I have just re read ‘Terror in the starboard seat’ by Dave Mcintosh which is a (fairly) lighthearted autobio by an ex 418 (Canada)sqn Navigator in Mosquitos
There is a photo of P/O E J Gent which is captioned ‘he looked 15 but I think he was actually 14’…..!!!
Is this true ??Does anybody know anything about this Nav.
In GB we had Thomas Dobney who was an operational Bomber Captain at 16.He had to leave the RAF after being ‘shopped’ by a relation,but the RAF told him he could rejoin when old enough and also retain his pilots badge.He eventually became a Captain on the Queens Flight.
There must have been other young aircrew during WW2 ….any forumites know of any others ??
By: wessex boy - 3rd September 2006 at 21:07
One of my course-mates on 68 Crewman Course was the youngest Sergeant in the RAF at that point at 17, I was much older at 19!
By: Andy Mac - 3rd September 2006 at 15:52
Geoff Painting was lost to flak whilst attacking shipping below mast level. He went straight in. What a great kid. Only 7 years older than my eldest boy – now that makes you sit quietly and think, I can tell you.
By: Andy Mac - 3rd September 2006 at 15:50
Just 17 . . .
Name: PAINTING, GEOFFREY ARTHUR
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Sergeant
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Unit Text: 118 Sqdn
Age: 17
Date of Death: 30/09/1941
Service No: 1264156
Memorial: RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL
By: bazv - 3rd September 2006 at 10:32
Just been reading about 16 y o ATC Cadet Don March who ‘borrowed’ a Piper L-4B Cub from the USAAF at Membury, Berks on 12 July 1943 and took it for a circuit and landing !!
With their usual generosity the Americans still took him up for air experience flights afterwards !!
He later became a pilot with the RAF then BEA and BA
As to my original posting do any of our Canadian forumites know any details about Navigator E J Gent as mentioned above,who was reputed to be 14/15 years old on ops with 418 sqdn on Mossies.
By: QldSpitty - 27th August 2006 at 10:44
Met an elderly gent here at an open day who said he was 14 and a half in the rear seat of a stuka.Started flying at 11 in gliders during WW2.
By: Garry Owen - 26th August 2006 at 07:33
I know there were several aircrew in the US Eighth Air Force who were in their early teens.
At the moment I am reading Boy Soldiers of the Great War by Richard Van Emden(ISBN 0-7553-13038).not aviation I know but a very interesting book.
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August 26, 2006 at 7:01 am