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A VIP
Flight
In October 1942, I was still based in
Aden when a rumour circulated that a special trip to
Addis Abbaba was in the offing. My crew and I were all
NCOs at the time, so I wasn’t even slightly excited or hopeful about the trip. It was
an officer’s plum for sure. On being called to the Wing
Commander’s office, I couldn’t believe my ears when he
told me to collect my crew and report for a briefing.
‘You are going to Addis Abbaba to deliver a VIP back to
Aden’, he said. I stood open-mouthed. My jaw must have
been around my toes as I left the office.
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My next
difficulty was to convince my crew that I wasn’t having
them on. We didn’t get airborne until about 1600 hours,
and as night facilities at the destination were
non-existent, we overnighted at Jig Jiga in Abyssinia,
near the border of Somalia. |
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Departing early next
morning, we arrived at Addis about breakfast time. We
were flying a Blenheim IV, and this was the first time
that an aircraft with any significant wing loading (the
ratio of the gross weight of the aircraft to the wing
area) was to land at Addis. During the briefing, there
was scant information about the airfield, apart from the
fact that it was over 7 000 feet above sea level and
that the runway fell away sharply at each end. Leaving
the aircraft after a satisfactory landing, I was wearing
a sweater and no cap, so there were no indications of my
rank. My crew, who were exhibiting their NCO chevrons, were eased to the side, and a French Army
captain threw me the snappiest salute you ever did see.
Naturally, I kept my sweater on until he had disappeared
from the scene.
We were driven in a convoy of cars to
meet our VIP, A.W. Besse, at his residence. He
introduced me to his wife who was also to travel with
us, and set up a breakfast such as we hadn't seen for
years.
Mr. Besse requested that his personal native
servant of many years standing accompany us on our trip
back to Aden. The rules were that indigenous civilians
were not to be carried in service aircraft without
proper documentation, so I informed Mr Besse of that
regulation. I remember his reply vividly. He placed his
hand on my shoulder, and said ‘My boy, if anyone tried
to make trouble for you, I will personally see Mr. Hards’.
Because “Mr. Hards” was Air Vice Marshal Hards, Flight
Sergeant Edwards immediately agreed to his request.
The
reason for the flight was related to Mr. Besse’s health.
He wanted treatment from his doctor in Aden. He
travelled in the cockpit. His wife (a charming lady) and
the servant travelled in the fuselage. Although we made
her as comfortable as possible, the flight of about four
hours must have been arduous for her. A couple of weeks
later she sent me a present. What a present it was – a
case of oranges! Where on earth could they have come
from for delivery in wartime Aden?? About a year later,
when (Vichy French) Djibouti capitulated, the
Royal Navy
transported Mr. Besse to the province in a destroyer. He
certainly had plenty of ‘clout.
Ron Edwards
A W Besse (André) was the
eldest son of Antonin Besse from
his first marriage to Marguerite.
Ron, I have been unsuccessfully trying to locate you
for approval to reproduce your fascinating article.
Please get in touch and confirm it is ok to remain. Peter Pickering |
