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

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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 friend

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.

jack watson page A fresh faced 2nd Lt. Jack Watosn who bravely brought home his burning and crippled B-17 bomber after ordering his crew to bail out. (IWM UPL 32160)

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.

WM UPL 32171 B-17 ‘Meat Hound‘ on the ground at Metfield, Suffolk after landing with two burning engines. The aircraft was subsequently written off and salvaged for usable parts.  (IWM UPL 32171).

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 – 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.

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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.

Preddy page

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.

Preddy page

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

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

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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.

metzger

2nd Lieutenant William Metzger (@IWM UPL 16264)

gott

1st Lieutenant Donald Gott (@IWM UPL 16265)

 

 

de Havilland Mosquitoes in BOAC Service.

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Very few countries around the world managed to avoid the influence of the Second World War as it ravaged and rampaged its way across the globe. One such nation that did manage to keep its borders secure though was Sweden, a place that became known as a safe haven for downed airmen or those trying to escape the clutches of the Nazi tyranny that would engulf vast swathes of the European continent. Surrounded by conflict and declared neutral, Sweden was to all intents and purposes cut off from the rest of the world.

However, Sweden was a country reliant on imports and exports, a reliance that led to extensive negotiations between herself and both the axis and allied powers who effectively blockaded her supply routes. Through these negotiations she achieved an  agreement to the rights of passage for ‘safe-conduct traffic’, an agreement that allowed the passage through hostile waters of shipping, allowing the exports of paper and wood from Sweden, in exchange for imports of food and oil.

Sweden’s role in the Second World war was largely political. If she was to survive she was going to have to forge safe links beyond her closest Scandinavian neighbours. Fearing she would be sucked into war and absorbed into a Europe ruled by Germany, she turned to Britain with a view to forging a safe airway between Stockholm and Scotland.

Discussions around the opening of the Swedish air routes began prior to war breaking out, negotiations between the Chairman of Britain’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), Sweden’s airline company AB Aerotransport (ABA) and Germany’s Hermann Goring, eventually led to an agreed flight once per week from Stockholm – Oslo-Stavanger-Perth. However, ongoing Swedish concerns led to long delays in activation of the service, even though a successful test flight involving a Junkers 52 had taking place on November 27th 1939.

The Swedish ABA were to run the operation, initially using three DC-3s (named Gripen ‘Griffin’, Gladen ‘kite’ and Falken ‘falcon’) painted bright orange and clearly marked Sweden/Schweden in large black lettering to prevent attacks from either side on a neutral aircraft. Throughout the war though this link was tenuous at best, heightened German aggression and fearsome weather often being the determining factors for the safe passage of the aircraft between the two countries. German restrictions on both freight and passengers angered the Swedes, who defiantly disobeyed their rulings. This decision led to a number of Swedish operated aircraft being attacked and shot down.

By 1945 the Swedes decided it was now too dangerous to fly, particularly with trigger happy defences and over keen allied pilots. The airspace around Sweden’s near neighbour Norway, had become a cauldron of  fire, and so the service was eventually closed down.

However, this official Swedish run route was not the only airway that operated between the two countries. The Norwegians also ran a service albeit reduced, as did the Americans later on in the war with five stripped out B-24 Liberators. Another service however, a ‘British’ service, also operated, but this was much more of a clandestine role than that of their Swedish counterparts.

At the time Sweden was a producer of iron but more importantly ball-bearings, a  commodity essential for any moving parts in machinery; whether it be a simple tool or a more complex engine, without them machinery simply wouldn’t work.

Ball-bearings in Sweden were all manufactured by one company, Svenska Kullagerfabriken AB (SKF), who before the war, exported around 9% of her total output to Germany with another 9% going to the United Kingdom. During the war however, this balance dramatically fell heavily on the side of Germany with as much as 65% of her total output ending up in German hands by 1943.*1 This imbalance was primarily due to the exports that were received in the occupied territories, falling into German hands, and being diverted into Germany’s own industrial operations.

Britain however, also needed these ball-bearings, and was perhaps more keen on maintaining this link than many would have initially thought. Having her supply line to Swedish goods cut was going to hit Britain hard. Britain needed all the ball-bearings she could find, and so Sweden was vital to this supply. So desperate were the British  authorities to obtain these components that they mounted two naval operations,  ‘Rubble‘ and ‘Performance‘, both of which turned out to be disastrous in terms of both the loss of life and the loss of shipping.

There were many other reasons why Britain wanted to maintain this link though, one was the expansion of its resistance operations across Scandinavia, Sweden providing a safe passage for agents entering and leaving the region safely, a move that was just as important as it was for returning escaped or interned airmen of the RAF and later USAAF.

Furthermore, Britain needed to ensure that Sweden was receiving as much British propaganda as it was German. If this line were to be severed, there would be a chance that the imbalance in material may have detrimental effects on Sweden’s future as the war developed.

In late 1939 flights began in secrecy, operated by British Airways Ltd, who used three Junkers 52 transport aircraft and one Lockheed Model 14 Super Electra (the forerunner of the Hudson) named ‘Bashful Gertie‘ (G-AGBG). Like the Swedish operation, these flights took place between Perth and Stockholm via Norway and were flown by civilian crews in civilian marked aircraft. However, this route was subsequently closed when one of the aircraft was attacked by a Luftwaffe fighter, and another was captured in Oslo when the Germans invaded Norway.

Then in 1939/40 the two British aviation companies, British Airways Ltd and Imperial Airways, merged to form the British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC), a civilian operation that would go on to serve as Britain’s leading national airline for many years after the war’s end. The amalgamation of these companies was an important step forward leading to the reinstatement of the Swedish route, this time using the military base at RAF Leuchars in Fife.

Also piloted by Swedish or Norwegian aircrew, the idea behind the route was to pass POW mail and propaganda (magazines, newspapers etc) into Sweden where it could be forwarded to prison camps in occupied Europe. However, constantly aware of the need for ball-bearings and the fact that Sweden was a major supplier of them, plans were put in place for returning aircraft to be refuelled and filled with ball-bearings before returning to Leuchars. This run hence became known as the ‘ball-bearing run‘.

In these early years of the war, BOAC operated other similar aircraft types, these included C-47 Dakotas, converted Whitley IV bombers and Curtis Wright C46 aircraft, but their lack of speed and manoeuvrability left them vulnerable to Luftwaffe attacks. It soon became clear that a new and much faster type was needed and so BOAC began to put pressure on de Havilland for their new Mosquito.

Picture

A Whitley bomber in BOAC markings *7

A trial flight was undertaken using an unmarked Mosquito of 105 Sqn (DK292) on August 6th 1942 (there is some confusion over this exact date), flown by  Fl. Lt. Parry and P. Off. Robinson, the results of which showed the aircraft to be highly suitable for the purpose of the flights. The journey from Leuchars to Stockholm covered some 800 miles was, on average, completed in around 3 hours.

On 15th December 1942 the first civilian operated model of the aircraft arrived at Leuchars. A Mosquito PR.IV ‘DZ411’,  it was assigned the civilian registration G-AGFV, and began flights to Stockholm on 4th February 1943. After this, it was joined by six other Mosquito MK.VI aircraft between April and May (all being given the sequential registrations G-AGGC to AGGH) with a further three in April 1944.

The incredible carrying capacity of the Mosquito, which would be proven later in the war, would allow for up to 650Kg (10 -12 crates) of ball-bearings to be carried in the aircraft’s bomb bay.

The opening of such a link was kept very secret, the British not wanting the Germans to know about the new revolutionary Mosquito, nor their important cargo. However, keeping such an operation from German intelligence was difficult, if not impossible, and soon they discovered that the flights were again taking place between the two countries. Now embroiled in a political stand off, the Germans put pressure on neutral Sweden to put a stop to these flights, insisting that they were giving the British an advantage, and that as a neutral country, they should not be allowing British aircraft to land on Swedish soil. The Swedes maintained that the service was purely civilian and controlled solely by the Swedish authorities, to which the Germans threatened to inform Hitler thus rendering the aircraft legitimate military targets. Fearing that the British would in turn close the passage for the safe-conduct traffic, the Swedes ignored the German threats and so the service continued.

However, so as to not infringe or violate Sweden’s wartime neutrality, it was vital that the Mosquitoes remained unarmed for these operations. But that made any aircraft on this run a potential ‘sitting duck’, even though, like their Lockheed predecessors, they carried BOAC insignia and were flown by civilian aircrew.

So all of these aircraft had to be changed from military status to civilian, this required the removal of all traces of armament. Modified at Hatfield – the home of the Mosquito – the resultant weight loss altered the aircraft’s centre of gravity and so additional ballast had to be added to prevent changes in the aircraft’s flying characteristics.

The first example DZ411, was a Mosquito B.IV Series II, powered by two Merlin 21/23 engines built under the contract 555/C.23(a) and converted to a PR.IV at Hatfield prior to its delivery to BOAC at RAF Leuchars. It would go on to serve until early 1945 with BOAC before presumably returning to RAF ownership.

The first of the next batch, all FB.VIs, was ‘HJ680’ another example built at Hatfield under the same contract 555/C.23(a) but with Merlin 23/25 engines. This aircraft was initially passed to BOAC at Bramcote on April 16th 1943, receiving the registration G-AGGC before flying on to Leuchars immediately after. On the 18th, on the return leg of its maiden flight for BOAC, it was chased by enemy fighters, but its speed and agility allowed the Mosquito to escape unharmed. It was eventually removed from service on November 30th 1944, but remained at Leuchars in case a ‘spare’ aircraft was urgently needed. This particular model was the longest serving Mosquito in BOAC’s service, being taken off the civil register on January 4th 1946, whereupon it was passed to 22 Maintenance Unit. On June 15th 1950, the example was eventually sold as scrap to the John Dale Scrap merchants.

The next aircraft ‘HJ681’ arrived at the same time, and remained in service until January 1944, under the civil registration G-AGGD. This particular aircraft crash landed in Sweden and was reduced to spare parts.

‘HJ718’ arrived on April 24th and was given the registration G-AGGE, it served until June 1945, whilst ‘HJ720’ (G-AGGF) crashed into high ground at Invernairk, Glen Esk on 17th August 1943, killing both crewmen Captain L.A. Wilkins and Radio Operator N.H. Beaumont. A further FB.VI, ‘HJ721’ (G-AGGG) also crashed, this time on the return leg only a mile or so from Leuchars on October 25th 1943, when the port engine failed. Both crewmen, Captain Hamre and Radio Operator Haug, lost their lives along with their passenger Mr Carl Rogers.

The last FB.VI ‘HJ723’ also built under the same contract as the other models, arrived on the 2nd May 1943, and would operate until the end of June 1945 as G-AGGH . It was subsequently handed over to the RAF and eventually presumably disposed of.

By the end of May 1943, a total of nine Mosquitoes would have been modified and delivered to BOAC at Leuchars*5.

DH98 Mosquito G-AGFV (DZ411) MkIV BOAC on 8th January 1943 (© 2021 BAE Systems)

In June 1943, with the need for ball-bearings increasing, two Mosquitoes departed Leuchars with two very important dignitaries onboard. Firstly the British president of the Swedish SKF airline and secondly a ball-bearings expert from the British authorities, who were going to negotiate the delivery of further supplies to Britain.

In order to accommodate these additional passengers the bomb bay of the aircraft had to be converted, thus allowing them to lay on their backs on padded felt*6. An additional reading lamp was fitted, along with an oxygen supply, intercom and even coffee. The passenger would have a piece of string the other end of which was tied to the pilots leg, and should the conditions  in the bomb bay become too uncomfortable, they would pull the string.

These operations were very soon regularly carrying human cargo. On the outward leg mail, newspapers and other written material held within its bomb bay, would be deposited in Sweden, the aircraft would be refuelled and stocked up with either human cargo (allied aircrew, special agents or scientists), ball-bearings or a mix of the two. The faster and far more agile Mosquito would, in most cases, be able to out run any opposing Luftwaffe fighter that should, and indeed did, try to intercept the aircraft whilst on one of these flights.

One such notable passenger who was carried back from Sweden was the nuclear physicist Niels Bohr whose work on atomic structures and quantum theory had won him the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1922.*4 His journey almost cost him his life though after he failed to operate his oxygen mask correctly. Only when the failed to respond to the pilot’s attempts to contact him, was action taken and the aircraft reduced altitude allowing Bohr to breathe normally and regain consciousness. Bohr went on to work on the Manhattan project, an American project that led to the development of the atomic bomb that would end the war, and plunge the world into the nuclear age.

A large number of other significant people were also carried by these Mosquitoes, Sgt. Jack Byrne who went on to be a  founder member of the SAS, after being shot in the face, bayoneted in the groin and detained in several prisoner of war camps, was one such person repatriated to Leuchars. Three of those who escaped in the famous ‘Wooden Horse‘ escape were also returned via Mosquitoes from Sweden; as where Norwegians Peter Bergsland and Jens Muller two of the three to escape in ‘The Great Escape’.

In ‘Operation Gunnerside’, the SOE operation to blow up the German heavy Water plant in Norway (featured in the film ‘The Heroes of Telemark‘), six of the team were repatriated using this route. A key player in this operation was Leif Tronstad, a Norwegian Physicist who was also flown to Scotland to provide vital information about the German efforts to produce heavy water at the plant.

A considerable number of British personalities were also flown into Sweden using this method; T.S. Elliot, Sir Kenneth Clarke and even the Bishop of Chichester were flown into Sweden this way.

Sgt. Jack Byrne, was shot, bayoneted and imprisoned. He fought at Dunkirk, on D-Day, in North Africa and at the Battle of the Bulge and then went on to be a founder member of the SAS.*2

By the end of 1943, 157 such flights had been made, 129 of which were by these Mosquitoes. A total of some 110 tonnes of freight (a mix of human and mainly ball bearings) had been carried.

Even though these flights were highly successful, a few aircraft were lost. In Mid August 1944, G-AGKP ‘LR296’ a former 27 MU aircraft was lost when it crashed into the sea nine miles from Leuchars. All three on board, Captain G. Rae, Radio Operator D.T. Roberts and Captain B.W.B. Orton (himself a BOAC Mosquito pilot), were killed as it approached Leuchars on its return flight from Stockholm.  The crash was believed to have been caused by the aircraft’s structural failure, the aircraft having been repaired previously after an accident in January. The total number of aircraft being used by BOAC reached fourteen, with five of these crashing including one G-AGKR ‘HJ792’ being lost at sea in August 1944 with no trace of either the aircraft or crew ever being found.

On 17th May 1945 the service officially ceased. Between 1941 and the war’s end, 1,200 of these trips had been made, many by the Mosquitoes. The service between Sweden and Scotland had been a vital link between the two countries not only for the supply of ball-bearings but a life line for escapees and special agents. For these Mosquitoes it was a remarkable achievement for an aircraft that would prove itself to be one of the war’s most incredible designs.

de Havilland Mosquitoes used by BOAC*3:

DK292 – The first Mosquito to fly the Leuchars – Stockholm route
DZ411 – G-AGFV flew to 1945
HJ667 – G-AGKO flew to 1945
HJ680 – G-AGGC flew to 1946
HJ681 – G-AGGD crash landed Sweden 1941
HJ718 – G-AGGE flew to 1945
HJ720 – G-AGGF crashed Invernairk 1943
HJ721 – G-AGGG crashed near to Leuchars 1943
HJ723 – G-AGGH flew to 1945
LR296 – G-AGKP crashed near Leuchars 1944
HJ792 – G-AGKR lost at sea 1944
HJ898 – Crew trainer retained RAF serial flew to 1945
HJ985 – Crew trainer retained RAF serial returned to RAF 1944
LR524 – Crew trainer retained RAF serial returned to RAF 1944

RAF Leuchars appears in Trail 53.

Sources and further reading.

*1 Martin Fritz (1975) Swedish ball-bearings and The German war economy,
Scandinavian Economic History Review, 23:1, 15-35, DOI: 10.1080/03585522.1975.10407803

*2 Photo from “Think Scotland website”  accessed 12/3/21

*3*6 The Mosquito Page Website accessed 12/3/21

*4 For additional information and pilot stories about the ‘ball-bearing’ run see the Royal Institute of Navigation Blog.

*5 Thirsk, I. “de Havilland Mosquito – An illustrated History Vol.2“, Crecy 2006

*7 Photo from Aircraft Enthusiast Group Website.

BAE Systems Website

RAF Little Walden (Station 165)

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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 Watch Office

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.

Duxford American Airshow May 2016

‘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).

Aug 2015 317a

‘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

RAF Sawbridgeworth – Part 4 – The end of an Era.

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Continuing on from Part 3

2 (AC) Sqn by now, also had a move away on the cards, and following a meeting on the 28th January the advanced party departed first, followed on the 31st by the ground party. The Mustangs moving to RAF Bottisham, from where they would now operate before being divided and part moving to Fowlmere.  After a short stay at the two sites they returned to the Hertfordshire airfield once more. Their departure had lasted a mere four months.

RAF Sawbridgeworth Emergency generator

The Standby Generator House now a stores for machinery.

Whilst they were away, the airfield was used on a temporary basis by 652 Sqn flying Austers, On arrival, they immediately took over Blount’s Farm and used it for their own personal use. In the short time they were here, they participated in Exercise “Spartan” again in conjunction with the Army, departing the airfield in late  March.

After being spilt between Bottisham and Fowlmere, 2 (AC) Squadron was now reunited and returned to training flights, air to air firing, ground support flights and increased operational activities. A large part of the squadron’s role now included photographic reconnaissance of enemy territory, many of these operations taking place over the Hook of Holland, den Helder, Kijduin, and Ameland. Some of these required the squadron to detach to other stations but the majority of operations flew from Sawbridgeworth, the Mustangs fairing much better than the heavy Typhoons of 182 Squadron earlier on.

In Mid may, disaster struck again for the unit when three aircraft crashed into a hillside after setting off on a photo reconnaissance flight to photograph locomotive movements in northern France in Operation “Asphalt“. On the way out, a bank of sea fog was encountered and the order to climb was given. Unfortunately, flying abreast,  three of the ten Mustangs failed to clear the hill they encountered, and Pt. Off. J. McLeod, Fl. Off. D. Hirst and Fl. Off. N. Miller were all killed. The remaining aircraft then flew to Thruxton where they were detached to,  and a search commenced for the missing airmen. Their bodies were later recovered and funerals held in their respective homes at the end of the month.

Photo reconnaissance flights and attacks on shipping, increased becoming the main role for the squadron.  Sadly during one of these operations, Operation “Lagoon“, Fl. Off. Butt was killed when his Mustang crashed into the ground before he was able to land. The resultant explosion and fire killing him.

July 1943 saw yet another move for the squadron, this time to Gravesend, where they were immediately billeted under canvas and then inspected for fitness to serve overseas. No such move came through though, and after moving around various other local airfields, in November, 2 Sqn returned to the Hertfordshire airfield that had become their semi-permanent home; this time though, they were not unaccompanied, they brought with them the Mustangs of 4 Squadron.

During their absence, Sawbridgeworth had not been deserted, in fact it had been very busy and home to several other squadron detachments. On the 12th November 1943, 63, 168 and 170 Squadrons had all moved in with Mustangs, then on the 30th, both 63 and 168 departed moving back to their parent unit, their short detachment coming to an end; whilst 170 remained here until mid January when they were disbanded.

The return of 2 Sqn and the new Mustang unit that November, saw a continuation of reconnaissance operations  over the continent. 4 Sqn had been dogged by mechanical issues resulting in many unserviceable aircraft and even for the move, only five aircraft were able to make the initial flight. It was these ongoing issues that led to them to begin changing their old models for newer examples, a change that would unfortunately take time to complete.

For much of December the weather played the dominant part, the winter of 1943 – 44 being extremely wet and foggy. For much of the month the airfield was yet again, unserviceable and only top priority operational flying could take place and even that was sporadic.

At nearby Hunsdon, both a Mosquito and a Spitfire along with suitable trainers were made available, and it soon became known that 4 squadron was going to re-equip with both and move to Aston Down.  At last, the older, problematic Mustangs were being replaced by a much needed and higher performing aircraft.

Conversion of the crews would take place at Hunsdon who would transfer across regularly to take flight instructions whenever the weather allowed.  It didn’t come a moment too soon either as serviceability for the Mustangs of both squadrons, remained critically low; at the end of the month, 4 Sqn only had two airworthy aircraft.

In early January 1944, 4 Sqn finally got their departure orders and made the move to Aston Down. The conversion had been successful, and further training flights were carried out once at Aston Down, gradually more and more of the new models arrived bringing the squadron back up to full strength once more. That was not the end of 4 Squadron though, as on March 3rd 1944, they returned to Sawbridgeworth with their new Spitfires and their Mosquitoes, their period of reconnaissance training on the two types now almost complete.

On the 3rd March, two parties left Aston Down, the road party in the morning and then, in the afternoon, the air party, forming the largest ‘Balbo‘ the unit had known for some time. in all, twenty-two aircraft made up of Spitfires, Mosquitoes and Mustangs flew in formation all the way to Sawbridgeworth, their arrival in the late afternoon must have been a magnificent sight for those waiting on the ground.

The squadron was then divided into two flights, ‘A’ Flight flying the Spitfires and ‘B’ Flight the Mosquitoes. During March the ‘A’ Flight Spitfire XIs were used to fly photo reconnaissance sorties over ‘Noball‘ targets – rocket installations in France, the first operational sortie since December 12th. However, and a blow to the squadron, there was 10/10ths cloud over the target area and no photos were taken as a result.

With ‘A’ Flight busy on operational sorties, ‘B’ Flight continued with their Training flights in their Mosquitoes. However, as with the Typhoons earlier, things were not as straight forward and easy and they may have been. It was found that stones and clinker had found its way onto the tracks and these had been thrown up damaging the tail plane of the aircraft rendering all the aircraft used unserviceable.

Poor weather continued to hamper operations as it had done for months, the Mosquitoes now taking part in photographic flights having their flights cancelled and the squadron being stood down on several occasion.

In early April, they were ordered out of Sawbridgeworth and on the 4th, both air and ground parties left for Gatwick, their penultimate stop before moving to the continent where they would stay for many years after the war’s end.

Meanwhile, 2 Sqn had continued operations over enemy territory, carrying out both air-ground attacks and reconnaissance flights over the continent. Yet more detachments away at various airfields including Benson and North Weald, led to them being divided once more. However,  being posted to North Weald caused problems for the resident 268 Sqn who were now forced to leave there and come to Sawbridgeworth, North Weald being too small to accommodate both units. When 2 Sqn returned to Sawbridgeworth on March 26th to continue their operational activities, 268 departed, being transferred to RAF Gailes where the entire squadron undertook a Naval Bombardment course.

During their time here, 268 had been operational flying regular sorties over France. With the impending invasion, they photographed beach defences along the French coast, Radar station at Ostend and carried out “Noball” operations searching for and photographing V1 launch sites.

2 Sqn’s last departure from Sawbridgeworth than came, and on 24th March 1944, they along with 4 squadron shortly after, departed the airfield for Gatwick, never to return to Sawbridgeworth again.

2 Sqn would go on to serve well into the future, taking their Tornadoes to Marham in 1991 after serving in Germany post war. With a long and distinguished history that extends as far back as 1912, they would operative some of the worlds most modern aircraft including: Meteors, Hunters and Jaguars all in front line operations.

With 2 Squadron now departed and not going to return, there was room for other squadrons to utilise the airfield. April saw the arrival of both 80 Squadron on the 24th April followed by 126 Sqn on the 30th; both units flying Spitfires VB and IX respectively.

80 Sqn had been overseas for the last few years and as soon as they arrived at Sawbridgeworth, they were granted leave of up to seven days. Many were disgruntled at such a short period of time and some were given extensions. On return, the squadron then moved immediately to Hornchurch to form a new Wing along with 229 and 274 Squadrons.

Only one other squadron used the airfield after that, 126 Sqn, who, like 80 Squadron, had been abroad and were essentially regrouped here. No flying took place and once settled they were assigned to RAF Culmhead.

After D-Day no other units used the airfield and Sawbridgeworth had had its day. Now redundant it was handed over to the Maintenance Command and placed into care. All flying ceased, military units were pulled out and the airfield gradually wound down.

Its demise was swift, the mesh runways were quickly removed using POWs,  the tower was demolished a year after the cessation of conflict in 1945, and many other buildings were removed or demolished; the land rapidly turned back to agriculture.

Wandering the site today, there is luckily still quite a bit of evidence about. The perimeter track is complete, not in its full width throughout, but a large proportion of it. A number of pill boxes remain scattered around the perimeter of the site and the Battle Headquarters (design 11008/41) can be found with determined searching amongst the brambles and hedgerows.

To the west of the site is a small industrial complex utilising what was a ten-bed sick quarters, dental annex, a twelve bed Barrack hut that doubled as a hospital ward, mortuary and an ambulance shed. An ablutions block is was also located here and the site is more or less complete. Not far from here, is a modern farm, which houses a number of smaller original buildings including a Parachute store (built to drawing 11137/41), fabric store, sub station, main stores and other technical buildings. These are all located on private land and in use by the farmer. There is also a signals block, located nearby to these sites and easily visible from the road.

Across to the east of the airfield, is whats left of the communal site. Here stood 33 buildings in total, incorporating a wide range of supporting units for recreation and general living. The only remaining buildings being the standby generator house and the grocery store. Both are used by local businesses.

A memorial to those who served at Sawbridgeworth stands outside what was the guard house. A recent addition, it is a nice reminder of the dedication of the crews who were stationed here during two world wars.

Sawbridgeworth took years to develop and continually struggled with nature and her elements. Those stationed here struggled with mud and poor weather, undertaking co-operation flights, photographic reconnaissance operations and attacks on enemy targets on the continent. But it never really reached its true, and full potential, languishing in the background with no real direction or planning to see it thrive. Possible loved by many, but loathed by some, it remains today as a reminder of what those dark days of the 1940s were all about.

It is a small well hidden airfield and takes some finding. Hidden by woodland and crops, it was created through luck rather than good planning. The crews and aircraft of Sawbridgeworth played a big part in the Second World War, and all in its short but yet significant life.

Whilst in the area, a third,  very important and still active airfield, can be found not far away at North Weald.

Sources and Further Reading (Sawbridgeworth)

*1 Herts Memories website accessed 30/6/24

*2 National Archives AIR 27/406/1, 39 Squadron Operational Record Book 1916 May 01 – 1930 June 30

*3 ‘A Fleeting Peace’ website. visited 1/9/2024.

*4 (a form of gas that is thought to be harmless and used in trials. Mustard Gas would be stored and used in the event of an invasion). National Archives Air/27/19.

*5 National archives AIR 27/1135/1 – 182 Squadron Operational Record Book

National Archives: AIR 27/19/9;  AIR 27/19/13, AIR 27/19/15; AIR 27/19/19;  AIR 27/19/21, AIR-27-2876; AIR 27/19/25; AIR 27/19/30; AIR 27/19/33; AIR 27/19/32; AIR 27/19/36; AIR 27/19/30; AIR 27/1564/5; AIR 27/671/7;

For personal stories and further information see the Wartime Airfields website.

The Hertfordshire Airfields and Memorial Group have further information about the site and the memorial on their website.

The full story can be read in Trail 25.

RAF Sawbridgeworth – Part 3 – P-51s Arrive.

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Continuing on from Part 2

With all Tomahawks now airworthy, if not troublesome, exercises away at other airfields were the main order of the day. Courses held here were well attended meaning the airfield would see a range of personnel, including naval staff, residing at the site for short durations, over the coming months.

RAF Sawbridgeworth Perimeter Track

Perimeter track

Personnel spirits were raised once more when Flt. Lt. Houseman and Sqn. Ldr. Eyres visited RAF Duxford in February to see the new American built P-51 ‘Mustang’, it was thought this was to be the new replacement for the Tomahawks which had been nothing but problematic throughout their time at Sawbridgeworth.

Convinced of the Mustang’s superiority, arrangements were quickly made for other personnel to also visit the airfield and see for themselves what the new aircraft was capable of. Then, in April 1942, after some initial training at Bottisham, the first three Mustangs arrived at Sawbridgeworth flown in from Speke, Liverpool. With a further six arriving the next day, the total number of Mustangs at the airfield quickly began to increase.

RAF Mustangs of 2 (Army Cooperation) Sqn.

As with the introduction of the Tomahawk, the introduction of a new aircraft takes time and is rarely trouble free. On April 9th, no less than three Mustangs were either written off or substantially damaged in accidents. The first, ‘AG401’, was on a message dropping flight when it inadvertently hit hidden HT cables severing its pitot head and aerial. With no air speed indicator, the aircraft made a fast landing causing the wheel to slip off the tracking and hit a hole in the ground. The wheel lodged itself in the hole causing the aircraft to flip onto its nose. In the second accident,  as ‘AG403’ piloted by Pt.Off. G. Gosnell, ran down the runway, it struck a second Mustang, ‘AG488’ piloted by Pt. Off. P. Willmett, who was taxiing prior to taking-off. After the impact, ‘AG403’ rose into the air, flipped onto its back and crashed into the ground fatally wounding Pilot Officer Gosnell. Pt. Off. Willmett in the second Mustang was however, uninjured in the collision.

Only ten days later Pt. Off. Willmett was involved in another accident when the Mustang he was flying, this time ‘AG492’, suffered a stalled engine. Unable to restart it, Willmett made a forced landing in a field near to High Wycombe. Neither he nor the aircraft suffered any injury or damage.

In June, further consideration was given to extending the runway once again and more surveys were made of the ground by Captain Storey of C.R.E. Bottisham. But any positive news from this was marred by the two deaths of personnel from Sawbridgeworth. Firstly , P. O. G. Young was killed in an air firing exercise at Stert Point ranges on Fenning Island. The aircraft failed to pull up after the attack and subsequently hit the sea wall completely destroying the aircraft. The cause of the accident remains unknown. The second person to die was LAC Dodds, who accidentally drowned whilst swimming in a river local to the airfield, both tragic accidents that marred an otherwise positive day.

Exercises in July took detachments to both  Snailwell and Wendling. Residing at Shipdham, they carried out forty-six sorties altogether all with excellent results – the Mustang and its crews were performing well. With the official release of the P-51 at the end of the month, the squadron was visited by press officials who were invited to take photos and also meet the crews who would be flying them.

On August 8th, 1942,  one of many support training units that were to operate from the airfield, was created here at Sawbridgeworth. The 1495 (Target Towing) Flight, who like 2 (AC) Sqn early on, was equipped with the Lysander and Martinet. It was a short lived unit though, created to support air-to-air gunnery practice using targets towed behind the aircraft; being absorbed into another unit at Hutton Cranswick merely a year later.

The naval link continued in September when a detachment of No. 809 Sqn Fleet Air Arm, arrived bringing with them Fairey Fulmars. The three aircraft staying here, were practising low level attacks through smoke screens in conjunction with 54 Division Battle School. A further twelve officers and six more aircraft then arrived at the end of the month bringing the total number of naval personnel to nine. These were very quickly supplemented over the next few days, and soon the airfield was awash with staff.

This cooperation between units brought many varied aircraft and personnel to Sawbridgeworth. A detachment of 239 Sqn arrived here for a short stay between 22nd October and 18th November, flying their own Mustang Is in conjunction with those of 2 (AC) Sqn, this move would have considerably increased the number of aircraft using the site and the station would have become increasingly active.

RAF Sawbridgeworth Sick quarters

Former Sick quarters

October 29th would sadly be another black day for the airfield though, with the loss of three more Mustangs during night manoeuvres. Flying in bad weather and unsure of their location, the flight of three descended to lower altitudes to gain visual references. In doing so, the first aircraft, ‘AG605’ flown by Pt. Off. D.  Williams, collided with trees and crashed. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot was sadly killed. In the second incident, one of the wingmen (AG633), was forced to make a wheels up landing in a field next to the airfield after attempting an overshoot. The pilot, Pt. Off. P. Whittenham luckily escaped without injury. The last of the three, the leader of the flight (AG465), ran out of fuel and baled out leaving the aircraft to crash into hotel grounds at Ludgershall, Buckinghamshire. He landed without further incident.

Further cooperation flights, involved the arrival at the end of November, of sixteen Spitfires from the Norwegian squadron then based at North Weald. The pilots were here to train in Army cooperation, again operating alongside the Mustangs of the now expert 2 (AC) Sqn.

With the principle aircraft now being the Mustang for 2 (AC) Sqn, a few Tomahawks still remained on their books, and it was  one of these that would crash on landing causing minor injuries to the pilot Pt. Off. P. Gordon-Crosby in ‘AK144’. The type had by now though, seen its day and was largely phased out of squadron use by this time.

As 1942 drew to a close, Sawbridgeworth had grown and developed. It had links with squadrons across the country and across different forces, it had also seen a variety of nationalities reside at its grounds. Whilst it was at least now making its mark, conditions at the site were far from perfect, a problem that was to be highlighted when news came in to 182 Squadron based at Martlesham Heath that they were to relocate to Sawbridgeworth. In preparation, the station commander, Sqn. Ldr. T. Pugh and adjutant Flt. Lt. R. Melhuish, set off by road to inspect the airfield, paying particular attention to its  accommodation facilities, hardstands and runways.

It was clear from the outset that the airfield was “going to give everyone a formidable array of difficulties to face, the accommodation is uncompleted, the dispersals are uncompleted and deep in thick, clayey mud, and the larger hangar is only half erected and has no roof, and everywhere is mud, thick and sticky.” *5

These findings were then confirmed by  Flt. Lt. Manak, who returned to Martlesham after landing a Hurricane at Sawbridgeworth. The entry recorded in the ORB *5 reflected Manak’s feelings in just a few words: “He returns with a very dismal face.”

As a result, Sqn. Ldr. Pugh contacted Headquarters 11 Group to express his deepest concerns at the state of the airfield, but promised to try and see if the squadron could operate from it,despite the difficulties they would face. It was a brave attempt that would not last long. That night, in honour or the squadron, a party and competition were held between 132 and 182 Sqns at Martlesham which, as often happens, became a little ‘boisterous’ resulting in the C.O. and Squadron Engineer Officer both being sent to hospital for injuries sustained in the activities.

Then, on the 6th December, the ground party began their move, followed the next day by the air party lead by Flt. Lt. Manak, in which seventeen Typhoons and one Hurricane took off in groups of four, set for Sawbridgeworth. The problems they were going to face became immediately obvious as they were faced with sticky mud as soon as they landed. Undaunted by the challenges ahead, by the evening they are all bedded down ready for the challenges of their new home.

Conditions at the dispersals made flying virtually impossible for the heavier Typhoons, and considerable work was needed to bring them up to any sort of standard, deep “cleyey‘” mud prevailed making movement difficult, even the runways were a challenge despite the fact there was matting lain down.

By the 13th December, a week into their stay things had improved slightly, and flying began with thirteen officers putting in twelve hours thirty-five minutes of patrols.

RAF Sawbridgeworth Signals Block

Former Signals block

But by the 15th, the rain had returned, and the airfield became difficult to fly from once more. Further rain followed and by the 17th it was completely out of commission, a state it remained in for many days thereafter. With flying scaled right back, it was decided to make good use of the time by providing ground lectures covering a wide-range of topics. By the end of the month, little had changed and six aircraft were ordered to disperse as soon as possible to nearby RAF Hunsdon so that some flying could, at least, take place.

It was not until the 29th December that the airfield was in any state to permit flying to take place.  The six aircraft destined for Hunsdon then managed to take off, lead by Sqn. Ldr. Manak. To support them, a ground party also left taking with them supplies and spares to Hunsdon from where they would now operate until further notice.

To combat the continuing mud problem, the north-south runway was eventually relaid, the east-west runway was considered ‘usable’, as long as there was no further rain, and it was therefore left in situ. The slightest amount of rain however, would simply turn the ground into thick mud and slush.

Christmas then passed, and 1943 would see little change in the weather. After a few dry days, adverse weather returned once more, and once again the early days of January saw little flying take place. However, a short break did allow history to be made when, on the 3rd January 1943, the first operational sortie of 182 Squadron was made. Two Typhoons, flown by Flt. Lt. Manak and Sergeant Shields, flew to Martlesham Heath, where they were ‘ bombed up’ with 250lb bombs and then attacked inland port installations at Bruges. Whilst the overall outcome of the operation was not known, it was nevertheless the squadron’s first operation since its inception and there were no losses.

Between then and the 17th, bad weather persisted, it became so bad, that at one point the mud seeped through the mesh and a substantial amount of flying by the squadron, had to be cancelled as a result. However, on the 17th, ten aircraft were able to get airborne and after joining with four of those detached at Hunsdon, they made their way, with two lighter Mustangs from 2 (AC) Sqn, to RAF Snailwell where they would take part in ground support operation with Army Command. Snailwell’s resident 181 Sqn welcomed their sister squadron with open arms, and threw a huge party in their honour. The following day, they all took part in the training exercise “Shatter“, before all aircraft, from both squadrons, returned to Sawbridgeworth and the mud they had left behind. 182 Sqn then made the decision to attempt to operate the all its aircraft from the airfield, but, with mud accumulating along the track, by 23rd the new station commander W. Cdr. Bristow, had had enough and declared the runways unserviceable and the airfield all but closed.

By the 27th, concerns for Sawbridgeworth had reached the higher ranks of the military and the Air Officer Commanding  Army Co-operation Command, Air Marshal Sir Arthur Barratt KCB, CMG, MC, who arrived at the airfield to discuss the future of 182 Squadron with W. Cdr. Pugh. The outcome was that the squadron would have to move elsewhere as training had been held up for far too long, and this must now stop; a move away was on the cards and not a moment too soon either.

By the 30th January, all was set and the squadron managed to get airborne returning to their former station at Martlesham Heath. The following day all ground personnel also left and the squadron settled in at their former airfield, leaving a disastrous stay at Sawbridgeworth well and truly behind.

Part 4 continues with the end of the war and the end of Sawbridgeworth. The full story can be read in Trail 25.

RAF Sawbridgeworth – Part 2 – 1941

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Continuing on from Part 1

The New Year 1941, started with good news when Wing Commander Geddes, received an OBE in the New Years Honours list. Celebrations were only slightly marred with two more attacks by German bombers; as before, there was no major damage and there were no casualties as a result.

Winter being what it was in 1941, poor weather very soon made its mark, and as a result, little flying was achieved over the whole of the new month.

It was during 1941, that Wing Commander Geddes and 2 (AC) Sqn would be heavily involved in the secret work of the Special Operations Execute (SOE) who were involved in dropping agents into occupied France. Much of the training of the aircrews for this role took place here at Sawbridgeworth, with practice flights using the famous ‘Black’ Lysanders. Even today, many years later, these operations and the role of the photographic reconnaissance units based here, remain deeply buried in the Archives, hidden from many a prying eye.

Winter lectures and the occasional flights, were interrupted by a three day visit by Colonel L. Kennedy, Air Liaison Officer of the American Armoured Forces. He inspected various aspects of the airfield and met with the airmen on various occasions.

The next few weeks up to spring saw little change, with fog, rain and snow persisting until mid March when warmer weather finally broke. But the persistent heavy rain had rendered the airfield unserviceable for even the Lysander, and so it was out of operation for much of the time. Not only had the rain affected flying, but the huts now being used for personnel had flooded, and as such, were classed as ‘uninhabitable’;  a position they remained in for a good while. Eventually, if only temporarily, routine training flights did resume, working in conjunction with the Army once again, they performed more gas attacks and dive bombing flights, but April’s infamous showers would soon return and play havoc, closing the airfield to flying due to the ground being waterlogged.

At the end of May, there was a hint of changes to come, when radio equipment was sent to Henlow to be fitted to Curtis Tomahawks, suggesting a replacement  aircraft was now on the cards. This, followed by several visits by the Works and Buildings representatives to discuss runway extensions and improvements, further went to affirming the suggestion of another step forward, both new facilities and a new aircraft – hopefully one that could operate in the damper weather now dogging the crews at Sawbridgeworth.

The weather over May then improved significantly, hot dry days helped dry out the previously sodden ground, and just in time too as 170 men from the Aerodrome maintenance company arrived to be housed under canvas for the duration of their week’s stay. Their role, to lay Army Track, the first hard runway used at the airfield.

With fine warm weather now presiding, pilots in groups of three, were sent to Old Sarum, a former WWI airfield, for conversion training to the new Tomahawks. Their return was greeted by a visit from both Marshal Viscount Trenchard CGB, GCVO, DSO, DSL, LLD and Air Marshal Sir Arthur Barrett KCG, CMG, MC. who were here to inspect the squadron and their current facilities.

RAF Sawbridgeworth Pill box

Part of the defence network

By the middle of August 1941, virtually all air crew were transitioned onto the Tomahawk, and were ready to fly the new type, the first of which began arriving from the Cunliffe Aircraft Co. Ltd over the next few weeks. The transition would not go smoothly however, with two aircraft, AH945 and AH928, both ground looping on the 9th and 10th September respectively. In addition, a further Tomahawk, ‘AH940’, was forced to land in a field the following week, when the engine cut out for no apparent reason. Whilst the pilot was unharmed, the aircraft sustained considerable damage to its underside and propellers. An investigation began immediately which revealed that faulty generator drive had been responsible, and so all Tomahawks were grounded until the bevel gears had been inspected by engineers from the Air Ministry.

September would prove to be a dark month for the squadron. Not only were the Tomahawks proving to be troublesome, but a water tanker hit and killed a 15 year old girl (Doris Bird) from the nearby village. An investigation was also held into this and no blame was apportioned to the driver. Doris’s funeral took place a short time later and was well attended by members of the station.

The continual presence of officials from various departments were bolstered by the arrival of representatives of the AMWD (Air Ministry Works Department) on both the 26th September and 10th October 1941, who inspected the runways and perimeter tracks. Within days, on 16th October, Flt.Lt. Hampton brought along revised plans for development of these tracks, taking into account the layout and difficulties that had been suffered, it would go on to change the format of the entire airfield once again.

Two days after this, Mr. Pallott, an electrical engineer from 10 Works Area, met with staff at the airfield to discuss the fitting of the Drem lighting. Development plans were now well in hand and Sawbridgeworth was heading ever closer toward expansion and classification as an airfield in its own right.

The sunny summer weather soon passed and by November ‘fair weather’ was the main description recorded in the operations books. Making best use of what dry weather there was, enabled both photographic and navigational exercises to take place. Then finally, on November 28th 1941, Sawbridgeworth’s day had at last arrived when Flt. Lt. K.K. Horn MC, took over control of the newly named Royal Air Force Sawbridgeworth, the name and title were now official, and the airfield had at last achieved its independence.

Little immediately changed however. The plans for development continued to roll on, as no work had as yet, been carried out, and the Lysanders, still being used, continued to take off for photographic sorties and training exercises;  lectures and ground based training also continued for all personnel, and many of the Tomahawks which were now airworthy again, also took part in exercises such as “Scorch” and “Swift“.

The weather continued to be a mix of high winds, fair days and rain, the weather again cancelling several night flights. Manoeuvres continued in conjunction with the various troop units and gas spraying training flights carried on as usual. During many of these manoeuvres, flights would disperse to other airfields giving the appearance of vacating Sawbridgeworth. These exercises could take days, and so the airfield became quiet for short periods of time whilst ground parties took spares, vehicles and rations to wherever they were being temporarily stationed.

The remaining personnel made good use of the facilities at Hyde Hall, attending ENSA shows and enjoying a christmas meal served by the Officers and NCOs. With spirits high, it was hoped that the new year 1942, would be a year that would bring further changes to both the airfield and those stationed here.

One thing that didn’t change though, was the seemingly continual arrival of ‘guests’, with both Sir Archibald Sinclair, Secretary of State for Air along with Group Captain Sir Louis Greig, looking round the station before enjoying an evenings ENSA entertainment.

In the middle of January, yet more dignitaries arrived, but these were not social visits but more strategic ones. A group made up of Air Commodores, Wing Commanders, Group Captains and Squadron Leaders along with representatives of the Army and the Air Ministry, all arrived to attend a meeting to discuss the future of RAF Sawbridgeworth. The many aspects of its design were discussed including the accommodation facilities, technical blocks, runways and wider airfield development, aspects that had no yet been reflected upon until now.

RAF Sawbridgeworth dispersal pen

The remaining dispersal pen

The meeting had a very positive outcome for Sawbridgeworth, and would see it finally become a fully developed airfield able to operate in its own right. It was unfortunately decided that concrete runways could not be laid down at the current time, and so Sommerfeld tracking would have to be the preferred option. However, it was also decided that a concrete perimeter track could be laid down and that it should be able to marry up with concrete runways in the future when and if, they were to be added. As Army Tracking was already in place, this would need to be replaced, and so it was decided to extend the runways at the same time. With limitations on the length of the runways due to the geographical nature of the site, it was decided to extend them as far as was feasible at that time. With this is mind, it was decided to lengthen the main east / west to 1,750 yards, whilst the north / south runway was to be extended to 1,200 yards, and the the North-east / south-west runway to 1,400 yards, not the full Fighter Command lengths but certainly large enough to take most light aircraft.

The runways here had given considerable problems over the years particularly with the poor weather, and many flights had had to be cancelled, sometimes for days at a time. In order to solve the problem, a number of different materials were trialled, including (as referred to in some resources) ‘coir matting’ an experimental material using coconut fibres formed into a mat (still commonly used today as domestic door mats) and laid down as a runway. However, this was found to be a failure, as it, like grass, soaked up the water causing great difficulty for the aircraft. This type of matting also required a lot of maintenance, and so metal Army track was used. During this latest upgrade the Sommerfeld tracking chosen would see Sawbridgeworth through to the end of the war and no concrete would be laid for runways.

Pieced together using interlocking sections, Sommerfeld Track required a lot less maintenance and was very strong.  With the new runways came the Drem lighting system which was developed at RAF Drem in Scotland, and was fast becoming the standard airfield lighting system. Here at Sawbridgeworth, it was placed alongside the track embedded into concrete blocks as opposed into the runway edges itself.

Now designated a Class ‘C’ aerodrome, Sawbridgeworth would also have concrete dispersals; fighters on the north side with Army Command on the south; both commands would also have dispersals located north of Matham’s Wood. In addition, hangars would be built as well as hardstands, the number of each being initially determined by Fighter Command requirements; six double Blenheim pens; two hardstands and four extra-over blister hangars. With further developments and later upgrades,it would eventually have eleven Dorman Long (4630/42) blister hangers along with one type T2 hangar. Buildings were upgraded and developed too. In the technical area there would be a parachute store; designed to drawing 11137/41, they are easily identifiable by their unique roof structure, designed to accommodate the hanging of parachutes as they dried out in the temperature controlled environment within.

As with many airfields a Battle Headquarters would also be added, (drawing 11008/41) these were sunk or partially sunk, and constructed with 13.5 inch thick walls. Inside was a PBX, an office and a space for messengers. In many cases only the roof and viewing slit was visible from the outside.

Around the perimeter thirteen (and not the original six) ‘Blenheim’ style aircraft pens were added with an additional fifteen (as opposed to two) frying pan style hardstands of 40 ft diameter each. In addition, eight dispersed sites of temporary construction were eventually added to the east of the airfield for accommodation, Hyde Hall accommodation would cease and it would be passed over to the Army for Motor vehicles storage and maintenance. A watch tower, fire tender station, hospital, grocery store, Link trainer, gymnasium and the usual accommodation blocks all added to create a much bigger site than had been previously been designed . At its peak Sawbridgeworth would accommodate 1,000 personnel of mixed rank and gender.

The conditions at the airfield were considered so poor at this time though, that immediate changes had to be made in order to keep it operationally active. The ground and accommodation areas being totally unsuitable for an operational airfield. The new upgrade would take time, so basic changes were made, and all in line with the longer term plans. These would enable Sawbridgeworth to operate both fighter and army Co-operation aircraft, even before the upgrade had taken place. The development was going to require a lot of maintenance and constructions workers to be on site, but rather than move the squadron and all its personnel to another airfield, it was decided to keep them all here and operate in conjunction with the development crews.

Part 3 continues with the development of Sawbridgeworth. The full story can be read in Trail 25.

RAF Sawbridgeworth – Humble Beginnings.

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In Hertfordshire (Trail 25) is a small long, gone airfield that was once home to a number of squadrons including both 2 and 4 Squadrons RAF; two squadron that went on to operate, for many years, in Germany post war.

It is an airfield that its origins in the First World War. It struggled with poor weather, exceedingly bad drainage and was one that developed not through careful planning, but more the luck and perseverance of its station commander.

With remnants of its part still remaining, we take a look at the former RAF Sawbridgeworth.

RAF Sawbridgeworth

RAF Sawbridgeworth, also known as Mathams Wood and RFC Sawbridgeworth, was originally constructed as a second-class night landing ground during April 1916. After considering three sites in the area, Sawbridgeworth, a 31 acre site to the west of Shingle Hall was chosen, the reason being it had good approaches, was flat and had a main public road running alongside it.

Facilities at the ground were limited however; there were no hangars and only a small wooden hut with an occasional tent was provided in cases of bad weather. Any aircraft landing due to difficulties or damage, could have minor repairs carried out, but little more than that. As a result, staffing at the site was also minimal, manned by just one RFC officer and a handful of civilians who would carry out repairs and maintenance to any aircraft using the site. Whilst based here, the primary role of the RFC Officer was merely to provide signals to landing aircraft by using flares laid out in the form of an ‘L’ with the longer leg pointing downwind.*1

Sawbridgeworth was small, only being intended to take aircraft from 39 Sqn, a home defence unit who were currently based at nearby North Weald, and who were activated to combat the Zeppelins flying in from Germany to bomb targets in southern and eastern England.

It was indeed Lt. Leefe Robinson of 39 Sqn who attacked and shot down the first Zeppelin over British Territory on 2nd September 1916. Called the ‘Cuffley Zeppelin’ after the village near to where it crashed, Robinson was immediately  awarded the Victoria Cross for his action on that night, an honour not bestowed lightly.

Wreck of the German Zeppelin L 21 at Cuffley, Hertfordshire (IWM Q73672).

The squadron was initially formed with its headquarters at Hounslow, and had two Flights – one based at Hainhault Farm, and the other at Sutton’s Farm – both part of the Home Defence force, and were directed to protect London from Zeppelin attacks from the north-east coming across the Wash and down through East Anglia.

In August, the Headquarters were transferred to Woodford in Essex and a third Flight established at North Weald Bassett. The three Flights were then merged to form 39 Sqn RFC. The squadron would indeed primarily attack Zeppelins, but records show they also attacked a number of German Gothas also used to attack the capital..*2

Little use was made of Sawbridgeworth however, and in November 1918 it was closed as a landing ground, the site quickly reverting to its former agricultural use.

For almost 20 years the site remained in this form, until 1928, when a small gliding club was formed at nearby Shingle Hall Farm. It would turn out to be a short -lived venture however, ceasing to operate within a year or so. But despite this, all was not lost, and in 1933, a ‘Great Air Pagent’ took place in which fifteen aircraft paraded past a growing crowd who had come to experience the thrills and spills of flying. The Pagent itself, was part of a wider programme designed to tour the country raising money for local hospitals, and successfully visited 180 towns and cities across the country, being seen by over one million spectators. *3

Led by Mr. Charles W. A. Scott, AFC, the famous airman who held the world record for his flight from England to Australia, the event was to specifically raise money for a new wing at the Bishops Stortford Hospital, and would showcase a range of daring flying stunts to amaze the gathered crowd. The event was a great success, and a new wing was indeed opened at the hospital as a result. Also taking part was one of the more notable aviators, Pauline Gower, who would later go on set up the Women’s Section of the Air Transport Auxiliary in 1939.

However, there was no further flying activity at the site after the pageant, and no further aviation interest was shown in the area, until after 1934 when a beacon was located on the south side of the field.

Then, with tensions rising on the continent, it was decided to begin training troops in preparation for what may lie ahead, and in order to do this, a new landing ground was needed in the vicinity. However, due to developments in aircraft design, size and power, the site at Shingles Farm was determined too small and not able to accommodate the new types of aircraft coming through. To remedy the problem another area just a short distance away, was then chosen as the new site. *1

The new site lay between Shingle Hall Farm and a wooded area known as Matham’s Wood, (seen on 1/4 inch map sheet 9, Ref:L 9137) located to the north-west of the farm, and was larger in area then the previous site used. The Ministry obtained it in 1937, and it was passed directly to the control of Army Co-Operation (AC) Squadrons, commanded by the 22nd Army Co-Operation Command. It would immediately become an Advanced Landing Ground (ALG).

Designated Matham’s Wood ALG, Army Co-Operation units, in particular, 2 (AC) Squadron, would operate with Army units, under operational conditions, simulating what it would be like for the troops to perform in times of war. These training operations would later become fundamental in the training of SOE agents who would be transported into occupied Europe to work with numerous groups including the French Resistance. Whilst the site was only used intermittently, it nevertheless set the seeds for the growth of the site into the what would become Sawbridgeworth airfield.

Former grocery store

The former Grocery store.

2 (AC) would remain the primary user of Matham’s Wood arriving in June 1940 after their retreat from France earlier in May. Whilst on the continent, they were  attacked on many occasions by the advancing Germany forces, receiving as many as 75 bombs in one attack alone. In support of the Allied retreat to Dunkirk,  they carried out sorties both over the town itself and over the advancing German front lines; eventually being forced to pull back to England and Bekesbourne in Kent, where they initially made their new home.

On June 15th 1940, Matham’s Wood ALG officially opened with its first ‘resident’ units, and was referred to as Sawbridgeworth Advanced Landing Ground for the first time. Flt Lt. P. Edinger was the Officer in Charge, who would oversee two Flights on rotation in conjunction with a third Flight then based at Hatfield. With them, were the associate section 5 A.I.L and a photographic section with their trailer. In support of operations, a range of appropriate night flying equipment was also transported over to the airfield.

The move would also see the requisition of Blounts Farm on the southern side of the airfield – this would be used as the Flight Office. Crew accommodation however, would once again be rudimentary at best – initially tents being the main form of accommodation for anyone stationed here.

Over the next few months various tactical flights would take place in conjunction with numerous Army Units, many of these involving the Lysanders of 2 (AC) Sqn ‘dive bombing’ the ground troops or performing mock gas spraying attacks. This rather deadly weapon was kept stored at various airfields around the country including Macmerry in Scotland and were a back up to thwart any invasion attempt made by the Germans.

Later, at the end of July, the bulk of 2 (AC) Sqn was divided, one Flight moving from Hatfield to Cambridge, leaving the other two Flights at Sawbridgeworth.  This meant that ‘C’ Flight, now at at Cambridge, would operate under HQ 2 Corps, whilst ‘A’ and ‘B’ Flights left at Sawbridgeworth, would operate under XI Corps. This move, whilst minor in itself,  was the next step forward in establishing an airfield here at Sawbridgeworth. For the next few years 2 (AC) Sqn would operate out of Sawbridgeworth, spending in some cases days or even weeks at a time at other airfields as part of their operational role. This would be a regular occurrence until mid 1944 when they finally departed and moved onto the continent following D-day.

Following the defeat of the Allied forces in France and their retreat from Dunkirk, the fear of invasion was now high, and tactical reconnaissance sorties were flown daily over the coast and inland water ways looking for intruders. Lysanders of the two units based at Sawbridgeworth carried out many of these flights, photographing areas of coastline stretching from The Wash in Norfolk, to the Thames Estuary in the south.

Fearing that Lysanders were no match for enemy fighters, Wing Commander Geddes of 2 (AC) Sqn, put in a request for fighter aircraft for the Squadron to support any action that may be needed. The Boulton-Paul Defiant was identified as a possible model, and so flight trials began, trials which continued well into September.

The crews at Sawbridgeworth, still residing in temporary accommodation, were given a ray of hope on September 11th, 1940, when the Great Hyde Hall, a 15th  Century Manor House, was requisitioned for the billeting of 2 (AC) Sqn personnel; because of its size and location though, it would be destined to become a temporary Station Headquarters and the Officer’s Mess.

With this increasing use, Sawbridgeworth ALG was gradually growing and developing into an airfield in its own right. This was largely through luck more than careful planning, and was mainly due to the efforts of the Commanding Officer of 2 (AC) Squadron, Wing Commander A. W. Geddes.

It was Geddes who made another step forward when he met with the Section Officer, No. 10 Works, on September 20th, 1940 to discuss further improvements to Sawbridgeworth. These talks were very fruitful and the future of the site began to look more promising.

During all this, operations continued with co-operation and reconnaissance flights occurring regularly. The use of gas in these training sessions was a high priority as there was a fear that the Germans would use such a weapon themselves, or that if the invasion came, the Lysanders would be ordered to use it as well. To meet the demand for training, supplies of “S3D” gas were constantly forthcoming, with 650 Gallons of the type arriving at Sawbridgeworth at this time*4

October 1940 began with a parade and the awarding of the DFC to Sgt. J. Clark by Air Vice Marshal C.H.B. Blount CB, OBE, MC; after the parade, the AOC went on to inspect the ‘airfield’ including the Great Hyde Hall, to see how it was being used  following its requisitioning earlier on. On the same day, Brigadier Withington of XI Corps also visited Sawbridgeworth, examining the few huts now on site to check their suitability for a possible aerodrome guard, a cookhouse and possible accommodation blocks. These visits were all seen as positive steps for the airfield.

RAF Sawbridgeworth

Remains of a building located in Mathams Wood.

By now, the airfield had gained the attention of the Luftwaffe, firstly when a Ju 88 crashed nearby at Bishops Stortford church, exploding on impact, and secondly, a few days later on 8th October 1940, when two parachute mines were dropped in the grounds of Hyde Hall  causing damage to the windows, but thankfully without causing any casualties.

Another major move then came on October 9th, when the first permanent members of 2 (AC) Sqn moved in, a move that was followed five days later, when nearby Townsend House was taken over by the Equipment Section, and immediately turned it into a stores block.

On the 20th, nine more bombs fell, this time they hit the cricket field of Great Hyde Hall, but with little overall effect except perhaps, to disrupt the challenge of playing matches. In all these attacks, no one was hurt nor any major damage sustained, but each bomb brought the front line that little bit closer to home once more.

December came and Christmas approached adding a little merriment to the routines of airfield life. It was a worrying time for the cooks though, as the cook house located in the Assembly Hall in Sawbridgeworth itself, burnt down. A new cookhouse was quickly set up within the Great Hyde Hall, and was duly opened on December 24th just in time for a much welcomed Christmas dinner the following day.

Part 2 continues with the development of Sawbridgeworth. The full story can be read in Trail 25.

Trail 32 RAF Nuthampstead – The end of an Era – Part 4

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After Part 3 of our journey, we see the US bomber airfield at Nuthampstead finally come to a close. But as the war approaches its conclusion, operations continue to be flown and losses continue to mount.

The US forces would go to Dresden the morning after the RAF had been. 431  B-17s of the entire 1st Bombardment Division, would prepare for take off at 07:00 hrs to be over Dresden at mid-day. With two other Divisions also in the air that day, escort would be from 784 Mustangs, with the 20th FG protecting the leaders the 1st Bombardment Wing, the 398th BG, followed by the 91st and 381st Bomb Groups respectively. In all, in excess of 2,000 American aircraft would fly into the heart of Germany that day.

It was to go disastrously wrong for the Group though, for even as they flew over Holland, they were already off course and now the weather was moving in. With their Gee system being constantly interfered with and throwing up faults, the lead plane of the 389th decided to take the more southerly route to fly around the cloud, taking the formation near to Munster, a city heavily guarded by flak. Although objecting to the move, both the 381st and the 91st followed – a move they would come to regret. The 91st were hit hard; many aircraft were damaged and their crewmen badly injured. Then, another defensive turn took the Wing, some 137 aircraft, a total of fifty miles of course. They were now heading to Schweinfurt, the scene of such devastation in August 1943 where high loses resulted the US temporarily ceasing air operations as a result. Not wanting to relive the experience, the formation then turned south again, taking them, and their escorts, even further off course.

By now, the leader’s Gee system had completely failed, and as the formation approached the target, the deputy’s system also ceased working. Lost and confused, they were gifted with a break in the cloud through which they could see an ancient city with a river running through it. The order was given and bombs were dropped. With little to no flak and no enemy fighters to resist them, the formation unleashed its devastating load onto those below. Unfortunately, it was not Dresden at all, but the Czech capital Prague, they were some eighty miles off course.*5

The 398th flew their final operation on April 25th 1945, a flight that took them to the Skoda Armament Works at Pilsen. The 398th were joined that day by the 91st, 92nd, 303rd, 305th, 379th, 384th, and the 381st Bomb Groups. With simultaneous operations happening elsewhere at Munich and the Me 262 airfield in Prague, 198 aircraft were flew to Pilsen to bomb the Skoda works.

In contrast to their first mission, take off was controlled and in good order. The first aircraft was airborne at 05:20 and the last 35 minutes later. Forming up took place over Debden Buncher (RAF Debden) at 5,000 feet and the Buncher was left at 06:40, when the entire formation headed for the coast. at 07:37, they crossed the French shoreline.*10

The 398th BG were tasked with leading the 1st Combat Bombardment Wing, totalling three Bomb Groups made up of 120 B-17s. In charge was Captain Michael Robinson, Commanding Offcier of the 601st BS. The weather was predicted to be good, so a visual bomb run was planned, however, over the target, this proved not to be the case and 10/10 cloud completely obscured the target. Forced to go round again, the formation made a 360o turn bringing them back in at the rear of the formation. By now flak had become both intense and accurate.

Two aircraft from the 602nd in the high squadron were hit. The first B-17G #42-97266 (K8-G, “Godfathers Inc.“) piloted by 2nd Lt. Allan Ferguson, quickly left the formation spiralling out of control. Three of those on board managed to escape the aircraft as it fell earthward. Of the crew, six were killed whilst two were captured becoming prisoners of war for the last remaining days of action*6*7

The second aircraft that day was that of Lt. Paul Coville, B-17G #43-38652 (K8-V, “Stinker Jr“). After the second bomb run, the aircraft was hit behind the #3 engine, leaving a large hole and a damaged engine. After falling out of formation and feathering the engine, Lt. Coville brought the aircraft back, at which point the engine caught fire. A small explosion then ripped the right wing off outboard of the engine, sending the aircraft spiralling towards the ground. The crew inside, frantically tried to get out, assisting each other with parachutes. All crewmen except the ball turret gunner S. Sgt. Charles Walker, manged to escape the aircraft, managing to find allied troops on the ground and safety.

During their search for safety both Coville and the waist gunner S. Sgt. Harry Overbough, took two prisoners each, Overbough’s ending up being revealed as escaped Jewish prisoners who had donned German army uniforms to help them escape. *7*8

After bombs away, the formation made a right turn and headed as briefed toward home, crossing the English coast at 14:26. The first aircraft touched down at Nuthampstead at 15:02.*10

With the last mission flown, Nuthampstead’s days were now numbered. A handful of ‘Revival’ flights were made transferring POWs from Barth in Germany to airfield A-10 in France. In addition, flights carrying ground crews over Germany also took place. By May 1945 though, the war was over and the exodus of American forces back to the united States began. Over the period May / June,  1945, the 398th would depart Nuthampstead, the ground force returning to the US  from Greenock onboard the Queen Elizabeth, whilst the air personnel flew back between 21st and 27th May. After thirty days of rest and recuperation, the Group assembled at Drew Field, Florida where many officers and enlisted men were discharged from the service. The remaining handful were given duties elsewhere and transferred almost immediately.

A VE day service held at Nuthampstead airbase. (@IWM UPL 35448)

On September 1st 1945, Major Gene Nelson and Major Dean Ashworth, quietly and without ceremony, inactivated the Group – the 398th would be no more.

By the time the war had come to a close, the 398th had completed 6,419 operational sorties (175 missions) dropping some 15,700 tons of bombs. They lost some seventy*10 aircraft in operations. For their determination and outstanding flying over Derben on April 8th, the Group received a Presidential Unit Citation, this came in addition to 2,124 Air Medals, 531 DFCs, 2 Silver Stars, 18 Bronze Stars and 4 Purple Hearts (with others being awarded elsewhere). Whilst their losses were perhaps hugely significant compared to other Groups, they nonetheless performed gallantly and with dedication deserving of any military group.

Returned to RAF ownership a month later the airfield became a store and maintenance station storing ordnance for disposal, and by 1954 the military had no further interest in it, and it closed some 5 years later.

During the 1960s Nuthampstead was in the limelight once more when it was considered as a site for London’s third airport after Heathrow and Gatwick. Being so close to the capital made it an ideal proposition, but the proposal faced huge opposition from those living and working in the area. The decision would eventually favour Stansted, a site not even shortlisted in the initial phase.

The Roskill Commission Inquiry (1968-70), identified seventy-eight initial sites, reducing it to four possibles: Nuthampstead, Thurleigh (Bedford), Cublington (Bucks) and Foulness on the Essex coast, ignoring Stansted on grounds of air traffic, noise and poor road access.

After great debate, Cublington was finally chosen, however, following in-house arguments and disagreements, this was later overturned in favour of Foulness (Maplin Sands),*9 Nuthampstead being rejected on various points including most noise, most agricultural loss and the requirement of a rail link.

With work intending to start in the early 1970s, the plans were eventually shelved due to the 1973 oil crisis and instead a smaller proposal was put forward to build a site at Stansted, itself a former war-time airfield. The build eventually went ahead and today Stansted sees in excess of 15 million passengers, all of which could have been located at Nuthampstead.

With that, Nuthampstead was destined to be become farmland once more. The Forestry Commission planted tress in the former bomb store, itself leading to large quantities of munitions being discovered after the site was abandoned. A small strip was retained for karting and a small crop spraying business utilised part of the airfield. Much of this has now also ceased and whilst parts of the original runway and peri track concrete surfaces still exits, farmland prevails once more over the site.

Built mid war, Nuthampstead had a rather unfortunate start, with many serious problems for the 55th FG and their P-38 Lightnings. The 398th, the Group synonymous with the airfield, were a rookie Group but one that went on to perform 195 operations many over Germany, losing a number of aircraft and crews in the process. They took part in some the the war’s most ferocious battles including Schweinfurt on October 9th, Berlin on several occasions and the US Air Force’s last operation of the war, Pilsen on April 25th 1945.
Transferred back to RAF ownership post war it was  a serious contender for London’s third airport, however, this was not to be and the airfield was largely removed, buildings were demolished and the runways were dug up for hardcore. Little remains of it today, a small private airstrip utilises some of the site, and a thriving museum continues to tell the story of those who served here. A stunning memorial stands outside the local pub frequented once by so many personnel who served here, at Nuthampstead, in those days of the 1940s.
The full history of RAF Nuthampstead can be read in Trail 32.

Sources and further information (Nuthampstead)

*1 Investigation of the US National Defense Program, Part 35. US Government Printing Office Available on Google books

*2 Fooy. F., “One of Thousands – A Navigator in the European Air War.” Lulu Publishing, 2015 Via Google Books

*3 Wilson. K. “Blood and Fears – How America’s Bomber Boys and Girls in England Won their War“. Weidenfeld & Nicholson, 2016 page 390

*4 American Air Museum Website accessed 11/2/24

*5 Taylor, F., “Dresden – Tuesday 13th February 1945“, Bloomsbury, 2004

*6 MACR 14224.

*7  “Hell from Heaven – Ch 35 – Mission 31 – Pilsen, Czechoslovakia,  Our Last Combat Mission – April 25, 1945” published by Leonard Streitfeld, Bombardier, 600th Squadron on the 398th BG Memorial Association Website.

*8 MACR 14220

*9 Banister, D., “Transport Planning In the UK, USA and Europe”  Taylor & Francis, 2003

*10 United States Army Air Forces, “The History of the 398th Bombardment Group (H)” (1945) World War Regimental Histories Book 124.

Missing Air Crew Reports 12214 and 12215

Ethell. J., & Price. A., “Target Berlin – Mission 250: March 6th 1944“. Janes, 1981

A good many photos, official records and personal stories are available on the 398th BG Memorial website. A great resource for those wanting to read more about the history of the 398th BG,