The Airmen's Stories - W/Cdr. J W C More

James Winter Carmichael More was born in 1910, the son of Dr. John More, a surgeon, and Mabel Winter More (nee Dryland) of Rothwell, Northamptonshire

He was educated at Haileybury College and entered RAF College, Cranwell in September 1928 as a Flight Cadet.

On graduation in July 1930 More joined 54 Squadron at Hornchurch, moving on 12th February 1932 to 403 (Fleet Fighter) Flight on HMS Hermes in the Far East. After return to the UK More joined the staff at RAF College, Cranwell on 22nd October 1934.

In mid-April 1935 he was posted to 43 Squadron at Tangmere and appointed 'B' Flight Commander in January 1936. He returned to the FAA in December 1936, joining 800 (Fleet Fighter) Squadron, based at Southampton and on HMS Courageous. In this aircraft carrier before the war there was a plaque on the flight deck to commemorate More landing on in a Fury, a feat which amazed the Navy.

On 30th April 1937 he was aloft in one of three Hawker Nimrods practising formation flying. For reasons unknown all three collided over Droxford, Hampshire. More and Sgt. HP Hopkins were able to bale out but Sgt. H Croft remained in his machine and was killed.

On 24th October 1938 More went to SHQ RAF Cottesmore. He was given command of 73 Squadron in France, arriving at Rouvres on 13th April 1940. He destroyed a Me109 and probably a Me110 on the 21st, destroyed a He111 and shared another on 10th May, destroyed a He111 on the 13th, a Ju87 on the 14th, shared a He111 on the 15th, destroyed a Ju87 on the 17th and on the 21st he destroyed six enemy aircraft, one each on six sorties.

More was awarded the DFC (gazetted 30th July 1940). He was promoted to Acting Wing Commander on 8th August and posted away to HQ 9 Group on 4th September.

More was a Sector Commander in 1941 and in July was badly injured when he crashed in a Beaufighter. He was made an OBE (gazetted 1st January 1942). In late 1941 More was posted to the Far East.

He was a Group Captain SASO in January 1943. On the 22nd of the month he went to Maungdaw airfield to brief crews for an attack on Prome and other targets. On impulse, he decided to fly with 615 Squadron on the sortie, taking the aircraft of a Flight Sergeant. In the attack More's Hurricane was hit by ground fire and crashed on the opposite side of the river from Prome itself.

He was seen to be standing by his aircraft and was later reported captured by the Japanese. After making a nuisance of himself to his captors, More was sent by sea to Japan in 1944. His ship, the Rakuyo Maru, was torpedoed and sunk by the US submarine Sealion on 12th September 1944.

He is remembered on the Singapore Memorial, Column 431 (below).