The Airmen's Stories - Sgt. R J Ommanney

Rupert John Ommanney, the son of Lt. Col. Francis Frederick Ommanney and Olive Caroline Owen, was born in September 1915, possibly at the family home in Appledore, Devon. He was the youngest of five children. At some time in the 1930’s he joined the Merchant Service as a cadet but did not pursue this career and opted instead in February 1935 to join the RAF on a short service commission. He completed his training and was posted to a unit in the Middle East. For reasons unknown he resigned his commission on 21st August 1937 but in November the following year enlisted in the RAFVR as an Airman u/t Pilot.

Called up on 1st September 1939, Ommanney completed his training and arrived at 6 OTU, Sutton Bridge on 2nd June 1940. After converting to Hurricanes, he was posted to 229 Squadron at Wittering on 17th June. Ommanney claimed a Me110 destroyed and a Do17 shared on 15th September. He was wounded in the foot on the 30th and did not return to the squadron until 15th October.

He was one of a section of three Hurricanes which attacked a He59 floatplane flying low off the coast in the vicinity of Boulogne on 26th October. The enemy aircraft alighted on the sea, with three of its crew of four killed. The Hurricanes were then attacked from behind by Me109's and fired on by guns from the shore. Ommanney was able to return to base by flying at very low level across the Channel. The section leader, F/O GM Simpson, was posted Missing and the third pilot, F/O DBH McHardy, was later reported captured.

Between 11th and 13th February 1942 the German Navy took advantage of very poor weather and the jamming of British coastal radar to force a passage through the English Channel for their battleships Scharnhorst and Gneisenau and the cruiser Prinz Eugen. Apart from their own armament the capital ships were protected by 6 destroyers, 40 flak ships and more than 200 fighter aircraft.

All available RAF and RN forces, including obsolete aircraft, were sent against this force once it had been detected.

607 Squadron lost four Hurricanes to the intense flak, all the pilots, including Ommanney (now a Warrant Officer), being lost. The others were P/O EJ Staerck, F/Sgt. N McClean and F/Sgt. EP Walker.

Ommanney was 26 and is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial, Panel 72.

(Above image courtesy of Dean Sumner)

Portrait photograph and additional research courtesy of Angela Wilson.