The war hero who went from Hurricane Ace to the Light Blue Pimpernel
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His family later moved to Surbiton in Surrey and in 1937 he joined the RAF Volunteer Reserve.
He commenced his flying training at No 5 Elementary and Reserve Flying Training School in Hanworth, Middlesex and in February 1938, was accepted for a short service commission.
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Hide AdAfter completing his flying training, he was posted to RNAS Ford, Sussex where he flew Royal Navy personnel in Blackburn Shark and Supermarine Walrus aircraft, enabling them to gain air experience.
His next posting was to Hawker Hurricane-equipped No 87 Squadron at Debden.
When war was declared his squadron flew to Rouen-Boos in northern France to provide air cover for the British Expeditionary Force.
During the ‘Phoney War’ the squadron was mainly tasked with air cover for the troop ships crossing the Channel.