On 4 November David Hooper, son of Flight Lieutenant Robin Hooper DSO DFC, presented to Dudley Hooley, the Museum’s chairman, a facsimile of his father’s log book in which is recorded his clandestine operations whilst flying Lysanders as a pick-up pilot with No 161(Special Duties) Squadron from RAF Tangmere.
Robin joined No 161 Squadron in the summer of 1943 after completing a tour at RAF Tempsford as a Halifax pilot with No 138 Special Duties Squadron, parachuting agents and containers into occupied territory. His first Lysander operation was on the night of 14/15 August which failed due to bad weather but on repeating it the next night, he succeeded, taking one passenger out and bringing two ‘Joes’ back. During the same moon period, Hooper, with James ‘Mac’ McCairns, completed a successful double Lysander operation on 20/21 August, another successful ‘double’ being accomplished on 11/12 September. On the night of 11/12 November, in a ‘triple’ operation, Hooper, the first to land, had to order the following McCairns and Bathgate to abort the mission because of the muddy condition of the landing ground. Hooper’s last pick-up operation was on 16/17 November when after two unsuccessful attempts he managed to land. However, he landed on very soft ground and turning the aircraft proved to be impossible since the wheels had dug themselves into deep grooves. The reception committee attempted to push the aircraft out but this proved impossible. At this point two bullocks were brought over from the nearest farm but despite the efforts of this team, later augmented by a further two bullocks, the Lysander remained firmly stuck. Hooper decided to burn the aircraft and go into hiding with the resistance.
Robin, fluent in French, he had read languages at Oxford before the war, was brought back after a month in hiding to Tangmere by Bob Hodges on the night of 16/17 December, the same night that pick-up pilots ‘McB’ McBride and Stephen Hankey were killed when attempting to land at Tangmere and Ford respectively. On his return, Hooper was awarded an immediate DSO.
After the war Robin served with the Diplomatic Service, was knighted and became Britain’s Ambassador to Greece. He died in 1989, aged 74.
