Christopher Draper
Encyclopedia
Squadron Commander Christoper Draper, DSC
Croix de guerre
(15 April 1892 – 16 January 1979), was an English
flying ace
of World War I. His penchant for flying under bridges earned him the nickname "the Mad Major." After the war he became a film star
through his work both as a stunt pilot and as an actor. During the 1930s he worked for a time as a British secret agent
, serving as a double agent to Nazi Germany
. He returned to the Navy in World War II. During his flying career he logged over 17,000 flying hours on 73 types of aircraft.
, Merseyside
, (then Cheshire
) England
in 1892, into a family of five sons and two daughters. He became interested in flying in July 1909 when Louis Blériot
flew across the English Channel. Unable to afford the GBP 75 fee for pilot training, Draper wrote to his local MP, Sir Joseph Hoult, who was an acquaintance of his father. Hoult provided Draper with GBP 210 after making him promise not to tell anyone about the gift. On 6 October 1913, with a total of 3 hours 15 minutes of flying experience, he obtained Royal Aero Club
Aviator's Certificate #646.
While trying to find a job flying, he learned from a cousin in the service that the Royal Navy
was offering short service commissions to pilots with an Aviator's Certificate. After passing the medical Draper joined the Royal Naval Air Service
in January 1914 and was commissioned as a probationary sub-Lieutenant
, RNR
.
From January to April 1914 he attended the fifth course at the Central Flying School
. Also on the course were Hugh Dowding
and Wilfrid Freeman
while the instructors included John Tremayne Babington and John Salmond
- all of whom were later Air Marshal
s. After passing his course, Draper was assigned to the Royal Naval Air Station at Eastchurch
under the command of Commander Charles Rumney Samson
. On 20 July he was one of nine pilots who flew in the Naval Review at Spithead
, the first review to include aircraft.
Spending the initial war years on Home defence in Newcastle and Scotland, Draper initiated his liking for dare-devil exploits by flying a seaplane under one of the spans of the Firth of Tay
bridge near Dundee. While based at Dundee, Draper was ordered to land an aeroplane on the green at St. Andrews golf course
. He stopped right in front of the clubhouse.
, Draper flew the aircraft under the foot-bridge which ran around the racing track behind the Sopwith hangars at Brooklands
. While flying the Sopwith 1½ Strutter
with 3 Naval Wing he scored his first four victories while carrying out some of the first strategic bombing missions against German industrial targets. In 1917 he flew with 6 Naval Squadron on Nieuports, claiming two victories.
On 6 June 1917 his aircraft was shot up in combat with Jasta 5, before Draper slightly wounded prominent German ace Lt. Werner Voss
(with 34 victories at the time), and forced him to land his Albatros D.III. After a heated argument with his Commanding Officer, Draper was transferred back to England soon after.
In the autumn of 1917 he returned to combat with 8 Naval Squadron, with which he scored three more victories. In October 1917 Draper became commanding officer of 8 Naval Squadron. Like most RNAS and RFC Squadrons by now, it was a multi-national unit, manned by English, Australians (including the leading Australian ace Robert A. Little
), Canadians, and at least one American. By the time the war ended, this Squadron would boast 25 aces.
During the German offensive of Spring 1918 the enemy’s initial success was such that Draper was forced to order the burning of 16 of Naval 8’s own aircraft to prevent them being captured on the ground by the advancing German army.
when the RNAS and the Royal Flying Corps
merged to become the Royal Air Force
. Draper was notorious for refusing to wear the new, blue RAF uniforms, preferring his Naval blacks.
On 13 October 1918, he was wounded by anti-aircraft
fire.
One morning while flying towards the front lines Draper accidentally flew under a bridge while in full view of a large body of troops. The troops cheered so heartily that Draper repeated the stunt wherever possible. This earned him his nickname The Mad Major. (In its early days the RAF used Army
ranks.)
For his service in the war he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross
and the French Croix de guerre
.
Company's F.K.26. This was the first plane specifically designed to carry passengers.
Draper was lucky to survive a crash on 23 March 1920 test flying the BAT Bantam at Hendon
. When the company folded Draper sought an interview with Air Marshal Hugh Trenchard
and was granted a commission in the RAF. Posted to the Central Flying School
he led the RAF aerobatic team in the 1921 Air Pageant.
Leaving the RAF in 1921, he continued to fly as a stunt pilot at air shows and in motion pictures.
In 1930, out of work and penniless, he decided to raise sublicity both for himself and as a protest over the government's treatment of war veterans. Borrowing a Puss Moth
biplane, he set out to fly under all 14 of London's bridges over the River Thames
. Due to bad weather on the day he only managed to fly under two of the bridges. This was captured on film and brought "The Mad Major" the desired degree of fame.
Draper's work as a stunt pilot in films eventually led him into acting. Standing six feet two inches tall, with a robust frame and a classic profile, he was photogenic. He starred in many theatrical productions and several films as "George Mannering". He played a pilot in 1935's King of the Damned
.
. Aces from many nations participated. In addition to meeting various German aces (he became firm friends with the German ace Major Eduard Ritter von Schleich
.) He was also introduced to Chancellor Adolf Hitler
.
As a result of this meeting and of Draper's longstanding criticism of the British Government's treatment of veterans, he was listed by the Nazi
Party as a potential sympathizer. After his return to England he was contacted and asked to spy for the Germans. He agreed and then immediately contacted MI6
. They decided to use him as a double agent
to feed false information to the Nazis. This situation continued for about four years until the Germans stopped answering Draper's communications.
and was posted to Ford
as assistant armament officer before going to Trinidad. In World War II
, although 47 years of age, he became a Lieutenant Commander with postings in Scotland and Ghana in 1943, before commanding No. 777 Squadron at Freetown
, flying anti-submarine duties in Supermarine Walrus
, Boulton Paul Defiant
and Fairey Swordfish
aircraft.
After the war Draper once more drifted into a variety of activities including acting and store-keeping. By the fifties he was once again upset at the government's treatment of veterans. On 5 May 1953, he again repeated his earlier protest by flying under the Thames bridges. This time he flew a rented, 100 h.p. Auster monoplane under 15 of the 18 bridges. It was a spectacular stunt; the bridge arches were only 40 to 50 feet high; Draper was flying 90 mph and dodged around a ship. According to news accounts, he pulled off his stunt as a means of seeking attention and soliciting job offers. He was arrested, charged with flying too low in an urban area, and assessed a nominal ten guineas
court costs.
"I did it for the publicity," Draper told the press; "For 14 months I have been out of a job, and I'm broke. I wanted to prove that I am still fit, useful and worth employing......They tell me I can be jailed, possibly for six months.....It was my last-ever flight- I meant it as a spectacular swansong."
However, he retained his pilot's license for another eleven years; it was revoked in 1964.
His memoirs The Mad Major were published by Aero Publishers in 1962.
Draper died in Camden
, London in 1979.
Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Service Cross is the third level military decoration awarded to officers, and other ranks, of the British Armed Forces, Royal Fleet Auxiliary and British Merchant Navy and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries.The DSC, which may be awarded posthumously, is...
Croix de guerre
Croix de guerre
The Croix de guerre is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was awarded during World War I, again in World War II, and in other conflicts...
(15 April 1892 – 16 January 1979), was an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
flying ace
Flying ace
A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...
of World War I. His penchant for flying under bridges earned him the nickname "the Mad Major." After the war he became a film star
Movie star
A movie star is a celebrity who is well-known, or famous, for his or her starring, or leading, roles in motion pictures. The term may also apply to an actor or actress who is recognized as a marketable commodity and whose name is used to promote a movie in trailers and posters...
through his work both as a stunt pilot and as an actor. During the 1930s he worked for a time as a British secret agent
Espionage
Espionage or spying involves an individual obtaining information that is considered secret or confidential without the permission of the holder of the information. Espionage is inherently clandestine, lest the legitimate holder of the information change plans or take other countermeasures once it...
, serving as a double agent to Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
. He returned to the Navy in World War II. During his flying career he logged over 17,000 flying hours on 73 types of aircraft.
Early life
Christopher Draper was born at BebingtonBebington
Bebington is a small town and electoral ward within the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral, in Merseyside, England. It lies south of Liverpool and west southwest of Manchester, along the River Mersey on the eastern side of the Wirral Peninsula...
, Merseyside
Merseyside
Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. It encompasses the metropolitan area centred on both banks of the lower reaches of the Mersey Estuary, and comprises five metropolitan boroughs: Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral, and the city of Liverpool...
, (then Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
) England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in 1892, into a family of five sons and two daughters. He became interested in flying in July 1909 when Louis Blériot
Louis Blériot
Louis Charles Joseph Blériot was a French aviator, inventor and engineer. In 1909 he completed the first flight across a large body of water in a heavier-than-air craft, when he crossed the English Channel. For this achievement, he received a prize of £1,000...
flew across the English Channel. Unable to afford the GBP 75 fee for pilot training, Draper wrote to his local MP, Sir Joseph Hoult, who was an acquaintance of his father. Hoult provided Draper with GBP 210 after making him promise not to tell anyone about the gift. On 6 October 1913, with a total of 3 hours 15 minutes of flying experience, he obtained Royal Aero Club
Royal Aero Club
The Royal Aero Club is the national co-ordinating body for Air Sport in the United Kingdom.The Aero Club was founded in 1901 by Frank Hedges Butler, his daughter Vera and the Hon Charles Rolls , partly inspired by the Aero Club of France...
Aviator's Certificate #646.
While trying to find a job flying, he learned from a cousin in the service that the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
was offering short service commissions to pilots with an Aviator's Certificate. After passing the medical Draper joined the Royal Naval Air Service
Royal Naval Air Service
The Royal Naval Air Service or RNAS was the air arm of the Royal Navy until near the end of the First World War, when it merged with the British Army's Royal Flying Corps to form a new service , the Royal Air Force...
in January 1914 and was commissioned as a probationary sub-Lieutenant
Sub-Lieutenant
Sub-lieutenant is a military rank. It is normally a junior officer rank.In many navies, a sub-lieutenant is a naval commissioned or subordinate officer, ranking below a lieutenant. In the Royal Navy the rank of sub-lieutenant is equivalent to the rank of lieutenant in the British Army and of...
, RNR
Royal Naval Reserve
The Royal Naval Reserve is the volunteer reserve force of the Royal Navy in the United Kingdom. The present Royal Naval Reserve was formed in 1958 by merging the original Royal Naval Reserve and the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve , a reserve of civilian volunteers founded in 1903...
.
From January to April 1914 he attended the fifth course at the Central Flying School
Central Flying School
The Central Flying School is the Royal Air Force's primary institution for the training of military flying instructors. Established in 1912 it is the longest existing flying training school.-History:...
. Also on the course were Hugh Dowding
Hugh Dowding, 1st Baron Dowding
Air Chief Marshal Hugh Caswall Tremenheere Dowding, 1st Baron Dowding GCB, GCVO, CMG was a British officer in the Royal Air Force...
and Wilfrid Freeman
Wilfrid Freeman
Air Chief Marshal Sir Wilfrid Rhodes Freeman, 1st Baronet, GCB, DSO, MC, RAF was one of the most important influences on the rearmament of the Royal Air Force in the years up to and including the Second World War....
while the instructors included John Tremayne Babington and John Salmond
John Salmond
Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir John Maitland Salmond, GCB, CMG, CVO, DSO and Bar was a British military officer who rose to high rank in the Royal Flying Corps during World War I...
- all of whom were later Air Marshal
Air Marshal
Air marshal is a three-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
s. After passing his course, Draper was assigned to the Royal Naval Air Station at Eastchurch
Eastchurch
Eastchurch is a village on the Isle of Sheppey, in the English county of Kent, two miles east of Minster.The village website claims "... it has a history steeped in stories of piracy and smugglers".- Aviation history :...
under the command of Commander Charles Rumney Samson
Charles Rumney Samson
Air Commodore Charles Rumney Samson CMG, DSO & Bar, AFC was a British naval aviation pioneer. He also operated the first British armoured vehicles in combat...
. On 20 July he was one of nine pilots who flew in the Naval Review at Spithead
Spithead
Spithead is an area of the Solent and a roadstead off Gilkicker Point in Hampshire, England. It is protected from all winds, except those from the southeast...
, the first review to include aircraft.
Spending the initial war years on Home defence in Newcastle and Scotland, Draper initiated his liking for dare-devil exploits by flying a seaplane under one of the spans of the Firth of Tay
Firth of Tay
The Firth of Tay is a firth in Scotland between the council areas of Fife, Perth and Kinross, the City of Dundee and Angus, into which Scotland's largest river in terms of flow, the River Tay, empties....
bridge near Dundee. While based at Dundee, Draper was ordered to land an aeroplane on the green at St. Andrews golf course
Old Course at St Andrews
The Old Course at St Andrews is the oldest golf course in the world. The Old Course is a public course over common land in St Andrews, Fife, Scotland and is held in trust by The St Andrews Links Trust under an act of Parliament...
. He stopped right in front of the clubhouse.
Royal Naval Air Service
In mid-1916 he was posted to 3 Naval Wing, who were preparing to go to France. While collecting his new Sopwith 1½ StrutterSopwith 1½ Strutter
The Sopwith 1½ Strutter was a British one or two-seat biplane multi-role aircraft of the First World War. It is significant as the first British-designed two seater tractor fighter, and the first British aircraft to enter service with a synchronised machine gun...
, Draper flew the aircraft under the foot-bridge which ran around the racing track behind the Sopwith hangars at Brooklands
Brooklands
Brooklands was a motor racing circuit and aerodrome built near Weybridge in Surrey, England. It opened in 1907, and was the world's first purpose-built motorsport venue, as well as one of Britain's first airfields...
. While flying the Sopwith 1½ Strutter
Sopwith 1½ Strutter
The Sopwith 1½ Strutter was a British one or two-seat biplane multi-role aircraft of the First World War. It is significant as the first British-designed two seater tractor fighter, and the first British aircraft to enter service with a synchronised machine gun...
with 3 Naval Wing he scored his first four victories while carrying out some of the first strategic bombing missions against German industrial targets. In 1917 he flew with 6 Naval Squadron on Nieuports, claiming two victories.
On 6 June 1917 his aircraft was shot up in combat with Jasta 5, before Draper slightly wounded prominent German ace Lt. Werner Voss
Werner Voss
Werner Voss was a World War I German flying ace, a friend and rival of the famous Red Baron, Manfred von Richthofen....
(with 34 victories at the time), and forced him to land his Albatros D.III. After a heated argument with his Commanding Officer, Draper was transferred back to England soon after.
In the autumn of 1917 he returned to combat with 8 Naval Squadron, with which he scored three more victories. In October 1917 Draper became commanding officer of 8 Naval Squadron. Like most RNAS and RFC Squadrons by now, it was a multi-national unit, manned by English, Australians (including the leading Australian ace Robert A. Little
Robert A. Little
Robert Alexander Little DSO & Bar, DSC & Bar is officially regarded as the most successful Australian flying ace of World War I, with a total of forty-seven aerial victories. Born in Victoria, he travelled to England in 1915 and learnt to fly at his own expense before joining the Royal Naval Air...
), Canadians, and at least one American. By the time the war ended, this Squadron would boast 25 aces.
During the German offensive of Spring 1918 the enemy’s initial success was such that Draper was forced to order the burning of 16 of Naval 8’s own aircraft to prevent them being captured on the ground by the advancing German army.
Royal Air Force
On 1 April 1918, 8 Naval Squadron became No. 208 Squadron RAFNo. 208 Squadron RAF
No 208 Squadron is at present a reserve unit of the Royal Air Force based at RAF Valley, Anglesey, Wales. It operates the BAe Hawk aircraft.-World War I:...
when the RNAS and the Royal Flying Corps
Royal Flying Corps
The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
merged to become the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
. Draper was notorious for refusing to wear the new, blue RAF uniforms, preferring his Naval blacks.
On 13 October 1918, he was wounded by anti-aircraft
Anti-aircraft warfare
NATO defines air defence as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action." They include ground and air based weapon systems, associated sensor systems, command and control arrangements and passive measures. It may be to protect naval, ground and air forces...
fire.
One morning while flying towards the front lines Draper accidentally flew under a bridge while in full view of a large body of troops. The troops cheered so heartily that Draper repeated the stunt wherever possible. This earned him his nickname The Mad Major. (In its early days the RAF used Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
ranks.)
For his service in the war he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross
Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Service Cross is the third level military decoration awarded to officers, and other ranks, of the British Armed Forces, Royal Fleet Auxiliary and British Merchant Navy and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries.The DSC, which may be awarded posthumously, is...
and the French Croix de guerre
Croix de guerre
The Croix de guerre is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was awarded during World War I, again in World War II, and in other conflicts...
.
Stunt and film flying
After the war, Draper left the RAF and became a secondhand car salesman. When this venture failed he returned to flying, and in April 1919 he was the Chief test pilot for B.A.T., piloting the first flight of the British Aerial TransportBritish Aerial Transport
British Aerial Transport Company Limited was a British aircraft manufacturer from its formation in 1917 to its closure in 1919. The company was based at Willesden, London.-History:...
Company's F.K.26. This was the first plane specifically designed to carry passengers.
Draper was lucky to survive a crash on 23 March 1920 test flying the BAT Bantam at Hendon
Hendon
Hendon is a London suburb situated northwest of Charing Cross.-History:Hendon was historically a civil parish in the county of Middlesex. The manor is described in Domesday , but the name, 'Hendun' meaning 'at the highest hill', is earlier...
. When the company folded Draper sought an interview with Air Marshal Hugh Trenchard
Hugh Trenchard, 1st Viscount Trenchard
Marshal of the Royal Air Force Hugh Montague Trenchard, 1st Viscount Trenchard GCB OM GCVO DSO was a British officer who was instrumental in establishing the Royal Air Force...
and was granted a commission in the RAF. Posted to the Central Flying School
Central Flying School
The Central Flying School is the Royal Air Force's primary institution for the training of military flying instructors. Established in 1912 it is the longest existing flying training school.-History:...
he led the RAF aerobatic team in the 1921 Air Pageant.
Leaving the RAF in 1921, he continued to fly as a stunt pilot at air shows and in motion pictures.
In 1930, out of work and penniless, he decided to raise sublicity both for himself and as a protest over the government's treatment of war veterans. Borrowing a Puss Moth
De Havilland Puss Moth
|-See also:-References:* Jackson, A.J. British Civil Aircraft since 1919 . London, Putnam, 1974. ISBN 0-370-10010-7-External links:*...
biplane, he set out to fly under all 14 of London's bridges over the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
. Due to bad weather on the day he only managed to fly under two of the bridges. This was captured on film and brought "The Mad Major" the desired degree of fame.
Draper's work as a stunt pilot in films eventually led him into acting. Standing six feet two inches tall, with a robust frame and a classic profile, he was photogenic. He starred in many theatrical productions and several films as "George Mannering". He played a pilot in 1935's King of the Damned
King of the Damned
King of the Damned is a 1935 British action film directed by Walter Forde and starring Conrad Veidt, Helen Vinson, Noah Beery and Cecil Ramage. Convict 83 is a prisoner on an island, where the harsh regime of the Governor pushes him to lead a revolt...
.
Espionage work
In 1932 Draper was invited to participate in an "Aces of the Air Tour" of GermanyGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. Aces from many nations participated. In addition to meeting various German aces (he became firm friends with the German ace Major Eduard Ritter von Schleich
Eduard Ritter von Schleich
Eduard Ritter von Schleich , née Eduard-Maria Joseph Schleich was a high scoring Bavarian flying ace of World War I. He was credited with 35 aerial victories at the end of the war...
.) He was also introduced to Chancellor Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
.
As a result of this meeting and of Draper's longstanding criticism of the British Government's treatment of veterans, he was listed by the Nazi
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
Party as a potential sympathizer. After his return to England he was contacted and asked to spy for the Germans. He agreed and then immediately contacted MI6
Secret Intelligence Service
The Secret Intelligence Service is responsible for supplying the British Government with foreign intelligence. Alongside the internal Security Service , the Government Communications Headquarters and the Defence Intelligence , it operates under the formal direction of the Joint Intelligence...
. They decided to use him as a double agent
Double agent
A double agent, commonly abbreviated referral of double secret agent, is a counterintelligence term used to designate an employee of a secret service or organization, whose primary aim is to spy on the target organization, but who in fact is a member of that same target organization oneself. They...
to feed false information to the Nazis. This situation continued for about four years until the Germans stopped answering Draper's communications.
World War II and post-war years
In 1939, Draper joined the Royal Naval ReserveRoyal Naval Reserve
The Royal Naval Reserve is the volunteer reserve force of the Royal Navy in the United Kingdom. The present Royal Naval Reserve was formed in 1958 by merging the original Royal Naval Reserve and the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve , a reserve of civilian volunteers founded in 1903...
and was posted to Ford
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
as assistant armament officer before going to Trinidad. In World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, although 47 years of age, he became a Lieutenant Commander with postings in Scotland and Ghana in 1943, before commanding No. 777 Squadron at Freetown
Freetown
Freetown is the capital and largest city of Sierra Leone, a country in West Africa. It is a major port city on the Atlantic Ocean located in the Western Area of the country, and had a city proper population of 772,873 at the 2004 census. The city is the economic, financial, and cultural center of...
, flying anti-submarine duties in Supermarine Walrus
Supermarine Walrus
The Supermarine Walrus was a British single-engine amphibious biplane reconnaissance aircraft designed by R. J. Mitchell and operated by the Fleet Air Arm . It also served with the Royal Air Force , Royal Australian Air Force , Royal Canadian Air Force , Royal New Zealand Navy and Royal New...
, Boulton Paul Defiant
Boulton Paul Defiant
The Boulton Paul Defiant was a British interceptor aircraft that served with the Royal Air Force early in the Second World War. The Defiant was designed and built by Boulton Paul Aircraft as a "turret fighter", without any forward-firing guns. It was a contemporary of the Royal Navy's Blackburn Roc...
and Fairey Swordfish
Fairey Swordfish
The Fairey Swordfish was a torpedo bomber built by the Fairey Aviation Company and used by the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy during the Second World War...
aircraft.
After the war Draper once more drifted into a variety of activities including acting and store-keeping. By the fifties he was once again upset at the government's treatment of veterans. On 5 May 1953, he again repeated his earlier protest by flying under the Thames bridges. This time he flew a rented, 100 h.p. Auster monoplane under 15 of the 18 bridges. It was a spectacular stunt; the bridge arches were only 40 to 50 feet high; Draper was flying 90 mph and dodged around a ship. According to news accounts, he pulled off his stunt as a means of seeking attention and soliciting job offers. He was arrested, charged with flying too low in an urban area, and assessed a nominal ten guineas
Guinea (British coin)
The guinea is a coin that was minted in the Kingdom of England and later in the Kingdom of Great Britain and the United Kingdom between 1663 and 1813...
court costs.
"I did it for the publicity," Draper told the press; "For 14 months I have been out of a job, and I'm broke. I wanted to prove that I am still fit, useful and worth employing......They tell me I can be jailed, possibly for six months.....It was my last-ever flight- I meant it as a spectacular swansong."
However, he retained his pilot's license for another eleven years; it was revoked in 1964.
His memoirs The Mad Major were published by Aero Publishers in 1962.
Draper died in Camden
London Borough of Camden
In 1801, the civil parishes that form the modern borough were already developed and had a total population of 96,795. This continued to rise swiftly throughout the 19th century, as the district became built up; reaching 270,197 in the middle of the century...
, London in 1979.