Four episodes

Four episodes

Episode 1: story of bomb aimer with hypoxia on operation to Hamburg on 30 January 1943. Episode 2: account of operations to Friedrichshafen on 20 June 1943 and Spezia on 23 June 1943. On first operation, Pathfinders from 97 Squadron suffered in electrical storm and author was wounded by anti aircraft fire in arm. Three aircraft found damaged on landing. The author fixed his himself as otherwise is would not have been available for the next operation to Spezia. Episode 3: while on 1661 conversion units, relates two episodes of pupil pilot crash landing. Episode 4: account of mid air collision with another aircraft, in subsequent crash two killed. He warned pilot he was too close.

Two page handwritten document

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MTownsleyH994575-180615-01

EPISODE 1
Operations HAMBURG 30-1-43
On reaching the target area we had no response from the bomb aimer. I went down and found him with [underlined] no oxygen [/underlined] mask on. I revived him and he eventually released the bombs.

EPISODE 2
Operations FRIEDRICHSHAVEN 20-6-43
SPEZIA ITALY 23-6-43
The first Shuttle raid of the war planned to take place from Scampton

Four PFF aircraft flown from 97 Sqn to mark the target

On our way there we hit an electric storm for some 15 minutes

The heavily defended target was [underlined] marked [/underlined] from [underlined] 10,000 [/underlined] feet. I received flack in my left arm. We then flew over the Alps and Italy to Maison Blanche, Algeria.

On landing 3 A/C were damaged; two badly damaged and unfit to fly.

I checked the [underlined] magnetoes [/underlined] on the engine and had a dead cut on one which we reported to the Engineering officer. No repair was effected, however the A/C was bombed up for the flight to Spezia

I decided to do the repair myself.

I removed the cowl and mag points and they were welded solid. A little thought and I removed the points from damaged A/C and fitted them.

Without my endeavour [sic] only one A/C would have been left to mark the target.

[page break]

Episode 3
1661 CON UNIT
6/11/43 Circuits and bumps with pupil Sgt Phipps Staff pilot and self on board

Pupil pilot crash landed the A/C How?

13/11/43 Circuits and bumps with pupil Phipps Staff pilot and self on board

A/C lands and staff pilot leaves me in for a further flight & Phipps crash lands again. How?
I should not have been left in that A/C

Ep[missing letters]de 4
97 Squadron Coningsby
8/9/44 PILOT F/LT Baber[?] DFC, ENG W/O Townsley DFM
Collided in mid-air with master A/C ? Impact [indecipherable word]
Port wing and fuselage damaged A/C [indecipherable word] A/C
Master A/C crashed with 2 killed.

I warned Baber he was getting too close.