Sykes, Stephen Joseph (Flight Lieutenant, b.1920 - d.1957)

Collection relating to the Second World War service of 422751 Flight Lieutenant Stephen Joseph Sykes, 455 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force, Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, 1942-1957.

Wallet 1 of 2 – Consists of one flying log book of Flight Lieutenant Sykes, containing entries dated between 22 September 1942 and 13 January 1957. It covers the period of his flying training in Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom, service with 455 Squadron, based in the United Kingdom, and flight instruction at Goulburn Aero Club, New South Wales. The entries record details such as dates and times of flights, aircraft types and numbers, crewmembers, and purposes of flights. Some of the recorded purposes of flights include elementary flying training, service flying training, advanced flying training, operational training, operational flights targeting enemy shipping in the North Sea, submarine patrols, reconnaissance flights, gunnery training, formation flights, and instructional flights. The log book also contains training notes and certificates for courses completed by Flight Lieutenant Sykes.

Wallet 2 of 2 – Consists of operations diary of Flight Lieutenant Sykes and transcript of operations diary. The diary contains entries dated between 1 June 1944 and 4 April 1945. In his operations diary, Flight Lieutenant Sykes writes about his first operation, being on standby at all hours of the day and night, being targeted by heavy anti-aircraft fire, bombing enemy shipping, flying in complete darkness, participating in armed reconnaissance operations over the coast of the Netherlands, being hit by enemy artillery several times, attending a friend’s funeral, participating in bombing operations in Norway, an operation in which Flight Lieutenant flew so low that the mast of an enemy ship pierced the nose of his Beaufighter, safely landing damaged aircraft on several occasions, flying on many uneventful patrols, colliding with another aircraft in bad weather, completing a gunnery course in Yorkshire, and flying through Norwegian fiords. Flight Lieutenant Sykes concludes his diary with an account of his last flight in operational service, in which his cockpit was blown open by artillery, his left arm badly broken, and he flew home and made a successful landing with the aid of his navigator.

Flight Lieutenant Steven Joseph Sykes enlisted to the Royal Australian Air Force on 23 May 1942. He trained as a pilot in Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom under the Empire Air Training Scheme, and went on to serve with 455 Squadron, based in the United Kingdom. With 455 Squadron, Flight Lieutenant Sykes participated in anti-shipping operations in the Netherlands, France, Germany, and Norway. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in October 1944 for his courageous participation in an attack on shipping at Den Helder, Netherlands, in September 1944. On 4 April 1945, Flight Lieutenant Sykes was leading his squadron in an operation in a Norwegian fiord when a shell burst on front of his aircraft, blowing open his cockpit. He sustained many injuries, including a badly broken arm. However, with the aid of his navigator, he flew to the Shetland Islands and made a safe landing. For this action, Flight Lieutenant Sykes received the Distinguished Service Order. He was discharged on 25 February 1946.