Russell Aitken (RAF officer)

A Supermarine Walrus taxiing on the sea

In the early stages of the Battle of Britain, many British fighter pilots who bailed over the English Channel or North Sea drowned or died of exposure before being rescued by lifeboats or launches, if they were located at all. This was a significant concern for the RAF at a time when trained and experienced fighter pilots were vital to Britain's aerial defences. In July, Aitken was stationed at Gosport and observed many aerial engagements over Portsmouth and Southampton that saw aircraft being ditched in the sea. He proposed to his commander that amphibious aircraft be used in a rescue service for downed pilots as a quicker alternative to the launches that he often saw making their way to the downed pilots.[8][9]

With his initiative approved, Aitken sourced a Supermarine Walrus,[10] a biplane amphibian having a crew of four and which had been in service with the RAF since 1933.[11] He then stationed himself off the Isle of Wight, on the south coast of England. Floating on the sea, he would wait for the dogfights to take place above him before taking off to retrieve any pilots who had ditched or bailed out. He was soon joined by a couple of other pilots, similarly operating Walruses but from the Royal Navy Air Station at Ford. These semi-official air-sea rescue services ended at the end of August, when Gosport and Ford were bombed. By this time, Aitken had been responsible for rescuing at least 35 pilots, both British and German.[8][12] His work helped lead to the development of the Air Sea Rescue Services which operated air-sea rescue squadrons for collecting RAF aircrew who had ditched in the sea.[13]

In September 1940, Aitken was posted to Fighter Command, joining No. 3 Squadron, which operated Hurricanes and was tasked with patrolling over Scapa Flow, protecting the Royal Navy ships there from attack by the Luftwaffe.[14] Promoted to flight lieutenant within two months of his arrival,[15] he was appointed the squadron's commander in April 1941. At this time it was stationed near London and tasked with the aerial defence of the city. The squadron began flying night fighter missions, targeting German bombers during the Blitz. On 10 May, during one particularly heavy raid on London, Aitken shot down a Junkers Ju 88, one of around 30 bombers destroyed that evening.[1][14]

Aikten standing beside a Hawker Hurricane in his flying kit

The squadron was engaged in attacking German shipping passing through the English Channel, sinking a number of vessels. Aitken then began organising intruder missions into occupied France, his Hurricanes targeting German bombers as they returned from raids on Britain. They accounted for at least 15 enemy aircraft destroyed.[16] He remained in command of the squadron, now operating from Hunsdon, until April 1942 at which time he was appointed to the headquarters of No. 11 Group, Fighter Command.[17][18]

In his new post, Aitken was tasked with helping with the organisation of London's nighttime defences. This was a particularly demanding role, as at the time the Luftwaffe had stepped up its bombing raids, targeting cities and landmarks of historic importance to Britain, in what was known as the Baedeker Blitz. He then progressed to organising intruder missions, a position for which he was promoted to wing commander. In September 1942, he was appointed commander of Hawkinge Station. At the time he was the youngest man to command a station in the RAF.[14][16] He was awarded the Air Force Cross (AFC) in the 1943 New Year Honours; this was in recognition of his night fighter development work.[16][19]

Aitken was later commander of RAF Bradwell Bay in Essex. This was the base for a number of night fighter squadrons that carried out intruder missions into occupied France.[20] He remained in command for several months, including during the invasion of Normandy.[21] For his all round work during the war to date, he was appointed an officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) on 8 June 1944.[22][23] He ended the war as commander of No. 150 Airfield.[24] As well as being awarded the OBE and AFC, he had also been mentioned in despatches three times; the first was for his air-sea rescue efforts during the Battle of Britain, the second for his night-fighter duties, and the third for his work in 1942 in assisting with the aerial defences of London.[23]