The Diary of a RAF Lancaster Bomber Pilot

The Diary of a RAF Lancaster Bomber Pilot

My name is Leslie Joy (Les to my friends), and I was born on the 16
^th
March 1923 in Bradford, Yorkshire. This is my true story of how at the age of 19 I joined the RAF, fell in love with a Tiger Moth, got my wings and flew as a Lancaster Bomber pilot in World War II, and survived – just!

The early years

After attending Carlton St Primary School and then Whetley Lane Modern School in Bradford, I left school aged 14 in 1937. It was a very elementary education and I knew it. Back then you left school at 14 and I went straight into full time work, mostly office work and also in the textile industry, textiles were huge in Yorkshire in the 1930’s.

Throughout 1938, 1939 and into 1940 I supplemented my basic education by attending Further Education classes at night school – I wanted to be better, know more and improve my education. I worked hard two nights per week after work, every week, taking amongst other subjects Maths, which later proved to be invaluable.

Across 1941 and early into 1942, in addition to night school I also attended another night per week with Air Training Corps (ATC). I thought this might help me get into the RAF when I was called up for duty at the age of 19. The War had been on for 3 years and at 19 I would be called up to serve my country and do my bit for the war effort. I wanted to fly with the RAF, and being in the ATC would surely help my desire to be a Pilot.

It was tough; full time work, two nights a week at night school and another night with the ATC, but I put in the hard work and loved every minute.

 

Me - age 19 Joining the RAF

In 1942 I was put in front of the Air Crew Selection Board (ACSB) and was accepted for air crew recruitment. I did it! I joined the RAF. I was instructed to report to RAF Padgate (Lancs) as trainee aircrew, the first of many hurdles was done.

I was quickly sent to the Air Crew Reception Centre (ACRC) at St Johns Wood in London and then after that sent to Ludlow in Shropshire, all this in the middle of War with Germany and at the age of 19, it felt like a long way from home for the Yorkshire lad from Bradford. This was just the start.

In Ludlow I was sleeping and living under canvas in a six person Bell Tent, it was November 1942, and freezing cold. Conditions were appalling; no washing, no shaving and everything was frozen solid. It was cold, bleak and mid-winter. We probably broke the Kings Regulations (KRs) by all sleeping together, all six occupants of our tent, under one big pile of blankets – just to avoid freezing to death!

But I was in the RAF – my years of hard work so far had all been worth it.

In December of 1942 we were eventually posted to Initial Training Wing (ITW) at Paignton in South Devon. Upon passing the course we were entitled to wear a propeller on our sleeves and assume the title of Leading Aircraftsman – this was a major achievement and we were so proud.

June 1943 and I was on the move again, I was posted to ‘Grading School’ at Clyffe Pypard in Wiltshire. Here I was introduced to the love of my life – the DH82A Tiger Moth.

 

It was love at first sight.

 

A Tiger Moth DH82A Flying Moths

I shall always remember when I completed my first solo flight in a Moth after just 4 hours instruction; it was only then that the long journey from leaving school in Bradford at 14 and all my hard work seemed to be worthwhile.

At Clyffe Pypard we were assessed on our flying aptitude which we later learnt would be used to ‘sort’ us into different aircrew duties. Pilots, navigators, gunners etc.

 

We had not yet been issued with a log book to record our flying hours, but I recall that we did about 10 to 12 hours flying in the Tiger Moth. About 50% of this was solo. It was great fun.

“Biggles” had nothing on us! We were introduced to real flying. Helmets on, goggles fixed, fabric flapping in the wind and wires singing with the slipstream in our face in the open cockpit, a wonderful experience. Nothing compares to the flying experience of the Tiger Moth and that was why I loved them so much, and still do.

Being selected as a Pilot

In July 1943 we were sent to the Air Crew Allocation Centre (ACAC) at Heaton Park in Manchester. It was back up North for me. According to our aptitude we were selected as either Pilots, Navigators, Gunners etc, based on our record so far. I was overjoyed at being selected as a Pilot, but I lost a few good mates who had been with me since inception. But, we were all selected for different aircrew duties, therefore we had to part.

Canada

In August of 1943, just a month after being selected as a Pilot I found myself boarding The Queen Elizabeth which was docked in the Clyde, Scotland. She had been fitted out as troop and transport ship and we were sailing for Canada. It was so exciting and yet I was apprehensive at the same time. As part of the Empire Air Training Scheme (EATS) we were to be fully trained as Pilots in the safety of Canada.

The QE was more than capable of doing the trip across the Atlantic without a Navy convoy. In just under a week we made it across as she was fast enough to outrun the Nazi U-Boats. She used her high speed engines and a certain zigzagging navigation technique so they could not line up their torpedoes to try and sink us. The speed and unusual strategy of navigation meant that the U-Boats couldn’t attack and we made it across in safety, this time.

Me and my fellow trainee Pilots disembarked at Halifax, Nova Scotia and then we were held at the Air Crew Holding Unit (ACHU) at Moncton, New Brunswick.

After a long 3 day train journey across Canada, I arrived at the Elementary Flying Training School No 5 (EFTS) in late August 1943. This was at a place called High River in Alberta south of Calgary close to the foothills of the Rocky Mountains.
Here we were introduced to the Canadian built Fairchild Cornell, a single engine monoplane used for pilot training by the Royal Canadian Air Force, although funnily my main instructor was a New Zealand pilot. From the moment we arrived through to October of 1943 we were in the Cornell’s being put through our paces.

Fairchild PT-26B Cornell

 

Across those three months I racked up 76 hours of flying time, here’s the flying hours from my RAF log book.

L Joy Log book entry
At No5 EFTS High River, Alberta
Flying hours on Cornells
August 1943 to October 1943
Daytime = Dual 38hrs Solo 35hrs
Night time = Dual 3hrs
Total = 76hrs

After my time at High River I was on the move again and posted to No10 Service Flying Training School (SFTS) Dauphin, Manitoba, north of Winnipeg. We flew in twin engine Cessna ‘Cranes’ also called the ‘Bobcat’ in the USA where they were built.

The Cessna T-50 Crane, or Bobcat
Cessna’s over Dauphin, 1943

L Joy Log book entry
At No10 SFTS Dauphin, Manitoba Flying hours on Cranes
October 1943 to February 1944 Daytime = Dual 97hrs Solo 47hrs Night time = Dual 10hrs Solo 9hrs Total = 163hrs

Graduation

 

After more than six months in Canada and some intensive training, flying at day and at night, dual and solo, in Cornell’s and Cranes, I GRADUATED as an RAF Pilot!

 

We were presented with the coveted Pilots ‘wings’ and proudly had our photograph taken.

 

That’s me 1
^st
from left in the middle row. You can see us all proudly sporting our new wings and stripes. It was a great day and a huge sense of achievement, although we had really only just begun.