Flt Lt Russell 'Digger' Aitken

[BrianC]

Hi guys

Extract from a newspaper clipping 1943:

He (Aitken) took part in the Norwegian campaign and was one of three pilots who ferried Hurricanes from the Ark Royal to an aerodrome near Trondheim. After every flight pilots were picked up by Swordfish and flown back to the Ark Royal, where another Hurricane was waiting for them. Aitken ferried twelve Hurricanes in this way. While returning to England the Ark Royal was bombed and, when the famous aircraft-carrier heeled, the wash from the bomb took Aitken overboard, but was soon picked up.


Can anyone "put flesh on bones?"

Cheers
Brian

[BruceMk11]

Russell Faulkner Aitken, CBE, AFC

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russel...n_(RAF_officer)

[Martin Gleeson]

There is something wrong here. The newspaper extract noted by Brian is either a wartime journalist making up most of this or highly embellishing something he heard, or he was being told 'porky pies' by Aitken !

Aitken did not fly any Hurricanes to Noway. 46 Squadron pilots were the only airmen to fly Hurricanes to and over Norway. They flew all their 18 Hurricanes to landing grounds at Skaanland and Bardufoss on May 26th, 1940. These locations are approximately 410/450 miles in a straight line from Trondheim, which had been occupied by the Germans since April 9th. At best, he was on board HMS 'Ark Royal', as it appears he had been seconded to the Fleet Air Arm since before the war. See the 46 Sqn. ORB online at TNA website.

The 'Wikipedia' page on him records that he was posted to Fighter Command in September 1940, joining 3 Squadron. This could be interpreted to mean he qualifies as a BoB pilot (10 July-31 October 1940). In fact, according to the 3 Sqn. ORB, he was only posted in to 3 Sqn. from No. 5 Operational Training Unit on 18 November 1940 and flew his first patrol with them on November 23rd.

I don't mean to denigrate the man, he must have done some good and sustained work during the war to receive the AFC and to be made a CBE. Plus MiD three times.

Can anyone verify the part about falling off the 'Ark Royal' and being rescued ?

I'll be interested in any further comments.

Regards,

Martin Gleeson.

[BrianC]

Hi Bruce and Martin

Hence my enquiry. I've also had a look at 46 Squadron's ORB and similarly concluded that something was amiss! As we know, Digger Aitken went on to 'establish' the unofficial ASR unit at Gosport, flying a Walrus on rescue and recovery sorties.

I believe that he once (pre-war) had to ditch a FAA aircraft when approaching to land aboard a carrier, but the story of being swept off the deck of Ark Royal sounds a tad far-fetched (although the Wikipedia site suggests this occurred February 1940)

I agree that this sounds rather an over-zealous journalistic report. I am in contact with members of Digger's but sadly his logbooks were lost in a house fire.

I will keep digging. After all, that's what research is all about!

Cheers
Brian