more 'flying' memories

correspondence between jim wishart and john groves

 

John had said that he thought that he could recognize himself in the group photo in front of the Meteor.

 

Hi John,
thanks for that, I have just replied to your messsage on the site.
I will try to improve on the picture.
I was there when the tiger moth crashed!!!
The photo could have been Hullavington, I think it must have been.
I was very keen on flying and dreamed of being a pilot, yet when up in an Anson, sitting next to the pilot and offered a 'go' at taking controls I chickened out.
regards
jim

Hi Jim,
Many thanks for your swift reply and enlarged photo, now printed for posterity!
Brings back many memories, some good and some not so good, my mother had died in the April before that photo, and I had to leave PSSW after the return from Hulavington.
I also had dreams of flying but came to nothing, but I DID handle the controls of the Anson, it wobbled a bit and the pilot soon took over again, I must have flown it for at least 15 seconds!! Someone in the rear of the plane released his parachute which filled the plane with yards of nylon. Perhaps he saw who was flying it!
The little glider was an experience that would never be allowed today, still it was great fun for us.
I visited Middle Wallop last year and saw the old Austers now in the museum.
Thanks again for your interest. Please keep the site running as it is of great interest to many old pupils.
John

 

 

hi again John,
thanks for the mail and the kind comments,
I think it ought to be put on the message board, do you mind if I do that?
regards,
jim wishart, northampton

Hi Jim
Of course you may post my e-mail. I am still 'in shock' with memories now flooding back, those were good times even with the post war rationing and shortages, I remember the Lincoln crash,( I thought it was a lanc.) I think part of one wing came off as it came down.
 
Looking at the photo didn`t we look odd in those little school caps? I can`t see modern 15/16 year olds wearing them.
John

 

thanks for that John,
I'll attend to it.
I am almost certain it was a Lincoln but when we first saw it, it was directly overhead as it started to dive. The only significant difference between the lincoln and the lancaster was that the former had 'thin' fin and rudders as against the wider ones of the Lancaster and it would have been difficult to made the identification from that position.  It may be that I remember reading it in the newspaper report.
 
I have been trying to add a picture of the school to the introductory page but so far without any luck, the web is very slow at the moment.
 
Did you get into bomb disposal in your national service or did you sign up? I was in the RE's as a Topo draughtsman, got to Cyprus which was good fun.
 
I am at present trying to find out about my fathers war service, he was in the Artillery in a light anti-aircraft battery.
 
regards,
jim