This contribution to Historycal Roots is written by Audrey Dewjee, who has been researching British Black and Asian history for the last 45 years.
It is not generally well-known that men from Africa and the Caribbean volunteered to serve in the RAF in World War 2. About 5,500 served as ground crew and over 500 more flew in bomber and fighter aircraft. A new movie features some of the men who risked their lives to help Britain beat the Nazi regime. Hero: Inspired by the Extraordinary Life & Times of Ulric Cross, directed by Frances-Anne Solomon, is a must-see film with an important message for people of today.[1]
Every film needs a ‘bad guy’ to enhance the narrative. In Hero this role is assigned to “James Macfarlane,” a fictional character given the nickname “Pony”. It is unfortunate that this purely fictional character is portrayed in the film as being the warden of the West Indian Students Centre and is known to all by the nickname “Pony”. I worry that some filmgoers may not realise that James Macfarlane is a fictional character – especially as all the other main characters in the film are real historical personalities – and that this may result in confusion between the fictional character (a ‘baddy’) and the admirable real historical person nicknamed “Pony,” who ran the Centre from 1954 until its closure in 1978.
Who was Pony Hynam?
Some time in the late 1970s, I went with a friend called Audrey Elcombe to interview an ex-RAF Pilot Officer. Audrey was doing research for a book she was writing about Black aircrew in the Second World War.[2] I didn’t make any notes at this meeting but, on hearing his story, I felt very privileged to meet Winston Kitchener Hynam. I have taken the following information about him from various websites, principally from http://www.caribbeanaircrew-ww2.com – the website founded by ex-Flight Lieutenant Cy Grant. More pictures and 32 of Pony’s log books are available to view at http://www.caribbeanaircrew-ww2.com/index.php?s=hynam&Submit=Search
Winston Kitchener Hynam, known to everyone as “Pony”, was born in Bridgetown, Barbados in 1917. When World War 2 began, he enlisted in the RAF to help fight Nazi tyranny. He started his career as a Sergeant in 103 Squadron where he served as a Front Gunner and a Wireless Operator on Wellington bombers, and later as an Air Bomber on Halifaxes. David Fell comments “He was awarded a well deserved DFM (Distinguished Flying Medal) for his excellent work in three separate aircrew trades during the same tour which must be unusual if not rare.”[3] Being a front gunner was especially dangerous as he would be a prime target for attacking enemy fighters.
Once, when he was flying as Front Gunner on a bombing raid to Paris, the Wellington he was in was hit by flak at 2,000 feet. The plane’s intercom and hydraulics systems stopped working and the crew knew that the pilot would have to make a crash-landing back at base. Throughout the return trip ‘Sergeant Hynam remained outstandingly cool and alert…setting a fine example [to the rest of the crew].’
His Wing Commander, in recommending Pony for his DFM, wrote the following about him:
‘Sergeant Hynam has taken part in 30 operational sorties of which 9 have been as 1st Wireless Operator, 15 as Front Gunner, and 6 as Bombardier.
In each capacity he has proved himself to be extremely competent and reliable. During these trips he has crashed twice and been hit in the back by shrapnel once. Despite these setbacks he has maintained a high standard of morale in himself which has set a fine example to the rest of the Squadron.
In concentrated flak, in bad weather and dangerous situations, he has at all times displayed outstanding coolness and complete disregard for danger, which, coupled with his accuracy at shooting has inspired the greatest confidence in his numerous captains….
Since becoming a Bombardier in a Halifax aircraft, this N.C.O. has shown the greatest enthusiasm and aptitude for his new task, which has largely been responsible for the excellent bombing and photography of the target area that his crew have obtained.‘
Having survived his first tour of 30 operations, Pony was (like all air crew) entitled to step down from further active service and he went on to spend some time as an instructor. However, he then volunteered to return to active duty and was commissioned as a Pilot Officer as a member of 100 Squadron. While flying with this squadron, he received a second award for bravery, this time the DFC (Distinguished Flying Cross). He was the only West Indian to hold both medals.
On the night of 17-18 August 1943, whilst flying with 100 Squadron, Pony took part in the famous Peenemunde raid. This was one of the biggest and most dangerous bombing raids ever carried out by the RAF. The target was the launch site and testing ground of V2 rockets then being developed by the Nazis, which in 1944 would start raining down on London with devastating consequences. British intelligence had discovered the site’s importance and the raid was carried out by moonlight (something which was always avoided because of the added risk to planes and crew) in order to assist with accuracy. The bombing resulted in a delay in the development of these weapons and the removal of the test facility further into German territory. The air crew casualty rate on this raid alone was enormous, and Pony was extremely fortunate to be alive at the end of the War, after taking part in a total of 50 bombing missions during his RAF career.
From 1954 to 1978 Pony Hynam was the Warden of the West Indian Students Centre at 1 Collingham Gardens, Earls Court, living in a flat on the top floor with his wife Doris, known as “Molly”. [I think that their flat is probably where our interview took place.] Under his able management, the Centre provided a very important meeting place for Caribbean and African people. Politicians from the West Indies came to speak at the Centre and influential organisations such as the West Indian Standing Conference and the Caribbean Artists Movement held their meetings under its roof.
Pony Hynam died in 1991, leaving his wife (who died in 2008)
and two daughters.
Footnotes
[1] Squadron Leader Ulric Cross DSO DFC was the most senior ranking West Indian officer in the RAF in WW2. After the war he studied law and then had a career as an esteemed Judge in West and East Africa and in his homeland, Trinidad. From 1970 to 1973 he was Trinidadian High Commissioner here in Britain combining the post with Ambassador to Germany and France. He died on 4 October 2013, aged 96.
[2] Unfortunately Audrey Elcombe died before she found a publisher and her manuscript disappeared.
[3] David Fell (webmaster), https://www.northlincsweb.net/103Sqn/html/john_kennard_and_crew_103_sqn.html [accessed 09/10/2019]