AMBROSE Henry Fl Sgt 257 Sqn

FL/SGT HENRY POPPA AMBROSE DFC+ BAR (451002)

Poppa joined 257 sqn in 1941 and began an association with it for 3 years and Typhoons for 4 years. He left 257 Sqn on the 31/1/44 for fighter controller duties.

Memories of Poppa Ambrose:

A chap named Fl/Sgt Brian Calnan and I were cycling down from the mess one day (2nd Dec 1943) as we were due on Readiness at 10.30 am. Brian & I rushed into the crew room, put on our parachutes and shot out to the aircrafts. The Ground Crew had got my Typhoon in a bay and the sun had come down on only one wing. I jumped into the cockpit and took off from the dispersal across the airfield which was quite a short run. I took off with the stick in the far right hand corner and with the full rudder on; sweating like hell.
The Sgt in the hangar later said that my wheels missed the hangar roof by about an inch. The ice on the wing which really wasn’t extensive, was enough to disturb the airflow to such an extent that I only just managed to get off the ground. It taught me a lesson about ice on the wings that I never forgot. It wasn’t until I reached 500 ft that I was able to bring the stick back to normal and flew off to the Isle of Wight where an FW190 was shot down.

Brian and I had been great friends since our time in 257 Sqn, Later in early 1945 when I was given my own squadron (181 Sqn), I had him posted to it. I put him up for a commission but the day he was due to see the AOC Harry Broadhurst, he was shot down near Hamburg and we thought he had been killed as no one saw him get out. I’d lost a good friend and wrote to his parents and sent his gear to them.
Then at Luneberg Heath in May 1945, just before we were due to leave for Lubeck, I got a message to go out to a Dakota on the airfield. When I got there I found Brian in plaster from his neck downwards. Both arms, legs and collar bones were broken. I kissed him. He then looked at me and grinned. “ Do you see that WAAF Boss” and I said yes. “ Well if she thinks she is safe with me going over the English Channel she’s well mistaken” I could have hugged him. That is morale for you