HughAHalliday
30th September 2010, 11:36
I have before me the photocopy of a logbook from one Neil James McIlhone for whom I have the following details:
McILHONE, F/O Neil James (J87373) - Distinguished Flying Cross - No.60 Squadron - Award effective 9 October 1945 as per London Gazette dated 19 October 1945 and AFRO 1822/45 dated 7 December 1945. Born 1919. Home in Outremont; enlisted in Montreal, 3 July 1941 and posted to No.3 Manning Depot. To No.31 BGS as guard, 8 August 1941. To No.1 ITS, 13 September 1941; graduated and promoted LAC, 7 November 1941 when posted to No.14 EFTS; graduated 2 January 1942 when posted to No.1 SFTS; graduated and promoted Sergeant, 19 June 1942; to No.1 OTU, 12 July 1942; to "Y" Depot, 24 October 1942; to RAF overseas, 27 October 1942. Promoted Flight Sergeant, 19 December 1942. Promoted WO2, 19 June 1943. Commissioned 27 March 1944. Promoted Flying Officer, 27 September 1944. Repatriated 26 September 1945. To No.2 Release Centre, 2 October 1945. Retired 2 November 1945. Rejoined as pilot on Short Service Commission, 13 August 1951 (45926); date of release uncertain. Presented by Governor General, 24 May 1946.
Flying Officer McIlhone has completed numerous operational missions in close support of the 14th Army during the campaign in Burma. His high standard of leadership, while acting as flight commander, has contributed materially to the success of many sorties. A large number of these were completed over difficult mountainous terrain in the Chin Hills during the height of the monsoon. This officer's enthusiasm and keenness have been a valuable asset to his squadron.
My query arises from the logbook and difficulty in squaring some entries with "Bloody Shambles" and other sources - enough to make me question the authenticity of the document (but why fake such a document ?). If anyone has No.60 Squadron's ORB (or relatively easy access thereto) I would welcome assistance in verifying (and even expanding) on the logbook (to say nothing of McIlhone's adventures).
The logbook is supposedly a second one (an earlier one having been lost in a Hudson crash in which I believe he was a passenger). The earliest dramatic entry is dated 3 September 1943 (Mosquito T) with a Flight Sergeant MacPhail or McPhail as observer. It is a seven hour 15 minute flight, described as "Run to Moulmein and back" which seems okay - but the remarks read, "Pranged on landing with dead man beside me. Mac bought it over Rangoon at 3.15; we landed at 5.25. Shaky do. Going on leave for a week." I have problems with this because I find no airman named MacPhail or McPhail killed about this time, and I cannot positively identify the squadron. However, it appears to have been engaged in photo reconnaissance. He continues on Mosquitos with a new navigator named MacGill or McGill.
The next dramatic entry is dated 17 October 1943, "Day run on Rangoon" in Mosquito B (eight hours ten minutes). "Shot up, stayed over target, got bombing pictures. Hydraulics shot away. Pranged on landing, Mac lost right arm when starboard tank blew up. ( I give up)."
He is evidently tour expired but there are no more entries in the reconstructed log book until 1 July 1944 when he reports that he has "returned to ops" with No.60 Squadron. Here it becomes importamt to confirm the authenticity of the document. The following entries are particularly interesting:
10 July 1944 - Hurricane Y - Scheme to Chin River - two hours 15 minutes. Jumped by six Oscars. Got one confirmed. He ran into the deck south of Taukyan. Confirmed by F/O Johnstone (No.1)."
20 July 1944 - Hurricane B - South of Raottuk - two hours 25 minutes - "Nothing around. Two aircraft shot down over Tamu on return journey."
29 July 1944 - Hurricame B - Cab Rank Irrawwaddy - four sorties by him (1.10, 2.05, 1.00 and 45 minutes). "Stayed all day for the army. Beach head across Irrawaddy going well. Picked up two point fives in main plane. No.2 lost (spin in over Rice Land. One damaged - smoke coming out of fuselage."
4 August 1944 - Hurricane B - Scramble - 45 minutes. "Raid on our drome. Returned to drome. Was vectored on to 'Oscar' shooting up runway. Dove from 3,000 feet. Got him as he was pulling up to bank away from attack. Gave him one second burst low in cockpit. Four rounds in gas tank. He blew up mile away from drome. No.2 confirmed. (Captain King, SAAF)."
7 August 1944 - Hurricame B - BTA (not sure what this means) - one hour 45 minutes. "Chin River. Rowdy bought it. I took over and brought boys home. First time leading flight."
18 September 1944 - Hurricane B - Scramble (one hour 40 minutes). "Was chased for 20 minutes by one Tojo and three Oscars. Whewwww - was I ever scared."
19 October 1944 - Hurricane V - Flight Job - two hours - "Six aircraft over Mandalay. Bombed government buildings. WO Dickson shot down. Blew up at 3,000 Feet." (I can find no man named Dickson killed in the Far East at this time).
20 October 1944 - Hurricane B - Bangkok Drome - three hours 45 minutes. "Hell cut loose. 21 aircraft hit, four down, two pranged on drome. Intelligence say 42 ack-ack guns opened up."
10 November 1944 - Hurricane B - Rhubarb - two hours ten minutes - "Jumped by five Tojos. had a good chase. Two kites taking a pass at me, collided mid-air and crashed. I was given two confirmed. No.3 and 4, confirmed. Squadron Pilots."
12 December 1944 - Hurricane B - To Toungo - two hours 45 minutes. "Badly hit over target. Tried to make base but was forced to bail out at Tamu. Bailed out at 700 feet. No fun. Walked home. Finally qualified to wear a caterpiller. Should get a free drink for this when I arrive back in London."
He is then flying Thunderbolts in January 1945. An interesting entry is for 5 January 1945 - two flights (two hours 15 minutes and 45 minutes), described as Exhibition Flights for the Viceroy.
Help ! ! !
McILHONE, F/O Neil James (J87373) - Distinguished Flying Cross - No.60 Squadron - Award effective 9 October 1945 as per London Gazette dated 19 October 1945 and AFRO 1822/45 dated 7 December 1945. Born 1919. Home in Outremont; enlisted in Montreal, 3 July 1941 and posted to No.3 Manning Depot. To No.31 BGS as guard, 8 August 1941. To No.1 ITS, 13 September 1941; graduated and promoted LAC, 7 November 1941 when posted to No.14 EFTS; graduated 2 January 1942 when posted to No.1 SFTS; graduated and promoted Sergeant, 19 June 1942; to No.1 OTU, 12 July 1942; to "Y" Depot, 24 October 1942; to RAF overseas, 27 October 1942. Promoted Flight Sergeant, 19 December 1942. Promoted WO2, 19 June 1943. Commissioned 27 March 1944. Promoted Flying Officer, 27 September 1944. Repatriated 26 September 1945. To No.2 Release Centre, 2 October 1945. Retired 2 November 1945. Rejoined as pilot on Short Service Commission, 13 August 1951 (45926); date of release uncertain. Presented by Governor General, 24 May 1946.
Flying Officer McIlhone has completed numerous operational missions in close support of the 14th Army during the campaign in Burma. His high standard of leadership, while acting as flight commander, has contributed materially to the success of many sorties. A large number of these were completed over difficult mountainous terrain in the Chin Hills during the height of the monsoon. This officer's enthusiasm and keenness have been a valuable asset to his squadron.
My query arises from the logbook and difficulty in squaring some entries with "Bloody Shambles" and other sources - enough to make me question the authenticity of the document (but why fake such a document ?). If anyone has No.60 Squadron's ORB (or relatively easy access thereto) I would welcome assistance in verifying (and even expanding) on the logbook (to say nothing of McIlhone's adventures).
The logbook is supposedly a second one (an earlier one having been lost in a Hudson crash in which I believe he was a passenger). The earliest dramatic entry is dated 3 September 1943 (Mosquito T) with a Flight Sergeant MacPhail or McPhail as observer. It is a seven hour 15 minute flight, described as "Run to Moulmein and back" which seems okay - but the remarks read, "Pranged on landing with dead man beside me. Mac bought it over Rangoon at 3.15; we landed at 5.25. Shaky do. Going on leave for a week." I have problems with this because I find no airman named MacPhail or McPhail killed about this time, and I cannot positively identify the squadron. However, it appears to have been engaged in photo reconnaissance. He continues on Mosquitos with a new navigator named MacGill or McGill.
The next dramatic entry is dated 17 October 1943, "Day run on Rangoon" in Mosquito B (eight hours ten minutes). "Shot up, stayed over target, got bombing pictures. Hydraulics shot away. Pranged on landing, Mac lost right arm when starboard tank blew up. ( I give up)."
He is evidently tour expired but there are no more entries in the reconstructed log book until 1 July 1944 when he reports that he has "returned to ops" with No.60 Squadron. Here it becomes importamt to confirm the authenticity of the document. The following entries are particularly interesting:
10 July 1944 - Hurricane Y - Scheme to Chin River - two hours 15 minutes. Jumped by six Oscars. Got one confirmed. He ran into the deck south of Taukyan. Confirmed by F/O Johnstone (No.1)."
20 July 1944 - Hurricane B - South of Raottuk - two hours 25 minutes - "Nothing around. Two aircraft shot down over Tamu on return journey."
29 July 1944 - Hurricame B - Cab Rank Irrawwaddy - four sorties by him (1.10, 2.05, 1.00 and 45 minutes). "Stayed all day for the army. Beach head across Irrawaddy going well. Picked up two point fives in main plane. No.2 lost (spin in over Rice Land. One damaged - smoke coming out of fuselage."
4 August 1944 - Hurricane B - Scramble - 45 minutes. "Raid on our drome. Returned to drome. Was vectored on to 'Oscar' shooting up runway. Dove from 3,000 feet. Got him as he was pulling up to bank away from attack. Gave him one second burst low in cockpit. Four rounds in gas tank. He blew up mile away from drome. No.2 confirmed. (Captain King, SAAF)."
7 August 1944 - Hurricame B - BTA (not sure what this means) - one hour 45 minutes. "Chin River. Rowdy bought it. I took over and brought boys home. First time leading flight."
18 September 1944 - Hurricane B - Scramble (one hour 40 minutes). "Was chased for 20 minutes by one Tojo and three Oscars. Whewwww - was I ever scared."
19 October 1944 - Hurricane V - Flight Job - two hours - "Six aircraft over Mandalay. Bombed government buildings. WO Dickson shot down. Blew up at 3,000 Feet." (I can find no man named Dickson killed in the Far East at this time).
20 October 1944 - Hurricane B - Bangkok Drome - three hours 45 minutes. "Hell cut loose. 21 aircraft hit, four down, two pranged on drome. Intelligence say 42 ack-ack guns opened up."
10 November 1944 - Hurricane B - Rhubarb - two hours ten minutes - "Jumped by five Tojos. had a good chase. Two kites taking a pass at me, collided mid-air and crashed. I was given two confirmed. No.3 and 4, confirmed. Squadron Pilots."
12 December 1944 - Hurricane B - To Toungo - two hours 45 minutes. "Badly hit over target. Tried to make base but was forced to bail out at Tamu. Bailed out at 700 feet. No fun. Walked home. Finally qualified to wear a caterpiller. Should get a free drink for this when I arrive back in London."
He is then flying Thunderbolts in January 1945. An interesting entry is for 5 January 1945 - two flights (two hours 15 minutes and 45 minutes), described as Exhibition Flights for the Viceroy.
Help ! ! !