I trained on Course 26 at Falcon Field from 9 April 1945 to 10 September 1945.

After being in the Air Training Corp. in Northern Ireland, I joined the RAF. I underwent basic training at the Aircrew Receiving Centre (ARC) in St. Johns Wood, London and then onto Scarborough initial Training Wing (ITW). Following this, I was sent on to a small Elementary Flying Training School (EFTS), where they assessed if you had the potential to be a pilot.

The next stage involved being sent to America to learn to fly properly. Myself and another four groups of 100 cadets sailed on the Queen Mary for New York. We crossed the Atlantic at full speed and took nine days. From New York, we were taken to an Air Force camp in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada, where we were kitted out and then taken by train to Phoenix, Arizona. This journey took us another seven days. (I am second from left)

We arrived at Falcon Field and got to know the camp and surrounding areas.

We had an American instructor who was with us throughout our training. He had a friendly, relaxed way of teaching and even took us home to meet his family at one point. The weather was all blue skies and good for flying. Apart from one day when we had a very strong hurricane wind that blew up and scattered the planes like toys across the airfield.

We had a great group at the airbase, and I remember my time at Falcon Field and the people I met there with affection. I was incredibly lucky to be in the RAF and my love of flying has never left me.