In his book "Going Solo", the famous children's author Roald Dahl retells his experiences as a British fighter pilot during World War II.
Without a doubt, Roald Dahl is one of the best-loved children’s authors in British History. Having gifted the world such classics as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The BFG, Matilda, and James and the Giant Peach, his place in history is secure. However, long before he took up the life of a children’s writer, Roald Dahl had already played a small part in the history of his country. He had flown for the RAF in the desperate days of World War II.
When the Second World War broke out, Roald Dahl was living in Tanganyika (modern Tanzania) where he was working for the Shell Petroleum Company. His first experience of the war came when he was conscripted into service rounding up the German citizens living in Tanganyika. Soon afterwards, he signed up to train as a flyer and went to Nairobi for his training. Although the medical examiner in Nairobi told him that 6’3’’ was rather tall for a pilot, there was no specific rule against it. Dahl spent eight weeks training to fly in a plane called a Tiger Moth. He was then sent to Iraq, where he spent another six months doing advance training.
When his training was complete, Dahl was assigned his first mission, to fly out from a base in Egypt and join 80th squadron at a remote base in Libya. Unfortunately, he was given the wrong location. Dahl flew to the location, realized there was no one there, and was forced to crash land in the desert due to lack of fuel. That landing was a rough one and nearly cost Roald Dahl his life. Luckily, he was rescued from the desert by British troops and spent five months in hospital recovering from his injuries.
Upon his release from hospital, he was ordered to join 80th squadron in Greece, and ordered to do so in a brand new Mark I Hurricane Fighter. Upon arrival in Greece, Dahl found the military situation to be a bit of a farce. Including himself, the 80th Squadron possessed only a dozen fighters with which it was supposed to withstand the hundreds of fighters and bombers flown by the Luftwaffe. Still, during this time, Roald Dahl did his duty, flying numerous sorties against the Germans. Most often these sorties were flown solo and the depleted 80th Squadron could not afford to send up more than one plane at a time. During these missions, Roald Dahl claims to have shot down a pair of Ju 88 bombers. Official records give Dahl three “kills”.
Despite the bravery of 80th Squadron, the outcome of the Grecian campaign was never in doubt. After their heroics at the battle of Athens which saw the few remaining fighters take on hundreds of German fighters, the few survivors of 80th Squadron were transferred to Palestine. Here Dahl flew more missions, but began to suffer blinding headaches and blackouts while flying. Doctors said that it was a result of his original crash in the desert and invalided him home.
Dahl describes his time in the RAF in his book Going Solo which is a must read for anyone interested in either the author or the RAF in World War II. It is a quick read, filled with satire and wit, and makes one realize just how lucky we are that such an incredible talent was not lost during that great war.
