No.1 SPECIALISED LOW ATTACK INSTRUCTORS’ SCHOOL (S.L.A.I.S.)

INTRODUCTION

Shortly after 59 O.T.U. was established at Milfield and Brunton the Air Ministry chose these airfields as the base for a new unit designated ‘No.1 Specialised Low Attack Instructors’ School’.

This new unit was to provide ground attack practice for pilots from operational squadrons based elsewhere throughout the United Kingdom. The school itself was staffed by instructors who had considerable ground attack experience. “Ginger” Lacey was a flight commander in the early days with the rank of Flight Lieutenant. Milfield and Brunton were chosen as they possessed facilities for servicing Hurricanes and Typhoon aircraft, were remote and had airfiring range facilities.

ESTABLISHMENT

The first commanding officer was Wing Commander Whitworth who was posted to Milfield on 24th November 1942 to form No.1 S.L.A.I.S. and the unit was established on 24th December 1942. By the end of the month the R.A.F. personnel strength was 7 officers and 93 other ranks and 15 W.A.A.F. other ranks but no officers.

Goswick Sands was chosen as the location for the ground attack range which was provided with a number of obsolete military vehicles, including tanks for target practice by aircraft firing cannon and rocket projectiles. A concrete observation post was built into the sand dunes overlooking the beach and the ground observer was able to advise the pilots on the angle of attack they were using.

THE COURSES

Training commenced on 21st January 1943 with the arrival of a party of pilots from selected fighter squadrons.

On 3rd February 71943 pilots from No. 184 Squadron flew in from R.A.F. Colerne for a 3 week detachment. They were joined by further pilots including the C.O. Squadron Leader Rose on 5th. On 17th 3 sergeant pilots arrived to complete the detachment. Sorties were flown each day depending on weather conditions, the highest total of flying time being recorded on 18th when 17 hrs 10 mins was recorded in 11 sorties.

From 20th the pilots and aircraft began returning to Colerne, the last pilot to leave being Flight Lieutenant Almack on the 24th. Unfortunately he crashed on landing at R.A.F. Rufforth en route and his aircraft was classified as Category B, i.e. taken out of use and returned to specialist staff for repairs. Almack was very lucky to escape unhurt from this accident.

Having completed the course the 184 Squadron pilots soon put their training into practice on 1st March in Exercise Spartan, beginning with a low level attack on Colerne Airfield. From there they flew to Chilbolton where they stayed for two weeks, living under Spartan conditions and carrying out dummy attacks against tanks in Southern England and the Midlands.

On 14th February 1943 Acting Squadron Leader M.R. Ingle-Finch was posted to 59 O.T.U. and on the 16th reposted to 1 S.L.A.I.S. as an instructor.

By the end of February the unit strength had increased to 19 R.A.F. Officers and 111 other ranks, with 11 W.A.A.F. other ranks, still no officers.

Seven pilots from ‘A’ Flight, 164 Squadron arrived for training on 2nd March and were replaced by a further six pilots from that Squadron on 14th April.

On 12th May the Air Officer Commanding 9 Group, accompanied by Captain Lott, arrived for a conference concerning a proposed visit by 184 Squadron.

One flight of 184 Squadron arrived from Eastchurch on 19th May to carry out practise firing in No.1 S.L.A.I.S. Their equipment and ground crews were conveyed in 271 Squadron Harrows K6998 and K7010 piloted by F/Sgt Parfitt and F/O Miller respectively with 4,000lbs baggage. This flight completed the course on 29th May on which day they returned to Eastchurch.

Strength at the end of May 1043 was 25 R.A.F. officers and 205 other ranks and 13 W.A.A.F. other ranks.

On 1st June a further flight of No.184 Squadron commenced training on the unit. Meanwhile, some of their equipment was returned to Eastchurch in Harrow K6973 of 271 Squadron. The same day Nos. 9 and 10 courses went by road to Catterick, Yorkshire where they spent the day with the Tank Corps.

ARMY CO-OPERATION

Apart from the coastal air firing ranges a lot of training was carried out on Belford Moors. Here the pilots practiced low level attacks on a troop of Valentine Tanks. These were commanded by Major H.V. Fraser of the Royal Armoured Corps. Major Fraser was later to play a vital role as Army Liaison Officer in the training carried out by the Fighter Leader School.

It is of interest that camera guns were mounted on the tanks. Major Fraser was able to persuade the R.A.F. that if an aircraft could be held in the sights of the main tank armament for 5 seconds there was a good chance of a “kill”. As the attacking aircraft had to be flown straight and level for at least that period of time it was not impossible.

Eventually R.A.F. rockets were mounted on the main armament of the tanks. As this was a ground-to-ground asset the R.A.F. were not interested, however the Royal Armoured Corps Gunnery School showed great interest.

Major Tom Lakeman of the R.A.C. was an expert in the production of Rypa equipment for simulating the gun platform of a tank in motion. By means of harnessing a .22 inch rifle to the main armament a tank crew could engage scale model targets sited on a specially constructed sand table. Major Fraser persuaded Lakeman to come up to Milfield to see whether or not he could produce some similar type of equipment to simulate an aircraft in the low attack role. He produced a fine mock-up of a Hurricane cockpit complete with armament and flying controls and many good runs were made.

TOP BRASS

On 6th June the Air Officer Commanding 9 Group, Fighter Command, Air Vice Marshal Stevenson arrived from Salmesbury and carried out an inspection of the unit. The following day the A.O.C. in C. Fighter Command Air Marshal, Sir Trafford Leigh-Mallory, K.C.B., D.S.O., arrived in a Mosquito at 17.10 hours from R.A.F. Eshott. The party were on a tour of inspection of Northern Airfields. The Air Marshal later visited Goswick Range and was very impressed by a demonstration of 40 mm cannon and rocket projectile attacks by the unit.

FURTHER COURSES

The unit received an Oxford aircraft from Silloth on 8th June 1943 and two Hurricane 1V aircraft. All were delivered by A.T.A. pilots.

Ground personnel of 164 Squadron arrived from R.A.F. Middle Wallop in 271 Squadron Harrow K6970, and K6986 piloted by F/Off. Hilton, on 9th June. The same day 184 Squadron terminated their practice.

No. 11 course comprising 13 pilots arrived for training on 10th June, which included the detachment from 164 Squadron.

Two further Oxford aircraft were delivered by A.T.A. on 12th and 13th June.

Rocket projectile firing was carried out at night at Goswick Range on 13th June using a beach target. This was an original experiment and was very successful. The night was clear and there was a half moon period.

Further night rocket projectile firing was carried out on 14th and again there were very satisfying results.

CHANGE OF COMMANDING OFFICER

On 15th June the C.O. Wing Commander D.E. Gillam, D.S.O., D.F.C, A.F.C., left on posting to 83 Group. He was succeeded by Squadron Leader R.E.P. Brooker, D.F.C. and bar, who assumed the rank of Wing Commander.

Gillam was a highly experienced pilot and led the R.A.F.’s first Typhoon Wing. He was reckoned to be the R.A.F.’s most experienced exponent of ground attack. In February 1944 he commanded the first Typhoon wing to be formed in 84 Group.

Brooker had flown in the Battle of Britain, and from January to July 1941 as O.C. No. 1 Squadron, he had led intruder missions over France. At the time of the Japanese invasion of the East Indies in 1942 he was in command of both 232 and 242 Squadrons. After Milfield he led 123 Typhoon Wing during the invasion of Europe in 1944 and was awarded the D.S.O. Later he commanded 122 Wing. He was killed on 16th April 1945 when his Tempest aircraft suffered engine failure and caught fire. Unable to open his cockpit canopy he became trapped in his aircraft and was not able to bail out. He was posthumously awarded a second bar to his D.F.C.

MORE COURSES

No. 10 course went to Catterick on 15th June to co-operate with the Army during tank exercises. They flew eight further Hurricane IV aircraft, each flying two sorties.

Further R.P. firing was carried out at night on 16th June from 2241 hrs to 0115 hrs. The same day Squadron Leader McKeown, O.C. 164 Squadron, flew in from Middle Wallop in a Hurricane IV.

The following night R.P. practice was again carried out from 2359 hrs to 0144 hrs.

The flight from 164 Squadron terminated their practice on 19th June and there was movement of equipment between Middle Wallop and Milfield in Harrow K6978 and K 6988 of 271 Squadron.

The following day a further flight of 164 Squadron arrived and commenced training. Night firing was carried out between 2347 hrs and 0310 hrs at Goswick Range. Hurricane 1V KX544 overturned in a crash landing on ground attack training 6 miles west of Goswick on the 25th. This aircraft was from 164 Squadron.

No. 10 course completed training on the 21st and No. 12 course commenced on 24th. From this date courses consisted of 8 pupils and lasted 3 weeks.

Wing Commander Brooker assumed command of the station on 25th in the absence of Group Captain Addams, A.F.C., who was on temporary duty until 28th.

From 25th June courses carried out low level bombing in addition to other practices.

General Ritchie, ex 8th Army Commander, and now G.O.C. Mountain Division in Scotland, visited the Unit on 30th June. He was very impressed with a demonstration of 40mm cannon and R.P. firing.

The same day Nos. 11 and 12 courses visited the Tank Corps at Catterick for a demonstration. Meanwhile 164 Squadron returned to Middle Wallop, their baggage being conveyed in 271 Squadron Harrows K6964 and K 6994 piloted by W/Officer Levard on a flight of 2 hours 30 minutes duration.

Strength at the end of June was 35 RAF officers and 143 other ranks, and 20 W.A.A.F. other ranks.

On 10th July low level bombing practice was inaugurated at Brunton and good results observed.

The Air Officer Administration, Fighter Command, Air Vice Marshal Edmonds visited the unit on 18th July and was met by Wing Commander Brooker and S/Ldr Armitage, Senior Admin Officer. The A.O.A. then inspected No.1 S.L.A.I.S. Headquarters.

Squadron Leader Ingle-Finch, D.F.C. was posted out on 14th September to take command of 175 Squadron.

Commencing on 17th September pilots from No. 3 Squadron based at R.A.F. Manston took part in the course and left for their home station on 6th October.

Courses continued on this basis until 26th January 1944 when the Fighter Leader School was formed at Milfield and absorbed No. 1 S.L.A.I.S.

NO. 1 S.L.A.I.S AIRCRAFT

Little is known of the individual aircraft used by No. 1 S.L.A.I.S. but it is believed that they did not carry unit markings. It is known that the following aircraft were operated:

Hurricane 11D
HW719, HW720, HW725, HW728, HW729, HW730, HW731, KX188, KX189, KX190, KX198, KX408, KX410, KX538.

Hurricane 1V
KX179, KX180, KX188, KX199, KX200, KX539, KX545, KX565, KX579, KX700, KX701, KX878, KZ245, KZ322, KZ383, KZ711.

Master 11
DL561.

Master 111
W8717, W8886, DL695.
In addition aircraft from 59 O.T.U. were used in the training and many pilots arrived in their personal mounts.

146 Squadron
Hurricane 1V
KX544.