Page 18 - Walter Scott
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Walter Scott DFC
Walter Scott survived a string of missions as an Airman with Bomber Command.
He went on to found an airline and later emigrated to Australia, where the business he founded
continues to this day.
He was born on July 15, 1923, to William James, who was himself a World War One veteran and
his wife Ellen.
They ran a farm beside Ballyronan, east Co Tyrone, and he attended the local primary school and
then Rainey Endowed School, Magherafelt.
He enlisted in the Royal Air Force in 1941 on his 18th birthday.
He had aimed to be a Pilot, but the military had a more pressing need for Navigators.
He was given a post with 101 Squadron on September 10, 1943.
His funeral heard that upon arrival with the Squadron, he and his comrades were told by their
Commanding Officer that they were an average bunch – mere “Hitler fodder,” adding: “You’ll need
to pull yourselves together if you’re going to survive a tour.”
His eulogy goes on to add that, out of seven crews which arrived at around the same time, his was
the only one to survive the war.
The eulogy recounts one particular story which ended with him receiving the Distinguished Flying
Cross.
After the aircraft had released its bombs during a raid, the Crew had been taking photographs
when “a large chunk of their wing disappeared in a fiery explosion”, caused by a bomb dropped
from above by a friendly aircraft.
The Crew decided not to bail out because Walter’s parachute could not be found, and the Pilot
instead put the craft into a steep descent to try and extinguish the blaze.
The plane remained intact (to Walter’s amazement) although the navigational equipment was
destroyed.
The tale concludes: “Walter safely navigated the plane back home using the stars.”
It was not the only time he cheated death.
He remained in the military until January 1947, and was based in India and Australia.
