suit for the first time I found a folded piece of paper. On it was written 'The Gen' under which all the instructions needed to fly a Tiger Moth were laid out. It was written on Canadian Naval Forces headed paper and I used it as my guide throughout my time at Clyffe. The programme was that we would be air-tested after about 5 hours, 8 hours and 12 hours flying. The 3 tests would be identical and our flying instructor would be changed after about 6 hours.

The day arrived at Alton .Barnes when kitted up and waiting in the crew room I was told to fetch a parachute and get into the rear cockpit of a numbered Tiger Moth by Flight Lieutenant Williamson. He was a Welshman with no sense of humour and no desire to converse with you other than to inform you what to do and chastise you if you made the slightest mistake. The RAF method used was to teach what not to do in the air so that you could quickly recognise an error and take the necessary corrective action immediately, for instance, you were taught how to recover from a stall and a spin before you could take off and land. By the time of my first test my take off was terribly shaky and I could not land the aircraft. The examiner would not take the controls unless he was requested by you to do so, or he could see you were placing the aircraft in danger.

(Left) - Tiger Moths at 29 EFTS, July 1945. This photo was taken to the northwest end of Hangar 1, looking west with Clyffe Pypard village off to the right and down the steep incline. Nearest aircraft has the yellow engine cowling and fuselage band of the late-war Tiger Moth scheme, and is coded ‘40’ – just legible in the original image. (Brian Buss)

Flt Lt Williamson was extremely pernickety, if a wing dropped slightly he would shout, if you rose a few feet due to rough air he would shout, if you were a couple of mph off the recognised speed he would shout, so without knowing it I was becoming .a nervous pupil. By the time I was ready to have another instructor I was far from relaxed with my flying, hence my coordination was suffering from my tensed up condition.

My new instructor was the CO, a Squadron Leader whose name unfortunately I cannot recall. Whether my poor progress had been reported to him and he had decided to see for himself if I should be washed out, I did not know. After I had flown a circuit with him in the front seat he asked me why I held the stick like a baseball bat and why I was correcting every little deviation the aircraft made. So I told him, but received no comment. Before doing another circuit he altered the angle of his reflector mirror so that I could see his hands on the stick. He then placed his index finger only on the top of the stick and did a circuit without removing it. "That is all you need" he said, "relax and enjoy your flying". At that point I knew I had an instructor I could get on with and by golly I did. He was an absolute mad brain but a tremendous pilot who taught me to fly.

There were many prisoners of war working in the fields close to the airfield and on the downwind leg of a circuit one day he took the controls and banked the aircraft away to a field where there was a line of them working with an armed guard to the rear. "Watch the bastards flatten themselves" he called out. He opened the throttle and passed over their heads with inches to spare, I was sure he would hit them if they remained standing. Down they went one .after the other as grass or whatever it was rose into the air from our slipstream. He was not content with one pass, so we went back for more. "God that makes you feel good doesn't it?" he shouted down the Gosport tube. This was the method of speaking to one another in the Tiger Moth. A tube from a mouth piece in his cockpit was plugged into the ear pieces in my helmet and vice-versa. When we landed everyone thought we had had an accident with the amount of Green stuff hanging from our undercarriage.

On another flight we had been practicing aerobatics away from Alton Barnes and were returning when I observed two Hurricanes at our altitude on what could be a collision course. I was in control and reported it to the Sqn Ldr. Just at that point, one Hurricane veered away as the other turned towards us. "He's going to play” said my instructor, "I have control" he said. How he knew this I do not know, but that's what happened. The Hurricane made straight towards us and would have smashed into us if the Sqn Ldr had not banked hard over and dived vertically at the very last minute. The Hurricane then climbed, did a stall turn to dive from us on high, making yet another beeline towards us. Just before he arrived at our position, the Sqn Ldr this time opened the throttle to the stop and pulled back hard on the stick, letting the Hurricane slip below. This activity went on for some 10 or 15 minutes. How the Hurricane pilot knew we would avoid him with each attack I’ll never know. This was real flying and the relative movement of the two aircraft from the cockpit of one was obviously something a pilot had to become accustomed to.

The Hurricane looked brand new, or had just come from a major overhaul. Its matt camouflage was immaculate with the yellow strips along the leading edge of both wings appearing bright and untouched as did its duck egg blue spinner. I vividly remember the last two features as this is what I mainly saw of the other aircraft, at times .extremely close. Eventually when he broke away the pilot waved his gloved hand and wangled his wings as if to say thank you. When we landed those at dispersal were quick to tell me what a superb dog fight I had missed between a Hurricane and Tiger Moth. How proud I was to tell them I had not missed it, I was in it!

On another flight, a USAAF four-engined Consolidated Liberator came alongside and put his flaps down to try and stay with us. It was dark green in colour and the waist gunner dressed in a leather jacket and woollen hat was waving as it cruised past. One day a visiting Miles Master II landed and all of us had to view it close up as this could be the next aircraft we might be flying. How wrong we were.

By my 8 hour test I could do all that was expected of me by the examiner. I recall being told to place the aircraft in a spin from about 6000 ft and given instructions that I would be told when to recover. We descended, spinning goodness knows how many times over a field in which a tractor was working and with each revolution, the driver was becoming both clearer and larger. Surely he must say in a minute otherwise we'll be boring a hole in the field. Should I ask or should I keep quiet? At last he shouted recover. I don't know who was the more relieved, the tractor driver or me.

Overnight guard duty at Alton Barnes is remembered for the late evening picking of huge wild mushrooms that were cooked along with the days left-overs in the cook-house, washed down with beer from the nearby public house on the canal.”

In June, the number of hours of night flying was drastically reduced, and this time was mainly devoted to maintaining instructor proficiency. With an inevitable reduction in the flying training requirement, a number of the instructors were also posted out. However, instead of going on to similar duties at other units, or passing on to operational training, in a number of cases these dedicated flyers reluctantly took on ground duties. Flt Lt Donald T Donan, AFC was one of these. He had been at Clyffe Pypard since August 1943 and was posted to RAF Padgate on 13th June pending a posting on to admin duties. A similar fate awaited Flt Lt Charles P Fuller, a flying instructor at 29 EFTS since October 1942.

On 7th July 1945 the final training sorties were flown from Alton Barnes, and at midday the Tiger Moths of ‘A’ and ‘B’ Flights returned to Clyffe Pypard one final time. Two days later the Relief Landing Ground was placed under Care & Maintenance. Brian Buss was mid-course when the RLG at Alton Barnes closed,

“When I had flown for about 9 hours, a decision was taken to close Alton Barnes and fly only from Clyffe Pypard. For a day or so some 50 aircraft were trying to use the same airfield and it became so dangerous that marker boards were placed so that take off was to the left of the boards and landing to the right.

RAF Lyneham was only about 4 miles west of Clyffe Pypard and had many four-engined Handley Page Halifax glider tugs stationed there. Lyneham's circuit was the opposite· hand to ours, so on occasions we came face to face. One such incident occurred when I had throttled back after take-off and turned on to my first cross wind leg. There coming towards us at the same altitude were about 12 Halifaxes towing Airspeed Horsa gliders, stacked such that those at the rear were slightly higher than those in front. To see such a large tiered formation of powered aircraft was one thing, but to see all the gliders behind rising and falling was a fabulous sight. My instructor calmly said "In normal circumstances, powered aircraft should give way to training aircraft, but in this situation I don't think it will happen, so let's get the hell out of it" and we did.

On yet another occasion I had taken off and was just over the cliff edge when under me, floated a Halifax all on its own. Even the Sqn Ldr thought this dangerous enough to report the near miss and complain to Lyneham. I entered the crew room one morning and was called by a rather tubby Flt Lt and told to climb in Tiger Moth N6578 with the number 66 painted on the engine cowling. He told me the Sqn Ldr had gone out the previous evening on his motor cycle for a drink and on his return came off at a corner and broke his arm, this was the reason for the new instructor.

He asked me to undertake a few circuits during which he posed several questions. On landing after the third circuit he asked me to taxi back to dispersal and told me to stay in. He said that I didn't require him on the next circuit, so he promptly got out did up his straps so they would not fly out and closed his door. He wished me the best of luck and asked me to bring it back in one piece. I was flabbergasted I was going to solo, but I didn't feel ready and had no idea that a new instructor would send me off just like that on the first time up. I was alone in the aircraft, it was all mine and I had to get on with it whether I thought I was ready or not. Would I remember everything?

I had to wait some time before I could move to the take-off point because so many planes were landing and I must not taxy across their path. At last I was away, the take-off was a good one with no hint of a swing. Once airborne I held the nose down to build up speed and when I eased back on the stick she lifted like a bird. I was so enthralled that I had climbed to about 800 feet before I remembered I should have throttled back at 400, by which time I should have been making my first turn. I levelled out at the required 1000 feet and kept the wingtip on the boundary of the airfield all the way along the downwind leg. The wind sock had not changed direction since take off so all seemed well until I remembered that I had to land this machine and there was no one else to help me. I made a fair turn at 75 mph into the home cross wind leg and throttled back before turning onto finals, again keeping an adequate margin of speed. There before me was the landing area with the marker boards on the left so I was nicely lined up for my landing. I was down to about 300 ft when same silly fool taxied across my path towards the take-off point instead of waiting as I did. I had to bank quickly to the right and again to the left to avoid him otherwise I would have been forced to have gone around again. I knew if I did the instructor would accuse me of wanting to stay up there and this was frowned upon. It was OK and I avoided the other aircraft with a good margin, but I had to align myself again for my landing at a very late stage. At about double decker bus height I eased back on the stick gently, then a little more, trying not to float, until I could see the separate blades of grass. Then it was right back with the stick as the wheels rumbled along the ground. I was down first time with not a bounce or a balloon, I had done it, I had soloed. Yippee.

However I had to get back to dispersal so I could not go wild with excitement yet. I. turned round through 45 degrees to ensure no one else was landing and moved off with the stick well back in my chest, zig zagging slowly using the rudder pedals, so I could see ahead. Having arrived, I park the aircraft, switch off and climbed out. Not a soul in sight not even the instructor, who by the way I never saw again. Only a member of the ground crew who chocked the aircraft and he didn't know, or I thought, was interested in the fact that I’d just soloed, but I was and how! Several of the course had soloed well before me from about 8 hours onwards.

I had flown a little over 10 hours when I did, while many others had not yet done so. I soon found out that I was not allocated another formal instructor and had to wait until one was available each day, which in some respects was enjoyable. At this stage in the course most instructors just sat back while you did the work. Some suggested that we went off and carried out aerobatics. One actually had such a hangover, he went to sleep and I stooged around for an hour. One day I had control of the aircraft when the instructor kept saying "just keep straight ahead, keep it nice and level, don't look around". At this point I had to, and on each wing tip was another Tiger Moth. This was my first experience of formation flying.

Flying over that area of Wiltshire in July 1945 during glorious summer weather was most memorable. Avebury from the air with its long avenue of stones and the many white horses and lions carved out of the chalk on the hills, besides the various tall monuments on high points, made navigating easy and interesting.”

From 9th July the aircraft establishment at Clyffe Pypard was reduced to 60 machines, operating with just four Flights, each with 15 Tiger Moths, ten of which were to be available daily. The surplus aircraft began to be transferred out at the end of July, with most going into storage with regional Maintenance Units at Aston Down, Hullavington, Little Rissington and Llandow. Shortly after the closure of Alton Barnes, Brian Buss and the rest of No.10 Naval Grading Course graduated,

“I flew for about 13 hours or more before the course finished and sure enough by that time I could co-ordinate all 5 instruments without too much trouble. I could also land exactly where I wanted and like driving a car, felt that I was in control and not the aircraft. Oh how I enjoyed that month at Clyffe and Alton Barnes, even the ground instruction was tolerable.

The only two accidents during what must have been over 1200 hours of ab initio flying by 109 course, happened to the same person, one of the sub-lieutenants who incidentally was nominated our Divisional Officer. Twice he took a tail skid off on landing and was taken off the course well before it ended.

Unfortunately I contracted impetigo whilst at Clyffe as many other course members did. It was said to have been passed on through the use of RAF sheets. Oh how the RAF personnel were spoilt using sheets. While attending sick bay one day, my Sqn Ldr instructor came in with his arm in a sling and congratulated me on going solo. Thank goodness someone had heard about it. Most of the instructors had been Mustang pilots in the same squadron in the Mediterranean theatre of war. On returning home they had taken an instructors course and been posted to 29 EFTS. Several were reaching their 1000th hour of flying and as each one did, it called for a binge. My Sqn Ldr was I believe returning from one when he broke his arm.

During the month at Clyffe Pypard, we were given a weekend leave and I asked one of the Canadians I had become friendly with, if he would care to spend it in Dorking with me. So 6 foot tall Gerry Dorland from Toronto came home to meet the folks. Joyce and I had not been parted for an extended break like this before so the weekend was most enjoyable. However I was not in her favour when later I found out that I passed the impetigo on to her. I also wondered whether it was a wise move to introduce Gerry to Joyce. After a final party in one of the hangars we all went on leave and were told that we would be informed by post when and where we had to report to.

After about 10 days the expected envelope arrived and to my horror it informed me that I had not passed the flying grading course and I was to report to HMS Royal Arthur at Skegness in early August 1945. I could have cried bucketfuls. I was soon on the phone to Eric Treagus, who had received a similar letter and after we had both contacted many others in the southeast and found we were all in the same boat, I didn't feel so bad. When I left for Skegness I still had not heard of any member of course 109 who would continue with the pilots course.”

At Clyffe Pypard there was another revision to the training of Naval personnel. On 20th July 1945, 107 navy ratings, who had already been selected for pilot training (following completion of the Grading Course), were received. The flying commitment for these candidates would be 20 hours of flying from the EFTS syllabus in a 4-week period, to serve as a refresher, prior to attending a full EFTS course. For reasons unknown, 29 EFTS brought these ratings together under the title, ‘75/76 Course’, presumably by continuing the numbering from the final RAF grading course, which finished back in September of 1944. However, since the RAF courses were not officially numbered (or recorded thus in official records), this is just supposition.

An additional intake of ten RN officers was received on the same date for pilot selection, but this group was deemed too small to go through a standard grading process and so they were given 16 to 18 hours of flying in order to achieve a ‘safe’ solo standard in circuits and landings. Lt A Davidson was attached from HMS St Vincent along with these officers, to act as Course Commander for what became known as No.110 Fleet Air Arm Officers Course.

(Right) - Ironically, in time of war, people can lose their lives in the most mundane of circumstances. On 7th

August 1945 Cpl John Meredith (39) from 29 EFTS was killed in a road traffic accident, as reported by the

Cheltenham Chronicle of 11th August 1945. A week later at an inquest in Cheltenham, blame was attributed to

the driver of the lorry in which Meredith was travelling, Mr Herbert Curtis of Cirencester; the driver had been

attempting to overtake another lorry when the accident occurred. A verdict of death by misadventure was

returned on Meredith.

From the beginning of August, a number of refresher courses were organized with local SFTS

units so that 29 EFTS instructors could obtain their Civil ‘B’ Licence. During the war years, these

instructors, who had otherwise been fully qualified, had been unable to carry out the necessary

night flying cross-country exercises. The first batch of pilots, comprising Fg Off AG Anderson,

WO VC Price and Flight Sergeants CG Davis, AWP Marshall and JC Western, departed for 6 (P)

AFU on 7th August. A number of other flying instructors, who were either fully qualified or just

eager to return home, elected for release from the RAF at this time.

But the flying commitment for 29 EFTS remained, and Clyffe Pypard was still a busy airfield. On

10th August alone, 273 hours and 30 minutes were logged, which for a 4-Flight unit, with

probably fewer than 40 Tiger Moths available, was impressive. Just five days later, victory was

declared over Japan and the war ended. The Station celebrated with a dance and bonfire. On the

same day, No.110 Fleet Air Arm Officers Course graduated.

Throughout the war period, the AOC 50 Group, Air Commodore JJ Williamson, AFC often visited

Clyffe Pypard and Alton Barnes by air, and though the aircraft on each visit was not recorded, it

is worth mentioning that the 50 Group Communications Flight (which would have provided his

transport) during this period employed a number of aircraft. Among them were Miles Whitney

Straight NF747 (July 1945 to March 1946) and Percival Vega Gull P5988.

Post War Operations

Despite the end of the war, and with a number of key instructors departing (including Flt Lt Frederick ‘Pop’ Fowler, who was posted to 10 FIS at Woodley in August for release, having been with 29 EFTS since 1941), the training of Naval personnel continued, and on 17th August, a new intake of 81 graded ratings was received. This intake (No.77 Course) received the same 20 hours of ‘pre-EFTS’ flying as the previous No.75/76 Course and similar Naval courses continued at roughly one per month, as well as the Officers Pilot Selection Course. In September, the arrival of two smaller intakes within days of each other resulted in Nos. 78 and 79 Courses (46 and 30 ratings, respectively) being combined. The holding of ex-PRC personnel also inevitably began to wind down, with just 43 on strength by the end of September 1945. And another effect of the resumption of peacetime activities was that there was now rarely any flying on Sundays.

Indication of a further change in training activity was received from 50 Group on 3rd October. However, 29 EFTS was rather confusingly informed that, “…future commitments would possibly include full Elementary Flying Training of RN officers.” If the plan went ahead, courses would comprise approximately 30 RN officers and be of 12 weeks’ duration.

Also on 3rd October, during a visit by the AOC, the thorny question of officers accommodation was discussed, with the Senior Naval Officer also present - no doubt with RN EFTS training in mind. It was agreed that though the existing quarters were large enough, the Officers Mess would need to be enlarged. But any expectations of grandiose extensions were quashed when the AOC agreed to forward a proposal to Command HQ for building a Nissen hut next to the mess!

The first indication of actual change occurred on 8th October, when orders were given that all naval ratings on current courses would be recalled and that there would be no further intakes. Courses 78 and 79 departed the following day. The Officers Pilot Selection Courses did continue however, with No.111 Course graduating on 10th October and No.113 Course commencing the following day, though for reasons unknown, these began to be termed the, “Officers Grading Course” from around this time. Each of these courses usually totalled about ten officers. The cessation of Naval rating courses meant that there was more room to accommodate RAF airmen on holding from the Personnel Reception Centres, and on 18th October, 102 pupils from No.7 PRC arrived. The first Navy EFTS Course of 20 officers arrived on 30th October.

(Left) - In November 1945 Rear Admiral Holbrook at HMS St Vincent sent this letter to Clyffe Pypard's Station Commander (Sqn Ldr Goldsmith, AFC), congratulating him on the success of the Naval Grading scheme. Naval personnel would remain at the base however, and in October the first Navy EFTS course had begun.

The reduction in flying activity (just over 1000 hours in November, versus twice as many just two months previously) meant that a number of flight instructors were reassigned from the end of October, with others being promoted to fill in any ‘holes. On 30th October, Flt Lt HB Brown, the unit SMO departed to RAF Beaulieu for release and from this point onwards, RAF Lyneham assumed medical responsibility for Clyffe Pypard’s personnel. Sick parade for all ranks would now be conducted each morning at Lyneham, though a medical officer would visit Clyffe Pypard at least twice a week. The medical building was however still manned, by a staff comprising one corporal medic and two LAC’s.

Poor weather in November 1945 restricted the flying for No.1 Naval EFT Course, gales on 16th and 17th of the month being followed by continual fog and low cloud for nearly a week. Frequent early-morning mists also prevented early flying on a number of days and so ground training was programmed daily until 10.15am.

The year was rounded off by a rare flying accident on 27th December when Flight Sergeant Henebery (probably one of the PRC pupils) made a heavy landing on the airfield aboard Tiger Moth N6868. The aircraft turned over and sustained Cat B damage but Henebery was uninjured.

29 EFTS Flying hours for 1945:

January 2230.55 hours day, 57.40 hours night

February 2450.50 hours day, 43.10 hours night

March 3491.10 hours day, 42.50 hours night

April 3100 hours day, 74.05 hours night

May 2910.55 hours day, 18.50 hours night

June 2539.40 hours day, 13.15 hours night

July 2421.55 hours day, 28.45 hours night

August 2309.25 hours day, 23.50 hours night

September 2281.15 hours day, 18.15 hours night

October 1281.35 hours day, 33 hours night

November 1069.40 hours day, 23.25 hours night