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- RAF Oakington during the Second World War -


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World War 2 Two II WW2 WWII 1939 1945

RAF Oakington



21st Jan 1944 No.7 Squadron Lancaster lost

15th April 1942 

 

8th February 1942 Posting & Exercise

28th February 1940 Cancellations

3rd Aug 1940 New CO

29th October 1940 Move

1st Nov 1940 Modifications

28th Nov 1940 Forced Landing

30th November 1940 Officers

9th December 1940 Command

10th Dec 1940 Issues

12th Dec 1940 Award

20th Dec 1940 Aircraft

22nd Dec 1940 Awards

23rd Dec 1940 Commission

25th Dec 1940 Quiet Day

10th February 1941 Operations

2nd March 1941 Attack

3rd March 1941 Ops

11th March 1941 Appointment

12th March 1941 Ops

17th March 1941 Ops

18th March 1941 Ops

19th March 1941 Ops

21st March 1941 Ops

23rd March 1941 Aircraft Lost

27th March 1941 Ops

3rd April 1941 Operations

4th April 1941 Ops

5th April 1941 Over Crowding

8th April 1942 Gardening & Attack on Hamburg

9th April 1941 Ops

15th April 1941 War Ships Attacked

17th April 1941 Ops

18th April 1941 Ops

20th April 1941 Reorganisation

22nd April 1941 Warships Attacked

23rd April 1941 Ops

28th April 1941 Ops

28th April 1941 Harbour Attacked

29th April 1941 Daylight Raid

1st May 1941 Promotions

2nd May 1941 Operations

3rd May 1941 Operations

4th May 1941 Training

5th May 1941 Attack on Shipping off Dutch Coast

5th May 1941 Attack

6th May 1941 Enemy Targets

7th May 1941 Ops

8th May 1941 Ops

9th May 1941 Aircraft Lost

10th May 1941 Air Raid

10th May 1941 Ops

11th May 1941 Ops

13th May 1941 Ops Cancelled

15th May 1941 Ops

16th May 1941 Attack

20th May 1941 Accident

22nd May 1941 Standing By

23rd May 1941 Ops

24th May 1941 Posting

25th May 1941 Course

26th May 1941 War Weapons Week

27th May 1941 Sweep for Cruisers

28th May 1941 Census

29th May 1941 Problem

30th May 1941 Ops

1st June 1941 Promotions

2nd June 1941 Operations

7th June 1941 Warship Targeted

9th June 1941 Shipping in English Channel

10th June 1941 Enemy Aircraft

11th June 1941 Instruction

12th June 1941 Oil Refinery

16th June 1941 Attack

18th June 1941 Warship Targeted

19th June 1941 Awards

20th June 1941 Orders

21st June 1941 North Sea Sweep

23rd June 1941 Attack

26th June 1941 Operations

28th June 1941 Ops

29th June 1941 Attack Made

1st July 1941 On the move

1st Jul 1941 Daylight Ops

2nd Jul 1941 Ops

4th Jul 1941 Test

5th Jul 1941 Ops

6th Jul 1941 Daylight Raid

7th Jul 1941 Successful Raid

8th Jul 1941 Ops

10th Jul 1941 Ops

11th Jul 1941 Submarine Yards

13th Jul 1941 Ops Cancelled

14th Jul 1941 Aircraft Lost

14th Jul 1941 Poor Conditions

17th Jul 1941 Ops Cancelled

19th Jul 1941 Leave

20th Jul 1941 Operations

22nd Jul 1941 Orders Cancelled

23rd Jul 1941 Air Raid

24th Jul 1941 101 Squadron Wellington lost

24th Jul 1941 Message

25th Jul 1941 Ops

26th Jul 1941 Thunder

27th Jul 1941 Course

28th Jul 1941 Awards

29th Jul 1941 Postings

30th Jul 1941 Operations

31st July 1941 Report

7th Aug 1941 Aircraft Lost

26th Aug 1941 7 Squadron Stirling lost

27th August 1942 Attack on Lille

3rd September 1941 Ops

3rd September 1941 Ops

10th September 1941 Ops

7th September 1941 Attack on Berlin

12th September 1941 Ops

15th September 1941 Ops

18th september 1941 Attack on Le Havre

19th September 1941 Ops

26th September 1941 Ops

29th September 1941 Ops

1st October 1941 Quiet

3rd October 1941 Attack on Brest

3rd Oct 1941 Ops

4th October 1941 Fog

5th October 1941 Move of C Flight

8th October 1941  Visit by USAAF and RCAF Officers

10th October 1941 Ops

11th Oct 1941 101 Squadron Wellington lost

11th October 1941 Bad weather

12th October 1941 Orders

13th October 1941 Visit

13th October 1941 Ops

13th October 1941 Ops

15th October 1941 Attack Made

15th October 1941 Ops

16th October 1941 Gales.

19th October 1941 Orders

20th October 1941 Attack Made

20th October 1941 Ops

20th October 1941 Ops

21st October 1941 Award of Decorations

22nd October 1941 Ops

22nd October 1941 Ops

23rd October 1941 Attack Made

24th October 1941 Station Dance

27th October 1941 Airmen commissioning interview

28th October 1941 Ops

28th October 1941 Ops

29th October 1941  Change in command "C" Flight

30th October 1941 Conference at S.H.Q.

31st Oct 1941 Aircraft Lost

31st October 1941 Ops

31st October 1941 Ops

4th November 1941 Investiture of D.F.M.

5th November 1941 Attack on Enemy Shipping

5th November 1941 Ops

7th November 1941 Investiture of D.F.M.

7th November 1941 Ops

8th November 1941 Attack on Berlin & Ostend

9th November 1941 Attack on Hamburg

9th November 1941 Attack on Hamburg

11th November 1941 Posting of P/O D.K. Deyell

13th November 1941 Posting

15th November 1941 Ops

16th November 1941 Return from sick leave

18th November 1941 Attack

19th Nov 1941 Aircraft Lost

20th November 1941 Sick leave

21st Nov 1941 Aircraft Lost

23rd November 1941 Attack on Brest

24th November 1941 Postings & Attack on Brest

23rd November 1941 Attack on Brest

24th November 1941 Attack on Enemy Shipping

25th November 1941 Sqn dinner for Short Bros

26th November 1941 Attack on Ostend

26th November 1941 Attack on Ostend

28th November 1941 Award of Decorations

30th November 1941 Attack on Emden & Hamburg

30th November 1941 Attacks

1st Dec 1941 Aircraft Lost

1st December 1941 Crashed on landing

2nd December 1941 Weather & Equipment Installation

7th December 1941 Station defence

7th December 1941 Attack

8th December 1941 BBC Recording

9th December 1941 Attack on RHUR

9th December 1941 Daylight Sea Operation

11th December 1941 Attack on Brest and Cologne

11th December 1941 Attack on Brest

11th December 1941 Attack on Cologne

12th December 1941 Attack on Brest

12th December 1941 Attack

15th December 1941 Attack on Ostend and Brest

15th December 1941 Ops

15th December 1941 Attack on Ostend

16th December 1941 Attack on ostend and Brest

16th December 1941 Attack on Ostend

16th December 1941 Attack on Brest

18th December 1941 Attack on Brest

21st December 1941 Death of Sgt Hayward

23rd December 1941 Attack on Brest

23rd December 1941 Attack on Brest

27th December 1941 Attack on Brest

27th December 1941 Attack on Brest

28th December 1941 Award of Decorations

31st December 1941 Awards and Postings

2nd January 1942 Attack on Brest

2nd January 1942 Attack on Brest

3rd January 1942 Visit by VIPs and attack on Brest

3rd January 1942 Attack on Brest

4th January 1942 Bombsight Course

5th January 1942 Installation & Training

6th January 1942 TR1553 training

7th January 1942 Posting of C.O.

8th January 1942 POW info.

10th January 1942 Posting & Awards

12th January 1942 Installation delay

13th January 1942 TR1335 training

14th January 1942 Attack on Hamburg

14th January 1942 Attack on Hamburg

15th January 1942 Weather

17th Jan 1942 Aircraft Lost

17th January 1942 Aerial Collision and raid on enemy airfield

17th January 1942 Attack on Soesterburg Aerodrome

20th Jan 1942 Aircraft Lost

20th January 1942 Bombsight Course

21st January 1942 Court of Inquiry

22nd January 1942 Cremation of S/L Mahler

23rd January 1942 Funerals of aircrew

24th January 1942 Weather

26th January 1942 Snow

27th January 1942 Snow

28th January 1942 Weather

29th January 1942 Weather. Formation of new flight

1st-2nd February 1942 Posting, Runway clearance

3rd February 1942 Cessation of detachment

5th February 1942 Detachment

6th February 1942 Postings

7th February 1942 Exercise

9th February 1942 Commissions

10th February 1942 Degassing aircraft

11th February 1942 Relocated

11th February 1942 C.O.Instructing flying

12th February 1942 Search for German Battleships

12th February 1942 Search for German Battleships

13th February 1942 Postings and exercises

14th February 1942 Decorations

15th February 1942 Conference

16th February 1942 Posting

19th February 1942 Exercise

22nd February 1942 Exercise

23rd February 1942  B.A.T. Course

24th February 1942 Decontamination tests,Conference, Posting

25th February 1942 Change of Command

26th February 1942 Convoy trip cancelled

28th February 1942 Change of command.Cessation of Detachments

1st March 1942 Detachments and stand by

2nd March 1942 Press visit

3rd March 1942 Attack on Billancourt

3rd March 1942 Attack on Renault Works at Billancourt

4th March 1942 Convoy Duty

6th March 1942 Weather

7th March 1942 Court of Inquiry

8th March 1942 Attack on Essen

8th March 1942 Attack on Essen

9th March 1942 InqAttack on Essen

9th March 1942 Attack on Essen

10th March 1942 Inquest

13th March 1942 Attack on Coogne & Dunkirk

13th March 1942 Attack on Cologne

15th March 1942 B.A.T. course. Nickel raid cancelled.

18th March 1942 Visit by Cambridge Air Squadron

20th March 1942 Sqn C.O. on leave

22nd March 1942 Standby

23rd March 1942 Postings & Stan by

24th March 1942 Attack on airfield near Dunkirk

24th March 1942 Attack on Airfield at Dunkirk

24th March 1942 Attack on St Nazaire & Essen

25th March 1942 Visit by VIPs

26th March 1942 Arrack on Essen and Le Havre

26th March 1942 Ops

28th March 1942 Attack on Lubeck

28th March 1942 Attack on Lubeck

31st March 1942 Report

1st April 1942 Conference on ditching of Stirling aircraft

5th April 1942 Ops

6th April 1942 Attack on Essen

6th April 1942 Attack on Essen

7th April 1942 Lunch by Shorts in London

8th April 1942 Gardening and Attack on

10th April 1942 Arrack on Essen & Le Havre

10th April 1942 Attack on Le Havre & Essen

12th April 1942 Attack on Essen & Le Havre

12th April 1942 Attack on Le Havre & Essen

14th April 1942 Attack on Dortmund and Gardening

15th April 1942 Gardening & Attack on Dortmund

15th April 1942 Attack on Dortmund and Gardening

17th April 1942 Attack on Le Havre & Hamburg

17th April 1942 Attack Made

21st April 1942 Visit by Duchess of Gloucester

22nd April 1942 Gardening

22nd April 1942 Gardening

23rd April 1942 Attack on Rostock

23rd April 1942 Ops

25th April 1942 Attack on Rostock & Dunkirk

25th April 1942 Ops

27th April 1941 Garening & Attack on Cologne

27th April 1942 Ops

28th April 1942 Attack on Kiel

28th April 1942 Ops

1st May 1942  Poor Conditions

3rd May 1942 Attack on Hamburg

3rd May 1942 Ops

5th May 1942 Attack on Stuttgart

5th May 1942 Ops

5th May 1942 Attack on Stuttgart

7th May 1942 Mining In Kiel Bay & attack on St Nazaire

7th May 1942 Ops

7th May 1942 Mining

8th May 1942 Ops

8th May 1942 Attack

9th May 1942 Poor Conditions

11th May 1942 Ops 11th may 1944

14th May 1942 No ops due to weather

17th May 1942  Attack on Boulogne

17th May 1942 Attack on Boulogne

17th May 1942 Ops

17th May 1942 Ops

17th May 1942 Attack on Boulogne

18th May 1942 Attack On Essen

19th May 1942  Attack on Mannheim & Mining

21st May 1942 Mining Operation

22nd May 1942 Decoration for W.Cdr.

22nd May 1942 No Ops due to Weather

22nd May 1942 Decoration for C.O.

 No Ops.

30th May 1942 1,000 bomber raid

30th May 1942 !000 Bomber Raid

30th May 1942 1000 Bomber raid on Cologne

1st June 1942 1000 Bomber Raid

2nd June 1942 Ops

5th May 1942 Ops

6th May 1942 Ops

8th June 1942 Ops

19th June 1942 Ops

20th June 1942 Attack on Emden

22nd June 1942 Ops

23rd June 1942 Attack

28th June 1942 Ops

29th June 1942 Ops

2nd July 1942 Ops

2nd July 1942 Ops

7th July 1942 Gardening

7th July 1942 Ops

8th July 1942 Attack

8th July 1942 Ops

9th July 1942 Promotion

12th July 1942 Gardening

12th July 1942 Gardening

13th July 1942 Attack Made

13th July 1942 Ops

14th July 1942 Gardening Terschelling

14th July 1942 Gardening

16th July 1942 Attack on submarine yards at Lubeck

19th July 1942 Attack on Vegesack

19th July 1942 Ops

21st July 1942 Attack on Duisburg

21st July 1942 Operations

23rd July 1942 Attack on Duisburg & Gardening

23rd July 1942 Attack

25th July 1942 Attack on Duisburg

25th July 1942 Attack

26th July 1942  Attack Made

27th July 1942 Attack on Hamburg

28th Jul 1942 Aircraft Lost

28th July 1942 Attack on Hamburg

28th July 1942  Operations

28th July 1942 Operations

29th July 1942  Attack on Saarbrucken

29th July 1942 Attack Made

30th July 1942 Visit by HRH Duke of Kent

30th July 1942 Attack Made

31st July 1942 Attack on Dusseldorf

15th August 1942 Attack on Dusseldorf

6th August 1942 Attack on Duisburg

9th August 1942 Attack on Osnabruck

9th August 1942 Attack

10th June 1942 Mine Laying in various areas

10th August 1942 Mine Laying

11th August 1942 Attack on Mainz

11th August 1942 Attack on Mainz

13th August 1942 Mine Laying in Kiel Bay & Baltic Sound.

13th August 1942 Gardening Kiel Bay & Baltic Sound

15th August 1942 Pathfinder Force formed

15 August 1942 Attack on Dusseldorf & Gardening

15th August 1942 Gardening 'Nectarines' Area

17th August 1942 Attack on Osnabruck

17th August 1942 Attack on Osnarbruck

18th August 1942 Attack on Flensburg

18th August 1942 Attack on Flensburg

24th August 1942 Attack on Frankfurt

24th August 1942 Attack on Frankfurt

27th August 1942 Attack on Kassel

27th August 1942 Attack on Roubaix

27th August 1942 Attack on Roubaix

27th August 1942 Attack on Amiens

28th August 1942.  Attack on Nuremburg

28th August 1942 Attack MAde

2nd November 1941 Detachment of Adjutant

10th Nov 1942 7 Squadron Stirling lost

11th May 1943 

22nd Jun 1943 Aircraft Lost

15th Aug 1943 7 Squadron Lancaster lost

31st August 1943 Lancaster lost

3rd Sep 1943 Aircraft Lost

3rd September 1943 Rear gunner killed

9th Oct 1943 7 Squadron Lancaster lost

18th Oct 1943 7 Squadron Lancaster lost

18th Nov 1943 Lancaster lost

22nd Nov 1943 Lancaster lost

21st Dec 1943 7 Squadron Lancaster lost

2nd Jan 1944 7 Squadron Lancaster lost

6th Jan 1944 7 Squadron Lancaster lost

29th Jan 1944 7 Squadron Lancaster lost

16th Feb 1944 7 Squadron Lancaster lost

16th Mar 1944 7 Squadron Lancaster lost

20th April 1944 Attack on Cologne

22nd April 1944 Attack on Laon Marshalling Yards

24th Apr 1944 7 Squadron Lancaster lost

26th April 1944 Ops

27th April 1944 Attack on Friedrichshafen

1st May 1944 Ops for 1st May 1944

3rd May 1944 Ops 3rd May 1944

5th May 1945 7 Squadron Lancaster lost

6th May 1944 Ops 6th May 1944

10th May 1944 Ops 10th May 1944

11th May 1944 Ops 11th May 1944

17th May 1944 571 Squadron Mosquito lost

19th May 1944 Ops

21st May 1944 Cloud

22nd May 1944 Ops

24th May 1944 Ops

25th May 1944 Ops 25th may 1944

27th May 1944 Ops 27th May 1944

24th Jun 1944 7 Squadron Lancaster lost

13th Sep 1944 7 Squadron Lancaster lost

27th March 1945 Mid-air collision

10th June 1945 Transport Command


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



Those known to have served at

RAF Oakington

during the Second World War 1939-1945.

  • Curtis Colin Hubert. P/O. (d.20th January 1942)
  • Davenport Leslie Ernest James. Sgt.
  • Earngey Edward Joseph. F/Lt.
  • Eaton Albert Edward.
  • Freberg DFC.. Philip Gustave R.. (d.11th April 1943)
  • Gant Maurice George. F/O. (d.27th Mar 1945)
  • Glover Henry Raymond. Flt.Sgt. (d.25th June 1943)
  • Goodman William Edward. Sgt.
  • Green Errol Edward. F/Lt.
  • Hudson AFC.. Gordon David. F/O. (d.27th Mar 1945)
  • Naylor Kenneth. Sgt. (d.30th Nov 1941)
  • Nesbitt Harold Earle. WO (d.11th April 1943)
  • Saltmarsh DFC and bar.. Leonard James. Sqd.Ldr.
  • Turner Archibald Clarke. Flt.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



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Want to know more about RAF Oakington ?


There are:451 items tagged RAF Oakington 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.


Sgt. Leslie Ernest James Davenport nav. 7 Squadron

I have done alot of research on my Grandad, Leslie Ernest James Davenport. He volunteered for the RAF and was posted with 7 Squadron. At the start of the war he was in training and flew with a Wellington Squadron in Lincolnshire but I have been unable to find any information on this.

I am aware he was with 7 squadron at Oakington in Cambridge. I am aware of 13 of his missions, then on the Sept 7th 1941 he was shot down over Recklinghausen Germany, after a bombing raid to Berlin.

His regular crew wee:

  • F/O D.T Witt - passed away in 1963
  • Sgt. L D A Bolton
  • P/O D.K Deyell
  • Sgt. A.E Burrows - KIA
  • P/O J.L.A Mills - KIA
  • Sgt J.T Prentice - Living in NZ

      Other people I am aware he would have known were: A.H Piper (who passed away three years ago),D.H Williams, F.C Williams, K.O Blunden, E.S Baker, R. Blacklaw, Sgt. Hale, K. Huntley, J.T Copley,

      The crew he was shot down with on the 7th September 1941, were all POWs.

      • F/sgt Alick Yardley - Serv.No 748748 - taken to Stalag Luft 6
      • F/O C.M Hall (RAAF) 402002 - still alive
      • Sgt. J.H Boulton 742790
      • Sgt J. Sutton 746720
      • Sgt A. Speakman 551472
      • Sgt D. Owens 528924

      I have been to the records office at Kew and found all about the raids he was on I know he was based at Oakington with 7 Squadron. He saw active service with 13 missions that I am aware off between June 1941 - September 1941. I am aware of the POW camps he was in as well from Hyderkrug, Sagan, Lamsdorf, Thorn, Fallingbostel.

      I am interested whether anyone has photo's of squadron 7 (Aircrew and planes) or knows if any of the above airmen are still alive and how I could trace them or their families if they have passed?

      My grandad was a navigator and mainly a front gunner. He went on raids such as Cologne, Berlin, Dusseldorf, Bethune (France), La Pallice (France), Borkum Seaplane base, Hannover, Keil, Duisburg, Huls to name some.

      I am aware of the many books which some are in my posession but I would love to know whether any of these veterans are still about. Any information will be greatly recieved. I would love to meet or speak with people that may know my grandad or served in the same squadron. My grandad has sadly passed away in 1988. I was unable to speak to him about the war. I do have photos in my family of some of my grandad and colleagues that maybe of interest to others. Look forward to any info that comes up.

Ian Davenport



Flt.Sgt. Henry Raymond Glover 7 Squadron (d.25th June 1943)

My brother, Henry Glover is mentioned in the "Memoirs of Group Captain T.G. Mahaddie: The story of a Pathfinder." The plane he was in was shot down over Holland and he is buried in Castricum Protestant Churchyard Noord, Netherlands. Plot J Coll.grave 6. His squadron flew Stirlings, from Oakington, Cambridgeshire.

Jean Fielding



Sqd.Ldr. Leonard James Saltmarsh DFC and bar. 7 Squadron

Leonard Saltmarsh served before and after the war in the Surrey Constabulary and I am working on the history of that force. In December 1942 he trained in a Tiger Moth and went on to fly Wellingtons and Lancasters with 7 Squadron, Pathfinders. He was awarded the DFC for actions on the 26th of August 1944 in a raid over Kiel. He flew 99 Operational sorties.

D.F.C. London Gazette 3 October 1944. The original recommendation states:

‘Flying Officer L. J. Saltmarsh has so far completed 17 successful sorties as Pilot and Captain of Lancaster aircraft, and has been most conspicuous at all times for his extremely high standard of courage and resoluteness. On two difficult occasions during daylight attacks on Vaires on 12 July 1944 and on Emieville on 18 August 1944, he observed a crippled bomber proceeding at a very reduced speed away from the target. On both occasions he dropped behind the main bomber stream in order to escort the damaged bomber safely back to England. On 15 August, during a daylight attack on the airfield at St. Trond, one of his engines became unserviceable on the way to the target and the propellor had to be feathered. But inspite of the fact that he was getting behind the main stream, owing to his reduced speed, he pressed on and bombed the target, and secured an aiming point photograph. On the way back from the target another engine became unserviceable but did not deter Flying Officer Saltmarsh from proceeding to and bombing an alternative airfield target with a bomb that had failed to be released over the primary target, and once more he secured an aiming point photograph. He eventually arrived safely over base and made a perfect two-engined landing. It was not until after he had landed that he reported the fact that two engines had become unserviceable during the sortie. This very gallant pilot is strongly recommended for the award of the Distinguished Flying Cross.’

Bar to D.F.C. London Gazette 16 November 1945. The original recommendation states:

‘This officer has completed 53 operational sorties, of which 28 have been carried out in the squadron, in the Path Finder Force, 18 of them as Captain of a Marker Crew. Flight Lieutenant Saltmarsh is an efficient and skilful pilot who has always shown a strong devotion to duty and a cheerful confidence which has always inspired a high standard of morale in his crew. He has always displayed exceptional fearlessness in the face of danger, complete disregard for personal safety and has pressed home his attacks against the enemy with the utmost determination.’

Leonard James Saltmarsh commenced pilot training at No. 31 E.F.T.S. at De Winton, Alberta in December 1942, and graduated from No. 34 E.F.S. at Medicine Hat in June 1943. Back in the U.K., he attended No. 11 A.F.U. at Shawbury, prior to joining No. 26 O.T.U. at Little Harwood in early January 1944, where he gained experience on Wellingtons, and then attended a conversion unit for Lancasters at Waterbeach, at which place he joined No. 514 Squadron that June.

Thus ensued his first tour of operations, commencing with a strike against L’Hey on the 23 June and ending with another against Emmerich on 7 October, the intervening period witnessing him attack numerous French targets in support of the Allied invasion, but also a number of heavily defended German targets, including Bremen, Dortmund, Saarbrucken, Stettin and Stuttgart. And as confirmed by the recommendation for his D.F.C. after 17 sorties, several of these trips were not without incident, his flying log book further stating that his Lancaster received flak damage during strikes against enemy panzers and transport at Villiers Bocage on 30 June and against a supply depot at Beauvoir on 2 July. Similarly, too, during a visit to Bremen on the night of 18-19 August.

In October 1944, Saltmarsh attended the Path Finder Force’s training centre at Warboys, as a result of which he was transferred to No. 7 (P.F.F.) Squadron at Oakington in the following month, flying his first such sortie on the night of the 11th-12th, against Dortmund. A daylight strike against enemy communications at Julich, in support of General Patton’s troops, followed on the 14th and a night operation to Sterkrade on the 21st, Saltmarsh’s flying log book again noting flak damage. Then on the 29th he flew as support aircraft to the Master Bomber on a raid to Dortmund, a role that he would fulfil with growing regularity over the coming months. Such heavily defended targets as Duisburg, Essen (twice) and Karlsruhe formed the backbone of his operational agenda in December, while January 1945 saw him attacking, among other locations, Hanover, Magdeburg, Munich and Stuttgart, his flying log book noting an encounter with a Ju. 88 on the Munich run. February witnessed his Lancaster carrying out strikes against Dortmund, Gelsenkirchen, Ludwigshaven and Pforzheim, in addition to participating in the famous “firestorm” raid on Dresden on the 13th, an action that Saltmarsh would robustly defend in years to come.

March saw him completing five more sorties to German targets, three of them in daylight, and April another four, two of these in daylight, including Bremen on the 21st, which latter operation marked the end of his operational tour. He did, however, fly three “Cook’s Tours” to the Rhur in May, and ended his career with an appointment in Transport Command in December 1945. Over and above all of this, however, it would appear that he flew 56 “unspecific” sorties of a secret nature, evidence for which is to be found in the following endorsement from “Bomber” Harris. He also flew: Diversions, experimentation of special equipment, including radar, photographic reconnaissance, these top secret sorties and others. In May 1945 he was selected and volunteered to form a new squadron for the continuation of hostilities against Japan.’

Any information on Mr Saltmarsh DFC and Bar would be appreciated

Robert Bartlett



Sgt. William Edward Goodman 7 Squadron

My dad, William Goodman, known as ‘Bill’ joined up on 8 Aug 1940 at the age of 18. He was eventually sent to join 7 Squadron in Oakington on Short Stirlings. He completed 24 sorties and was shot down on his 25th on 7 June 1942 near Blija, Holland. After being processed at the Dulag Luft he was sent to Stalag Luft III and spent a year there. From here he was moved to Heydekrug and then Thorn and Fallingbostel, after which he did a great deal of walking!

The crew, when he was shot down, were: F/O Tayler (Captain), Sgt. Henigman (2nd Pilot RCAF), P/O Earngey (Navigator RAAF), Sgt. Goodman (Front gunner), Sgt. Arnold (Rear gunner), Sgt. MacNamara (engineer), F/O Spry (mid-upper). The plane (W.7471 ‘J’ ) took off at 23-59 on 6th June from Oakington on a sortie to Emden and the records state: ‘Missing. Nothing heard after take-off’.

Whilst at Stalag Luft III he wasn’t one of the escapers, although he helped with maps as this was something that he was most interested in doing. He looked forward to the end of the war, though, and decided to take exams in Book-keeping with a view to getting a job after the war was over. However, he eventually became a police officer with Manchester City Police and remained so until his retirement. He kept in touch with some of his aircrew and POW pals through organisations such as the ex-POW organisation and RAFA.

He left my sister and me a superb manuscript of his memoirs of his whole life and it is those chapters on his WWII experiences that I have now had made into a book: ‘Of Stirlings and Stalags: an air-gunner’s tale’ by WE ‘Bill’ Goodman. He mentions so many of his fellow airmen and POWs that I’m sure it could prove to be useful for those who are wondering what their forbears lives were like during that period of our collective history.

Gill Chesney-Green



F/Lt. Errol Edward Green 7 Sqd.

My Dad Errol Green was a a cane farmer before the war and but became a Bomber Pilot with 7 Squadron at Oakington. In a group portrait of members of the RAAF at RCAF Station Uplands taken after the men received their wings, identified, seventh from the left is Flight Lieutenant Errol Edward Green RAAF, who was a pilot attached to No. 7 Squadron RAF. His Stirling aircraft N3754 was shot down by a German night fighter whilst on a mission to bomb Bremen on the night of 25/26 June 1942. Four of his crew were killed in the air crash. The other three crew members became prisoners of war of the Germans. He was later captured at Bentheim and sent to Dulag Luft Frankfurt on the 1st of July 1942. and spent nearly three years as a POW, with most time spent in Stalag Luft III. He participated in preparations for escape by dispersing soil taken from the tunnel, but was moved on to another camp by the Germans before the escape took place on the night of 24/25 March 1944. He was in Stalag 3A from 5th of February 1945 to 22nd of April 1945.He was in Stalag 3A from 5th of February 1945 to 22nd of April 1945. Errol was involved in the long, forced march (87km) by foot to Spremberg in at times -25deg during the 8days, then 24 km by cattle truck to Luckenwald where he spent the next 3 months until the Russian forces approached, and the Nazi guards fled camp on 22nd April 1945. Fl Lt Green at that confusing timeframe Errol escaped captivity with some other prisoners into the fleeing refugee masses and was picked up and fed by the American army. Fl Lt Green and his fellow escapees were able to board a plane bound for Britain, arriving a few weeks before VE-Day. In his General Questionnaire on departing the Air Force on 18th of May 1945 he reported that the Germans failed to supply medical treatment, required for the good health of POWs.

I would love to know if anyone remembers my Dad perhaps in the prison camp?

Sister Chrysanthi Green



Flt.Sgt. Archibald Clarke Turner 7 Sqn

My Uncle Archie Turner joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force in 1940 at the age of 19. He was shipped to England and joined 7 Squadron Pathfinders RAF Bomber Command based at Oakington, 4 miles north of Cambridge, England. In 1943 Archie’s plane, an Avro Lancaster (serial No JB 303, nick-name Freddie), was on a bombing raid targeting Berlin, Germany. As a Pathfinder aircraft they guided other bombers to their targets using flares. The seven crew was made up of 6 Englishman & Archie.
  • Pilot: F/O GA Beaumont from London, England (fallen)
  • Navigator:. Sgt WA Meek from Edinburgh, Scotland (fallen)
  • Bombardier: P/O Ansfield Ted, from Lancashire, England (captured)
  • Flight Engineer: Sgt D. Ashworth, from Lancashire,England (fallen)
  • Radio operator: F/S Wilson D from London, England (fallen)
  • Turret gunner: Sgt PJ Palmer of London, England (fallen)
  • Rear Gunner/Nav: F/S AC Turner, New Zealand (captured)

Sitting in the rear gun turret Archie’s job, as a tail-gunner, was to watch for enemy fighter planes and to shoot them down. About 20 miles northwest of Frankfurt, Germany Archie’s plane came under attack. Below is an excerpt from Flying Officer Ted Ansfield who along with Archie was the only survivors from the attack;

“Another echo suddenly appeared on his screen, he could barely utter a warning cry, the pilot reacted instantly and pushed the craft back to port to initiate a "corkscrew-defence manoeuvre” - but it was too late ... Our Lancaster, "Freddie", had received its deathblow. All four engines, the tanks and the fuselage were ablaze. The bomb doors were jammed and the release button for the bombs stopped responding because the power supply had been interrupted. The hydraulic system had also broken down. I quickly fixed our position on my air-to-ground radar and saw that we were about 20 miles northwest of Frankfurt. I wanted to pass this information on to the crew; however I saw that my radio had been shot away. As I straightened up, to reach my instruments, I also noticed that the sleeve of my flying suit was shot through. I leaned forward and shouted the established position to our Navigator - Bill Meek. He pulled the curtain aside in order to pass the message on to our radio operator who was supposed to report this information to our base, but Dave lay dead on his keyboard. I went forward to assist the pilot in manoeuvring the spinning aircraft. It was no use; we were quickly spiralling to the ground. The flight engineer - Dennis Ashworth - had received the order to "bale out" and removed the front hatch. At my request, he jumped. At that moment, I heard screams. It could really only be the pilot or the navigator, so I went back to the cockpit. But it was the turret gunner who was caught in the flames. This is confirmed by the rear gunner - Archie Turner, a New Zealander. After the command to "bale out", he left his turret and came toward the fuselage. There he saw that the turret gunner - P.J. Palmer - was surrounded by flames. After trying in vain to reach him, he strapped on his already singed parachute and left the aircraft. We tried again to stabilise our "Freddie’s" flight, but it was impossible. Beaumont, the pilot pressed my hand one last time and said: "See you in Hell." So I climbed up and out of the bow - at that moment there was a blinding flash, and from then on I knew nothing more... Our rear gunner Archie Turner maintains that while hanging from his parachute he observed a renewed night fighter attack that led to an explosion. This explosion had torn the aircraft apart. Seeing no parachutes, Archie Turner assumed he was the only survivor." After a number of days on the run Archie was captured by the Germans and taken to a Prisoner of War Camp, where he spent the rest of the war.

Wayne Turner



P/O. Colin Hubert Curtis 101 Squadron (d.20th January 1942)

Colin Curtis was my father`s brother. He reported to 101 Squadron at RAF Oakington near Cambridge. On his third mission on the evening of 20th January 1942, the Wellington in which he was the second pilot was shot down. It was lost off the Dutch island of Terschelling. Z1110 and its crew have never been found. Their bomber was one of three Wellingtons claimed that night by Oblt Ludwig Becker, a night fighter ace. Becker suffered the same fate just over a year later. The crew of Z1110 was Sgt Peter Lewis Chapman, Pilot Officer Colin Hubert Curtis, Sgt Alan Herbert Hancox, Sgt Arthur Sidney Spackman, Sgt Francis Ernest Dunn, and Sgt Herbert William Mantle.

Mike Curtis has researched the story of his father`s brother Colin, the family and his fiancee Doris Fines. He has unpicked his life, his time in the RAF and his last few hours alive. The story is told in a book called Deadlines and dedicated to his memory.

Michael Curtis



F/Lt. Edward Joseph Earngey 7 Squadron

Ted Earngey was based at Oakington as a Navigator in a Stirling bomber. His aircraft was shot down by Luftwaffe night fighter on 6th of June 1942 and he spent remainder of war in Stalag Luft III in Sagan, Poland.




Sgt. Kenneth Naylor 101 Squadron (d.30th Nov 1941)

I understand that Ken Naylor, who was 21, was in a flight over the North Sea when there was engine trouble causing the plane to ditch. His mother states two crew members were picked up by fisherman and became German prisoners of war. Ken and at least two others died.

In a documentary shown in England in 2011 an ex Wellington pilot called 'Tiny' Cooling spoke about Ken as a young flyer who everybody liked but nobody took any notice of because he looked like he was 'just out of his pram'. Cooling commented that he once found Ken weeping like a child because his best friend hadn't returned. Three weeks later Cooling was clearing out Ken's room because he hadn't returned.

Rosalie Maher



Albert Edward Eaton 80 Signals Wing

Ted Eaton was involved with electronic counter measures. He was stationed at RAF North Creake and RAF Oakington.

Kathryn Eaton Harnett



WO Harold Earle Nesbitt 7th Squadron (d.11th April 1943)

Warrant Officer Nesbitt is buried in the Luxembourg (Hollerich) Communal Cemetery in Luxenbourg.

S Flynn



Philip Gustave R. Freberg DFC. 7 Squadron (d.11th April 1943)

Flying Officer Philip Freberg was killed in action on 11th of April 1943, he is buried in the Luxembourg (Hollerich) Communal Cemetery in Luxembourg.

S.Flynn



F/O. Maurice George Gant 571 Squadron (d.27th Mar 1945)

Flying Office (Navigator (Bomber))Gant was the Son of Maurice D. and Sophia Gant of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. He was aged 21 when he died and is buried in the Leek (Zevenhuizen) General Cemetery, Groningen, Netherlands.

S Flynn



F/O. Gordon David Hudson AFC. 571 Squadron (d.27th Mar 1945)

Flying Officer (Pilot) George Hudson was the Son of William and Elizabeth Annie Hudson, of New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand. He was aged 26 when he died and is buried in the Leek (Zevenhuizen) General Cemetery, Groningen, Netherlands

S Flynn







Recomended Reading.

Available at discounted prices.



Of Stirlings and Stalags: an air-gunner's tale

W. E. Goodman


When William 'Bill' Goodman died in 2002 little did his daughters know the extent of the memoirs he had been writing in the few years before his death. Bill's life, from joining the Raf in 1941 at the age of 18 to his demob in 1948, was fraught with adventure. He describes his service with 7 Squadron at Oakington; he then highlights the terrifying events of the night their Stirling was shot down over Holland, his subsequent incarceration at Stalag Luft 3, periods in other camps and, finally, the long debilitating march back home. All this with fascinating commentary, vivid description and the intimacy of his experience. The reader will meet his fellow airmen and Pows, the man who shot down their Stirling on that eventful night, the heroes of the Dutch resistance and, surprisingly, a kindly and caring guard in Stalag Luft 3! A fascinating first-hand account of a young man's wartime experience.



Black Night for Bomber Command - The Tragedy of 16 December 1943

Richard Knott


"I am not pressing you to fight the weather as well as the Germans, never forget that." So wrote Winston Churchill to Arthur Harris, the Commander-in-Chief of RAF Bomber Command, after the terrible events of 16 December 1943. In the murky dusk almost five hundred heavy bombers, almost entirely Lancasters, set out for Berlin from their bases in eastern England, from north Yorkshire to southern Cambridgeshire. They lifted off at around 4 pm to bomb the target four hours later and were expected to return at midnight. 328 aircrew lost their lives that night - they were the victims of the weather, not the Germans.This book relates the tragic circumstances of individual crews as they struggled to find their home bases in low cloud and fog. It also includes stories from the local people who remember hearing a low-flying aircraft and all too often the frightful explosion as it struck unexpected high ground or even trees. Some rescue attempts were successful, but for most aircrew it was death i







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