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Lysander Pilot: Secret Operations with 161 Squadron
James Atterby McCairns joined the Royal Air Force in 1939 and flew Spitfires as a Sergeant Pilot with No. 616 (South Yorkshire) Squadron from October 1940. In April 1941, his squadron moved to the south coast of England, where it became part of Wing Commander Douglas Bader’s famous Tangmere Wing. In July 1941, while on an intruder sortie, McCairns’s Spitfire was hit by enemy fire, crash-landing on the French side of the Channel near Gravelines.
Imprisoned deep inside Germany, he nonetheless managed to escape on his third attempt with the aid of a Belgian fellow prisoner, Lucien Charlier. The Belgian Comet organisation, at great risk to themselves, hid him in Brussels and assisted his passage through France and Spain, and eventually Gibraltar. For his courageous and determined evasion, McCairns was awarded the Military Medal and granted a commission.
Resolving to repay his debt to the Resistance, McCairns joined No. 161 (Special Duties) Squadron, based at Tempsford and Tangmere. From October 1942 to November 1943, he completed 25 successful Lysander secret operations, more than any other pilot in the European theatre, delivering and picking up intelligence agents and supplies in occupied France, flying by dead reckoning, at night, and landing in farmers’ fields. He earned three Distinguished Flying Crosses for these daring exploits.
This book tells his story in his own words.
Imprisoned deep inside Germany, he nonetheless managed to escape on his third attempt with the aid of a Belgian fellow prisoner, Lucien Charlier. The Belgian Comet organisation, at great risk to themselves, hid him in Brussels and assisted his passage through France and Spain, and eventually Gibraltar. For his courageous and determined evasion, McCairns was awarded the Military Medal and granted a commission.
Resolving to repay his debt to the Resistance, McCairns joined No. 161 (Special Duties) Squadron, based at Tempsford and Tangmere. From October 1942 to November 1943, he completed 25 successful Lysander secret operations, more than any other pilot in the European theatre, delivering and picking up intelligence agents and supplies in occupied France, flying by dead reckoning, at night, and landing in farmers’ fields. He earned three Distinguished Flying Crosses for these daring exploits.
This book tells his story in his own words.
91 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 15, 2016
11 people are currently reading
14 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
January 1, 2020
I have always had an admiration for the courage and ability of the RAF pilots who flew French agents in and out of Nazi occupied France in World War 2. In books I have read about the resistance, such as Paddy Ashdown's excellent. 'Game of Spies: The Secret Agent, the Traitor and the Nazi, Bordeaux', the French regularly arranged for a Lysander, which duly arrived in the dead of night, landed in a grassy field and took off with the agents aboard, only aided by three torch lights as marker flares. On the way in the aircraft had carried incoming spies, guns and ammunition. They also had to navigate through hostile skies on a dark night while German radar and the Gestapo maintained an unceasing search. So when I spotted this book on Kindle, it just had to go on my 'must read' list and I wasn't disappointed. I'm also pleased that these World War 2 stories of little known heroes is being told, before it is too late. This is an excellent read.
December 12, 2020
Unsung heros
Un'doubtedly, one of our unsung heros. Its nice to recognise the heroics of our flying pilots, the skills that where required to blindly go in behind enemy lines, without knowing whether or not the germans where lying in wait for you, must have been absolutely horrific. We salute all of those Lysander pilots, together with all those brave joes who combined helped win the war.
Un'doubtedly, one of our unsung heros. Its nice to recognise the heroics of our flying pilots, the skills that where required to blindly go in behind enemy lines, without knowing whether or not the germans where lying in wait for you, must have been absolutely horrific. We salute all of those Lysander pilots, together with all those brave joes who combined helped win the war.
August 16, 2019
An inspiring read
A fascinating WWII autobiography written by brave pilot who flew secret agents into France by moonlight. They delivered agents and retrieved escaped airmen and returning agents, landing in fields marked with only three lights.
A fascinating WWII autobiography written by brave pilot who flew secret agents into France by moonlight. They delivered agents and retrieved escaped airmen and returning agents, landing in fields marked with only three lights.
November 4, 2021
Easy read, just a matter of hours.
An interesting and captivating read. Written in plain language so that everyone can understand. Such brave people. Will look at Verity’s book next.
An interesting and captivating read. Written in plain language so that everyone can understand. Such brave people. Will look at Verity’s book next.
March 6, 2019
A fascinating example of unsung heros, flying slow, unarmed aircraft into enemy territory.
This is one book I could not put down, once I started reading it.
This is one book I could not put down, once I started reading it.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews