THE EARLY YEARS.

   John Sample was born in January/February 1913, the first son of Thomas Norman and his wife Kate Isabel Sample. Descendents of the Sample family had been land agents for the Duke of Portland for well over a hundred years. Thomas Norman, however, after a period as an Army officer during the First World War, became a ship owner, working from an office in Newcastle upon Tyne. The family home being at Longhirst Grange near Longhirst village some two miles northeast of the town of Morpeth in Northumberland.

   It is thought that schooling for John Sample, and later his brother, William, had been carried out by private tutorage. No sign of any of their schooling appears in the local records. At a later date, John Sample was to attend Aysgarth School. A public school in the secluded area of Yorkshires North Pennine district. The pursuit of excellence in education being the main aim of the school. The headmaster was to drum into the scholars: …the importance of actions rather than talking. Certainly, the school was to turn out some fine young men and no less than five of them were to become pilots in the Battle of Britain: George Dudley Craig, Hugh S.L. Dundas, Joe Kayll, Clive Geoffrey Hilken and, of course, John Sample.

   Another who was to go on to achieve fame, albeit from an earlier generation, was former ‘old boy’ Richard Meinertzhagen, later CBE, DSO. In 1918, it was Meinertzhagen, then working for Military Intelligence, who led the supposed rescue attempt of Grand Duchess Tatiana Nicholaevena, of the Russian Royal Family during the revolution of 1918.

   John Sample was later to qualify as a land agent and, for further training, worked under his uncle, William Collings Sample, who was land agent to the Duke of Portland. It was during this time, probably in pursuit of more adventurous activities, that John Sample was to join the newly emerging Auxiliary Air Force. For training purposes, John Sample had to travel to his nearest Auxiliary Air Force training station of Usworth, in the north part of County Durham, some thirty miles to the south. Usworth was the home of 607 (County of Durham) Squadron. The squadron had been formed in 1930, received its first aircraft in 1932, and its first pilots in 1933. John Sample was to be the fifth man to successfully apply for pilot training when he joined the squadron in 1934.

   Flying training was to be carried out on the Avro 504 and John Sample was ‘Gazetted’, April 27, 1934 having successfully completed his ‘A’ licence. Number 607 Squadron were at this time a light-bomber squadron, their complement being he Westland Wapiti. John Sample became a Pilot Officer, October27, 1935.

   Always a fine shot, John Sample was proficient in the use of both the pistol and the rifle. His family had their own ‘shooting butts’, which were still there until the 1960s. John Sample was later to lead an Auxiliary Air Force team, which successfully competed at Bisley. Among his other attributes was his ear for music. John Sample played a number of musical instruments ranging from the flute to the concertina. He also played the Northumbrian Pipes winning a number of competitions as well as recording for the BBC. He also played with Jack Armstrong, later the piper to the Duke of Northumberland. John Sample was also skillful with his hands making his own set of Northumbrian pipes. These are still in existence until this day and are still played on a regular basis.                 

   John Sample’s flying career began on the squadrons Gypsy Moth and Avro 505 aircraft. Photographs of Sample, during this time, are rare and he appears only on the official squadron photographs. When the squadron changed its role from bomber to fighter squadron, taking on the Hawker Demon, Sample appears flying his Demon in an air-to-air-shot. He was also photographed at around this time when he won a local piping competition.

   Sample was promoted to Flight Lieutenant, June 10 1939 and took command of ‘B’ Flight, the squadron now being equipped with the Gloster Gladiator. In August of that year, the squadron was to spend its summer camp at Abbotsinch, near Glasgow. World events cut the summer camp short by a couple of days and the squadron was to return to Usworth. Sample was called to full-time service, August 24 1939. Within a few days, the squadron was to move north to Acklington in Northumberland.

   It was from Acklington that Sample was to lead a section that was to claim the first ‘Kill’ for the squadron. Dornier Do 18s were operating along the coast of Northumberland, October 17 1939. Sample led his section, Dudley Craig, and Bill ‘Nits’ Whitty on patrol of the area east of Amble. About twenty-five miles out they spotted a Do 18 some 6,000 feet below. In line astern, the Gladiators went into the attack from the rear. Hits were seen and Whitty recorded fuel leakage from the area that he fired at. However, ammunition expended the Gladiators were forced to return to base leaving the Do 18 limping further out to sea. Eventually, the Do 18, damaged, force landed alongside the destroyer HMS Juno. The crew were taken prisoner and the aircraft sunk by gunfire. The three pilots were awarded a third of a kill each. Craig was to record in his logbook; ‘This was Johnnies work’

   In November, Sample along with the squadron, moved to France. They were based at Merville before moving on to St Inglevert. The move prompted by the bad surface of the airfield due to bad weather. The winter turned out to be the worst on record with the airfield often snowbound. A photograph of Sample survives from this time. He is shown in full flying gear complete with wooly hat. Sample flew to Seclin with his CO; Lance Smith, December 7 1939 when King George VI along with the Duke of Gloucester inspected the Air Component of the BEF. Christmas 1939 was to bring no leave for John Sample. He took command of the squadron while Lance Smith returned home for some Christmas leave.

   May 10, 1940 saw the breakthrough of the German forces, as the Blitzkrieg got under way. Number 607 Squadron was among the first hit when the airfield was bombed at first light. Sample was to lead a section on patrol in the area of Douai.

There, they spotted three He 111s flying east. Sample flew above the formation to make sure of their identity before attacking a single He 111. Commencing his attack from 350 yards, Sample was to fire four bursts before he broke off his attack at 50 yards. Smoke came back from the He111 as Sample pulled away but he lost sight of it. The oil that covered his windscreen gave evidence of his hits.

   Sample was later to carry out a second patrol, on this occasion in the area of Albert. The aircraft were He 111s of 1/KG1. One of the he 111s was straggling adrift of the others, Sample began an attack on this aircraft. After his first pass, Sample noticed the He 111 had closed up once more on the rest of the formation. Sample turned to carry out another attack, however, on this occasion Sample became the target as the crossfire from the three bombers concentrated on him. Hurricane P 2615 was hit in wings and fuselage but also in the engine. Oil spewed back from the Hurricane’s engine covering the windscreen and cockpit hood. Sample decided that the Hurricane would be too dangerous to land and, therefore, decided to take to his parachute. Sample baled out successfully, however, his landing was not too good and he heavily sprained both of his ankles. For the rest of his time in France, Sample was forced to wear carpet slippers making flying impossible. The squadron had lost two of its commanders in quick succession and Sample took command for the last few days in France.

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