The Association has learned of the death of F William ‘Bill’ Perowne in Spring 2015.
Bill served 1944 to 1946 completing 73 Pilot’s Course HMS St Vincent before attending Naval Air Station Bunker Hill, Indiana for Gunnery Training.
William ‘Bill’ Perowne MBE
Patrick Ramsay writes,
‘Bill died in May in his home town of Fakenham, aged 89. He was one of the final survivors from 73 Pilots’ Course, which was the very last course to go America for flying training, in early 1945.
We crossed on the Queen Elizabeth, hearing the news of Rosevelt’s death en route, celebrated VE Day in Nrw York. And then entrained for Indiana and our hundred or so hours of flying in the sturdy Stearman biplane.
The Atomic bomb and the defeat of Japan meant the end of our flying, and with hundreds of other half trained pilots we sailed for home to await demobilization in what seemed unrewarding odd jobs.
Bill returned to his father’s farm at Great Snoring in Norfolk, which he eventually inherited, married very happily and took a major part in local affairs, in recognition which he was awarded the MBE.
It was with Bill’s help that I compiled a brief history of Course 73 which is now lodged in the FAA Museum archives.’