Capt. John Wolferstan 'Pancho Villa

Indeed, John, and there is an “aces” connection 🙂

Mothminor,

Thank you. I managed to get the ‘Pancho’ bit right !!

That was Pancho Gonzales, John. Born in L.A in 1928. The match you refer to was in 1969 v. Charlie Pasarell.

It could be a co-incidence but, I wonder whether the Pancho mentioned is the same Pancho who was an excellent tennis player, who played at Wimbledon in the 70s and who reached either the semi’s or the final ?

I believe he was about forty years old at the time and had the distinction of being not only the oldest male player, but also taking part in one of the longest if not the longest tennis matches at Wimbledon ending only when it was almost dark.

Can anyone confirm ?

I flew with Pancho from 1974-78. It was a freighter operation (converted Pan Am B-707 by Israeli Aircraft Ind) on contract with Iran Air. I was a furloughed pilot for World Airways at the time – the Arab Oil embargo left a lot of airline pilots out of work during those years. Our group consisted of 18 pilots and FEs – 16 American, on German and one Brit – Pancho. Pancho was a wonderful fun-loving guy to fly with – and although we knew he was a Battle of Britain ace, he talked very little about his war-time experiences. Bruno Schmidt, our younger German pilot once called Pancho in the middle of the night (inebriated) asking for “permission to cross the channel” to see his British girlfriend.
Pancho and I did share a few things in common as we both had flown in combat and been awarded DFCs (I was a Marine Corps F4 Phantom pilot – 274 missions).
I miss the close friendships from that contract and the colorful guys who made it so interesting.
Bob Franklin

Capt. John Wolferstan ‘Pancho’ Villa

To all concerned I am sincerely very grateful for all of your replies and effort on our behalf. You all have provide me with information that has been very usefull.
If I have offended anyone in slowness in giving thanks then I unreservedly apologies. I do understand that research can and does take hours if not months.
This I have found in researching the Eagle Group. All I can say that due to loosing two family members over Christmas I am not completely with it at the moment. Hence any slowness in acknowledging help.

Pancho Villa

You can find more information about Villa in the book ‘Swift to Battle. Vol.1’ published by Pen & Sword. Several photos of him in the book too.

RED EAGLE and John Green.

I am not nor have I ever claimed to be an expert on any subject. Neither have I claimed to be altruistic but I suspect my record of helping people with their research either here or on a number of other fora would stand up to scrutiny.

The information Snapper has freely given was a result of years of research. Snapper and I knew little or nothing when we started and we know considerably more now but I maintain neither of us would consider ourselves experts.

If you feel my comments unkind then I apologise. Sometimes, the little things rankle, the little things like thanking someone for a one line reply while seemingly ignoring the efforts of someone who has taken the time to virtually give you chapter and verse on the service career of ‘Pancho’ Villa.

Regards,

kev35

I don’t think Kev was out of order at all. I spent a couple of hours dragging out that photo (which you wouldn’t have got from anyone else but me) copying stuff from books, searching the London Gazette archives and putting it all in a post…and it wasn’t acknowledged; much as I’d guessed would be the case. Kev has thanked me even though he wasn’t the one requesting the information/research/reffort/work. Having thanked Dunbar this morning with a later post it’s clear that you’ve read the thread. To be quite honest with you I nearly pulled all that information back off this morning after that. I’m bloody glad I didn’t spend another hour or more typing out, long-hand, all the info in those books. You can do that yourself now – you know where to look and there’s a lot more info in the gazette…and his service number will help, it turned up stuff that his name didn’t 😎

Capt. John Wolferstan ‘Pancho’ Villa

Kev 35

Regarding your comments: First let me say that I am not an expert on military service records. I run the archives for the Eagle Group of Companies which was a civilian British Airline of the 1950’s/1960’s. I have valued very much peoples help and the information they have provided on Capt John military career thus far. It gives a part of his history that I would not have followed up necessarily. The information that I gave was all that we have of his military record. I put out a request because I thought, as has been shown, other may have more information than I had.I think you comments a little unfair. But I guess we are entitled to make our comments as we feel led.

Kev 35.

Slightly unkind comment, if I may say so. Red Eagle might lack time to search or, the knowledge of where to start looking or, half a dozen other reasonable excuses.

He has done the sensible thing and resorted to the huge and seemingly unlimited store of knowledge to be found on these pages and freely given by some very kind and altruistic people.

I’ll try and dream up a question that I know they won’t be able to answer. I might be gone for some time !

Thank you Snapper for taking the time to do the digging RED EAGLE seems incapable of and posting the results here for all to see.

Regards,

kev35

Capt. John Wolferstan ‘Pancho’ Villa

Thank you Dunbar I am now in contact with Peter.Red Eagle

His son, Peter Villa, runs Apollo Aviation at Shoreham. I have seen his father’s log books there, fascinating.

Awarded the Distinguished Flying
Cross.
Acting Flight Lieutenant John Wolferstan
VILLA (39768).
Since 3ist August, 1940, this officer has
destroyed at least six enemy aircraft. One
day in September, 1940, he was successful in
destroying three enemy aircraft unaided and
assisted in the destruction of a fourth. Flight
Lieutenant Villa has consistently led his flight,
and frequently the squadron, with great dash
and eagerness, and has proved a keen fighter
and a good leader.

Awarded a Bar to the Distinguished Flying
Cross.
Acting Flight Lieutenant John Wolferstan
VILLA, D’.F.C. (39768)—No. 92 Squadron.
In October, 1940, this officer led his
squadron in an attack against an enemy
bombing formation attempting a raid on
London, and immediately caused the
enemy to jettison their bombs and form a
defensive circle. He pressed home his
attack with great determination and
assisted in/the destruction of two Messerschmitt
109*5 and possibly a further two.
He has shown outstanding powers of leadership,
skill and courage and has destroyed
a total of 13 hostile aircraft.

yeah, it’s him alright but that’s very little info, try and get hold of those books, I dont think i have ocr anymore…

SSC march 1937
posted 2 aacu march 1938
july 40 to 72 sqdn
dfc 8 oct 40
92 sqdn oct 40
shot down 2oth oct spit n113
bar to dfc november 40
1941 to 58 otu
later 61 otu
aug – dec 41 co 65 sqdn
jun – sept 42 co 501 sqdn
dec 42 – may 43 co 198 sqdn

off ops, sinus problems. left 1946 as s/ldr
13 and 4 shared dest, 4 prob, 4 damaged

london gazette website should have the dfc citations

Manston, 609 sqdn In the bar, Doone House, Westgate, January 1943. S/Ldr Roland ‘Bee’ Beamont DSO* DFC*, S/Ldr J ‘Pancho’ Villa (198 Squadron), George ‘Moose’ Evans, F/Lt Erik Haabjoern DFC, S/Ldr Humphrey ‘Ken’ Coghlan DFC (137 Squadron), P/O Maurice Van Neste, S/Ldr ? Lee (Supernumerary), F/O Howard Skett, F/O Remy ‘Mony’ Van Lierde DFC**, F/Lt Jonathan ‘Johnny’ Wells DFC, F/Lt John ‘Joe’ Atkinson DFC, F/O Charles ‘Windmill Charlie’ Demoulin DFC, F/O Peter Raw DFC, F/O Joseph Renier DFC / Antoni ‘Tony’ Polek, Adj Pilot Andre ‘Mel / Le Men’ Blanco

Surely RED EAGLE his service record would give details of all his postings and promotions whilst serving in the RAF?

Regards,

kev35

Capt. John Wolferstan ‘Pancho’ Villa

Good evening gentlemen,

First let me thank you all for your replies to my request for information. The picture of one of our captains is slowly coming together.
The information I have regarding his service time is as follows:

Served with No. 72 Squadron ( No time scale) also No. 92 (1940) and eventually took command of No. 65 Squadron in August 1941.
He flew Halifax aircraft with Eagle and later converted to Yorks.
Thanks again for your help and any more information would be appreciated
Red Eagle

He’s also substantially written about in men of the Battle of Britain and Aces High.

Commanded 198 sqdn later, is that your man?

A little more to John Green’s post. ‘Pancho Villa’ is mentioned in ‘First Light’ by Geoffrey Wellum. He of course flew with 92.
mmitch.