Remarkable Story From Ww2

[Sweper]

Painless mentioned on TS the other night, about someone hanging on the tail on an aircraft that I don´t recall right now. I remembered I read a similar story from the book: They Gave Me a Seafire by Commander R. ´Mike´Crosley, DSC, RN. I have searched the internet but couldn´t find the story about it. So I decided to write it down from the book. Here we go:

For 15 minutes, Leading Air Mechanic James Edward Overed, 35, FAA technician, who had been swept off the deck of an aircraft carrier, clung to the tail of a Seafire.

Here is his story:

The aircraft carrier (Furious) was operating in home waters on a cold windy day with a snowstorm likely to break at any moment. We had headed out to sea at about 1100. The snowstorm had already begun and, with a hurricane blowing, we could hardly stand on the flight deck. When the order came over the loudspeaker the aircraft were duly ranged and placed into flying position, with the air mechanincs standing by their respective kites. I was responsible for Lt Wilkinson´s and he was first off. The planes were all being ´run-up´as the ship turned into the wind, and a terrible wind it was, too. Lt Wilkinson´s plane was running at a fast tick-over, warming up before the full-power check. He gave the signal for two men to lie on his tail, while he revved up to full power.

This task was done by another rating and myself. We both lay prone on the tailplane, he on the port side and me on the starboard, and we waited for the pilot to open up. After a while, the other rating got off to remind the pilot that we were waiting for him to open up. Then the fun began. The pilot opened up his throttle to full boost and up came the tail. I knew this had happened but still thought he was doing the full-power check. Then, the aircraft started to move forward but I had no feeling of forward motion. The terrific slipstream plus the hurricane was doing its utmost to remove me from the tail. The only grip I had was at the elevator hinge, so with this and my legs swinging in mid-air, I held on.

I had the feeling that the tail had come down on the deck again and I got ready to get off at any second. I had my eyes closed, but on opening them I saw to my horror that the carrier was below and astern and that we were just passing over the top of a carrier cruiser underneath. I hung on like glue...I thought of my wife and daughter...I thought my number was up. I was tempted to let go when I saw the cruiser, for he might rescue me if he was watching, but I decided to hang on. After about 15 minutes or so, I heard a reduction in engine revs and I prepared for a crash landning, not knowing where I was. The runway (at Hatston) was white with snow so I thought he was crashing in a field so I pulled up my legs in order not to have them trapped under the fuslage. After landning I did not remember anything more until I ´came to´inside the ambulance.

I was told afterwards that the pilot removed me and placed me upon the snow and covered me with his flying coat and put his Mae West under my head for a pillow...Next morning the pilot visited me in the hospital, and thought I was too full of admiration for his skill to speak, he said: Good show, jolly good show.

[fruitbat]

Great find Sweper, makes the WAAF's effort we read about seem rather half arsed!

[Painless]

~S~ Swooperton m8,

Excellent story. Imagine what that must have been like....to not even realise that you have taken to the air ! I'm surprised Lt Wilkinson didn't say "fancy that !" in the hospital. LOL

I wonder just how many times that sort of thing happened throughout the war, plenties I suspect.

~S~ P.

[Sweper]

Thanks. The whole book is very enjoyable. There are many other first hand experiences in the book, like this, that let you smile a lot.

I left out the beginning of the story i noticed.

On 5 March we were at Hatston sitting in our Nissen hut crewroom with the radiogram full on and thick snow on the airfield and runways outside. Norman came in and told us that David Wilkinson had just landed his Seafire with a chap on his tail. The man was his fitter from Furious and he was so cold that he had to be kept in the same shape without bending him, all the way to the sickbay. The story was told in the Press next day. Lt (A) Davit Wilkinson, RNVR was a former Lord Mayor of London´s son, and therefore pressworthy. The papers of the day gave a remarkably truthful account of the drama and I will quote from it.

[BluBear]

It's a great book, thoroughly recommend it! I borrowed it from Fenrir a while ago, must buy my own copy.