raf officer bob april february royal_air_force raf night fighter pilot fighter ace second world war born april leaving school teenager worked local clerk bored civil life joined raf year short service commission december began basic training march advanced training august december completion flight training posted squadron raf based learned fly squadron began organise specialised night fighter unit august way gained victory august remained success battle september squadron equipped continued operations blitz claiming destruction enemy aircraft end awarded continued operate anti pilot blitz ended ace september having achieved victories awarded bar november june promoted squadron leader october claimed enemy aircraft destroyed awarded flew missions time claimed damaged boat destroyed promoted wing commander given command squadron raf undertook sorties german occupied europe point received second bar june september gained seven victories including possibly german night fighter aces consequently awarded bar squadron soon converted february transferred operations staff group raf permitted fly operation week achieved victories june awarded second bar war came end june shot pair single engine german fighters captured spent rest war prisoner liberated highly decorated claimed destruction enemy aircraft addition claimed damaged probable victories probable victories confirmed german records making unofficial total enemy aircraft destroyed achieved night successful british pilot twin engine aircraft victories claimed night tally night fighter pilot war offered permanent commission initially accepted having resigned commission march enlisted briefly struggling find career support family emigrated canada family enlisted having held office retired military life began working civilian continued work death brain aged early life born april somerset father methodist minister earned qualifications reverend doctor theology studying king college london served pilot world war educated preparatory school moved public school somerset attended schools southern england moved country london built age feet inch metres weighed stone kilograms natural gifts successful boxer years months passed education lancashire frequently absent owing father ministerial appointments forced family continually relocate consequently concentration grades declined left grammar school age months return struggled find work era great depression considered moving abroad join british overseas territories briefly entertained training sailor gain experience worked clerk greater manchester police life administrative clerk turned british armed forces fulfilling career raf training aged applied short service commission raf course lasted years commission designed find young aviation enthusiasts right physical academic qualities flying officers surprise application accepted commission dated march service number commission enabled enter rank pilot officer training mainly consisted introduction flying civilian organisations contracted raf successful candidates advanced military training december began flight training normal pilots undertake solo flights hours dual instruction flight instructor progress slow solo flight hours dual instruction march flew solo time began officer instruction completion course moved begin training military aircraft assigned elected fighter pilot began training completed advanced flight training august began final phase training fury completed training formation flying gunnery practice months graduating december squadron squadron raf based flying february squadron equipped bristol disappointed trained reaction news request transfer refused squadron spent months converting august convert hurricane outbreak war squadron reverted night fighter daylight fighter operations soon earned nickname bob stayed service career chosen christian radio sign distinguish multitude unit second world war raf squadrons beginning equip airborne radar devices pioneering technology known aircraft interception unknown squadron aircraft fitted squadron continued practice struggle adapting night fighter tactics great pilots relied basic tactics usually meant search lights seek time squadron called defend britain air attacks august collapse netherlands belgium france june british night fighter defences weak difficulties night fighting evident performance night fighter squadrons shot error correctly identify aircraft crashed caught search lights low level return fire german bombers inflicted loss whilst squadron succeeded bring german aircraft identification friend foe devices fitted british aircraft switched experienced technical prompted question reliability occasion hydraulic pipe fractured flying caused landing gear fail prompted force land time joined gunner observer fly frequently home defence august battle britain intensifying battles far daylight leaving night fighter crews frustrated based lincolnshire operating satellite airfield unit formed group raf defending british air space north london night august took patrolled area piloted contained air gunner trained radar operator directed aircraft held closed fast gunner succeeded damaging aircraft sufficiently crew saw crash sea identified interaction enemy occurred dropped bombs airfield destroying damaged survived attack september squadron began convert rugged heavily armed twin engine aircraft equipped airborne interception radar shape radar sets luftwaffe began campaign british industrial cities known blitz november squadron unit fly september spend nearly entire month hospitalised car accident flew wartime operation november squadron leader led mission flew operations month enhanced skills completing blind flying course taught pilots fly low visibility conditions service awarded january combination developments eventually culminated success march achieved surprise attack knocking engines cannons jammed radar operator eventually guns second burst blew bomber range yards narrowly avoided debris engagement lasted minutes achieved success approaching slightly target followed radar operator instructions visual sighting identifying aircraft patch eclipsed stars position attack attacking downed close range short bursts cannon fire victory confirmed crashed neighbouring richmond london dead pilot sent luftwaffe preferred british design wore shot blitz ended luftwaffe moved forces support invasion soviet_union june air raids second half small numbers german aircraft attacks britain german night fighters attempted intercept operations england disrupt bombing germany june claimed probable personnel saw crash lost contact ground control having area operations fearing lost pursuing low barrage balloons ended chase claimed probable records claim night raf fighter german records list bombers failing return regular radar operator july gained victory day july destruction ace september shooting fifth victory claimed october followed october november claimed enemy aircraft awarded bar promoted flight lieutenant having little leave rested prevent exhaustion posted operational training unit january left involved car accident removed duty injured austin travelling left road speed night celebrating success passengers officers girls wounded women later died hospital recovered bob survived duty march engines cut forcing emergency landing day second flight ended aircraft engines catching fire managed conduct safe landing time gregory frequently visited squadron germans sending small scale formations bomb selected targets britain known operating night june borrowed destroyed raiding canterbury soon posted squadron july acting squadron leader flight commander unit damaging august destroyed 28th mark vii victory witnessed personnel visit radar station near coast august attacked destroyed flying english channel waves pilot succeeded making violent manoeuvres german aircraft damaged momentarily passed hit volley defensive fire caused port engine catch fire forcing crash landing near operator flight injured bullet found passed seat missing inches awarded october tally standing enemy aircraft destroyed receiving award celebrating pub attempted drive home whilst crashed traffic island drinking driving criminal offence police charged damaging public property fined equivalent weeks wages car crash success claimed english coast nights october night destroyed enemy aircraft probable damaged successful raf night fighter pilots recognition experience given command squadron raf december year old wing commander went operator gregory flying officer distinguished flying medal weeks later january claimed squadron moved cornwall february carry night patrols brittany france daylight patrols atlantic approaches protect aircraft march claimed locomotive destroyed soon promoted acting wing commander april attacked german boat firing rounds cannon target causing large fire operations damaged boats damaging squadron moved chosen purpose built night fighter squadron operate germany occupied europe bomber support role equipped new radar picked radar given german night fighter radar number equipped radar effective recently introduced mark vii operations started june given greater impetus battle intensifying losses german night fighters increased immediate success destroying netherlands june days later claim damaged guns jammed successes awarded second bar june june squadron claimed enemy fighters destroyed damaged loss noted continuous operations gregory arranged rested squadron operational planning officer replacement flight lieutenant successful operation took place night august participated group support decided best employ british night fighters freelance role instead operating known german airfields elected outward bomber stream german airfields netherlands germany belgium hoped echoes radar attract enemy aircraft divert bombers flew wave wave reached netherlands raf fighters contact attracted enemy night fighters night fighter wing taken command finished war successful night fighter time air victories led flight echo turned engine trouble radar radar operator picked emissions german fighters radar gained shot air victories killed witnessed action attempted engage dispatched pilot member crew survive considered shooting crew member likely seen parachute aircraft persuaded nearly struck debris victim habit opening fire close range resulting debris closely following reason firing close range high state fatigue state barely eyes open ahead satisfied current score rate lack action september consequently flew number missions ground targets successful night fighter pilots ordered engage activities exposed excessive risk particular mission decided hunt enemy rail transport failing find enemy aircraft paris line intercepted locomotive exploded hit attacked struck trees damaged underside fuselage maintained control flew home unusual return strange caused collisions objects sortie shipping salt water opened panel housing cannons intention replacing spent ammunition awarded bar september nights later september whilst carrying operation encountered identified engaged downed enemy aircraft hit ground exploded gained contact enemy aircraft catch witnessed crash explosion nearby source suggests victim crash german ace victories flying collided german fighter trying evade night claimed victim identified german ace august victories fighter drowned minutes fired claimed damaged frank 17th 18th 19th successful night fighter aces second world war aerial warfare wishes rested operations posted october attend staff officer course resisted complained directly commanding time hill refused request denied plea operation days posted group raf daylight months remained inactive february posted group raf wing commander night operations attached 2nd staff officer able persistence persuade commanding officer air vice marshal allow free lance operations loaned squadrons group asked permission radar operators transferred group headquarters fly frequently borrowed aircraft squadron raf february took claimed german destroyed south paris daylight sortie carry radar fitted navigational aids allowed accurate navigation night sorties location enemy aircraft exceptionally difficult hunting daylight strange experience march flew mile trip northern france weather attempts shoot airfields proceeded spotted flying landing circuit feet closed rapidly dispatched 20th air victory denied chance operate night fighter pilot time intense activity january luftwaffe initiated series strikes british cities response british offensive germany german air arm met severe losses operation march gregory returning mile trip hit ground fire england engine having burned days later attended buckingham palace awarded second bar wife joan father attended days later received permission daylight sortie squadron leader joined occasion flight engineer flew pick target occasion denmark luftwaffe kept number operational units region flew norfolk nearer destination conserve fuel sortie near sighted aircraft far away battle zones germans expect attacked enemy attempt defend transport shot second tried crash landing nose wings ensure destruction gun cameras filmed action fired rounds april returned france lacking radar sought large airfields sure enemy aircraft flew looking intelligence suggested operating atlantic convoys encountered fell victim brief burst fire days later returned denmark occasion squadron borrowed polish mission encountered near lighthouse feet fired second fire caught fire nose sea exploding impact trainer followed second victory mission germans tracked radar appeared scene soon cloud base feet effected escape hiding fired bursts fire encountered light ground fire directly returned following day days later returned pick joined squadron raf raid paris formal bomber pilot training days later near engaged ground attack mission spotted carrying drop tank wing rockets low level fired yards enemy accelerated escape fire slowed catching hit crashed wreckage fields 27th victory evidence judgement impaired taken leave war began admitted short tempered family spent previous years leading flying long hazardous operations enemy territory collected navigator flight lieutenant group headquarters borrowed squadron flew norfolk refuel spent time old unit squadron spent night denmark caught minute chase shot 28th victory repeated operation time took operating copenhagen line spotted near giving chase found attack presence clearly detected german radar hit port wing fuel line disappeared ignoring damage closed zero feet bounced mound managed hit enemy aircraft burst flames stalled crashed near range close yards nearly collided loss fuel chase damage coupled damaged propellers collision ground meant chances reaching england slim climbed high altitude miles coast broadcast emergency message received broke half took watched tail wings remain afloat retrieved gregory air sea rescue royal_navy sank sections aircraft remaining afloat regardless venture june received final award second bar summoned commanding officer wait cleaned properly dressed gave stern fashion given agreement operation taken definitive answer 29th victory eased tension invited bar beer fly bar reflected contribution success taken events warning thrill ranger operations addictive attempted turned poor weather operations flown june normandy landings western dormant activated flew normandy times bomber groups june counted successful operations prisoner war unlike gregory events believed war continued trained combat pilot engage enemy costs experience allowed greater chance survive odds new pilot acknowledged fortune forever continued fly operations deep enemy denmark daylight june collected squadron australian navigator flew norfolk refuel took headed danish coast sea spotted likely seen german coastal ships neared land noticed slight aircraft radio speakers meaning tracked radar difficult enemy track changed course frequently ranger operations depended surprise clearly lost clouds visibility improving decided continue decided head home flying island spotted building big flag pole car parked outside entrance believing contain importance attack building destroyed car departing area reached west coast long spotted approaching fast east shot machines uncertain experienced pilots cloud cover faster single engine fighters long decided turn fight head attack pilot missed second struck port wing engine cannon fire causing large fire instrument panel cockpit window shot missing inches sea feet tried use fire stop fire german pilot shared philosophy ensuring kill shooting enemy aircraft came hit crash landed aircraft beach miles hour free hid sand aircraft fuel tanks exploded pilot flew feet moment believed going fire relief flew contemplated escape instantly german soldiers running crash landed near radar station enemy soldiers crash site quickly germans fired shots direction hit captured searched germans found pistol taken crashed german bomber received captors believed attack thought grabbing gun fighting german guards finding friendly making sweden tension eased taken barracks offered synthetic german coffee soon pair luftwaffe officers arrived escorted cell airfield near taken border train germany sent luftwaffe interrogation centre near frankfurt journey train stopped air raids day night german guards clear disdain british airmen civilians saw carriages stations insults death threats shouted painted british allied airmen terror message civilians point group drunk german soldiers threatened tried forcing way carriage crowded train feared life situation restored young officer shouted order stop interrogation centre poorly fed physically weakened german technique weakening resistance interrogation germans prepared file famous raf personnel based information british newspapers knew happened career private life interrogated aide german questioned british defences resume operations jokingly advised steer clear pilot shot fighter wing arrived meet air victories figure interpreter provided promised buy allies won war statement came shock believed firmly german victory came respect differences aside learned lost parents british air attack surprised german dismissed fact words war fighter pilots bomber war shook hands parted airmen sent luftwaffe prisoner war camp near germany near polish border remained january advance forced march germany fed red_cross parcels civilian population fleeing soviets near village division recently action shared rations reached february received food hot water depot reached bremen february success british_army north western europe necessitated evacuation april liberated elements british_army postwar career return britain welcome family found exceptionally difficult live short temper manifested journalists came family home searching war story print despised publicity physically ejected property decision shut media life likely explains successful aces virtually unknown britain outside raf political climate country reduced winston_churchill black market set indefinite feature post war britain 1950s stayed raf joined tested developed existing new night fighting equipment massive reduction raf mimicking early 1920s disillusioned flying reduced save costs removed activity drawn raf initially managed regular flights belgium raf retained large bases awarded order crown palm wartime work arrangement short lived cut half coupled declining standard living low wages resigned raf march applied join heard decision contacted commanding officer soon persuaded return raf rank flight lieutenant pay acting wing commander followed period years non flying appointments london resigned raf second time decided afford pay sons private education wing commander salary britain joined rank wing commander better pay june sailed canada immediately appointed staff officer operations training near montreal taught fly carry fight types weather flew fast occasions north american sabre lockheed altogether flew times appointment miles north toronto october july commanded squadron flying canada involved mid air collision losing wing unable canopy ejected canopy safety sustaining head injuries summer family moved paris appointed senior officer europe shape flew patrol skies belgium west_germany variants lockheed tenure shape ended accepted invitation victor june air battle germany attempted locate years england business hamburg shipping firm learned survived war alive persuaded german consul bath forward letter correspondence followed circumstances permitted meeting learned english sufficiently allow communicate wrote scramble spite world tension counted company friends remainder career flew world canadian policy pointed amalgamation canadian armed forces unified service worse cancellation canada arrow end canada plan build fighters ambitions test pilot resigned january settled nova scotia wife sons flown hours types aircraft willing retire interested history joined area superintendent served years december experienced sudden onset complained submitted hospital health declined rapidly died brain february age personal life father reverend raf chaplain mother housewife suddenly contracted pneumonia died december coincidence night involved car accident young woman died met night months married father april days 21st birthday squadron granted permission low fly past celebrate planned honeymoon somerset war interrupted returned unit reverend died roughly years old marriage joan produced sons eldest michael entered captain retiring starting year career civilian robert colonial police officer subsequently police officer youngest son david died january list victories identified certainty
John Braham (RAF officer)