Fleet Air Arm pilot and veteran of the Korean War. An appreciation

COMMANDER John Neilson, who has died aged 90, had a distinguished career in the Fleet Air Arm and fought with distinction in the Korean War carrying out sorties on important enemy positions. Later in his career such was his expertise in handling aircrafts at speed that he was sent to Nigeria to test-fly a de Havilland Sea Vixen jet – with almost disastrous results.

John Neilson was born in Dalry, the son of John Neilson, an Ayrshire Yeomanry major. He attended Merchiston Castle School in Edinburgh from 1942 until 45 and was attached to the Royal Navy Youth Scheme in 1943.

Neilson showed a keen interest in all types of military aircrafts and immediately, on leaving school, joined the Fleet Air Arm as a rating pilot. He displayed a real aptitude and enthusiasm for flying and was commissioned in 1949 with his first postings in Northern Ireland and the Mediterranean.

In 1951 he joined the aircraft carrier HMS Glory as part of 812 Sqdn which was immediately deployed to the Far East for active service in the Korean War. Neilson flew Fairey Firefly aircrafts on several successful bombing raids at the outset of the war concentrating most of his missions between Chinnampo and Pyongyang – both strategically important enemy controlled areas. The raids were hazardous as the enemy had effective anti-aircraft guns. Neilson’s orders were to destroy wagons carrying bombs, disrupt roads and bridges and depth charge North Korean vessels.

It was a time of much pressure for Neilson as their operational schedule lasted for periods of nine days. Rest days were mostly spent in Japan.

Neilson recalled some years later a particular mission. “I became quite an expert at bridge busting and was involved in an attack against a major rail bridge south of Pyongyang," he said.

“I was number four in the attack and having seen the first three aircraft all miss the target with their bombs I disobeyed orders and made two runs, each with one bomb. The second hit the centre span to destroy a major supply route from the north.”

For his heroic action Neilson was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.

He assumed test pilot duties at Boscombe Down for two periods in the Fifties and mid Sixties and was promoted to Commander in 1967. Other senior posts included air instructor at Lossiemouth in 1955 and 56 carrying out deck trials on Supermarine Scimitar on HMS Ark Royal and Staff Officer with British Naval Mission in Washington from 1969 to 71. He retired in 1977 and then joined British Aerospace (1977-82) and Westland Helicopters (1982-87) in a consultancy capacity.

Between his two periods of service at Boscombe Down, Neilson was deployed with a Fleet Air Arm unit to Nigeria to carry out trials under extreme hot weather conditions for the de Havilland Sea Vixen jet. His instructions were to test the jet flying at about 690mph only 200ft above the African wilderness.

When carrying out the flight he collided with a vulture which was sucked into his port engine. He and his observer ejected from the jet and crash landed but were unable to even send out a Mayday call. On the ground Neilson was severely injured – he was later to be diagnosed with a broken back - and in the searing heat he watched the vultures hover above.

The engine exploded and the jet was consumed in flames. Nelson watched that and was totally immobile in a deserted area until the local Nigerians built a fire around him to keep the snakes away and sent for help. At about 10pm a missionary and his wife gave Neilson a hefty morphine jab and drove him at speed over bumpy terrain to the nearest railway station. Their quick action saved his life. Back in Boscombe Down his wife, Joan, was alerted about the crash. She was expecting the couple’s first child.

He retired in 1977 to Yetminster in Dorset where he played an active part in the community serving on the parish council and was an enthusiastic player at both golf and bridge.

He had served in the Royal Navy with distinction for 32 years and flown 67 different types of aircraft. He was awarded an OBE in 1977. While on a posting in Sussex he had met his wife Joan and she, and their two sons, survive him.

ALASDAIR STEVEN