[Charles-P]

During WWII members of the SOE were sometime infiltrated into occupied Europe by being flown in the bomb bays of Mosquito bombers – that must have been more or less what you had in mind 🙂

[TiredOldHack]

CharlesP – this is where I wear my pedant hat. Actually, Mosquitoes were normally used on the ‘ball bearing’ run to Sweden and occasionally to ferry passengers there. As far as I know, they weren’t used to ferry agents into France, but I’d be delighted to be corrected. Every day’s a schoolday etc.

Lysanders were the aircraft of choice, if you were physically landing in France. Lockheed Hudsons were used occasionally. Or agents were parachuted in, from a variety of bombers: Whitleys, Halifaxes, Stirlings etc. Obsolete aircraft were preferred because the air defences over France were far weaker than over northern Europe.

[Charles-P]

TiredOldHack – You are both right and wrong. I have a personal connection here I will share with the BT community.

The Westland Lysander was indeed a popular choice but for the occasions where an actual landing was made, this was known as the “Dive and Drop” and operated by 138 Squadron out of RAF Tangmere (although the aircraft were based at Newmarket).

The Mosquito was the choice for the early development of what became known as HALO (High Altitude Low Opening) a form of parachute insertion later refined by the boys from Hereford.

In 1944 two members of SOE, both 19 year old woman were inserted into Eastern Holland this way by having the Mosquito fly among a Lancaster bomber stream to disguise its true mission, once on the ground the two women made contact with Dutch resistance and passed plans and advice for sabotage of train points systems.

They both survived the war, one of whom later returned to Holland to be decorated by the Dutch government, she died in 2004, a Grandmother, Great Grandmother and joy to be with until the end. She was my aunt.

[TiredOldHack]

Nice story. I’ve just been reading a recent history of the French Resistance: the Dutch resistance suffered much more, because their networks were virtually all successfully penetrated early in the war by the Abwehr. Agents went in and were picked up immediately. One of the great unsung tragedies. Later, the networks were rebuilt.

I still don’t think Mosquitoes were used much in France (if at all) but would like to know the truth, if only to fill a gap in my knowledge.

[Charles-P]

Easy to look back and wonder if the generation today would be as brave as those of the war years, I would like to think so.

[Charles-P]

TiredOldHack

Take a look at a copy of “571 Mosquito Bomber Squadron” by Barry Blunt that has some interesting stories as does “Israeli Air Force De Havilland Mosquito in Heyl Ha’Avir Service part 1 – 1948 to 1953” by Shlomo Aloni which makes reference to the role of parachute insertion around Rheims by Mosquito.

(Takes off anorak)

[MartynSinclair]

Charles P and TiredOldHack

I enjoy the BT forum immensely and exchanges like yours just add to the pleasure. Not many posters write about subjects in such a personal way. Charles P, thank you for sharing, I hope you do not mind if I try to research more about the extremely brave story you told of your Aunt.

Thank you for sharing

Martyn

[Charles-P]

Martyn,

Thank you for your kind comment. At my aunt’s request the Dutch authorities never made her award public as she still feared Nazi revenge (this was about 1950 or so). Until the day she died she refused to discuss the event of her wartime service in detail saying she still had nightmares and always changing the subject.

[MartynSinclair]

Charles P – my late Father held similar views and with fewer and fewer of the brave people remaining, it is so important that history is not forgotten and the events are recorded.

I know this is way off the thread subject, but its interesting your Aunts story appears on a thread “Obnoxious kids in Business Class”.

Perhaps there is a connection – if people realise just how fortunate they are to turn left and not right when they board an aircraft, not just becasue of the money in their wallets, but because paths were cleared by extremely brave people, like your Aunt, to enable later generations to enjoy a world where air travel has become so easy and affordable.

A wonderful story Charles P, who cares about the thread subject!??

[LuganoPirate]

Hear hear Martyn. A wonderful story indeed.

My uncle was ex RAF and went on to work on the Comet programme for de Haviland in Hatfield.

His brother was also RAF but was shot down (and is buried) in Holland. He was dropping SOE agents into the country and it was on his return to Blighty his plane got hit and went down. For reasons of security they never knew the operatives names or for that matter their mission.

I’m not for one minute suggesting, Charles, that it was your Aunt he flew into Holland and it’s already a co-incidence that two forum members should both have family involved in the same type of military operation during WW2.

Unfortunately my Uncle has also passed away so I cannot ask him (and he was quite open about his wartime flying) but it is a fascinating story which I would love to explore further.

[PatJordan]

A wonderful story from CharlesP and Lugano.

What Martyn says about our being fortunate because of having paths cleared by many brave souls is indeed true.

One of the things I like most about this forum is that many threads deviate from their original subject and many posters share their personal thoughts with us.

Thanks to all for so doing, and long may it continue.

[TiredOldHack]

If I might semi-divert back to civilian air travel 🙂

This was prompted by Martyn’s remark about the people who cleared the way, as it were. Look out for a copy of fate is the Hunter (yes, the same title as the famous story & film directed by Charles Laughton) written by Ernest K Gann.

He was one of the pioneering airline pilots, flying DC2s and DC3s before WW2, then flying military transports ‘over the hump’ in Burma. One of the most marvellous aviation autobiographies you will ever read, and a real insight into the founding of modern civil aviation.

One anecdote sticks in the mind (though it may have come from another book – I read FITH more than 30 years ago): early airliners used to follow railway lines for navigation. On the early night flights (DC3s ran a ‘sleeper’ service coast-to-coast) they still did, if the moon was full, because it reflected off the lines and made them easy to spot.

There was one long stretch of single-track line on some prairie, devoid of obstructions like trees and telegraph poles, and one pilot flying mail (not pax!) evolved a gag. If he spotted the headlight of a train chuffing along the line, he’d fly ahead, turn, bring his aircraft down to 20 feet above the lines, and fly directly towards the train with his landing light on.

With the train driver presumably having heart failure in anticipation of the head-on collision with another train on the same track, he’d then flick off the light, pull back the stick, and soar into the night sky, to resume his journey.

[TiredOldHack]

CharlesP Thanks for the book recommendation. I’ll try and find a copy. Never knew that Mosquitoes were used for that purpose in France. Great stuff.

[Charles-P]

TiredOldHack,
To follow your pilot v train story you may be aware of the stories about the helicopter pilots in the Falklands who would amuse themselves by flying slowly up and down in front of the penguins. The birds would become entranced by the chopper and slowly the pilots would fly directly over the now staring ranks of thousands of penguins who would tilt their heads back and back and back until ………. crash…… ten thousand penguins would topple over backwards. I’m told that film exists of this but I have never seen it.

[Delsurrey]

The BBC News site has a related article about taking toddlers and babies to restaurant and has published the following tips – perhaps we could apply the same guidelines to those flying in Business/First? I particularly like the one about what to do if you cannot calm the child down!

Tips for dining parents

Go to a restaurant that won’t stress you or the kids out

Go when the toddlers are not too hungry

Take a stash of books or small quiet toys

Try and sit away from the romantic couples

There is safety in numbers

If your children cannot be quietened take them outside until calm is restored

[Author]

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