John served as wireless operator for the Royal Air Force at Takoradi. The “Takoradi route” was a top secret supply route for the RAF from the West Africa coast, across Central Africa and up to the war zones in Egypt and the Middle East.
The route allowed the RAF to avoid the hostile Mediterranean, and to short cut the long sea journey around the Cape.
Planes were packed in crates, and were loaded onto merchant ships and sent to Takoradi. There the planes were assembled and flown to Abu Suer, a six day journey of 3,697 miles, to reinforce the RAF’s Middle East Command.
By the end of October 1943 more than 5,000 aircraft had been despatched to Egypt via Takoradi, making a huge contribution to the allied victory.