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F540 Operations Record Book October 1959 NO 93 SQUADRON.
PRO Kew No. AIR27 Piece 2803 Microfilm Row1 Draws 52-71
Place Date Time SUMMARY OF EVENTS                                 COMPILING OFFICER   Flt. Lt. J.T. Hall       REF. TO APPENDICES
      JeremyHall.jpg, 5122 bytes  
R.A.F. Jever Thurs. 1Oct        The new month began again with good weather.   High speed interceptions were
flown by day on Thursday:  four sorties, each of four aircraft, and at night twelve
cross country flights were made.   On Friday four fours were again flown,
battle formation and 2 v. 2 combat being practised.
 
  Sun. 4 Oct-
Sat. 10 Oct.
       Monday 5th October, again an "all-green" day, was spent once more practising
high speed interceptions(19 successful interceptions were made), and a total of
fifteen sorties flown.    On Tuesday, however, our week of Battle flight began and
our aircraft serviceability rate was poor:  this resulted in our flying only two
Hunter six sorties and one T.XI sortie.   On Wednesday our aircraft serviceability
was back to normal, the weather was Amber One and an extremely successful
day was spent practising broadcast control and green salad interceptions, the
latter being forced upon us by Sector's "Sports afternoon".   Our equipment is
becoming more reliable and pilots are now more used to this form of bomber
interceptions.   On Thursday, 8th October Exercise Argus took place:   the
Squadron flew six pairs and a singleton on the exercise and intercepted F 84 F's, Canberras and B.66s.     Battle Flight was scrambled on the same day against an
unidentified aircraft   Uedem was the controlling authority and caused Flt. Lt. R.D. Stone to circle Leeuwarden airfield for some time before telling him to go
home:   no interception was made.   On Friday broadcast control was again
practised, 9 such sorties being flown.
     Flt. Lt. J. J. Parker went to Farnborough on Monday 5th October and was
interviewed and examined there until 9th October for his suitability for admission
to E.T.P.S.   The result of the interview is not yet known.
 
  Sun. 11 Oct. - Sat. 17 Oct.        On Monday 12th, the weather still holding, broadcast control and green salad was practised.   Battle Flight was again scrambled , this time after two F.84 Fs.   A
successful interception was made.   On Tuesday four days' air-to-ground firing
began at Strohen range.   Low level sorties were flown direct to Strohen through
Area one, and not via our customary low level routes.   Throughput the day the
visibility on the range was badly affected by haze.   Fg. Off. P.B. Wild, however
achieved the very good score of 81.6% (day's highest), the runner-up being the
Squadron Commander with 55%   On Wednesday, 14th October, air-to-ground
was again flown all day:   there were ten effective shoots again in hazy visibility but
with little wind.   The highest scorer was Fg. Off. D.J. Gleen (78.2%), second
highest was Flt. Lt. R.D. Stone (66.7%). On Thursday again in hazy conditions but
this time with a shear wind, nine effective shoots were fired.   The highest scorer
was again Fg. Off. P.B. Wild (66.6%) second highest Flt. Lt. B. Butterworth
(23.4%)   Friday was the last day of this month's air- to-ground firing.   Fg. Off. P.R.
Wild
's steady shooting had awakened the admiration of the majority of the
Squadron, but the doubts of the P.A.Is.   These latter therefore decided to
ascertain whether Fg. Off. Wild was in fact using the gyro (as instructed) or whether he was cheating in the calm wind conditions by using the fixed
cross
.   They therefore stealthily removed all the bulbs but one from Fg. Off. Wild's
aircraft. Flg. Off. Wild, when he discovered the treachery, was therefore faced
either with transferring his one remaining bulb from the gyro to the fixed cross
(and thus returning film without a pipper on it - a sure admission of guilt) or with
leaving the bulb where it was.   This he did.   Further, he says he was unperturbed, and we must believe him for he was again top scorer with 78.2%     The second highest was the Squadron Commander with 25%.   Throughout the week's firing the
Squadron had two stoppages.
     Fg. Off. D. Fahey was detached to Wildenwrath from 12th to 16th October on the
aviation medicine course.   Fg. Off. C.J. Lamont was declared fit for flying on 16th
October after a long term on the ground as a result of a wrist fractured at a dining-
in night.   On Saturday, 17th October, Flt. Lt. T.A.K. Wood departed for England to
spend a week at Rolls Royce on the 'Avon' course.
OscarWild.jpg, 4421 bytes 'Oscar' Wild
R.A.F.Jever Sun. 18 Oct.- Sat. 24 Oct.        On Monday, 19th October, the Squadron again practised broadcast control, as also
on Tuesday, with the exception of one syllabus sortie and one sortie, still clothed in
mystery, to Schleswig.   This latter, by Fg. Off. M.A.F. Ryan, was to carry a top secret
document to the airfield   Despite the most discreet enquiries by this compiler, it has
not been possible to find out what the document was.    It must therefore remain an
enigma and the resultant boost to Fg. Off. Ryan's hauteur must be borne patiently
Wednesday was again spent on broadcast control interceptions and battle formation.
17 sorties were flown.   The weather made air combat impracticable.   On Thursday,
2 v. 2 air combat was however flown (three fours) and in the evening a four took off
to do close formation over the airfield:   the trip was subsequently logged as night
flying!   Friday was spent practising cine weave and high speed interceptions.
     Flt. Lt. J.T. Hall was detached to Wildenwrath on 19th October for the aviation
medicine course.   Fg. Off. P.R. Wild departed for the Air Ministry on 23rd October
for a Flight Safety Course.   It is rumoured in the Squadron that his selection was not
entirely haphazard.   Fg. Off. T.M. Ashwood represented the R.A.F. versus the
Army at basket-ball on 29th October.   He now wonders whether it was worth it, for
his car was stolen outside the Army Mess.   As yet it has not been retrieved.   We were
sorry to say good-bye to Flt. Lt and Mrs. J.J. Parker this week.   Flt. Lt. Parker's
squadron dining-out was on Monday 19th, and Flt. Lt. Parker himself left on Friday
23rd in a Porsche crammed with radios, tape-recorders and camera equipment.   His
wife, he assured us, had been despatched by boat beforehand.   Flt. Lt. Parker's next
posting is not yet certain:   as already mentioned the result of his E.T.P.S.
interview is not yet known.   At the moment he is therefore heading for Chivenor.   On
21st October the Squadron welcomed a new pilot, Fg. Off. R.W. West in traditional
manner:   most of the members of the Mess were suitably disguised, not least the Wing
Commander Flying, in Met. office tie, as the Chief Meteorological Officer.   Fg. Off
West
has recently been 2nd pilot on Beverleys.   On Saturday, 24th October we welcomed
Flt. Lt. P.B. Hine as the new 'B' Flight Commander, to replace Flt. Lt. J.J. Parker,
Flt. Lt. Hine has come to us straight from the aerobatic team of No. 111 Squadron.
 
  Sun. 25 Oct. - Sat. 31 Oct.        On Monday, 26th October, Flt.Lt. R.D. Stone at 0700 hours (local!) briefed the
squadron on the low level strike phase.   Three threes were flown during the morning
and early afternoon, but a strong cross wind prevented all take offs late in the
afternoon and all day Tuesday.   On Wednesday our low level phase was again
interrupted by the news that the birds are now migrating, and low level sorties are
to be kept to an absolute minimum.   The Squadron therefore practised cine weave
and 1 v. 1 combat.   On Thursday, 29th October, Exercise Amled took place.   Six pairs
and a singleton were flown, the squadron intercepting F.84 Fs., Canberras, Victors,
Vulcans and Valiants - not to mention one pair of Hunters from No. 4 Squadron who,
they later said, were under close control; (and therefore absolved from looking behind
them?) Gutersloh's weather was bad from 0900 until 1500 with the result that we did
their Battle Flight for them.   On Friday the Squadron flew 30.50 hours, thus achieving
its monthly target.   This was done by flying three sixes, a five and three
singletons!   The sixes flew battle formation and 4 v. 2 combat, thus giving valuable
experience in leading a large formation and in co-operation amongst sub-leaders
during combat.   The target reached, the Squadron relaxed at the Mess Autumn Ball
on the evening of Friday, 30th October.
     Over 600 G.C.A.s. were flown at Jever during October.   The controllers, driven to
despair by the continuous green weather, had offered a bottle of champagne to the
pilot who flew the 600th G.C.A. of the month.   Competition was keen, but Fg. Off.
M.A.F. Ryan
with Fg. Off. T.M. Ashwood on his wing, won the honour, and very
generously shared his prize (plus a few more) with the rest of the squadron on the
evening of Wednesday, 28th October.
 
HOURS
  Day Night Total  
Hunter F. 6.         305.35                  18.40             324.15 Hunter 6
Hunter T. 7.           13.35                    Nil               13.35 Hunter T.7.
   Vampire T11.             9.00                                           18.40                         346.50            Vampire T.11.
          TOTAL         328.10                  18.40             346.50 TOTAL    
Total sorties: -                   316      
AIR TO GROUND
                                      Rounds fired in October 1862
                                      Hits    565
                                      Stoppage rate      1 : 931
                                      Squadron average (October)      30.5%
      Signed DS White          
( D. S. WHITE)               
Squadron Leader         
O.C. No. 93 Squadron 
Royal Air Force, Jever
 
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