A Very Unusual Air War (29 page)

It had become obvious that Duxford had become badly overcrowded. Several USAAF squadrons including P47 (Thunderbolts), P38 (Lightnings) and P51 (Mustangs) with all their support units had moved in. It was decided that AFDU and NAFDU would be moved 30–35 miles north, to Wittering, near Stamford in Lincolnshire, while 1426 Enemy Aircraft Flight would be moved to Colley Weston, at the western end of the Wittering complex. The move started around 20th March and, apart from some machines undergoing maintenance in the hangars, was complete by the end of the month.

31 March
:

Summary for:- March 1943	1 Spitfire II & V	7–05
Unit:- AFDU Wittering	2 Spitfire XII	1–30
Date:- 2/3/43	3 Mustang IA & X	6–30
Signature:- H.L. Thorne	4 Master III	2–40
Â	5 Tiger Moth	2–25
Â	6 Anson	−25
Â	7 Boston Passenger	1–05
Â	8 Mosquito	−30

Total for month: 20 hours 35 minutes

Signed:
J.H. Hallowes
S/Ldr

O/C Flying AFDU

Squadron Leader Jim Hallowes was one of the aces who shot down many enemy aircraft in the Battle of Britain. He started off as a Sergeant Pilot in the battles over France and was awarded a DFM. Returning to England, he took part in the July and
August battles and was awarded a bar to his DFM. Subsequently, he was commissioned and given rapid promotion when, as a Squadron Leader, he was awarded a DFC. When the war ended he was credited with 22 enemy aircraft destroyed. During his brief spell as O/C Flying at AFDU we found him a quiet unassuming man, one of the nicest with whom I served.

During this month we completed the move to Wittering with almost all personnel and aircraft there by the 23rd. Prior to that date, with many regrets, we gave notice to Guy and Ynez of the move. Our eight months at College Farm had considerably widened our education. Living there was very close to the high society of which we could previously only dream. Guy and his family were part of the landed gentry of Cambridge and Lincolnshire and Ynez, through her father, moved freely in London society.

Estelle was pregnant in October 1942. I had carried out the Wing Commander's order! It had taken a little longer than expected but in time to spare Estelle from having to take on some form of war work. So Estelle and I had to move to other accommodation near to the airfield at Wittering. We had not been able to find anything suitable before the move and, despite the expense, had to stay for two or three weeks at the George Hotel in the middle of Stamford. We were beginning to get a bit desperate when we were lucky in being given the name of Mr Fred Walker, a retired bank manager.

With his wife, Dolly, Fred lived at Chain Cottage, in the village of Easton-on-the-Hill, about two miles south of Stamford and just outside Colley Weston, Wittering's satellite airfield. For us, this was an ideal situation. Chain Cottage was an old L-shaped place with outbuildings and a large, well-kept walled garden. For a cosy little sitting room, a kitchen and work room on the ground floor, with a bedroom and use of a bathroom, we paid the princely sum of £1.00 per week. Estelle was by then seven months pregnant and the Walkers, both in their seventies, had doubts about the addition of a newborn baby to their household but agreed to give it a whirl. In the event, they came to be very happy about it and Fred in particular made a fuss of baby Gill as if she was his own granddaughter. We spent two very happy years with Fred and Dolly, until March 1945.