In 1940, from 27th May to 4th June, Allied forces were driven out of mainland Europe and managed to escape back to England during Operation Dynamo, also known as the Dunquerque Evacuation. At this time a young man from Buckinghamshire, who had volunteered for air crew training in September 1939 and had his call-up deferred for three months because of his job, was at last allowed into the ‘receiving wing’ at Babbacombe in Devon. Here started a career which included two tours of active duty as a front line fighter pilot and continued in AFDU as a pilot testing new allied aircraft and captured enemy planes.
Len Thorne’s interest in aeroplanes was one which lasted his whole life. With him for five minutes during his later years, you would find the conversation turning to aircraft, whatever the foregoing subject. His particular love was the Spitfire, of which he flew most marks, but he had a real respect for the formidable Focke Wulf FW190, the machine he flew from the summer of 1943 and into 1944. He also enjoyed flying the American Mustang, helping in the programme which saw modifications made to the original aeroplane to make it fit for use by the RAF, creating the air-war winner it became.
Friendships were formed quickly during wartime, even though some of them lasted a very short time as pilots were transferred to other squadrons or, sadly, missing or killed in action. The bonds of friendship run through Len’s story and many people, famous or like Len, unknown to the wider world, appear in his narrative. There is also a keen sense of fun which enlivens many of the stories, humour being one of the necessities to keep people sane in times of trouble. Danger ran hand in hand with lighter moments of amusement.
This is one man’s very personal view of his time in the RAF. Having gained the coveted pilot’s wings on his 21st birthday, Len was known as a ‘safe’ pilot during his time on operations, never a dare-devil. As our father, Len was just a great dad to my sister and me, one who would tell us tales of flying aeroplanes and funny incidents that happened to him. It has only been while editing his story that I have come to realise that quite a lot of what he did was extraordinary, dangerous and worth sharing beyond the family.
Find out more about the extraordinary life of test pilot Leonard Thorne. A Very Unusual Air War is available for purchase now, at £16.99