An outstandingly well documented two tour, Burma theatre, Hurricane and Spitfire Pilot’s Distinguished Flying Cross group awarded to Flying Officer C.E.M.B. Hole, 155 and later 607 Squadron, Royal Air Force who flew 240 sorties in the Burma theatre of operations between June 1942 until June 1945 piloting Hurricanes, Sptifire Vs and Spitfire VIIIs in a wide range of operations from V.I.P. escorts through bomber escort missions and general patrols to scrambles. He notes that he unsuccessfully attempted to intercept the Japanese bomber force that heavily damaged Calcutta on the night of 5th December 1943, and would fly a large number of sorties around the Imphal area during the Japanese offensive in the area of April 1944, he would then later take part in the aerial fighting during the allied advance through Burma in 1945 which ended with the capture of Rangoon. Being awarded his Distinguished Flying Cross in the London Gazette of 2nd October 1945 he is credited as destroying 1 Oscar, sharing 1 Oscar probably destroyed and damaging 1 Sally and 4 Oscars. His station commander noting that many of his flight hours were undertaken in mountainous jungle country during monsoon weather conditions, he completed over 300 hours of operational flying.
Group of 5: Distinguished Flying Cross, GVI 1st type cypher, the reverse dated 1945 mounted on its pin for wear and housed in it’s Royal Mint box of issue; 1939-1945 Star; Burma Star; Defence Medal; War Medal; in a forwarding box addressed to Mr. C.E M B Hole, DFC, Flat 3, 9 The Paragon, Blackheath, London SE3.
Condition: Nearly Extremely Fine
Along with:
Royal Air Force Pilot’s Flying Log Book covering 4th July 1941 until 25th March 1943 which notes at the back that he was twice involved in flying accidents, one on 2nd August 1941 and another on 23rd January 1943, the first noted as disobedience, and the second as carelessness.
Air Forces in India Pilot’s Flying Log Book covering 17th April 1943 until 22nd June 1945, this well annotated throughout, and includes the forwarding slip for the DFC taped in, a copy of the signal announcing that the Japanese had accepted the allied governments’ demands for surrender on 14th August 1945
Royal Air Force Service and Release Book to 158686 F/Lt Hale
Air Force in India Officers’ Pay Book
Medal forwarding slip
Letter dated 14th September 1949 from the War Office upon the relinquishment of his commission in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, this addressed to him as a Lieutenant in the Parachute Regiment, TA at Raleigh House, Dolphin Square, London
A series of 12 wartime and immediately post war payslips from the Base Accountant Officer Air Forces, India.
Group photograph of the officers of 607 Squadron taken at Alipone Aerodrome, Calcutta in October 1943.
Reproduced photograph of the recipient in uniform wearing his medal ribbons.
3 Ribbon Bars, including 2 without the War Medal ribbon, one of these with a pin for wear.
2 sets of Royal Air Force Cloth Wings, one of these mounted on a pin.
Royal Air Force Heliograph in its cloth pouch
Silk Handkerchief escape map of South East Asia (this pinned in to second log book)
Charles Edwin Michael Beverley Hole having gone through training in the UK where he managed to crash his aircraft on 2nd August 1941 due to unauthorised low flying during landing practice, and the second time which would be assessed as disobedience in his Log Book, he simply notes as an argument with an oak-tree which he lost! Having completed his training course he would travel to India, leaving Glasgow on the S.S. Strathnaver on 20th January 1942, arriving in Karachi on 3rd March 1942, then being posted to No.1 Operational Training Unit at Risalpur where he would fly Hurricanes from early April 1942 until he was posted to 155 Squadron in early July 1942. He would spend the remainder of this year flying with 155 Squadron, largely on escort and patrol missions initially with Hurricanes but from 23rd August on Mohawks, one stand out sortie in this period is the raid on Shwebo aerodrome on 30th October
One further interesting entry is dated 12th December 1942, his log booking stating ‘To Fenny – to escort Big Cheese’, although it appears from the following entry ‘No Cheese – back to A’ that the important person didn’t show up.
On 2nd June 1943 he would transfer to 155 Squadron to 607 Squadron with whom he would fly Hurricanes until 20th September 1943 when the squadron would become the first in India to fly Spitfire Vc aircraft.
On 29th October 1943 he would escort Lord Wavell – Viceroy of India on what Hole would call a social call, a few scrambles would follow over the next couple of months including on 5th December 1943 when the Japanese bombed the docks in Calcutta, unfortunately Hole and his fellow pilots were unable to intercept the force which is noted as having been kept out of range. On 16th December, he would escort Lord Louis Mountbatten who was in a Mosquito taking a look at Burma.
The following day Hole would develop Appendicitis which would be removed at 72 Field Hospital at Cox’s Bazaar, whilst absent from the squadron his fellow pilots downed 12 confirmed, 11 probable and managed to damage 30 Japanese aircraft.
Returning to his Squadron, he would fly first fly again on 15th February 1944, and then just a few days later would patrol over Burma, trying to find the Japanese C-in-C South East Asia who had been reported as arriving. On 15th March 1944, the Squadron would receive Spitfire VIIIs, Hole noting in his log book – ‘New Spitfire VIII – yes I like it!’
March and April 1944 would see the attempted Japanese offensive into India and Hole would be scrambled twice on 25th March 1944, the first to intercept 20 Japanese fighters sweeping over the Arakan, and then later in the day, another 12, on both occasions no contact being made. On 28th he would attempt unsuccessfully to intercept a Japanese Reconnaissance flight. On 10th April it is noted that he escorted a V.I.P., with Air Marshall Sir John Baldwin landing near Maungdaw. 17th April saw him intercept and chase away a Japanese raid on Imphal. 26th April saw a squadron scramble to intercept a Japanese fighter sweep of 30 planes, with a Sally and an Oscar being damaged.
1st May is noted as having seen Japanese aircraft milling around the hills of the Imphal valley waiting for transport planes coming in with supplies, with Hole patrolling and scrambling in the area during the first half of May. The Squadron would intercept a Jap Raid on Kohima, and would shot down an Oscar and damaged another, the Squadron Score on 14th May would be 3 destroyed and 11 damaged, on the 19th, there was a raid on Imphal with the squadron claiming 1 destroyed, 4 probable and 4 damaged, on the 20th, Hole notes that Wellingtons made a mess off the Tiddim Road. On the 25th, the Army reported Zeros over Bishampur but no contact was made. The following day he saw two Oscars on a patrol but was told to go back and not fire, and by the end of the month he notes how the Monsoon was now active and the weather was shocking.
June 10th saw an escort mission, where he would escort Hurricanes who would strafe along the Chindwin and Tamu area., on 20th June, a squadron scramble took place which would see them intercept 20 Oscars, damaging one and sharing a probable. He would then take in 3 other escort and cover missions for strafing Hurricanes before the end of the month. 607 Squadron would move back to Baigachi on 5th July 1944.
Hole would then participate in an Air Fighting Training Course for Instructors until November 1944, and would only later rejoin his Squadron on 16th January 1945 when it moved back into Burma, he would then return to flying Spitfires, mainly on patrols, noting he had suffered inaccurate Anti-Aircraft fire around Mandalay on 18th January 1944, and then escorted Hurricanes on missions around Mungwa. At this stage, Hole’s log book covers almost daily the raids by Hurricanes and other aircraft on Japanese positions including the results. February 1945 saw an increase in the fighting near Mandalay as the British looked to advance and to this end Hole would fly a number of patrols in the area including over the Irrawaddy bridgehead to the west of Mandalay.
March 1945 would see the continued fighting around Mandalay and the advance of the British ground troops, including the capture of the main Japanese airfield in central Burma at Meiktila on 1st March 1945. The Japanese then spent the remainder of the month trying to recapture the town from the British. The airstrip at Meiktila was overrun by the Japanese in a counterattack on 24th March but the surrounded troops in the town were relieved on 31st March. April saw further offensives with the Squadron moved again on 5th April, and the ground troops driving further south towards Rangoon while local groups such as the Karens took up arms against the retreating Japanese. Rangoon would be captured on 3rd May. The rest of May was spent on patrols during the mopping up operations at the end of the Burma campaign.
22nd June saw the end of Hole’s second operation tour, when he was posted as controller to 221 Group War Room.
Hole would then go on to receive a non-immediate Distinguished Flying Cross in the London Gazette of 2nd October 1945, the original recommendation dating 13th May 1945 reading:
‘This Officer began his operational career in July 1942, with 155 Squadron. Flying Mohawks he carried out a number of patrols and long range bomber escorts. In June 1943, he joined 607 Squadron and in the Arakan and later during the siege of Imphal he was engaged in number of air combats destroying 1 Oscar, sharing 1 Oscar probably destroyed and damaging 1 Sally and 4 Oscars. During this time he also carried out a considerable number of sweeps, escorts, patrol and rhubarbs over mountainous and jungle country and in the monsoon conditions. In January 1945 he rejoined 607 Squadron and since then he has successfully carried out a considerable number of sorties during the present campaign. The Operational hours now total 306.35 hours, eagerness to engage the enemy and his keenness to undertake any type of operation, have been outstanding under all circumstances.’
His Station Commander would comment:
‘F/O Hole is known to me as an efficient and most determined fighter pilot. He has always shown outstanding keenness to engage the enemy at all times, and much of his flying has been carried out over mountainous jungle country in the adverse weather conditions of the monsoon. I strongly endorse his squadron commander’s recommendation for the D.F.C.’
By the time Hole finished his flying he had completed 240 sorties, he would be released on 14th June 1946.
