an Egyptian-based airline, on the outbreak of war he immediately returned home to England with the intention of joining the Royal Air Force. Knowing that his age (41) would likely bar him from any operational flying role, he decided to utilise the same trick that he had used so successfully back in 1915, he lied about it. This resulted in his application being successful, and he was commissioned as a pilot officer in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve in January 1940. First posting For his first posting he spent four months acting as the resident staff pilot to a Bombing and Gunnery School in Wales, duties included towing targets, transporting senior officers and performing other routine flights. Wheeler soon tired of this unexciting work and by April 1940 he had applied for and was granted a transfer to No. 271 Squadron RAF which flew the Handley Page Harrow and Bristol Bombay in the transport role. At that time the squadron was heavily involved in supporting the British Expeditionary Force in France, and subsequently assisting in its evacuation after the German Blitzkrieg in May 1940. Coastal Command In July 1940 Wheeler was posted to Coastal Command and No. 500 Squadron RAF at RAF Detling, flying the Avro Anson in the general reconnaissance role. Over the next four months he flew the Anson on 22 convoy escort and anti U-Boat patrols over the English Channel and the North Sea. During this time he had two memorable encounters with the Luftwaffe. On the first he managed to successfully chase a Junkers Ju 88 away from the convoy he was escorting, on the second he narrowly escaped death after being attacked by several Messerschmitt Bf 110 heavy fighters. Fighter Command In November 1940 Pilot Officer Wheeler was posted to Fighter Command and No. 85 Squadron RAF at RAF Gravesend, which at that time was a night fighter unit under the command of Squadron Leader Peter Townsend. Wheeler flew 71 combat missions with No. 85 Squadron and flew the Hawker Hurricane, Douglas Havoc and Bristol Beaufighter during this time. He claimed two aerial victories whilst flying the Douglas Havoc with 85 Sqn. A Heinkel He 111 on 6 May 1941 and a Junkers Ju 88 two nights later on 8 May 1941. Both combats were over the sea off Felixstowe. In September 1941, the by then Acting Squadron Leader Wheeler was awarded the Distinguished