Tony Palmer was an HO who was originally commissinncd as a Lieutenant in the 1st Bn. 101 RM Bde under Brigadier St. Claire Morford. In 1942 he transferred to the FAA and subsequently flew in 808 Squadron from HMS Battler whose Cdr (F) was Major Dick Burch.
The first operation was an escort of convoys to Gibraltar and return between 4 June 1943 and 30 June 1943 during which his squadron shot down a FW Condor on 24 June 1943.
The next assignment was with Force V for Operation Avalanche covering the Salerno landings 9-12 September 1943. Palmer then changed squadron to 897 Squadron equipped with Spitfire LVB and completed special training with the squadron in spotting and army co-operation. The squadron was part of No.3 Naval fighter Wing under Lieutenant Commander"Buster" Hallett. The Wing was under the Second Tactical Air Force and operated from Lee-on-Solent from "D" Day, 6 June 1944 until mid-July and in this period flew 1230 combat sorties. Fourteen airaft were lost from all causes and casualties were four pilots killed, two missing and one POW.
The airfield handled other units as well and in fact handled 2223 operational sorties in the 25 days with only one minor landing accident recorded.
Palmer next qualified as Air Liaison Officer in June 1944 and as Bombardment Spotting Officer, within the staff of Admiral Vian at Trincomalee 1944. He then became ALO and Training Officer and 2 i/c No.1 NOTU Madras.
He returned to civilian life in 1946 in the motor trade and is an enthusiasic aero-modeller.
