Last April 29, I wrote in The Times about the first historic night landing when a Fairy Flycatcher aircraft took off from Hal Far airfield and landed on HMS Courageous while the carrier was in Grand Harbour, but the name of the pilot was unknown.

Since then I have come to know who flew the aircraft on that night. The pilot was Owen Cathcart-Jones, a Royal Marine. He joined the corps in 1919 and after the usual period of general service on completion of his 2nd lieutenant's course, he volunteered for flying and was awarded his wings in August 1925. Most of his time was spent in China with 403 Flight on HMS Hermes and 404 Flight on board HMS Courageous in the Mediterranean.

It was while serving on HMS Courageous that he made the first ever night deck landing on November 26, 1929 in Grand Harbour, Malta.

In 1930, he decided to leave the service and take up civil flying. He joined National Flying Services Ltd. In 1934, he broke eight world records including England to South Africa. He also came third in a specially-built D.H. Comet in the McRobertson England to Australia Centenary air race, where on arrival he immediately turned round and flew back to England and established a record for the round trip.

Mr Cathcart-Jones finally retired to California, but in World War II he served as Lt. Cdr. in the USNR and commanded his own ship in the Seventh Fleet in the New Guinea and Leyte campaigns. He also worked with the Fifth Air Force and after Leyte served on the staff of General McArthur at Lake Sentana above Hollandia.

He later had his own horse ranch and trained polo ponies at Montecito, Santa Barbara, California. The year he died is not known.