CFS2
Just been reading "Agean Adventures 1940-1943" by Michael Woodbine Parish. He was involved in the defense of Crete, and in clandestine operations against the Germans occupying the Greek Islands.
Anyway, an interesting story about his brother Godfrey, who was 5 years in the FAA, and ended up flying corsairs in the Pacific.
"After the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombs and the capitulation of Japan, the run-down of the [British] Navy was beginning, and the fine fighter planes on Godfrey's aircraft carrier were being shoved overboard and sunk. Godfrey immediately stuck his toes in and got permission from his Admiral to fly his plane the whole way back [from Puttnamin Ceylon] to his original Fleet Air Arm base in Yeovil, in Somerset. This was a distance of some seven thousand miles, the sort of thing that Amy Johnson had been hitting world headlines for a few years previously. His Corsair is now in the Fleet Air Arm museum at Yeovil.
"Godfrey duly arrived back early in 1946. Before leaving France on his refuelling stop he took on a full load of the very best Armagnac, Cognac, Burgundy and Claret. Knowing the Customs officers' routine at Yeovil he timed his arrival for 6:30 pm, and carefully circled the airport until he saw the customs officer leave for home. He was thus able to land, load his priceless cargo into his ancient Bentley in the dark, and be well on his way to Batemans [home] before the Customs man returned."
Corsair labelled E2-M.
his other brother Charles was not so lucky;
died on his 54th bombing mission, having been on the first bombing mission over Berlin!, having been in Wellingtons, Halifaxes and Lancasters.
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by merlin2
Bookmarks