May 6, 1945
That day May 6th, 1945, North West Europe collapsed and the Champagne was brought out for the big celebration which went far into the night. Just about all the fighting ceased in Europe that day however, the official armistice was not signed until two days later on May 8th. That day a coastal Command transport plane flew in, picked us up and took eight of us back to North Coates just in time for the big celebration and dance which was held in the mess hall that night. It was great to see the lights come on again, after spending the last two and a half years in total darkness.
The following Sunday two memorial remembrance services were held at the Lincoln Cathedral, During the morning service three of us took part in a fly past over the city and church in memory of our fallen comrades. The evening candlelight service was one that I will never forget. I doubt if there was a single person in the congregation who hadn't lost a family member or a close friend.
For the next two weeks our time was spent going back and forth to Belgium or Holland to ferry back the aircraft which had been damaged during those last three days when the total strength of RAF Coastal Command's Fighter Strike Wing wreaked havoc on German shipping in the Baltic Sea. Although aircraft damage was heavy, the aircrew loss was quite light considering the numbers involved. Usually two pilots would fly over in a Mossie and after landing at Utrech, we would borrow a jeep and drive into town to do some bartering with the cigarettes and chocolate bars we had brought along. They were the currency of the day. A pack of cigs could buy just about anything you might want, binoculars, cameras and also a few things that you didn’t want.
We then would play tag flying back. It was great fun as we would fly just above the trees and rooftops and chase the cattle and horses in the fields. When the squadron aircraft were back up to full strength we went back to serious training in anticipation of the squadron going to the far east. I had probably the fewest hours of any pilot on 254, due to the fact that most of the crews had flown in India and the middle East early in the war. They were all exceptional pilots, they had to be to have survived two or three tours of service as most of them had. They could certainly fly rings around me. When I was leading the flight and the Belgium twins as we called them, were my wing-men they used to fly so close that one day I called to Sandy to "Get that wing out of my window before I shut it". On landing when I touched down they seemed to be only about the length of an aircraft back.
One day the Winco led the whole squadron of fifteen aircraft on a low level exercise in close formation across country and over most cities in Yorkshire. Before landing back at North Coates he called the tower to tell them and us that he was holding a contest to see which aircraft could make the sharpest steep turn over the end of the grass field and then set the plane down on the cross concrete runway. Each of us were to ante up a pound to the pool. When we peeled out of our formation I called to Art to "keep his fingers crossed". It was probably the best landing I ever made, the three wheels touched down right in the middle of the concrete strip. I thought we were a sure winner of the fifteen quid. However, the tower later told us that we were a close second.
The following Sunday two memorial remembrance services were held at the Lincoln Cathedral, During the morning service three of us took part in a fly past over the city and church in memory of our fallen comrades. The evening candlelight service was one that I will never forget. I doubt if there was a single person in the congregation who hadn't lost a family member or a close friend.
For the next two weeks our time was spent going back and forth to Belgium or Holland to ferry back the aircraft which had been damaged during those last three days when the total strength of RAF Coastal Command's Fighter Strike Wing wreaked havoc on German shipping in the Baltic Sea. Although aircraft damage was heavy, the aircrew loss was quite light considering the numbers involved. Usually two pilots would fly over in a Mossie and after landing at Utrech, we would borrow a jeep and drive into town to do some bartering with the cigarettes and chocolate bars we had brought along. They were the currency of the day. A pack of cigs could buy just about anything you might want, binoculars, cameras and also a few things that you didn’t want.
We then would play tag flying back. It was great fun as we would fly just above the trees and rooftops and chase the cattle and horses in the fields. When the squadron aircraft were back up to full strength we went back to serious training in anticipation of the squadron going to the far east. I had probably the fewest hours of any pilot on 254, due to the fact that most of the crews had flown in India and the middle East early in the war. They were all exceptional pilots, they had to be to have survived two or three tours of service as most of them had. They could certainly fly rings around me. When I was leading the flight and the Belgium twins as we called them, were my wing-men they used to fly so close that one day I called to Sandy to "Get that wing out of my window before I shut it". On landing when I touched down they seemed to be only about the length of an aircraft back.
One day the Winco led the whole squadron of fifteen aircraft on a low level exercise in close formation across country and over most cities in Yorkshire. Before landing back at North Coates he called the tower to tell them and us that he was holding a contest to see which aircraft could make the sharpest steep turn over the end of the grass field and then set the plane down on the cross concrete runway. Each of us were to ante up a pound to the pool. When we peeled out of our formation I called to Art to "keep his fingers crossed". It was probably the best landing I ever made, the three wheels touched down right in the middle of the concrete strip. I thought we were a sure winner of the fifteen quid. However, the tower later told us that we were a close second.
