Original Hurricane Pilot Log Book + Cigarette Case - 20 Squadron

This is the log book and cigarette case which belonged to Roger George Cobley who flew Hurricanes with No. 20 Squadron during the Second World War. 

Roger joined the Territorial Army in 1938 and was a member of the Honourable Artillery company at the beginning of the war. He was posted to the North of England in late 1940 and was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant. In early 1941 he saw a poster asking for recruits to join the RAF and train as pilots so he decided to apply. He was accepted and sent on for training. He was posted to 151 O.T.U and flew Tiger Moths before his training progressed into Harvard and Hurricane types. By early 1943 he was posted to No. 20 Squadron in the Far East where he flew Hurricane MK IID's which were equipped with 40mm underwing cannons designed specifically for destroying tanks and armoured vehicles. He spent the rest of 1943 and all of 1944 with the squadron before being sent home in January 1945. For a period he was O/C of B flight and flew a large number of sorties. 

The Imperial War Museum has a one and a half hour long intervew with Roger which can be heard here - https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/80018210

What is really fantastic about this interview is that it ties in with events in the log book on numerous occassions and gives reading the enteries much more detail and colour, along with a great understanding of who Roger was and what he was like.

The book itself is in reasonable condition for its age with various signs of use etc. It appears to be complete and all the pages and there is no serious damage. 

The cigarette case which accompanies the log book is a silver example which is typical of the period. It features the hallmark for 1940 and the makers' mark 'T. W. L' which denotes Thomas William Lack as the maker. There is an inscription inside the case from Roger's wife which reads 'My darling Roger from Ailsa Christmas 1941'. He undoubtedly carried this with him throughout the rest of the war. 

A great original logbook to a pilot who flew many sorties in the Far East.