Malta Hurricane Pilot??

[Beetle2]

Atttached is a clipping. I think it was written by Laddie Lucas in the Sunday Herald about May 1942- can anyone verify please? I hope you can read the article, it refers to a young Hurricane pilot named ony "Sonny" who was KIA during the time referred to.. I know a trip to the library would answer the question but maybe someone can help? Thanks

[Steve49]

Just had a quick look through 'Hurricanes over Malta' and the pilot would appear to have been PO Oliver O. 'Sonny' Ormrod DFC (185 Sqn) lost during the evening of 22nd April 1942.

Regards,

Steve

[kaki3152]

I have a Xerox copy of a diary that was kept by Lt Ormrod. Can't remember where I copied it from except that it was a book on Malta.
Its very moving ending with his death in action. He fell on a roof in Malta and was not discovered for some time.

[Dave_Wigley]

My uncle (Philip Wigley) flew with Sonny Ormrod (DFC) that day. His log book shows that he climbed to 16,000 ft with Sonny and intercepted 10 Junkers 88s. They got mixed up with 6 ME109 at Takali and had further scraps at Valletta. His log book then simply says that Sonny failed to return. Quite a day.

When I visisted Malta about 7 years ago I met up with Eddie Smith who Sonny had been staying with when he died. He also recounts the story of the day Sonny did not return and implied that he thought he had actually been hit by friendly ground fire. Yes, his body was not found for some time up on the roof tops. Apparently he had been quite some pilot and already had multiple figure kills to his name.

[Beetle2]

Thank you all three for your responses. It was obviously Sonny Ormrod referred to in the article. But I have since found out that the clipping was from the Sunday Express and NOT written by Laddie Lucas. On the back is a release stating that Max Aitken "now leader of a night fighter Squadron" (68 Squadron?) has just been awarded a DSO and also that the Vichy French have shot down a British plane over Mazagan with AA fire. Which gives me three new questions.. who wrote the article? When was it published and who was shot down over Mazagan?