What Was A 'Driver' Exercise?

[AndrewClark]

Apologies in advance if I should know the answer, but can anyone tell me what was this type of exercise was please? I have a couple of No.118 Squadrons pilot participating in one on 25th April 1944, but do not know what it was............ TIA, as always. Andrew

[JDCAVE]

No apologies necessary! I don’t know the answer either. I wonder if it was related to perhaps training to prepare for strafing attacks against convoys of vehicles on roads, in preparation for Overlord and the battles on the continent. Military vehicles requiring “drivers”.

Just speculation.

Jim

[cozzy711]

Possibly something to do with this

https://discovery.nationalarchives.g...ils/r/C8114447
or
https://discovery.nationalarchives.g...ails/r/C753239

but I am none the wiser as to what it actually is.

Chris

[wwrsimon]

Hello

The second reference posted by Chris above seems to be the best bet - "Exercise 'Driver': co-operation between ships and shore-bound fighter aircraft."

The Whirlwind Fighter Project website has a transcript of then 263 Sqn ORB, which includes the following which tie in:

July 1943
7th-8th Exercise Driver: Sgt Wood made dummy attacks on a Destroyer off the Needles without being intercepted by Spitfires.

Also

May 1944
10th Exercise Driver With HMS Glasgow & Plymouth guns.

Regards

Simon

[AndrewClark]

Thanks to all for your contributions. I does seem as though a 'Driver' exercise was, essentially, a mock attack - made against Royal Navy shipping. Cheers, Andrew