Great Britain. Royal Air Force. Squadron No. 219 - Beaufighter Ace: the Nightfighter Career of Marshall of the Royal Air Force, Sir Thomas

The Night Fighter Career
of
Marshal of the Royal Air Force,
Sir Thomas Pike, GCB, CBE, DFC*

Congratulations from Air Marshal Sir Trafford Leigh-Mallory,
Commander of No. 11 Group, RAF.

First published in Great Britain in 2004 by
Pen & Sword Aviation
an imprint of
Pen & Sword Books Ltd
47 Church Street
Barnsley
South Yorkshire
S70 2AS

Copyright Richard Pike, 2004

ISBN 1 84415 123 9

The right of Richard Pike to be identified as Author of this work has
been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs
and Patents Act 1988.

A CIP catalogue record for this book is
available from the British Library.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in
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Printed and bound in England by
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To the memory of my father, Tom, whose
quietly spectacular achievements
should not be quietly forgotten, and to
the memory of my mother, Althea,
whose staunch support we forgot to thank.

For their help and for their illuminating comments, very many thanks to: the Royal Air Force Museum, Hendon, for Fighter Command combat reports and other archive material; Mr P. J. V. Elliott, Senior Keeper at the Royal Air Force Museum, Hendon; Mr C. J. Weir MA, historian and former World War Two anti-aircraft gunner; Mr S. Wright, former World War Two Beaufighter navigator, now living in Australia; the Bognor Regis Local History Society; Ms S. Endacott, Bognor Regis local historian; the Tangmere Airfield Museum, West Sussex; the Manager, The Royal Hotel, Bognor Regis; Mrs B. E. Watkinson (ne Miss Caryl Pike); Mrs A. C. Mayres (ne Miss Ann Pike).

Prologue
London September 1990

Chapter One
Hendon Summer 1930

Chapter Two
The New CO Tangmere, February 1941

Chapter Three
Enemy within Range

Chapter Four
The Fieriest of Baptisms

Chapter Five
Three Nights Later

Chapter Six
Beware the Ides of March

Chapter Seven
A Break in the Country

Chapter Eight
At Peace with the Family

Chapter Nine
Tangmere, 16 April, 1941

Chapter Ten
Night-time Dogfight

Chapter Eleven
Chance Encounter

Chapter Twelve
To Earth at Middle Wallop

Chapter Thirteen
The Reward Saturday, 3 May 1941

Chapter Fourteen
An Evening by the Sea

Chapter Fifteen
Saturday Night Out

Chapter Sixteen
Canadian Encounter

Chapter Seventeen
Bloody Jerries, Bloody Bognor

Chapter Eighteen
A Salute from the Sky

Chapter Nineteen
Waiting for Trade

Chapter Twenty
Talking of Bombs

Chapter Twenty One
An Exchange of Fire

Chapter Twenty Two
The Home Front

Chapter Twenty Three
Frustrated Intercept

Chapter Twenty Four
The Worries of War

Chapter Twenty Five
A Heinkel Outwitted

Chapter Twenty Six
Take Cover, Take Cover

Chapter Twenty Seven
Too Close for Comfort

Chapter Twenty Eight
Nights to Remember Sunday 15 June 1941

Chapter Twenty Nine
Awaiting the Call to Action

Chapter Thirty
Final Combat

A curious commotion stirs the crowds; people grow restless as they anticipate a high point of the day. The fine September morning is marked by a poignant atmosphere, a heady blend of nostalgia and entertainment. Massed bandsmen play melodies which tug at the massed hearts of sentimental souls. Later a flypast of military aircraft will cause the suspension of flights at Heathrow Airport, but for now everyone counts on a different distraction.

When theres a further surge from the crowds, and when I glance at my mother, I see her fidgeting uncomfortably in her seat placed next to mine on the grandstand. Our position is one of privilege; we are surrounded by Very Important Persons, although lesser mortals have to endure hours of standing close by.

The earlier gathering of personalities was impressive. Battle of Britain aces had mingled with squadrons of air marshals, the air filled with a clash of laughter and pathos as old colleagues met up. One gentleman had appeared especially ebullient in this rank-conscious environment. But then on the cuffs of his uniform jacket he carried the coveted insignia: a single thick ring at the foot of four thin ones. Like my late father he had risen through the hierarchy to become a Marshal of the Royal Air Force.

I glance again at my mother. The determined set of her jaw and her resolute gaze clearly communicate the strength of character so deeply instilled in this eighty year-old lady. She has been a widow for seven years already, and she has confounded family worries about her ability to cope after my fathers death. During his lifetime her artistic, if impractical, qualities had complemented her husbands talents with a powerful (if perplexing) ingenuity. However, she had managed to put to good use the versatility and the resilience picked up from the war years. In the staunch manner expected and taken for granted, she had perfected the role of a senior officers wife. When he had died she had carried on in an unorthodox fashion to be sure, but nevertheless she had persevered with remarkable success as she insisted on handling life her own way.

I watch a group of VIPs as they climb the grandstand steps. Attendant ushers are efficient and urbane while they help the newcomers. As she notices this, I see my mother smile that beautiful that English rose smile, and I recall how she was visibly touched by the congenial manner of these ushers when we arrived earlier Lady Pike how are you? Wonderful to see you again. How sad that Sir Thomas could not have witnessed this special day we chatted comfortably as they took us to our VIP seats.

But now we sit for endless minutes waiting for the event to start. We listen to the band, wonder at the huge crowds, study our programmes, chat with our neighbours and watch the arrival of VIPs including Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.