Typhoon pilot – Wing Commander JM Bryan

Wing Commander Bryan is remembered on the war memorial at Milton Ernest near Bedford, where his father was the parish vicar during the Second World War.

Bryan photo

Steve
Email re photo on its way.

Cheval’s pen to paper

Cheval Lallemand I’m not personally in touch with. Have met him a few times, a great talker, but not one to put pen to paper I don’t think.

He wrote his wartime biography ‘Rendez-Vous avec la Chance’ (1962)published in UK by MacDonald, 1964 as ‘Rendezvous with Fate’.

One of the threads on Wg Cdr Bryan mentioned that there is a photo of him in Chris Shores’ 2nd TAF book (vol 1?) I do not have this, so is there a kind soul out there who could scan the photo and post it for me please?

This is needed as part of a talk I am giving next week, so it would be very much appreciated.

Thanks.

Gratitude

Many thanks for all your replies. I had info on W/C Bryan’s service with 137 but nothing on his subsequent activities. My contact will be very pleased. Again, thanks to all.

Cheers Ian. Was a bit tied up earlier.

I have nothing on Mike in my files, except probably in books that I rarely delve into as I am 609 dedicated now.

the chap at the 198 site is a lovely fella. Really dedicated. Perhaps he can help.

Cheval Lallemand I’m not personally in touch with. Have met him a few times, a great talker, but not one to put pen to paper I don’t think.

I occasionally e-mail with Vaughan Fittall, now in NZ, and he says :

On October 7th I shot down my first enemy aircraft, a Focke Wulfe 190, one of two we enticed to intercept us by pretending to be slower Hurricanes, crossing the sea throttled back and with a bit of flap down. We chased them back inland and mine crashed near Thielt. Another 190 followed on Nov 30th at Deelen and a Dornier 217 on 4th Dec. at Eindhoven as we hunted well inside Belgium and the Netherlands fitted up with exterior long range tanks, which it paid to jettison smartly before engaging the enemy. At the end of November, Mike Bryan (later as a Wing Commander to lose his life after the D Day invasion) was posted away for a rest and replaced by Johnny Baldwin, another fine man, who as a Group Captain in 1945 went missing in the Far East.

Pic of Vaughn

I knew Snapper would come up trumps, here is a link the Lowestoft Goatman came up with.

http://www.198sqn-raf.co.uk/198sqn_001.htm

Final bit from me, the citations from his DFC and BAr

Gazetted 19 March 1943

Fl/Off John Michael Bryan 102570 RAFVR No 137 Sqn.

This officer has taken part in a large number of sorties and patrols. On one occasion he assisted in the distruction of a Do 217. In attacks on enemy transport in northern France and Belgium, F/O Bryan has damaged 15 locomotives, his skill and keeness have been worthy of high praise.

Bar to DFC gazetted 27 July 1943

Fl/lt Bryan is a skilful and tenacious pilot, Since being awarded the DFC he has damaged 2 mine sweepers, 3 barges and an E boat. Inaddition he has executed 13 destructive attacks on locomotives. He has also participated in several attacks on enemy airfields. Fl/lt Bryan has displayed high quality of leadership, setting an inspired example.

His promotion to P/O was gazetted on 22 June 1941.

137SQ

Hi,
He was with 137Sq, started with them flying whirlwinds, first known op the channel dash, as a F/O, shot down with Sgt Roberts , on 19-08-42, Dornier 217E-4 , Wn5370 F8+BN, 5/KG40 crashed into the sea 40m NE of Happisburgh Light.
Intercepted JU-88 28 Oct 42, but lost it in clouds,
Dogfight with 190’s Pegwell bay 19 Dec 42,
Destroyed 20 railway engines up to 13 mar ’43 , when he was awarded DFC.
with 137Sq flying hurricane IV’s until posted to 198 as S/L August ’43.
July 43 awarded bar for DFC
7 oct 43 flying typhoon as S/L 198 shared 190 with F/L Fittal.
30 nov 43 shot down 190
tour ended off ops
13-jan 44 shot down goeland & shared 109 with F/O Freeman, { whilst visiting unit flew on op }
returned 198 april 44
may 44 promoted to W/C 136 Wing
18 may 44 shared 109 with F/L Pollock
8 june damaged two 109’s

hope it helps
Cheers
Jerry

Bryan was shot down by flak 2 miles SE Falaise on 10 June, in MN415.

On D Day Bryan was now now Wing Leader of 136 Airfield and led 164 Sqn on a late morning op, strafing trucks and lorries. Late in the afternoon he led 164 to the Bayeux area, finding targets for their rockets – trains, bridges and MT. A number of 190’s tried to bounce the Typhoons, one Typhoon was lost in return one 190 was claimed.

On 8th June Bryan again led 164 Sqn in MN415, they found a number of 109’s in the air which turned and attacked the Typhoons. Bryan claimed two in the ensuing scrap.

May 18 1944, Wing/Co Bryan flew with 164 Sqn which encountered a number of 109’s, Bryan fired at one from below but the results aren’t recorded. He fired at a second which was seen to exploded.

According to Flt/Lt A G Todd, Bryan’s aircraft was hit during the engagement, 169 hadn’t fired their rockets and one of Bryans had been dislodged, hanging down all the way back to base.

Interesting to note that many of 198 Sqn’s op’s were conducted in unison with 609 Sqn, in fact Cheval Lallemant became a flight commander with 198 Sqn. Snapper maybe able to help there with his contacts.

13th January 1944 Bryan briefly visited 198 Sqn and took the chance to take part in a Ranger op led by Sqn Ldr Baldwin. 6 Typhoons took part, taking advantage of bad weather to sweep the airfields at Montdidier, Juvincourt and Laon areas. In the circuit at Poix, Bryan shot down a Caudron Goland, another falling to Baldwin. One Typhoon failed to return due to the flak. During the same sortie they ran into two ME109’s Bryan claiming one and F/O Freeman the other.

7 th October Bryan and Vaughan Fittall shared a FW190 near Blankenberge, the 190 coming down into a field s/w of Tielt.

He under took his last operation with 198 on 30 Nov 1943 before going on rest, A longe range sweep in support of B17’s making a dep penetration raid into Germany. On this sortie the Sqn caught a number of FW190’s as they came into land at an airfield near Deelan. Four were claimed and one damaged by the Sqn, Bryan getting one of these.

On 23rd September 1943 198 were in action against along the Mastgat, where they found a large tug towing barges, they left it smoking. Quite a bit of flak came up and Bryans Typhoon was hit and badly damaged.

On 27th September Bryan led both 198 and No 3 Sqn, No 3 were equipped with bombs one 500lb under each wing, 198 only had their 20mm cannons. They two units split up as they crossed the Dutch coast, No 3 going for Westerschelde 198 to Oosterschelde. 198 found tugs and barges, escorted by three 800 ton naval auxiliaries. These vessels put up a good protective screen which brought down two Typhoons, Bryan was again hit, in the starboard ammunition pan by a 20 mm shell which exploded the remaining ammo, blowing a hole two feet across in the mainplane. This caused a loss of lift that Bryan had to use both arms and one leg to keep the stick hard over in order to fly back to base. Here again his troubles were not over for his right wing dropped suddenly as he came in to land, causing the Typhoon to twist over to the right in mid air. The right wheel banged down down hard and whole aircraft swung so much that he changed direction to run through 40 degrees to the right and covered quite a distance before it rolled to a halt.

Mike Bryan was CO at 198 Sqn from Aug 1943 to Nov 1943, 198 was one of the first Typhoon squadrons tasked with ground attack duties to the continent, he rejoined 198 in Apr 1944. Prior to 198 it appears that he was with 137 Sqn also on Typhoons may be as a flight commander.

On pg 40 it quotes

Mike Bryan I can only describe as a good bloke and if you know anythng about New Zealanders, you will know that it’s high praise.

Typhoon Attack by Norman Franks would most probably have some details, I’ll dig out my copy and have a look.