Page 96 - The Wish Stream Year of 2021 (Crest)

in Despatches and the Military Cross for gal- lantry: ‘Under continuous shell fire he laid out a trench, then held it with his men against a counter-attack.’
Carlin was informed that he was due to be medically discharged and, after unsuccessfully appealing the decision, turned to other means to continue the fight. Bypassing the usual delay waiting for an official artificial limb, he paid for his own prosthetic and discharged himself from hospital. He then spent the next few months learning to fly, paying for his lessons and under- taking a rigorous fitness programme. Finally, after qualifying as a civilian pilot, he presented himself to a medical board and was declared fit for duty on 7th August 1917. After military training at the Central Flying School, Upavon, Carlin was, to his chagrin, retained as an instructor, the authorities undoubtedly not wishing to be seen as being so desperate as to send a one-legged pilot to the front. However, those months as an instruc- tor developed Carlin into a highly skilled pilot so that when the March 1918 German offensive decimated the Squadrons in France he was posted to the newly-formed 74 Squadron on 22nd May. Ira ‘Taffy’ Jones, one
of the pilots, wrote in his mem- oires: ‘A new pilot joined today. He has a wooden leg, an MC and a DCM. He must be a stout lad. The Squadron Commander has christened him Timbertoes.’
In a short but frenetic combat
career between 13 June and 15
September, Carlin shot down five
enemy aircraft and five balloons.
Enemy observation balloons were
not only prime targets but heavily defended and required great courage and skill to destroy them. However, his flying career came to an end on 21st September when, facing overwhelming odds, he was wounded in the head again and managed to glide down to crash land almost at the allied lines. Despite supporting fire from friendly infantry, he was clubbed to the ground by German rifle butts as he hopped towards the wire and spent the last few weeks of the war as a POW. During this time, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross: ‘A gallant and deter- mined pilot who sets a fine example. Though handicapped by the loss of a leg he is bold and skilful in attack.’
Repatriated to the UK in December 1918, Carlin was released from the RAF in August 1919 and returned to Yorkshire to farm. In 1924 he emi- grated to Kenya, becoming a gentleman farmer, big game hunter, Justice of the Peace, officer in the Kenya Defence Force Reserves and a fine polo player. In the late 1930s, seeing that war with Germany was inevitable, he returned to England and wrote to the War Office request- ing that he be re-enlisted. ‘I am perfectly fit and extremely active, please do not judge me with less active amputees. Until eight weeks ago I was playing seven or eight chukkas of tourna- ment polo without a breather.’ Initially rejected by the RAF then the Royal Tank Corps, he was eventually commissioned into the Royal Artillery. Undeterred, Carlin reapplied to the RAF and, after being declared unfit for pilot duties, was commissioned as a Pilot Officer (Air Gunner).
During the early months of 1940, Carlin accom- panied his friend, Squadron Leader Percy Pick- ard, as a gunner in Wellington bombers on mis- sions over Germany before being posted to 264 Squadron as a gunner in the Boulton Paul Defiant fighter. The Defiant was one of the RAFs worst
ever aircraft, a monoplane with the sole armament of a turret containing four machine guns. After early suc- cesses in the battle of France when German fighters fatally approached them from the rear, the lumbering Defiants were attacked from the front and cut from the sky. The Squad- ron was returned to the UK, posted to RAF Duxford then Hornchurch before mounting losses in the skies over England caused them to be withdrawn from day operations alto-
gether. There is no doubt that Carlin was by far the oldest aircrew to participate in the Battle of Britain.
In early 1941 the Squadron converted to night fighting and he was posted to RAF Wittering. On the night of 7th May a lone German bomber evaded the defences to attack the airfield. Every- one at the station obeyed the order to take to the shelters, except for Carlin who, as the bombs began to fall, made for his aircraft to operate the turret to engage the raider. He was the sole casualty. Pilot Officer Sydney ‘Timbertoes’ Carlin MC DFC DCM had engaged the enemy for the last time.
A gallant and determined pilot who sets a fine example. Though handicapped by the loss of a leg he is bold and skilful in attack.
94 HISTORICAL