His courage followed him into the law, where he epitomised the concept of fearless advocacy. Later, he was a wicketkeeper and batsman, and played with Keith Miller, Ray Lindwall, Richie Benaud and Don Bradman. However, many lives were saved when 101 Squadron's SOs fooled the Germans into thinking the D-Day landings were to be at the Pas-de-Calais.ĭuring the war, my father also played cricket for the Australian Services side. Not only that, SOs were subject to torture for information if captured. As a result, 101 Squadron lost 75 per cent of its aircrews and more aircraft than any other squadron. They posed as German radio controllers to spread disinformation, but breaking radio silence made the aircraft especially vulnerable to tracking by enemy fighters. SOs, as they were called, were isolated in an unheated part of the aircraft, where temperatures sank to minus 50 degrees.
He learnt German and became a special operator, listening into German communications and jamming the signals, from on board Lancaster bombers. Then, as a result of heavy losses of aircrews and aeroplanes, at the beginning of 1943, the RAF started developing a top secret radio jamming system, known as Airborne Cigar or ABC. My father survived 39 missions both as a pilot and a special operator in the RAF's 101 Squadron, stationed at Ludford Magna in Lincolnshire, as part of No.1 Group Bomber Command.įrom there, he flew a Blenheim bomber in operation Channel Stop, attacking German landing craft designed to close the Strait of Dover, and thereby helping to prevent a German invasion of England.
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