Philip Pullman's Father

[Kyt]

Just been reading an interview with the author, Philip Pullman. In it he mentions his father who was killed in Kenya in 1954:

Britain needs to bring back rationing, says author Phillip Pullman - Times Online

A bit of digging:

Surname PULLMAN
Forenames/Initials Alfred Outram
Rank Flt Lt
Service Royal Air Force
Service Number 117412
Station RAF Eastleigh
Decorations DFC
Place of Birth/Home Town Woking, Surrey
Date of Birth 21 May 1916
Age 37
Date of Death 06 February 1954
Cemetery Name Nyeri Cemetery
Cemetery Address Kenya
Grave Number 50
Included on Armed Forces Memorial Yes
Included on Roll of Honour Yes

It appears, from the LG, that he was commissioned in 1942 (though I haven't found any details of his war service yet), and stayed in the RAF.

At the time of his death he was CO of 1340 Flight:

British Units

And his DFC was announced after his death.

Posthumous Kenya Award
The London Gazette has announced that the Queen has been graciously pleased to approve the award of the Distinguished Flying Cross to F/L A O Pullman in recognition of gallant and distinguished service in operations in Kenya.

F/L. A. O. Pullman was posted to Kenya on March 31st, 1953, in No. 1340 Flight of Harvards, for operations against Mau Mau. The main task of the Harvards has been bombing and machine-gunning Mau Mau and their hideouts in the densely wooded and difficult country of the Aberdare Range andMount Kenya. Pullman frequently carried out attacks which necessitated diving steeply into the gorges of Mathioya, Chania, Gura, and Zuti rivers, and often in conditions of low cloud and
driving rain. The citation says that he consistently displayed a fine offensive spirit and great determination in pressing home his attacks. He carried out a total of 3,040 hours flying, during which he completed 220 bombing and strafing sorties. In addition, hee commanded the flight and the R.A.F. satellite station of Mweiga from August to October 1953. F / L . Pullman, who was born in May 1916, was killed in Kenya in February this year while flying a Harvard aircraft.

Flight PDF Archive - 64 FLIGHT, 9 July 1954

It appears to have been a flying accident rather than being KIA

[Antipodean Andy]

Interesting to know about one of my wife's favourite authors. She'll be pleased to hear of the new book and I might read it one day!