To:
P/O - Sqd/Ldr PATRICK H.V. WELLS.
No. 249 (Hurricane) Squadron, ROYAL AIR FORCE
(THREE KILLS & SHOT DOWN TWICE, THE SECOND TIME BY FAMOUS LUFTWAFFE “ACE” , ADOLF GALLAND)
(This is a Unique Combination to Sqd Ldr Wells as nobody else in the RAF was awarded this particular grouping of awards)
Pat Wells in uniform and shown standing on his Hurricane while his armourers re-arm the .303 Machine guns of his aircraft at RAF LECONFIELD 1940.
[BIOGRAPHY] PATRICK H.V. WELLS (1917-2002)
Patrick Hardy Vesey Wells was born on 16th March 1917 in Johannesburg, South Africa, Son of Eric Francis Vesey Wells & Marjorie Louise Wells (nee Gregory)
His family was the famous Midlands brewery company of Charles Wells of Bedford who produce among many other fine brews the excellent Bombardier Beer.
[MILITARY CAREER]
Patrick was educated at Bedford School and later studied Mining Engineering at London University, where he joined the university's air squadron. His instructor was the adjutant, F/Lt. John Grandy, who was later to become a Marshal of the RAF. He was fortunate to be taught to fly at LUAS by Flight Lieutenant John Grandy, who later became Governor of Gibraltar and Constable of Windsor Castle.
Patrick Wells was commissioned into the RAFVR as a pilot officer in 1938.
72098 Pilot Officer P.H.V. Wells. RAF(VR) 249 Squadron
On 1st January 1940 he was posted to the RAF College FTS Cranwell to complete his training.
He then went to No. 1 School of Army Co operation at Old Sarum on 2nd June 1940 but eight days later moved to 5 OTU Aston Down to convert to Hurricanes.
In June 1940 John Grandy had been appointed CO of 249 Squadron and he arranged for Wells to be posted there. He joined 249 Squadron at RAF Leconfield near Beverley, Yorkshire on 23rd June.
Pat Wells served on 249 Squadron with two famous fellow pilots. These were the late Tom Neil DFC and non other than Flt/Lt James Brindley Nicholson V.C. who was Fighter Command’s only Victoria Cross recipient during the Battle of Britain.
[HIS FIRST BALE OUT, FAVERSHAM, 6th SEPTEMBER 1940]
On 6th September Wells shared in the destruction of a Me110 and during an attack on a He111 his Hurricane P3594 (GN-O) was hit by return fire whilst attacking some Heinkel He 111's near Faversham in Kent. His aircraft caught fire and he baled out over Goodnestone Court, Faversham, landing at Dunkirk, Kent. His flying boots had come off with the shock of the parachute opening. They were later returned by the police but several personal items including his cigarettes were “liberated” by the army soldiers who found the boots as he was being treated.
He was admitted to Chartham Hospital, wounded, and was listed as 'Missing' for five days at the squadron. The He111 was probably destroyed.
On 11th November Wells shared in the destruction of a He59 “reconnaissance” floatplane. The Germans had these painted up as Red Cross transports, but in reality they were operating as clandestine photo-recce aircraft.
[SECOND BALE OUT, SHOT DOWN BY ADOLF GALLAND]Seventeen days later on the 28th /29th while flying Hurricane V6729 (GN-T) he was was shot down by famous Luftwaffe Ace Adolf Galland.
28.11.40 Obstlt. Adolf Galland: 56 Stab/JG26: CLAIM: Hurricane, Dartford 6500 m 15:40 OKL + JFV d Dt Lw 4/I-42
After this deadly encounter with Galland Wells baled out seriously burned and injured and was rushed to the Emergency Hospital Unit at Leeds Castle, Kent.
Wells was then transferred to the Queen Victoria Hospital at East Grinstead. Here he underwent burns surgery under the skilled hands of pioneer plastic surgeon Archibald Mclndoe and became an early member of the Guinea Pig Club.
Wells is in record as being “at first astonished” by Ward 3's relaxed atmosphere, a barrel of beer was usually present. Wells recalled 'Initially, I thought I had been admitted to a lunatic asylum. The noise was unbelievable, with radio music blaring, patients shouting above the noise. In due course I became like the rest of them'.
He later rejoined 249 Squadron.
[MINIATURES] In May 1941 249 Squadron embarked on HMS Furious for the Middle East. At Gibraltar, pilots and aircraft were transferred on to HMS Ark Royal and on the 21st May they flew off to Malta, arriving at Luqa in the middle of a raid.
[A Personally Signed Commemorative Cover, by SQD LDR WELLS signed on the occasion of the Royal Command Performance of “REACH FOR THE SKY”]
(The Story of Douglas Bader, shown upon the 50th ANNIVERSARY of THE BATTLE of BRITAIN in 1990)
On 25th May Ta Kali airfield on Malta was strafed by Me109's. Wells was wounded in the ankle as he ran to his Hurricane to get airborne. He climbed into his cockpit and sat there until the aircraft caught fire and his ammunition began exploding. He then realised he had been wounded and got out again.
He returned to operational flying on 30th July 1941. With his tour completed, Wells left Malta in a Sunderland flying boat for Egypt on 26th September 1941.
He joined 73 Squadron in the Western Desert and later served with 255 Squadron, operating Beaufighters in the Tunisian campaign and then in Italy as a Flight Commander.
He was awarded the DISTINGUISHED SERVICE ORDER (LG 23rd May 1944) and received a Mention in Despatches (2nd June 1944) in the Kings Birthday Honours.
DSO LG 23.5.1944 255 Squadron (Italy)
”Squadron Leader Wells has now completed his third tour of operational duty. His first tour was completed during the Battle of Britain, when he destroyed at least two enemy aircraft and was shot down twice. In May 1941, during the battle of Malta, he was wounded for the third time, but after a short period returned to operations, taking part in offensive sweeps over Sicily and low flying attacks on mechanical transport and shipping. Throughout the whole of the Eighth Army advance from El Alamein, he was engaged in patrols over the enemy lines and operations against searchlights and mechanical transport. His courage and devotion to duty have been unfailing in the face of numerous difficulties and setbacks."
Patrick Wells was released from the RAF in 1946 as a Squadron Leader and later went to live in Kenya where in the late 1950’s he was based at Karen, near Nairobi.
He subsequently returned to South Africa, where he built up a business selling aircraft.
Pat Wells died in Constantia, South Africa on 3rd April 2002
“NEVER IN THE FIELD OF HUMAN CONFLICT WAS SO MUCH OWED BY SO MANY TO SO FEW”
Winston L.S. Churchill (1940)