The Three CO's ~ Part 3
The Third Man
Flight Lieutenant Ewart Percival James Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (Training)
The Man Ewart Percival James was born on 1st March 1919 in Queen Elizabeth Road, Coventry, son of William Ewart Gladstone and Lillian Elizabeth nee Cook and had one brother, Keith born in 1923. Shortly after Ewart’s birth the family moved to Broomfield Road then to Greswold Road, Sparkhill in Birmingham. Ewart attended Moseley Secondary School in Birmingham, and Handsworth Technical College before being apprenticed at Wolseley Motors in Ward End in about 1937. He rose to the rank of Foreman, supervising Airmen who were ‘on hold’ before enlisting into the RAF following the outbreak of World War II in September 1939; he recalls meeting Frank, later Sir Frank, Whittle whilst working at Wolseley. Ewart was a keen Scout and in 1941 joined the newly formed Air Training Corps at 492 (Hall Green) Squadron as a Civilian Instructor, teaching cadets Morse Code and Map Reading. He also became an Air Raid Precaution Warden and was kept busy with numerous air raids on Birmingham, recalling having to dig people out of bombed buildings and carrying his bucket and stirrup pump to many dangerous incidents. In 1942 Ewart applied for a Commission in both the Royal Air Force and Royal Electrical Mechanical Engineers, but the Ministry of Labour deemed his work at Wolseley Motors a reserved occupation and so he was unable to do so, becoming instead a Warrant Officer in the ATC, forming a band of some 30 cadets.
On 26th June 1944, Ewart married Barbara Doris Guttridge who lived in the same street and who he met dancing on Saturday nights at the Hall Green Club. They subsequently lived at 98 Etwall Road in Hall Green and had four children, Carol, Barry, Michael and Susan.
On 26th June 1944, Ewart married Barbara Doris Guttridge who lived in the same street and who he met dancing on Saturday nights at the Hall Green Club. They subsequently lived at 98 Etwall Road in Hall Green and had four children, Carol, Barry, Michael and Susan.
After the war Ewart was awarded the Defence Medal for his service in the ARP and continued with the ATC taking the opportunity to fly in as many aircraft as he could, including a Lancaster Bomber. He moved to 15 Pembroke Croft and worked at Birmingham Small Arms in Redditch as the Assistant Works Manager, Salisbury Axel Company and as a Salesman for Marshall Osborne Bronze Bearings supplying parts to JCB. On 10th July 1953 aged 34, Ewart was Commissioned into the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (Training) Branch as Pilot Officer with serviced number 206038; promoted to Flying Officer on 15th October 1955 and then Acting Flight Lieutenant. He was appointed Commanding Officer 493 (King’s Heath) and later 1048 (Royal Leamington Spa) Squadrons, taking over the latter from Flight Lieutenant Eric Burden MBE. During his time at 1048 he was responsible for setting up the Warwick Detached Flight, later 1368 Squadron and which still exists today. He also joined the Freemasons in 1956, was a member of various Lodges and rising to Very Worshipful Brother. In 1971 he handed over command of 1048 Squadron to Flight Lieutenant Mike Harrison and moved on to Wing Staff where he had responsibility for 10 units within Warwickshire & Birmingham Wing. He attended numerous RAF Stations as Camp Commandant and was involved with the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme assessing cadets to gold level and was invited to a Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace. The Wing also benefited greatly from a piece of land owned by Ewart, Hatton Rock, near Stratford Upon Avon, where many hundreds of cadets and staff enjoyed gaining valuable adventure training experience at the site on the banks of the River Avon. Ewart retired from the RAFVR(T) on 10th July 1977 aged 58 having been awarded the Cadet Forces Medal and first clasp. He continued his service with the Wing serving on the Wing Civilian Welfare Committee with Eric Burden who had been appointed Chairman. The same year Barbara was involved in a car accident from which she never fully recovered and sadly died two years later in 1979 aged just 55. During the second quarter of 1983 Ewart re-married to Gill, a State Registered Nurse, in Stratford Upon Avon. Gill was herself later Commissioned into the RAFVR(T) and appointed Flight Lieutenant and Commanding Officer of 496 (Balsall Common) Squadron. Ewart maintined his links with the ATC for many years sitting on the Committee of 1368 Squadron and attending numerous annual Wing Dinners. He continued his service with the Freemasons and at the meeting of Silhill Lodge on 27th March 2014 celebrated his 95th Birthday. He was presented with a bottle of Graham’s Vintage Port and a birthday cake, which was eagerly consumed by the brethren present. Ewart still lives with Gill at Claverdon and has 11 Grand Children and 9 Great Grandchildren.
The Story A short but amazing story, and one that is the complete antithesis of usual medal research. Many years ago back in 1971, my Father, Mike Harrison who was an Officer in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (Training Branch) and attached to the Air Training Corps was appointed as Commanding Officer 1048 (Royal Leamington Spa) Squadron, where he had served as a cadet and officer. One of his earlier Commanding Officers had been Eric Burden, followed by Ewart James. Upon my father’s appointment in 1971 the local press took a photograph to mark the occasion which showed Eric, who was by then the unit’s Wing Staff Officer, shaking hands with my father whilst Ewart James looked on. The photograph was such an iconic one and a good clear picture of all three officers that I had it framed and put on the wall in my study. The picture of Ewart & Eric was particularly good as it showed their medal ribbons on their tunics very clearly. There they sat looking down at me 21 years; until purely by chance a set of medals appeared on e-bay during December 2010 and upon closer examination it was found they were Eric’s! These of course had to be acquired and were bid on and won on 12th December. Four years later in December 2014 a meeting was arranged between Ewart James, aged 95 and Mike Harrison, aged 80 and Eric's Medals, the closest thing to a full re-union of 'The Three CO's'. Ewart kindly provided a biography which has been supplemented by Ancestry.UK and the London Gazette and allowed his medals to be borrowed and photographed. A simply incredible story, and after 43 years the three men and their medals are re-united.
The Three CO's Medals Mike Harrison, Ewart James & Eric Buden
Medal Details:
- Defence Medal 1939-45: Unnamed as issued,
- Cadet Forces Medal: ACT. FLT.LT E.JAMES. R.A.F.V.R.T.(T)
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This page last updated 28 Oct 16