He received a commission as a Pilot Officer, only to have it rescinded after he was caught low flying a Harvard trainer under the local Ottawa/Hull Bridge.

On 28 August, the squadron transferred to RAF Westhampnett, Sussex as part of the Tangmere Wing, taking delivery of the new Spitfire Mk Vb.

Four days later, on a sweep over Gosnay, near the Pas de Calais, 129 Squadron ran into a large group of enemy fighters.

Jimmy described the engagements in a letter to his family: I was on a sweep leading green section when I saw a ME 109F about to attack my number two.

The pilot of the damaged Spitfire said he thought I was an angel from heaven when he saw me coming to help him.On 20 October, the squadron made a strike on Le Havre and Dieppe and ran into heavy anti-aircraft fire from German flak ships.

He continued to shoot at the flak ship with cannon and machine gun fire until it was put out of action.

On 3 January 1942 Whalen was on his way to India and at Port Sudan he started familiarisation flying on the Hurricane and Kittyhawk.

On 27 February the squadron was embarked onto the aircraft carrier HMS Indomitable headed for Colombo, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka).

On 6 March 1942, the squadron took off from the aircraft carrier for their new base at RAF Ratmalana assigned to defend the large Royal Navy fleet stationed at Colombo.

By the end of the action 27 RAF and FAA (Navy) aircraft had been lost in the battle, with 17 airmen killed and 11 injured.

From there they made sorties against the Japanese in Burma, strafing targets of opportunity, particularly sampans transporting troops and supplies along the rivers.

34 Squadron RAF based at Madras flying the Hawker Hurricane IIc, converted to hold two 250 lb bombs.

To the north, Kohima was attacked by the Japanese 31st Division, defended by a mere 3000 strong Allied force.

The squadron flew intensive multiple bombing and strafing missions daily throughout the two-week battle, running a gauntlet of small arms and light anti-aircraft fire in the process.

On 18 April 1944 Whalen was leading a flight of the squadron's Hurricanes against Japanese troops at the rifle range at Kohima.

We carried out two more attacks that day and on both occasions we looked for his plane but there was nothing to be seen in the dense jungle.Flight Lieutenant Whalen was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross backdated to 17 April 1944.