with me, Brian bought an 8mm movie camera to record their trip. I gave him some brief advice as to how best to use it.
The safe range of the M18 was little over 300 miles, so they had to resort to island hopping when crossing the Mediterranean. Then in Africa their route was determined by the availability of airstrips which had refuelling facilities, some of them very primitive indeed.
Brian and Sandy set off on Tuesday July the 20th, taking off from the perimeter track at Jever. Within a day or two a telegram arrived in the Mess from 'Brandy' very briefly reporting their progress. These telegrams arrived every few days and were eagerly anticipated and read by all Officers. It became almost a ritual to look in the letter rack for their latest news. Suffice it to say, their flights out and back were entirely without mishap. They, and their aircraft, returned unscathed to Jever some six weeks later. I was on leave at the time.
I did not fly during the whole of August. There was mostly poor weather following the August Bank Holiday stand down. It was during this time that I was involved with my extraneous duties and was attending lectures from Flt.Lt. Phillips in the Education Section preparatory to my taking my Promotion Exams later in the year. That did not mean, though, that I was never at the Squadron. On a day when there was flying I happened to be on the Squadron hard-standing watching the activity when a Sabre started up, waved 'chocks away', and the chain of one of the main wheel chocks caught and wrapped round the wheel. The Marshal signalled the pilot to stop immediately but didn't then know what to do, so looked to me. Using hand signals in the noise, I conveyed a message to both Marshal and pilot to hold still. I then crawled forward under the wing and released the chain, but before I could crawl away the aircraft moved off, turning as it did so. I had to lie flat to the ground, hands over head, while the jet blast passed over me. I came to no harm although there was some concern as to my well-being. Some months later I repeated this action, again without hurt to myself.
During the early part of August, Group Captain Powel-Sheddon left Jever and was replaced as Station Commander by Group Captain Tom Prickett.



Video showing SEN-012 clip from Ken Senar's film.   The TITLE: "93 Squadron says goodbye to an old friend".   This sequence was taken on the Sunday morning prior to the departure of
Group Captain Powel-Sheddon as Station Commander.   A party, with drinks(!), was arranged in the crew room in 93 Sqn hangar.   There are many shots of the squadron pilots, few of whom are easy to identify in the film as the shots are too short.   The sequence shows the pilots emerging for photographs and to 'wave off' their old Station CO whom they presented with an engraved silver tankard.   Among those present are (I think):   George Hickman, Al Ramsey, Bernie Revnell, John Davis, Tommy Balfour, Hugh Culver, 'Dinger' Bell, Bob Page, Geof Couch.   Then Sqn Ldr. Bob Allen (left) and Flt.Lt. Al Colvin (right), both 'acting drunk'.   Followed by:   Bill Richie, Neil Hampton RAAF (hand filling mouth with peanuts), 'Lulu' Lee- Lancaster, and last comes Dickie Knight.   (Those without rank were either Plt.Off. or Fg.Off., except for Sgt. Dickie Knight).   Gp.Capt. Powell-Sheddon walks towards the camera, tankard in hand.   In the remaining shots are groups of pilots assembled for a photo call.   The silver tankard seen in close-up on the wing of Sabre 'Q Quebec'.   Sqn.Ldr. Bob Allen is seen pulling a face.   Fg.Off. Hugh Culver is seen with his camera.   The Gp.Capt. fixes his pennant to his car before driving away.   A line-up of 4 Sqn Sabres can be glimpsed in the background.

On Sunday the 8th we presented, at our hangar, an inscribed silver tankard to our departing 'Groupie'. It was a light-hearted affair and I filmed part of the event with my movie camera. To get back to the Mess afterwards no less than 12 of us, and Flt.Sgt. Telfer's Alsatian, piled into a single Landrover and drove across the airfield. One of us had his feet on the pedals while another steered and yet another changed gear. It was a closely co-ordinated, if somewhat inebriated effort. With much shouting and discomfort we all arrived at our destination safely and without mishap. The remainder walked.
On Sunday, August 15th, I went on UK leave for three weeks. I bought new uniforms with my Flying Officer braid properly tailored into place. Until now I had done a sewing job myself, something at which I was less than confident, in order to put up my new rank. While at home I invested in a 'Specto' movie projector and some basic editing equipment to take back to Jever so that I could both edit and view my films properly.
The day after my return from leave on September 10th I was catapulted into a Saturday morning Battle of Britain Parade rehearsal. I also learned that the next Squadron detachment to Sylt would take place on September 17th, less than a week away.
This was a busy time, not only did I have to catch up with my extraneous duties and prepare for the convoy to Sylt, I had flying to do as well.
On Monday the 13th I flew a 30 minute refamiliarisation sortie, and on the 14th it was just my luck to be selected, at random, for a check of my general flying ability.
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