When 1501 BAT Flight moved from Abingdon to its Satellite Base at RAF Stanton Harcourt on 18th April 1943, Tom was Appointed Commanding Officer of the Latter Station. RAF Stanton Harcourt is the Site of a former WW2 RAF Bomber Base a few miles West of Oxford. It was Built in the early years of the War & closed shortly after Hostilities ceased but during the War, it was notable for being the starting point for the Raid on the German Battleship Scharnhorst. The Station at Stanton Harcourt was Built as a Satellite for Abingdon with 3-Hard Runways. Its War started before it was Completed when a German Bombing Raid killed 9-Workmen. The Airfield was ready for use by 3rd September 1940 when Whitley Aircraft from 10-OTU began using it for Night Flying Training. Flights were detached here from the Main Base. On 12th January 1943 Winston Churchill Departed here in a converted Liberator Bomber for the Casablanca Conference. Flying here stopped at the end of 1945 & most of the Airfield became Gravel Workings.
Tom recalls: ‘It was much bigger than Abingdon. We had over 4,000 Bods on there, with a large Proportion of WAAFs. It had got Runways, while Abingdon was still Grass then. I remember one day when we had a Visit by the Inspector-General of the RAF – Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Longmore – who was accompanied by the AOC & the Station Commander of Abingdon. He wanted to know why our Aeroplanes were Flying in Fog, not in an absolute Pea-souper, but in very, very Low Visibility. The Station Commander said: “Oh, Well, that’s the BAT Flight, Sir! They always Fly!” So he said: “Well, I’d like to know more about this!” I was called in & told that the Inspector-General would like a Flight in one of our Aircraft! I thought, right! Oh Dear, Oh Dear! So he came round in his Car & even the AOC was Standing at the Salute! We went off, did a Leg & a Landing & he was Impressed! He told me that he’d like to have a go at this. So, with all these people waiting for him, we went round again & let him Fly the Aircraft. He was absolutely fantastic – a very, very nice Chap! He was 100%. Each time the AOC & Station Commander kept coming towards us, he would get out & wanted another go! Now that was very interesting!’
More Memories of Tom’s time at Stanton Harcourt came Flooding out. He recalls:
‘Did you ever hear of a Chap Called Major Trubshaw? Great Big Whiskers, right out here. When I was at Stanton Harcourt – Satellite Commander – he was the Land Defence Officer. It had been decided that we had to have Defences all around the Aerodrome & so on [the RAF Regiment was Formed on 5th February 1942]. We did all sorts of Comical things, such as “Grow Tomatoes” & “Dig for Victory“, & all this was outside the Flight Office, where the Station Mast & Ensign was. I had 6-Tomato Plants, which I put in! Michael Trubshaw & I used to have a Liaison. Now, he was a big, very Tall, well-built Chap, with great big Bushy Whiskers up here, big Moustache – a typical Cavalry Officer Type. He was a very close friend of David Niven [the Famous Film Star of yesteryear]. Practically every one of David Niven’s Films featured Mike Trubshaw & his little Dog, if only for a minute! David Niven’s own Dog was called “Trubshaw“! So, to help this Aerodrome Defence get up to scratch, all the Air Crews & all the Ground Crews were supposed to do so much Rifle Training & it was never popular – no! [Clearly, the RAF Regiment had not expanded as far as Stanton Harcourt!] The Chaps said that they were there to Fly & not to Play Soldiers & all the rest of that rubbish. So, to get the Spirit going, I put up a Cup. We had the most fantastic Carpenter on the Unit. He’d taken advantage of a Whitley that had Crashed on Landing & had removed its Laminated Propellers. He made a lovely Glass Case, with this beautifully Laminated Mahogany surround, with all the Lines & Joins going across. All the little corner pieces were perfect & the back fitted & Sheraton [famous Furniture Manufacturers] couldn’t do half as good a Job! I bought a Silver Cup & arranged some Rifle Competitions. We went to a place near Banbury – a Shooting Range – & all the Chaps were Shooting. We had a full day’s Shooting Competition. [At lunchtime] Mike Trubshaw & I went down to, what was that Famous Pub – the White Lion Hotel [long since Closed] – where he knew the Landlord very well. We went in with a Right Old Session & some good food. Then we went back – the Shooting carried on all day & I presented the Trophy afterwards. On the way back, we stopped at Woodstock & had a Meal. That Chap Trubshaw was such a Character, it wasn’t True!’
In December 1943, just before No.1501 BAT Flight disbanded, Tom moved back to Abingdon, to join No.10-OTU as Chief Flying Instructor. The OTU was equipped with Whitleys, Ansons, Martinets & 1-Defiant. On 1st January 1944, Tom was Promoted to Wing Commander, was Awarded the AFC & became Deputy Chief Instructor as well as Deputy Station Commander. Unfortunately, Tom did not elaborate on this Period!
On 20th June 1944, Tom was Posted to No.1655 Mosquito Training Unit, part of No.8-Group (Pathfinder Force), at RAF Warboys [Hunts then, now Cambs).
Wing Commander T G 'Jeff' Jefferson, DSO AFC AE 