Captain Edwin Swales VC, DFC RAF Little Staughton.

The Royal Air Force was made up of many nationals including both those from the Commonwealth and those from across the globe.

In Bomber Command, and the Pathfinders in particular, one man stood out not just for his nationality, but for his bravery and dedication in the face of death.

That man was one Acting Major*¹ Edwin Essery Swales VC, DFC based at RAF Little Staughton on the Bedfordshire / Cambridgeshire border.

Swales (fourth from right) and his crew with their Lancaster ‘M’ Mother *⁹

Swales was born on 3rd July 1915, the son of Harry Evelyn Swales and Olive Essery, in Inanda, Natal South Africa. He was one of four children whose father was a farmer. Whilst Edwin was young, his father, Harry, died from  the influenza epidemic that claimed some 50 million lives after the First World War. Without a father, the family were unable to maintain the farm, and so they moved away to Berea in Durban.

Once of high school age, the young Edwin Swales attended Durban High School, he also joined the Scouts learning valuable skills with like minded youngsters, that would help in him in later life. After leaving school Swales landed himself his first job, working at the international branch of Barclays Bank in Durban. But with with war looming, Swales like many young men at the time, was drawn to military service, and so he joined up, posted to the Natal Mounted Rifles where he achieved the rank of Sergeant Major.

Whilst with the Mounted Rifles, Swales served in several locations including: Kenya, Abyssinia and North Africa where he fought bravely alongside his compatriots and the Eighth Army under Montgomery. He would remain with the rifles until January 1942 at which point he transferred to the South African Air Force, obtaining his wings on 26th June a year later. Two months after this milestone, he, like many others from across the commonwealth, was seconded to the Royal Air Force ensuring his position overseas.

Swales (s/n: 6101V) like many new recruits to the Royal Air Force, would undergo a tense period of retraining, eventually being posted to fly heavy bombers within Donald Bennett’s 8 Group – ‘The Pathfinders’. His first and only posting, would be at Little Staughton with 582 Sqn.

During his short time at Little Staughton, Swales would fly a number of missions piloting Avro’s delight, the four engined heavy bomber the Lancaster.

Swales took part in many operations over occupied Europe, including the ill-fated attack on Cologne on December 23rd 1944, which saw the loss of five  aircraft from 582 Sqn. In total, eight aircraft from seventeen flying from both Little Staughton and Graveley were lost that day including the lead bomber flown by Sqn. Ldr. Robert Palmer who himself was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions.

On that day, an Oboe mission that went terribly wrong, Swales heard the instruction to bomb visually releasing his bombs at 12:51hrs. Flak and fighter attacks were so ferocious, that Swales, like many others in the formation, had to take “violent evasive action” to shake off persistent and accurate attacks from fighter and ground based gunners. He was able to return his aircraft and crew safely to Little Staughton landing at 14:35*²

The action taken by Swales that day was indicative of his determination to succeed and protect both his aircraft and crew, and one that would be repeated time after time by the airman. As a result, it was seen fit to award Captain Swales the DFC for his action that night, his citation stating:

This Officer was pilot and Captain of an aircraft detailed to attack Cologne in December, 1944. When approaching the target, intense anti-aircraft fire was encountered. Despite this, a good bombing attack was executed. Soon afterwards the aircraft was attacked by five enemy aircraft. In the ensuing fights, Capt. Swales manoeuvred with great skill. As a result his gunners were able to bring effective fire to bear upon the attackers, one of which is believed to have been shot down. Throughout this spirited action Captain Swales displayed exceptional coolness and captaincy, setting a very fine example. This Officer has completed very many sorties during which he has attacked a variety of enemy targets^*3

Within two months of the operation and at the time his award was being awarded, Swales would be in a similar position again.  This time as Master Bomber leading the formation and directing the bombers to the target.

On that night, only ten days after the historical attack on Dresden, 367 Lancasters and 13 Mosquitoes from 1, 6 and 8 Groups were detailed to attack the city of Pforzheim to the north-west of Stuttgart. This would be the only attack on the city during the war and it would prove almost as devastating as both Dresden and Hamburg.

Flying along side Swales that night in his Lancaster III PB538 ‘N’, were seven other crewmen, including two navigators as was commonplace for Oboe fitted aircraft.

On the run in to the target, the Lancaster was badly mauled by night fighters who successfully put one engine and the rear turret guns out of action. But undeterred, Swales remained on station guiding the following bombers onto the target with the greatest of precision.

When he was finally satisfied that the attack had been carried out successfully, he left his station and turned the aircraft for home. It had been difficult to keep the Lancaster flying, but Swales had persevered in order to complete the job. But he was now easy prey for enemy fighters and inevitably more attacks came.

Soon a second engine was put out of action and flying controls were damaged further with some now completely inoperable. With a reduced speed and difficult flying conditions he headed for the allied lines, where he hoped to get his crew out safely.

All those on board made the jump to safety, leaving just Swales at the controls of the failing Lancaster. As if someone had been watching over them, just as the last man left, the Lancaster finally gave up the struggle and dived into the earth –  Edwin Swales was still sat at the controls when it was found later on.

The attack on Pforzheim  was considered to be very accurate, with over 1,800 bombs having been dropped in as little as twenty minutes or so. Over 17,000 people were known to have died that night in the raging fire that followed the bombing, and a post-war photo, revealed that 83% of the built up area had been destroyed by the raid *⁴

Following the death of Captain Swales, Air Chief Marshall Sir Arthur Harris KCB, OBE, AFC, Chief of Bomber Command, personally write to Swales’ mother saying: “On every occasion your son proved to be a fighter and a resolute captain of his crew. His devotion to duty and complete disregard for his own safety will remain an example and inspiration for all of us.”*¹⁰

For his action, bravery and dedication to duty, 29 year old Edwin Swales, a prominent rugby player and South African “who only had to smile at his crew and they were with him all the way“*⁵  was awarded the Victoria Cross posthumously, the second such award to go to an airman of RAF Little Staughton, just one of three to the Pathfinders and one of only four South Africans to be awarded the Victoria Cross during the war. His citation appeared in the Fifth Supplement to The London Gazette, of Friday, the 20th of April, 1945:

Air Ministry, 24th April, 1945.

The KING has ‘been graciously pleased to confer the VICTORIA CROSS on the undermentioned officer in recognition of most conspicuous bravery:.—

Captain Edwin SWALES, D.F.C. (6101V), S.A.A.F., 582 Sqn. (deceased).

Captain Swales was ” master bomber ” of a force of aircraft which attacked Pforzheim on the night of February 23rd, 1945. As ” master bomber,” he had the task of locating the target area with precision and of giving aiming instructions to the main force of bombers following in his wake.

Soon after he had reached the target area he was engaged by an enemy fighter and one of his engines was put out of action. His rear guns failed. His crippled aircraft was an easy prey to further attacks. Unperturbed, he carried on with his allotted task; clearly and precisely he issued aiming instructions to the main force. Meanwhile the enemy fighter closed the range and fired again. A second engine of Captain Swales’ aircraft was put out of action. Almost defenceless, he stayed over the target area issuing his aiming instructions until he was satisfied that the attack had achieved its purpose.

It is now known that the attack was one of the most concentrated and successful of the war.

Captain Swales did not, however, regard his mission as completed. His aircraft was damaged. Its speed had been so much reduced that it could only with difficulty be kept in the air. The blind-flying instruments were no longer working. Determined at all costs to prevent his aircraft and crew from falling into enemy hands, he set course for home. After an hour he flew into thin-layered cloud. He kept his course by skilful flying between the layers, but later heavy cloud and turbulent air conditions were met. The aircraft, ‘by now over friendly territory, ‘became more and more difficult to control; it was losing height steadily. Realising that the situation was desperate Captain Swales ordered his crew to bale out. Time was very short and it required all his exertions to keep the aircraft steady while each of his crew moved in turn to the escape hatch and parachuted to safety. Hardly had the last crew-member jumped when the aircraft plunged to earth. Captain Swales was found dead at the controls.

Intrepid in the attack, courageous in the face of danger, he did his duty to the last, giving his life that his comrades might live.*⁶

His body was removed from the aircraft in which he gave his life and was interned at the War Cemetery at Leopoldsburg, in Belgium, Section VIII Grave C.5.

In honour of Captain Swales, two memorial stones were laid and revealed outside his Durban High School on Armistice day 2009. One in the Memorial Courtyard of the School and the second on the Memorial Wall of the Natal Mounted Rifles also in Durban. In attendance were both his niece, Professor Edwina Ward, and Lt. Gen. Carlo Gagiano, Chief of the South African Air Force.

In 2013, Swales was also awarded the “Bomber Command” clasp to be worn on the 1939 – 1945 Star already awarded.

Edwin Swales was indeed a very brave man, who through sheer determination managed to save his crew in spite of the dangers facing him. His award was in no doubt deservingly awarded.

The story of pals Edwin Swales and Robert Palmer both of whom won VCs posthumously whilst at RAF Little Staughton.*⁷

The story of Captain Swales appeared in a newspaper cartoon “Heroes of the Air War”.*⁸

RAF Little Staughton appears in Trail 29.

Sqn Ldr. Robert Palmer’s story appears in Heroic Tales.

Sources and further reading.

*¹ the documents showing Captain Swales’ promotion to the rank of Major only reached the UK authorities after his death and as a result he was cited as being a Captain. (South African Aviation Foundation)

*² National Archives 582 Operational Record Book AIR-27-2052-18

*³ Supplement 36954, to The London Gazette, 23rd February 1945, published 20th February 1945, page 1070

*⁴ Middlebrook, M., Everitt. C., “The Bomber Command War Diaries“, Midland Publishing Ltd, 1996

*⁵ International Bomber Command Centre National Archive website.

*⁶ Fifth Supplement to The London Gazette, of Friday 20th April 1945. Published on Tuesday 24th April 1945, Supplement 37049, Page 2173.

*⁷ “Newspaper cuttings concerning awards of Victoria Crosses,” IBCC Digital Archive, accessed November 11, 2023,

*⁸ “Heroes of the Air War (No. 39) Captain Swales,” IBCC Digital Archive, accessed November 11, 2023,

*⁹ Photo The South African Legion of Military Veterans website

*¹⁰ South African Aviation Foundation website

29th December 1944 – Disaster at RAF Waterbeach

Christmas and New Year doesn’t stop for war, and the inevitable battle of the Second World War continued on with air and ground crews across Britain carrying out their duties as normal, perhaps looking forward to a rest in the following days. December 29th 1944 was one such day.

514 Squadron RAF 1944. Photo taken at Waterbeach Military Heritage Museum, August 2017

It was a hazy morning with a severe winter frost laying across the ground, fourteen aircraft were allocated for operations whilst for those non-operational crews it would be H2S and G.H. training. Out of the dispersal, the operational aircraft were being loaded with their bombs and prepared for the forthcoming flight, when suddenly one of the bombs being loaded on to Lancaster PD325 ‘JI-L2’ fell and exploded. The resultant explosion completely destroyed the aircraft and severely damaged seven others including NG141 which was parked alongside. The blast, heard as far away as Mildenhall some 23 miles away,  had repercussions right across the airfield, damaging windows and sending aircraft parts far and wide. Nine members of the ground crew attending to the aircraft also died, five of them simply ‘disappeared’ as did a tractor along with its portable generator. Following the incident, which was thought to have been caused by an ‘old stock’ bomb, the Station Commander cancelled operations for the day in case time delayed bombs on other aircraft exploded. The bomb disposal teams were brought in to remove those that were left remaining in the aircraft bomb bays. New Year at RAF Waterbeach would be very solemn in 1944.

Those that lost their lives that day were all members of 514 Sqn:

Leading Aircraftman Derrick Gordon Bichard (RAFVR) Radar Mechanic (s/n: 1870102)

Leading Aircraftman Samuel Bolton (RAFVR) Flight Mechanic (s/n: 1639785) – Commemorated at Runnymede

Aircraftman 2nd Class Donald Victor Brewer (RAFVR) Armament Assistant (s/n: 1893614)

Leading Aircraftman Ronald Davies (RAFVR) Flight Mechanic (s/n: 1128796)

Leading Aircraftman Geoffrey Graham Haydn (RAFVR) Radar Mechanic (s/n: 1863381)

Aircraftman 1st Class Harry George Leach (RAFVR) Electrician (s/n: 1429200) – Commemorated at Runnymede

Leading Aircraftman Laurence Smales (RAFVR) Flight Mechanic (s/n: 1621436) – Commemorated at Runnymede

Leading Aircraftman Frederick Charles Watson (RAFVR) Flight Mechanic (s/n: 1169390) – Commemorated at Runnymede

Corporal John Westgarth (RAF) Armourer (s/n: 552023) – Commemorated at Runnymede

 

Squadron Leader Robert Palmer V.C., D.F.C and Bar.

There are many stories of great bravery as a result of action over occupied Europe during the Second World War; all are a test of human endurance pushing the human body to its limits and beyond. In some such cases, the recipient received the highest honour that could be bestowed on any member of the armed forces – the Victoria Cross.

One such award went to a Pathfinder, one of only three to go to the entire Group. Donald Bennett, the commander of 8 Group, himself even said he would not award such an accolade to any living person, it was not therefore given lightly, nor easily obtained.

In this instance the recipient was a pilot based at RAF Little Staughton on the Cambridgeshire – Bedfordshire border. It was a short lived airfield and only had two operational squadrons use it, both squadrons were part of the RAF’s Pathfinders.

This is his story.

Robert Anthony Maurice Palmer, the older brother of Douglas, was born on July 7th, 1920 in Gillingham, Kent, son of Arthur Palmer and Lilian Skuse. His father, Arthur Palmer, had served in the Essex and West Kent Regiments during the First World War before joining the fledgling Royal Air Force in May 1918. He would remain in the Air Force as an instructor at RAF Duxford until being demobbed the following year.

Sqn Ldr. Robert Palmer (IWM HU 1996)

Arthur and his stories of flying, reinforced by the exploits of the 1920’s aviation pioneers, would inspire Robert, and fuel his desire to enter the world of flight himself. It was a desire that would enable him to fulfil his dreams but ultimately lead to his death.

After attending his first school, Cecil Road in Gravesend, Robert would join The County School for Boys, in Darnley Road, Gravesend, run then by the Reverend Samuel Lister.

Once his school life was over, Robert obtained his first job, joining the Borough’s Surveyor’s Office where he showed good potential before volunteering as a pilot for the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserves on 22nd August 1939. Given the initial service number of 758016 (later 115772), Robert was awarded the initial rank of Aircraftsman II/ under training pilot.  The following day he was promoted to the rank of sergeant, before being transferred from Hastings to Rochester, his first training post. Between then and June 1941, Robert worked through a number of training units starting with No.12 Flying Training School followed by No. 15 Officer Training School. During his short time here, he would gain good grades and show his true potential as a future pilot within the Royal Air Force.

Once qualified, Robert Palmer would be posted to his first operational squadron, 75 (New Zealand) Squadron flying Wellington ICs at RAF Feltwell in Norfolk, the date November 16th 1940.

The move was designed to give Robert the experience of life in an operational unit. Being shepherded by the experienced P. Off. Morton, he would gain a good understanding  of the huge responsibilities a pilot in an operational unit would have. Whilst at Feltwell, Robert would continue to grow and show further good potential as a pilot now in Bomber Command.

Robert’s stay at Feltwell would last for just ten days, transferring to his own aircraft with 149 Squadron at RAF Mildenhall on the 26th of November. Here Robert would have to gather and mould a new crew, creating a camaraderie that would hopefully keep them both alive and together, through some of the worst battles that the RAF were likely to experience. The operational schedule was so intense that it would take just three months for them to complete their first tour of thirty operations.

Now as a seasoned pilot, he and his crew who had jelled together so well, were to be split, each one being posted to a different training unit where they could share their experiences and knowledge to other crewmen. Robert was sent to No. 200 Training Unit arriving in February 1941 where he remained for a year. Five months into the posting, he would be promoted to Temporary Flight Sergeant*¹, a grade he remained at until January 28th 1942, at which point he was discharged on appointment to a Temporary Commission as Pilot Officer within the RAFVR, a promotion that came with another transfer to No. 20 Operational Training Unit (OTU) at Lossiemouth in Scotland, again as an instructor. This appointment was confirmed and he officially became a Flying Officer in October 1942.

Some ten days after his appointment, he was sent to No. 1501 Beam Approach Training Flight learning to land on instruments, a course that lasted a mere week, Robert then returned to 20 OTU where he remained as instructor for a further year. He, like many instructors, was keen to get back into operational flying, and pressed his superiors for a transfer back to a front line squadron.

It would be whilst at the OTU that Palmer would come into contact with Squadron Leader Ian Bazalgette DFC. another pilot who would go onto the be awarded the VC posthumously. Bazalgette recognised the potential of Palmer and put in a recommendation for his transfer to a front line unit.

Robert’s wish then came true. After a short spell training on Mosquitoes at the RAF Warboys based 1685 Mosquito Training Unit and the Pathfinders in early November 1943, he transferred out, being posted to 109 Squadron at RAF Marham, Norfolk, a front line squadron within the Pathfinders’ Group. Thirteen days after his arrival, he would be promoted again, this time to Flight Lieutenant.

The Pathfinders were commanded by Donald Bennett and were an ‘elite’ group of pilots and aircrew, who had proven themselves to be excellent flyers. Arthur Harris, the Commander in Chief of Bomber Command had been completely opposed to the idea of an elite unit,  citing a drop in morale as the cream of his bomber squadrons would be taken away to form a new unit. But 8 Group came into being and Flt. Lt. Robert Palmer was soon one of them.

109 Squadron were about to receive the Mosquito XVI to supplement the Mk, IX they already had, and with both variants, the unit transferred from Marham to RAF Little Staughton on the Cambridgeshire / Bedfordshire border some 60 miles south-west. The move in April 1944 would be Robert’s final transfer.

As a Mosquito pilot, Robert would undertake many operations whilst here at Little Staughton, and in recognition of both his gallantry and his devotion to duty, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) on June 30th, 1944. *²

It was then, a combination of this devotion to duty and the fact that he quickly reached the milestone of 100 operations, that led him to receive a second DFC in the form of a bar on his first; an accolade that acknowledged his determination to succeed and his skill as a pilot. *³

With two DFCs under his belt, Robert Palmer would soon receive his final promotion, being granted the rank of acting Squadron Leader on 10th December 1944.

December would prove to be the end of the line for Sqn. Ldr. Palmer though. After flying his last Mosquito operation on December 6th in ‘MM171’ to Osnabruck, he would soon change to Avro’s baby the Lancaster. On the 23rd, two days before Christmas, he was assigned to fly in a daylight raid to Gremberg, a daring raid that would use Oboe to pinpoint the target. As a Pathfinder, his role was to identify the target and drop markers/bombs for the following bombers to bomb on. It was a dangerous and daring mission and one which Sqn. Ldr. Palmer and his navigator Flight Lieutenant George Russell, would lead as Master Bomber in a 582 Sqn aircraft with Flight Lieutenant Owen Milne and his crew.

The morning was cold, wet and foggy, simply described as “miserable” by Bill Lanning*⁶. After dragging themselves out of bed and performing their morning ablutions, they headed off to the mess hall for a hearty breakfast of egg, bacon and beans, the standard morning feast for those flying on ops that day.

At briefing, the two crews met, Russell remaining quietly reserved whilst Palmer was introduced to Milne’s crew. The target was revealed and the various experts gave their reports: escort, weather, flak, bomb run etc.

By 09:30 briefing was over and the various crews made their way to the locker room and parachute stores to collect their belongings for the flight. The temperature was expected to be at -20^oC, it would be very cold.

Palmer’s take off time was recorded as 10:27, but the mission was already doomed. Over England two Lancasters at the rear of the last flight, misjudged the distance between them and collided with the loss of both crews. Meanwhile, Palmer leading the operation, had become separated from the main formation, his two flights were alone and undefended as their escort raced to catch-up. Flying on Oboe meant they would have to fly both straight and level for fifteen minutes before they could drop their bombs, in daylight and clear skies this would be suicidal. The 6/10 cloud they had been promised didn’t materialise, and it was indeed clear and cloudless.

Flak came first. Very quickly the German gunners found their mark and aircraft were peppered with shrapnel. A reserve Pathfinder Mosquito flying alongside, went first and soon Palmer’s Lancaster was also hit. Two engines were quickly put out of action,  flying controls were damaged and even though the aircraft was difficult to fly, Palmer maintained a straight and level approach. Four minutes from the target the Luftwaffe pounced. Determined not to let Palmer and his two flights through, they hounded the formation some of whom had by now, begin to scatter. Communications had all but broken down but still Palmer continued on. Although “burning fiercely” he successfully bombed from 17,500 ft, laying his eleven 1,000 lb general purpose bombs spot on the target.

Within seconds of dropping their explosive bomb load, Palmer’s aircraft took further devastating hits and it began to fall from the sky. All but one of the crew would die that day. A very short statement details their loss: “aircraft are missing”.*⁵

Palmer stayed at his station commanding the aircraft until the end, an act of selfless heroism and bravery trying to save his fellow crewmen before himself. For his actions he was awarded the Victoria Cross posthumously.

The 24 year-old’s citation appeared in the Fourth Supplement to The London gazette of March 20th 1945*⁴

“This officer has completed 110 bombing missions. Most of them involved deep penetration of heavily defended territory; many were low-level “marking” operations against vital targets; all were executed with tenacity, high courage and great accuracy. He first went on operations in January, 1941. He took part in the first 1,000 bomber raid against Cologne in 1942. He was one of the first pilots to drop a 4,000 lb. bomb on the Reich. It was known that he could be relied on to press home his attack whatever the opposition and he bombed with great accuracy. He was always selected, therefore, to take part in special operations against vital targets.

The finest example of his courage and determination was on the 23rd December, 1944, when he led a formation of Lancasters to attack the marshalling yards at Cologne in daylight. He had the task of marking the target and his formation had been ordered to bomb as soon as the bombs had gone from his, the leading aircraft.

The leader’s duties during the final bombing run were exacting and demanded coolness and resolution. To achieve accuracy, he would have to fly at an exact height and air speed on a set course regardless of opposition.

Some minutes before the target was reached, his aircraft came under heavy anti-aircraft fire, shells burst all around, two engines were set on fire and there were flames and smoke in the nose and in the bomb bay.

Enemy fighters now attacked in force. Squadron Leader Palmer disdained the possibility of taking avoiding action. He knew that if he diverged the least bit from his course, he would be unable to utilise the special equipment to the best advantage. He was determined to complete the run and provide an accurate and easily seen aiming-point for the other bombers. He ignored the double risk of fire and explosion in his aircraft and kept on. With its engines developing unequal power, an immense effort was needed to keep the damaged aircraft on a straight course. Nevertheless, he made a perfect approach and his bombs hit the target.

His aircraft was last seen spiralling to earth in flames. Such was the strength of the opposition that more than half of his formation failed to return.

At 24 years old, Squadron Leader Palmer was an outstanding pilot. He displayed conspicuous bravery. His record of prolonged and heroic endeavour is beyond praise”.

Sqn. Ldr. Robert Anthony Maurice Palmer (s/n: 115772) was buried in the Commonwealth War Cemetery at Rheinberg, Plot: 14. Row: C. Grave: 13-14 along with the other’s in the crew.

In honour of Sqn. Ldr. Palmer, the Grammar School he attended continues to pay homage to his brave and selfless act by hanging both his portrait and his V.C. citation in the school hall. A nearby church, St Peter and St Paul Church located at East Milton Road, Milton, Gravesham has his name inscribed above the Lych Gate at the church entrance. He is also remembered at the Rheinberg War Cemetery, Germany. At his former home in Denton, a plaque was unveiled  in 2006 by then mayor, Raymond Parker.

RAF Little Staughton appears in Trail 29.

Those on board that day were:

Pilot – Sqn Ldr. Robert Palmer VC, DFC and Bar; (RAFVR), age 24, s/n:115772
Pilot – Flt. Lt. Owen Strachan Milne, (RAFVR), s/n: 132625
Navigator – Sqn Ldr. Albert Leslie Carter, DFC, (RAF), age 29, s/n:44553
Navigator – Flt. Lt. George Russell DFC,  (RAFVR), age 21, s/n:129583
Wireless Op. – Flt. Sgt. Bert Nundy, (RAFVR) age 21, s/n: 1671822
Gunner – Fl. Off. William Dalgarno,  (RAFVR), s/n:161283
Gunner – Flt. Sgt. R K Yeulett (RCAF), (survived taken as POW)

Sources and further reading.

*¹ The London Gazette, Issue 35531, page 1754, dated April 21st 1942.

*² The London Gazette, Fourth Supplement of Tuesday June 27th 1944, dated Friday 30th June 1944. Issue 36589, Page 3089

*³ The London Gazette, Issue 36831, Page 5634, dated 8th December 1944

*⁴ The London Gazette, Fourth Supplement of Tuesday 20th March 1945, dated Friday 23rd March 1945, Supplement:36997, Page:1593

*⁵ National Archives Operational Record Books 109 Squadron December 1944 AIR 27/855/9

*⁶ Lanning, Bill. A personal account recorded for The International Bomber Command Centre, which also includes other eyewitness and personal accounts of that day.

National Archives: AIR 27/855/10

Feast, S., “Heroic Endeavour“, Grub Street Publications, 2006

RAF Pathfinders Archive Website.

Commonwealth War Graves Commission website.

Kent online newspaper website 17th December 2019

Gravesend Grammar School Commemorative Archive website

IBCC website 

Australian Flt. Sgt. Rawdon H. Middleton VC (RAAF) 149 Sqn RAF

Pilot Officer Rawdon Middleton (RAAF)*¹

Middleton (s/n: 402745) was born on 22nd July 1916 in Waverley, New South Wales, Australia. Son of Francis and Faith Middleton, he was educated at Dubbo Hugh School. Nicknamed ‘Ron’ by his friends, he was a keen sportsman excelling at many sports particularly cricket and football. After leaving school, he worked as a ‘Jackaroo’ (cattle handler) until joining the Royal Australian Air Force on the 14th October 1940 under the Empire Air Training Scheme. He learnt to fly at Narromine, New South Wales and then was sent to Canada for further training in preparation for his posting to the UK. He finally arrived in Britain in September 1941, as a second pilot, and his first operational squadron was No. 149 Squadron RAF, who were flying Short Stirling bombers out of both Lakenheath and nearby Mildenhall in Suffolk.

Five student pilots from No. 7 Empire Air Training Scheme (EATS) course at No. 5 Elementary Flying Training School (5 EFTS) Narromine. They are left to right: Aircraftman (AC) Gordon Orchard; AC Douglas Scott; Leonard Reid; Pilot Officer (PO) Douglas Wilberforce Spooner (DFM); PO Rawdon Hume Middleton*²

Middleton’s first experience of operations, was in a Short Stirling over the Rhur, the industrial heartland of Nazi Germany. After spending a short time with 149 squadron he moved temporarily to No. 7 Squadron (RAF).

In July 1942, as first pilot, he was given his own aircraft and crew, it was also around this time that he returned to 149 squadron.

Their first mission together would be on July 31st, to bomb the strategic and heavily defended target, Düsseldorf. Middleton and his crew would continue to fly together and took part in other prestigious missions; namely Genoa on the 7th of November and his 28th mission, Turin on the 20th November. His 29th and final mission, would take place on the night of 28/29th November 1942.

In the early evening of the 28th he took off in Stirling BF372 coded ‘OJ-H’ as part of the raid on the Fiat works in Torino, Italy, along with 227 other aircraft which included – 117 Avro Lancasters, 46 Short Stirlings, 45 Handley Page Halifaxes, and 19 Vickers Wellingtons.

Middleton’s crew consisted of: Ft.Sgt. Leslie Anderson Hyder, Ft. Eng: Sgt. James Ernest Jeffrey, Bomb Aimer F.O. G. R. Royde, Wireless Operator: Sgt. John William Mackie; Gunners: P.O. N. E. Skinner, Sgt. D. Cameron and Sgt. H. W. Gough. Three of these had already completed their tour of 30 operations and could have left. However, their dedication to Middleton kept them together.

The mission would take the aircraft over the Alps and the Stirling, laden with bombs and fuel combined with having a notoriously poor ceiling, had to negotiate through the mountains rather than fly over them. A factor that often resulted in a high number of casualties.

Once over the target area, OJ-H was subjected to an extreme flak barrage. With poor visibility, Middleton had to make three passes over the target area to enable his crew to positively identify it. It was on the third pass that a shell burst hit the cockpit. The resulting damage was severe, and fragments had hit Middleton’s head badly injuring him. His right eye was lost and his skull exposed. There were further hits on the aircraft’s fuselage causing considerable damage to the control systems and airframe. Knocked unconscious by the blast, Middleton lost control and the aircraft plummeted through the skies to an altitude of around 800ft. The second pilot, Fl.Sgt. Hyder eventually managed to take the controls, release the bombs over the target and then pull the aircraft into a climb, safely reaching 1,500ft.

With his aircraft severely damaged, Middleton had a choice, get his crew to bail out over occupied France and certain capture, fly to Africa or head back to England; a journey that would last over 4 hours and put the aircraft at risk of attack and the crew in danger. Wanting to give them a fighting chance of getting home, he opted for the latter, and set a course for England.

Middleton was buried with full military honours at St. Johns Church, Beck Row. Suffolk.*³

The aircraft experienced a number of attacks as they crossed occupied France, but Middleton, fighting for survival, kept reassuring the crew that he would get them home. Eventually, and against all the odds, they made the English coast, and once over land Middleton ordered the crew to bail out. Five crewmen left the stricken aircraft whilst the other two remained to help him control it. Turning for the Channel, Middleton ordered the two remaining crew members to bail out, whilst he stayed at the controls, steadying the aircraft.

By now the Stirling was very low on fuel and it finally gave up the fight and crashed at 03:00 on the morning of November 29th 1942. Middleton, too injured and too weak to escape the wreckage, drowned within the aircraft fuselage. His two crew members, Sgt. James Ernest Jeffrey (576050) age 19 and Wireless Operator Sgt. John William Mackie (994362) age 30, despite escaping, also drowned. Both the bodies of Sgt Mackie and Sgt. Jeffrey were washed ashore later that day on the 29th.

Middleton’s body remained in the aircraft, but was eventually freed from the wreckage by the action of the sea, and was washed ashore on Shakespeare Beach, Dover, in February 1943. His remains were taken to RAF Lakenheath and he was buried in St John’s churchyard, Beck Row, within sight of his airfield in Suffolk, with full military honours. Middleton was only 26 and only one mission away from ending his tour and returning home.

For his action, dedication and bravery, Flt. Sgt. Middleton was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross, the first to any serving member of the R.A.A.F in World War II. He was also posthumously awarded a commission as Pilot Officer, backdated to mid November before his sortie to Turin. Thirty years later, in 1978, Middleton’s V.C. was presented to the Australian War Memorial, in Canberra for safe keeping and preservation.

For their actions, the other crew members received three DFMs and two DFCs. Fl.Sgt. Leslie Hyder (DFM) was injured, P.Officer. N. Skinner (DFC) was also injured, along with Sgt. H. W. Gough (DFM). F.O. G. R. Royde (DFC) and Sgt. D. Cameron (DFM) escaped unhurt.

The London Gazette published a report on 12th January 1943. It said:

“Fl. Sgt. Middleton was captain and first pilot of a Stirling aircraft detailed to attack the Fiat Works in Turin one night in November, 1942. Very difficult flying conditions, necessitating three low altitude flights to identify the target, led to excessive petrol consumption, leaving barely sufficient fuel for the return journey. Before the bombs could be released the aircraft was damaged by anti-aircraft fire and a splinter from a shell which burst in the cockpit wounded both the pilots and the wireless officer. Fl. Sgt. Middleton’s right eye was destroyed and the bone above it exposed. He became unconscious and the aircraft dived to 800 ft. before control was regained by the second pilot, who took the aircraft up to 1,500 ft. releasing the bombs, the aircraft meanwhile being hit many times by light flack. On recovering consciousness Fl. Sgt. Middleton again took the controls and expressed his intention of trying to make the English coast, so that his crew could leave the aircraft by parachute. After four hours the badly damaged aircraft reached the French coast and there was once more engaged and hit by anti-aircraft fire. After crossing the Channel Fl. Sgt. Middleton ordered the crew to abandon the aircraft. Five left safely, but the front gunner and the flight engineer remained to assist the pilot, and perished with him when the aircraft crashed into the sea”.

Funeral service for 402745 Flight Sergeant Rawdon Hume Middleton, the RAAF’s first VC winner. He was buried with full military honours in a country churchyard near his station. Air Vice Marshal H. N. Wrigley represented the High Commissioner for Australia (Mr S. M. Bruce) and the RAAF. The graveside service was conducted by Squadron Leader H. C. Thrush of Prospect, SA, RAAF Chaplain. (Australian War Memorial Public Domain)

Middleton’s citation read:

“Flight Sergeant Middleton was determined to attack the target regardless of the consequences and not to allow his crew to fall into enemy hands. While all the crew displayed heroism of a high order, the urge to do so came from Flight Sergeant Middleton, whose fortitude and strength of will made possible the completion of the mission. His devotion to duty in the face of overwhelming odds is unsurpassed in the annals of the Royal Air Force”.

In honour of Middleton’s bravery, Number 1 RAAF Recruit Training Unit at RAAF Base Wagga has renamed the club in his name, the “Middleton VC Club”, and he also appeared on one of the 1995 Australian 45c stamps. The dining hall located at the nearby (now American) base at RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk, has also been named in his honour.

Fl. Sgt. Rawdon Hume Middleton, VC (RAAF) 149 Sqn RAF, St. John’s Church, Beck Row, Suffolk.

Middleton was a brave and dedicated young man who gave his life to save those of his crew. Each and every one of them acted with the highest dedication, sadly for some, it cost them dearly.

Sources

*¹ photo courtesy of Australian War Memorial, image 100641, Public domain.

*² photo courtesy of Australian War Memorial, image P01019.003, Public domain.

*³ Photo courtesy of Australian War Memorial, Image SUK10501, Public domain

*⁴ Photo courtesy of Australian War Memorial, Image SUK10500, Public domain

9th November 1943 – Loss of Stirling LK380 90 Squadron.

A guest post written by Dr. Donough Wilson to whom I owe my thanks for the write up and information about the tragic accident of Stirling LK380 ‘Y’, of 90 Squadron, RAF Tuddenham, 12:30, 9th November 1943, 80 years ago today.

Stirling III “Y” Yorker, 90 Squadron, Wratting Common and Tuddenham, July – November 1943

On Saturday 31 July 1943 a newly qualified crew were ‘posted in’ to ‘C’ Flight, 90 Squadron at RAF Wratting Common, Cambridgeshire. They comprised PO. Robert (Bob) Rodger [Pilot]; PO. Cliff Mitchell [Navigator]; Sgt. Robert (Tug) Wilson [Bomb aimer]; Sgt. Leslie Griffiths [Wireless Operator]; Sgt. Roy Child [Mid-Upper Gunner]; Sgt. Howell Jones [Rear Gunner (Australian)] and Sgt. Ed Daveny [Flight Engineer].

Six days later on the night of 6th/7th August, they completed their first mission, which was mine laying near Ile de Ré, La Rochelle, on the French west coast.

Their third mission on the night of the 23rd/24th August was to Berlin. What is significant about this raid is that they were caught and ‘coned’ by searchlights and then attacked by a JU.88 night fighter. As the crew called out information for Bob Rodger to act on, he threw the Stirling into a series of violent corkscrews in an attempt to evade their pursuer and stop themselves being shot down. This action luckily saved their lives and allowed them to fly again.

Between then and the end of September, further missions were flown to Nuremberg, Munchen Gladbach, Berlin again, Mannheim and Boulogne.

Prior to the second Berlin mission, a photographer from the national newspaper “The Daily Sketch” took a photograph of most of “Y” Yorker’s crew walking to their aircraft. Published on the front page of the newspaper, the caption read: ‘Sunset and zero hour before the great raid on Berlin. One of the crew is just aboard’

The photograph depicts from left to right Robert ‘Tug’ Wilson, Roy Child, Leslie Griffiths, Bob Roger, Arthur Stubbs the ground crew chief (nearest camera), Ed Daveny and bringing up the rear Howell Jones. Cliff Mitchell is missing from the photograph*¹.

In the squadron records summary for September 1943, Pilot Officer Rodger was by then being listed as the second most experienced surviving pilot in ‘C’ Flight (behind Squadron Leader C. H. Wilson, who would go on to win the DFC and was shot down on 31 March 1944), and on October 1st,  was promoted to Flight Lieutenant.

In early October, they flew missions to Kassell, Frankfurt, and Bremen, it was on the Bremen raid that the crew flew a new aircraft, LK380 “Y” Yorker. After Bremen they carried out some training flights before going on leave. Whilst the crew were away, 90 Squadron moved to RAF Tuddenham.

On Tuesday 9th November 1943, Bob Rodgers, now Flight Commander of ‘C’ Flight,  took the pilot and two gunners of a new crew who were joining ‘C’ Flight, along with his own crew, on a training exercise in LK380 “Y” Yorker.

The task was to teach the new pilot and gunners the techniques of fighter evasion. The exercise would take place over the Shippea Hill area not far from RAF Mildenhall, which was not far outside of the Tuddenham circuit. The crew of “Y” Yorker were, by that time, considered an experienced crew having successfully completed ten missions over enemy territory, and successfully evading both ‘searchlight coning’, and attacking night fighters.

The three additional crew members joining Rodger’s crew for that exercise were Flight Sgt. Lees Smith [pilot], Flight Sgt. Morley Loyst [Mid-upper gunner (Canada)] and Sgt. Gordon Batten [Rear Gunner]. But missing from the flight was Roy Child, who was grounded with a medical condition.

That meant there were nine crew on board the Stirling that day, including British, Australian and Canadian airmen, a truly multinational mix.

They soon met-up with the training Hurricane IV, KW800, of the Air Fighting Development Unit, from RAF Wittering  piloted by Flight Sgt. Ronald Brown (a veteran of Malta with thirty operations under his belt already). Brown had already completed one exercise that day with another 90 Squadron Stirling III, “T” Tommy, On joining with the Hurricane “Y” Yorker’s training quickly began.

“Y” Yorker was observed to be heading south, as if returning to Tuddenham. On approaching the area of the railway line and Shippea Hill level crossing, the Hurricane was seen to dive in a simulated rear attack. It swooped under the belly of the Stirling and then pulled-up into a climbing turn to the right, but unfortunately the pilot misjudged the distance between them, and sliced into the right wing of the Stirling, cutting-off the starboard outer engine along with a four-foot section of wing.

Both aircraft were mortally crippled. Flight Sgt. Brown baled out, but due to the low height he collided with telegraph wires and broke his legs. At 12:30 The Stirling reared up, rolled, and dived into the fen alongside the railway line, 150 yards from the Shippea Hill level crossing on the Mildenhall side. There were no survivors.

The crash site of 90 Sqn ‘Y’ Yorker. Shippea Hill level crossing is behind the photographer.

Although the bomber quickly sank in the boggy fen, unidentifiable partial remains of three crew were recovered immediately. A fourth body was recovered some days later, and a fifth was recovered in 1944. Four crew remain unaccounted for to this day.

In St. John’s Church, Beck Row, alongside Mildenhall airfield, is a memorial in the form of a recovered propeller blade from “Y” Yorker to the nine crew that lost their lives that day.

The Propeller commemorating 90 Sqn’s “Y” Yorker that crashed 9th November 1943*².

In the Commonwealth War Graves plot adjacent to the church, amongst the other war dead, are the five graves of the airmen who were recovered from “Y” Yorker, each marked ‘An Unknown Airman, 9th November 1943’.

(From front left)The five Graves of the crew 90 Sqn ‘Y’ Yorker – Marked “Unknown airmen”

All of the crew members including those never found, are commemorated on the Royal Air Forces Memorial at Runnymede.

Dr. Donough Wilson

My sincere thanks go to Dr. Wilson for writing the post. I myself tried to get to St. John’s Church but on the day I went it was sadly closed, I shall endeavour to return and locate the propeller.

Sources and additional information.

*¹ The photograph was originally taken by, and published in, “The Sketch” newspaper, in 1943, but in the book “Final Flights” (1989) Ian McLachlan (Patrick Stephens publishers), it is credited to the late Jim Munro, secretary of the 90 Squadron Association. On the Wratting Common history website [www.wcnhistory.org.uk] it is credited to Ron Pearson.

*² Photo from St. John’s Church website

The mission history is from J. Munro’s 90 Squadron history “Sing High” (1989).

RAF Little Staughton – Winner of Two VCs. Part 2

In Part 1, we saw how Little Staughton had developed initialled used by the USAAF as a depot for repairs and refurbishments, and how soon after it was handed back to the RAF and the Bennett’s Pathfinders.

The end of 1944 would be pivotal though, but not the happy celebratory time it should have been, but a solemn and heart rendering time for those stationed here.

On December 23rd 1944, twenty-seven Lancasters along with their three Mosquito reserves, would take off from Little Staughton and their sister airfields at Bourn and Gravely, to be joined by their escorts – three squadrons of Mustangs from 150 Wing, over France. Once out of the English fog and cloud that had harassed the bombers for several days before hand, the aircraft began to jostle for their correct position in the formation. The three formations, each made up of two Flights, A and B, would gradually settle down now able to see each other in the clearer skies above the heavy English cloud.In such a clear sky, it might be ill-considered to think that anything could go drastically wrong – but go wrong it did.

The watch office at Little Staughton is now a listed building.

Assemblies could always be a danger and would be unsettling for any crew. At the back of the six flight formation and unseen to the Little Staughton crews at the front, Graveley’s 35 Sqn’s Flying Officer G.S. Lawson in Lancaster ‘H-How’ (PB683) began closing in on his friend Pilot Officer R. Clarke in ‘F-Freddie’ (PB678). Misjudging the narrow distance between them, Lawson’s aircraft inadvertently made contact with the wing of Clarke’s, sending both aircraft, fully laden with fuel and bombs, spiralling to the icy waters of the English Channel below. As the two Lancasters fell uncontrollably towards Earth, others in the formation could do nothing except watch in horror and prey that chutes would somehow emerge from the two Lancasters. Miraculously, six airmen did manage to escape the stricken bombers before they either broke apart due to the extreme forces exerted upon them, or they hit the water.

A rescue search was mounted immediately. Little Staughton’s reserve pathfinder Mosquito from 105 Sqn, who was sat at the rear of the formation and witnessed everything, remained on station continually radioing the airmen’s positions back to control.  He remained there, watching out, until the launch arrived to begin the arduous task of searching for signs of life. But the icy winter waters of the channel were too much for the badly protected airmen, and although six managed to escape the stricken bombers, all the crew of the launch could do was pull dead bodies from the cold water. Only one crewman was unaccounted for, the body of  Flt.Lt. John Faulkner was some weeks later washed up on the beach at Dieppe. He remains buried there to this day.

Meanwhile, the front two formations consisting of Lancasters from Little Staughton flew on oblivious to the carnage that had occurred behind them. Being an Oboe operation meant that the aircraft had to fly for fifteen minutes straight and level without any deviation from the beam they were following. Hopefully, the predicted cloud over the target would give them some protection from flak and fighters, hence the reason for using Oboe. When they got there however, there was none, just clear bright skies and it was daylight. Ramrod 1415 was about to feel the brunt of the Luftwaffe’s determined pilots.

The first formation had somehow become detached from the second and third, meaning their escort was way behind and having to race to catch-up. With eight minutes to target they were alone, in clear skies and vulnerable.

It was then that the flak began. 88mm and 105mm shells began exploding all around the aircraft, peppering the fuselages like hailstones on a tin can.

Within minutes the gunners had found their mark, and the first aircraft was hit. Mosquito ML998 ‘HS-B’ with 25 year old Flt. Lt. Eric Carpenter, a Canadian, and Fl. Off. William Lambert as navigator, was on fire with both engines out. Moments later, the Mosquito exploded in a massive fireball. Neither airmen would survive and Little Staughton was now one crew down.

With three minutes to go, not only had the flak intensified but fighters had appeared on the scene too. The master bomber, Sqn. Ldr. Robert Palmer in Lancaster PB 371 ‘V’, received hits causing two engines to cut. His Lancaster was now more than ever difficult to fly but on he went fighting the reluctant aircraft every inch of the way. Then further hits badly damaged the Lancaster’s tail forcing the aircraft to turn over and tumble out of the bright German sky.

As the aircraft tumbled over and over, the rear gunner Flt.Sgt. R Yeulatt, another Canadian, manged to escape his turret, more by luck than skill. After his turret was separated from the spiralling Lancaster his body was forced out between the doors by the wind. This incredible escape would be his saviour – he would be the only survivor of the seven man crew.

With all Lancasters receiving intense fire it was going to be carnage – and it was.

One of the original hangars still in use today.

The second Lancaster to fall from the sky was that of American (RCAF) Flt.Lt. Arndt Reif in PB120 ‘P’. Reid’s aircraft was hit by both flak and enemy fighters. Reif himself was badly injured, and so he gave the order to bale out. Only two crewmen, Flt. Sgts MacLennan and Pearce, both Canadians, escaped with their lives, being picked up on the ground and incarcerated by the Germans.

Flt. Lt. R. Hockley in Lancaster PB141 ’60-F’ went down next. With no controls and one wing on fire, he gave the order to jump, and all seven crewmen managed to escape the burning wreck. Six were picked up by the Germans below, the seventh, 24 year old Pilot Officer Ken Hewitt was attacked by murderous civilians and shot several times. Efforts to save him by a local policeman failed and the murder was the subject to a post war criminal investigation, which concluded that the fatal shot came from Hubert Wester, who was later killed on the Eastern front. No other charges were brought against any of those present.

With one Mosquito and three Lancasters now gone, the deaths were stacking up. Fl. Off. R. Terpenning, an Australian, in Lancaster PB558 ‘A’ had by now taken several hits and was flying ‘on the deck’ to try and make his escape. Pounced on by further fighters, time was definitely of the essence.

The Lancaster’s gunners fought bravely to ward off continued determined Luftwaffe attacks. Fuel now streamed from the wing; two engines were out; the top turret had been severely damaged and many controls were out of action, it was a miracle the aircraft was still in the air. Once over Belgium and the relative safety of the allied lines, Terpenning gave the order to bale out, himself being the last to leave. All seven airmen made it safely out of the Lancaster and were back at Little Staughton just four days later.

By now chaos reigned. Communications were bad at best. Only some aircraft received the order to scatter and had done so, others meanwhile received orders to bomb visually and not by Oboe. Some of the formation dispersed, each aircraft beginning its own unscheduled bomb run.

The last of the formation aircraft to come down was that piloted by 22 year old  Flt. Lt. Peter Thomas, in Lancaster PB523 ‘J’. It, like the others, had received substantial hits and was doomed to crash. After battling against persistent fighters and damaged controls, Thomas finally gave the order to bale out. With himself and a wounded Canadian P. Off. Frederick (Tex) Campbell upfront, the remaining crew escaped and the aircraft crashed. In the wreckage still at the controls, was the body of the pilot Flt. Lt. Thomas.

Of those who escaped four became prisoners of war, the fifth, twenty year old Flt. Sgt. Vivian Hobbs was killed after his chute collapsed on the descent.

Of the seventeen Little Staughton 582 Sqn Lancasters that went to Cologne that day, five failed to return along with a Mosquito of 109 Sqn. With a further two Lancasters from Gravely a total of eight aircraft were lost that day, along with all but one of their crews. The operation had been a disaster from the start, and the crews had paid the price.

After the operation Sqn. Ldr. Palmer, who was on his third operational tour and 111th sortie,  was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for his determination in continuing on to the target, even though his aircraft was severely damaged. He insisted on flying straight and level to allow Oboe to pinpoint the target. As a result the crew placed their markers precisely on the target allowing those left following to bomb accurately.*³

The full story and VC citation for Sqn Ldr. Palmer, can be read in ‘Heroic Tales‘.

A Robins Aircraft Hangar still in use today.

The return trip to Cologne on New Year’s eve must have filled the crews with dread, however it proved to be uneventful in that all aircraft returned safely and without incident. Although losses were comparatively light for the two units, seventeen aircraft lost from 109 Sqn and around thirty from 582; equating to some 250 airmen in total; it was still a blow to the squadrons and to Little Staughton as a whole.

With a successful and uneventful last operation, the dawn of 1945 must have brought renewed hope for fewer losses and that of a forthcoming allied victory.

The poor weather of the Christmas period however, did little to deter operations over Germany. On 1st January 1945, 582 Sqn were once again in action flying to both Dortmund and Witten. For almost fifteen days crews would be flying operations, training flights or both. It was a gruelling time but losses were low. It wasn’t until the 16th-17th that the first aircraft would go down. Baling out over allied territory all crew apart from the rear gunner, Sgt. McNamara, survived. With 109 Sqn losing only one Mosquito on the 31st – again both airmen returning safely – January had proven light despite the increase in operations.

It was then in February that another Little Staughton airman would earn himself the Victoria Cross, the second for bravery and dedication to duty.

On the night of 23rd-24th  February,  only ten days after the historical attack on Dresden that resulted in a firestorm, 367 Lancasters and 13 Mosquitoes from 1, 6 and 8 Groups were detailed to attack the city of Pforzheim to the north-west of Stuttgart. This would be the only attack on the city and it would prove almost as devastating as Dresden and Hamburg.

The Master Bomber that night was a 582 Squadron Lancaster piloted by the only South African pilot in the Pathfinders, Captain Edwin Swales DFC. In his Lancaster III PB538 ‘N’, were seven other crewmen, including two navigators.

On the run in to the target, the Lancaster was badly hit by night fighters putting one engine and the rear turret guns out of action. Undeterred, Swales continued to perform his role, guiding the following bombers onto the target with the greatest of precision.

Only when he was satisfied that the attack had been carried out did he leave the target area. Now easy prey to more attacks, soon a second engine was put out of action, controls were damaged with some being inoperable. With a reduced speed and difficult flying conditions he headed for the allied lines, and once safely over them, he gave the order to bale out. All those on board made the jump to safety, leaving Swales at the control trying to maintain steady flight. Just as the last man left, the Lancaster gave up the struggle and was reported to hit high tension cables causing it to crash. Captain Swales was still at the controls when it was found later on.

The attack on Pforzheim  was considered to be very accurate, with over 1,800 bombs having been dropped in little over twenty minutes. Over 17,000 people were known to have died that night in the raging fire that followed, and a post-war photograph, revealed that 83% of the built up area had been destroyed by the raid*⁴.

Swales’ VC was awarded posthumously, being the second such award to go to airman of Little Staughton, and the third of only three to the Pathfinders. His citation appeared in the Fifth Supplement to The London Gazette, of Friday, the 20th of April, 1945, and concluded: “Intrepid in the attack, courageous in the face of danger, he did his duty to the last, giving his life that his comrades might live.” His story also appears in ‘Heroic Tales’

The war was by now drawing to its inevitable conclusion, and the end of the Nazi’s reign of terror was near. For Little Staughton crews however, the job was far from over. By now the allies were so close to Germany that Oboe stations and forward operating airfields allowed accurate Oboe bombing of Berlin. On the 8th March 109 Squadron’s history was made with their first Oboe marking of Berlin and Munich; the longest range they ever attempted. Eighteen aircraft were ordered out to four targets, the other two being Dessau and Hamburg, The night was not the most successful though, with technical problems causing issues with a number of Pathfinder aircraft. On the Hamburg raid, four of the six aircraft marked well, one aircraft lost an engine and had to return early, whilst over Berlin, two of the four markers had to return without marking also due to technical issues. The Dessau raid suffered similar technical issues.

By now the war was in its last stages, and the night of 20th-21st April saw yet another pivotal moment in the history of the war, with the RAF’s last attack on the German capital. 109 Sqn were again in action, and it was Mosquito XVI ML929, piloted by F.O. A.C. Austin and F.O. P. Moorhead, who claimed the honour of dropping the last RAF bomb on the city. It was yet another feather in the cap for Little Staughton crews.

One of the original hardstands now has farmers sheds on it.

Other German cities then took the brunt of the Allied attacks. To the south, allied troops were approaching Hitler’s lair at Berchtesgaden,  but the night’s attack in April would not be one to remember, as all Little Staughton’s aircraft suffered technical issues preventing them from marking the target. It is thought that the surrounding mountains had interrupted the Oboe signal leading to poor reception by the Pathfinders. Due to fog and snow, identifying the target was then made more difficult for the following bombers, but with relatively accurate strikes, the raid was considered a success. However, it was not to be the Pathfinder’s final night of glory.

Attention then turned to Manna operations, and 109 began to mark targets in Holland for food parcels. A remarkable effort allowing foodstuffs and urgent supplies to be dropped to starving civilians in Holland.

Whilst bomber command was concentrating on humanitarian flights, 109 Squadron took part in the final raid on Kiel on May 2nd-3rd, with four aircraft taking part. One suffered problems and was unable to mark leaving the remaining three to identify and mark the target.  It was solely a Mosquito attack using aircraft from both 8 and 100 Group, after which large fires were seen rising from several parts of the town. After the last remnants of the German army left, it was declared ‘undefended’ and open, and allied troops entered unopposed just 36 hours later.

With the war’s end, the Pathfinders returned to dropping markers for food supplies, and ‘cooks’ tours began, aircrew taking ground crews on ‘sight-seeing’ trips over Germany to show the extent of the devastation caused by the war and the allied pounding of Germany’s towns and cities. An event that really brought home the effects of the war on Germany.

In September 1945 after much speculation and many staff movements, both squadrons were ordered to disband. 582 was first on the 10th with 109 Squadron soon after on the 30th. A glimmer of hope then came for 109 Sqn, when it was reborn through the renumbering of 627 Sqn at Woodhall Spa. To all intents and purposes though it was a different squadron to the one that had worked so hard and with such dedication here at Little Staughton. The operational record books for 582 Squadron simply states: “No further entry, Squadron disbanded as of 10th September 1945“. On roll were 147 airmen and 92 Officers, six of which were New Zealanders. The records also show that the squadron had dropped over 8,000 tons of bombs cumulatively, while 109 Sqn recorded: “This is the finish, all our aircraft were flown to Upwood today.”

Some 522 raids had been flown by 109 Squadron, covering over a staggering 5,400 sorties, while at either Little Staughton, Wyton or Marham, all with a loss of just 18 aircraft. 582 on the other hand had flown over 2,100 sorties in 165 raids with a loss of 28 Lancasters all whilst based at this little airfield in the Cambridgeshire countryside*⁴.

Throughout the war, thoughts had never been far away from post war aviation and in particular the development of new, larger and faster aircraft, both military and civil. With it would come the demand for bigger airfields and longer runways, which led to a search for possible extensions to existing airfields.  Farnborough and the RAE (Royal Aircraft Establishment), was the preferred choice, but the site was penned in and unable to have its runway extended to the five miles thought necessary to accommodate new types of aircraft. Alternatives were sought with the final decision being the amalgamation of three airfields: Twinwood Farm, Thurleigh and Little Staughton; a five mile runway linking Thurleigh with Little Staughton which would then be linked by a taxi way with Twinwood Farm. The idea behind the huge development was to replicate the Californian Muroc test facility (now Edwards Air Force Base) to enable testing of new developments in aviation. The idea never materialised though, and would have no doubt faced serious opposition had it ever got to the consultation phase*¹.

So, with no real need for Little Staughton it was soon surplus to military requirements, and with their dramatic reduction of assets, its days were sadly numbered.

Following the departure of the two squadrons, the airfield became used as a transport base, before finally closing in December 1945, and being placed into care and maintenance. In the 1950s the runway was given consideration again and work began to extend it for use in emergencies by US military aircraft, but this was also a short lived exercise, and by the end of the decade this too had ceased, and the site was closed to all military activity. For a short while it was used by the civilian Brooklands Aviation company as a repair depot, but was soon returned to farmland although the runway, and some of the perimeter tracks remain, used by a small aviation company along with several of the hangars which are used by light industry.

The Watch Office continues to stand and is now a Grade II listed building, being listed in December 2005 for its ‘special architectural and historic interest’. Historic England describe it as “One of a very small number of control towers of the Second World War period that have survived in a substantially complete state of preservation…This is an exceptionally well-preserved example of a 1941 control tower design for bomber satellite stations, of which 24 out of 45 built survive.”*²

With that, Little Staughton quietly slipped in to the history books. The buildings left standing echoing the hectic activities of two Pathfinder Squadrons, from which over 250 airmen lost their lives.

582 Sqn had been purposefully created for a role, a role it performed to the highest standard and with the greatest pride of any squadron in the RAF. 109 Sqn had performed with the same dedication and determination, meaning that Little Staughton crews were awarded two of the three VCs the Pathfinders earned, the highest honour to be bestowed on any military personnel. In addition to these, numerous other gallantry medals were also awarded to the many crews of both squadrons, a number of whom had flown in excess of 100 sorties whilst based here at Little Staughton.

Remnants of the airfield still exist as farm tracks.

Little Staughton was only operational for a short period of time. But in that time it achieved some of the highest accolades possible in military terms. It brought a great sense of pride to the local area, and a huge influx of men and machinery. Today it stands quiet, just outside of the village which marks its history with a small stone laid close to the end of the main runway. The local church, All Saints, also has a roll of honour commemorating all those personnel who lost their lives here, and a memorial stone close by pays homage to those who served and died in this remarkable place.

The entire story can be read in Trail 29.

Sources and further reading (Little Staughton)

*¹ Smith, D., “Britain’s Military Airfields 1939 – 45” Patrick Stephens Limited, 1989

*² Historic England Website accessed 17/9/23

*³ Much of the report from this comes from a combination of Operational record books and secondary resources including Feast., S., “Heroic Endeavour“, Grub Street Publications, 2006.

*⁴ Middlebrook, M., Everitt. C., “The Bomber Command War Diaries“, Midland Publishing Ltd, 1996

National Archives Operational Records:

AIR 27/2052/2; AIR 27/2052/1; AIR 27/854/8; AIR 27/854/7; AIR 27/2052/7; AIR 27/2052/8; AIR 27/2052/10; AIR 27/2052/9; AIR 27/855/2; AIR 27/2052/14; AIR 27/2052/13; AIR 27/856/7; AIR 27/856/9; AIR 27/2449/1; AIR 27/2052/27

RAF Little Staughton – Winner of Two VCs. Part 1.

Trail 29 saw a trip to two airfields both of which have now gone. A new addition to this trail, takes us back to the west of Cambridgeshire to the Bedford border and a small airfield that continues to operate as a flying entity. But, and perhaps more importantly, it is one where two VCs were won, and where RAF Pathfinders reigned supreme. Having only a short life itself, and only two front line squadrons, its rather unassuming presence hides a remarkable tale of heroism, bravery and dedication that transports it high into the ranks of wartime history.

In the latest addition to this trail we visit the small village with two airfields, starting with RAF Little Staughton.

RAF Little Staughton

The village of Little Staughton sits on Oxford Clay, a Jurassic marine sediment, and is located about 4.5 miles from Kimbolton and 8 miles from Bedford. The village itself resides in the upper most regions of Bedfordshire, but this is not the original village, that being abandoned following the bubonic plague, and so the village we see today being created as a result.

Little Staughton is unusual in that it has been home to two wartime airfields, RFC Little Staughton which was open between October 1916 and June 1917, and its World War II counterpart, RAF Little Staughton. Both add further complexities to the name by each being located over the county border in Cambridgeshire.

RAF Little Staughton, like many of its contemporaries, was cold and draughty. The staff huts dispersed around the various sites provided little comfort to those inside seeking warmth and shelter from the elements outside.

Built by a mix of construction companies including the AMWD  (Air Ministry Works Directorate), it had three concrete and tarmac runways measuring 1,920 x 50 yards; 1,340 x 50 yards and 1,000 x 50 yards with the main runway running in an approximate east-west direction.

Little Staughton (east upward) whilst under construction, 26th June 1942. Note the accommodation and technical areas have not yet been started and the spectacle hardstands are missing. Photo taken by No. 8 OTU. English Heritage (RAF Photography RAF/FNO/24).

Aircraft maintenance and storage consisted of eight Robin and three ‘T2’ hangars with an additional Butler hangar. Butler hangars were built in limited quantity for use on American airfields, and were supplied in kit form from the Butler Manufacturing Company, Kansas. They were made of box-section girders and then clad with canvas to keep out the elements and provide some protection for those inside. Butler stores buildings of which there were two at Little Staughton, were similar, but with rigid frames and beams forming a forty foot span. The presence of these buildings give a little insight into the origins of the airfield, as neither were found elsewhere on RAF airfields.

Around the perimeter track, there were thirty-seven pan style hardstands along with an additional sixteen spectacle hardstands. Personnel accommodation blocks for approximately 2,500 staff of mixed rank and gender, were spread to the east, behind the technical area, and incorporated eleven sites including a waste water treatment plant, three communal sites and a sick quarters. A further site housed the airfield’s transmitter.

Staff accommodation was made by a mix of suppliers and materials. These included Laing, Nissen and Ministry of Works, using both asbestos and corrugated iron. It is also known that ‘Jane Huts’ existed at Little Staughton, timber frames with plasterboard, or later, corrugated iron covering reinforced with chicken wire – hardly a home from home!

The technical area itself housed the usual collection of maintenance and training buildings including: three link trainers, a free gunnery trainer, a parachute store, workshops, an A.M. bombing teacher and various stores built from numerous materials. Located not far from the technical area is the watch office, built in 1942 using the Air Ministry’s Directorate of Works and Building’s design, Drawing No. 13726/41, it was rendered brick with an asphalt roof, with the watch office to the front on the ground floor and a meteorological office, switch room and lavatories to the rear. The first floor has the control room to the front of the building with 2 large windows, and to the rear was the controller’s rest room and signals office. Access to the second floor is via external steel stairs and a balcony  provides extensive outside views of the airfield as was common with wartime watch offices.

Opened in December 1942, Little Staughton was handed over to the USAAF to be used as No.2 Advanced Air Depot (AAD) and renamed in accordance with the US naming system as Station AAF127. This provides an explanation as to why Butler structures appear at the site.

The main role for the 2nd AAD (previously known as SAD – Strategic Air Depot) was to expedite repairs, modifications and in-depth maintenance to the B-17s of the 1st Bomb Wing. A role that could prove grizzly as many would have been badly shot up with the inevitable casualties languishing inside. A number of similar bases were established and then further developed by the Americans, these included: Warton, Burtonwood and Langford Lodge. Being the only one at the time in East Anglia though, Little Staughton was given priority and quickly established itself as a high level maintenance base.

A year after it opened however, the US authorities decided to move the depot from Little Staughton to a new base at Abbots Ripton adjacent to the huge American base at Alconbury. Little Staughton, then surplus to their needs, was subsequently handed back to the Royal Air Force and Bomber Command, who, on March 1st, took over control and began moving new personnel and aircraft on to the site.

One of Little Staughton’s technical huts now used for light industry.

8 (PFF) Group, under the command of Donald Bennett, and to whom the airfield was allocated, was undergoing a reduction in squadron flights from three to two at this point, and so a month later to the day, the first aircraft, Lancasters of ‘C’ Flight, 7 Squadron at Oakington along with Lancasters of ‘C’ Flight 156 Squadron from Upwood, arrived to form a new squadron, 582 Sqn, as part of the Pathfinder force and based here at Little Staughton. The squadron would use both the Mark I and Mark III Lancaster, and would be the last of the heavy bomber units to be formed under the Pathfinders.

On April 1st 1944, fifty officers arrived at Little Staughton, and were immediately assigned to the command of Squadron Leader (Acting Wing Commander) C.M. Dunnicliffe DFC from 97 Sqn at Bourn. Sqn. Ldr. Welbourn and Sqn. Ldr. McMillan were placed in temporary charge of ‘A’ and ‘B’ Fights respectively. The squadron headquarters, flight offices, crew rooms and specialist offices were all quickly put to good use and various alterations made to the buildings to suit the new squadron. The crew rooms were perhaps deemed better than some, being described as “commodious” by the new admin staff.

582 Sqn were not alone for long though, being joined within twenty-four hours by the twin-engined Mosquitoes of 109 Sqn from RAF Marham, the various aircraft being ferried in over a two day period.

There would be no respite for the two squadrons though. 582’s Lancaster crews began training immediately, flying cross country flights, “Y” training flights, fighter affiliation flights and so on. 109 Sqn on the other hand began operations to the continent almost immediately. On the 4th, four Mosquitoes were detailed to Essen, two to Rhinehausen, two more to Aachen, Kreffield, Cologne and two more to an unnamed target. Only one aircraft had problems that night, Mosquito IV ‘DZ256’ suffered engine problems and so the pilot instructed the navigator to bale out over the coast. The Mosquito then managed to land at Bradwell Bay, a difficult task in a Mosquito especially as the propeller on the faulty engine could not be feathered.

Bradwell Bay was soon to see more of the 109 Sqn Mosquitoes. On the 8th, a second one crash landed there after being hit by flak over Essen. Thankfully, both pilot and navigator were unhurt in the landing.

The rest of the month was operationally similar. With numerous flights to the continent marking and bombing targets, some requiring markers whilst some didn’t, and in these cases the target indicators (TIs) were brought home. Several aircraft over the month had failed to bomb due to ‘technical problems’, mainly failing oxygen systems, faulty aircraft undercarriage or engine trouble.

A thousand lb Target indicator Bomb at Hendon.

582 Sqn on the other hand, continued throughout the month with training flights inter-dispersed with a small number of operations over the continent. On April 23rd they received a blow, when Lancaster III JA933 ‘S’ flown by New Zealander Flt. Sgt. Wallis B. Forfar failed to return from a seven ship formation to Laon. Sadly all seven crew on board were killed that day, and their bodies remained buried together in Roye New British Cemetery in the Somme. Their known ages ranged from just 19 years of age to 22.

Operations and training flights were interrupted on April 29th, when Air Vice Marshall Don Bennett visited the airfield, and in particular 109 Sqn’s Messes. He presented watches ‘on behalf of a foreign admirer of the Royal Air Force‘ to Pilot Officer Sexton and Flight Sergeant Marchant who had both completed  seventeen sorties to Berlin.

By the end of the month both squadrons had been on operations almost daily, the routine of training now taking a back seat. These continual operations meant that the two squadrons amassed in excess of 300 sorties between them. Little Staughton and it’s crews had certainly made their mark.

Over the next few months, operations took both squadrons to strategic targets, V-1 sites were especially targeted, accurately marked by the Mosquitoes of 109 Sqn. Railway yards and road junctions were also hit in an attempt to slowdown advancing German reinforcements into Normandy. The Pathfinder squadrons were making good use of their skills.

July 11th 1944, would prove to be a first for both Bomber Command and for 8 Group in particular. The modification of a 582 Sqn. Lancaster, ND817 ‘S’ meant it was the first to carry the new ‘Oboe’ equipment. It was then piloted by Wing Commander G.F. Grant of 109 squadron, who directed the first ‘heavy Oboe’ operation of the war. Grant, himself a seasoned Mosquito pilot, was able to direct the bombers accurately onto the target, initiating bombing when he bombed, and so aiming to obtain a higher level of success than had previously been achieved.

The attack by seven Lancasters on the flying bomb’s site at Gapennes, proved uneventful in terms of losses or incidents, but was no doubt a notable point in the bombing war. Now they could hit small, precision targets with heavy bombers using Oboe.

A second such operation on July 20th to the flying-bomb site at Foret-du-Croc was not so fortunate though, 582 squadron suffering the loss of the leading aircraft, Lancaster ED908 ‘Z’ flown by Sqn. Ldr. J. Foulsham DFC, AFC.

Using the new Oboe equipment required considerable training, and so four of the crew, including Sqn. Ldr. Foulsham, had been reassigned to the aircraft from 109 Sqn. With two navigators on board the aircraft, the eight man crew were all lost when the aircraft was shot down, crashing with great force on the run-in to the target. Sqn. Ldr. Foulsham may have been a late change on that operation as the ORB doesn’t list him as flying that day. All eight crewmen are buried in the Canadian War Cemetery in Dieppe.

With two more Lancasters lost on July 23rd-24th and another on the night of 28th-29th, 582’s losses were slowly mounting. In one of the Lancasters lost on 23rd, was the South African airman Lt. Swales, who went on to later be awarded the VC in 1945. Whilst the aircraft was lost in an emergency landing, the crew were all safe and they continued flying almost immediately. Additionally, in the last Lancaster to go down that July, was one of Bomber Command’s oldest airmen Flt. Sgt. C. Lewis at age 39. Seven of the eight airmen were lost including Flt. Sgt. Lewis.

August would prove to be one of the heaviest months for operations, especially for 109 Sqn, who would mount in excess of 500 sorties flying against Flying Bomb sites, oil plants, rail junctions, fuel depots and other strategic targets.

In late 1944, Arthur Harris was partially released of the tight constraints applied to him by the Supreme Allied Commanders, and so he was now able to turn his forces to his favoured targets – the cities of Germany. Although directed to focus on oil, many of these cities had close connections to oil, and so Harris was able to circumnavigate the directive with few complaints from those above him.

As aircrew casualties began to fall and the number of available heavy bombers began to rise, the RAF were now able to increase their operations, dropping almost half of all their wartime tonnage in the remaining few months of the war*⁴

August 1944 would prove to be another pivotal month in Bomber Command, as the first major daylight raid since 1941 was launched against German targets. 582 Sqn sent ten Lancasters to Minoyecques, whilst 109 Sqn sent eight Mosquitoes to Homburg in Saarland and six Mosquitoes to Minoyecques in support of the Lancasters. All aircraft returned safely to Little Staughton, some bringing indicators back with them as they were not needed due to accurate and extensive marking. The end of the month ended on a more sour note for the two squadrons however, with the loss of one Lancaster along with all of its crew, and two Mosquitoes. It is believed that all four crewmen from the Mosquitoes managed to evade capture, although their fate is not yet known.

Perhaps the most successful operations for 582 Sqn came on October 3rd, when 252 Lancasters and 7 Mosquitoes attacked the sea walls at Walcheren, targets that dominated the approach to Antwerp. By breaching the sea wall it was hoped that the sea would flood the defences behind, and drastically hinder any defence against an allied assault on the town. Once Antwerp was taken, an estimated 40,000 tons of supplies could then be poured through to the front line of the allied advance, who were now getting very low on supplies and losing momentum as a result.

The operation led by Master Bomber Grp. Cptn. P. Cribb in Lancaster ND750 ‘E’, of 582 Sqn was a great success, with the walls being breached across a 100 foot span,  through which millions of gallons of water could pass. The attack was carried out by eight waves of Lancasters with Pathfinder Mosquitoes and Lancasters leading the way. At the back of the formation were 617 Sqn Lancasters carrying Tallboy bombs, but because the bombing was so successful and accurate, these were not needed and 617 Sqn took them back home with them.

By the winter of 1944/45, and although a long way from beaten, the Luftwaffe were now on the back foot and the allies were becoming masters of the skies. By the end of the year RAF daylight operations were commonplace, but they were not without their problems.

In Part 2 we see how Little Staughton crews took the brunt of the Luftwaffe’s determination to take back control of the skies. In one mission alone, they would sacrifice eight aircraft and most of their crews. It would however, bring the first of two VCs to the little airfield.

The entire story can be read in Trail 29.

Former RAF Upwood mural

The former airfield at Upwood in Cambridgeshire had a long and distinguished history. Having its origins go back as far as the First World War, it really gained its fame during the Second World War and post war history; closing as late as 2012 when the military finally pulled out.

During the Second World War it was home to Pathfinder squadrons, who attacked prestige targets. The airfield was home to a range of aircraft;  it was also the location for the 1952 film with Dirk Bogarde  ‘Appointment in London‘. Post war, it was designed to be a post apocalyptic hospital, able to treat those injured in the event of a nuclear war.

Today the site is gradually being demolished as housing gradually takes over. Many of the original buildings are boarded up and behind screens and threfore inaccessible. The hangars however, are still in use by local industry and so access to part of the site is still available.

In 2020, a mural was painted on one of the buildings to commemorate those who flew from Upwood and the wider RAF in general. It features a Lancaster and three aircrew who each achieved incredible flying feats.

I don’t know what the future holds for the mural, but it’s a fabulous piece of street art and a very worthy one, perhaps it should be preserved.

The mural was painted by Street Arts Hire, and depicts Lancaster GT-Q (ND875) of 156 Squadron, which carried out 108 operations, one of only 35 to ever make it over 100 missions. The three airmen also depicted are:

Left: Flt.Sgt A. Wilson 76 operations
Middle: Flt.Sgt. J. Watson 77 operations and
Right: Flt. Sgt. W. Appleby 80 Operations

A video made by the group is available on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=760437928152790

September 8th 1943 – Tragedy at RAF Mepal.

On the night of September 8/9th 1943,  a force of 257 aircraft comprising 119 Wellingtons, 112 Stirlings, 16 Mosquitoes and 10 Halifaxes took off from various bases around the U.K. to bomb the Nazi gun positions at Boulogne. Included in this force were aircraft from the RAF’s Operational Training Units, and for the first time of the war, five B-17s flown by US aircrews of the USAAF’s 422nd BS, 305th BG at Grafton Underwood. This was the first of eight such missions to test the feasibility of the USAAF carrying out night operations over Europe.  After the remaining seven missions, in which the squadron had dropped 68 tons of bombs, the idea was scrapped, the concept considered ‘uneconomical’ although the aircraft themselves proved to be more than capable of the operations.

The Gun battery targeted, was the emplacement that housed the Germans’ long-range guns, and the target wold be marked by Oboe Mosquitoes. With good weather and clear visibility, navigation was excellent, allowing the main force to successfully drop their bombs in the target area causing several huge explosions. However, not many fires were seen burning and the mission was not recorded as a success. Reports subsequently showed that the emplacement was undamaged due to both inaccurate marking by Pathfinders, and bombing by the main force. However, as both anti-aircraft fire and night fighter activity were light, no aircraft were lost during the flight making it a rather an uneventful night.

However, the mission was not all plain sailing, and whilst all crews returned, the night was marred by some very tragic events.

Three Stirlings were to take off from their various bases that night: at 21:00 hrs from Chedburgh, Stirling MK. III, EF136, piloted by F/S. R. Bunce of 620 Sqn; at 21:30, another Stirling MK.III, from 75 Sqn at RAF Mepal, BK809 ‘JN-T*¹‘ piloted by F/O I.R.Menzies of the RNZAF; and lastly at 21:58 also from Chedburgh, Stirling MK. I, R9288 ‘BU-Q’ piloted by N.J. Tutt  of 214 Sqn.  Unfortunately all three aircraft were to suffer the same and uncanny fate, swinging violently on take off. The first EF136 crashed almost immediately, the second BK809 struck a fuel bowser, and the third R9288 ended up in the bomb dump. Miraculously in both the Chedburgh incidents there were no casualties at all, all fourteen crew men surviving what must have been one of their luckiest escapes of the war! The same cannot be said for the second though.

Stirling BK809 was part of a seventeen strong force of 75 Sqn aircraft. Each aircraft was carrying its full load made up of 1,000lb and 500lb bombs. As the Stirling was running along the runway, it swung violently, striking a fuel bowser which sent it careering into houses bordering the edge of the airfield.

One of the occupants of one of the houses, Mr. P. Smith, saw the aircraft approaching and ran into the street to warn others to get clear. As the aircraft struck the rear of the houses, it burst into flames causing some of the bombs to detonate. This brought considerable rubble down on the occupants of the second house, Mr and Mrs John Randall.

Mrs Randall managed to get out, her legs injured, whereupon she was met by a local fireman, Mr. A.E. Kirby of the National Fire Service. Mr. Kirby went on to help search in the wreckage of the house until his attempts were thwarted by another explosion. His body, along with that of Mr. Randall, was found the next day.

Two other people were also killed that night trying to provide assistance, those being F/Sgt Peter Gerald Dobson, RNZAF and Section Officer Joan Marjorie Easton WAAF. F/Sgt. Dobson was later mentioned in despatches. Three members of the crew lost their lives as a result of the accident, F/O. Menzies and F/O. N. Gale both died in the actual crash whilst Sgt. A. Mellor died later from injuries sustained in the accident.

A number of others were injured in the crash and one further member of the squadron, Cpl Terence Henry King B.E.M, was awarded the British Empire Medal “for his bravery that night in giving assistance“.

The mission on the night of September 8/9th 1943 will not go down as one of the most remarkable, even though  it was unique in many respects, but it will be remembered for the sad loss of crews, serving officers and civilians alike in what was a very tragic and sad event.

The crew of Stirling BK809 were:

F/O. Ian Robert Menzies RNZAF NZ415002. (Pilot).
P/O. Derek Albert Arthur Cordery RAFVR 136360. (Nav).
P/O. Norman Hathway Gale RAFVR 849986. (B/A).
Sgt. Ralph Herbert Barker RNZAF NZ417189. (W/O).
Sgt. Albert Leslie Mellor RAFVR 943914. (Flt. Eng).
Sgt. Bullivant G RAFVR 1395379. (Upp. G)
Sgt. Stewart Donald Muir RNZAF NZ416967. (R/G).

RAF Mepal was visited in Trail 11.

Sources and Further Reading.

*¹ Chorley, 1996 “Bomber Command Losses 1943” notes this aircraft as AA-T.

Chorley, W.R., “Bomber Command Losses – 1943“, Midland Counties, (1996)

Middlebrook M., & Everitt C., “The Bomber Command War Diaries”  Midland Publishing, (1996)

Further details of this accident, the crews and those involved can be found on the 75 (NZ) Sqn blog. This includes the gravestones of those killed and a newspaper report of the event.

My thanks also go to Neil Bright (Twitter handle @Blitz_Detective) for the initial  information.

Flt. Sgt. Arthur Louis Aaron, V.C., D.F.M., 218 Sqn, RAF Downham Market

The Second World War produced some incredible heroes, men and women, who in he face of incredible odds, continued to carry out their duties, often going beyond those expected of anyone.

One such man was Arthur Louis Aaron, of 218 Squadron, RAF Downham Market, Norfolk.

Arthur Louis Aaron (RAFVR) V.C., D.F.M. (source unknown)

Aaron, born 5th March, 1922, in Leeds,  who at the time that war was declared, was training to become an architect at Leeds School of Architecture. On joining the Royal Air Force on December 15th, 1941, he was sent, via Canada, to No.1 British Flying Training School (B.F.T.S.) at Terrell, Texas, where he completed his initial flying training.

Aaron like the other recruits would pass through ten weeks of biplane flying, moving onto monoplane aircraft at which point, if successful, they would receive their wings. Returning back home also via Canada, he was hoping to fly fighters but was disappointed when he was posted to bomber training, and was sent to 6 Advanced Flying Unit at Little Rissington. After further training, he was sent on to 1657 Heavy Conversion Unit (Stradishall) flying Stirling MKIs, and then on 17th April 1943, he was posted to his first operational flying unit, 218 (Gold Coast) Squadron, at RAF Downham Market.  

Whilst here at Downham Market, Aaron continued flying Short Stirling bombers, the large heavy bomber that proved to be both vulnerable to fighters and poor performing. Due to high losses it  was eventually pulled out of front line bombing duties, and used for mine laying, glider towing and parachute operations.

Aaron’s first mission would be the very next day after arriving at Downham Market. He, and his crew, would fly a ‘gardening’ mission laying mines off Biaritz, after which he would be sent on more heavily defended targets within German occupied Europe and Germany itself.

At 21:35 on the night of August 12 – 13th 1943, Flt. Sgt. Aaron and his crew: Sgt. M. M. Mitchem (Flt Eng.); Sgt. A. C. Brennan (RCAF) (Nav.); Flt. Sgt. A. W. Larden (RCAF) (Bomb Aim.); Sgt. T. Guy (Wop/AG); Sgt. J. Richmond (M.U. Gunner) and Sgt. T. M. McCabe (R. Gunner), all took off from Downham Market on their second mission of August to attack Turin, a night that featured several attacks on Italian targets.

This would be Aaron’s 20th and final mission, three as co-pilot and seventeen as pilot. He was a man known for his courage and bravery, only 12 days earlier he had struggled with his aircraft whilst his crew bravely fought fires that had broken out in the fuselage after being hit by incendiaries from aircraft flying above. Using his skill and judgement, he managed to evade both flak and searchlights by corkscrewing his aircraft whilst the crew members put out the fire that resulted from the accident. For his action on this day, he would be awarded the D.F.M.,*¹ one of the highest possible awards for non-commissioned officers in the Royal Air Force, but this, like his V.C., would only come posthumously after his death on 13th August 1943.

That night, two of the thirteen 218 Sqn aircraft from RAF Downham Market in Norfolk, would be posted ‘missing’; Stirling HA-Y ‘MZ 263’ piloted by F/O J. McMallister, and that of 21-year-old Arthur Aaron – Stirling III ‘EF452’ HA-O . Whilst in the bomber stream heading toward Turin,  the aircraft was hit by gunfire from another aircraft. The navigator, (Sgt. Brennan s/n R/117605) was killed, Sgt. Mitchem and Flt. Sgt. Larden were both injured. The aircraft, now badly damaged, had been hit in three of the engines resulting in one of them being put out of action. Both front and rear turrets were immobilised, various control lines were broken and the windscreen was shattered. During the attack, Aaron received devastating blows to his face, his jaw being broken and quantities of flesh being blown away. A further bullet struck him in the chest, puncturing his lung. Now in great pain and severely injured, Aaron fell against the control column forcing the aircraft into a dive. After the Flight Engineer regained control, a course was set for North Africa, Aaron was moved to the rear of the plane where he was treated. He remained here for only a short time, insisting on returning to the cockpit where he was placed with his feet on the rudder bars. Wanting to take over, he had simply insufficient strength, and was persuaded to assist rather than fly. He wrote notes with his left hand, guiding the crew toward the airfield at Bone, in Algiers. After four failed attempts at landing, the bomb-aimer finally managed to get the aircraft down, low on fuel and with its undercarriage still raised.

The entry in the Operations Record Book for August 12th 1943, merely states “Landed in Algiers, Sergeant Brennan, Navigator Killed.”*²

At 15:00 on August 13th 1943, Arthur Aaron finally lost his determined battle to survive and died from his terrible injuries. He had fought on, overcoming severe pain and injury to guide his crewmen back to safety. Flt. Sgt. Aaron was buried alongside Sgt. Brennan in Bone War Cemetery, in Algeria.

For their action Flt. Sgt. Larden received the C.G.M., and Sgt Mitcham and Sgt. Guy, both a D.F.M.

Arthur Aaron was awarded not only his D.F.M. from his previous mission, but the V.C., the highest honour for military personnel. His V.C. was announced in the London Gazette on November 5th, 1943*³.

It reads:

Air Ministry, 5th November, 1943.

The King has been graciously pleased to confer the Victoria Cross on the undermentioned airman in recognition of most conspicuous bravery:
1458181 Acting Flight Sergeant Arthur Louis Aaron, D.F.M., Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, No. 218 Squadron (deceased).

On the night of 12 August 1943, Flight Sergeant Aaron was captain and pilot of a Stirling aircraft detailed to attack Turin. When approaching to attack, the bomber received devastating bursts of fire from an enemy fighter. Three engines were hit, the windscreen shattered, the front and rear turrets put out of action and the elevator control damaged, causing the aircraft to become unstable and difficult to control. The navigator was killed and other members of the crew were wounded.

A bullet struck Flight Sergeant Aaron in the face, breaking his jaw and tearing away part of his face. He was also wounded in the lung and his right arm was rendered useless. As he fell forward over the control column, the aircraft dived several thousand feet. Control was regained by the flight engineer at 3,000 feet. Unable to speak, Flight Sergeant Aaron urged the bomb aimer by signs to take over the controls. Course was then set southwards in an endeavour to fly the crippled bomber, with one engine out of action, to Sicily or North Africa.

Flight Sergeant Aaron was assisted to the rear of the aircraft and treated with morphia. After resting for some time he rallied and, mindful of his responsibility as captain of aircraft, insisted on returning to the pilot’s cockpit, where he was lifted into his seat and had his feet placed on the rudder bar. Twice he made determined attempts to take control and hold the aircraft to its course but his weakness was evident and with difficulty he was persuaded to desist. Though in great pain and suffering from exhaustion, he continued to help by writing directions with his left hand.

Five hours after leaving the target the petrol began to run low, but soon afterwards the flare path at Bone airfield was sighted. Flight Sergeant Aaron summoned his failing strength to direct the bomb aimer in the hazardous task of landing the damaged aircraft in the darkness with undercarriage retracted. Four attempts were made under his direction; at the fifth Flight Sergeant Aaron was so near to collapsing that he had to be restrained by the crew and the landing was completed by the bomb aimer.

Nine hours after landing, Flight Sergeant Aaron died from exhaustion. Had he been content, when grievously wounded, to lie still and conserve his failing strength, he would probably have recovered, but he saw it as his duty to exert himself to the utmost, if necessary with his last breath, to ensure that his aircraft and crew did not fall into enemy hands. In appalling conditions he showed the greatest qualities of courage, determination and leadership and, though wounded and dying, he set an example of devotion to duty which has seldom been equalled and never surpassed.

A number of memorials exist in honour of Arthur Aaron. On the site of the former accommodation blocks at Bexwell (RAF Downham Market) stands a new memorial in his honour along side that of Squadron Leader Ian Bazalgette, who also won the V.C. whilst at Downham Market.

There is another plaque in the main hall of Roundhay School, Leeds, Aaron’s former school; another commemoration can be found at the AJEX Jewish Military Museum in Hendon, London, and a five-metre bronze sculpture by Graham Ibbeson has been erected on a roundabout to the north of Leeds city centre. Unveiled on 24th March 2001 by the last survivor of the crew, Malcolm Mitchem, it represents the freedom Aaron’s sacrifice helped ensure.

The new memorial updated July 9th 2023

Sources and Further Reading:

RAF Downham Market appears in Trail 7.

*¹ London Gazette, 15th October 1943, page 4620.

*² Air 27/1351 – National Archives

*³ London Gazette, (supplement) 5th November 5th, 1943, page 4859

No. 218 Gold Coast Squadron, 1936-1945. A blog that has many letters, from Aaron along with the history of 218 Squadron.