Page 39 - The Old Ratcliffian 2010

The Old Ratcliffan 2010 | nostalgia Secondly, at the beginning of the credit that they helped me along the Summer term I had approached both way when at times this must have been Fr. Leetham and Fr Emery with a view to difficult. The after sales service dropping a couple of normal academic was exceptional. Here I must pay tribute subjects and studying navigation instead. to Fr Claude Leetham who supported This came about because I had been and advised me over many years – long accepted for training at Southampton after I had left Ratcliffe. He was a man University in early August 1944. The of great charm, passion and drive who only reservation Fr President had was clearly understood what makes boys tick his inability to provide me with a suitable and how to get the best out of them. d’Oliviera (left) on board Comet 4 navigation teacher simply because he did To me personally, he always showed not know anyone in the navigation field. considerable understanding, interest, To explain the structure for arranging After much discussion, my proposal was and concern. The advice offered was VIP flights, the Queen’s Flight was used eventually approved. The compromise always very sensible and sound. He was for short haul flights. I was never on the was that Southampton University genuinely interested in what I was doing Queen’s Flight itself but obviously Department of Navigation prepared and seemed to have an affinity and worked very closely with them on Royal a one-off special correspondence feeling for flying matters. Whilst I was in Flight matters. course for me to follow. If any problems the Middle East, we kept in contact about VIP flying can be quite demanding at occurred then, Fr Leetham stepped in once or twice a year. After my return to times and requires accuracy in both and tried to arrange for me to meet one UK, Fr Claude occasionally visited me the detailed planning and in the actual of the navigation staff instructors at at home. Such visits were always very flying of the aircraft. Just to give you a Wymeswold. He was nearly always able enjoyable and happy occasions even taster as to what is involved, most flights to find one of the staff navigators to if my stocks of whisky became involve reception committees, guards of help out with my navigation studies. The dangerously low! honour, red carpets etc. or some other only problem encountered was a lack form of arrival ceremonial. Perhaps the of continuity at times because of the Unfortunately, we gradually lost contact most unusual, spectacular, and colourful rotation of RAF personnel. with each other as I was abroad on trips for an average of 19 days per month, ceremonial departure I have ever seen I was accepted for a nine month and Fr Leetham became a very busy occurred at the end of the State Visit navigation course at the Southampton headmaster before he went to America. to Thailand when flying HM the Queen University Department of Navigation On one of my occasional visits to from Chiang Mai to Utapo. The airfield starting in August 1944. The war was Ratcliffe, I came into contact with the new apron was covered by dozens of colourful still in full swing and very few were Headmaster (to me) Fr John Morris who elephants, and thousands of people in being recruited to meet civil aviation I had never previously met. I found him national dress. requirements. In those days, civil air particularly hospitable and welcoming As Captain, my job was to arrive at the navigation was based on mariners’ and was always very interested in what I spot specified, on time, with the aircraft requirements. There were only two had been doing. He persuaded me to give nose wheel on the spot and with the experienced aviation instructors and four some travel talks to senior students. Over aircraft pointing in the correct direction. air students in the whole department, the next few years, these talks became As far as timing is concerned, the aim is plus a number of MN navigation officers very popular and well attended. I was also to stop the aircraft on the spot position upgrading their licences. The rest of the able to bring a helicopter up for the day within ±15 seconds of the specified department consisted of merchant naval and give many boys ‘experience flights’ arrival time. Such accuracy was officers and cadets. Had I delayed my around the college. Finally, in February invariably achieved. training until 1945, it is unlikely that I 1968, I was able to offer a place to one of would have been able to follow an aviation the senior boys on a round the world VIP Sadly, the UK no longer maintains a VIP career at all because hundreds of pilots flight. Unfortunately, I was unable to fly Squadron, or the Queen’s Flight, both and navigators, with lots of flying hours this trip myself due to higher priorities, of which have been disbanded on the and experience behind them, were being so Peter Akehurst, joined the crew at altar of false economics. Most countries demobilized at the end of WWII. Only Lyneham and my deputy took Peter on maintain (even small ones), aircraft 36 pilots were accepted for RAF pilot a one month trip to the Far East, North for VIP purposes. Instead, the UK now training during 1945 and I was one of the America, Australia and New Zealand. seems to prefer chartering from British lucky ones to be selected. My navigation Peter’s aircraft left Lyneham on March Airways. Somebody should check the training no doubt played a significant 21st 1968 for the trip of a lifetime. bills! My experience is that the UK loses role in my selection as none of the international prestige by not having its other trainee pilots had any navigation Between 1956 and 1976 I was involved own dedicated aircraft. experience. A dual qualified pilot/ in planning and operating long haul VIP navigator was an attractive commodity in flights. During this period I was privileged Ratcliffe provided a very good start to life those years. to fly many of the world’s leaders on and flying has proved to be an interesting their global travels. Passengers carried and rewarding career fully up to early My pilot training took place in Southern included Kings, Queens, Presidents, expectations. Indeed, I would go further Rhodesia starting in 1947 after which I Foreign Royalty, Secretary-General of and say that I have never done a day’s returned to the UK and flew on the Berlin NATO, Prime Ministers, Cabinet Ministers, work in my life but have only indulged airlift, then converted on to the Dakota Ambassadors, Service chiefs, and fighter in my hobbies and interests! I have not aircraft. Later I was posted to a transport escorts to name but some. All in all, I mentioned two other careers which I have squadron in the Middle East in mid 1950. undertook over 700 VIP flights. been involved with – first, a secondment I look back on my Ratcliffe years with to DfT as the Senior Aviation Adviser to appreciation, satisfaction and goodwill. The responsibility for long haul VIP the Secretary of State for Transport, and I was a very determined young man who flights lay with No. 216 Squadron of second, a freelance yachting journalist knew precisely what he was going to do Royal Air Force Transport Command (1977-2010) but that’s another story. after leaving school. For example, it never who maintained three Comet 4Cs, with dawned on me that I might be medically executive fits for tasking on a daily basis. 22 November, 2010 unfit for flying!! It is to Ratcliffe’s great Basil D’Oliveira (44) OBE, FRIN Register online www.ratcliffanassociation.co.uk