Humble Aircraft.

[Jenks]

On the G.O.M. Board there is a thread about Prince Harry and the Apache Helicopter.
It started me thinking once again of my old Dad. . He started his service career in The Ox& Bucks Light Infantry, then The Royal Air Force. The Glider Pilot Regiment. And finally the Army Air Corps where he was the First NCO Pilot. He was also the first army Pilot to accrue 5,000 hours flying time.

Anyway Thinking of the awesome power of the Apache reminded me of how useful lower tech aircraft have been. I just found this article extolling use the Auster.


http://austerhg.org/auster_mags/Auster% ... o%2010.pdf

From the article.


This, however, is a brief story of how the sighting of camps by Auster pilots led to successful ground operations.
One of the most unusual experiences was that of Squadron Sergeant Major G. D. Jenkins after the killing ill October, 1956, of the assistant manager of tbe Sungei Kruda Estate in Perak. Sergeant Major Jenkins was sent up to fly low over an area into which the terrorists had escaped hotly pursued by men of the 2nd Royal Australian Regiment. While flying over the northern boundary of the estate, Jenkins saw eight terrorists crossing a river on a raft. He dived his aircraft and at the same time tried to unstrap his rifle from his seat. (A rifle is part of the Auster pilot's jungle escape equipment should he crash. He is not expected to use it while flying.)
Frustration

Jenkins went so low that the terrorists frantically jumped into the river. Jenkins kept on diving and kept on trying to release his rifle. The terrorists realised after a while that he was unarmed and began 10 climb back on to the raft. In mortification, frustration and anger Jenkins used his Verey pistol instead. He dived once again towards the raft and, as he flew low by it, he I1red. This unorthodox approach shattered the terrorists who took to the water again. But they capsized their raft and upset all their packs and equipment into the river. Jenkins realised he was short of fuel and he returned to the airstrip at Sungei Siput. He reported his encounter.
FRO'I \)1\\\,
The scene was not far from the town. That night security forces ambushed the terrorists who were attempting a further river crossing after dark. There were no casualties unfortunately, but the next day the troops recovered packs of clothes and equipment from the bottom of the river. This was an example of where a tactical denial by an Auster paid of a bigger dividend than expected.


He was awarded the DFM for this action.

I ended up with a trophy, a communist terrorist star shaped hat complete with red star. needless to say I was a very proud little (eleven) boy. Upon our return to the UK I was equally proud to go with him to Buckingham palace for his investiture by HM Queen Elizabeth 11


Jenks

[Robin128]

:goodjob:

[Sandgroper]

Great story, well deserved DFM.

My Dad has acquired a second Auster J4 for restoration and once restored he'll have 17% of the remaining J4's in existance!

[Ovenpaa]

Very well deserved, proper 'boys own' stuff and typically seemed very slightly understated. Did he ever recount this encounter to you in his own words?

[Tower75]

Neat story. Interesting that your Dad went from the Army to the RAF then the AAC. I didn't know you could transfer like that.

[Jenks]

Very well deserved, proper 'boys own' stuff and typically seemed very slightly understated. Did he ever recount this encounter to you in his own words?

Dave..

Very well deserved, proper 'boys own' stuff and typically seemed very slightly understated. Did he ever recount this encounter to you in his own words?

Dave..

Yes he did many years later, but all I remember was him saying was how angry he was that he couldn't get his rifle free ( Lee Enfield no:5) goodness Knows what he could have done with it, he was flying at very low level, (Below the level of the canopy) Perhaps it was a good thing he stuck to his verey pistol. If you want to hear a real boys own story check this out. A friend of my Dads a fellow Pilot crashed his Auster into the 'Ulu' and in spite of being badly injured survived for 21 day before being found.

In 1956, one of the main events of the year was Sgt. K. G. McConnell’s return after crashing in the jungle after 21 days on his own. He had survived entirely on what he had with him and the jungle itself—even to this day he is still quoted as an example to the Jungle Warfare

My Dad, along with just about every other Pilot in Northern Malaya Plus hundreds of foot soldiers were involved in the search for him. I remember the day he was found My Dad, upon returning to Taiping did a beat up of the married quarters.. We all instinctively knew what it meant. a week or two later my Dad took me to see Ken in BMH Taiping, he was still pretty poorly he had a broken leg one of his eyes was hanging out on his cheek whilst in the jungle his many wounds were covered in maggots, they kept the wounds clean and he ate them!!!! can you imagine... poorly as he was, he wrote in my autograph book .... 'Youse Daddy could have done much better.' what a man. incidentally He was presumed dead and his wife had been sent home. It was not the first time this had happened. He was missing presumed dead in Korea as well.


Jenks

[Jenks]

From my Dads jottings.. Perhaps why he was so keen to stop the terrorists escaping.. This incident occured after his attempt to foil the escape of the Cts on the river but these incidents were not uncommon.

MALAYA – 004B


In 1957 I frequently used the Sungei-Siput strip and was always made welcome by the two officers of the Singapore Regiment Royal Artillery who occasionally asked me to observe fall of shot and register possible targets for future use.

The Singapore Regiment was manned by Malay other ranks, only the officers were British. The guns were 3.7 A/A with a very flat trajectory. This made it difficult to engage targets in the hilly jungle in that area – Howitzers would have suited better.

As the unit was just a troop with only two British Officers – one a Senior Major about my age and service, the other a very young Second Lieutenant (National Service) – they didn’t get on very well socially.

I had an open invite to help myself to cold drinks whenever visiting the site. Both had dinner in the evenings at different Planters Bungalows and I was asked if I would like to help myself to their rations as they would only be thrown away. They said the minimum rations they could be issued with from the supply depot were for six, so I was able to load my aircraft and share the spoils with the married members of my flight. The Malays being Muslims were issued with their type.

The Police Officers at Sungei-Siput were also very friendly – they were responsible for our petrol supply. One day a Police vehicle arrived at the station while I was there, and the Indian Inspector lifted the tarpaulin to show me two rubber tappers who had been tied to a tree and disembowelled.

[Robin128]

:G :shock: :?

[Jenks]

Tower 75.

Interesting that your Dad went from the Army to the RAF then the AAC. I didn't know you could transfer like that.

He wanted to join the RAF as a boy at sixteen but his parents wouldn't let him. When he was eighteen he tried to get into the RAF but they weren't recruiting. So he joined the Army.

Shortly after his return from France in 1941 an Army Council instruction called for volunteers to transfer to the RAF for aircrew duties. He applied and was sent to Oxford for an interview and tests which took place at the Bodleian library.


Jenks

[Jenks]

Sandgroper..

From Wikipedia.

Sales in the United Kingdom of the American-engined Auster J/2 Arrow were limited by import restrictions on the engines, so Auster re-engined the aircraft with a British engine, the 90 hp Blackburn Cirrus Minor I. The first aircraft flew towards the end of 1946. The two-seat aircraft proved less popular than the companies three-seat Auster J/1 Autocrat and only 27 aircraft were built. A number of aircraft were exported to Australia and these were known as the Archer in that country.[1]

My Dads comments on the Auster,



Auster 5 with Lycoming Engine

Certainly the best mark of Auster except for a very uncomfortable seat and the danger in the event of a prang - the petrol tank (as I recall) was just above the pilot’s knees behind the instrument panel.

The stalling speed was 25 kts IAS although the short landing recommended speed was 35 kts, which gave some float at round-out. Experienced pilots landing on a very short strip could safely bring them in at 30 kts or even slightly less and control the touchdown very accurately with throttle providing the wind gradient was carefully assessed.
A certain instructor (very experienced) on the morning detail was demonstrating how to bring the aircraft in at 25 kts when whoosh, the aircraft dropped like stone and the bungee cables couldn’t take any more stretch and parted - result a busted undercarriage and prop.

After lunch the same instructor decided to have another go to find out what went wrong on the previous attempt: result similar damage. Next day he was interviewed by the Chief Instructor and posted off the station.

My Dad had a friend, an Australian army pilot by the name of Charles Miller I think they met when Charles was seconded to The Army Air Corps at Middle Wallop. He served in Vietnam and somehow managed to acquire an American spotter type aircraft I Don't know what type but similar to the Auster. Rumour has it that he was given it in exchange for a large consignment of Aussie beer. He took the thing to pieces boxed it up and courtesy of Australian Air Force got it back to OZ. When he returned to OZ our families stayed in touch (Christmas cards etc) I remember that Charles and his son flew all over the place on Holidays I remember reading a letter describing one such trip.


Jenks