Esplin, Ian
Ian Esplin Air Commodore CB, DSO, DFC
An edited version of the article on Ian Esplin titled " Lunch with Ian Esplin - SUBC Alumnus 1933-36". A photo of him during WW2 would be welcome.
A turning point was reached and Ian was headed for Oxford, England and experiences that were to shape his adult life. At Oxford Ian turned his attentions primarily to study. Positions in the Oxford Blue Boat in those days were not readily available to "colonials" -an important selection criteria was to have attended Eton. In 1939 with war seemingly inevitable Ian joined the R.A.F Volunteer Reserve pilot section. His logic was that if he returned to Australia and joined the Air Force he would just be posted back to Britain - so why not stay and save the trip.
Starting out in December 1939 Ian became an Aircraftsman 2nd class on 10 shillings and 8 pence per week after canteen deductions. After enduring some months of "boot camp" style operations in freezing conditions Ian was promoted to LAC ( leading Aircraft man) and became a "pilot under training" being posted in May 1940 to Acklington and after a stint of ground defence duty to Cambridge at the No 22 E.F.T.S ( Elementary Flying Training School). Starting in Tiger Moths Ian was later (August 1940) posted to South Cerney in Gloucestershire where they were to start flying the Airspeed Oxford. To quote from Ian's book on his life this plane "was a bitch to fly and a bastard to land". At the end of this course Ian was awarded his much-coveted wings, given a commission and applied for posting to fighters. However his flying course had been geared towards twin-engine planes and he was assigned to No 2 Central Flying School in Cranwell as a flying instructor. Around August 1941 Ian decided he had had enough of pilot instruction and on a day off took himself to London to department P2 at the Air Ministry. This department controlled postings and as Ian tells it he came across a Squadron leader who was sympathetic to his complaint that " I've done twelve months as a flying instructor , I'm fed up, want to see some action and I've heard you are looking for night fighter pilots". After an on he spot night vision test Ian soon received his orders to report to No 51 Operational Training Unit near Bletchly and soon after was on his way to becoming a night fighter pilot. Initial combat posting was to Two Nine Squadron in Maidstone Kent - the squadron was equipped with Beaufighters. Ian tells of staying on "night readiness" which consisted of lying around fully clothed including flying boots and very dark goggles so as not to disturb their "night vision" - a major drawback of this attire was that you could not read or play cards ! Ian's squadron had the task of intercepting German night bombers (especially the Junkers JU88) and in the course of his tour of duty Ian had to shoot down a number of the enemy planes. In March 1943 Ian was posted from night fighters to Drem in Scotland where he was involved in secret experiments testing new equipment which would enable Allied night fighters to get an immediate fix on enemy aircraft as soon as they turned on their radar. Another area in which they experimented was the use of packages of tin foil to confuse enemy radar. During his posting at Drem Ian met his future wife who was in the WAAF and posted to a nearby training centre. Soon after their relationship developed Ian was posted again to Headquarters, South East Asia Command at that time located in Delhi. Ian prepared to depart but for some reason his orders were postponed for ten days - enough time for he and Patricia (Dizzy) Barlow to make the start of a lifelong commitment to each other. In May 1944 Ian was posted back to Britain to observe Operation Overlord (the Allied invasion of Europe) on the basis that this might provide worthwhile lessons for similar assaults in SE Asia. This was the opportunity for him and Pat to marry which they did at the Holy Trinity Church in Knightsbridge followed by a "wartime" 36-hour honeymoon in Marlow. When the war ended in 1945 Ian and Dizzy made their way to Australia and Ian took up a position with Qantas as International Relations Officer dealing with IATA, governments and other international airline bodies. Ian moved on to become company secretary at Qantas but by 1946 was not enjoying the work. Ian first child, Brian arrived in December 1946 and in early 1947 he accepted the offer of a permanent commission in the R.A. F and returned to England starting out in peacetime with the rank of Wing Commander. By 1949 Ian and Dizzy's second child, Joanne had arrived and Ian was being steadily promoted. Through the fifties and the Cold War Ian served in a number of postings including the R.A.F. Staff College, commanding the No148 Wing of the first jet engine all-weather fighters in Germany, the Air War College and as Commanding Officer of the R.A.F base at Wartling in Sussex. In early 1960 Ian was promoted to Air Commodore and returned to the Air Ministry as Director of Operational Requirements. In this job Ian was responsible for all future fixed-wing aircraft, engines, weapons systems, helicopters and research. On New Year's Day 1964 Ian received a telegram advising he had been promoted to Air Vice-Marshal and had been made a C.B in the New Year Honours List. Soon after Ian and his family were posted to the USA, Washington DC where Ian became "Commander, Royal Air Force Staff and Air Attache at the British Embassyz". At the end of this posting Ian was offered a more senior position back in London but decided that this would end the chances of ever moving back to Australia. In 1965 Ian retired from the R.A.F and returned to settle back in Sydney
