COMBAT AND COMPETITION.pdf - Lakes Gliding Club

CHAPTER SEVEN BALBOS AND BOOZE
party in a four month long wake to mark the passing of 146 Wing.
Came the moment of truth when we were visited by Air Chief
Marshal Tedder on a whistle stop tour of BAFO4 . He arrived by air
and gathered us round him, out on the field. The occasion was
difficult, for he had come to thank us and, at the same time, to explain
that our time as comrades in arms was almost over. Yet he knew
exactly how to handle it. His words were sincere and his touch was
sure. To all who heard him then he came across as the most
understanding of senior RAF Commanders.
The day after Tedder's visit there was a summons from the Group
Captain. My encounter with the Free French Spitfire at Drope had
caught up with me at last and there was a black endorsement to record
it. In time honoured fashion the form was inserted, on the first blank
page of my logbook, where the evidence could be removed for ever by
means of a sharp razor blade!
As he signed the endorsement Johnny Wells looked tired, and
almost bald, his alopecia worse than ever. Without a doubt his war had
cost him dear. He gave me an encouraging smile, which belied his
words, for I seemed to be in even more trouble. When Group had
heard about my trip to CFE 5 with the Tempest forward facing camera
mockup, they didn't like it at all. He handed me a typewritten note. It
was my copy of a letter addressed to the Officer Commanding 146
Wing. I glanced at it hurriedly.
.....appreciated that Fit Lt I nee unwittingly short circuited the proper
channels..... requested that you will inform this officer the work he is
doing is very much appreciated by this Headquarters..... The signature
was that of the SASO6 , Freddie Rosier.
The subject changed. 146 Wing would be disbanded in a matter of
days, and 193 Squadron within the month, it was time for the usual
assessments. The form was already there - lying on my open logbook.
As a F.B.Pilot..... Exceptional..... Endorsements were suddenly of no
consequence at all. At the bottom of the page there was an official
looking stamp - Fliegerhorst Kommandantur Hildesheim - just that,
nothing else, no swastikas or eagles. It seemed rather a nice touch.
Early August. 266 Squadron and its Rhodesians had already gone.
Only Ronnie Sheward, who had been their Commanding Officer, was
still around. He had returned briefly to take over 197 as its last CO.
Butch had been posted, and I found myself in charge of 193 for the
few brief weeks remaining.
In that time we were called on to give two demonstrations. The
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