Reference
Z1689/1
Title
Royal Air Force, Pilot's Flying Log Book belonging to Sergeant James Emerton Cooper (Service no. 745777)
Date free text
December 1940-9 September 1941
Production date
From: 1940 To: 1941
Scope and Content
Entry indicates that first log book lost in December 1940.
Includes details of his history in RAF. List at front of volume possibly by unknown author. List at rear of volume appears to be by Cooper.
Luton Elementary and Reserve Flying Training School (EFTS), April - July 1939;
Redhill EFTS April 1940;
Carlisle EFTS April -May 1940;
Brize Norton Initial Training School June - Jul 1940;
Chipping Norton Apprentices Training School July - August 1940;
Harwarden Operational Training Unit September 1940;
610 City of Chester Auxiliary Squadron September - December 1940;
602 Squadron December 1940 - March 1941;
91 Squadron March 1941 - September 1941.
Also records the number of hours flown, aircraft numbers of Spitfires and Magisters flown, when leave taken and duties carried out with names of 2nd pilot, pupil or passengers. Entries include references to drills, escorts and patrols over English Channel and France.
Additional comments include 'Crash landed!' (22 April 1941); details of contact with enemy aircraft; references to fellow pilots baling out, being shot down, rescued and dying (Thornber, July 1941); aerodrome machine gunned and bombed four times (17 May 1941); duty as Squadron escort and landed at Gravesend, Queen Mary at Chatham (21 May 1941); 'oil tanker 5 miles off Dunkerque - bombed and sunk' (27 June 1941); finding wreckage.
Annotated in unknown hand 'Killed in Action 9 September 1941'. Rear of volume includes list of aircraft flown - Magister, Airspeed Oxford, NA Harvard, Miles Master and Spitfires I, II and V; aerodromes landed at, including Luton, Acklington, Gatwick and Biggin Hill (does not appear to be complete).
Contains loose compliment slip 'The Air Officer in charge of Records feels sure you would like to have this personal record in your possession' with Sergeant JE Cooper's name typed.
Exent
1 volume
Level of description
item