A Fantastic WW2 Indian Airforce Flying Log Book to Flight Officer GERALD NEVILLE JARMAN, Air Gunner/Observer/Flight Engineer primarily flying anti-submarine and convoy support missions.
The logbook covers the period April 1941 - Jan 1946. It includes just over 1708 hours of day flying and 453 hours of night flying. Aircraft flown include Martin Mariner, Catalinas and Sunderlands. Many references to bombing missions throughout.
Lots of research potential from the logbook
Flight Officer Gerald Neville Jarman (963677)
Born in April 1920, in Ely, Cambridgeshire, he worked as a Civil Servant before the war. He enlisted at some point before August 1940, joining the RAF with service number 963677.
He started his wartime career by joining 95 Squadron and sailing to Sierra Leone on the HMT Highland Brigade in early 1941. Based in Africa He flew many anti-submarine missions as well as convoy escorts and camera missions, mostly in Sunderlands. On one such mission on the 03/6/41 he spotted a German U-Boat, his log reading “Operational sighting, dropped 2 DCs (depth charges), result nil.”
On one anti-submarine mission on the 08/6/41 he located 11 life rafts with approximately 500 survivors enabling them to be rescued. These life rafts were likely the survivors of the British passenger ship ‘Adda’ from convoy OB-323, which sunk of the coast of Freetown after it was hit by a G7a torpedo from U-107. Jarman’s log entry for the day is as follows “Sunderland H.9050, Duty: Anti-Sub, located 11 lifeboats containing approx. 500 survivors”
On 20/10/41 he sighted an enemy submarine.
In Nov 1941 his pilot F/Lt Baggot was awarded the DFC.
On 17/12/41 his log reads “Search- operational (also search for Pan-American airways clipper around Monrovia)
In May 1942 he was escorting the "Queen Mary" liner/troop ship.
On 12/6/42 his log reads “Search for Sunderland SEB L5805 (F/O Pybus), not located- bad weather, recalled to base”.
On 31/7/42 his log reads “PI misfiring for approx. 10 mins as a result of which 7 DCs (depth charges) were jettisoned- bomb trolley motor caught fire”.
On 7/8/42 he fought in a skirmish with Vichy French forces on his way to Gibraltar, his log reads “Sunderland, T9078, BWA to Gibraltar. Attacked by 3 single seater French fighters ‘Dewoitine 520s off Rabat. Rear turret put out of action and port motors damaged. Action 16 mins”.
In Oct 1942 he was posted to 131 Operations Training Unit as an instructor & fitter, flying Catalinas.
In November 1943 he was then posted to 524 Squadron at Oban in Scotland flying Mariners, however this squadron was quickly disbanded in January 1944, so he moved back to 131 Operations Training Unit, again as an instructor & fitter/Flight Engineer.
In January 1945 he was posted to 240 Squadron in Madras India flying Catalinas. Where his duties including low level bombing and more anti submarine missions. Including one instance on the 7/3/1945 recorded in his log book- “bombing DNCO (P bomb exploded in tunnel compartment)”.
