OTU

Jack was now with No.10 Operational Training Unit at RAF Abingdon near Oxford. He started his flying on a Avro Anson, totaling 35 hours.

Jack was now given his crew and a Armstrong Whitley to fly in. This "Kite" was not favoured by the crews and Jack was no exception. His Skipper was F/Sgt Campbell.

August saw Jack in the RAF Hospital at Netley, Southampton. Jack spent two weeks "in doc" before returning to Abingdon at the end of the month. He was up infront of the C.O. who told him that he now had a new crew and would be transferred to RAF Stanton Harcourt, a satellite of Abingdon. Before leaving he met up with his old crew who told him of what he had missed. The crew had been on "ops", a leaflet drop to Paris and on their return had been chased by 2 Ju88's. "The kite had managed to return with a whole skin". Jack didn't know it but it wouldn't be long before he too was being shot at.

Jack reported to RAF Stanton Harcourt and his new Skipper, F/Sgt Jones. Jones was with the R.A.A.F and Jack liked him from the start. Still flying Whitleys Jacks first flight with his Skipper was an eventfull one. "Now please don't worry but we crashed today. Our port side tyre burst and we ran into another kite" Jack wrote to Pat. This wasn't the only incident Jack would have whilst at Stanton.

On November 19th orders were issued for Jacks first operation, a leaflet drop to Paris. Jack thought of his old crew and the 2 Ju88's. Jack never got to see Paris as the Whitley developed engine trouble and was diverted to Exeter.

November continued with Jack flying day and night and this was the time that Jack came under fire for the first time. He wrote to Pat explaining the incident "... you ask if I have any news of Ted. Just wait until I see him, I'll have a few words to say as his mates in the Navy have taken a dislike to our kite and for the past two nights we have been shot at by them..."

Good news. Jack had been given leave for Christmas, his first since joining the RAF. Jack said goodbye to Stanton Harcourt as he was to report to RCAF Topcliffe in Yorkshire after his leave. Jack would now be flying on a Halifax with 1659 H.C.U. Jack arrived at Topcliffe on January 2nd, he would spend three weeks here before moving on to his Squadron. Jack would write to Pat often, sometimes whilst he was flying, on one such occasion he wrote:

"Please excuse the writing as the kite we are in moves around a lot. We are up here and it is raining hard but at least I am dry in here. The Skipper has just torn a strip of our Upper Gunner as he has shot my aerial off, the language is not too pleasant.......well I am not dry anymore as the Skipper has just turned hard to port and the rain has come pouring in. He turned to avoid being shot at as he has just noticed the Navy down below and doesn't  fancy a repeat of the incident we had at Stanton".

On January 24th Jack got his orders through and a 48 hour pass, he was to go to a place called Tempsford. He wrote to Pat "I have a 48 hour pass and I am moving on, somewhere in the South, I'll tell you more when I get home".

For Freedom 138 Squadron

To the memory of F/Sgt JG Chadwick and the crew of Halifax LL306