James Noel (“Jimmy”) Farndale
25 December 1923 to 20 April 1989
FAR00889
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Jimmy served with
the US Army Air Corps in World War 2 and later he worked for Braniff Airways
and lived at Garland Texas. He crash landed in a remote jungle in India in
1945.
Sierra Madre, California USA
1923
James Noel Farndale was born Sierra Madre, California USA in 1923, the son of James and Edna (nee Adams)
Farndale (FAR00607),
(Letters).
Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1929
The family moved to a ranch in the
desert at Las Vegas in 1929. Life
became a hard struggle for Jim and he did the best he could as a 'finish
carpenter'.
1930
The US
Census, 1930 for the
City of Las Vegas, Clark County, Nevada, USA, taken on 3 April 1930 listed
James Farndale, head 44, carpenter for ‘houses’; Edna Farndale, 35; Hazel J
Farndale, 7; James N Farndale, 6; and Mary E Farndale, 3
1940
The US Census of 1940 for
922, South Second Street, Las Vegas listed James Farndale, 52, head, carpenter;
Edna Farndale, 43; Hazel J Farndale, 17; James N Farndale, 16; Mary
Ellen Farndale, 13; Gordon E Farndale, 7; Doris I Farndale, 4.
USA and Europe
1942
Jimmy was enlisted into the
Army on 15 December 1942.
19199623 James N
Farndale, served with the US Army Air Corps in World War 2 in USA and in Europe.
His WW2 Draft
Card dated 30 June 1942 shows he was employed by Sam Freedman, Las Vegas, his
height was 6/3, weight 155, ruddy complexion, brown eyes, brown hair.
James’
son, Jim Farndale who served in the US Army Air Corps 1942 to 1945
1944
He arrived at La
Guardia Airport from Casablanca, Morocco on 16 October 1944, aged 21.
|
8 August 1944 |
USA. Air Transport Command from
Casablanca to La Guardia Airport, New York. 21 years old, a Private. |
272204 |
|
|
1944 |
USA. Flight from Casablanca to La
Guardia Airport, New York. A Private. |
107437 |
|
|
14 November 1944 |
USA. Flight from Prestwick, Scotland
to New York. Corporal. |
107441 |
|
|
16 October 1944 |
USA. 21 years old, a Corporal. Air
Transport Command Flight from Casablanca to La Guardia Airport, New York. |
US Air |
1945
On 16 March 1945, Jimmy’s father,
Jim, wrote to his brother Alfred:
I
don't know whether or not you have heard that Jimmy made one flight to
England. He had your address but he said while he was in England they
wouldn't let him out of camp long enough to even try to telephone or visit. He
came over by way of Brazil, there crossed the Atlantic to the coast of Africa
and up north across Portugal and then landed I think in the Land's End area,
where they delivered the plane and then went through London and north to
Scotland crossing back to the US by plane. He had a great trip but was
naturally disappointed in being so close to you and yet not able to see you.
But that is the way with war as you both know from our experience in the First
World War.
Jimmy made
two flights to India, and was wrecked in the jungles near Calcutta I believe,
was stranded among natives for two days, and they had to leave the plane. He
has visited Cairo twice and has seen many of India's important points.
He
now is in the Pacific, but he is still back in the US. They make trips over
into the various isles about every two or three weeks. He is sure getting
experience and is seeing the world. He is not satisfied when he is not in the
air. They are keeping him busy now.
15 April 1945, Taken at the Derby Club, San Francisco
22 April 1945, Taken at the Derby Club, San Francisco
Global travel
CORPORAL FARNDALE
VISITS ALL CONTINENTS BY PLANE.
Sees the world.
Above is shown Corporal James Farndale, son of State Senator and Mrs James
Farndale of Las Vegas, who in six months has visited all continents of the
world except one, while flying with the ferry command of the Army Air Corps.
Serving as a
radio operator aboard planes being delivered to all parts of the world,
Corporal James N Farndale of Las Vegas has touched every continent in the globe
except Australia in the past six months, and made a forced landing in India.
Corporal Farndale
has been spending a furlough in Las Vegas with his parents, State Senator and
Mrs James Farndale, 922 S 2nd St, and was scheduled to report back for duty
today with the 4th Ferry Group at Memphis, Tennessee.
The crash
landing occurred on a flight to India some time ago, but the pilot got the
ship down safely without injury to any crew member. The landing was made in a small
clearing in the jungle, near a native village, Corporal Farndale stated in
an interview here. “We camped right in the plane, and natives brought us food,
including breadfruit, bananas, coconuts, melons and water. Everything was free
except eggs, and we had to pay for them,” he said.
A holiday was
declared in the village school so the children could see the plane. From
daylight to dark the natives crowded about the plane, just standing staring at
the big machine. The crew stretched ropes around the plane to hold the crowds
back, because they kept inching forwards closer and closer to the big ship. The
children behaved well but were very curious he said. “We visited one day in a
native home,” Corporal Farndale said. “An old man who had been reared in a
missionary school and spoke English very well was our host. He was a landowner
and very proud to show us all the things he raised on his land. Almost
everything grew bountifully there. The children of the household were very well
behaved,” he said.
After three days
in the grounded plane, the crew was reached by a rescue party composed of
American and British soldiers, who led them back to camp. Corporal Farndale
reported that he found India to be the dirty place he had heard about before
going there. He told of seeing one family leaving its home one morning. The
husband and wife and sundry children emerged from the building, driving before
them two sacred cattle, several chickens, a couple of pigs and other domestic
animals. He had the opportunity to see the famous Taj Mahal by moonlight and
was struct struck with its grandeur and unexcelled beauty. By moonlight the
squalor of the adjacent area was eliminated, but it seemed completely
incompatible with its surroundings in daylight.
Corporal Farndale
said that Americans who have been in India for two years or more are
particularly anxious to get home again and are envious of the men who come
directly from the United States to deliver planes, and then return. But new
hope has spread among them with a recently inaugurated rotation plan of the
government. “It is only right that those of us who have no permanent overseas
duty should relieve those gone so long,” Corporal Farndale said.
Following his
furlough here, he expects to be assigned to such duty shortly, he said. He
pointed to the advantage of the Americans over the British in this respect, as
there is no rotation plan for the English subjects and soldiers. Many of the
British have been in India for several years and have no hopes of relief until
the war is won.
At every stop,
where men have been isolated for a long period, the soldiers would rush out to
meet the crew as soon as the ship had landed. The crew would be pressed for
latest news of happenings at home.
“We always try to
take as many of the latest magazines and newspapers as we can on the India
trips,” Corporal Farndale said, “because the men are so far away and so anxious
to know what is happening in the United States.”
He told of
picking up a broadcast of the World Series by shortwave while his crew was on a
long flight. All members of the crew on their headsets to listen to the
broadcast. Often they were able to get a broadcast from one of the big stations
in New York he said.
Corporal Farndale
has visited in Egypt and has climbed to the top of one of the pyramids. He saw
the sphinx, on a tour conducted by the American Red Cross. In London he saw
everything of interest on a similar tour conducted by the Red Cross.
Corporal Farndale
met K Haycock of Las Vegas in French Morocco when both were aboard planes which
had made landings at an airfield. For the few minutes they had together they
discussed their hometown and the latest news they had.
Corporal Farndale
entered the army in December 1942. He received his basic training in Fresno,
California, and received his radio trading at Scott Field, Illinois.
He was assigned to the ferry command last May and has been engaged in
delivery of aircraft to various theatres of war ever since. A graduate of Las
Vegas high school with the class of 1942, Corporal Farndale was employed at
Sears, Roebuck and company store in Las Vegas for a few months before he entered
the service.
1946
Jimmy was discharged from the Army on 18
January 1946
Later Jimmy worked for
Braniff Airways and lived at Garland Texas (Letters).
Houston, Texas
1948
Jimmy arrived at
Houston, Texas on 27 September 1948 on a Banff Airways Flight from Balboa Canal
Zone.
1950
The US Census of 1950 for Dallas listed James N
Farndale, 26, lodger, aeronautical radio operator, airline
1952
Jimmy arrived at
Rio de Janiero, Brazil in 1952.
There are regular
records of airline arrivals including Gander, Newfoundland on 18 April 1954,
Miami on 1 August 1957, Sydney Australia to Southampton England in July 1959,
Melbourne Australia in April 1955
1954
James and son Jim
just before leaving for UK in April 1954
|
6 April 1954 |
London to New York |
Trans World Airlines Inc Flight 96306 |
|
|
29 April 1954 |
From Gander, Newfoundland to New
York. |
Trans World Airlines Inc Flight
963-17 |
1955
James N Farndale, married
Jean Smith (who had been previously married, with
two children). They had no children of their own (Jean
F Farndale, (his widow)).
Fort
Worth Star Telegram, 6 December 1955. J N
Farndale’s Making Home in Garland. Mr and Mrs James N Farndale, who recently
were married in First Baptist Church in Las Vegas, Nevada, are residing in
Garland. She is the former Mrs Jean Smith, daughter of Mr and Mrs C V Fraser,
3909 Winfield. The bridegroom is the son of Mr and Mrs Farndale of Las Vegas.
Reverend Don O'Connor married the couple. Mr and Mrs Gordon Farndale of
Eaglewood California were the only attendants. The bridegroom 's parents were
hosts for a reception at the Royal Nevada Hotel. For her wedding, Mrs Farndale
wore a pale blue satin dress with Navy accessories, and a corsage of pink
orchids. She is a graduate of Paschal high school.
1973
The Garland Daily News, 26 October 1973: Mr and Mrs
James N Farndale, 1009 Bandera, announced the marriage of their daughter, Susan
Irene Smith to J L Yarber. The marriage was solemnised October 20 in first
Methodist Chapel in Iowa City, Iowa by the reverent pool age can. Given in
marriage by her father, the bride chose a brown chiffon gown and carried brown
and yellow chrysanthemums wreathed in wheat....
1986
Martin Farndale (second
from left) with Jean (Jim’s wife), Jim’s sister Janie and Jim at Foot Hood, Texas
in August 1986.
1989
James N Farndale, died at
Garland Texas on 20 April 1989.