Wg Cdr John & Desi Partridge - after their marriage in March 1945.

The following is a direct quote from the commendation written by the officer commanding 83 Squadron concerning our member, John Partridge (then, an acting Flight Lieutenant). It was written in January ’43.

“This officer has now completed 48 operational missions totalling 287 hours flying and is well on the way towards completing a most outstanding operational career. Most of his sorties have been bombing raids on German targets and include nearly all the most heavily defended ones, and always he has sought and attacked his targets with courage and determination as is rarely met. On Millenium 11 on Bremen, he arrived to find the target obscured by 10/10 cloud, but undaunted by this, he descended through the cloud and found and bombed his target from a height of 1,500 feet. Shortly after this he took part in a daylight raid on Danzig, and although the most appalling weather conditions were encountered en route, making it impossible to keep formation, Flt Lt Partridge pressed on and finally bombed the submarine yards from below the very low cloud base. His aircraft was very heavily engaged by light flak and one of the petrol tanks was holed, but he still went down to shoot up search lights and gun positions on leaving the target. One week afterwards, Flt Lt Partridge made a most spectacular daylight raid on the Krupps works at Essen. This raid being made with a negligible amount of cloud cover from the English coast onwards. The target was attacked from 6,000 feet and severe damage was inflicted on the aeroplane by the very powerful target defences, the wireless operator being wounded and one engine being put out of action. On the way home he was attacked by two ME 110s and by two FW 190s and further damage was sustained. Before this encounter was broken off, Flt Lt Partridge was reduced to two engines, but he eventually succeeded in evading these fighters, and made a safe landing at his base. Shortly after this sortie Flt Lt Partridge was leaving Hamburg when he observed considerable activity from flak ships operating in the Elbe estuary, disregarding the risks he ran, and in spite of the fact that one of his wings had been hit by Hamburg’s guns, he descended almost to sea level and machine gunned the flak ship from very close range. This was on his 31^st trip, and he was then taken off operations, much against his will. Within a fortnight, however, Flt Lt Partridge rejoined his squadron when it was transferred to P.F.F. and on Path Finder duties he has continued his extraordinary career. He has been employed as a target finder throughout and he has fulfilled this function with outstanding success.

On one of his early Path Finder trips, when detailed to illuminate Frankfurt, one engine failed before leaving the English coast on the way out. Undismayed by this occurrence, he continued on to the target although only just able to maintain the required height from which he had to drop his flares. This he did successfully and on time. Since then, he has twice had engine failures before dropping his bombs on Italian targets and has been able to re-cross the Alps only with great difficulty and after jettisoning much equipment. On another recent occasion when attacking Stuttgart, such was his determination to place his marker bomb exactly on the aiming point that he descended to 3,000 feet to release it, in the face of intense opposition from the ground.

Throughout the whole of his brilliant operational career this officer’s morale has been of such a standard that it is a class by itself. He sets a most outstanding example to all operational crews and is an inspiration to his companions in this squadron. I have no hesitation in giving him the strongest possible recommendation for an immediate award of the D.S.O.”

On 11^th July 1942, John was awarded the D.F.C. for his part in the famous daylight raid on the submarine yards at Danzig – a round flight of 1,750 miles, the longest day time raid of the war. Later in July, he was awarded a bar to his D.F.C. for the daytime attack on the Ruhr when one of the attacking ME and FW aircraft was destroyed and two others damaged by John’s gunners. He was awarded the D.S.O. in March ’43 as a result of the above citation. In September 1942, John was initially awarded the coveted Path Finder Force Badge; and later, in April ’43, he was granted the honour of wearing it permanently as a result of his extended Path Finder operations.

A confused partridge (with wings on back to front) was painted on the fuselage of John’s Lancaster – “M for Mother”, and later appeared at the entrance to the Pathfinder Club in London, which John helped to found.

By the end of the war, John had completed 61 operational missions without a break.

John was born in Northampton on 23 March 1914, and had two elder brothers and a sister. He went to Northampton Grammar where he loved and excelled at several sports. This love of sport was to play a great part in his later life. After leaving school, he initially entered the murky world of insurance, but emerged into the light when he started taking flying lessons as a sergeant pilot with the RAFVR at Luton airport on Magisters, this was between Dec ’38 and Dec ’39.

At the outbreak of war, John joined the RAF, and there followed his training on Tiger Moths and Oxfords culminating with the award of his “Wings” at Shawbury in March ’41. Navigation and operational conversion training was next at Cranage and Cottesmore flying Ansons and Hampdens. At last, in August ’41, John arrived at 83 Squadron based at Scampton, where he flew Ansons, Hampdens, Manchesters, and of course the Lancaster. A year later, the Squadron was transferred to Wyton where they continued with Path Finder operations. Most of you will be aware of what Path Finding involved; if you don’t, ask somebody – it was truly awesome. In March’43, John was transferred to the Path Finder HQ at Huntingdon where he notched up several more aircraft types.

From August ’43 until his demobilisation in May ’46, John served at various locations and in roles too numerous to detail, e.g. OC 92 Group Instructor’s Flight; Chief Instructor No. 14 OTU; Officer Commanding HQ Bomber Command. He had started his RAF flying career as a Sergeant Pilot, and five years later retired as a Wing Commander having declined the offer of promotion to Group Captain because it involved an immediate posting to the Far East.

Whilst at 14 OTU Market Harborough at the end of ’44, Wg Cdr Partridge – in the course of his duty – visited a station dance, and encountered a “pretty little blonde girl who unfortunately had had a little too much to drink.” Desirée was a member of the famous ENSA group who were entertaining at the Garrick Theatre. Like a good officer, he took her back to her quarters which were out of bounds to all males. “An RAF police sergeant knocked on the window of my staff car to remonstrate – the poor man nearly had a fit when he saw it was me” says John. Three months later, in March’45, the couple were married. Desi and John celebrated their 62^nd anniversary and John’s 93^rd birthday with their friends and fellow members at the Costa Blanca Branch luncheon earlier this year.

On leaving the RAF, John decided to enter the world of commerce, and set up a small business in Northampton, playing rugby for the Old Northampton RFC in his spare time. Despite its success, John couldn’t settle down and rejoined the RAF in August 1949, once again a Flt Lt, and to his total disgust “too old to fly” at the tender age of 35.

In its own way, John’s second RAF career was almost as colourful as the first – though nobody was shooting at him this time. Unfortunately, there is not sufficient room in this profile to give details, but John served for another 20 years in such places as Linton, Bawdsey, Anstruthers, Abu Sueir in Egypt – where he was the CO and saw it’s closure, Ismalia in Egypt – from where, he and Desi popped into a car and drove back to England. He then served at St Athans for three years, Andover, Kenley, and Andover once again for his final RAF tour finishing in ´69. During his stay at Abu Suier, John, who had already played rugby and cricket at a very high level, developed a great enthusiasm for squash – which was to be significant in later years.

It was “by accident”, according to John and Desi, that they founded the RAF Andover Pony Club when at Andover in 1961. Their daughter Denise eventually owned three ponies before finding one suitable for her own abilities, so John – who knew absolutely nothing about horses – decided it would be a good idea if they could create a club that would be available to the RAF and local children who could not afford the normal fees for horse riding. Between the three of them, and local help, the club, based in the beautiful grounds of Amport House, soon had 50 young members who learnt all the skills of horse riding and care. They also enjoyed camping trips with the catering provided by Desi. This was to be the start of a long period in John and Desi’s lives where they encouraged and nurtured a love of sport in younger people. Whilst compiling this profile, I have seen many touching letters of thanks and appreciation from young people and organisations for their selfless efforts.

On finally leaving the RAF, in ’69, John was employed at Redrice Public School as games master and sports coach. Again, he utilised his own sporting ability and enthusiasm to inspire young people, some of whom went on to represent England. Whilst at Redrice, he and Desi fulfilled another long held dream. They created the Redrice Squash and Country Club at the school. It was built to John’s design and was opened on 1 June ’74. John did all the coaching and Desi the catering. Its popularity grew rapidly and was soon subject to expansion and eventually was bought out by investors.

John formally retired from Redrice School in 1979, but continued to coach and referee voluntarily for another two years.

It wasn’t long before their roaming instincts got the better of them again and they started touring in a motor home which towed their own car – all together a vehicle 42 ft long! In their travels over the next years they visited most of the countries in Europe and also Morocco. One day, during their travels, they received a phone call from Denise saying that somebody had made a generous offer for their house in England, and in 1994 they selected their plot on Monte Pego, moving into their villa the following year.

John and Desi celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary amongst a vast group of friends and family at Monte Pego in March '05. They continue to illuminate the lives of all those who know them." Or else simply leave out the first sentence and use "They continue to illuminate the lives of all those who know them."

Ian Thomas March ’07.