this officer carried out reconnaissance which proved of great value. He has at all times displayed fine qualities of leadership and perseverance. He has destroyed at least four enemy aircraft." On 7 January 1941 Drake claimed a Junkers Ju 88 damaged plus another shared damaged with one other pilot. On 2 February Drake flew on a calibration test over the Channel. At 36,000 ft over Le Crotoy the Spitfire developed engine trouble and he landed at RAF Hawkinge. It was discovered a con rod had broken and burst through the engine block. Drake moved to No. 53 Operational Training Unit with the rank of Squadron Leader under the command of Ira Jones, at RAF Heston and as Chief Flying Instructor at RAF Llandow until 3 September 1941. West Africa, North Africa and Italy Drake was posted to West Africa to form and command No. 128 Squadron RAF at Hastings, Sierra Leone. While there he claimed a rare victory for the squadron over a Vichy French Air Force bomber. Drake intercepted the unarmed aircraft, which was probably on a reconnaissance flight. He flew alongside and motioned to the pilot to land. The French airman refused and Drake shot it down. The Glenn Martin 167F crashed near Freetown. The Vichy pilots rarely made an appearance over British territory. In the port, Drake saw the battleship and battlecruiser sailing to their destruction in the Pacific War. In January 1942, Keith Park, former air officer commanding No. 11 Group RAF, passed through on his way to Egypt to take up the post of commanding officer there. Park and Drake had met before and upon learning Drake was commanding 128 Squadron, he requested that the Squadron Leader be sent out to Egypt as a member of his staff. Subsequently, in March 1942, Drake was ordered to Air HQ Middle East, based in Cairo. Soon after his arrival, Drake was posted as a supernumerary Squadron Leader to No. 260 Squadron RAF. The post served as training to allow Drake time to familiarise himself with the air tactics and the art of fighting and commanding in a desert environment. On 25 May he succeeded Clive Caldwell as commander of No. 112 Squadron "Shark's Squadron", flying the P-40 Kittyhawk, from RAF Gambut, Egypt. 112 Squadron had been rested since 15 May. Drake regarded the orientation to close air support as a time-consuming adjustment. He learned to attack in