John F Hamlin

John is the author of the in-depth history of 30 Squadron call ‘Flat Out’. He has written numerous books covering military aviation with titles like ‘The Bristol Beaufighter’ and ‘RAF Morton-in-the-Marsh’, to name just two! John did his National Service between 1953 and 1955, and after his square-bashing he became an Operations Clerk (Air Traffic Control Assistant) at RAF Morton-in-the-Marsh. John was asked to sign on but declined; however, he did transfer to the RAuxAF based at North Weald until it was disbanded 2 years later.

John carried out extensive research into the Squadron and says:

Research that I carried out at The National Archive (TNA) was, as always, intensely interesting. It was carried out in the days when original documents such as Operational Record Books (ORB) were made available to researchers, apart from those still subject to the 30-year rule of confidentiality.

As I had found several times before, handling such documents, most of which had been typed but some hand-written, helped me to understand the difficulties, disappiontments, sadness and occasional excitement felt by the personnel concered.

In turn, it was those feelings which helped me to write the text of ‘Flat Out’ and the forthcoming ‘Still Flat Out’ . Other very useful sources of information were the Squadron archive and individuals who provided personal records of their service with the Squadron.

I am particularly pleased, and honoured, to have been able to include the Roll of Honour which appears as Appendix 3 in ‘Flat Out’. It records the deaths of about 200 brave servicemen of 30 Squadron, and also the names of men taken prisoner, of which there were a substantial number over the years. I feel strongly that such a Roll of Honour is a vital part of a history such as this, recording as it does their names for posterity.

John was asked to write the history of 30 Squadron by our originating President Air Vice Marshal David Dick, who contacted him via Air-Britain. John has recently finished writing a second instalment of the Squadron’s history ‘Still Flat Out’.

‘Still Flat Out’ will be out very soon and will be announced in the News section!