H W Bratley - observer's and air gunner's flying log book

H W Bratley - observer's and air gunner's flying log book

H W Batley’s Flying Log Book covering the period from 06 August 1940 to 20 February 1945 detailing his flying training and operations flown as Wireless Operator/Air Gunner. The log book includes a long account of how he evaded after being shot down 11 January 1941. He was stationed at RAF Dumfries (10 Bombing and Gunnery School), RAF Cranwell (1 Electrical and Wireless School), RAF Bassingbourn (11 OTU), RAF Honington (9 Squadron), RAF Marham (1483 Target Towing and Gunnery Flight), RAF Waterbeach (1678 HCU), RAF Warboys (Pathfinder Navigation Training Unit), RAF Feltwell (3 Lancaster Finishing School) and RAF Oakington (7 Squadron). Aircraft flown in were Valentia, Wallace, Harrow, Anson, Wellington, Martinet, Tiger Moth, Lancaster and Oxford. He flew on 21 night operations with 9 Squadron (pilots Sergeant Parkes and Sergeant Clayton) and ten day and eighteen night operations with 7 Squadron (pilot Flight Lieutenant Harvey), total 49.

Targets were Boulogne, Düsseldorf, Mannheim, Cologne, Bremen, Gelsenkirchen, Turin (crash landed in France, evaded), Eindhoven, Munster, Hamburg, Hannover, Noyelle-en-Chaussée, Prouville, Normandy battle area, NE of Paris, Troissy, Trossy St. Maximin, Calais, Duisburg, Wilhelmshaven, Stuttgart, Essen, Oberhausen, Karlsruhe, Soest, Ulm, Koblenz, Hanau, Munich, Leuna, Zeitz, Ludwigshaven, Kleve, Politz and Dortmund.

The Turin operation is supplementing by a narrative covering crash landing in France and subsequent escape: "[underlined] TURIN [/underlined]:- Stbd. Eng. seized @ 18.00 over ALPS “S.O.S” & running com.” for 50 minutes until force-landed in field @ Misérieux N. of Lyons. – Contacted Home Stn [underlined]after[/underlined] crash, information “all crew safe” etc. Burned A/craft. Prisoners several hrs. later. Interned @ St. Hippolyte du. Fort (nr. Nimes) [dysentery] Escaped 10 day later. Hid in “M” from 06.30 hrs. (Sunday 26/1/41 until Wed. Feby 19/41. “P” Feb. 20, left Feby 22 – Crossed the Pyranees [Pyrenees] on foot with very little food. Crossed the actual frontier into [underlined] SPAIN [/underlined] @ approx. 10.00 hrs Feby 23/41 (with Guide). Rested in valley until dark (from 16.30 hrs.) Walked a further 26 (approx) kilometres & got train @ “V”. Arrived “B” 09.45 hrs. Wed Feby 25/41. Ill! in Hospital @ B. 3. days with dysentry [dysentery]. Stayed Sat. afternoon & night with V/Consul. Sunday Mch 1/41 on train 08.45 for M. Arrived M 09.30 hrs. Mch 2/41. Stayed 4 weeks. Left Mch 28/41 for Gib. Arrived March 30. Left G. Thurs. May 8/41. Liverpool Thurs. May 15. Set foot on English soil again @ 10.15 hrs. MAY 16/41."

One booklet

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