210008 Henry Brett Royal Flying Corps 9th Squadron My father Harry Brett was first in the Royal Ambulance or Medical Corps at the beginning of WW1 and then in 1916 when he was 17 or 18 years old he joined the RFC 9th Squadron. I have a photograph of him dressed for flying duty as an observer under the command of Major Hugh Dowding. There is one other photograph of that time which shows him at an RFC stall at a fete with fellow RFC , presumably raising money for the war effort.
I know no more of this period but will hope to have some feedback.
My father rejoined the 9th Squadron RAF at the start of WW2 becoming a flight controller and was wounded rescuing aircrew from crash landings for which he was decorated. I have a cartoon of him holding a mic and talking down a young pilot in a wounded Lancaster with one engine, titled Piggy Control (his nickname) and signed on the reverse by the squadron. He then joined Headquarters Bomber Command working with New Zealander "Square" McKee.
He survived, though not in the best of health and returned to my Mother,brother and I to live to 1957. He much enjoyed going to reunions with his grat friend "Batchy" Batchelor who was a great supporter of Bomber Command and a prime mover of getting the Harris statue opposite Dowdings outside St Clements Danes in spite of some venomous opposition. How they both would be cheered by the building of the Bomber Memorial after the shoddy treatment given to the Bombers after the war.
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