RAF East Kirkby – Part 3 – the End of an Era.

February 1, 2025December 22, 2024 / Aviationtrails / 8 Comments

In Part 2, we saw how crews at East Kirkby took a battering over Germany and how the Allies turned their attention to the forthcoming invasion.

In this, the final part, the war finally comes to an end and RAF East Kirkby eventually closes, but not without making its mark.

With spring at an end, thoughts turned back to the impending invasion and the bombing of pinpoint targets in France: Railways, munitions factories, troop concentrations and transport links became the focus for Harris’s Air Force. Throughout the month of April both East Kirkby squadrons were in operations, and whilst not significantly high, a number of aircraft were lost adding to the lengthening list of casualties and those now missing.

The end of this period of the war was remarkable for several reasons, notably when Wing Commander Leonard Cheshire of 617 Sqn, flew a Mosquito at low level and marked the target, a factory in Toulouse, with great success. This delighted Harris, who gave the all clear to 5 Group to operate independently of the Pathfinders of 8 Group, a decision that did little to heal the growing rift between Don Bennett and Ralph Cochrane who had taken the idea to Harris in the first place.

Other targets then became the focus for 5 Group including the railway yards at La Chapelle. In the operation Cheshire put this method to the test once more. with 617 Sqn again to marking the target in conjunction with 8 Group’s Pathfinders. In the operation, 247 Lancasters from 5 Group were ordered to attack a pin point target. In the attack, 57 Sqn lost two aircraft. Of these two Lancasters the first, LL893 ‘DX-J’ was lost with all seven lives over St-Omer whilst the second, Lancaster MK. III ND582 ‘DX-S’ crashed after attempting a landing at Croydon. After overshooting the runway the aircraft, piloted by Canadian F.O. H. Young, struck at least three homes in Lavender Vale, a street adjoining the airfield. Three of the crew died immediately and a further one died from his injuries in hospital.

RAF East Kirkby – Part 2 – a Relentless Slog.

January 25, 2025December 22, 2024 / Aviationtrails / 5 Comments

In Part 1 we saw how East Kirkby came about, how its one main unit was used to create further units and how the war had taken its toll on those stationed here. In this part, we end 1943, but the high hopes of better things are far, far away.

The opening of September 1943, was however, the tip of the iceberg, for on the night of 23rd – 24th, three more aircraft were lost whilst on operations to Mannheim; all but five of the twenty-one men involved being killed, with those surviving five being incarcerated by the German forces. The operation had seen almost 630 aircraft take part in a raid that resulted in huge devastation with over 25,000 people being bombed out of their homes.

With the loss of two further aircraft in the closing days of September, the total dead or captured stood at seven Lancasters (forty-nine crewmen) with only four airmen returning to their Lincolnshire home. It had been a devastating start for the squadron at their new home in Lincolnshire.

October 1943 was much the same, major battles over the German Reich took further tolls with another four Lancasters falling from the skies. Most of these crews were also killed with just a handful surviving to be taken prisoner. The numbers of experienced crews on roll were quickly dwindling and replacements were now urgently needed.

The Lancaster ‘DX-F’ at East Kirkby, paying tribute to all those who flew from the airfield and in Bomber Command.

Then in mid November, 57 Sqn would be split for a second time to form yet another new squadron. This time, ‘B’ Flight were taken out and re-designated 630 Sqn. Initially being given the designation of an auxiliary squadron, it was however, a status that was never achieved. The entire flight consisting of nine crews and 106 ground staff, were led by the American, Sqn. Ldr. Malcom Crocker DFC, who simply moved across the airfield locating to new quarters and new dispersals, thus creating two operational squadrons at the site. Being battle hardened already, it took less than three days to complete the move before operations for them began once again.

November also saw Bomber Command enter its fourth month of the ‘Battle of Berlin‘, a period that saw intense bombing of the German capital with repeated raids on the city by heavy bombers of the RAF. It was also a time when the ill-fated Stirlings were finally pulled out of front line bombing campaigns, their losses becoming insurmountable. The decision to do so however, would put further pressure on the Lancaster and Halifax crews who were then left to complete the job with fewer aircraft and increasingly tired crews.

This period would become one of the RAF’s most testing times, and for the next four and a half months, Bomber Command, led by Sir Arthur Harris, would continue to pound Berlin and other major cities deep inside Germany. The winter would be harsh, flights would be long, and it would be a gruelling time for the crews of Bomber Command.

The void left by the Stirlings was filled by the Halifaxes, and their loses now also soared. The battle for Berlin was a battle that would quickly diminish the capability of the RAF if loses were to continue at their current pace.

As the war entered 1944, the crews of Bomber Command became weakened and tired. Extensive battles had taken their toll and a rest was much needed. With poor weather dominating January that rest came, as crews were grounded unable to fly in the appalling winter weather.

The new year would see 617 Squadron dominate the way for 5 Group, their fame and successes taking a large chunk of the new reels. However, at East Kirkby, 630 Squadron would take on a new commander with the arrival of Wing Commander Deas in early February, taking over from Wing Commander J. Rollinson. Deas would continue to lead the squadron for the next five months, as it battled its way through the harsh winter period into spring and onto summer.

The pressure was however on Harris. He was now ordered to turn his men away from Berlin and help the Americans with the invasion plans supporting them in Operation Argument, otherwise known as ‘Big Week’. The operation was designed to weaken the German aircraft industry to prevent reinforcements of aircraft in the build up and launch of Operation Overlord.

In one last vain attempt to hit the capital, Harris planned four nights of raids in February, but poor weather curtailed these allowing only one raid to take place that on the night of the 15th – 16th February.

In the raid, which proved to be Bomber Command’s penultimate flight over the city, both 57 and 630 Squadrons would be involved. A mix of almost 900 Halifaxes and Lancasters saw losses amounting to over forty aircraft, one of these coming from 57 Sqn and another from 630 Sqn with the loss of all crewmen.

In order to lower losses, the formations would be concentrated, dropping 2,600 tonnes of bombs in just twenty minutes, a rain-storm of explosives that would see forty-five aircraft bomb every minute.*²

With that the Battle of Berlin came to an end, fizzling out as operations turned to The Rhine and its heavily defended industrial infrastructure.

The first area targeted was Leipzig, on the night of February 19th-20th. Here another 800 plus aircraft flew to Germany and back. They met determined German fighters as soon as they crossed the coast after which ensued a relentless air battle all the way to the target. Once there, it was completely covered in cloud and sky marking by the Pathfinders was the only possible method of identifying the target. In the operation, 630 Sqn put up nineteen aircraft and 57 Sqn, twenty; all but three returned home that night.

The Leipzig attack would prove to be a disaster for Bomber Command, strong winds meaning some bombers had arrived before the Pathfinders, and then had to circle the target for some considerable time before the markers arrived. This resulted in many of them being shot down by flak with some colliding in the dark, night sky. A loss of seventy-five aircraft that night led to the withdrawal of the second of the heavies – the Merlin powered Halifaxes – from front line operations; like the Stirlings before them, their loses had become unsustainable. This move put yet another heavy burden on the Lancasters crews, as it became the main heavy bomber now able to carry the war into Germany,

The night also proved to be an important one for one East Kirkby Pilot, W.O. J. White, whose determination to get the ‘job done’ and come home, led to him receiving the award of a DFM. In the attack, his rear gunner was mortally wounded, and the aircraft badly shot up with both hydraulics and an outer engine rendered unserviceable. Undeterred, W.O. White carried on to the target, dropping the bombs and then returning to England. On arrival, he managed to negotiate landing the crippled aircraft at an unfamiliar airfield away from home. His courage and determination being more than worthy of the award he received for his actions.

With no break nor time to rest, another operation was ordered the following night, and although the 20th-21st attack on Stuttgart was a clear scoreboard for 57 Sqn, 630 lost another two; one of these ‘ND563’ swinging violently to port after travelling three-quarters of the way along the main runway. After crashing through a boundary fence and crossing a road on its belly, the bomb load exploded before anyone could escape. It was a tragic loss of life for those based at East Kirkby.

BBC war correspondent Richard North interviews the crew of Lancaster “S -Sugar” of No. 630 Squadron RAF on their return to East Kirkby, after bombing the marshalling yards at Juvisy-sur-Orge, France. IWM (CH 12778)

February closed with operations to Schweinfurt and Augsburg, an enquiry into the crash of ND5663 and the funerals of those who had lost their lives that day. With one squadron each losing a further crew, losses were continuing to mount for the two squadrons.

The early spring months would finally draw to a close over two disastrous nights. The first, on 24th – 25th March, saw Harris send his men back to Berlin one more time. In a last effort to bomb the capital, the RAF sent another 800 plus aircraft to the German capital, it would prove to be one of the worst for 630 Sqn, when three aircraft, including that of W.O. J. White who had just been awarded the DFM, were lost.

It was a dramatic figure that would be repeated on the last night of the month, when almost another 800 aircraft made up of Lancasters, Halifaxes and Mosquitoes were sent to Nuremberg. Weather reports from a Meteorological Mosquito were ignored and whist the operation should have been cancelled, it went ahead. In a moon-filled sky, the result was carnage.

By the time all aircraft had returned, losses stood at 95 crews, almost 12% of the entire force sent out, and the biggest loss for the Command of the war so far. The weather experienced had caused the biggest problems, not only for the main bomber-stream, but also for the Pathfinders, with strong winds blowing many aircraft widely off track causing them to bomb Schweinfurt, some 50 miles away, by mistake. Of those that did bomb the correct target, many reported that they were unable to see it due to heavy cloud, which combined with the strong winds, forced both them and the Pathfinders to mark and bomb the wrong area. As a result, little damage was done to the city, and dropping bombs too early, caused ‘creep back’ to extend for some 10 miles ahead of the target. All-in-all more crews were lost that night then there were casualties on the ground, losses that were totally unsustainable for the command.

The German defences on both nights had been extensive and determined. Tame Boar and Wild Boar tactics along with Schrage Musik, the upward firing cannons, had devastated formations who were scattered far and wide. Harris had gambled with his crews and lost.

The disastrous nights of Berlin and Nuremberg led to a short pause in operations in much the same way as the dreaded raid on Schweinfurt did for the Americans. A new focus would take no chances, and precise bombing became the order of the day.

After devastating operations over the German cities, thoughts turn to the invasion and supporting the ground forces. A choice that did not agree with Harris, but one the crews would take in their stride…

The full page can be read in Trail 1 – Lower Lincolnshire.

RAF East Kirkby – Part 1 – A new Station emerges.

January 18, 2025December 22, 2024 / Aviationtrails / 5 Comments

In the heart of Lincolnshire lies a former wartime bomber base that holds a particular and unique item dedicated to those who served in Bomber Command. The airfield where it is housed, was only used for a relatively short period of time, and by two main operational squadrons, yet it was one which saw the greatest number lost in the whole command.

In the next part of the trail, we travel away from Woodhall Spa to a former airfield synonymous with the Lancaster – RAF East Kirkby.

RAF East Kirkby

RAF East Kirkby is one of many Bomber Command airfields located in the Eastern county of Lincolnshire, a region that known as ‘Bomber County’. During its life it was home to two main front line squadrons along with a handful of other support units.

The airfield sits some 4 miles south-west of Spilsby and 12 miles north of Boston, in an area strongly associated with the Romans. Indeed, Lincoln – or Lindum Colonia as the Romans called it – became one of the largest and most influential Roman towns in England. Later, this area was where many invading Vikings settled, providing the local towns with examples of their own Nordic names, many of which can still be seen today. As time passed, both the Normans and the armies of Cromwell played their own part in the development of Lincolnshire, meaning the region has been left littered with several hundred monuments and numerous sites of archaeological and historical interest to offer the visitor.

Being in the lower regions of Lincolnshire, parts of it are only 40 feet above sea level meaning it is an area with a rich agricultural history as well; some areas being used to grow crops and of course tulips, bringing a wealth of colour and a wide range of crop to the area. It is all this that gives Lincolnshire both its beauty and its wide ranging historical interest.

Initially, East Kirkby airfield was built as a decoy site for nearby Coningsby and Manby, the site, complete with decoy wooden Whitley bombers, was decommissioned on June 27th 1941 and the area designated for a class A airfield – RAF East Kirkby. Following requisition of the farmland in 1942, construction began by the building company John Laing & Sons Ltd., which included, amongst others, the first flushing toilets in the area. The airfield was finally completed in 1943, opening on August 20th that same year under the control of Bomber Command.

Located to the south-east of the village that gave it its name, the apex of the ‘A’, formed by the three standard runways, pointed westward with the main runway approximately north-south and the two subsidiaries west to north-east and west to south-east, each being the standard 2,000 and 1,400 yards in length and 50 yards wide.

As a bomber airfield the much needed runways would be of a concrete construction, and the airfield would boast six T2 hangars and a single B1 for maintenance and storage; a technical area stood to the north-west, with accommodation and the bomb store, spread around the area away from the main airfield site. Dispersals for aircraft storage and preparation consisted of twenty-seven spectacle hardstands along with five loop hardstands, all located around the extensive perimeter track.

As a decoy site, it had been bombed on several occasions, and having accommodation and high explosives near to the airfield was not a good combination. These accommodation blocks were of a ‘temporary’ construction, very different to the luxury of Scampton, from where the first residents would come. At its height RAF East Kirkby could cater for 1,965 RAF personnel with a further 482 WAAFs all of mixed rank.

Initial ownership went to 5 Group Bomber Command, whose headquarters were at the time at Morton Hall near Swinderby, in the North Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, and would operate as 55 Base, the parent station of sub-stations Spilsby and Strubby.

A somewhat posed photo of Flt. Sgt. J Morgan, the rear gunner of a 630 Sqn. Lancaster at East Kirkby. @IWM (CH 12776)

The first resident unit was that of 57 Squadron who took it on immediately upon its opening, bringing both the Lancaster MK.I and MK.III with them.

After forming in 1916, they were, like many other squadrons at that time, disbanded after the war’s end in 1919, but then, as similar events unfolded on the continent once more, they were reformed (in 1931) to run continuously to the end of the Second World War. With further breaks post-war, they would continue to operate up to the current day, flying a wide range of aircraft from Victor tankers in the Falklands to their current model the Prefect T1 trainer at RAF Cranwell.

57’s history goes far deeper than that though, for it was whilst at Scampton, their previous home before East Kirkby, that ‘C’ Flight was separated from the main squadron to form the basis of 617 Squadron, better known as ‘The Dambusters‘; the Flight Commander, Sqn. Ldr. ‘Dinghy’ Young only being appointed to 57 Sqn a matter of weeks before the transfer took place.

However, it was at East Kirkby that 57 Squadron were now based. On August 27th 1943, just after the split, the advanced party arrived at East Kirkby to start what would be three days of moving and settling in. The first section of the main party arrived on the 28th with the remainder joining them on the 29th. During this time all flying operations were understandably cancelled and the time was allocated to the huge task of moving men and equipment over to their new base.

Operations commenced quickly on the 30th, when fourteen aircraft were detailed for operations to Munchen-Gladbach. All aircraft except one, completed the operation in which ground defences were ‘light’ and bombing was recorded as being ‘good’ with a large explosion seen in the target area. The only casualty of the flight being Lancaster MK.III ‘ED655’ which returned early with an engine failure. Thankfully though, there were no injuries nor any further problems incurred.

On the following night another fourteen aircraft were detailed to attack Berlin, the ‘big city’, an operation which brought August to an end and a total of twelve operations (179 sorties) amounting to over 940 hours flying time for the month.

It wouldn’t be long though before the first causalities would arise at the new station. On the night of September 3rd 1943, Lancaster ‘JA914’ DX-O was part of another fourteen flight raid on Berlin. On board that night was Australian Pilot Flt. Sgt. W. Grindley and his crew, which included one other Australian and a New Zealander.

After departing East Kirkby at 19:30 hrs, the aircraft made its way toward the capital. As it neared the target, search lights managed to cone the bomber, allowing a German night fighter (FW190) flown by pilot Unteroffizier Fritz Brinkmann of the Stab/JG 300, to attack the aircraft, bringing it down at Zehrensdorf with the loss of all seven crewmen on board.

Three of the crew were recovered and remained buried in the Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery whilst the remaining four were not. They have been commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. The remains of the bomber were themselves discovered in a lake, and recovered on September 29th 1997; a large section of wing which is now displayed in the Deutsches Technik Museum, in Berlin.*¹

On the 22nd September, a further crew were lost when an intruder, since known to be Major Wolf Dietrich Meister of the Stab V./KG 2, flying an Me 410 A-1 from Schiphol airfield, followed the bomber home and intercepted it near to the airfield. As it fell from the sky both the Flight Engineer and the Bomb Aimer managed to escape the burning wreck, both parachuting to safety, but the other five failed to get out and were killed in the resultant crash and fire.

In Part 2, we continue with the ups and downs of life in Bomber Command, seeing how the airfield continues to develop and how the war affects those based at the Lincolnshire airfield.

The full page can be read in Trail 1 – Lower Lincolnshire.

Lt. Jack Watson 303rd BG. – From Villain to Hero.

January 11, 2025April 9, 2024 / Aviationtrails / 3 Comments

The end of training flights in the Second World War in the quiet and blue skies of the United States, were occasionally ‘celebrated’ with flyovers and ‘buzzing’ of the home town of family or girl friends. Whilst this unofficial activity was frowned upon, in general, a blind eye was turned by Commanding Officers of the various Groups. However, one such activity was not taken quite so lightly, and almost led to the end of a promising career before it had even started.

At RAF Molesworth (Station 107) not far from Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, the 303rd Bomb Group (BG) had been serving the Allied offensive since mid September 1942. They had taken heavy casualties after participating in many prestige missions including the disastrous August and October raids on the ball-bearing plant at Schweinfurt. The invincibility of the heavily armed B-17 was very quickly shown to be a myth.

After a period of calm, primarily due to persistent bad weather rather than any significant strategic military decision, the USAAF was allowed unofficial time to recuperate, rebuild and rearm. During this period, new recruits and aircraft poured into the United Kingdom via either the Northern or the Southern transit routes over the Atlantic Ocean.

On one of these aircraft was Lt. Jack Watson, a ‘green’ pilot’ who had recently completed his training, and was now on his way to fight in a war a long way from his Indianapolis home.

On eventual arrival at Molesworth, Lt. Watson was soon to experience for himself the horrors and reality of war. On January 11th 1944, he was part of a 291 bomber force attacking both the FW190 production factory as Oschersleben and the Junkers factory at Halberstadt, Germany. On what became one of the blackest days for the Group, eleven out of the forty aircraft dispatched were lost, an attrition rate of just over 25%, which was also the highest loss of the entire force.

On the inward flight, the weather, which had dogged much of the winter, closed in over the continent. A recall message was sent out, the 2nd and 3rd Divisions turning for home, but it was ignored by Brigadier General Robert F. Travis, 1st Bombardment Division Commander in the lead plane – ‘The Eight Ball‘. Original orders were to bomb by visual methods but if cloud cover prevailed then pathfinder Liberators were to mark the target.

As the weather had deteriorated, cloud being present as high as 24,000 feet, fighter cover was all but withdrawn. The bombers were now virtually on their own and much smaller in number.

Alerted early on, the Luftwaffe had managed to form an enormous welcoming party for the now weakened force. It would be the strongest collection of Luftwaffe aircraft since the October raids, and it was waiting, eager for blood.

The first contact between the two forces was made over the shallow waters of the Zuiderzee on the inward flight. A collection of rocket-firing fighters launched a gruesome attack on the lead section of the 303rd, an attack that lasted for several hours and took out numerous aircraft.

From the Initial point (IP) to the target, flak was light but accurate, more aircraft took hits and further damage was sustained by the formation. Those bombers that did get through managed to bomb the target, the accuracy of which was considered ‘excellent’.

On the return flight B-17F #42-29524 ‘Meat Hound‘, piloted by Lt. Jack Watson was attacked again by waves of enemy fighters who zoned in on the bomber and its supporting formation. With many aircraft now crippled, the B-17s were easy targets for the fierce and determined Luftwaffe defenders.

Lt. Watson’s aircraft, (a B-17F-55-BO, which had previously been assigned to the 306th BG transferring to the 303rd in July 1943), was hit hard over Durgerdam. The damage looked terminal, two engines were on fire, there was substantial damage around the wing root and the left elevator had been shot completely off. With such damage, not only was the aircraft difficult to control but it was losing vital airspeed and altitude as well.

Lt. Watson, gave the bail out order, holding the aircraft steady until all the crew had departed. Lt. Watson, who had by then put the aircraft on automatic pilot, was himself preparing to jump, but the thought of the cold waters below forced his retreat to the cockpit and the challenge of getting home alone.

Of those who did jump, four fell into the Ijsselmeer and sadly drowned, and another four were caught by occupying forces and sent to POW camps. The ninth, Lt. Col. Clayton David, the Co-Pilot, managed to evade capture eventually making his way back to England. Clayton’s journey took him through Holland and Belgium and on into France, where he headed south, eventually crossing the Pyrenees into Spain. From there, he reached Gibraltar eventually returning to England in May 1944, four months after he was reported as ‘Missing in Action.’ For his efforts he received the Purple Heart*¹.

Lt. Watson, now alone in the crippled B-17 fought on, keeping the aircraft flying toward England. Once over home territory he brought the aircraft down through the thick cloud that had dogged so many of Britain’s airfields that winter, landing at RAF Metfield, an American Fighter airfield home at that time to the 353rd Fighter Group.

So severe was the fire on the aircraft that it took fire crews a considerable time to extinguish it. These crews were not only amazed to see just one crewman exit the aircraft, but also to find an unexploded shell sitting directly behind the pilots seat.

On his arrival back at Molesworth, Lt Watson received a telegram sent by New York Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia, forgiving Watson for his villainous activity previously in late 1943.

It was at this time that Watson along with three other pilots; 2nd Lts. Robert Sheets, Elmer Young, and Joseph Wheeler, buzzed the World Series game between St. Louis Cardinals and the New York Yankees at the Yankee Stadium, New York. Mayor LaGuardia was so incensed by the action at the time, that he insisted Watson and the others be disciplined, court martial proceedings being instigated as soon as the four landed in Maine*².

However, it was not to be, the top brass needing every aircraft and crewman they could muster, sent the four on their way with a $75 fine and a stiff telling off!

Although tinged by the sad loss of his crew, the villain of the World Series’ Buzzing, had gone on to prove himself more than a worthy pilot, making history in more ways than one.

Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY, October 5, 1943 â B-17 Flying Fortress bombers makes a surprise visit during the first game of the 1943 World Series

A Boeing B-17 ‘buzzes’ the Yankee stadium October 5th 1943. (Author unknown).*³

The crew of ‘Meat Hound‘ were:

Pilot – 2nd Lt. Jack Watson (Returned to Duty)
Co-Pilot – Lt Col. Clayton David (Evaded)
Navigator – 2nd Lt. John Leverton (POW)
Radio Operator – Stf. Sgt. Harry Romaniec (KIA)
Bombardier – 2nd Lt. Vance Colvin (KIA)
Flight Engineer/Top Turret Gunner – Stf. Sgt. Sam Rowland (POW)
Right Waist Gunner – Sgt. William Fussner (KIA)
Left Waist Gunner – Gene Stewart (POW)
Tail Gunner – Sgt. Roman Kosinski (POW)
Ball Turret Gunner – Sgt. Fred Booth (KIA)

The B-17F, #42-29524, was delivered to Denver 31st December 1942; then assigned to the 423rd BS (306th BG) as ‘RD-D’ at Thurleigh 2nd March 1943. It was later transferred to the 358th BS (303rd BG) as ‘VK-K’ based at Molesworth on 30th July 1943.

For their efforts in this mission, the 303rd Bomb Group were awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation, the only time the entire unit achieved such an accolade.

This and other similar stories appears in Heroic tales of World War 2.

Sources and Further Reading.

Missing Air Crew Report 4269

*¹ Herald-Whig Obituaries Website accessed 27/5/19

*² 303rd BG website ‘Outfield Fly’ by Hap Rocketto accessed 27/5/19

*³ Photo appeared in ‘Old-Time Baseball Photos and Essays’, blogsite. accessed 27/5/19

Major George Preddy – 352nd FG – A tragic loss.

December 24, 2024October 26, 2023 / Aviationtrails / 2 Comments

In Trail 8, we heard about a number of heroic tales and tragic losses. One of those, was that of one of the highest scoring P-51 pilots, Major George Preddy of the 487th Fighter Squadron (FS), 352nd Fighter Group (FG), based at RAF Bodney (Station 141)

George E. Preddy Jnr (0-430846), from Greensboro, North Carolina, was born on 5th February 1919, and graduated from Greensboro High School at the age of sixteen. Preddy became interested in flying whilst in college and made his first solo flight in 1938 at 19 years of age.

Major George E “Rasty” Preddy Jr in the cockpit of his P-51 Mustang (HO-P), #44-13321 nicknamed “Cripes A’ Mighty 3rd.” (@IWM FRE 006368)

His road to war would take time and effort. His introduction to flying was as a barnstormer which led him to attempting entry into the US Navy no less than three times, each time being rejected on account of his small stature and curved spine. With each rejection came more determination, his love of flying taking him back to Barnstorming, whilst he undertook bodybuilding and stretching exercises to straighten his back. Eventually, in the summer of 1940, he applied to the USAAF and to his delight he passed all the relevant examinations. However, as the US was not yet at war, Preddy’s entrance would take yet more time and so to gain experience and better prepare himself, he joined the Army National Guard, being posted to the 252nd Coast Artillery, which went on to protect the important oil refineries on the islands of Aruba and Curaçao, in the southern Caribbean Sea.

The following year in In April 1941, Preddy received his orders to report for flying training, from which he graduated on December 12th that same year. December 1941 saw the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour, an attack that led to the US joining the Second World War, and an attack that led to Preddy, commissioned as a Second Lieutenant, being posted to Australia to the 9th Pursuit Squadron (PS), 49th Pursuit Group (PG) in the defence of northern Australia.

Whilst here, Preddy would fly Curtiss P-40s, he named his first plane, ‘Tarheel‘,
as a tribute to his home state. During his time here, he damaged both a Japanese fighter and a bomber in combat operations. Sadly though, in the summer of 1942, he was involved with a collision with another P-40, an accident that would kill Preddy’s friend and colleague, and leave Preddy seriously ill in hospital for another six months or so.

In the October of 1942, Preddy returned to the US, it was here that he would cross paths once again with Lt. Jack Donalson, a pilot who was also a veteran of the early Pacific theatre, and who was with him on that tragic day in July 1942. The two met at Trumbull Field, Connecticut, on January 15th 1943, where the newly formed 352nd FG were training and forming up. The 352nd would be made up of three squadrons (328th, 486th and 487th), Preddy would initially be assigned to the 487th FS.

The 352nd would continue training, their new P-47 Thunderbolts arriving three days later. With the P-47 being new, there were many accidents and losses, primarily due to a carburettor hose clamp becoming loose. Luckily Preddy avoided all such incidents and by May 1943, he and the 352nd were ready for action.

On the 7th July the 352nd arrived at RAF Bodney (newly named Station 141) a small grassed airfield not far from RAF Watton in Norfolk. With small incursions into enemy territory the first few months were generally event free. Preddy would get his first kill later that year on December 1st 1943, while flying P-47D-5-RE Thunderbolt (HO-P) #42-8500 “Cripes A’Mighty“, a name he gave to all his aircraft, so-called because it was his favourite expression. Whilst escorting bombers back from a mission over occupied Europe, Preddy noticed a formation of German fighters who were focusing their attention on stragglers, easy pickings for the experienced and deadly Bf-109s. Preddy and his squadron dived down, bouncing the Germans, causing his first victim to explode in a flurry of cannon fire.

Preddy’s first year would end with two confirmed kills, a tally that would only grow as time went on. In his second kill, he would sadly lose his wing man, Lt. Richard Grow, but for his action he would receive the Silver Star, one of many achievements Preddy would gain.

On January 29th 1944, Preddy would come close to death for a second time, when after dispatching an FW-190, he was hit by Flak and had to ditch in the sea. After spending a short time in the water he was picked up by an RAF Air Sea Rescue Walrus and returned to Bodney.

Over March and April, the new P-51 Mustangs began to arrive at Bodney, an aircraft that would lead to Preddy achieving ‘Ace’ status. On May 13th, the 487th dived down on around thirty Bf-109s, Preddy accounted for two taking his tally over the magical ‘Five’ Kills and ‘Ace’ status.

During the summer of 1944 Preddy would achieve many more ‘kills’, by now he was well on his way to becoming the leading ace in the European skies. In March he was made Operations Manager of the 487th, and promoted to Captain.

By mid July Preddy has reached 14.5 kills, all a mix of single and twin-engined aircraft, and by the end of the month, this has risen to 21.83 kills, taking him to the top spot and leading ‘Ace’ of the 352nd.

Following an escort mission on the 5th, a further mission, in which Preddy was ordered to lead on the 6th, was scrubbed due to bad weather. With the day free to themselves, the officers mess became the focus of attention and the drinks ran freely

By the time Preddy had got to bed, he was well and truly drunk, and as with many operations of the war, the weather cleared and the operation was on once more, Preddy was woken after only an hours sleep and struggled to get to the briefing. Still reeling under the influence, he took off and lead the group into battle. Worse for wear, he emptied his stomach in the cockpit and headed toward the enemy.

As the bomber and their escorts approached Hamburg, Preddy led the attack on the Luftwaffe fighters. In the airspace between 30,000 ft and 5,000 ft, Preddy managed to shoot down six Bf-109s, with numerous hits around canopies, wing roots and fuselages. On return he was greeted like a hero, the ground crews and squadron pilots crowding his aircraft. Preddy gave a simple reply to the eager crowd, vowing “Never again” would he fly with a hangover. Following this mission Preddy was awarded the DSC and sent home to the US for a well-earned rest on a 30 day leave.

Major George Preddy, during his return to the United States between August & October 1944. Taken at a Press Conference in the Pentagon Building.’ (@IWM FRE 00346)

On his return in October, Preddy was again promoted, this time to Major, whereupon he commenced his second operational tour. His involvement with the 487th would not last long though, as with his promotion came new responsibilities and the command of the 328th FS, taking over from Lt. Col. John Edwards.

The hard winter of 1944-45 tore into the souls of the ground and air forces across Europe. Severe frosts, snow and cold made Bodney a difficult place to be. But the war continued and in the forests of the Ardennes, German forces were gathering. With few flights being carried out due to thick fog and freezing conditions, the German armoured brigades under the control of Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt, made a daring breakthrough (Operation Bodenplatte) in what became know as the ‘Battle of the Bulge’. Ground forces made continued calls for air support, but with increasingly bad weather, few flights were able to make it.

The order then came through and on the 22nd December 1944, the 352nd were to move to Belgium and Asch (Y-29) a small grassed airfield near to Genk in the province of Limburg. The 352nd crammed all the cold weather clothing they could into their aircraft and set off. By the end of the day the Group had settled in the cold of Belgium, it was a far cry from the relative warmth of Bodney.

Preddy’s time in Belgium would be short-lived however. As the weather cleared more missions were undertaken. On Christmas Day, the 328th would have one of its finest battles, shooting down eleven enemy aircraft, but it was a victory that would be eclipsed by the loss of perhaps its greatest leader and airman.

On that day there were two missions ordered, Preddy would lead the second of the two, an escort mission into Germany and Koblenz. On the return trip, Preddy was vectored to Liege, and warned of ‘heavy flak’. Arriving south of the city, Preddy, along with his wingman Lt. Gordon Cartee, and another pilot Lt. James Bouchier of the 479 th FG, spotted an FW-190 and gave chase at tree-top level.

On entering the area, ground forces opened fire, the Anti-Aircraft battery were American, and all three allied aircraft were hit. Lt. Bouchier managed to climb high enough to bail out, landing safely in the British sector, Lt. Cartee, also having been hit, also managed to escape and get home, but not until after he saw Preddy’s P-51, turn and dive into the ground. Major George Preddy died in the crash.

Preddy’s death was devastating for both the group at both Asch and those back home at Bodney. Festivities were subdued to say the least. Preddy’s dashing good looks and character were well-known, his relationship with his own ground crews were one of the best, he always took time out for them and praised their efforts in keeping him flying. At 25 years of age, Major George Preddy was not a born killer, just a young man who loved to fly, and to fly well.

George Preddy had flown 143 combat missions, he had has been credited with shooting down 26.83 enemy aircraft, the highest in the 352nd FG, and destroying 5 enemy aircraft on the ground. His combined total of 31.83 aircraft was just 6 short of the Group’s highest, a total that most certainly isn’t conclusive.

His commanding officer Lt. Col. John C. Meyer, who held the Group’s record and was the fourth ranking American Air Ace, described Preddy as “the complete fighter pilot”. A man so brave and dedicated that he would be awarded, amongst others: the Distinguished Service Cross; Silver Star (1 Oak Leaf Cluster); Distinguished Flying Cross (6 Oak Leaf Clusters); Air Medal (6 Oak Leaf Clusters); Croix de Guerre, and the Purple Heart.

In 1968 the city of Greensboro dedicated Preddy Boulevard in honour for both George and his brother. The Preddy Memorial Foundation also created a petition to have Fayetteville’s Pope Air Force Base renamed Pope-Preddy Air Force Base.
George Preddy’s career may have been short, but his influence went far and wide especially amongst those who knew of him.

Major George Preddy is buried in the Lorraine American Cemetery, just outside Saint-Avold, Moselle, France, alongside his brother, another fighter pilot, in Plot A, Row 21, Grave 43.

Sources and further reading.

RAF Bodney appears in Trail 8.

North Carolina Museum of History website Accessed 23/8/18

Freeman, R.A., “The Mighty Eighth“, Arms and Armour, 1986

The Preddy Memorial Foundation website Accesses 20/8/18

P.O William Davis (Eagle Sqn) – March 18th 1941

November 27, 2024 / Aviationtrails / 4 Comments

RAF Sutton Bridge, was a small airfield on the Norfolk / Lincolnshire border a few miles from the Wash off the north Norfolk coast. Before, during and after the war it served as training camp for new pilots, training them in the art of gunnery, utilising a firing range that had been in situ since 1926.

Many airmen of the RAF passed through Sutton Bridge, many of these were Commonwealth aircrew, some from Czechoslovakia and a few from the United States.

In the church yard behind the church of St. Matthew in the village, lie almost 60 graves of those who died in the fight for freedom, they are also joined by a German airman, foe united in death.

One such airmen is that of American Airman Pilot Officer William Lee Davis s/n: 61459 (RAFVR) who joined as part of the famed ‘Eagle’ Squadron, a group of volunteer American flyers.

P.O. Davis was from St. Louis and graduated at Central High School, before going on to attend Washington University. He was the son of William J. Davis of 4500 Arsenal Street, and a salesman in a cork and insulation firm in the area, when he joined up at the age of 25.

He left his job, signing with the Clayton-Knight Committee, a recruitment company for the Canadian and British Air Forces operating in the United States. He was initially stationed at Love Field in Dallas, where he received four weeks of intensive training in aerobatics, gunnery and combat flying. After qualifying here, he transferred to Ottawa, where he was commissioned and then sent onto England to further his training. He was the first person from St. Louis to obtain a Commission in the Royal Air Force obtaining a deferment of his draft in doing so. When asked about joining the RAF, he told reporters that it was “a matter of sentiment and heritage” citing his English grandfather’s role as an officer in the Boar war.

P.O. Davis was no stranger to flying, having been a flyer before signing up for the RAFVR, achieving a total of 223 hours flying time, a commercial pilots licence and an advanced CAA Licence.

On arrival on March 5th 1941, these pilots were generally sent to No.3 Personnel Reception Centre at Bournemouth, before posting to No.56 Operational Training Unit (OTU) at Sutton Bridge. Here they completed their training and were then sent onto their respective operational squadrons.

There were something in the region of 156 American Airmen who found their way into 56 OTU, many passed through with little or only minor mishaps. For P.O. Davis though it was to be the end of his dream, in an accident that would take his life.

On March 18th, a week after his arrival at Sutton Bridge, he took off in Hurricane P5195 on a general map reading flight across the Lincolnshire Fens. Whilst on the flight P.O. Davis became lost and decided to put down on farm land at New Leake Fen near Boston. Unfortunately, the ground in the Fens was soft causing the undercarriage to dig in and flip the Hurricane on its back. In the resultant crash, P.O. Davis broke his neck killing him instantly. He was not only the first from St. Louis to die, but the first American from Sutton Bridge to die also.

A citizen of the United States, Pilot Officer William Lee Davis is buried in the Church yard of St. Matthew’s Church, Sutton Bridge, Lincolnshire, Section P, Grave 56.

Pilot Officer (Pilot) William Lee Davis

2nd Lt. Robert E. Femoyer MOH, 711th BS Rattlesden

November 9, 2024September 26, 2023 / Aviationtrails / 4 Comments

Flying from RAF Rattlesden, Suffolk, England, navigator 2nd Lt. Robert E. Femoyer earned the Medal of Honour for action whilst on a mission to Merseburg. During this operation, he showed the highest level of dedication to his crew, performing a selfless act of bravery whilst being severely and fatally wounded.

Born October 31st 1921, Huntington, West Virginia, USA, he was the eldest child of Edward and Mary Femoyer. and attended Virginia Polytechnic Institute in Blacksburg, Virginia.

On 11th November 1942 Robert Femoyer enlisted and joined the Reserve Corps. He didn’t take up active duty until the following February when he began his basic training at Miami Beach, Florida. He joined the Army Air Corps in that same month and became a cadet at the University of Pittsburgh. He received his commission at the AAF Navigation School at Selman Field, Louisiana in 1943 and graduated, without gaining his wings, in 1944.

With his second lieutenant bars firmly under his belt, Femoyer received his first posting; and in September 1944 he left with the 711th Bomb Squadron as part of the 447th Bomb Group, Eighth Airforce. As a navigator he would determine routes and ensure the safe flight of his aircraft and other crew members to the bomb target and home.

On his fifth and final mission , and only a few days after his 23rd birthday, on November 2, 1944, the 711th attacked an oil refinery at Merseburg, near Leipzig, Germany. The B-17 he was in, was battered, hit several times by flak, and had two of the four engines damaged. The aircraft was difficult to fly and the navigational instruments were left almost useless. Femoyer himself had received shrapnel wounds to his side and back, was bleeding heavily and in a great deal of pain.

The B-17 quickly lost both height and speed and was forced to leave the formation, making it more vulnerable to attack from fighters, but Femoyer was not going let his compatriots down.

Deciding to turn for home the pilot asked for a route. In response, Femoyer, determined to keep a clear head, refused all medical assistance before planning their escape route home. He insisted he was propped up so he could read his maps, the injury to his body making sitting extremely difficult. Guiding the pilot safely around heavy flak zones, they eventually reached the safety of the English coast, where then, and only then, did Femoyer allow morphine and other medical aid to be administered. The pilot managed to guide the stricken aircraft home where upon landing at RAF Rattlesden, Femoyer was removed from his post, weak and having lost of lot of blood, and taken to hospital where he sadly died about an hour later.

For his valour and courage he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honour, and his citation read:

“For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty near Merseburg, Germany, on Nov. 2, 1944. While on a mission, the bomber, of which 2d Lt. Femoyer was the navigator, was struck by three enemy antiaircraft shells. The plane suffered serious damage and 2d Lt. Femoyer was severely wounded in the side and back by shell fragments which penetrated his body. In spite of extreme pain and great loss of blood he refused an offered injection of morphine. He was determined to keep his mental faculties clear in order that he might direct his plane out of danger and so save his comrades. Not being able to arise from the floor, he asked to be propped up in order to enable him to see his charts and instruments. He successfully directed the navigation of his lone bomber for 2 1/2 hours so well it avoided enemy flak and returned to the field without further damage. Only when the plane had arrived in the safe area over the English Channel did he feel that he had accomplished his objective; then, and only then, he permitted an injection of a sedative. He died shortly after being removed from the plane. The heroism and self-sacrifice of 2d Lt. Femoyer are in keeping with the highest traditions of the 447th Bomb Group and the U.S. Army Air Corps.”

The body of 2nd Lt. Robert Edward Femoyer was returned to the United States to his adopted Florida home, and was buried in Greenlawn Cemetery in Jacksonville, Florida, Section 8, Lot 2. Florida historical resources list him as one of their own war heroes. His college, Virginia Tech, named a building the ‘Femoyer Hall’ in his honour in 1949 and in 2001, a stretch of West Virginia Route 152 from the Fifth Street crossing with Interstate 64 to the Huntington city limits, was officially designated Robert Femoyer Boulevard. Numerous air force bases have also named streets in his honour.

Robert Femoyer was the only American navigator to have received the Medal of Honour during service in World War Two and remains a Florida hero to this day.

For other heroic tales click here.

Notes and Further Reading .

Source compiled from U.S. Air Force Office of History.

Few, if any, photos survive of Femoyer, but others of his squadron are at: http://www.447bg.com/Contacts.htm

B-17 Pilot 1st Lt.D. J. Gott and 2nd. Lt W. E. Metzger

November 4, 2024September 22, 2024 / Aviationtrails / 6 Comments

War makes men do terrible things to their fellow mankind. But through all the horror and sometimes insurmountable odds, courage and bravery shine through. Two gallant young men both in the same B-17 were awarded the Medal of Honour for acts of extreme bravery in the face of certain death.

Born on 3 June 1923, Arnett. Oklahoma, Donald Joseph Gott, began his air force career at the local base in 1943. By the end of the first year he had achieved the rank of First Lieutenant in the US Army Air Corps. Posted with the 729th. Bomber Squadron, 452nd Bombardment Group to Deopham Green, Norfolk, England, he was to fly a B-17 (42-97904) ‘Lady Jeannette’ along with his crew and co-pilot William E. Metzger.

Metzger was born February 9, 1922 – Lima, Ohio and by the time he was 22 he was a 2nd Lieutenant. He was to meet Gott at Deopham Green, Norfolk and together they would fly a number of missions over occupied Europe bombing strategic targets.

On the 9th November 1944, they took off with their crew on a mission that would take them into the German heartland to bomb the marshalling yards at Saarbrucken.

On this run, the aircraft, was badly hit by flak, three of the engines caught fire and were inoperable, the fires were so fierce that they were reaching the tail of the stricken aircraft.

Further fires within the fuselage started when flares were ignited, and this rapidly caught a hold. Hydraulic lines were severed and the liquid from within was jettisoned onto the burning fuselage. With communication lines cut and unable to contact the crew, both Gott and Metzger had some difficult decisions to make. They had not yet reached the target, the aircraft still held its bomb load and they were deep into occupied territory.

The crew too had suffered badly at the hands of the anti-aircraft fire. The engineer was wounded in the leg and the radio operators arm was severed below the elbow causing great pain and loss of blood. He would die very quickly if medical help was not found. Despite the quick thinking and application of tourniquet by fellow crew members, he soon passed out and fell unconscious.

Gott and Metzger decided that jettisoning the injured radio operator would not result in his receiving medical help and so they would drop the bombs and head for the nearest friendly territory where they could crash-land. Doing this, would risk not only the life of the operator, but that of the crew and themselves should the stricken aircraft explode.

Over the target, they released their bombs and flew alone toward allied territory. Flying low over the village of Hattonville, the aircraft was seen to swerve avoiding a church and homes. At this point, Metzger personally crawled through the aircraft and instructed the crew to bail out. Three chutes were seen by local people, two fell to earth and the third became entangled on the stabiliser and was trapped. A further three were seen moments later, all these escaped. Metzger decided to remain with Gott and try to land the aircraft with the radio operator on board. With only one working engine, Gott and Metzger brought the aircraft down through a series of tight turns and at only 100 feet from safety the aircraft banked and exploded. Crashing to earth it again suffered a second explosion and disintegrated killing all three crew members on board and the crew member still attached to the tail.

1st Lieutenant Gott and his co-pilot 2nd Lieutenant Metzger had shown great courage and determination to complete their mission, and to save their crew from certain death. They had shown the greatest of valour in what was to be the final act of their short lives.

Both men were killed on that day, November 4th 1944 aged 21 and 22 respectively. They were both posthumously awarded the Medal of Honour on the 16th May 1945.

Gott’s remains were returned to the United States and he was buried at the Harmon Cemetery, in Harmon, Ellis County, Oklahoma, USA. Metzger, was returned to his home town and was buried at Woodlawn Cemetery, Lima, Ohio.

Along with Gott and Metzger, crew members who did not survive were: T/Sgt Robert A, Dunlap and S/Sgt T.G. Herman B, Krimminger. The survivors were picked up by a a local field hospital and treated for their injuries: 2nd lt John A, Harland ; 2nd lt Joseph F, Harms ; S/Sgt B.T. James O, Fross ; S/Sgt R.W. William R, Robbins and T/Sg T.T. Russell W Gustafson.

A memorial now stands close to the site of the crash site.

2nd Lieutenant William Metzger (@IWM UPL 16264)

1st Lieutenant Donald Gott (@IWM UPL 16265)

RAF Little Walden (Station 165)

October 20, 2024October 19, 2024 / Aviationtrails / Leave a comment

Sometimes, we come across quite unexpectedly, something of great interest. Whilst on my travels recently, passing through the southern regions of Cambridge into Essex, I came upon the former station RAF Little Walden. Being an unplanned visit, I was rather short in prior knowledge and preparation, no maps, aerial photographs, or other documents that I normally seek out before venturing off into the wilderness. So I was quite unprepared when I stumbled across the Watch Office from former station RAF Little Walden, otherwise known as Station 165 of the USAAF.

RAF Little Walden (Hadstock) – (Station 165)

Little Walden lies slightly closer to the village of Hadstock than it does Little Walden, and was originally called Hadstock. When construction began in 1942, it was allocated to the Eighth Air Force as a Class A bomber airfield. However, due to the bad winter of 1942/43 work ceased temporarily, being held up until well into the summer of 1943. At this point, Hadstock became known as Little Walden, a name change that coincided with the formation of the Ninth Air Force in Europe, an organisation whose primary role was the support of ground troops in the European theatre. With its headquarters at Sunninghill Park¹ in Ascot, it would operate both transport and bomber units, taking many of these units (and their airfields) from the already established Eighth Air Force. Little Walden was one such airfield passing from the Eighth to the Ninth to fulfil this new role.

Although a Class A airfield, Little Walden’s main runway was slightly shorter than those of its counterparts, 1,900 yards as opposed to 2,000 yards, but the two auxiliary runways were both the standard 1,400 yards in length. A concrete and wood chip construction gave these runways good strength, it also had hardened perimeter tracks and fifty hardstands of the spectacle type. Grouped mainly in blocks of five, they were located around the perimeter track with a further block of eighteen to the north-west of the site. In the development process a public road the B1052, was closed as it passed directly though the centre of the proposed site.

Little Walden’s Watch Office is now a private residential property.

A large bomb store lay to the west of the airfield, surprisingly close to the majority of the hardstands, any major accidental discharge being likely to cause substantial damage to parked aircraft. There were four areas within the bomb store, each holding 200 tons of bombs and tail units, further stores held pyrotechnics, incendiaries, ‘small’ bombs, grenades and small arms ammunition. Most of these were secured by earth banks with fusing points (both ultra-heavy and heavy-light) being held in temporary brick buildings.

To the eastern side of the airfield lay the technical area, with one of the type T2 hangars (the second being located to the north), a fire tender shelter, and a watch office designed to drawing 12779/41 – the standard airfield design of 1942/43. Behind this, lay the main technical area, with its usual range of dingy stores, MT (Motor Transport) sheds, parachute stores and a wide range of ancillary buildings.

Accommodation for staff was, as usual by now, dispersed over eleven sites, a sick quarters, communal site and WAAF site accounting for three of them. A further sewage works made the twelfth site. All-in-all accommodation was provided for just short of 3,000 men and women of mixed rank.

On March 6th, 1944 the airfield officially opened, the day before its first residents arrived. The 409th BG were a new Group, only constituted on June 1st, the previous year (1943). They trained using Douglas A-20 Havocs (known in British service as the Boston) a twin engines light bomber capable of carrying up to 4,000lb of bombs.

The 409th BG formed at Will Rogers Field (Oklahoma) and transitioned through Woodward and DeRidder bases before arriving in the UK. Between March and September they operated out of Little Walden, bombing V-weapons sites and airfields in France in a strategic role. Initially they performed in the low-level role, but soon moved to higher altitudes, performing their first mission on April 13th 1944.

In the short period of residency at Little Walden, the 409th would lose a number of aircraft, one of the first being that of #43-9899 of the 642nd BS, which was written off in a landing accident on April 22nd 1944. Three days later a second aircraft, #43-9691, would also crash-land at Little Walden being damaged in the process.

May would also prove to be a difficult month for the 409th, with one aircraft ‘lost’ on the 9th, a further crash landing on the 11th, another lost on the 22nd and two further aircraft lost (classified as MIA) on the 27th. It was on this mission that a further Havoc would collide with a low flying Mustang resulting in several tragic deaths.

Havoc #43-10130 of the 643rd BS, piloted by Captain Roger D. Dunbar took off from Little Walden heading south-east, when it collided with P-51B #42-106907 of the 503rd FS, 339th FG, piloted by 2nd Lt. Robert L. Dickens. The Mustang, on a training flight, disintegrated killing the pilot, whilst the Havoc crashed into the farmland below. In the ensuing fire, a local farmer’s widow and trained nurse, Betty Everitt ran to the scene and managed to pull one of the airmen out of the aircraft. When returning to retrieve another crewman, one of the bombs on board the aircraft exploded killing her, her small dog, a helping Staff Sgt. and those left inside the aircraft. As a thank you to Betty, the US airmen, from the base, raised almost £3,000 to provide an education for her four-year old orphaned son, Tony². This was not a one-off either, a fund set up by Stars and Stripes and the British Red Cross, aimed to raise funds for children who had suffered the loss of one or both parents. The amounts raised went a long way to getting these children an education that they would not otherwise have had.

Early June would see another such tragedy, when three more Havocs would collide. Havocs A-20G #43-9703 and #43-9946, both of the 641st BS, would crash whilst the third aircraft managed to land at the airfield. #43-9703 was piloted by Joseph R. Armistead, whilst #43-9946 was piloted by Thomas A. Beckett. A young girl, Marjorie Pask, ran to help, pulling two airmen out of the wreckage then waiting with them until help arrived. Five airmen including the pilots and an air gunner, Staff Sergeant Albert H Holiday, were all killed. It was not until later that Marjorie realised that there were many bombs scattered around the site and how much danger she had been in ³.

Staff Sgt. Albert H Holiday, killed June 11th 1944 in a collision between two Havocs of the 409th BG. (IWM-UPL 21530)

With two further loses and a forced landing in June, it was be a difficult month for the 409th. The late summer months of July and August would be lighter but by no means a clean sheet. In September 1944, on the 18th, the 409th were moved out of Little Walden and posted to a forward Landing Ground A-48 at Bretigny, where they would continue to suffer from landing accidents, Flak and fighters.

Next at Little Walden came the Mustangs of the 361st FG, in a move that saw possession of Little Walden pass back into the hands of the Eighth Air Force. Station 165 was now back with its original owners.

The 361st FG were the last of the P-47 Groups to arrive in the UK. Initially based at Bottisham, they converted to the P-51 in the weeks leading up to D-day. Using the Thunderbolts they earned a reputation as a strong and determined ground attack unit, hitting rail yards and transportation links across France.

A short break whilst transferring from Bottisham to Little Walden gave a somewhat minor break for the 361st. But, following changes to the Eighth’s overall structure, it was soon back to normal and more attacks over occupied France. In October, Lt. Urban Drew shot down two Me 262s who were in the process of taking off from their airfield at Achmer. What was more remarkable about the attack was that Lt. Drew had only arrived in the U.K. a few days earlier, had been grounded for a Victory Roll and then went on to become an Ace shooting down six enemy aircraft and the first pair of 262s! He was awarded the Air Force Cross, being denied the Distinguished Flying Cross until after the war when records from both the Luftwaffe and US Air Force were able to confirm his dramatic claims.

The Christmas and winter of 1944-45 was notoriously bad, very cold temperatures, fog, frost and ice played havoc with operations. The Battle of the Bulge was raging and the allies were finding it all but impossible to provide assistance from the air. Many Bomb Groups suffered terrible tragedies as collisions and accident numbers increased in the poorer weather. The Ninth, who themselves had primary roles in ground support were finding it particularly difficult. To help, a selection of men and machines from the 361st (and 352nd from Bodney) were transported to France and the airfields at St. Dizier (Y-64) and Asch (Y-29) where they were seconded into the Ninth Air Force. The main force back at Little Walden continued to support bomber missions whenever they could, a difficult job in often appalling conditions.

‘Ferocious Frankie’ #44-13704 (374th FS, 361st FG). The original crashed during a wheels up belly landing at RAF Little Walden, on November 9th, 1944. (This aircraft was flying at the Duxford American Airshow May 2016).

‘Ferocious Frankie’ (named after the wife of Lieutenant-Colonel Wallace E. Hopkins) seen at the Eastbourne Air Display August 2015.

By the end of January the seconding to the Ninth came to an end and the entire Group moved across to Belgium and Chievres, a former Belgian airfield captured and used by Luftwaffe bombers during the earlier years of the war. The 361st would remain there until April 1945 whereupon they returned back to Little Walden. During their absence Little Walden was made good use of. Being a ‘bomber airfield’ by design, its runways and hardstands were put to good use by Debach’s 493rd BG and their B-17 ‘Flying Fortresses’ whilst their own airfield was repaired and strengthened.

Spending only a month at Little Walden, the Air Echelons of the 493rd BG would depart in the April as the 361st FG returned. On the 20th, the 361st would fly their last operational mission, a flight that would close the record books culminating in a total of 441 missions. As the war ended and personnel were sent home, crews and aircraft of the 361st were dispersed to depots around the U.K., those that were left were sent home via the Queen Mary from Southampton arriving in New York in early November 1945. Within hours the group was disbanded and the men scattered to the four winds.

Between early September and early October 1945, the 56th FG ‘The Wolfpack’ were brought to Little Walden. The aircraft were also dispatched to depots around the country whilst personnel were brought to Little Walden for onward transportation to the United States. By mid October they too had gone.

Little Walden then began the wind down, transferring back to RAF ownership in early 1946. For the next twelve years or so, it was used to store surplus military equipment before they were sold off. After that, the site was returned to agriculture, the majority of the buildings pulled down and the runways dug up for road building hardcore.

The control tower stood for many years derelict and forlorn, until being purchased by an architect in 1982, eventually being turned into a private residence, the state it exists in today. The closed road has since been restored, utilising part of the NE-SW runway. Other parts that remain being a public footpath, but all a fraction of their former selves and no more than a tractor’s width wide.

What’s left of the technical area is a small industrial unit, remaining buildings being used for storage or small industrial companies. An access road from the B1052 passes the site an on to private residencies.

Little else survives of Little Walden. Memorial plaques are believed to be mounted on the side of the watch office, although I could not see these when I visited, and the village memorial mentions those who were stationed at the airfield.

The serenity of Little Walden does nothing to reflect the goings on here over 70 years ago. The aircraft are gone, the bird song replacing the sound of engines, and the busy runways now a small road. For those who were lost here, the watch office stands as a memorial to their memory and the dedication shown by the many young men and women of the USAAF.

Sources and further reading.

¹ Sunninghill Park was originally part of Windsor Forest and dates back to the 1600s and King Charles 1. Its ownership changed hands several times, and in the early 1800s during the Georgian period, a large house was built upon it. The Ninth Air Force made it their headquarters between November 1943 and September 1944, after which, in 1945, it was sold to the Crown Estate as a future home for Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. However, before their marriage, the house burned down and the site remained unoccupied until the 1980s when a new property was designed and constructed for the Duke and Duchess of York. However, it was never occupied, the house fell into a very poor state of disrepair and was bought for £15m by an overseas investor. The site continued to decay and by 2014 was ordered for demolition.

²The Troy Record Newspaper Archives, Page 20, June 5th 1944 accessed 10/3/19.

³The full story can be read in ‘Balsham, A Village Story 1617-2017‘.

Little Walden is a new addition to Trail 46

1st Lt. Raymond Harney and 2nd Lt. Warren French – 349th BS, 100th BG

September 28, 2024May 7, 2023 / Aviationtrails / 7 Comments

Lt Raymond Harney (Photo courtesy of Tsymond Harney JR.)*¹

A few years ago a story came to light that not only brought home the brutality of war but also the compassion found in war. It was of two American airmen whose World War II story finally come to a close 70 years after their death.

The two airmen, U.S. Army Air Corps 1st Lt. Raymond Harney (s/n O-523208) and U.S. Army Air Corps 2nd Lt. Warren French, (s/n O-2056584) of the 349th BS, 100th BG, were in a B17G (44-6306) over Germany on September 28th 1944, when they were hit by flak whilst on a mission to Merseberg. This would be their eighth and final mission.

Mission 652 involved a total of 342 B-17s which were sent to bomb the Merseburg/Leuna oil refinery and any additional targets of opportunity. During the operation, 10 B-17s were lost, 4 were damaged beyond repair and 251 damaged but repairable. Escort for the mission was provided by 212 P-51s of the USAAF.

B-17 ‘#44-6306’, was delivered to Kearney airbase on 28th June 1944, then moved to Grenier airbase, New Hampshire on 9th July 1944, for onward transport to the United Kingdom. It was assigned to the 349th Bomb Squadron, of the 100th Bomb Group, given the code ‘XR-G’, and based at RAF Thorpe Abbotts from the 12th July 1944.

The crew of #44-6306, assigned on the 28th August 1944, was: (Pilot) 1st Lt. Raymond E. Harney (Co-pilot); 2nd Lt. William R. Kimball (Navigator); 2nd Lt. Charles M. Hamrick (Bombardier); 2nd Lt. Warren. M. French (Top Turret/Engineer); Cpl. Thadeus L. Gotz (Radio Operator/Gunner); Cpl. Hubert J. Burleigh,Jr. (Ball Turret); Cpl. Melvin F. Cordray (Waist Gunner); Cpl. Robert C. Minear (Waist Gunner); Cpl James J. Sorenson, and (tail Gunner) Cpl. John H. Bundner. However, for reasons unknown at this time, for this particular mission, Gotz was not aboard, and instead S/Sgt. Jack D. Francisco flew as tail gunner and Cpl. Robert C. Minear flew as the Flight Engineer.

At 12:10, whilst over the target, the B-17 was hit in the number 2 engine by anti-aircraft flak. As a result, the engine caught fire, the aircraft withdrew from the protection of the formation, joining another formation further back, but began to fall back again when the number 4 engine was also feathered. Harney continued to fly the crippled B-17 for two hours after being hit, before finally deciding enough was enough and he ordered the crew to bail out. Being determined to save his friend and the aircraft, he also decided that he and the injured French, would remain and try to land the aircraft.

Outside of the village of Schwickershausen, to the north of another major target, Schweinfurt, Germany, they attempted a belly landing bringing the aircraft down in a turnip field. The B-17 slid across the ground, ripping off the port wing, causing a tremendous fire. Neither Harney nor French sadly survived the subsequent fireball.

Although he managed to get the crew to leave the aircraft, their safety was not guaranteed and sadly, three were killed by local police in the following days. An event not uncommon in Nazi Germany. Only two of the gunners, Cpl. Melvin F. Cordray, and Cpl. Robert C. Minear, survived as POWs.

What makes this story more significant than usual, is what followed after the crash.

The local people made a wooden cross in remembrance of the crew and they kept it hidden away in the local church for over 70 years.

The cross kept secret for so many years.*²

The large wooden cross, had the words “Hier ruhen in Gott! 2 amer. Flieger,” or “Here rests in God 2 American flyers,” engraved on it, along with details of the aircraft crash. On the 70th anniversary of the crash, 28th September 2014, a memorial service was held in the village of Schwickershausen. Following this, on 5th October, the cross was flown over to England in an American KC-135 Stratotanker from RAF Mildenhall, with two Luftwaffe Tornadoes escorting them over Germany. The cross was donated to the ‘Bloody 100th’ museum at Thorpe Abbots for safe keeping. A certificate was also handed over along with the cross signifying not only the now peaceful and co-operative alliance between the two nations, but the final closing of a chapter of the history of two crew members of the “Bloody Hundredth.”

The cross being transported in the Boom pod of a KC-135 Stratotanker. October 2014.*⁴

This is a remarkable story, and one that certainly stands out amongst the horrors and heroism of the Second World War.

Warren French’s memorial stone in Belgium*³

Lt. Raymond E. Harney’s Gravestone is at Ft. Snelling Cemetery in Minnesota, his remains are in the graveyard at Gemeindefriedhof Schwickershausen. Warren French’s headstone is in the Ardennes, Neuville-en-Cond, in Belgium.

Thorpe Abbotts airfield and museum is featured in Trail 12

Sources:

*¹ photo the Bloody 100th Foundation.

*² Photo from RAF Mildenhall news

*³ Photo from ‘Find a Grave‘

*⁴ Photo from RAF Mildenhall News

This story first appeared in the RAF Mildenhall News report October 20th 2014.