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Auster Tasks

I have had a look through the logbooks of my Auster 6 and 7 flying days in Malaya and Korea. In Malaya, the work involved a continuous search of the jungle for CT camps and cultivation activity. There was also a lot of close support to troops on patrol - supply dropping and fixing positions. As an example, I spent quite a bit of time on detachment with The Royal Scots Fusiliers at Kroh near the Thailand border. My orders were to do whatever was required - within the limits of flying safety. Next on the list was communications flying - carrying military and civilian people in and out of places inaccesible to larger aircraft. In 1955 there was a lot of leaflet dropping in areas designated by Special Branch. Early helicopter cas evacs usually took an Auster escort with them. Then there was the bombing of major CT camps. This was carried out in the early hours of the morning. Two ground parties were used to place flare markers several miles apart and in line with the target. Once the lead bomb aimer had seen the ground flares and got the Lincolns (or Canberras) lined up, he would give the signal and a waiting Auster had to nip in, drop the target flare and get out of the way.

In Korea, it was mainly communications flying. Here, even a noisy, unheated Auster was better than having your bones rattled on the appalling roads. The Americans took pity on our GOC and gave him a natty little Cessna. Red Meaton used to fly it. I have a picture of Red standing very proudly in front of it.
There was also some recce work.
Ken Mattocks

updated 4th September  2010