He served around the world with the RAF.
But 94-year-old Frank Smith, of Almondbury, has always had special memories of his first operational posting in Yorkshire.
He was based at Linton on Ouse, near York, serving as a signaller in flight operations from 1940.
And when Frank returned to the base more than 75 years later he was able to relive old memories after being given a surprise tour.
On leaving the RAF, Frank was a founder member of the Huddersfield Branch of the Royal Air Forces Association.
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In that role, he was recently invited to accompany two RAFA colleagues to a welfare meeting at Linton on Ouse.
But unknown to him, a special surprise had been lined up.
Arrangements had been made behind the scenes for him to meet the base’s commanding officer during the visit.
And Group Captain Ian Laing did not only make time to meet Frank.
He also chauffeured him on an extended tour of the base, which is now home to the RAF’s No 1 Flying Training School.
Frank was able to show him the actual position from which he operated his Very Light during the war. It was a coloured flare fired from a special pistol for signalling at night, and is named after Edward W. Very (1852–1910), a US naval ordnance officer.
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He was also able to take a tour of the present-day control tower and radar operations room.
The tour brought back many memories for Frank, who recalled flashing his red or green Very Light at the base’s Whitley bomber pilots to tell them to land, take off or abort, whilst keeping a watchful eye out for enemy fighters.
