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Robert Olding

Name : Robert Olding Born : 29th November 1932 Died : 19th October 2012 Awards : Distinguished Service Cross

Robert Charles Olding was born in Colchester on November 29 1932 and attended Colchester Royal Grammar School. During National Service he trained as a navigator and elected to remain in the RAF. In April 1954 he joined No 264 Squadron, operating Meteor night fighters, before his adventurous streak led him to volunteer for a two-year appointment with the Fleet Air Arm. Olding was an experienced RAF night fighter navigator when he volunteered for an exchange tour with the Fleet Air Arm’s 893 Squadron in May 1956. With the crisis over Suez escalating, 893 flew its Sea Venoms to the Mediterranean and embarked in HMS Eagle. The Anglo-French air offensive, Operation Musketeer, began on the night of October 31 with the aim of neutralising the powerful Egyptian Air Force (EAF), initially by bombing its airfields. At first light the following day, carrier-borne aircraft launched a series of attacks to destroy aircraft on the ground. During a further raid that afternoon Olding and his pilot, Lt-Cdr John Willcox, led a formation to attack the airfield at Bilbeis, destroying a number of EAF aircraft by rocket and cannon fire. The next day Willcox and Olding flew on another strike, attacking aircraft dispersed at Almaza airfield. Here the anti-aircraft fire was both accurate and heavy, and Olding’s Sea Venom was hit under the forward fuselage, blasting a large hole in the floor of the cockpit. Olding suffered severe shrapnel wounds to his legs but continued with his duties. With the hydraulics damaged, Willcox had to control the aircraft in the reversionary manual mode. En route back to Eagle, Olding applied a tourniquet to his leg and injected himself with morphine. Unaware of the full extent of the damage to his Sea Venom, Willcox elected to land on the carrier without the flaps and with the undercarriage up. The first attempt had to be aborted but, with the hook lowered, Willcox made a second, slower, approach with Olding calling out the speeds. After landing, Olding passed out. He was rushed to the ship’s sick bay before being flown to a hospital in Cyprus, where his leg became infected and had to be amputated above the knee. He was awarded a DSC. After returning from Suez, Olding spent three months having treatment and learning to walk with his false leg. He refused to use a stick (he walked unaided throughout his life) and even tried to ride a bicycle, but came off, breaking his arm. He returned to duty, and a year later started flying again, this time on the Javelin night fighter. Robert Olding died on 19th October 2012.

Known Service Details :
Squadron	Rank	Start of Service	End of Service	Known Dates	Aircraft	Airframes	Notes
No.264 Sqn RAF		April 1954	May 1956		Meteor
No.893 Sqn FAA		May 1956	2nd November 1956		Sea Venom

Aircraft for : Robert Olding
A list of all aircraft associated with Robert Olding. A profile page including a list of all art prints for the aircraft is available by clicking the aircraft name.
Aircraft	Info
Javelin Click the name above to see prints featuring Javelin aircraft.	Javelin Full profile not yet available.
Meteor Click the name above to see prints featuring Meteor aircraft. Manufacturer : Gloster Production Began : 1944 Number Built : 3947	Meteor The Gloster Meteor was the first British jet fighter and the Allies' first operational jet. Designed by George Carter, and built by the Gloster Aircraft Company, Armstrong-Whitworth, the Meteor first flew in 1943 and commenced operations on 27 July 1944 with 616 Squadron of the Royal Air Force (RAF). The Gloster Meteor was not an aerodynamically advanced aircraft but the Gloster design team succeeded in producing an effective jet fighter that served the RAF and other air forces for decades. Meteors saw action with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) in the Korean War and other air forces used the Meteor. The Royal Danish Air Force, The Belgian Air Force and Isreali Air Force kept the Meteor in service until the early 1970's. A Total of 3947 meteors were built and two Meteors, WL419 and WA638, remain in service with the Martin-Baker company as ejection seat testbeds.
Sea Venom Click the name above to see prints featuring Sea Venom aircraft.	Sea Venom Full profile not yet available.

Squadrons for : Robert Olding
A list of all squadrons known to have been served with by Robert Olding. A profile page is available by clicking the squadron name.
Squadron	Info
No.264 Sqn RAF Country : UK Founded : 27th September 1918 Fate : Disbanded 30th November 1962 Madras Presidency We defy Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of No.264 Sqn RAF	No.264 Sqn RAF 264 Squadron was formed from two former Royal Naval Air Service flights, No.439 and No.440, on 27th September 1918 at Souda bay in Crete with the role of anti-submarine patrols, and equipped with the Short 184 floatplanes. The Squadron was disbanded on 1 March 1919. On 8th December 1939 at Martlesham Heath, 264 Squadron was reformed and equipped with the new Boulton Paul Defiant fighter. In March 1940 the squadron started operations doing convoy patrols. After initial successes the Luftwaffe soon realised that the Defiant was vulnerable to frontal attack, and 264 Squadron along with the other Boulton Paul Defiant squadrons started to suffer heavy losses of aircraft and crew. At the end of May 1940, 264 Squadron was withdrawn from operations as a day-fighter squadron and began to train in the night-fighter role. During the Battle of Britain 264 Squadron was used again for day fighting but again suffered losses and returned to the night-fighter role. In May 1942 the squadron was re-equipped with Mosquito II and moved to RAF Colerne, and later receieved the new Mark VI. The squadron operated as night-fighters in the west of England and also in the role of day patrols in the Bay of Biscay and western approaches. 264 Squadron later became part of the 2nd Tactical Air Force providing night patrols over Europe and near the end of the war it was based at Twente in Holland patrolling over Berlin. 264 squadron was disbanded at Twente on 25th August 1945.
No.893 Sqn FAA Country : UK Fleet Air Arm Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of No.893 Sqn FAA	No.893 Sqn FAA Full profile not yet available.

Last edited : 15:56, January 7, 2013
Last editor : kc
First created : 15:55, January 7, 2013
Created by : kc

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