A Story of War

Follow one man's war day by day, 70 years on, from Waziristan and the North West Frontier, Habbaniya, the Burma campaign, India & the Rhine.

November 21st 1940


Flying morning and night. Went off solo in the Tiger (Moth) for an hour yesterday, and was surprised how well I got on. Yesterday Jones taught us loops and today I go up for an hour and did 15 of them, a spin, and half a dozen stall turns; I did one and only lost 400’.

After I had flown the Tiger yesterday “Red Hot” (instructor Jones’s nickname) forgot to see how much petrol was left, and did a forced landing 400’ off the aerodrome, in spite of his 12000 hours flying. He gets into his cockpit with a little black bag every morning which, we have now discovered, contains his breakfast. This he has in the air when he has given it “over to you”. Someone crudely suggested that he didn’t only have breakfast up there.

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2nd Lieut CDC Dunford Wood

One response to “November 21st 1940”

  1. Jagan Avatar
    Jagan

    Interesting to find the reference to “Red Hot” Jones . He was Major William Jones – the Chief Instructor of the Karachi Aero Club. Last year I happened to acquire a third of his personal photograph collection from the 30s and the 40s, some of which show him in the military training efforts of the early 40s. Will try and share some pictures soon. Bill Jones was an ex RFC man, then held a rank in the Brit Army, and later a temp Wg Cdr in the RPAF (If I am not mistaken). Certainly a most colorful character.

    Reply

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