Military Pilots of Hull - Herbert Bradley Warburton (1916-1999)

Image: H. B. Warburton, No. 6 AOP Course, c.1942
[Army Flying Museum]

‘Warby’ as he would later be known was born in Amersham, Buckinghamshire on 26 July 1916, to parents Bradley and Alice Maud Warburton. The family moved around somewhat during Warby’s youth, living in Suffolk, West Yorkshire and eventually arriving in Hull by 1925, whereupon the family lived at the Grosvenor Hotel on Carr Lane where Bradley Warburton was the manager.

Image: The Grosvenor Hotel,
Hull, 1913. [L RH/1/185] 

In 1929, aged 13, Warby enrolled at Hymers College, being placed in Brandesburton House. Alongside his academic classes he excelled at sports, taking part, primarily in rugby, but athletics, swimming and cricket also. In 1935 he was a well-established member of the rugby first team being described as: 

H. B. Warburton (Forward) – A very useful, sturdy and keen forward who has been of great service to the side. Has played in the middle of the back row. Dribbles with control and is a strong tackler. Does his fair share of work in the scrum and has good positional play in the loose. Sound out of touch and takes his passes well. Has done good work for the team during this season and led the pack with success. [L.373 HYM, Vol. 22, No. 125, 1935]

Image: Hymers College, Hull, n.d. [LRH/3/487]

He finished his studies in 1936, at which time the family had moved to North Ferriby, living at the Duke of Cumberland Hotel. When the Civil Air Guard formed in 1938 (to prepare civilians for potential flying duties in case of war) Warby joined, having previously joined the Hull Aero Club whilst at school. He obtained his flying license with the club in April 1939, at the time he was working as a motor salesman. [HDM Newspaper Collection, 13 Apr 1939]

Image: Hull Aero Club rules and
bylaws booklet, c.1934 [C DFWT/5/15]

Later that year he enlisted into the Royal Artillery (RA) and was later commissioned into the 52nd Anti-Tank Regiment. In late 1941 he volunteered for the Air Observation Post (AOP). It was a newly formed unit, operating light aircraft which were piloted by RA officers who had been trained by the RAF to fly. The thinking was that artillery personnel would be far better experienced to gauge and understand how artillery was being used from the air as well as how to communicate and direct the units on the ground for maximum affect.

He passed his flying training in May 1942 and was posted to no. 651 AOP Squadron based at Old Sarum in Wiltshire. Only 6 months later he was disembarking from a ship in Algiers and flying an Auster aircraft to Bone (now Annaba) 300 miles along the north African coast.

The reason for this was Operation Torch, the invasion of North Africa by the US and British forces. The aim was to prevent the Germans taking control of the French territories, which would ultimately give the Allies a southern route into Europe via Italy.

Warby and the AOP’s role was to direct the artillery fire, reconnaissance, and liaison flights. The role was an essential but dangerous one. The Auster’s were slow, unarmed aircraft and were regularly attacked by German fighters. The push eastwards meant that by June 1943 the squadron were south of Tunis and had taken part in various battles with members receiving an array of decorations for their efforts. 

Image: Auster of 651 Squadron AOP under camouflage
in Tunisia, North Africa. [© IWM (CNA 3965)] 

Nicknamed “The Artful Dodger” for his ability in evading enemy aircraft during the campaign Warby was awarded the French Croix de Guerre for his efforts in supporting the 1st Moroccan Division. He had achieved a:

...certain amount of audacious and successful tasks, in spite of heavy hostile aircraft interference...[with another describing him as doing some] cracking work...[HDM Newspaper Collection, 13 July 1943]

With the campaign in North Africa over there was little rest for 651 as they were next off to support the invasion of Sicily, deemed by Churchill as Europe's soft underbelly. The Allies invaded via sea and air in July 1943, codenamed Operation Husky the aim was to take the island, using it as a platform to enter Italy. Warby stayed behind in North Africa joining the unit again in October.

The squadron, now in Italy continued to support the artillery in reconnaissance and offensive shoots, but the Axis forces made it difficult to advance, using Italy’s natural geography to slow any progress. Despite this the AOP squadrons were immensely effective, it was reported from intelligence sources that: 

…the Germans have a great respect and dislike for the Air OP. They have in fact issued orders that no movement or firing will take place while the aircraft is in the air [so as not to give away their position]…[G. Warner, First in the Field: 651 Squadron Army Air Corps, 2011, p. 46].

In November he took over command of 651 Squadron just before their next big offensive, The Battle of the Sangro River in which a number of the men under his command were decorated. In early 1944 Warby was posted back to the UK where he qualified as a flying instructor.

He returned overseas in 1945 whereupon he was posted to 656 AOP Squadron who had a supporting role in Operation Zipper, the retaking of British Malaya (now Malaysia) which had been in Japanese occupied hands for the last few years. In late 1945, he had returned to the UK and started a new business in Hull called Warby’s Wine Store. Initially located in Paragon Square, opposite the train station, a second store was opened on Beverley High Road. Warby would return to service in May 1946, this time taking over command of 656 AOP Squadron who were now based in Java, the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia). Their role was to help quell the anti-Dutch/occupation forces that were calling for Indonesian independence. During this time the squadron worked with the RAF and ground forces carrying out reconnaissance, aerial photography and casualty evacuation. Warby and the rest of the squadron, though no longer wary of German fighters did have to contend with ground fire which resulted in the pilots’ taking things into their own hands. He noted that: 

Pilots had their own choice of weapons – some chose the Sten Gun, others preferred the Bren Gun, fired through the camera port… It was not long before the opposition were treating our Austers with more respect. [Malaya, Java, Sumatra 1945 – 1947, 656 Squadron Association]

In November 1946 the squadron moved out of the area and back to Malaya where they were stationed at Kuala Lumpur. It is here that Warby showed his flying skill once more, this time not in combat: 

…sharing an airfield with a Spitfire squadron, he was somewhat annoyed by the bragging of a young fighter pilot who claimed that soldiers flying Austers would not stand a chance against a well handled fighter. Warby challenged the young man to a ‘duel’ and in a ‘dazzling display of evasive flying’ made a complete fool of him in front of an appreciative crowd of spectators on the ground. [Ibid]

In January 1947 the squadron disbanded, as they were no longer required. Warby moved on to briefly join his old squadron, 651, near Tel Aviv (then Palestine) in March. The role of the squadron was reconnaissance of suspected enemy areas, military passenger flying, air cover and search operations. Warby returned to the UK before mid-year and left the services in September.  For his role in Malaya and the Dutch East Indies he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) for:

...gallant and distinguished services in the Netherlands East Indies. [The London Gazette (Supplement), 26 Jun 1947. p. 2923]

Image: HDM Newspaper Collection,   
16 Dec 1948.

    Returning to Hull he ran the family shop for the        following few years.  

     Not content, however, he returned to service in             September 1951 after the Korean War broke out.         Posted to no. 1903 Independent AOP Flight which      began flying operations in August 1951 from             Busan, South Korea. The war was one of the             bloodiest in recent  history. Post Second World             War a struggle for control led to Northern Korea,         backed by the communist forces of China and the        Soviet Union invading South Korea who were             supported by the US and later British forces.             Despite the harsh Korean winters, which meant         special clothing, engine heater tents and heaters         were required for the aircraft to even work, their         role, whilst based out of Fort George, was                     to observe, and direct artillery fire in support of the UN forces. At the end of 1952, before the war ended, Warby was posted out to command his own flight, no. 1907 in Malaya. The Malayan Emergency began in 1948 as a fight between the communist Malayan National Liberation Army which sought independence and the British Empire which fought to protect its interests in the region. The role of the flight was largely to identify enemy activity using flares for bombing/ground assault and propaganda leaflet dropping to encourage surrender.

Despite his role as flight commander, he flew almost 1000 hours in more than 700 operational sorties, identifying almost 150 enemy camps.  It was for his role as a leader that Warby was awarded an MBE in 1954. 

…Throughout this time he has set an outstanding example of personal skill and determination, whilst maintaining at the same time an exceptional standard of all round efficiency in his flight….His unfailing co-operation with the Army and Police Forces he supported and his determination to cause the maximum damage to the enemy on all occasions were an inspiration to those around him….He made the greatest possible use of his own skill and experience to teach younger pilots, and in this respect too he has made a notable contribution to the campaign in Malaya…[National Archives, WO373/132/110].

This was the end of Warby’s tours of duty. By 1955 he was back in the UK, this time commanding no. 663 AOP Squadron. He spent the following few years here before being posted to the Fort Waters, Texas, USA for helicopter training. The British had only recently began experimenting with the helicopter for military purposes, but the US had been doing so since the late 1940s. In September 1957 the AOP ceased and Warby was transferred to the newly formed Army Air Corps (AAC). Upon his return in mid-1958, he joined the Joint Experimental Helicopter Unit (JEHU) based at Middle Wallop, which had just returned from the Suez Crisis. He flew and helped test Sycamore and Whirlwind helicopters and their equipment for Army use. 

Image: Example of a Sycamore helicopter.
[© IWM (MAL 65)] 

Warby would go on to help bring a number of helicopters into service with the British Army whilst in charge of helicopter trials. Upon retirement in 1971 he took up a position at Ferranti Helicopters as their flight operations manager based at Gatwick, also working with British Caledonian and British Airways.  He passed away aged 82 in 1999. [Obituary, 656 Squadron Association]

For more information on the military service of Warburton or any other RFC, AOP, or GPR servicemen contact the Army Flying Museum: https://armyflying.com