Previous Talk

We weren't all Bader's

The entry below is a synopsis of our speakers talk on 11th March 2026.

A very informative presentation this week was given by Mr John Martin about his fathers experances in the RAF during WW2.

He showed a photo of his dad, saying this is my father and I'm going to try and put it together he's written recollections with photographs, letters and drawings it started with him joining the RAF into flying training it took six months to take his Solo flight. Hi was posted to the station where Douglas Bader was flying from. Now, this is the first of September. Hitler, having made an unprovoked attack on Poland, was given an ultimatum by the British Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain, to withdraw German troops by the 3rd of September.

All FDR personnel selected for pilot time were automatically made to Sargent. We'd seen the scientific speeches. Our uniforms no longer felt strange. Our tankers were over-loaded rather rapidly. This was it, at last we were happy. Happy as hell. we'd just blasted out of flight. Then the CO came in and told me to go back home. We were disappointed, there were no planes for us to fly, and nowhere for us to go. Then, at last, an order to an ITW on the south coast resort. Now, in order to confuse the enemy, no reference was ever made to specific places. I mean, that kind of post was everywhere, you could have walls out here. It was just between you and Bob it was Hastings; he didn't know what ITW was, either until he got there. They were vaccinated and operated. took everything from tetanus to typhoid to smallpox to yellow fever no excuses. Had plenty to spit and polish, Discipline was strict. Anything to keep captive. Army, Navy or Air Force officers. And after 24 weeks, they were still active. Left, right, left, right. Ah, turn.

They started the rest of us digging ditches. It was very hot. We didn't care we were flying again. We could dig trenches all day and gargle all night, at first, they didn't seem to know what to do with us. It was at Montrose that we had an invasion scare. Enemy bodies had been spotted to the north every aircraft was scrambled. We'd practice dogfights and battle crimes up to 30,000 feet. You can usually see the whole wall stone laid out a map up there, and the road that stood out was a good landmark to guide me back home.

Questions followed on several points to conclude the presentation.

For further information Click on the link Early RAF in WW2

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