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World War 2 Two II WW2 WWII 1939 1945

RAF Feltwell



   During World War 1, Feltwell airfield was used as No. 7 Training Depot Station. The Station rebuilt in 1937 and at the outbreak of war was allocated to Bomber Command. On the 4th April 1940 No. 75 (NZ) Squadron of the RAF became the first Commonwealth squadron to be formed in Bomber Command. They took part in the early bombing offensive against enemy-occupied territories, flying Wellington bombers. While returning from a raid on Munster on 7/8th July 1941, one of its aircrew, Sergeant Pilot JR Ward, RNZAF, won the Victoria Cross. Feltwell suffered a series of raids by enemy aircraft in February and March, 1941. The airfield sustained little damage, except to the Sergeant's mess, but several houses in the village were demolished, and families made homeless.

Today Feltwell is home to the American Airforce.

Squadrons stationed at Feltwell

  • 37 Squadron from 1937 to 8th Nov 1940
  • 75 (NZ) Squadron. Apr 1940 to Aug 1942
  • 57 Squadron from 20th November 1940
  • 21 Squadron from 14th March 1942
  • No. 3 Lancaster Finishing School
  • No. 464 (Aus.) Squadron from September 1942
  • No. 487 (New Zealand) Squadron from September 1942
  • No. 192 (Special Investigation) Squadron from 5th April 1943


 

1st Sep 1939 Orders Received

3rd Sep 1939 Raid

3rd Sept 1939 Sweep

4th Sep 1939 Stand by

5th Sep 1939 Stand by

6th Sep 1939 Orders

8th Sep 1939 Recce

9th Sep 1939 Scattering

10th Sep 1939 Aircraft Movements

11th Sep 1939 Aircraft Movements

12th Sep 1939 Orders

14th Sep 1939 Posting

15th Sep 1939 Posting

17th Sep 1939 Stand by

18th Sep 1939 Stand by

19th Sep 1939 Duty

20th Sep 1939 Posting

23rd Sep 1939 Stand by

27th Sep 1939 Posting

29th Sep 1939 Aircraft Arrives

30th Sep 1939 Promotion

1st Oct 1939 Training

2nd Oct 1939 Training

3rd Oct 1939 Training

4th Oct 1939 Training

5th Oct 1939 Training

6th Oct 1939 Modifications

7th Oct 1939 Lecture

8th Oct 1939 Training

9th Oct 1939 Practice

10th Oct 1939 Stand by

11th Oct 1939 Training

12th Oct 1939 Aircraft Arrives

13th Oct 1939 Lecture

14th Oct 1939 Stand by

15th Oct 1939 Quiet

16th Oct 1939 Stand by

17th Oct 1939 Training

18th Oct 1939 Posting

19th Oct 1939 Training

20th Oct 1939 Stand by

21st Oct 1939 Aircraft Movements

22nd Oct 1939 Stand by

23rd Oct 1939 Aircraft Movements

24th Oct 1939 Training

25th Oct 1939 Lectures

26th Oct 1939 Stand by

27th Oct 1939 Stand by

28th Oct 1939 Stand by

29th Oct 1939 Wet Day

30th Oct 1939 Stand by

31st Oct 1939 Training

1st Nov 1939 Stand by

2nd Nov 1939 Aircraft Damaged

3rd Nov 1939 Stand by

4th Nov 1939 Lecture

5th Nov 1939 Quiet

6th Nov 1939 Aircraft Movements

7th Nov 1939 Stand by

8th Nov 1939 Training

9th Nov 1939 Stand by

10th Nov 1939 Aircraft Arrive

11th Nov 1939 Aircraft Movements

12th Nov 1939 Training

13th Nov 1939 Stand by

14th Nov 1939 Training

15th Nov 1939 Patrol

16th Nov 1939 Quiet

18th Nov 1939 Quiet

19th Nov 1939 Stand by

20th Nov 1939 Quiet

21st Nov 1939 Stand by

22nd Nov 1939 Exercise

23rd Nov 1939 Lecture

24th Nov 1939 Stand by

25th Nov 1939 Stand by

26th Nov 1939 Quiet

27th Nov 1939 Quiet

28th Nov 1939 Exercise

29th Nov 1939 Stand by

18th December 1939 Aircraft Lost  The British Air Ministry decided to launch an attack on German surface ships to prevent them supporting the U-boats in the North Atlantic. Wellington bomber squadrons had undertaken a number of sweeps over the North Sea during October and November against any enemy shipping. On 18th December 1939, a force of 24 Wellington bombers – nine from no.9 Squadron at Honington, six from 37 Squadron at Feltwell, and nine from 149 Squadron at Mildenhall – was sent to attack German ships in the Heligoland Bight and sink or damage as many as possible. The mission was a disaster.

The Wellingtons took off for the daylight raid around 0930, led by the C/O of 149 Squadron, Wing Commander Richard Kellet. Two of the aircraft turned back early, leaving 22 Wellingtons to fly on to the target area. No German ships were found at sea. Several German Navy warships were sighted in Wilhelmshaven Harbour, but orders had been given not to bomb the port area in case civilians were hit, so the Wellingtons turned for home.

The theory was that the well armed Wellington had the fire power to defend itself from attack by fighters, especially if they were flying in tight formation. However the 22 aircraft on this return flight were strung out in a straggle when they were intercepted by 44 Luftwaffe fighters – a mixture of Me Bf 110s and Bf 109s. In the battle that followed 10 were shot down, two ditched in the sea before reaching the English coast and three more crash landed in East Anglia - a total loss of 68% of the force. 56 RAF aircrew were killed and five were taken prisoner. 37 Squadron lost five of its six aircraft shot down and 9 Squadron also lost 5 aircraft. The aircraft and crews lost were:

9 Squadron:

  • N2939 Crashed off Wilhelmshaven
    • Pilot: F/O John Thomas Irvine Challes
    • 2nd Pilot: P/O Alistair Hugh Richmond Bourne
    • Observer: Sgt Frank Michael Mason
    • Wop/AG: Sgt Thomas Henry English
    • AG: LAC Gurth Ernest Cox
    • AG: AC1 Alexander Telfer
  • N2940 Crashed off Wilhelmshaven
    • Pilot: P/o Eric Francis Lines
    • 2nd Pilot: Flt Sgt Alfred Kitto Fearnside
    • WOp/AG: AC1 Edward Malcolm George Polhill
    • AG: LAC Alex Morrison Dickie
    • AG: AC2 Clifford Walker
  • N2941 Crashed off Wilhelmshaven
    • Pilot: F/O Douglas Bellamy Allison
    • 2nd Pilot: F/O Donald Charles Ephraim Bailey
    • Observer: Sgt John Archibald Brister
    • Air Bomber: Sgt Joseph Buglasi Adamson Turnbull
    • Wop/AG: Sgt Reginal Thomas Black
    • AG: LAC Albert George Goodenough
  • N2872 Crashed off Wilhelmshaven
    • Pilot: Squadron Ldr Archibald John Guthrie
    • 2nd Pilot: P/O John Edgar Atkinson
    • Observer: Sgt Harold Walter Tyrrell
    • Wop/AG: LAC Thomas Leo Marlin
    • Wop/AG: Sgt Bertie Joseph Pickess
    • AG: LAC Josias Melville Fletcher Key
  • N2983 Badly damaged by gunfire and Crashed off Cromer, Norfolk. Four survivors were picked up by a trawler.
    • Pilot: Sgt Jack Richardson Ramshaw DFM – injured
    • 2nd Pilot: Sgt Robert Hewitt – injured
    • Wop/AG: LAC D.J.Connolly – injured
    • AG: LAC Walter Lilley – killed
    • AG: AC1 Charles Ronald Driver DFM - injured
  • N2871 badly damaged and made forced landing at RAF North Coates Fitties
  • N2873 badly damaged and made forced landing at RAF Sutton Bridge, two crew injured.
37 Squadron:
  • N2904 LF-B Last reported with the Starboard wing burning furiously and heading out to sea off Wilhelmshaven.
    • Pilot: Squadron Ldt Ian Victor Hue-Williams
    • 2nd Pilot: Flt Lt Thomas Gaufrey Wearmouth Appleby
    • Observer: F/O Arthur Richard Vaughan Williams
    • Wop/AG: Sgt Alister Raymond Norris
    • Wop/AG: LAC John Arundel Barstow
    • AG: LAC Ernest Lowe
  • N2888 LF-A crashed into the sea off Borkum Island
    • Pilot: F/O Peter Arabin Wimberley - survived and taken PoW
    • Observer: Sgt Leslie Alfred Sheppard - killed
    • Navigator: P/O Michael Ratcliffe - killed
    • Wop/AG: AC1 Alexander Maxwell Hill - killed
    • AG: LAC Alfred William Walter Lane - killed
  • N2889 LF-P Broke up in the air and crashed into the sea off Borkum following a sustained attack by Lt. Helmut Lent of 3./ZG-76.
    • Pilot: F/O Oliver John Trevor Lewis RAAF
    • Observer: Sgt Maurice William Barrington-Taylor
    • Wop/AG: LAC Peter Thomas Jones
    • Wop/AG: P/O Roderick Menzie Ross
    • AG: AC1 George Warne Geddes
  • N2935 LF-H Shot down out to sea off Wilhelmshaven: three of the crew are buried in the Sage War Cemetery but two were missing and are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
    • Pilot: F/O Arthur Telford Thompson
    • Navigator: P/O Matthew Infield Drawwater
    • Observer: Sgt Alfred John Tilley
    • Wop/AG: Cpl Wilson Robinson
    • AG: LAC Leonard Arthur Stock
  • N2936 LF-J Crashed Borkum Islands.
    • Pilot: Sgt Herbert Ruse – survived and taken PoW.
    • Observer: Sgt Thomas William Holley – killed and buried on Sage War Cemetery
    • Wop/AG: Sgt Thomas K.May – survived and taken PoW.
    • Wop/AG: Cpl Frederick James Taylor - killed and buried on Sage War Cemetery
    • AG: LAC Harry Jones – survived and taken PoW.
149 Squadron:
  • N2961 Ditched off Cromer Norfolk. There were no survivors
    • F/O Michael Franklin Briden
    • P/O W.S.F.Brown
    • Sgt Valentine Henry Garner Richardson
    • AC2 A.G.Foster
    • AC1 Isaac Davidson Leighton
    • AC1 Peter John Warren
  • N2962 OJ-B Shot down and crashed into the North Sea. All reported missing and commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial
    • P/O Fred Norman Lines
    • F/O James Heggie Cumming Speirs
    • AC2 William James Ellis
    • Sgt Richard Robin Hammond
    • LAC John Humble Sinton

A direct outcome of this air battle was the decision to fit Wellingtons with armour plate and self-sealing fuel tanks to make them more robust. Another outcome was that this was the last unescorted daylight bombing raid undertaken by Bomber Command until the closing stages of the war.

Wellington N2980 which was flown by the 149 Squadron crew of Squadron Ldr P.I.Harris is an exhibit in the Brooklands Museum.



18th December 1939 Aircraft Lost

12th February 1940 On the move

7th March 1940 Operational

4th April 1940 New Squadron titles

9th April 1940 Night Ops

12th April 1940 Reconnaissance

7th May 1940 Attached

10th May 1940 War over Holland

21st May 1940 Aircraft lost

June 1940 Detachment to France

1st Jun 1940 Aircraft Lost

1st June 1940 Aircraft Lost

19th July 1940 Ditched off the Netherlands

20th July 1940 Aircraft lost

25th July 1940 Aircraft lost

10th October 1940 Bomber attacks

21st October 1940 Raids

8th Nov 1940 Operations from Malta

20th Nov 1940 Conversion

14th January 1941 Routine flight crashed

21st Feb 1941 Failed to return

3rd April 1941 Collision

18th Jun 1941 Scharnhorst attacked

13th Jul 1941 Aircraft Lost

6th August 1941 Failed to return

13th Sep 1941 Aircraft Lost

10th Oct 1941 Aircraft Lost

30th Nov 1941 Friendly fire

27th Dec 1941 Aircraft Lost

5th Jan 1942 Aircraft Lost

14th March 1942 Disbanded and reformed

23rd March 1942 Postings & Stan by

1st Apr 1942 Aircraft Lost

30th April 1942 Mid-air collision

11th Aug 1942 Bomber Command

15th August 1942 Relocation

4th Sept 1942 Conversion

10th Sept 1942 Reorganisation and Training

30th October 1942 Relocation

2nd Dec 1942 Ventura of 464 Squadron lost

6th Dec 1942 Ventura of 464 Squadron lost

6th Dec 1942 Ventura of 487 Squadron lost

6th Dec 1942 Ventura of 464 Squadron lost

6th Dec 1942 Ventura of 487 Squadron lost

6th Dec 1942 Bombing Raid

1st March 1943 Exercise Spartan

2nd March 1943 Aircrew killed on training flight

2nd March 1943 Preparation for Exercise Spartan

3rd March 1943 Exercise Spartan

3rd March 1943 Not required for Exercise Spartan

4th March 1943 Exercise Spartan

4th March 1943 Exercise Spartan

5th March 1943 Exercise Spartan

5th March 1943 Exercise Spartan

6th March 1943 Exercise Spartan

6th March 1943 Exercise Spartan

7th March 1943 Exercise Spartan

7th March 1943 Exercise Spartan

8th March 1943 Exercise Spartan

8th March 1943 Exercise Spartan

9th March 1943 Exercise Spartan

9th March 1943 Exercise Spartan

10th March 1943 Exercise Spartan

10th March 1943 Exercise Spartan

11th March 1943 Exercise Spartan

11th March 1943 Exercise Spartan

12th March 1943 Exercise Spartan ends

12th March 1943 Exercise Spartan ends

13th March 1943 48 hours leave

15th March 1943 Missing airmen are PoWs

16th March 1943 Establishment complete

18th March 1943 Operations resumed

19th March 1943 Aircrew reported safe

20th March 1943 New Engineer Officer

21st March 1943 Operation cancelled

22nd March 1943 Operation aborted

25th March 1943 No flying

28th March 1943 Rotterdam bombed

29th March 1943 Three bombing attacks

31st March 1943 Local flying

5th April 1943 Relocated

21st April 1943 Aircraft and crew return from the Med

27th April 1943 New detachments

3rd May 1943 Air crews flown to N Africa

7th May 1943 Special Wireless Investigations

26th May 1943 Wellington lost over the Ruhr

23rd June 1943 Wellington lost on special wireless investigation flight

25th June 1943 Detachment to Coastal Command

27th July 1943 Return from detachment

5th August 1943 Wellington ditched in Bay of Biscay

11th August 1943 Mosquito missing over Bay of Biscay

15th August 1943 Ditched in the Bay of Biscay

5th September 1943 Detachment to Lossiemouth

7th September 1943 Detachment returned from N. Africa

14-17th September 1943 Flights to the Artic Circle

18th October 1943 USAAF Observers

7th November 1943 Liberator crew attached to 192 Squadron

11th November 1943 Crash on landing

16th November 1943 Liberator crew to go overseas

18th November 1943 Halifax crashed on landing

25th November 1943 Signals Squadron relocated

13th March 1944 Lancasters arrive

1st January 1945 New radar equipment


If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.



Those known to have served at

RAF Feltwell

during the Second World War 1939-1945.

  • Banks MID.. James Henry. Flt Sgt.
  • Barber Anthony Louis Henry. F/Lt. (d.22nd Mar 1941)
  • Braithwaite James Edward. F/Lt.
  • Burns Harold Edward. F/O.
  • Curry DFC.. George William. F/Lt.
  • Davies Alfred. Sgt. (d.24th July 1942)
  • Gilbert Colin Leslie. Lt. (d.10th May 1942)
  • Houghton John.
  • Mobley AFC.. Arthur Benjemin. Ft.Lt.
  • Pearson Ray Sidney. Tech Sgt.
  • Pierpoint Alfred Harry Arthur. LAC.
  • Pinney Doreen Eva.
  • Powell DSO, DFC, OBE. John Alexander. Group Captain (d.18th Aug 1944)
  • Seymour William A. AC1. (d.30th Apr 1940)
  • Stace John Alan. Flt.Sgt.
  • Turner Basil Simms. Sgt.
  • Wooldridge William Arthur. F/Sgt.

The names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed, please Add a Name to this List



The Wartime Memories Project is the original WW1 and WW2 commemoration website.

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Want to know more about RAF Feltwell?


There are:188 items tagged RAF Feltwell available in our Library

  These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Second World War.


John Houghton Military Police

I would be grateful for any information through your site regarding the military police. My father was stationed at RAF Feltwell from 1939 and also at Prestwick. He told me he once escorted a prisoner from Feltwell to Prestwick via train and bus. He also played the french cornet in the military band. Sadly, my hero died at 57yrs of age in 1969 but would have been proud of a mention on your site

John Houghton



Group Captain John Alexander "Speedy" Powell DSO, DFC, OBE 19 Sqd. (d.18th Aug 1944)

I understand that Group Captain Powell was at Feltwell during WW2 although not as a Group captain at the time. He was a pilot and flew Wellingtons amongst other aircraft. Can anyone confirm whether he did?

Jeremy Powell



Tech Sgt. Ray Sidney Pearson 192 Squadron

My brother and I were in Coventry during the Blitz in 1940 and 1941. Ray joined the RAF in 1941 and after training in Terrill Texas and Ontario Canada qualified as Air Bomber. He actually passed as a pilot but developed a phobia about flying the aircraft so did extra training to be an air bomber. He arrived to 424 Squadron at Topcliffe and took part in approximate 19 raids including 'gardening- laying mines' until Mar 5th 1943 when he reported sick with a painful lump in the groin. He had an operation for a hernia and was off flying until April 21st. When he returned from leave he found that 424 Squadron had left for North Africa and No 1659 Heavy Conversion Unit had arrived At Topcliffe.

Ray then did a mad thing, he volunteered for the secret 192 Squadron at Feltwell (see Espionage in the Ether by W and J Rees). These guys did all sort of things with RADAR and Wireless some of which involved arriving over the target before the bomber streams and hanging about after the raid had finished. Rays career at flying finished after the raid on Hamburg 27th July 1943 when the German defences were baffled by the anti Radar action with 'Window' and misdirection of their fighters by wireless and Hamburg was destroyed. It was Ray's last raid of his tour and he refused to fly any more. He was transferred to the Royal Signals. After the war he went to reunions and one of his comrades told me 'They should have given him a medal, not thrown him out. He brought the plane back three times'. And this was inspite of his phobia about flying the aircraft! A condition not unknown in commercial flying.

Derek Pearson



Ft.Lt. Arthur Benjemin "Mobs" Mobley AFC. 37 Squadron

My father, Arthur Mobely served at Feltwell in 1939/40 with 37 Squadron.

Terry Mobley



Flt Sgt. James Henry "Monty" Banks MID. 212 Squadron

My father, James Banks was evacuated from Orleans airport, France, Tuesday 18th June 1940. A Dakota landed to pick him up, in his words "a lady". They landed at Heston and he was given immediate leave and returned to RAF Feltwell and given sedative to calm uncontroled shakes. This is all I have discovered written in the margins of The Daily Sketch dated Tuesday June 18th.

Any additional info would be wonderful.

Peter Henry Banks



Doreen Eva Pinney 75 Squardron

My nan Doreen Eva Pinney, served at R.A.F Feltwell during WW11 from the years 1940 to 1943 in the MT section (Motor Transport)as a driver her service number is 2002699. she drove a small van and the ambulance but mainly took the men out to the field to collect their aircraft before the raids and also waited for them to come back. Her oppo (mate) was called "Rocky" Parker however the Rocky was her nickname and my grand mother can not remember her first name.

My grandmother has a few stories of her time. I shall give you an example; my gran remembers one late afternoon when the crews were back she remembers a lone German fighter swooped down on the field circled the airfield twice and then waggled his wings then flew off back home this pilot never shot up the planes or the field which surprised my nan and her oppo Rocky. In fact my nan was so impressed that she thought he was a cheeky little begger and she hoped he would make it home safe, as she has told me before that not every German was a Nazi!

Leo Blake



Flt.Sgt. John Alan Stace 111th Sqd.

My Dad, John Stace, served in the RAF Bomber Command on Lancasters. I believe his crew were:

  • Johnny Brown Pilot Flight Engineer
  • John Stace Wireless Operator
  • Peter Bishop Mid Air Gunner
  • Gordon Cox Rear Gunner
  • Nobby Clark Observer or Bomb Aimer Hadfield

Dad joined the RAF in 1942 from school having been an Air Cadet. He left in 1946. The only time he crashed was not whilst with his own crew but with another crew in 1946 he survived but the pilot died. I believe he was at Eastchurch and Feltwell amongst other bases. He flew with 115 Sqadron and also 44 Squadron. He was at Cranwell and also Scampton

I would love to know more about his life as sadly he died in 1977 so I didn't get time to ask him.

Dawn



Sgt. Alfred Davies 57 Sduadron (d.24th July 1942)

Alf Davies was the son of my great aunt Mary and her husband Alf. They lived in Whitley Bay in the 1950s. I was then too young to realize that the black and white picture of a man in RAF uniform was their son Alf who had died during the war. The picture of Alf in RAF uniform was always around in all my aunties` living rooms. He was much thought of by the family. He was in Wellingtons out of RAF Feltwell, Norfolk during WW2, until his death in July 1942. He is buried in West Terschelling General Cemetery in Holland.

D R Thompson



AC1. William A Seymour A Flight 37 Squadron (d.30th Apr 1940)

My uncle AC/1 Bill Seymour an air gunner (front turret) was killed during a raid on Sola (Stavanger) airfield in Norway at approximately 20:50 hours on the evening of 30th of April 1940. The raid was carried out by four Wellington 1A aircraft of 37 Squadron based at RAF Feltwell, Norfolk. Two of the four Wellingtons P9213 and P9215, both from A flight were probably damaged by flak on their bombing run over the airfield and finally shot down by a mix of German fighters, Messerschmitt Bf109Es of II./JG77 and Messerschmitt Bf110Cs of I./ZG76. Both Wellingtons crashed in to the sea somewhere North of Rott Island about a mile South of Stavanger Peninsula.

P9215's Crew were: F/O G V Gordon, P/O T Kerr, Sgt W Eddlestone, LAC W E Brewster and AC/1 W A Seymour.

Colin Huggins



F/O. Harold Edward "Bobbie" Burns 15 Squadron

Harold Burns joined the RAAF in 1942. He then trained with the RCAF. On arrival in England he was transferred to the RAF. He trained at the No 3 Lancaster Finishing School at Feltwell. Harold joined a Lancaster crew as bombardier lead by pilot Ron Hastings. They served at Mildenhall with 15 Squadron. They survived 31 missions from 2nd of July 1944 to 2nd of December 1944. Their navigator Bob Smith kept a flight record of all their missions.

Carol Callanan



LAC. Alfred Harry Arthur Pierpoint

P19 Unit, Class B, No.1 Wing, RAF Yatesbury

Our father Alfred Pierpoint served, as an LAC and, we assume, undertook radar training at RAF Yatesbury. As far as we know he also worked on instrumentation, automatic pilot and oxygen systems during the war, but we're not sure whether this was at Yatesbury or elsewhere.

We know he worked on Wellingtons and this is consistent with some information we have found that places him at RAF Feltwell in Norfolk around July 1941. He told us a story, more than once, of working on the oxygen tanks of a Wellington when the pilots decided to take off with him still on board.

He also mentioned how, in radar training, his class was being shown the power of high frequency radio waves by an instructor. Said lecturer demonstrated this by holding a piece of 4 by 2 timber a few inches from an active dipole transmission antenna and casually remarking on how it only took a minute or so before the wood began to smoke and then burst into flame. Obviously Health and Safety requirements were fairly low on the wartime agenda.

Toby Pierpoint



F/Sgt. William Arthur Wooldridge B Flight 90 Squadron

Bill Wooldridge and Pete Campbell

Jimmy Ginn, Clare Telford and Howard Keon

Ross Meggason and Jack Kaiser

Alice May - The mother I never knew

In memory of the Mother I never knew And the Father I nearly lost.

This picture that now suddenly appeared on the mantle-piece was of a RAF Bomber, its flight and ground crew. Over the coming months I got to know who they were, In dad's flying log book his release date was 5th of June 1946, he ended his wartime service career at RAF St Faiths now Norwich International Airport, so the photograph on the mantlepiece dates from June 1946. At this time I was eight and a half years old now schooling at George White Junior School. Dad told me the names of all the aircrew but not the ground crew. I could recognise most of them but for some reason the name Jimmy Ginn sounded oriental so I assumed that the guy on the back row extreme right was Jimmy. But, it was not until the summer of 2006 sixty years later did I finally get them in the right order. My apologies to the bomb aimer Ross Meggason (Third left) and the radio operator Jimmy Ginn. As a schoolboy I fantasised of meeting them but Canada was a world away and the computer and the world wide web had not been invented, neither had television, plastic, credit cards and the biro. During the 1970's I bought dad a portable tape recorder and asked him to record his wartime memories. Dad passed away in September 1979 (my mother had passed away in September 1939) and several weeks later my Aunt Alice gave me an audio tape with "Operations XC Sqd - W A Wooldridge" marked on it. If it was not for this tape the events that eventually transpired would never have happened, and for this dad I thank you so much.... this is my father's story.

My Life in the RAF during WW2.

By Flight Sergeant William Arthur Wooldridge No. 1876129, Flight Engineer, Lancaster I, RAF 90 Squadron, Tuddenham, Suffolk.

A transcription of audiotapes pre-recorded around 1978 over 30 years after the event sitting by the fire with his flying log book in hand. Dad was not a well man after two strokes and a fading memory and to do as well as he did was remarkable, the umm's and rr's have been ignored and the Norfolk brogue translated into the Queen's English.

The Search for Kaiser's Crew
Bill Wooldridge, Pete Campbell, Ross Meggason. Jack Kaiser, Jimmy Ginn. Clare Telford and Howard Keon
It Turned Out All Right

This is a brief summary of my life in the RAF during the war as a Flight Engineer, I'm Flight Sergeant Wooldridge, or was, number 1876129, I entered as a trainee in October 1944, I went to London on a co-op, I received my kit and "what not" and we were there for about a week with injections and such like and we were shipped to Whitley Bay in Northumberland. There we spent six weeks of fairly hard slog doing basic training, it was a very cold winter and you needed plenty of exercise to keep warm.

After about six weeks of that we went down to St Athens in Cornwall, no sorry, not in Cornwall but in South Wales, there was nothing outstanding about that apart from a hard slog, mainly mental work, I was not used to mental work but somehow I got through it, very little happened to us in that way only such a guard duties and things like that which didn't mount up to much.

After six months of that I passed out at 63.2% which is about average there was very few of them got much more than that, and the one of our flight got who got about 70% he received some sort of prize as the best student for that year, he was an Irishman in fact, Southern Irish.

We went from there to Con Unit (Conversion Unit) at first to pick up our crew, or rather the pilot picked up his crew, because he had been on Wimpey's, a twin engined aircraft doing his training, he picked up his crew somewhere else then when they got to number 1653 Con Unit at Chedburgh which was in Suffolk. They picked up the engineer, we met our skipper Fl/O Kaiser, the Navigator was Howard Keon, the Bomb Aimer was Ross Meggason, these three were all Canadians, and also our Rear Gunner Clare Telford, he was another Canadian, and myself Sergeant Wooldridge and Jimmy Ginn who was the Wireless Operator and Pete Campbell who was the Mid Upper and that was our crew.

We spent about six week at Con Unit and we did all of this on Stirling's which was a four engined job, good kite but it had an all electric switch over for the petrol tanks and I think from memory about 27 petrol tanks on this and it took a little bit of understanding, one or two things happened like the air came out of a tyre just as we were landing but we were all right, it didn't do us any harm. After August the 14th to the 29th we were on Stirlings training for circuits and landings and cross country bombing, high level bombing and camera shots for gunnery, We passed out from there and went on to No 3 Lanc finishing school at Feltwell, well that was the first time we came up against a Lancaster, apart than from books we had never been in one, never actually been close to one. There we picked up our Lanc. and from there we did circuits and landings and local flying and flashlight cross country flights for gunnery and suchlike.

After about 3 or 4 days there we were allocated a squadron, we went to 90 squadron at Tuddenham which was between Bury St Edmonds and Barton Mills in Suffolk. We had been there about a week then they decided to make two squadrons so they made one 90 Squadron and the other 89 Squadron, we remained at Tuddenham and 89 went off to a small station just a few miles away from us. We did a certain amount of training flights there and fighter affiliation with fighters going up and taking camera shots at you and the gunners did their stuff on them. One thing happened there was we went on a cross country flight one day and we were supposed to drop bombs on a gunnery range in the Midlands and it was my job to drop any unwanted bombs and such like, when we were coming over we bombed and as we were coming passed they said there was one still hanging up so they said "get back Bill and release it" I Short Stirling J/WP flown by Kaisers crew on Aug 25th 1944 on a Bullseye cross country flight opened the bomb compartment pulled the lever and the whole ruddy rack went as well, we got told off when we came down as we nearly crowned someone as well when they hit the floor, That was one of the few mistakes I made, luckily it turned out alright.

Then came our first flight to a place called Westkapelle on the Dutch coast somewhere very short only 2 hours and 15 minutes, we had a bit of flak, the first flak we had seen but they didn't bother us too much, from there we had Duisburg two nights then Stuttgart Essen & Cologne, nothing unusual happened there, plenty of flak but as long as it did not hit us we were not bothered. Then in October we went to a place called Wessling and that's where we met a little opposition. That was in WP/Y Yorkie and we got shot full of holes, the amazing thing about it was that nobody got hit, the aircraft was just a pepper pot, the only other thing was that we had a hole in the starboard wing you could nearly put your head through, we lost a lot of aviation fuel but we could not have lost very much as we got home alright.

After we had done a few more bombing trips we spent 3 or 4 days on Gee H training on what they called a Gee box, you homed on your target on this Gee then turn and home on Gee as well, I didn't understand much about it not being the Navigator or wireless opp, I could not interest myself in anything like that, I didn't know much about it only what we were actually doing but how it worked I didn't know, it was purely electrical.

There was a kind of hum drum effect of flying then, you had a job to do, you did it and that's where it finished well up to a point, up to the first ten you did not really know what it was all about, on the second ten it just about began to sink in what that meant and on the third ten you were sweating like hell whether you would get through it, but howsoever I was lucky as it turned out alright.

We then went to a place called Schwammanauel Dam somewhere either in France or Germany, I had never heard of it before, our troops we supposed to be reaching up to this dam, and we were supposed to bomb the dam only if we could see it, when we got over there and turned on the target the master bomber decided there was nothing to be done about it so we turned round and come back again but Jack our skipper got permission from the master bomber to go down and see what it was all about. Well we got down below the clouds, we could not see a lot so we came up again, we were bombing between 15 & 17000 feet then so you couldn't see too much about it in any case. So, that was the Schwammanauel Dam, we came back and dropped our bombs not in the sea but on some other target we found on the way home.

Our longest trip of the lot was Murzeburgh 1990 Petrol it was a long trip 7 hours 15 min it was getting fairly boring at the finish, mainly fire bombs , over there the place was absolutely on blaze, we dropped our lot and hopped off home ,it was at night time we had seen enough of that, The next one we went to Duisberg, we had already done that one once, and the next day we took an aircraft to Chedburgh, which had been repaired and came back by road, nice little half hours trip,From there we did one to Witton somewhere in Germany and that is where our port outer packed up and developed a fault we were in charge of the flight that time, they were following us, we got halfway there and suddenly our port outer engine packed up something about the oil system somewhere, you could see it on the gauge but I could not puzzle out quite what is was , anyway we bombed on 3 , as we were going out , soon as they saw our engine stop the others veered off but we kept going and turned round and come back, we were fortunate coming home because as you got in the corridor round the airfield you had to wait sometimes half an hour before you could get down, you had to take your place in the queue but with one engine US they let us get down fairly quickly so that wasn't too bad, When we got down they found that the oil regulator on the engine was gone and was only letting a light measure of oil through, instead of going up to 8 or 10 pounds it was allowing only about 2 or 3 , it would have eventually ruined the engine if we hadn't stopped it, but that finished up alright.

Then from there we went to Coblenz, I did not know where these German targets were and from there we had a mining attack, each crew at some period during their ops had to do one of these trips, they were low level, we would travel out over the sea. Before each ops we had to be careful what we ate,especially if it would give us wind, beans or peas or anything like that, naturally we refrained, but all of a sudden they called the mining attack off, so the next thing we had our meal in the normal way, sausage, chips, beans etc, a dam good meal, then suddenly they came and said Kaisers crew were wanted so we went on this mining attack we went out somewhere about 1000feet, we were very low over the sea, we could see the waves underneath, when we got over the target we went up to 12000feet and dropped our mines, they were huge, damm great things in big canisters, On the way back we were attacked by a Junkers 88, our crew were watching it, they didn't actually fire on it, but we were so low he could not do anything about it, Half way home I rang up Pete Campbell on the intercom and asked if he had any trouble he said no he was alright, I said I have got the bellyache and got it bad, it was the ruddy beans I ate and it is playing me hell, I could not get rid of the wind at all, I tried too but I couldn't but we got back alright, after walking about it got better, but it was pretty rough while it was there.

From there we went to Vohwinkel then to Nurnberg, this was the second longest trip we had, it was a night trip as well, we then went to a place called Siegen then we got recalled, that is where coming back over the North Sea we had to get rid of all of our bombs, we were told not to bring anything back and there was a special place in the sea were we used to go release these bombs, when they went off it was like someone giving you a kick up the backside you could feel it from well over 5000feet when we dropped, it may have been higher than that, I cant remember, anyway we got rid of them and dropped down.

The next one of any note was Ludwigshaven in daylight that was a 5-50 trip, and that was where we really knew what it was all about, I got a peculiar impression there as I looked out of the window in front of us out of the nose there was a mass of black spots all over the sky, this flak, I felt exactly if I could get out and walk on it at 19000feet, a peculiar sensation and I have never forgotten it, and there were a lot of fighters about that day, coming in all over the place, we saw some of ours go down, some got direct hits, some of them were making hell of our lot we had orders to keep straight and not to do any weaving but we did a bit of weaving and got told off when we got down but we were not going to stick that ruddy lot, they were around us like flies, howsoever we bombed and turned round and came back again ruddy glad it was all over it was just about the nastiest one of the lot.

Then we went to Neuss then on to Saarbrucken, as we were coming back our station was supposed to be in fog so the diverted us to Predannack in Cornwall we had done 6 hours 20 then, I have seen this airfield after the war when I went down there on holiday it was like a lot of airfields it has been left you could hardly tell it had been an airfield, we came down there as one of our starboard engines was acting a bit funny but we got it going again on the Sunday morning and we came back under our own steam and we weren't too bad, a nice pleasant trip, a beautiful morning and we were about two hours to base and that turned out alright.

Then we went to another on Erkensewick I didn't know much about that I think it was P Peter our last trip and on the way back they talked about as to shooting up the drome which had been banned for some time because they were such afraid that being such a big kite they might do some damage so they banned it, but at the finish the skipper decided to have a go at it, I have never flown in a dammed great aircraft like a Lanc and seen what that can do like it did, he dammed near put it in a turn, a spiral and what not, he done everything bar but upside down, we came down over the aerodrome over the canteen and the ground crew said they had never seen anything like it howsoever it turned out alright, but the skipped got called over the coals about it, nearly got a court marshal over it, but it turned out alright.

Skipper went in to see the CO and when he came back he said the CO wanted to know if we wanted to go on pathfinders, we dammed near scragged him we told him if he wanted to go he could go his ruddy self, but the mid upper gunner Pete Campbell, they were all young, I could see he had nearly had it, he was a bundle of nerves, so after some debate they decided to let it go at that, Jack the skipper would have gone, we would not wear it, we had had enough and we wanted a rest , and that is more or less the sum total of my operational life in the RAF during the war, somewhere between 160 operational hours all in all , if you were lucky like we were that wasn't a bad life you never got too much bull or anything like that life was really straight forward but once you got busted up once or twice it wasn't very pleasant, but we were very fortunate, Once Jack got a piece of flak through his canopy down the side of his face and knocked him groggy for a minute and manage to keep control of the aircraft and asked me to stand by, when I told him he was alright he told me to get out of the ruddy way, then I knew he was alright so we let it go at that, then there was another time when Ross the bomb aimer got one down the side of his neck, it was nothing much, we shoved a bandage round it and he was alright, as I say apart from a few minor cases we didn't do too bad, one thing we never did find out there was a hole behind me, that was roughly in line with Howard there was a hole you could get a penny through it and we never did find what came through it never hit the navigator so we just wrote that off as another bit of good luck.

After that they sent us home on leave for about 6 weeks, I was beginning to wonder whether they wanted me back anymore but all of a sudden we went back to Tuddenham and there they sent us up to Catterick, we spent a few days moping about doing nothing, they sorted us out. We had various tests what we were going to be any use for on the ground, and me I had been a practical man all my life but they decided to give me a clerks job, I went on a equipment course at Kirkham in Lancashire. We spent another six weeks in Kirkam, we had a good time there, a real laugh, we managed to pass out alright, more by luck than anything else, we were larking about so much it was surprising we ever got through anything up there . Howsoever we got through there and they sent me to Morcambe on the front, we had a big Littlewoods store for equipment and what not , I spent six months there, nothing much to do except clerking in the equipment store. I had two nice WAAF's with me, I was supposed to be under them but there wern't a lot to do, we had a good time. Just before the end we had VE day up there.

The Search Begins

In 1989 I wrote to the 90 Squadron veterans association, the reply stated that they had a member called Ross Meggason the Canadian bomb aimer, why I did not follow this lead up I cant imagine, this was to cost me dearly in later years as Ross passed away so I never met him. Dad had lost touch with all of them except Ross but I have never found any correspondence, not even a Xmas card. By 2006 I had become very familiar with the world wide web and had found a website called World War 2 Ex RAF, I placed an advertisement listing all the names and information together with a picture of dad on uniform, and then waited and waited and waited, I checked the website regularly with no results, then I got the following e-mail..

Michael, I am a retired Royal Canadian Mounted Policeman. I retired in January of this year, at the age of 52. I had given her Majesty 30 years service and decided it was time to do something else. Well I wasn't retired long, as I was recruited into becoming an officer with the reserve and assisting in the training of cadets. I was delighted to hear from you. I had just asked Lt Col Kaiser to allow me the privilege of interviewing him for historical purposes. He has agreed to spend a few afternoons allowing me to take down the perilous events that so changed the history of the world. Both your father Jack and his crew gave so much to ensure the democratic way of life. I told Jack about your request and he indicated he would love to hear from you. I provided him with your email address and I anticipate he will contact you in the next few days by email.... Cheers I am extremely happy, that you have made this contact after so many years.

William James Edington Dornan Officer Cadet, 257 Parallel Squadron Ladysmith, British Columbia

And followed the first contact with, now Wing Commander Jack Kaiser DFC RCAF (Rtd).

Michael, You have found me through Bill Dornan. He and a friend, a commercial pilot whom I trained, came to my house a few evening past and lo and behold almost the first thing they asked was "do you know Bill Wooldridge?". I nearly jumped all over them with questions and answers, they gave me your email address, which I hope I have used correctly. Many times I tried to find Bill through the RAF and newspaper advertisements when Gabrielle (my British wife) and I were visiting the UK. All to no avail. But first to what I imagine are your questions: Where are the others and are they alive. Just our Navigator, Howard Keon, Claire Telford. rear gunner and I remain, Howard Keon, Father Keon, recently retired from the R.C.church and living in Toronto.

After Ops he returned to Canada and worked at A.V.Roe (called AVROE) in Toronto, though I did not know it at the time he installed the avionics in one of the first Canadian CF 100s which I subsequently flew. Howard is alive and well.

Claire Telford, Rear Gunner. Claire is alive and well and lives in Peterborough Ontario. He joined our crew after having completed two trips with another crew. He did not talk a lot and I carefully never asked him why he was available.

Ross Megisson, Went back to the farm in Goodlands Manitoba (about 50 miles west of Winnipeg). I saw him a few times, once he met me in Saskatoon and baby-sat my son Chris. He and your Dad were the steadying force that kept me going (many times). Those two were so different yet both were pillars of strength, which even now I cannot describe.

Jimmy Ginn, Radio Operator, lived in Manchester. I communicated by mail with him for a few years and so did Howard then about 1975 I got a short message from a family member to advise me he had died of natural causes (whatever that means).

Peter Campbell, Mid Upper Gunner. In 1947 I went to his home just outside of London (near Wembley), his family had moved and the people there told me Pete was working with an Oil Company in Africa and they did not know where his family were.

As to myself, after bouncing around between London and Harris, Saskatchewan (farming) when Korea broke out they re-recruited me and I went back to the RCAF where I stayed to June 1975. I retired as a Wing Commander (Canadian military buggered ranks and services all over the place) and so officially called me a Lieutenant Colonel (I prefer Wing Commander).

I must go for now but will email you more data and a few stories about your Dad and the rest of the crew. Bill Dornan gave me your email address I sure hope it works, Sincerely Jack Kaiser.

In the following months many e-mails were exchanged with stories of operational events adding to Dad's recollections but in more detail, Dad's favourite comment was, but it turned out alright, Jack's stories were more factual and far more dangerous than Dad had led me to believe, when he wrote his account he was 64/65 years old and in failing health also he never exaggerated but preferred to play the danger down, when I learned the events of the full story my admiration of him as my dad and his fellow crew members reached the highest level, he also got up to some antics that I cant imagine him doing, not the dad I grew up with. Of all the many stories Jack has passed to me the one over the Holland Belgium border in daylight had the most significance, after losing two of the four engines on Y (Yorker) and alone in the sky and all the rest of the attack force growing further and further ahead, heading for home after attacking Wesseling, an 4hr 10min flight starting at 09:10 in the morning, fighters appeared, the date was Monday 30th October 1944, I was 6 years & 11 months old, it was at this moment that the events to follow could have made me an orphan as mum had died 6 years before. The rear gunner Clare reported over the intercom, 4 fighters behind us and closing fast! Dad immediately started the feathered right inner merlin then Clare reported, It's ok skipper the fighters are Yankee Mustangs they escorted the crippled Lancaster for about 20 minutes until they were out of danger, the hair still stands up on the back of my neck every time I read this log report.

After years of searching and with the help of brother in law Cliff Robinson who found a picture of three Avro Lancasters bearing the markings of 90 Squadron, on closer inspection they were E (Echo), U (Uniform) & Y (Yorker) which has a rare USA style painting on the nose Cherokee. Kaisers crew flew 2 flights in Uniform, one was a circuit training flight an the other was on 13th of January 1945 on a bombing mission to Saarbrucken, take off was at 11.54pm and lasted for four hours 25 min, on the way back due to bad weather they were diverted to a overnight stop at RAF Predannack in Cornwall, then they had a total of 10 flights in Yorker, all but one ops, Duisburg, Bombing air test, Stuttgart, Neuss, 2/Essen, Cologne, then the infamous Wessling raid on the 30th of October 1944, Castrop Rauxel and finally Homberg, the last mission was in P (Peter) to Erkenscwick on the 15th of January 1945 giving a grand total of 160 hours 40min air time and total of 30 missions.

Another rare picture found in a book, a lone Lancaster of 90 Squadron returning from a night raid. On the wall of the village hall in Tuddenham they have a painted sign, it bears he markings of Y (Yorker). Y appears again in this photo displaying the Cherokee painting by another crew. In 2008 I had a request printed in the national newspaper the Daily Mail, I was appealing for any information on Sgt Pete Campbell, the last crew member unaccounted for, I had a reply from Mrs Phyllis Davies who said that her late husband LAC Taffy Davies was one of the ground crew, we eventually met during the summer at a hotel in Wroxham when she presented me with a photo of another two Lancasters and crew all of which were serviced by Taffy's ground crew,one of them being Y Yorker Cherokee. I was very pleased to have got this far but I still had the search for the Mustang pilots to persue.

After my visits to the USAF memorial library in Norwich reading the P51 pilots reports I was fairly sure I had found the British bases from which they were active on 30th Oct 1944, again Cliff Robinson helped me out and suggested I contacted Pat Everson of the Seething group at the old WWII USAF air base,, she put me in touch with Maurice Ling then things really began to happen, Pat had found that there were no 8th Air Force fighter groups in France or Belgium then Maurice dug up the following info, there were two 9AF Mustang Groups in France at that time. The 354 Fighter Group that was based at Advanced Landing Ground A-66 at Orconte, he looked through a copy of the 354 FG history but could find no reference to the event. The 363 Fighter Group was based at Advanced Landing Ground A-89 at Le Culot, France, either of these could be a possibility and would explain the Mustangs peeling off to the south west. Maurice then consulted the Combat Chronology Of The Us Army Air Forces October 1944 Monday, 30th of October 1944 Tactical Operations (Ninth Air Force) he found a report that some B-26s are recalled from a mission (mainly against bridges) because of bad weather, the fighters were flying escort patrols and armed reconnaissance over NE France and in W Germany around Aachen and the Rhine River.

This points to the 4 Mustangs being 9AF aircraft that had been released to find targets of opportunity when the Bombers that they were escorting were recalled, they would have been flying about looking for something to do so its logical that if they came upon a crippled bomber they would escort it to safety, he told me that it could be what happened and also stated that this was the only record of any combat missions on that day.

I went back to the USAF library and took another look at the books containing the pilots reports and found that operations by the 354th & 363rd finished in the September of 1944 and some of them had been transferred to the 369th, then I stumbled on this cracker of a report, on page 74 it stated that there were Mustang escort missions during October on the 26th ,the 30th then November 1st, so there was only one sortie on the 30th and it read.... The group flies an escort mission from 1034 to 1403 ( I estimated that the incident occurred somewhere at this time ) . The planes cross in at 1121 (not sure what this means) but at 1205 near Rheine they are recalled, Lt Robert D Erwin of the 369th develops engine trouble on the flight and heads home with Lt Russel H Jenner, while Lt Erwin lands safely at St Trond Jenner disappears without trace, then at the end of the book at the section containing the tributes and states that Lt Robert D Erwin survived the war but Lt.Jenner was listed as killed in acton on the 30th of October 1944 so if these two pilots were part of the 4 fighters that saved dad's Lancaster it was so sad that Jenner then lost his life. I eventually found a picture of Lt Erwin. On the website Searchable AAF Combat Chronology I found an entry for the Eighth AF Oct 30 1944, it read....... Over 600 heavy bombers supported by 15 fighter groups attack oil refineries near Hamburg and 11 other targets including marshalling yards at Hamm and Munster, Clouds cause abort of around 600 other bombers.

On another website ArmyAirForce.com I found several references to Lt Erwin & Lt Jenner giving the following information...... Russell H Jenner of the 369 FS of the 359th FG 8th AF 0-706589 was killed in a flying accident over Belgium on Oct 30 1944, he suffered mechanical Failure in the P-51D 44-13336 IV-Y Yankee Clipper of Lt Col Swanson and crashed near at Hakendover near Tirlemont & St Trond, he came from Lakewood Ohio and was buried at Henri-Chapelle Cemetary, he won an award, the Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster and the Purple Heart.

Another report states that the mission was in response to Field Order 1273a. Ramrod ac escort to B-17s attacking Merseburg but recalled when group was just inside the German border, Jenner was flying Red 3 with with Lt Robert D Erwin as wingman at Red 4 in 44-15081 IV-T who force landed in Belgium, MACR for Jenner is No. 10243. Another report states that the Air force formulated 2 reports, a MACR & Accident report, the region where Lt Russell H Jenner crashed was in Allied Territory and not far from the bases of St Trond (A-92) and Le Culot A-89).

Two further pictures were also found..... Robert Dean Erwin died Saturday, May 24, 2003. Services were May 28 in St. Thomas Aquinas, R.C. Church In Brooklyn, N.Y. Interment followed in the Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Valhalla, N.Y. He was born in Woodward to Arthur D. and Gladys Gillenwater and was raised in Woodward. He was a resident of Stillwater for 28 years before moving to New York In 1973. He was a graduate of Oklahoma State University, received his M.S. from York University and his Ph.D from the University of Michigan. He was proud of his service during WWII when he was a plot in the Army Air Force 359 Fighter Group, 369 Fighter Squadron and flew a P-51 Mustang out of England over Germany. He was an educator and fund -raiser for more than 35 years. He was founding director of the Oklahoma State University Foundation and at Brooklyn College and Fordham University.

At Tuddeenham Airfield most of the huts are from the USAF occupation, virtually nothing remains of the active runway & dispersal area, on the other side of the road only what is believed to be either the fire station or the workshops remain. After bringing the boys safely home every time what happened to the aircraft from Tuddenham after the first Lancaster was Taken on Charge in May 1944 PD433 WP/P Peter, went from 90 Squadron to 207 Squadron and finally Struck Off Charge on 3rd June 1947, NG138 WP/U Uniform, went from 90 Squadron again to 207 Squadron and finally SOC 16th Oct 1947 PA167 WP/K went from 90 Squadron to SOC 16th Oct 1947 Lm159 WP/H went from 90 Squadron to SOC 5th Dec 1946 LM160 WP/W went from 90 Squadron to SOC 17th Oct 1947 HK613 WP/Y Yankee Cherokee went from 90 Squadron to SOC 22nd May 1947 and the last Lancaster was SOC Dec 1947

When I started this search all I had was a picture of the flight & ground crew and my fathers memories, that was 32 years ago, and now in 2011, I have almost come to the end of my search, I have yet to trace Sgt Peter Campbell,the mid upper gunner, and the remaining P51d Mustang pilots.

Acknowledments. I would like to thank Maurice Ling for his help in tracing the Mustang pilots, Flixton Air Museum for advice on finding RAF aircrew, Aviation Artist Mike Bailey for the final fate of the Lancasters, The RAF Museum at Duxford for helping to trace the pictures of the Tuddenham base during WW11, RAF Bomber Command for the plans of RAF Tuddenham, For the air pictures of Lancasters WP/Y, U & E I thank Cliff Robinson for his keen eye in spotting them in an old magazine. I thank The Daily Mail newspaper for tracing Mrs Phyllis Davies , the wife of LAC Hefin Davies one of the ground crew who gave me the pictures of the Lancasters, Sgt Clare Telford RCAF, the rear gunner and Mady Adams for helping me communicate with her brother Father F/O Howard Keon DFC RCAF , the navigator and Wcdr Jack Kaiser DFC RCAF, the pilot. for his memoirs, maps and letters that have enriched my life for ever. And a very special thanks to Bill Dornan for without his help in tracing the pilot Wcdr Jack Kaiser this story would never have been told.

On the 9th of May 2011 I went on a coach holiday with Grand UK Holidays accompanied by my brother in law Clifford Robinson on a tour of the Lincolnshire WW11 bomber bases, we visited Scampton, Conningsby, Newark, Digby, East Kirkby and Woodall Spa among others. We were based in Skegness and toured a different location each day. On the visit to Conningsby, home of the Battle of Britain Flight, our guide was a member of British Heritage, after showing him a copy of Found at Last, he requested a personal copy for himself, I gladly obliged, on the next visit we went to the Newark Air Museum, after a full day I entered the last exhibition room and to my surprise in front of me was a batch of photos of a Conversion Unit for Ground Crew and the name Taffy Davies appeared in two of them, I asked the curator if I could purchase a copy, he kindly obliged a few days later with complimentary prints, I forwarded copies to Taffy's wife Phyllis who was delighted to receive them.

There are still several items that need to be finalised.

  • 1. The search for the last unfound crew member, the mid-upper gunner Sgt Peter Campbell, Peter was about 20-24 years old in 1944, he came from the Wembley area of London, after the war he was believed to have worked in the oil industry, possibly in Africa.
  • 2. The search for any P51D Mustang pilots reports regarding the abortive raid by US bombers on Monday October 30th 1944, Mike Ling of Seething informed me that there was only one flight of 40-44 Mustangs riding shotgun to only one mission of US bombers that day, two of them are known, 1st Lt. Robert D Erwin and 2nd Lt Russell Jenner and were known to be in the vicinity of the Lancaster , I would like to locate any pilot's reports that might give a clue to the four who escorted Lancaster WP-Y Yorker to safety.
  • 3. The names of any ground crew in the opening photograph, these are known, LAC Hefin (Taffy) Davies, LAC Jones and the Crew Chief Flt.Sgt. Stevenson.
  • 4. The air photo of the three Lancasters of 90 Squadron were taken by a crew member and not official photo's by Bomber Command, many others could still survive and possibly others taken on the base.
  • 5. During the war crews frequented the Local, The Olde Bull Inn at Barton Mills, my father said that all his crew autographed the ceiling over the bar, on a visit to the Bull some years ago I was informed that the ceiling still survives but was covered over by a lower false ceiling and the barmaid still lives in the village. Would like to see it exposed, ( the ceiling not the barmaid).

Obituary Lt-Col Jack William Kaiser DFC. 1924 - 2011. Kaiser, Lt-Col Jack William June 28, 1924 December 2, 2011 In rural Saskatchewan in 1940, a young boy was out shooting gophers when an airplane flew overhead. That was the day that Jack Kaiser decided to be an aviator. We have lost a most incredible man with Jack's passing. Predeceased by his adored wife Gabrielle, Jack leaves to mourn his brother Jim, his 6 children, Chris (Diane), Gary, Candy (Alan), Laurie, John (Chantal) and Shauna. Ten grandchildren: Christopher, Michael, Kelly, Kyle, Shannon, Jesse, Sebastion, Chelsea, Sarah and Adam and two great grandchildren: Nathan and Neavah will also feel his loss, as will his beloved dog Sasha and his two cats, Shandy and Muffy. Jack was born in Harris Saskatchewan, brother to 3 siblings. He was raised as a farm boy, and also learned mechanics in his Dad's car dealership. He curled and played hockey in the local rink. After seeing that airplane, he borrowed his older brother's ID and began flight training, soloing in Virden in 1941 in the Tiger Moth. He eventually enlisted in Saskatoon in 1942 and went to war, flying for the RAF. Jack flew Lancasters in 30 sorties, and met the love of his life in London, eventually bringing her home to the farm. After a few years he realized that the Air Force was his calling and returned to the RCAF from which he retired a Lieutenant Colonel in 1975. His love of aviation continued as he ran flying schools in England then Sidney, BC before opening his own school, Victoria Flight Training. Jack retired for the 4th time in 2003 to raise dogs and cats with Gaby. Over the course of his career in aviation Jack logged about 30,000 hours and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his service in defending our great nation. Jack trained thousands of our current pilots (both civilian and military), including the very first team of Snowbirds, competed in the World Aerobatics competition, tested fighter jets and did cold weather experimental flying, designed part of the Tutor aircraft, wrote how to fly books and created war games for NATO. Jack also loved his old cars, owning Bentleys and restoring a 1934 Pierce Arrow. Please join us in a celebration of Jack's life at 1 PM, at the Cadet Hall 1979 Anson, North Saanich, BC on January 14th 2012. Friends are encouraged to share their Jack stories at the service.

Jack recalled Op 11 Target Wessling. We went out in formation, lost starboard inner engine to low oil pressure and overheat and port inner to flak over the target. Bomb Aimer Ross Meggason got nicked in the neck. We thought Y would be in dock for days and that there must have been 60 flak holes in her(there were 197). With only 2 engines we lagged behind but were escorted to safety by four US Army Air Force Mustangs. "Y" was taken out of service. Opl 1(Y) Oct 30, 4: 1 Wessling. On this daylight bombing operation at 17,000 feet we were carrying one Cookie and 10-500 pounders, in Lancaster Y. Near the target Bill and I decided to feather the starboard inner engine ( overheat and low oil pressure).... Our philosophy was that if feathered and saved now while relatively safe in the stream, later when we would be left behind if attacked we could unfeather and use it. Though slower we all agreed it was safer to stay with the stream (it was also the Sgd's policy) than go home alone. In the bombing run, at 17,000 feet we lost the port inner to flak.. Homebound over the Netherlands now on 2 engines, behind and descending, we lost sight of the stream. We still had the two outer engines so both Turrets were operational. Our plan if attacked by fighters was to start no.3, dive into a lower layer of cloud at 5000feet and hope we could evade them. This was not a spur of the moment decision, we had, all previously discussed similar possibilities and settled on that general plan. I briefed the crew on the intercom, I got six i i sir. Shortly thereafter, Claire our rear gunner, reported 4 unidentified fighters astern gaining rapidly, I started No 3. Then followed the longest 2 or 3 minutes of my life, when Claire identified them as Mustangs. You could hear my sigh of relief in Saskatchewan. They bracketed us and stayed to half way across the channel, saluted and left. We landed safely at Tuddenham. Note to the US Army Air Corp. 4 Canadians and 3 British airmen owe you and we have not and will not forget Jack Kaiser DFC CD, Wing Commander: retired. (LCOL to you)

Obituary, William (Clare) Telford. (World War II Veteran) Peacefully at the Peterborough Regional Health Centre on Wednesday, February 6, 2013 at the age of 88. Beloved husband of the late Clara (nee Nisbett). Loving father of Bruce (Katherine) and the late Art Telford. Beloved father-in-law of Valerie Stankiewicz (Rick). Cherished grandfather of Ryan (Raquel), Evan (Kelly), Aaron (Jessica), Nathan and Lela. Great grandfather of 4. Dear brother of Morris (Mae) and the late Hazel Kidd and Elmer Telford. Sadly missed by his nieces and nephews. Clare was a life-long committed farmer in the Norwood community. A Memorial Service will be held at Highland Park Funeral Centre (2510 Bensfort Rd., Peterborough) on Saturday, February 16, 2013 at 2 p.m. with visitation 1 hour prior. Reception to follow. In memory of Clare, donations may be made to the Peterborough Regional Health Centre or the charity of your choice. Book of Condolence may be signed at www.highlandparkfuneralcentre.com.

Obituary, William (Bill ) Arthur Wooldridge. World War 11 Veteran, Peacefully after much suffering at the West Norwich Hospital, Norwich, Norfolk, England, September 29th, 1979 at the age of 65, Beloved husband of the late Alice May 1914-1939. Loving father of Michael (Bridget 1940 - 2000), Cherished grandfather of Alison (Paul). Dr Louise (Joseph) and Great grandfather of Michael, Alex, Laura & Joseph. Bill was a maintenance engineer and an avid gardener specialising in cultivating tomatoes and his beloved chrysanthemums and a passion for photography and a proficient artist. Bill's unmarried sister Adaline (Alice) took over the roll of mother to son Michael aged 1year & 10 months. Bill, together with the rest of his crew survived the war otherwise Michael would never have known either of his parents.

The Distinguished Flying Cross was also awarded to the following officers F/L John William Kaiser DFC & F/O Howard Joseph Christopher Keon April 1945.

At the age of 80 I had the pleasure of a taxi ride in Lancaster Just Jane around the airfield at RAF East Kirkby in Lincolnshire, I had the privilege of sitting for the trip at my fathers seat, the flight the flight engineers position, his grand daughter occupied the mid upper gunners position of Sgt Peter Campbell, I had waited so long for this, I experienced the noise and the smells but not the fear and freezing cold conditions which these lads went through

Never In The Field Of Human Conflict, Was So Much Owed By So Many, To So Few.

Mike Wooldridge



F/Lt. James Edward Braithwaite 622 Squadron

crew of lancaster LL782

James Braithwaite was an American WW2 veteran, and flew in a Lancaster heavy bomber as a pilot for the RAF flying with 622 Squadron. On 24th of September 1941, he took a physical, and interviewed with the Clayton Knight committee in Pasadena, California. He was recommended for pilot training. On 21st of October 1941 he enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force (in Vancouver Canada). On 9th of October 1942, he received his commission as a 2nd Lieutenant, upon graduating from flight school number 4, course 58, in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Canada. Following graduation he went on 20 days leave back to America on 10th of October 1942. He then attended Flight Instructor's School 2, in Vulcan, Alberta Canada and graduated from there 3rd of January 1943.

James stayed on in Canada as a flight instructor, teaching other cadets how to fly. In early November 1943, he shipped out to England

He was discharged from the RAF on 3rd of December 1943, and at the same time received a commission as a 1st Lieutenant in the U.S Army Air Force. On 4th of December 1943, he was transferred (on paper) to the 8th Air Force, and then attached to the Royal Air Force, London.

On 6th of December 1943 he was assigned to the 12th Replacement Depot, Station 591, Tidworth, England, then 15th of February 1944 he started multi engine bomber training in short Stirling bombers at school 1653 HCU (Heavy Conversion Unit) at RAF Burn. 24th of April 1944 he started Lancaster finishing school 3 at RAF Feltwell. After finishing Lancaster training, he was posted to 622 Squadron at RAF Mildenhall, and was assigned to Lancaster LL782 (GI-H) to replace a pilot that was killed in action. He and his crew flew 10 successful missions, participating in the allied transportation plan (the systematic destruction of German and French transportation infrastructure in preparation for the Normandy invasion).

On their 11th mission 1st of May 1944 to Trappes, France, they were shot down by a German night fighter. One of Lancaster's engines was hit, the propeller blown off, plane and engine caught fire, and went into a dive. After regaining control, the 5 surviving crew members bailed out. The two rear gunners were killed in the attack. A third crew member, the flight engineer. fell to his death after bailing out. He lost his parachute, when the plane was hit, and he decided to hang onto the radio man, and they jumped together. When the chute opened, he lost his grip, and fell to his death.

My father, being the last out, was burned on the face, neck, and arms. He was turned over to the German authorities for medical treatment. He spent 22 days in a Paris hospital, and then was sent to Stalag Luft 3. Two of his crew evaded capture until France was liberated, but the radio man was captured, and ended up a POW as well. In February 1945 Stalag Luft 3 was evacuated, and the prisoners were marched to other Stalags. He marched for 12 days, ending up at Stalag 7a, in Bavaria, where he stayed until being liberated on 29th of April 1945 by the U.S. Army.

Then on 7th of May 1945 the war in Europe was officially over.

Dad received a purple heart for his injuries 21st of May 1945 and on the 3rdof June 1945 had a full physical, including a mental exam at the 7th General Hospital in England. (The report stated that he lost 30 lbs while in captivity). He had a second interview 6th of June 1945, and was then transported by troop ship back to the USA. Upon arrival, he was given 75 days leave and told to report to the Army Air Force Base (AAF re-distribution Station 3) in Santa Anna California on 1st of September 1945 for re-assignment. By then, the war in the Pacific was also over. He was put on reserve status, and was assigned to an Air Reserve Unit. He stayed in the Reserves until 1965, when he was discharged with the rank of Major at age 49.

Adrian



Sgt. Basil Simms Turner 75 Squadron

Basil Turner joined the RAF as a trainee pilot in late 1938 or early 1940. He did his Elementary Flight Training at Hatfield then went South Cerney for training on Airspeed Oxfords. From there he went to RAF Pershore OCU for Wellington bomber training. Then was posted to 75 NZ Squadron based at RAF Feltwell. Basil Turner eventually progressed to flying the Lancaster and the finally the Lincoln. Basil completed 58 missions over enemy territory. He died in July 2005

Edward James



F/Lt. Anthony Louis Henry Barber No. 57 Squadron (d.22nd Mar 1941)

Anthony Barber was the son of Group Captain Christopher Percival Barber and Evangeline Josephine Barber, of Boreham Wood, Hertfordshire. He was a Wellington bomber pilot who was killed in action with his entire crew. He is buried at Oostende New Communal Cemetery, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium.

On Friday, 21st of March 1941, Wellington X3162-DX aircraft of No. 57 Squadron (RAF) took off for a mission to Oostende in Belgium from RAF Feltwell, Norfolk. The station records state that Barber and his crew were missing on 21st March 1941, although they appear to be officially recorded as Killed or Missing on 22nd of March 1941.

In addition to Barber, the Wellington's crew, each of whom is commemorated as Missing atthe Runnymede Memorial, included:

  • Maclver, N.C. Pilot Officer
  • McMaster, W.W. Pilot Officer
  • Montague, J.L. Sergeant
  • Stone, W.C. Sergeant
  • Wilkings, S.A. Sergeant

William Evans



F/Lt. George William Curry DFC. 75 (New Zealand) Squadron

George Curry completed a tour of duty with 75 (New Zealand) Squadron at RAF Feltwell, which was part of 3 Group Bomber Command. George was awarded the DFC during one of the Bombing missions in 1941. After operations, he was posted to RAF Pershore to train pilots on the Wellington Bomber as part of 23 OTU.

Neil Finlay







Recomended Reading.

Available at discounted prices.



Espionage in the Ether - the Wartime Story of Electronic Intelligence and Radio Countermeasures Carried Out By 192 Bomber Support Squadron

William J Rees & John E Rees









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