Library Reference Number: 149
Who Would Be A Glider Pilot?
Although there still exists in some quarters, mixed reactions to dropping 'the bomb' on Japan, no one can deny that bringing about the abrupt and sudden end to hostilities in world war two doubtless saved many thousands of lives, where the enemy's culture dictated that it was a disgrace to surrender. World-wide jubilation was the order of the day, as the horrors of war had touched everyone's lives for almost six years. Welcome as it was, the increasing demand for qualified aircrews also came to a sudden end, bringing about massive changes in the expectations of those proceeding to RAF operations in the Far East. Pilot Jack McKerracher relates his own personal experience:
Undertaking my flying training as a Pilot in Canada in such locations as North Battleford and Moose Jaw, I eventually returned to UK, and on completion of my training on `Airspeed Oxfords', I fully expected to be posted to a Mosquito AFU (Advanced Flying Unit).However on my arrival at Harrogate, there were hundreds of pilots with the same expectations. I was lucky to be given the job of flying trainee navigators around the South of England for several months but that was too good to last! On returning to Harrogate the situation hadn't changed much, so when the request for pilots to form glider squadrons came through, I thought "Why Not?!"
The conversion from powered aircraft to gliders was quite a culture shock; gone was the finger tip control and instant response of the powered aircraft to the sluggish controls of the glider. In fact on my first trip in the Hotspur glider, I thought I was about to do a slow roll at the end of a rope, however after getting used to making counter actions to any manoeuvre, things weren't too bad.
The conversion from Hotspurs to Horsa's was quite straight forward, except the night flying at Brize Norton, which was a hair-raising experience. On our first night flight the weather was pretty poor with low cloud. We had a station pilot with us to show us the ropes. We took off until the towing aircraft disappeared into the cloud at about 500 feet, the station pilot released from the towing aircraft and there was only one way to go. We hit the ground quite heavily and bounced and fortunately landed the right way up. Apparently we had bounced across a road and why the Oleo leg didn't come up through the fuselage is a mystery. Night flying in black out Britain was like flying in thick fog (maybe my diet was short on carrots!) Even the runway lights looked as if someone had forgotten to feed the meter.
By this time, I was now a member of No.669 Squadron, and at the completion of our training in 1944 we were given a short leave and the squadron was flown out to India. The gliders were being shipped out by sea. We then discovered we were part of 343 Wing RAF which was formed in India to enable a large-scale airborne operation. This was to supplement the rapid advance of the 14th Army and thus hopefully win the Burma Campaign.
After a short stay at Chaklala airport (Rawalpindi) we went out to our squadron base at Basal to await the arrival of our aircraft. During this waiting period we had rather a pleasant trip to Poona, Belgaum and the jungle survival course at Mabalishwar. Our squadron base `Basal' was on the North West Frontier, and when moving temporarily to Belgaum, 669 Squadron distinguished itself by being the best squadron in Operational Training and also best in Commando Training. It's reward was to receive a special commendation from the Air Officer Commander-in-Chief India. Our imminent entry to airborne operations took a few reversals however.
When we got back to base we learned that the `Horsa' gliders were unsafe as the glue used in fixing the fabric to the wings couldn't stand the heat. (It was pretty hot!) They were to be replaced by the American `Hadrian' (Waco). The Hadrian eventually arrived and was pleasant enough to fly, but wasn't as manoeuvrable as the Horsa. The Horsa had flaps like barn doors and could be landed on a sixpence. The Hadrian glider had spoilers on top of the wings and required a little more finesse. It was then discovered that the temperature under the Perspex canopies was high enough to make them unsafe. One of our pilots passed out on the approach and flying was suspended. At this point the squadron was moved up to the hill station in the Muree Hills, where a pleasant time was had by all. From the lack of interest in serious training I can only assume that plans were already in place to drop 'the bomb.' When the Japanese finally surrendered, a sigh of relief went up all round. Our colleagues in Europe didn't fare so well but I suppose it is the luck of the draw!
Due to rapidly changing circumstances the Squadron never conducted Airborne Operations in battle and less than a year after its formation 669 Squadron was disbanded on 10th November 1945. The Squadron name was resurrected on 1 June 1971 . On 1 January 1973 it was officially renamed 669 Squadron Army Air Corps until 1 September 1976 where upon it became 12 Flight Army Air Corps, during this period the Squadron undertook tours in Northern Ireland. 659 Squadron in Detmold then assumed 669 Squadron's title on the 1 April 1978.
669 Squadron was subsumed along with the remainder of 9 Regiment AAC into 4 Regiment AAC and remained in Germany. It later moved to the UK with the Regiment to Wattisham, Suffolk and has subsequently completed several operational tours in Former Yugoslavia. In 2004 and 2006 the Squadron deployed to Iraq in support of Op TELIC where it provided aviation support to Multi National Division (South East). In 2007 669 Squadron replaced 664 Squadron at Dishforth to complete the restructuring of 9 Regiment AAC as a Light Utility Helicopter Regiment.