Brian Paterson (Royal Navy officer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Brian Paterson
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|
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | "Blinkers" |
| Born | 21 March 1919 |
| Died | 12 July 1994 (aged 85) |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service/ |
Royal Navy (Fleet Air Arm) |
| Rank | Lieutenant-Commander |
| Battles/wars | World War II (Battle of Britain) |
| Awards | Distinguished Flying Cross |
Brian "Blinkers" Paterson (born March 21, 1919 – died July 12, 1994) was a brave pilot during World War II. He was a Lieutenant-Commander in the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. He is famous for being one of "The Few" pilots who fought in the important Battle of Britain. He also received the DFC award for his courage.
Contents
Early Life and Flying Dreams
Brian Paterson was born on March 21, 1919. He went to school at St. Lawrence College, Ramsgate. After finishing school, he worked in London, helping with insurance at a place called Lloyd's.
But Brian had a passion for flying. In 1936, he joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. This is where he learned to fly planes. He trained on a de Havilland Tiger Moth at White Waltham Airfield. Soon after, he joined No. 46 Fighter Squadron RAF. In 1938, he decided to join the Royal Navy instead.
Flying with the Fleet Air Arm
In November 1939, Brian Paterson, known as "Blinkers," helped start No. 804 Royal Naval Air Squadron. This squadron flew Gloster Sea Gladiator planes from RNAS Hatston in Orkney.
Fighting in Norway
The 804 Squadron fought during the Norway campaign. They later returned to Britain on the aircraft carrier HMS Glorious. Sadly, this ship was sunk by German battleships not long after they left it.
The Battle of Britain
In the autumn of 1940, Sub Lieutenant Paterson was one of more than 50 Fleet Air Arm pilots who helped the RAF. They were sent to fight in the Battle of Britain, a huge air battle over Britain.
Hurricats and Convoys
In 1941, Brian learned to fly a special plane called a Hawker Hurricat. This was a modified Hurricane plane launched from a catapult on a ship. Its job was to protect convoys (groups of ships) from enemy planes. To make it light, it had no landing gear. After chasing away enemy bombers, the pilot had to land in the sea and wait to be rescued.
On September 27, 1941, the ship HMS Springbank was hit by a German submarine while protecting a convoy. Many lives were lost. Paterson bravely swam to another ship, the corvette HMS Jasmine.
Operation Pedestal
Later, Paterson flew Sea Hurricanes from HMS Victorious. This was one of three aircraft carriers that went with a convoy to Malta in August 1942. This mission was called Operation Pedestal.
Paterson and his fellow pilots flew many missions each day. They faced tough battles, and many planes were lost. One afternoon, while chasing bombers, Paterson was attacked by enemy fighters. He quickly dived low to get protection from a destroyer's anti-aircraft guns. For his bravery, Paterson was mentioned in official reports.
Surviving Shipwrecks
On March 27, 1943, Paterson was serving on the escort carrier HMS Dasher. The ship was lost when aviation fuel exploded. Paterson, who was in the front of the ship, jumped into the freezing sea. The leaking fuel also caught fire on the water. He managed to swim to a rescuing destroyer.
After the War and Rescue Missions
After the war, Brian Paterson learned to fly helicopters. He played a very important role in rescue operations after a big Greek earthquake in 1953.
He didn't wait for official permission. He quickly loaded two Dragonfly helicopters onto the cruiser HMS Bermuda in Malta. For three weeks, Paterson led relief work around Zakinthos. He flew food and medical supplies, rescued injured people, and organized non-stop flights between the ship and the shore. For his amazing efforts, Paterson was awarded the MBE.
Malayan Emergency
In 1956, he became the commanding officer of No. 848 RNAS during the Malayan Emergency. Flying the Sikorsky S-55 helicopter, his squadron helped create new ways to move troops by air. This gave land operations much-needed flexibility. By December of that year, 848 Squadron had moved 41,000 troops and over 750,000 pounds of supplies. Paterson was awarded the DFC again for his service.
Brian Paterson was known as a skilled and dedicated officer. He retired from the Navy in 1959. By then, he had flown for over 2,000 hours in 20 different types of aircraft.
After leaving the Navy, Brian Paterson tried a new career in film-making. He was a technical adviser for the movie Operation Amsterdam. Later, he became a landlord of a pub called the Horse and Groom in Polegate, Sussex. In 1970, he successfully took over a company that made metal and plastic labels.
