Air Vice-Marshal Reggie Bullen RIP

[Kyt]

Air Vice-Marshal Reggie Bullen - Telegraph

Air Vice-Marshal Reggie Bullen, who has died aged 87, enjoyed two distinguished careers; after retiring as the head of the RAF's administrative branch, he was appointed as a Fellow and senior bursar of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge.

During the Second World War Bullen flew as a navigator. In April 1944 a detachment of his squadron moved to Malta to support operations in Italy.

On the night of April 19 Bullen's Wellington bomber was returning to base when it suffered an engine failure, crashed on the airfield and burst into flames. The aircraft was totally destroyed and four members of the crew were killed. Bullen was thrown clear and sustained fractures to his back, an arm and a leg.

The heat was intense and ammunition was exploding. There was the additional risk of the eight depth-charges blowing up at any moment. Despite this, and his severe injuries, Bullen managed to make his way into the blazing aircraft to reach the injured wireless operator and drag him to a safe distance.

He was awarded the George Medal, the citation concluding that "his very brave and gallant action, performed when suffering such intense pain from his own injuries, undoubtedly saved the life of the wireless operator".

Reginald Bullen was born in London on October 19 1920. He won a scholarship to the Grocers' Company School and on leaving he started to work towards his articles as a solicitor.

The war interrupted his work and he joined the RAF in 1940, training as a navigator in the United States under a scheme negotiated with Pan American Airways.

After qualifying Bullen left for the Middle East to complete specialist training in torpedo dropping before he joined No 39 Squadron in Malta. Flying Beauforts, the task of the squadron was to attack Axis shipping sailing from Italy with supplies and reinforcements for North Africa.

The squadron suffered heavy losses before Bullen joined No 458 Squadron, flying anti-submarine sorties in Wellington aircraft operating from Egypt and forward bases in Libya and Tunisia.

Bullen spent a year recovering from his burns and injuries and was unable to return to flying duties. After four years in the Air Ministry working on new forms of testing and selection of future officers and aircrew, Bullen instructed at the RAF College Cranwell. In 1956 he left for Washington to serve with a US intelligence agency.

He had been warned that the temperature would be high and he would need tropical lightweight uniforms, which he had tailored.

On arrival the civilian director of the agency told him that on no account must he wear uniform or let it be known that he was a British officer serving on highly secret work.

He was involved in developing methods of obtaining intelligence on Russian military deployments and capabilities, and these included flying over the former Soviet Union.

On his return in 1958 Bullen served on the staff of the RAF Staff College before becoming the personal staff officer to the Chief of the Air Staff (ACM Sir Sam Elworthy).

After attending the Nato Defence College in Paris he became the adjutant general at the headquarters of Allied Air Forces Central Europe at Fontainebleau.

Bullen and his French-born wife were looking forward to a pleasant tour of duty on the outskirts of Paris when, shortly after his arrival in 1965, General de Gaulle ordered the Nato staffs to leave France.

Bullen co-ordinated the relocation of the air headquarters from the château at Fontainebleau to a disused coal mine in southern Holland and found new accommodation for the families.

After returning from Holland Bullen was the director of personnel, and then attended the Imperial Defence College. His last appointment in the RAF was served at the Headquarters Training Command as the Air Officer Administration, when he was also appointed head of the RAF's administrative branch.

He retired from the service in 1975, when he was appointed CB. The day after retiring Bullen took up his Fellowship at Gonville and Caius College.

As senior bursar, he greatly strengthened the finances of the college by shrewd investment, good management and highly successful property transactions.

He will be particularly remembered for his conversion of Rose Crescent in the centre of Cambridge from a drab and lifeless passageway to a smart shopping street. He also played an increasingly influential role in the general management of the college's affairs.

On his retirement in 1987 the Master of Caius, Sir William Wade, paid him a handsome tribute at the annual gathering, when he said Bullen "had been a paragon among bursars and if justice were to be done he ought to be entered on the roll of benefactors".

He was appointed a Life Fellow and remained a property development consultant until his death. He was particularly proud when the college took the exceptional step of commissioning his portrait, which now hangs in the senior parlour of the college.

In 1981 John Major, a near neighbour and friend, had persuaded Bullen to become chairman of a newly formed Health Authority in Huntingdon, which had no general hospital and inherited from Cambridge a large financial deficit.

In the 10 years he held the part-time appointment Bullen was admired for his total commitment and conscientious approach. He restored the authority's financial position and oversaw the building of a new general hospital, Hinchinbrooke, which opened in 1983.

Bullen had a great sense of humour and remained very active until late in his life, driving abroad until his late eighties.

Reggie Bullen died on January 27. He married Christiane Phillips in 1952 and she survives him with their son and daughter.

Awarded the George Medal.
Gazetted on the 14 September 1945
Flight Lieutenant Reginald BULLEN (125303), Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.
On the night of the 19th April, 1944, this officer was navigator of a Wellington aircraft which crashed on landing and burst into flames. The aircraft was totally destroyed and four members of the crew were -killed. Flight Lieutenant Bullen was thrown through the side of the aircraft as it burst open and sustained fractures of the left leg and right arm, and a slight fracture of the spine. The heat was intense and ammunition was exploding." There was also the additional danger that eight depth charges might explode at any moment. Despite this and hisi severe injuries Flight Lieutenant Bullen made his way inside the blazing aircraft to the wirelpss operator and dragged him to a safe distance, clear of the flames. When the ambulance arrived on the scene Flight Lieutenant Bullen was in great pain and was quickly removed to sick quarters. His very brave and gallant action, performed when suffering such intense pain from his own injuries, undoubtedly saved the life of the wireless operator.

[Antipodean Andy]

Perhaps the most gallant and driven feat I have read recently. With his back and leg and in his gear, he would have struggled to walk. When he finally got to the W/O, he only had one working arm to help him! Then there was the threat of the ammunition and the depth charges. Amazing and inspirational.

I note his time with 39 Sqn with no small measure of excitement. Haven't come across him yet in my readings. Kyt, have you checked Armed Rovers for a mention? He doesn't ring a bell. I will check my We Find and Destroy - the 458 Sqn history - for reference to this crash as it'll be in there. 458 lost 135 men during its service. This crash equates to 2.9% of those losses.

The Cambridge history is also impressive. Will have to keep it in mind next time I see photos etc.

[Kyt]

Nothing in Armed Rovers mate. This is the ORB page for 458 but is difficult to read. Hope you can find the right aircraft serial because what I think the ORB says doesn't match the aircraft crash date or crew.

[Kyt]

Name: McMILLAN, HERBERT RUSSELL
Initials: H R
Nationality: Australian
Rank: Flying Officer
Regiment/Service: Royal Australian Air Force
Age: 22
Date of Death: 19/04/1944
Service No: 409574
Additional information: Son of Herbert Arthur and Gertrude Alice McMillan, of Thornbury, Victoria, Australia.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Prot. Sec. (Officers'). Plot E. Coll. grave 23.
Cemetery: MALTA (CAPUCCINI) NAVAL CEMETERY

Name: WAGSTAFFE, JOHN MICHAEL
Initials: J M
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Warrant Officer (Pilot)
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Unit Text: 458 (R.A.A.F.) Sqdn.
Date of Death: 19/04/1944
Service No: 1219231
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Prot. Sec. (Men's). Plot F. Coll. grave 49.
Cemetery: MALTA (CAPUCCINI) NAVAL CEMETERY

Name: WILLIAMSON, ROBERT HENRY
Initials: R H
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Flight Sergeant (W.Op./Air Gnr.)
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Unit Text: 458 (R.A.A.F.) Sqdn.
Date of Death: 19/04/1944
Service No: 1252008
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Prot. Sec. (Men's). Plot F. Coll. grave 49.
Cemetery: MALTA (CAPUCCINI) NAVAL CEMETERY

Name: HUNTLEY, ARTHUR JOHN
Initials: A J
Nationality: Australian
Rank: Flight Sergeant
Regiment/Service: Royal Australian Air Force
Age: 25
Date of Death: 19/04/1944
Service No: 410488
Additional information: Son of Percy William and Nellie Jane Huntley, of Merricks North, Victoria, Australia.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Prot. Sec. (Men's). Plot F. Coll. grave 49.
Cemetery: MALTA (CAPUCCINI) NAVAL CEMETERY

The survivor

Service Record
Name CLARKE, HERWALD GRAHAM
Service Royal Australian Air Force
Service Number 412940
Date of Birth 5 Jul 1908
Place of Birth HABERFIELD, NSW
Date of Enlistment 15 Aug 1941
Locality on Enlistment Unknown
Place of Enlistment SYDNEY, NSW
Next of Kin CLARKE, MARTHA
Date of Discharge 16 Oct 1945
Rank Flying Officer
Posting at Discharge 10 ADVANCED FLYING UNIT
WW2 Honours and Gallantry None for display
Prisoner of War No

[spidge]

The Grave photo from Capuccini Cemetery.


Capuccini 409574 McMillan_HR.jpg

[Antipodean Andy]

Here's the pages from the 458 book mentioned above where the crash is covered. The swamp referred to at the end of the second page is, something new for me, the practice of keeping a continuous stream/relay of aircraft over an area where a submarine was known to be operating - the belief being it would eventually come up for air.

I knew this book was excellent (there are a couple of minor errors) but flicking through it has brought it near the top of the "to read" list! Well, it'll be read before the year is out anyway! LOL.

[spidge]

The headstone of Huntly!


Capuccini 410488 Huntly_AJ.jpg

[Antipodean Andy]

Amazing lads. In the time it took me to scan and post, you guys had added all of your posts above this one! What resources you guys have at your fingertips!

Sobering that Huntley had already survived a crash.

[Kyt]

Huntley's case is sad indeed. Imagine his family receiving news of his injuries (att #1), and then his death a short while after (att #2)

http://naa12.naa.gov.au/scripts/imag...70357&I=1&SE=1

[Antipodean Andy]

Huntley's first crash details is the fifth paragraph down. One of two survivors of a ditching.