Tribute by Alan Walton as part of the service to celebrate the life of John (Jack) Walton at The parish church of St Elisabeth Carlisle
Following a successful completion of his carpentry and joinery apprenticeship served with two building and construction firms in the North East of England, dad enlisted in 1937 into the RAF during peacetime at the age of 18. He put his woodworking skills to good practice as an LAC Airframe Fitter working on the then wooden aircraft frames. Between 1937 and 1940 he was based at RAF Uxbridge, Cardington, Hednesford, Manston, Scampton and Silloth.
In 1939 at the outbreak of World War 2 the RAF were asking airmen to re-train in areas of skill shortage. The choices were to re-train either as an air gunner, or as an armourer. He chose to re-trained as an armourer and following re-training in the UK he subsequently served in RAF 213 Squadron from 1941- 45 in Egypt, Libya, Cypress, Italy and the then Yugoslavia. Like so many ex-service men and women who served in a theatre of war he did not talk voluntarily about his experiences. Fortunately, he kept a diary, so his experiences in 1941-45 are not forgotten. He was encouraged to have it published. Thanks to his niece’s husband Alan Hitchens, who typed and edited the manuscript. His diary was published in 2000. To date approximately 300 copies have been sold (it is a specialist market) in the UK, USA, Norway, Italy and Australia. He received numerous letters and e-mails of congratulations on writing such a personalised account of that harrowing period in his life.
John was always was able to help with enquiries from relatives of servicemen whom he had served with.
Dad sailed from Greenock for Egypt on 22 May 1941. It was a large convoy. The convoy was a target for U-Boat attacks and therefore employed the zigzag tactics that inevitably prolonged their journey. The NCOs and other ranks slept near the bottom of the boat where they could hear the waves banging against the side of the ship. Dad comments “it was quite frightening for us non-sailors and what’s more the officers had cabins on the same deck as the nurses ”. The convoy was also threatened on 29th May from the German battleship the Bizmark. Despite all of this they eventually arrived safely in Egypt.
He was assigned to the Desert Air Force (DAF) which provided specialist tactical air support for Montgomery’s 8th Army – the Desert Rats. The DAF operated deep behind the German and Italian lines through the use of Desert Landing Grounds. Their strategy was to destroy Rommel’s Afrika Korp supply routes, airfields and of course his panzers. These DLGs were comprised of metal sheets laid together on the sand to provide the essential runways for the aircraft.
These were operationalised by an advance party of RAF Regiment and army along with ground crew going to a pre-arranged destination in the desert. On arrival they began the preparation of digging defensive trenches and also trenches just big enough to sleep in with a metal sheet over the top for cover from shrapnel. They would also lay the runway and prepare the camouflage and blastproof aircraft pens
On his 60th occasion on preparing a DLG he comments in his diary “ I don’t know how many more times I will have to dig trenches but this is my 60th and it already feels as though I’ve dug up half the bloody desert!” On another occasion as they were heading to a DLG their convoy was strafed by enemy aircraft. Everyone jumped off the lorries and ran into the desert for cover. Just as the air raid had ended dad heard someone shout “no one move stay perfectly still” They had unknowingly ran into a minefield. They were there for two and a half hours before an army mine clearing team arrived to clear a path to safety. The team had to probe with bayonets under the stranded servicemen’s bodies for mines before they could stand up.
Dad comments in his diary “ by the time we were back on safe ground I was sweating heavily and it was only 6.30 in the morning”. He was just feet away from the nearest mine.
He worked mainly on Hawker Hurricanes (tank busters) but also Spitfires. He was responsible for maintaining and arming the canon, machine guns and bomb racks. Also when operating from DLG he had to load coloured flares on the planes. These were known as the ‘Colours of the Day’. They were crucial for a pilot’s safe landing, as the DLGs were secret bases so were heavily protected by the RAF Regiment and army. Without the pilot displaying the correct colour code of the day flaring on return to the landing ground they were likely to be shot down by their own comrades. The pilots lives were dependent upon their armourer doing their job correctly
100% of the time. For example if their canon, or machineguns jammed on a sortie the consequence could be fatal for them.
His carpentry skills were much in demand in the desert as the wooden crates that aircraft and spare parts arrived in were soon converted into beds and chairs for the pilots and others by dad. He had also made a luxury bed for himself from wooden struts and sacking.
Following Montgomery’s defeat of Rommel’s Afrika Korp dad continued to serve in 213 squadron following the 8th Army’s journey through the liberation of Italy where he served for 11 months. Then onto Yugoslavia before returning to Italy. He sailed for Blighty from Naples arriving in Liverpool docks 15th May 1945 (VE Day). He was awarded the campaign medals of the Africa Star and the Italy Star. For members of DAF their Africa Star medal has a bronze rosette in the bar and ribbon position to acknowledge their special contribution in the Western Desert - Africa campaign.
