Page 14 - RAF Magazine

WORLD WAR II 1939-45

THE BLACK

HORNET

Ulric Cross is recognised as ‘the most
decorated Caribbean airman of the
Second World War’. As Alan Smith
discovers, as a result of his service
in the RAF, he was awarded the DFC
(Distinguished Flying Cross) and DSO
(Distinguished Service Order)

Ulric Cross completed 80 bombing missions over Germany, refusing
1 May, 1917- 4 October, 2013 to be rested after 50 sorties, when he could have asked
Years of service: 1941–1947 to do so. He was engaged in the Battle of Berlin, making
22 sorties.
lric Cross was born in Trinidad in 1917. He talked about being targeted by the German
U The story is told of how, as a 14-year-old searchlights and the feeling of dread when the flak was
schoolboy, he wrote his name in the fly leaves coming at him and the plane, and of how the fear was
of his exercise book as ‘Flight Lt Ulric Cross DFC’. As he outweighed by the focus on getting the job done.
explained later when interviewed: “To me, that was the On one occasion, flak destroyed one of the engines of
height of anybody’s ambition, to be a Flight Lieutenant in his plane and they had to return over Germany and back
the Royal Air Force and to get the DFC.” to the UK at reduced speed and on one engine. With that
His steps to his destiny were spurred on by the retreat experience it was no surprise that Cross was awarded
of Dunkirk. This, combined with the fact that demands of his DSO in 1944 for his “fine example of keenness and
the war meant that the military high command could no devotion to duty”
longer afford to turn away black colonials volunteering and his “exceptional
to sign up, resulted in Cross and 250 or so other “Cross trained as a navigational ability”.
Trinidadians signing up in 1941. navigator and joined After the war, on
One in five would be killed in action. leaving the RAF in
Cross trained as a navigator and joined the 139 the 139 (Jamaica) 1947, Cross went on to
(Jamaica) Squadron, so named because the squadron Squadron... being the study law and had a
was funded by donations from the people of Jamaica. only person of colour distinguished career
Cross, being the only person of colour in the as a lawyer, judge and
squadron, was dubbed “The Black Hornet”. in the squadron, he diplomat in Trinidad
Novelist Ken Follett created a fictional character was dubbed “The and beyond.
called Charles Ford – a black pilot in his spy thriller, Black Hornet” It was fitting, in his
The Hornet Flight – based on the story and experiences career as a senior
of Ulric Cross. One of Follett’s long-term fans said he diplomat, that he was
threw down the book in disgust because he did not not only Trinidad’s
believe WWII black pilots in the RAF ever existed! High Commissioner
Exist they did. Cross trained and became expert as to the United Kingdom, but also Ambassador to
a wireless operator and in bomb aiming, among other Germany. Countries he had fought for and against, and
skills. This led to him joining the Pathfinder Force, in Trinidad’s case , a country which did not ‘exist’ as an
created by the RAF guide bombers after the RAF independent nation at that time.
realised that in the early stage of the war only 20 per Cross’s RAF career meant he made his own
cent of bombs hit their target. This defined his war. He significant contribution to bringing freedom for all.

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