|
|
|
No. 51 Squadron RAF
|
No. 51 Squadron, RFC, was formed at Thetford, Norfolk, in 1916 as a Home Defence Squadron, also responsible for training pilots in night flying. Disbanded in 1919, No. 51 was re-formed in 1937 as a night-bomber squadron and when war broke out in September 1939, it was flying Whitleys with the Yorkshire-based No. 4 Group.
On the first night of the war - 3rd/4th September 1939 - three of the squadron's Whitleys, operating from Leconfield, were part of the first Nickel or leaflet raid over Germany. This was the first occasion that RAF aircraft penetrated into Germany during the Second World War. In 1940, No. 51 began to drop bombs as well as leaflets on the enemy and during the year shared in several notable Bomber Command "firsts", including the first attack on a land target (the mine-laying seaplane base at Hornum on the island of Sylt, 19/20th March), the first big attack on the German mainland (the exits of Monchengladbach, 11/12th May), the first attack on Italy (primary target Fiat works at Turin, 11/12th June), and the first area bombing attack on a German industrial centre (Mannheim, 16/17th December).
In addition to its bombing offensive, No 51 Squadron participated in Operation Colossus on 10/11th February 1941, when paratroops destroyed an aqueduct in southern Italy and Operation Biting on 27/28th February 1942, when a raiding party captured a complete Wurzburg radar installation at Bruneval, near Le Havre.
From May to October 1942, No. 51 Squadron was attached to Coastal Command and during this period flew anti-submarine patrols from a station in Devon. On returning to Bomber Command and Yorkshire the squadron was re-equipped with Halifaxes and it continued with aircraft of this type for the remainder of the European war before being transferred to Transport Command on 7 May 1945.
Airfields No. 51 Squadron RAF flew from.
- RAF Linton-on-Ouse, Yorkshire. from 3rd September 1939 to 24th Nov 1939
- RAF Kinloss, Morayshire.(Coastal Command) from 24th Nov 1939 to 9th Dec 1939
- RAF Dishforth, Yorkshire. from 9th Dec 1939 to 6th May 1942
- RAF Chivenor, Devon. (Coastal Command) from 6th May 1942 to 27th Oct 1942
- RAF Snaith, Yorkshire. from 27th Oct 1942 to 20th Apr 1945
- RAF Leconfield, Yorkshire. from 20th Apr 1945
|
List of those who served with No. 51 Squadron RAF during The Second World War
|
Harold Arthur Groves 51 Squadron I am trying to trace any information about my father, Harold Arthur Groves, who was based at Snaith with 51 Squadron during the 39-45 conflict. I would be most grateful if anyone could furnish me with information as I seem to be drawing a blank. My father never spoke to me about what he did in the war as most airmen did, so it is very difficult to gain such information. Do any of you have any history or photos of Snaith or any records of raids etc? He once told me he was based in the Faroe islands for a short time with the Short Sunderland flying boats, that is all I know of his exploits. |
Harold Arthur Groves 51 Squadron I am trying to trace any information about my father, Harold Arthur Groves, who was based at Snaith with 51 Squadron during the 39-45 conflict. I would be most grateful if anyone could furnish me with information as I seem to be drawing a blank. My father never spoke to me about what he did in the war as most airmen did, so it is very difficult to gain such information. Do any of you have any history or photos of Snaith or any records of raids etc? He once told me he was based in the Faroe islands for a short time with the Short Sunderland flying boats, that is all I know of his exploits. |
WO II Douglas Wilson Milliken 51 Sqd. (d.4th Dec 1943) I am the nephew of Doug Milliken. If anyone knew of Doug or any of his crew while at Snaith squadron 51 from July to Dec 1943 I would love to hear from you. Prior to squadron 51 he was stationed at 1663 heavy conversion unit in Rufforth and prior to that 10 OTU in Abingdon then St. Eval. While at Snaith their Halifax, HR732, was lost without trace on the Leipzig raid of Dec 4 1943. All are memorialized at Runnymede.
The crew were;
- P/O A.J.Salvage
- Sgt W.W.B.Hamilton
- P/O F.J.Baker
- F/S I.G.Davies
- Sgt M.Hampson
- Sgt R.J.Edwards
- F/S D.W.Milliken RCAF
During the crews brief time together Doug was the best man for the marriages of both Auther Salvage and Maurice Hampson. Doug was engaged at the time of his death and although his fiancée returned the ring to my grandmother we have no idea who she was. |
Flight Sergeant Douglas John Frederick Jefferis 51 Squadron (d.16th June 1941) Douglas John Frederick Jefferis was born on 6th November 1919 in Bristol. He was my mother's elder brother and thus, my uncle.
At the outbreak of War he left his job as a lithographic printer and joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, adding a year to his age in order to gain entry.
By 1941 he was a Flight Sergeant serving as Tail Gunner on Whitley V's with 51 Squadron stationed at Dishforth in North Yorkshire.
At 2243 on 16th June 1941 Whitley Z6479 MH-M took off as part of a 105 strong bombing raid on the railway yards of Cologne. The crew were:
- 902482 F/Sgt. Douglas John Frederick JEFFERIS (Tail Gunner)
- - Sgt. Thomas James BASTON (Pilot)
-
- P/O. Cecil Ernest CRICHTON
-
- Sgt. James Leonard EVANS
-
- P/O. Kenneth N. HOLLAND (Navigator)
Having dropped their bombs,they were intercepted on the return journey by two German night-fighters. Apparently F/Sgt. Jefferis shot one of them down but was heard to say over the intercom, "Damn the searchlights - they're blinding me!". Shortly afterwards they were hit. Jefferis said, "I've had it!", and then seconds later, "That's it!". No further contact was made with him and he was assumed dead.
Sgt. Baston managed to crash land the Whitley on the Tenhaagdoorn heathland near Houthalen, Limburg, Belgium at 0226 on 17th June 1941.
Sergeants Jefferis, Baston and Evans were found dead. Their bodies were washed and prepared for burial by local people, who then tended the graves in defiance of the Germans. My family is still in contact with one of these courageous young women. Originally buried in the town cemetery in Houthalen, the airmen were exhumed on 6th April 1961 due to subsidence caused by mine workings. They were subsequently re-interred at the Canadian War Cemetery in Adegem, Belgium. Their graves can be found at the following locations:
- Sgt. Jefferis: Plot 1, Row AA, Grave No. 10
- - Sgt. Evans: Plot 1, Row AA, Grave No. 9
-
- Sgt. Baston: Plot 1, Row AA, Grave No. 8.
Also commemorated on the Warkworth War Memorial in Northumberland.
Pilot Officer Holland survived the crash and was on the run with a bad head wound for several days before stumbling into a German sentry. He spent the rest of the war as a POW, but returned to duty on being repatriated in 1945. He visited my grandparents, Sgt. Jefferis's parents, and it was he who related the details of my uncle's and the Whitley's demise. After a period as an interpreter in Japan, Ken Holland was stationed in Surrey. He died as a passenger in a car crash, travelling with several other officers to the Officers' Mess one morning.
Eyewitnesses reported than the Germans escorted another man from the crash site. This must have been P/O Crichton. Nothing has been heard of him since that day. There appears to be no record of him as a POW, nor is there a record of his burial. He is commemorated on Panel 32 of the Runnymede Memorial in Surrey.
Later research revealed that Whitley Z6479 MH-M was brought down by Oberfeldwebel Reinhard Kollak, 1./NJG1. Kollak and his Radio Operator, Hans Hermann, had taken off from Venlo in the Netherlands. It is believed this was amongst the first of Kollak's 49 kills in WWII, all of them at night. He went on to become one of the Luftwaffe's top aces and was decorated with the Knight's Cross.
In 2006 the crews of four British bombers, Z6479 amongst them, were honoured on a monument entitled "Fallen Wings" erected in the cemetery in Houthalen. |
Flt Sgt. Eric Cope 51 Sqd My neighbour, Eric Cope, flew from Snaith from 1943 onwards till demob. He flew in Halifax MK2, M-HC Champagne Charlie on numerous missions he was the wireless operator.
|
Sqd.Ldr. Percy William S "Paul" Pope DFC. Air Gunner 13.28.51.78.234.578.Squs Paul Pope enlisted in 1931 to be an engineer but became air gunner in India Wariston Campaign. He joined 51Sq in 1937. on 23rd Jan 1940 he transferred to 234Sq as an air gunner and flew during the Battle of Britain including 35 hours of fighter sorties over Dunkirk in 3 days. By April 41 he had completed 81 sorties and moved to 39MU Nightfighter Development unit at Colerne. He was involved in an interesting event publicised during Bath bombing when he took off in spare Defiant to defend city.
In June 1942 he joined 78Sq and November 1943 he returned to 51Sq. Completing 507 hours of combat flying. On the 14th of January 1944 he transferred to 578Sq.
After the war in October 1946 he joined the Diplomatic Corp in Denmark and became King Gustarv's buddy having to stay with him all times. Particularly during the King's pub crawling on his bicycle. They had a drinking bet and Paul won himself the Order of the White Elephant. He was Adjutant of 84Group HQ during the Berlin Airlift and was involved with rebuilding airfields. He retired 15.3.1954 and became a significant member of the Airgunners Association London Branch. He died in September 1981. |
Sqn Ldr. Geoffrey Frank "Chuffo" Keen CGM, DFM. 51 Sqn. Geoffrey Frank Keen was born in Chesham, Buckinghamshire, on 26th March 1916, the youngest of five children, with a brother Jack and three sisters Doris, Gwen and Mary, born to Minnie and Percy Keen. He was never to meet his father, he was killed in action near Messines Ridge in Flanders on 4th June 1917.
At Dr. Challoners Grammar School, Amersham, he was an enthusiastic sportsman and represented the school at both cricket and football. On leaving school he served an apprenticeship in printing, working for the company which produced the local newspaper.
His enthusiasm for sport continued after he left school and became an important part of his life. He and his brother Jack both played for the Town Club, Chesham United, and Geoffrey had trials for both Stoke City and Queens Park Rangers.
On the outbreak of war the two brothers decided to join the RAF and in October 1940 Geoffrey was posted to Yatesbury for basic training then on to Penrhos for Bombing and Gunnery School and finally to Abingdon OTU for wireless training before the finished article was posted to his first operational base as wireless operator/air gunner Sergeant Keen at Dishforth and 51 Squadron, equipped with Whitleys. His log book entries include:
1941, Kiel-could not reach target,- bombed Boulogne Docks instead, Bremen, Mannheim, Hanover, Kiel-'pranged' on drome, Cologne, Dortmund, Duisburg. Wihelmshaven, Brest, Dunkirk, Emden, Frankfurt-baled out East Dereham, Berlin, Stuttgart, Nuremberg, 1942, Cologne(1000 bombers), Essen(1000 bombers), Dusseldorf.
He completed his first tour (30 ops) in November 1941 and was posted to Abingdon No.10 OTU in December. In January 1942 he was cited in the London Gazette as follows:
Distinguished Flying Medal (D.F.M.) London Gazette 30.1.42. Sergeant, No. 51 Squadron, the recommendation states:
'During the many sorties in which this wireless operator has participated, some of which have been at extreme range, he has displayed high qualities of courage and determination. His technical skill is of a high order and on one occasion, after a raid on Stuttgart, his steadiness in obtaining wireless aid was solely responsible for the return of his aircraft after bearings had been completely lost.'
Flight Sergeant Geoffrey Keen became a founder member of 427 Squadron as the wireless operator to Wing Commander Dudley Burnside when he became the squadrons C/O and it was on only their seventh operation together that the crews abilities were tested to the limit and for which four of them were decorated, including Geoffrey as cited below:
Conspicuous Gallantry Medal (C.G.M.) London Gazette 23. 4. 43 Flight Sergeant D.F.M., No.427 (Lion) Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force.
On the night of 12th March 1943, this airman was the wireless operator of an aircraft detailed to attack Essen. Whilst over the target area the aircraft was hit by heavy anti-aircraft fire. The navigator was killed instantaneously. Flight Sergeant Keen, who was in the astro-dome, had his right foot blown off and received cuts to both legs. Disregarding his wounds, Flight Sergeant Keen regained his seat in the wireless cabin. For over two hours he laboured to repair the damaged apparatus. He could not speak to other members of the crew owing to damage to the inter-communication apparatus. Another airman spoke to him, however, on at least a dozen occasions and found him still conscious and working at his self-imposed task of directing the manipulation of various installations. He also offered assistance in navigating the aircraft and actually managed to drag himself on two occasions to the navigator's compartment to obtain essential information necessary for the aircraft's safe return. His courage and fortitude in such circumstances were of the highest order
The recommendation states: 'I consider this N.C.O.'s superb display of courage and devotion to duty whilst seriously wounded fully merits the award of the Victoria Cross' (Wing Commander D. H. Burnside, Commanding Officer, RCAF Station, Middleton St. George).
'This case is considered to be an outstanding example of coolness and tenacity of purpose on the part of this N.C.O. when seriously wounded, and demanding courage of the highest order-an award of the Victoria Cross is recommended (Air Officer Commanding 6 Group, Air Vice Marshall G.E. Brookes CB OBE )
`As was only fitting, the very fine display of courage and determination shown by all members of the crew was subsequently recognised by awards. Burnside received a Bar to his DFC, Hayhurst and Ross the DFC, and Keen, who already had the DFM, the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal.' (RCAF Overseas 1944)
As a result of his wounds part of his right foot was amputated but after a period of three months convalescence he returned to the squadron where he remained for the duration of the war, finishing as Squadron Leader responsible for training of Group 6 wireless operators.
Upon returning to civilian life he trained as a teacher before marrying Jose Barnes, the girl he met after a visit to the cinema in Oxford while training at Abingdon. In 1948 they moved to his home town Chesham, where he was to become Assistant Head and eventually Headmaster of the local village school of St Leonards in Buckinghamshire.
Always a keen sportsman and in spite of the lack of half a foot he continued to play football and cricket not only at club level for Chesham United FC and Chesham CC but also at county level winning several winners medals in the process. When his playing days were over he took up umpiring, golf and bowls. Heaven knows how he found the time to look after the garden. |
Sgt Donald Thomsett RAF Snaith 51 Sqn Donald Thomsett was my Grandad.
He flew as an RAF gunner during the whole of the war, moving from varying heavy bombers including the Wellington but settled for the majority of the war as a rear gunner in Halifax bombers based at RAF Snaith with 51 Sqn.
My Grandad lasted until January of 1945 before being shot down during a night raid on Hannover. His story was one he hardly ever spoke of and he never really got over his experiences til the day he died. Towards the end of his life he began to talk more and more about the war, eventually dying of cancer in 2000.
Donald was on a night bombing mission over Hannover which took place on the night of the 5th of January 1945. He remembered sitting in the rear turret as usual when out of the darkness, and in heavy flak, he saw a German fighter plane approach from the rear and slightly above his plane. He managed to fire on it and thought he had shot it down as it turned away very quickly and looked to be out of control. Next, another fighter appeared to the rear and slightly below the plane. Don moved the guns downwards and saw the pilots face illuminated by the lights on his German instrument panel. The guns wouldn't reach to a position to fire on the fighter plane. As the Halifax was being engaged, the pilot had gone into a wide sweeping manouvre to make attack from the fighter more difficult - a sort of large u shape, rolling the controls right, then left. Don watched as the German fighter continued to match the Halifax and flew underneath it. He heard a loud explosion and felt the plane shudder, then it changed direction steeply heading towards the ground.
My Grandad said he was supposed to keep his parachute in the turret with him but always slung it just into the bulk inside the fusilage. The angle of the plane meant he thought it would have slid down the length of the plane out of his reach, but it had snagged on something and he put his hand straight on it. Realising that the plane was going to crash he pressed for the turret to turn to bail out but found the hydraulics had failed (probably something to do with the explosion he thought?) so had to turn it by hand until he could get out.
He landed on the roof of a house and fell into the garden, badly spraining his ankle. There was snow everywhere and it was freezing. Local residents came out and, possibly scared, started to beat him with whatever they could get their hands on - brooms, sticks, feet - until some soldiers arrived and took him to a local police station, then marched him to Dulag. They had removed his flying boots and made him limp in the snow with his damaged ankle. My Grandad said he remembered this taking a couple of days, but thinks there was some transport at some point too. Along the route to Dulag he said he saw the blodies of allied airmen hung on lamposts, killed by the local populace, or German soldiers.
At Dulag interrogation centre he was hung up by his hands and all his possessions taken from him. He was tortured with a knife being run up and down his back - he had scars on his back that I remember seeing, long lines. - and was kept in solitary for a couple of weeks. By that time he had frostbite on his feet and the Germans repeatedly made the room very hot, then cold in an attempt to extract information from him. He was also put into a room with another British airman to live for a couple of days. This airman then told the Germans all the things that my Grandad hadn't - like where he lived, the name of my grandmother, etc. He must have been some sort of double agent my Grandad thought.
He was taken to a train station and loaded into large cattle trucks with lots of other POWs. There they spent a couple of days including one frightening night in Berlin station, locked in their trucks as the allies bombed Berlin.
He intially was taken to Sagan camp, but was soon transferred out to what he called Stalag luft 3b.
He spent from February until May 1945 there and witnessed some horrific things, including the shooting of an attempted escapee. He also mentioned that the Russian POWs, who were kept next door, were treated "like dogs".
In May, and with the camp on the verge of being over-run by Soviet troops, my Grandad, an American airman and a Canadian airman, escaped by going over the wire and running into the countryside.
They happened on a car that had been disabled on purpose and got it going, driving across Germany. They had no food. He told me they managed to meet a German family in a small village who offered them food and somewhere to stay. It was while staying there that the Soviet troops came into the area. My Grandad and his two friends hid in the cellar of the German family's house as they were unsure of what the intention of the soldiers was and I remember him telling me that he witnessed "chinese looking men coming into the cellar and eating raw sugar out of sacks with their bare hands like they hadn't been fed for weeks."
When the Soviet troops left, they made their way towards the west and eventually were picked up by some American troops in the area surrounding Berlin in early June (or late May).
Returning to England, my Grandad was silent. He learned that he was the only survivor from his plane that night and blamed himself for the deaths of his friends because he failed to shoot down the second fighter that night. pHe walked with a slight limp for the rest of his life, received no counselling, compensation, or anything to help him get over what he had seen. But the story does have a ending of sorts. In his seventies, a historian got in touch with my Grandad and via some research found the name of the German pilot who had claimed the "kill" of my Grandad's plane; one Hermann Greiner. Herr Greiner was still alive. He was contacted by the historian and eventually, after some soul searching and correspondence, my Grandad went over to Germany to meet him. Hermann remembered that night, and told my Grandad that an experimental type of gun was on his night fighter (It pointed upwards from behind the cockpit) meaning that there was nothing my Grandad could have done to save his friends. He flew under the Halifax and merely shot up into the fuel tanks as it lumbered about its defensive manouvres. My Grandad was able to meet the face he had seen 50 years previously on that fateful night when his life changed forever. He bore no grudge and Herr Greiner gave him his Iron Cross, with Oak Leaf, medal as a token of their friendship and in reconcilliation. Hermann Greiner had around 50 "kills" as a night fighter ace and was one of the luftwaffes "stars".
My Grandad died in 2000 and his ashes were scattered at the memorial site of his old, now long forgotten, RAF base at Pollington, Yorkshire. The war had affected the rest of his life and if it hadn't been for his courage and bravery I wouldn't even be writing this, as his young wife (My Grandmother) gave birth to my father a year after he got home. |
Can you help us to add to our records?
The names and stories on this website have been submitted by their relatives and friends. If your relations are not listed please add their names so that others can read about them
Did you or your relatives live through the Second World War? Do you have any photos, newspaper clippings, postcards or letters from that period? Have you researched the names on your local or war memorial?
Were you or your relative evacuated? Did an air raid affect your area?
If so please let us know.
Help us to build a database of information on those who served both at home and abroad so that future generations may learn of their sacrifice.
Celebrate your own Family History
Celebrate by honouring members of your family who served in the Secomd World War both in the forces and at home. We love to hear about the soldiers, but also remember the many who served in support roles, nurses, doctors, land army, muntions workers etc.
Please use our Family History resources to find out more about your relatives. Then please send in a short article, with a photo if possible, so that they can be remembered on these pages.
|
|
