Eject! Eject! Eject! And out you go! Gulf War navigator recalls bailing out of burning aircraft

A former Royal Air Force navigator has recalled the moment he ejected out of a burning aircraft while flying a mission over Iraq during the Gulf War.

On 24 January 1991, Squadron Leader (Ret'd) Bob Ankerson’s Tornado GR1 sustained damage, causing a wing to catch fire over enemy territory in the early phase of the war.

After ejecting and parachuting to safety, Sqn Ldr Ankerson and his pilot Simon Burgess were captured and taken prisoner of war.

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"There was an explosion," Sqn Ldr Ankerson told Forces News.

“The left wing was burning. From that time it was obvious we weren’t going home that morning.

“But the training took over. We went through our checklist. We went through the common-sense things that we needed to do, and the pilot said to me 'I’m losing control' And so we had no other option.

"It was 'Eject! Eject! Eject!' and on the third one, pull the handle and out you go."

The two men parachuted safely, although they landed deep inside enemy territory.

It was the start of an ordeal that would last 40 days.

"It was pretty much all in solitary confinement. Poor food. But I count my blessings nonetheless," said Sqn Ldr Ankerson.

"I came home. There were friends who were killed."

The specifics of Sqn Ldr Ankerson’s ejection that day meant he became a member of a very exclusive organisation known as the Caterpillar Club.

It means, among other things, that he is permitted to wear a special badge and an extremely rare wristwatch.

Talking about his membership to the ultra-exclusive club, he said: "Anyone who's abandoned an aircraft in an emergency and used a parachute can join the Caterpillar Club.

"It’s a direct link to the Second World War aircrew who were shot down and jumped out of their aircraft.

"Obviously, if you crash-landed, you didn’t qualify for the caterpillar. You have to have hung under silk."

At the time of becoming a prisoner of war, Sqn Ldr Ankerson was serving in 17 Squadron.

The damage sustained to his Tornado that day was caused by its own munitions.

A faulty fuse on a 1,000lb bomb dropped from his own aircraft caused the weapon to detonate early, fragments from which cut vital fuel lines on the jet.

It caused a fire and the subsequent decision to bail out of the aircraft.

Sqn Ldr Ankerson remained in the Royal Air Force until 2008. His colleague Simon Burgess was sadly killed in a training accident at RAF Valley in 1996.

Today, Sqn Ldr Ankerson is president of the Royal Air Forces Ex-Prisoners of War Association.

The association draws its membership from across the air forces of the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and other allied nations.

As well as supporting members from more recent conflicts, Sqn Ldr Ankerson is keen to point out there hasn’t been a new member enrolled to the association since 1991.

The group also looks after those who were held captive during the Second World War, and the surviving families of those who have passed.

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