The Airmen's Stories - P/O C B Temlett

Cyril Bernard Temlett was born in 1918 in Cardiff, the son of William Thomas Temlett and Beatrice Emily Temlett (nee Challicom).

He was educated at Canton School in Cardiff.

Temlett entered RAF College, Cranwell in September 1938 as a Flight Cadet. The outbreak of war caused the course to be shortened and Temlett enlisted in the RAFVR on 7th September 1939 as an Airman u/t Pilot. He graduated and was granted a Permanent Commission in December 1939.

He joined 4 (Army Co-operation) Squadron in France and served with it in the fighting in May 1940, flying Lysanders. The squadron was withdrawn in June.

Temlett was awarded the DFC (gazetted 6th August 1940).

He volunteered for Fighter Command, converted to Hurricanes and joined 3 Squadron at Turnhouse on 27th September. He moved to 17 Squadron on 16th November 1940.

In May 1941 Temlett was with 213 Squadron on board HMS Furious in the Mediterranean. The squadron flew off to Malta on the 21st and then flew on to Mersa Matruh. Temlett was with 'C' Flight, which was attached to 73 Squadron in the Western Desert. On 15th June he destroyed a Me109 and on the 26th damaged a Ju87.The squadron went to Nicosia in July and returned to the Western Desert in December 1941.

On 3rd July 1942 five Hurricanes of 213 were scrambled over Alamein. They were jumped by four Me109s of I/JG27. Temlett and two other British pilots were killed and a fourth wounded.

The three Hurricane IIC's lost were BM981, BN128 and BN449.

Temlett is buried in El Alamein War Cemetery, Egypt.

Photographs courtesy of Colonel C R Romberg RA, British Embassy Cairo.