Could it be this one, or from the other engine, appropriate to the location:

https://forum.keypublishing.com/forum/historic-aviation/95386-wellington-z1090-311-squadron

Dave

PM sent.

Echo India

I have had a flick through the ORB for 24 Squadron, which operated the communications flights to France, from late 1939 until the fall of France. They contain a couple of references to AC Goldsmith as flight crew on a DH89 in early 1940.

As the Squadron records, whilst extensive, are far from complete, particularly in relation to the detachments in France, I also checked the logbook entries for F/Lt Ian McLeod who was detached with a Rapide and Vega Gull to Arras from February 1940 until the evacuation. These show that AC Goldsmith was part of the detachment from early April, regularly flying as crew with McLeod in the Rapide. It appears that McLeod flew him and two other Aircraftmen to Boulogne to evacuate.

I have copies of McLeod’s log book entries for his flights with Churchill, before and after the fall of France, and Goldsmith is not mentioned.

If you ever find out more about Mr Goldsmith, please let me know as it would be of interest to my research.

Echo India

The Whelan account is partially supported by the Lewis accounts. I have checked Never Look Back, All My Yesterday’s and Sagittarius Surviving.

These confirm that Lewis learned to fly for the second time at Reading, soloing a Magister in less than two hours. It does not name his instructor.

However the timeline does not match the detail in Whelan’s account. Lewis signed up to fly again in 1941. After Reading, he went to Upavon for an instructor course and then taught ab initio at Booker for a year before being posted overseas to Transport Command in December 1942. He was newly married when he received his posting.

He was overseas when he converted to Spitfires, soloing after four hours dual on a Harvard.

As Lewis wrote Sagittarius Surviving by reference to his letters home to his wife, and may also have been able to refer to his log books, I am inclined to believe that his timeline is accurate. Which means he is unlikely to have been visiting F G Miles in Reading in February 1943 and he certainly would not have been John Justin’s student pilot at this time.

It is, however, quite possible that Justin taught him at Reading in 1941 and/or that they worked together as instructors at Booker in 1942.

I wonder if Lewis’s log books survive as they would solve the matter.

Echo India

Yes thanks Baz. Hoping to get air under the wings this weekend; will need lots of layers though. Hope all is well with you.

I have found out some intriguing new JJ information involving F G Miles, Cecil Lewis and Robert Capa. When I get a mo to find the link, I’ll resurrect the JJ thread.

EI

Tony

I believe they are in the AIR 4 series at the National Archive. Using the Discovery search engine you can see a list of the records held.

Echo India

Glad you found it interesting Baz.

Do you know where I might find the Oxford flight safety film referred to in you original post?

Best wishes

Echo India

You are welcome. If you would like a copy of the entry in the ORB, please send me a PM with your e-mail address. (I would post it here but I cannot fathom out how to upload pictures.)

I would be very interested to find out where the Tiger Moth flying sequences in Journey Together were filmed. I believe that the film was shot in 1943 (the same year he flew Echo India) although not released until after the end of the War.

(I have read that the Lancaster base used was RAF Methwold.)

Echo India