h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Sadly my father is dead now, so I can't add any supporting details. However, I remember him telling me the following when I was younger:

On returning from an RAF bombing raid over Germany in which the aircraft was badly damaged. The pilot, Mac (who later become a VP in the Bank of New South Wales) invited the crew to come and urinate into the hydraulic system so that they could lower the wheels.

Later in the war the whole crew was transferred to Burma and flew supply missions in DC3's. On one occasion, they were flying over the Himalayas through violent Cumulonimbus when a 2-ton electric generator became loose and began floating about the cargo hold - a bit like these free fall flights now run by the Russians.

As the war came to a close they were ordered into a remote jungle airfield. On arrival they were met by several thousand Japanese troops. Mac received the surrender and ceremonial sword of the Japanese commander. They then climbed back into the plane and decided to make themselves scarce.

TO 228735
Why dont you cut ,copy and paste your story into the conversation 'World War 11'? This way we can perhaps make a long enough thread to almost fill a book .

My Dad served in the RN during the war he didn't really tell us much about it, but I remember one tale. Because he was fairly young one of the older hands told him to save his money for shore leave and just eat cheese and bread/biscuits for dinner. Well one evening after my dad had spent a couple of hours up in the crows nest in the middle of the Atlantic this old bloke started to chide my Dad because he was tucking into a huge bowl of stew, "You want to save your money son" he said "Bugger that!" said my dad "You go into the crows nest for two hours then I'll show you where to stuff your cheese!"

He also told us how, in a really rough sea, the destroyer he was on would seem to stop as the propellers came out of the water and you could hear the high pitched whine before they dropped back and the ship would lurch forward.


I just cannot imagine that, the hardships that these sailors (merchant and RN and all the others from whatever country) went through in the North Atlantic were just incredible.

My elder brother told me this next bit I cannot be sure how true it is as my Dad died some years ago but he did serve some time on the Hood (I know that for a fact cos I have seen his papers) Anyway the Hood came into port in the UK and my Dad and a mate went on shore leave where they had a few too many and "borrowed" a motorbike. Well the police picked them up and banged them up in the local nick. While they were sleeping it off the Hood got orders to sail, and the rest, as they say, is history.

My mum worked in a munitions factory assembling fuses for bombs and shells. They had to work by touch reaching around a concrete block so that if they made a mistake they would "only" lose their hands. One woman who worked near her couldn't manage and kept peeking around her block. She did this once too often and had a fuse blow up in her face killing her outright. My mum also told us about one horrible accident, when they came back to work after one weekend they found a couple of pairs of kids shoes on the loading bay. They reckon that these kids were playing around there and that there was spilled gunpowder lying around (there were always little spills that no-one paid much attention to) that couldn't be seen and that somehow they had set it off.

just read your article.What a lucky jack your father was by being "banged up"when the Hood sailed.I suppose you could say that was a time when crime did pay.I come from a naval family which stretches back for generations.I'm reseaching my grandfather and his brothers.See my article at the bottom of the page entitled s.s.saugor.Did your father get done under the Naval discipline act for his actions?What sailor hasn't.Myself included.What happened to your father after this event?Tell us more.