1
25
9
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/747/40648/BBarffAColingEFv1.1.pdf
ca6ec78a0413aa7061aef552e3fc1f62
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Coling, Eric
E Coling
Description
An account of the resource
10 items. The collection concerns Eric Frederick Coling (1921 - 2018 1481171 Royal Air Force) and contains his memoir, photographs, log book, service documents, letters and an oral history interview. Eric flew operations as a bomb aimer with 50 Squadron before ditching, drifting for several days and time and becoming a prisoner of war.
The collection was catalogued by Lynn Corrigan.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2018-01-10
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Coling, E
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Eric Coling memoir
"Just a lad with a hole in his jersey"
Description
An account of the resource
Time in the RAF including selection as an observer, enrolment at Lord's Cricket Ground, navigational dead reckoning and meteorology training in Eastbourne and Paignton. Time spent on navigational sorties in Grahamstown, South Africa in Ansons and bombing training in Oxfords. Meeting Winifred Scott after she had been dancing at the MECCA ballroom whilst he was at an Operational Training Unit at RAF Upper Heyford. Training as a bomb aimer, crewing up with navigator Bunny Ridsdale, wireless operator Alex Noble, Canadian pilot Ron Code and rear gunner Ray Moad, flying Vickers Wellingtons, including a leaflet drop over Nantes. Move to 1660 Conversion Unit at RAF Swinderby and joining mid-upper gunner Johnny Boyton and flight engineer Spike Langford and flying Manchesters followed by the four-engined Avro Lancaster. Move to No.5 Group, 50 Squadron at RAF Skellingthorpe, serving under Wing Commander Robert McFarlane. Operations to Hamburg, where window was used for the first time, Mannheim, Nuremberg, Milan, operation Hydra at Peenemünde and the ‘Battle of Berlin’. Best man at sister, Muriel's wedding, who worked for the Ministry of Information at the Government Code and Cypher school at Bletchley Park. Further training in formation and low-level flying. Aircraft 'L-Love' hit by flak and landing at RAF Kirmington. Mine laying outside Gdynia harbour, Poland. Attack by JU88's and ditching in the sea. loss of Bunny Ridsdale, rescue by Danish fishermen, detention by German naval officer and transfer to Dulag Luft, the Luftwaffe Interrogation Centre, and transfer to Stalag 4b, as prisoner of war. Meeting American forces, transfer to Brussels in a DC-3 and repatriation to Great Britain in a sterling. Marriage to Winifred Scott, in St. Peter's Church, Harrogate, with Johnny Boyton as best man. Work with London, Midlands & Scottish railway and later move to Tanzania to work for East African Railways.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Andy Barff
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2014-10
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1941
1942
1943
1944
1945
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
South Africa
Great Britain
England
England--Lincolnshire
France
France--Nantes
Germany
Germany--Peenemünde
Germany--Mannheim
Germany--Nuremberg
Italy
Italy--Milan
Poland
Poland--Gdynia
Tanzania
South Africa--Makhanda
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
Royal Canadian Air Force
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Personal research
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Fourteen page printed document with photographs
Conforms To
An established standard to which the described resource conforms.
Pending text-based transcription
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
BBarffAColingEFv1
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
16 OTU
1660 HCU
50 Squadron
aircrew
Anson
bomb aimer
bombing
bombing of Hamburg (24-31 July 1943)
Bombing of Peenemünde (17/18 August 1943)
crewing up
ditching
Dulag Luft
Gee
H2S
Heavy Conversion Unit
Ju 88
Lancaster
love and romance
Manchester
Master Bomber
mine laying
observer
Operational Training Unit
Oxford
Pathfinders
prisoner of war
RAF Kirmington
RAF Padgate
RAF Skellingthorpe
RAF Swinderby
RAF Upper Heyford
recruitment
training
V-2
V-weapon
Wellington
Window
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/636/40437/MRoyallGL1801494-220420-17.2.jpg
078174283482566665fda6283263bf3b
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Royall, George
G Royall
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Royall, G
Description
An account of the resource
46 items. An oral history interview with Warrant Officer George Royall (1801494 Royal Air Force) his flying log book, photographs, correspondence, course notes, examinations, newspapers and parts of magazines. He served as a bomb aimer on 166 Squadron.
The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by George Royall and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2015-07-20
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
List of operations
Description
An account of the resource
Hand written details of nine operations to Germany, titled 'Re:- Campaign Medals'. Notes on some other operations are also given. There is a file reference in the upper left corner and a private address in the upper right.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1948-09-27
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1945-03
1945-04
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Germany
Germany--Hamburg
Germany--Hanau
Germany--Hannover
Germany--Kiel
Germany--Nordhausen (Thuringia)
Germany--Nuremberg
Germany--Paderborn
Great Britain
England--London
England--Lincolnshire
Netherlands
Germany--Giessen (Hesse)
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Personal research
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
One-page handwritten document
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
MRoyallGL1801494-220420-17
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Publisher
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IBCC Digital Archive
Conforms To
An established standard to which the described resource conforms.
Pending text-based transcription
166 Squadron
bombing
Operation Manna (29 Apr – 8 May 1945)
RAF Kirmington
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/636/40415/SRoyallGL1801494v10039-51.2.pdf
6f430a2711cd739e7bd8e60657eec07b
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Royall, George
G Royall
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Royall, G
Description
An account of the resource
46 items. An oral history interview with Warrant Officer George Royall (1801494 Royal Air Force) his flying log book, photographs, correspondence, course notes, examinations, newspapers and parts of magazines. He served as a bomb aimer on 166 Squadron.
The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by George Royall and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2015-07-20
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Lancasters issued to No. 166 squadron between September 1943 and April 1945
Description
An account of the resource
12 pages listing 204 aircraft that were flown by No. 166 Squadron. Six columns record each aircraft's registration number, the date received, where it came from, the code letters and details of it's loss or disposal. For some aircraft the number of hours flown is also recorded. The list is ordered by registration number. There are eight addenda, each giving further details about an individual aircraft and it's crew. The cover page has an image of a Lancaster carrying the code letters of No. 166 Squadron.
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Twenty-one pages printed document
Is Part Of
A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included.
Royall, George. No 166 Squadron
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
SRoyallGL1801494v10039-51
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1943-09
1943-10
1943-11
1943-12
1944-01
1944-02
1944-03
1944-04
1944-05
1944-06
1944-07
1944-08
1944-09
1944-10
1944-11
1944-12
1945-01
1944-02
1944-03
1944-04
1944-05
1944-07
1944-12
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Atlantic Ocean--Baltic Sea
France
France--Abbeville
France--Aube
France--Aubigny-sur-Nère
France--Calais
France--Dieppe
France--Poitiers
France--Saint-Cyr-l'École
France--Saint-Dizier (Haute-Marne)
France--Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines
France--Thoiry (Yvelines)
Great Britain
England--Essex
England--Maldon
England--Lincolnshire
England--Barnetby le Wold
England--Barton-upon-Humber
England--Brigg
England--Caistor (Rural District)
England--Lincoln
England--Market Rasen
England--Nottinghamshire
Germany
Germany--Ruhr (Region)
Germany--Cologne
Germany--Diepholz
Germany--Dortmund
Germany--Duisburg
Germany--Düsseldorf
Germany--Freiburg im Breisgau
Germany--Geilenkirchen
Germany--Gerolstein
Germany--Hannover
Germany--Hennef-Sieg
Germany--Lehnin (Kloster Lehnin)
Germany--Mönchengladbach
Germany--Nordstemmen
Germany--Nuremberg
Germany--Steinheim (North Rhine-Westphalia)
Germany--Treuenbrietzen
Germany--Welver
Germany--Westerburg
Netherlands
Netherlands--Apeldoorn
Netherlands--Nijmegen
Netherlands--Oisterwijk
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Personal research
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Conforms To
An established standard to which the described resource conforms.
Pending text-based transcription
Pending review
100 Squadron
101 Squadron
103 Squadron
12 Squadron
153 Squadron
1656 HCU
166 Squadron
1660 HCU
1667 HCU
300 Squadron
460 Squadron
49 Squadron
550 Squadron
57 Squadron
576 Squadron
97 Squadron
air gunner
aircrew
anti-aircraft fire
bale out
bomb aimer
bomb struck
Bombing of Mailly-le-Camp (3/4 May 1944)
bombing of Nuremberg (30 / 31 March 1944)
Conspicuous Gallantry Medal
crash
final resting place
flight engineer
forced landing
Fw 190
Heavy Conversion Unit
Hurricane
Ju 88
killed in action
Lancaster
Lancaster Finishing School
Me 109
Me 110
mid-air collision
mine laying
navigator
Normandy campaign (6 June – 21 August 1944)
Operation Dodge (1945)
pilot
prisoner of war
RAF Bradwell Bay
RAF Coningsby
RAF Hemswell
RAF Kirmington
RAF Leeming
RAF Lindholme
RAF Manston
RAF Syerston
RAF Woodbridge
shot down
tactical support for Normandy troops
take-off crash
training
V-1
V-weapon
wireless operator
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/636/40412/SRoyallGL1801494v10003.1.jpg
b3f0a7b90ba6c20cf497ba406cdcba4f
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/636/40412/SRoyallGL1801494v10004.1.jpg
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https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/636/40412/SRoyallGL1801494v10005.1.jpg
3034e0690253edfbce602ffd42043ddc
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Royall, George
G Royall
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Royall, G
Description
An account of the resource
46 items. An oral history interview with Warrant Officer George Royall (1801494 Royal Air Force) his flying log book, photographs, correspondence, course notes, examinations, newspapers and parts of magazines. He served as a bomb aimer on 166 Squadron.
The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by George Royall and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2015-07-20
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
No 166 Squadron history
Description
An account of the resource
A three-page potted account of the squadron's history.
Page one begins with the reformation of the squadron in 1936 and gives details of the aircraft operated, the stations flown from and the roles the squadron played in training and operations.
Page two describes three miscellaneous incidents that occurred on the squadron, including one where the mid-upper gunner accidentally shot and killed the rear gunner.
Page three contains details about three notable Lancasters.
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1936-11
1938-06
1939-05
1940-04
1943-01-27
1943-01-28
1943-01-29
1943-01-30
1943-05
1943-09-20
1943-10-18
1943-11-22
1944-04-10
1944-06-26
1944-06-27
1944-10-07
1944-11-10
1945-04-24
1945-05-07
1945-08-20
1945-09-28
1945-02-20
1947-01-08
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
France
France--Lorient
Great Britain
England--Lincolnshire
England--Oxfordshire
Germany
Germany--Dortmund
Germany--Hannover
Germany--Kassel
Netherlands
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Personal research
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Three-page printed document
Is Part Of
A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included.
Royall, George. No 166 Squadron
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
SRoyallGL1801494v10003, SRoyallGL1801494v10004, SRoyallGL1801494v10005
Conforms To
An established standard to which the described resource conforms.
Pending text-based transcription
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
10 OTU
103 Squadron
142 Squadron
150 Squadron
153 Squadron
1656 HCU
166 Squadron
550 Squadron
576 Squadron
97 Squadron
air gunner
aircrew
anti-aircraft fire
bombing
crash
Heavy Conversion Unit
killed in action
Lancaster
mine laying
Operation Manna (29 Apr – 8 May 1945)
Operational Training Unit
RAF Abingdon
RAF Kirmington
RAF North Killingholme
RAF Scampton
take-off crash
training
Wellington
Whitley
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1876/34462/MTerryD938465-170619-03.1.pdf
6fc063765ca365689bedadd97b82374d
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1876/34462/MTerryD938465-170619-07.2.pdf
e16601d221d72c7664a35efdbcfcb3ef
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Terry, Dennis
D Terry
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-06-19
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Terry, D
Description
An account of the resource
17 items. The collection concerns Corporal Dennis Terry (938465 Royal Air Force) and contains documents and photographs. He served as a fitter with 166 Squadron and worked on Lancaster ME746 AS-R2 (Roger Squared).
The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by Rob Terry and catalogued by Barry Hunter.
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
GOOD SHOW ROGER SQUARED
[photograph]
By John Karl Forrest and John Wayne Musselman
[page break]
[underlined] Dedication [/underlined]
This story is dedicated to the memory and legacy of the crew, led by Flying Officer H.J. Musselman RCAF, DFC, that flew 30 missions in Lancaster Bomber ME-746 AS-R2 (aka Roger Squared).
[photograph]
Roger Squared crew all smiles after another op done and back on terra firma.
Front Row: P/O J.M. Donnelly RCAF (MUG), W/O H.H. Park RCAF (NAV), SGT G. Reid RAF (BA) Back Row: F/S R. Williamson RAF (W/Op), F/O H.J. Musselman RCAF, DFC (PLT), F/S K. Forrest RCAF (RG), SGT J.R. Cogbill RAF, DFM (FE)
[page break]
[underlined] Good Show Roger Squared [/underlined]
Air Chief Marshal A.T. “Butch” Harris sat hunched at his desk studying the latest reports. Aircraft availability and in particular the crews to man them, was at a critical point. Now, early in the new year of 1945 the focus of the air war had changed. The Allies were on full offensive. Missions to attack and bomb the industrialized cities, oil refineries and transportation hubs in the Nazi homeland had tripled in the last year. They were hitting the enemy hard, but the toll being taken by the appalling winter weather conditions, daylight raids, flak and fighters had been terrible. The casualty rate often rose above sixty percent and finding men and machines to replace those lost was a challenge. The grandfather clock in the corner struck the half hour; 11:30 p.m. At this moment at least 300 of his bombers were over enemy territory carrying out their missions. There was a knock at his door.
“Enter.”
A uniformed clerk stepped into the room and approached.
“Yes Cpl. Baker, what is it?”
Baker extended a manila folder. “Recommendations for Honours and Awards Sir. I know you like to read them before turning in for the night.” He glanced toward the clock.
“Soon I hope sir.”
Harris smiled, “Yes, yes Baker.”
“I know sir but . . . .”
“Dismissed!” growled Harris.
“Sir!” Baker exited.
Harris returned to reading the report, then hesitated, made a notation, closed the folder and set it aside.
Baker was correct. Grounded by his rank and position, his most tangible contact with the missions he ordered and the men and machines he commanded was found in the reports recommending them for medals.
[page break]
The accounts of their accomplishments, their resourcefulness and courage were reported tersely on official forms prepared by proud commanding officers.
He knew that hidden in the names and numbers in those reports there were personal tales of remarkable bravery, incredible skill and split second decision making by young men in the heat of battle. He opened the folder Baker had delivered and, as was his routine, scanned the initial information.
The recommendation was from Wing Commander Vivian, 166 Squadron and supported by Group Captain Mackay, RAF Kirmington, Air Commodore Swain, No. 13 Base Commander and Air Vice Marshal E.A.B. Rice, No. 1 Group Commander.
That Squadron had an excellent reputation. They had a skilled and dedicated Ground Crew and a good mix of new and experienced Air Crew. The 166th prided itself on putting up the required number for every flight and completing its missions. It lived up to the “Bulldog” displayed on its crest and the single word “Tenacity” in its motto.
This recommendation was significant; a Distinguished Flying Cross for a Lancaster pilot (Acting Flying Officer) Harold John Musselman (RCAF).
He noted Musselman had logged almost 125 hours on operations. He turned to the appended crew list. Lancaster Bomber ME-746 AS-R2 (Roger Squared), piloted by Musselman, included crew members; Flight Engineer Sgt. J.R. Cogbill, Navigator W/O H.H. Park (RCAF), Air Bomber F/S G. Reid, Wireless Operator F/S R. Williamson, Mid Upper Gunner P/O J.M. Donnelly (RCAF), and Rear Gunner F/S K. Forrest (RCAF).
No doubt graduates from the Lancaster Finishing School at Hemswell. He noted this was their 21st sortie as a crew, then leaned back into his chair and began to read Vivian’s remarks:
“This Canadian Officer was detailed to attack Schloven – Buer as captain of aircraft on the evening of the 29th December, 1944. On the way out . . . .”
As he continued to read the room around him disappeared and he joined Musselman in
[page break]
the cockpit of Roger Squared.
Avro Lancaster ME-746 AS-R2 sat trembling on the hard stand, parked at right angles to the runway, her mighty Merlin engines idling, waiting to be unleashed.
[italics] “Flight, how are we looking?” [/italics]
Flight Engineer, JR Cogbill turned in his “second dicky” seat, tapped a couple of the gauges on his right, checked others above and behind and gave his pilot thumbs up.
[italics] “Great Skipper all four running well. Mag. readings steady on each. Corporal Terry and his crew were up all last night and spent most of today getting the airframe in to top shape. I dropped by on my way to briefing and he was just finishing painting the bomb symbol for her 84th mission on the fuselage. [/italics]
[italics] “Cog, you know R2 is his prize possession and he just loans her to us for missions. You heard him when we did the walk around. He pointed out some of the recent repairs and practically ordered me to keep the flak hole count down tonight. He is determined to see his darling become a Century Lanc.” [/italics]
A MK I Lanc with almost 100 missions noted Harris. A unique and lucky aircraft. Or would this mission end their streak?
Pilot Musselman checked his watch. 15:30. The mission had been scheduled for 15:00 but a light rain and a heavy overcast had delayed take off. They had been idling too long.
“ R2 to tower. Ready for take off.”
[italics] “Roger R2 standby. You’re up next.” [/italics]
[italics] “There goes Nicklin in A2 Sir.” [/italics]
[italics] “You are cleared for take-off R2” [/italics]
[italics] “Pilot to crew. Ok lads buckle in, we’re off on “lucky” number 21.” [/italics]
[italics] “Flaps at 30 degrees Flight?” [/italics]
[italics] “30 degrees Sir.” [/italics]
Harris felt again the adrenaline rush of take-off and the nervous tension the crew would be experiencing. Having no idea of what lay ahead; they were, for the next 6 hours, trusting
[page break]
their lives to a man, a machine and the grace of God.
Musselman advanced the throttles, taxied into position on the runway and began to open them up. Roger Squared responded and the roar of the Rolls-Royce engines became deafening. The fuselage began to vibrate as she sped down the runway.
“I’ve got rudder control; take the throttles Cog.”
Musselman now grasped the control column with both hands waiting for the tail to come
up and as take off speed was reached he pulled back on the column and R2 shed the shackles of earth’s gravity and began the climb to join the formation.
[italics] “Gear – up and locked Skip.” [/italics]
[italics] “Pilot to gunners. It’s crowded up here tonight lads. Set Course Time is just a few minutes away but keep a sharp look out and sing out if you spot any of our friends getting too close. [/italics]
Harris noted grimly Musselman’s concern. Far too many aircraft had been lost to collisions while “milling” on overcast nights waiting for their Set Course Time, when the stream would form up and head for the target.
[italics] “Pilot to navigator, cruising at 15,000 ?” [/italics]
[italics] “Yes Sir.” [/italics]
[italics] “Harry do you trust the “Met” report? They predicted this slop, but do you think the call for clearing weather over Schloven-Buer will hold?” [/italics]
Navigator Harry Park seated at his port side chart table curtained off from the cockpit checked his briefing notes.
[italics] “I think so Sir. We should expect heavy cloud cover until we reach Schloven with some clearing on the return trip. Good news is, this lot is supposed to move on before we return to base.” [/italics]
[italics] “Roger that and let’s hope so Parky.” [/italics]
He scanned ahead and then side to side. What he could see of the formation looked tight.
He could even see intermittent flashes of blue exhaust flame from nearby aircraft and the stream was moving well. They were about half way across the Channel when he got the request he was expecting.
[page break]
[italics] “Mid Upper to Pilot; permission to test guns Sir?” [/italics]
“Permission granted J.M. You and the kid can light ‘em up.” [/italics]
[italics] “Roger that Skipper.” [/italics]
[italics] “You too Bombs?” [/italics]
[italics] “Aye sir.” [/italics]
There was a slight pause and then the sound of six Brownings firing short bursts dominated the engine noise and the airframe shook in response to their recoil. Then the pair of .303s in the nose turret opened up below his feet.
[italics] “You sound ready Bombs.” [/italics]
[italics] “Aye Sir.” [/italics]
[italics] “Test complete Sir, rear turret ready and able.” [/italics]
[italics] “Mid-upper, same here Skipper.” [/italics]
[italics] “Roger that, and let’s hope you don’t need them.” [/italics]
[italics] “Well Cog we are in the groove, let’s sit back and enjoy the ride” [/italics]
Musselman heard the sudden change in the sound of the engines and his aircraft shuddered. From experience he knew what it was, but he waited for confirmation.
[italics] “We’ve got a problem Skip. The starboard inner has packed up. The gauges say she should be running but am looking at her and she is not. I’ll try a restart.” [/italics]
[italics] “Navigator.” [/italics]
[italics] “Sir” [/italics]
[italics] “Parky, what’s our position?” [/italics]
[italics] “Sir, target is about forty five minutes away.” [/italics]
[page break]
[italics] “ Roger that.” [/italics]
[italics] “No luck with the restart Sir. Number 3 is done.” [/italics]
[italics] “Right Flight; feather and will see if we can maintain altitude and stay with the stream.” [/italics]
[italics] “ That’ll be a tough go Sir, with the load we are carrying. We caught one of those new “Abnormal” packages; 14,000 pounds of HE and incendiaries.” [/italics]
[italics] “Well we’re over Germany, so let’s give it a go and see what happens.” [/italics]
Harris knew that with the Starboard Inner gone power would be lost to some of the main services and hydraulic pumps, despite this he noted the calm in Musselman’s voice.
[italics] “Pilot to crew. We’ve lost an engine boys. I’m going to drop to the rear of the formation but we will try to stay with the group. Gunners keep your eyes open, particularly you in the tail “kid”. If the fighters are up they’ll be looking for stragglers.” [/italics]
[italics] “More trouble Sir Number 1 is overheating badly and quickly. I recommend we shut her down. We’re going to have to finish this on two.” [/italics]
[italics] “No choice?” [/italics]
[italics] “Not right now. I can try a restart later.” [/italics]
[italics] “Lucky number 21 eh, let’s hope some of that luck starts showing up soon. Shut her down
Flight.” [/italics]
Loss of power from the port outer engine would affect the alternator for special radio, rear turret hydraulic pump. It’s decision time thought Harris.
[italics] “Well that seals it. Cog. We can’t make altitude or even keep up. I don’t fancy scrubbing the mission and flying her home as a lame duck with a full bomb load.” [/italics]
[italics] “Pilot to Navigator. Parky we are going to have to abort Schloven. Can you find an alternate?” [/italics]
[italics] “They gave us three at briefing. Give me a minute Skipper.” [/italics]
R2 took this new development calmly but her air speed continued to fall and she began to drop out of formation.
[italics] “Skipper, Duisburg is about 15 minutes away. It’s a large rail junction, noting predicted and accurate flak, fighters not likely. If we can maintain this air speed we should be able [/italics]
[page break]
[italics] to bomb and then intersect our stream on the way home.” “What’s the heading Harry?” [/italics]
[italics] “Our Gee is not functioning Sir, so we are on dead reckoning. West north west will do for now.” [/italics]
[italics] “Pilot to crew, another change in plans boys. We’re flying on two now. I’ve chosen an alternative target, Duisburg. This will be a tough one. Expect the usual flak but as a single at low altitude we will have the advantage of surprise. Fighters not likely. Harry thinks we can reconnect with our flight after the attack and ride their coat tails home. We are about 10 minutes away. God bless us.” [/italics]
Tough decision, bravely taken admired Harris.
[italics] “Bomb aimer to pilot, I’m in position Sir. All my instruments are functioning.” [/italics]
[italics] “Roger that Bombs. Conditions are clearing, I can see the rail junction from here. I’ll make for it, then you can take your best shot. We’ll be at 9,000 over the target.” [/italics]
[italics] “Aye Sir.” [/italics]
[italics] “Well Flight this will be a shaky do. But their defenses should be pre-set for 12 to 15 and we can sneak under them for much of the run. They shouldn’t be expecting us from this direction; so the plan is to get in and out before they know what hit them. Once we bomb I am going to turn hard to port and make for home before climbing. Can you keep those two running?” [/italics]
[italics] “No signs of trouble Skip. I‘ll nurse them.” [/italics]
[italics] “Let’s take her down to 9 and lay her in.” [/italics]
[italics] “Here come the lights Flight.” [/italics]
Great silver swords began to appear probing the sky around them. Searchlights seeking to expose their prey. Muzzle flashes on the ground announced the anti aircraft guns were opening up and hundreds of deadly cotton puffs began to appear in the night sky.
[italics] “So far so good Skip. None of those new big blue radar lights and the cones are focused well above us.” [/italics]
R2 seemed to crawl through the sky and almost stall over the target. The bursting pods of flak were creeping closer. Then a flurry of sharp sound, metal striking metal, announced
[page break]
that one had found them.
[italics] “Sounded like a belly hit Sir.” [/italics]
R2 shrugged, barely shuddered and carried on. Another burst and then another dose of shrapnel hit the starboard side, but the controls remained steady.
[italics] “She’s all yours Bombs.” [/italics]
[italics] “Roger Sir, I can see the target; Navigator activate the master switch, pilot open bomb bay doors. Setting my selector to salvo.” [/italics]
[italics] “A little to the right . . . steady . . . right again . . . left . . . steady. Bombs gone! Get us out of
here Skip.” [/italics]
He smiled as R2 responded to his touch on the controls and broke to port and away from danger.
[italics] “Way to go girl.” [/italics]
The anti-aircraft fire was now zeroing in and more shells were exploding near them, but he was now lengthening the range. Then two more bursts bracketed them from above.
[italics] “Pilot to gunners. You two OK?” [/italics]
[italics] “I’m alright, but that was a close one Skip. No Mid Upper damage but I think the rudder and tail fins took some hits.” [/italics]
[italics] “Kid what’s the story back there?” [/italics]
[italics] “No turret damage here Sir, but we have a lot of new holes in the fins. They have ceased fire. Way to go Bombs! I don’t know what you hit, but there is one hell of a fire burning back there.” [/italics]
Harris took a deep breath and sighed. Well done son. They were out of it, but can you get them back home?
[italics] “Good stuff. Well stay awake you two. Mid, keep an eye on 10 o’clock high and sing out if you see our boys coming up. Karl any fighters should be off chasing the group looking to pick off stragglers. We should be well below them but you never know. Sharp eyes Kid!” [/italics]
[italics] “Sparks, see if you can pick up any chatter.” [/italics]
[page break]
[italics] “Seems like we picked up a few new holes. How’s she handling Sir.” [/italics]
[italics] “She seems steady Cog. The hits don’t seem to affecting her trim. But we need to gain some speed and altitude. About the new holes, I can’t wait to get Cpl. Terry’s count. Let’s try a re-start on number 1 and let’s see if she can help us out.” [/italics]
[italics] “Righto Sir.” [/italics]
[italics] He saw the port outer fire up, eased the throttle to half speed, felt R2 respond and began to climb gently seeking the safety of the stream and the pathway back to base.” [/italics]
[italics] “WOp to Captain, I’m picking up some chatter sir. Sounds like our lads.” [/italics]
[italics] “Sparks, I think I’m going to maintain radio silence until we’re closer to rejoining. I don’t want any fighters hearing there is a straggler out here and come looking.” [/italics]
[italics] “Mid Upper to Pilot. I think I see them sir. 11 O’clock high.” [/italics]
[italics] “I think you’re right. Let’s see if we can catch them Flight. We can at least hang on to their coat-tails and follow them home.” [/italics]
He advanced the port outer to full throttle.
[italics] “Number 1 is overheating again Skipper. You had better shut her down for good. The other two are beginning to heat up too. I recommend throttling back.” [/italics]
[italics] “Right Flight, I think our girl’s had about enough. Let’s put her down as soon as we can. Manston is the divert base and given the problems we may have with the hydraulics and the weather, they have the width and length we need for a rough landing.” [/italics]
[italics] “Captain to crew. We’re approaching the channel lads and it doesn’t look like we’ll need the dinghy, but R2 is a hurting girl. We are back on two engines, some of the hydraulics are out and we may have some damage to the undercarriage. I am going to put her down as soon as I can. We will be landing at Manston and it will be a little dodgy. We are about 10 minutes away. Start securing your stations.” [/italics]
[italics] “Sparks, see if you can raise the tower at Manston. Ronnie, identify us, tell them to light it up and let them know we are coming in on two.” [/italics]
[italics] “Roger that Skip.” [/italics]
[page break]
[italics] “Well Flight, at least the “Met” report was right about visibility, but the runway will still be wet.” [/italics]
He had landed at Manston before but not under these circumstances. The runway was dead ahead.
[italics] “Gear down and locked Skipper. No warning lights.” [/italics]
He put R2 in the groove and rode it in. Touchdown was a little heavy and the tires squawked as they met the wet tarmac. The brakes were very soft but they held and he eased back and let his aircraft run out. Roger Squared sat idling on the runway, for a moment the interior was quiet and then.
[italics] “Well done Skipper.” “You too Flight.” [/italics]
[italics] “Captain to crew, well done lads, everyone ok back there?” [/italics]
[italics] “Way to go Skipper! Great job Cap! Thanks Skip! We made it boys!” [/italics]
Harris added his silent praise to the appreciative responses pouring in from the crew. Then the sound of the grandfather clock striking midnight brought him back to the present.
A remarkable mission against all odds, by a courageous crew. He picked up his pen and then paused. Another tale of split second decision making, incredible skill and courageous leadership by a remarkable pilot.
He signed, confirming the Distinguished Flying Cross for Musselman.
[italics] “Thanks for taking me along lads.” [/italics]
He closed the folder and as he placed it in his out box he added a final invocation.
[italics] “Good show Roger Squared!” [/italics]
[page break]
[underlined] Tribute to a Century Lancaster [/underlined]
Lancaster Bomber ME-746 AS-R2 (aka Roger Squared) was one very special aircraft. It completed a total of 126 operations (117 Combat, 6 Manna and 3 Exodus). It was one of only 35 of the 7,377 Lancasters built to attain that distinction.
Roger Squared was well and carefully maintained by a dedicated ground crew under the leadership of Corporal Dennis Terry and flown with skill and determination by a number of pilots and air crew including, as noted in the story, Flying Officer H.J. Musselman RCAF, DFC.
In a highly unusual ceremony Bomber Command awarded the aircraft itself, the Distinguished Service Order. In the picture below the maintenance crew and flight crew assembled on the tarmac for a special ceremony following R2’s 100th mission. Note the large wooden medal (created by Corporal Terry) being held between himself and Flying Officer Musselman. A stirring reminder of that record can be seen in the ten rows of ten bombs painted on fuselage below the pilot’s window.
[photograph]
[page break]
(COPY)
[underlined] NO. 166 SQUADRON [/underlined]
[underlined] LANCASTER AIRCRAFT ME.746 – R2 [/underlined]
This aircraft has now completed 100 sorties against the enemy in a wide variety of attacks, ranging from targets in enemy occupied territory to the deepest penetrations made into Germany itself.
Throughout these sorties this aircraft has carried many gallant and courageous crews through the fiercest opposition which the enemy has been able to offer, and has never failed to bring them safely home.
The magnificent record established by ‘R2’ has only been made possible by the devotion to duty of the ground crews. Called upon to service their charge at all hours of the day and night, they have set a standard of serviceability which it will be difficult to equal. The successful completion of 100 sorties by the aircraft bears striking testimony to their skill.
In recognition of the fine achievement of this aircraft, and as a tribute from the aircrew of the Squadron to the ground crew whose efforts have met with such remarkable success, the aircraft is awarded the Distinguished Service Order.
11.3.45.
R.L. Vivian
Wing Commander, Commanding
[underlined] 166 Squadron, R.A.F. [/underlined]
Distinguished Service Order presented to ME-746 AS-R2 by Wing Commander Vivian, 166 Squadron
[page break]
[underlined] Transcript of DSO Letter [/underlined]
(COPY)
[underlined] NO. 166 SQUADRON [/underlined]
[underlined] LANCASTER AIRCRAFT ME.746 – R2 [/underlined]
This aircraft has now completed 100 sorties against the enemy in a wide variety of attacks, ranging from targets in enemy occupied territory to the deepest penetrations made into Germany itself.
Throughout these sorties this aircraft has carried many gallant and courageous crews through the fiercest opposition which the enemy has been able to offer, and has never failed to bring them safely home.
The magnificent record established by ‘R2’ has only been made possible by the devotion to duty of the ground crews. Called upon to service their charge at all hours of the day and night, they have set a standard of serviceability which it will be difficult to equal. The successful completion of 100 sorties by the aircraft bears striking testimony to their skill.
In recognition of the fine achievement of this aircraft, and as a tribute from the aircrew of the Squadron to the ground crew whose efforts have met with such remarkable success, the aircraft is awarded the Distinguished Service Order.
11.3.45.
R.L. Vivian
Wing Commander, Commanding
[underlined] 166 Squadron, R.A.F. [/underlined]
[page break]
[underlined] GLOSSARY [/underlined]
BA – Bomb Aimer – seated when operating the front gun turret, but positioned in a laying position when directing the pilot on to the aiming point prior to releasing bomb load.
CONED – when radar controlled master searchlight (often a bluish beam) locked onto an aircraft and other searchlights would also swing onto the aircraft, thus coning it – then flak would be concentrated into the cone.
DFC – Distinguished Flying Cross – medal presented to officers (commissioned and warrant) for conspicuous bravery (immediate) or sustained excellence on active service in operations against the enemy.
EXODUS – flights by Lancaster’s to fly liberated POWs back from captivity.
FE – Flight Engineer – seated opposite the pilot on right side of cockpit on folding seat.
GEE – a receiver for a navigation system of synchronized pulses transmitted from the UK – aircraft calculated their position from the phase shift between pulses. The range of GEE was 300-400 miles.
MANNA – flights to provide relief to starving Dutch civilian population with numerous food supply drops. 2,835 Lancaster flights were made.
Mk I – Mark I AVRO Lancaster crewed by seven and fitted with four Rolls-Royce Merlin engines capable of 1,280 hp each, maximum speed of 287mph, maximum ceiling of 22,000 ft, range with a 14,000 lb bomb load 1,000 mi and armament consisting of three powered gun turrets- 2 x .303 in nose, 2 x .303 mid-upper and 4 x .303 in the tail.
MUG – Mid-Upper Gunner – seated in the mid upper turret, which was also in the unheated section of the fuselage.
NAV – Navigator – seated at a table facing to port of the aircraft and directly behind the pilot and flight engineer.
PLT – Pilot – seated on the left hand side of the cockpit. There was no co-pilot.
RG – Rear Gunner – “Tail End Charlie” seated in the rear turret this was in the unheated section of the fuselage and was also the most isolated position. Most rear gunner’s once in their turrets did not see another member of the crew until the aircraft returned to base.
SECOND DICKIE – all new pilots were required to fly a familiarization flight with a veteran crew in order to expose them to operational hazards and the German defences. Since there was no co-pilot there was a fold down seat on the right side of the cockpit which was used by the Flight Engineer and on occasion the “Second Dickie” pilot.
SHAKY DO – a particularly hair raising operation or situation.
W/Op – Wireless Operator – often nick-named “Sparks” for the insignia worn denoting their position, they were seated facing forward and directly beside the navigator.
[page break]
TOTALS
LANCASTERS BUILT 7,377
LANCASTER SORTIES FLOWN 156,192
LANCASTERS LOST ON OPERATIONS 3,431
LANCASTERS LOST IN ACCIDENTS 246
[photograph]
TOTAL BOMBER COMMAND AIRCREW KILLED IN WORLD WAR II
55,573
LEST WE FORGET!
[page break]
Good Show
Roger Squared
[photograph]
by
JOHN KARL FORREST and JOHN WAYNE MUSSELMAN
[page break]
[underlined] Dedication [/underlined
This story is dedicated to the memory and legacy of the crew, led by Flying Officer H.J.
Musselman RCAF, DFC, that flew 30 missions in Lancaster Bomber ME-746 AS-R2
(aka Roger Squared).
[photograph]
Roger Squared crew all smiles after another op done and back on terra firma.
Front Row: P/O J.M. Donnelly RCAF (MUG), W/O H.H. Park RCAF (NAV), SGT G.
Reid RAF (BA) Back Row: F/S R. Williamson RAF (W/Op), F/O H.J. Musselman
RCAF, DFC (PLT), F/S K. Forrest RCAF (RG), SGT J.R. Cogbill RAF, DFM (FE)
[page break]
[underlined] Good Show Roger Squared[/underlined]
Air Chief Marshal A.T. “Butch” Harris sat hunched at his desk studying the latest reports. Aircraft availability and in particular the crews to man them, was at a critical point. Now, early in the new year of 1945 the focus of the air war had changed. The Allies were on full offensive. Missions to attack and bomb the industrialized cities, oil refineries and transportation hubs in the Nazi homeland had tripled in the last year. They were hitting the enemy hard, but the toll being taken by the appalling winter weather conditions, daylight raids, flak and fighters had been terrible. The casualty rate often rose above sixty percent and finding men and machines to replace those lost was a challenge. The grandfather clock in the corner struck the half hour; 11:30 p.m. At this moment at least 300 of his bombers were over enemy territory carrying out their missions. There was a knock at his door.
“Enter.”
A uniformed clerk stepped into the room and approached.
“Yes Cpl. Baker, what is it?”
Baker extended a manila folder. “Recommendations for Honours and Awards Sir. I know you like to read them before turning in for the night.” He glanced toward the clock.
“Soon I hope sir.”
Harris smiled, “Yes, yes Baker.”
“I know sir but . . . .”
“Dismissed!” growled Harris.
“Sir!” Baker exited.
Harris returned to reading the report, then hesitated, made a notation, closed the folder
and set it aside.
Baker was correct. Grounded by his rank and position, his most tangible contact with the missions he ordered and the men and machines he commanded was found in the reports recommending them for medals.
The accounts of their accomplishments, their resourcefulness and courage were reported tersely on official forms prepared by proud commanding officers.
[page break]
He knew that hidden in the names and numbers in those reports there were personal tales of remarkable bravery, incredible skill and split second decision making by young men in the heat of battle. He opened the folder Baker had delivered and, as was his routine, scanned the initial information.
The recommendation was from Wing Commander Vivian, 166 Squadron and supported by Group Captain Mackay, RAF Kirmington, Air Commodore Swain, No. 13 Base Commander and Air Vice Marshal E.A.B. Rice, No. 1 Group Commander.
That Squadron had an excellent reputation. They had a skilled and dedicated Ground Crew and a good mix of new and experienced Air Crew. The 166th prided itself on putting up the required number for every flight and completing its missions. It lived up to the “Bulldog” displayed on its crest and the single word “Tenacity” in its motto.
This recommendation was significant; a Distinguished Flying Cross for a Lancaster pilot (Acting Flying Officer) Harold John Musselman (RCAF).
He noted Musselman had logged almost 125 hours on operations. He turned to the appended crew list. Lancaster Bomber ME-746 AS-R2 (Roger Squared), piloted by Musselman, included crew members; Flight Engineer Sgt. J.R. Cogbill, Navigator W/O H.H. Park (RCAF), Air Bomber F/S G. Reid, Wireless Operator F/S R. Williamson, Mid Upper Gunner P/O J.M. Donnelly (RCAF), and Rear Gunner F/S K. Forrest (RCAF).
No doubt graduates from the Lancaster Finishing School at Hemswell. He noted this was their 21st sortie as a crew, then leaned back into his chair and began to read Vivian’s remarks:
“This Canadian Officer was detailed to attack Schloven-Buer as captain of aircraft on the evening of the 29th December, 1944. On the way out . . . .”
As he continued to read the room around him disappeared and he joined Musselman in the cockpit of Roger Squared.
Avro Lancaster ME-746 AS-R2 sat trembling on the hard stand, parked at right angles to the runway, her mighty Merlin engines idling, waiting to be unleashed.
[italics] “Flight, how are we looking?” [/italics]
Flight Engineer, JR Cogbill turned in his “second dicky” seat, tapped a couple of the
[page break]
gauges on his right, checked others above and behind and gave his pilot thumbs up.
[italics] “Great Skipper all four running well. Mag. readings steady on each. Corporal Terry and his crew were up all last night and spent most of today getting the airframe in to top shape. I dropped by on my way to briefing and he was just finishing painting the bomb symbol for her 84th mission on the fuselage. [/italics]
[italics] “Cog, you know R2 is his prize possession and he just loans her to us for missions. You heard him when we did the walk around. He pointed out some of the recent repairs and practically ordered me to keep the flak hole count down tonight. He is determined to see his darling become a Century Lanc.” [/italics]
A MK I Lanc with almost 100 missions noted Harris. A unique and lucky aircraft. Or would this mission end their streak?
Pilot Musselman checked his watch. 15:30. The mission had been scheduled for 15:00 but a light rain and a heavy overcast had delayed take off. They had been idling too long.
[italics] “ R2 to tower. Ready for take off.” [/italics]
[italics] 1“Roger R2 standby. You’re up next.” [/italics]
[italics] “There goes Nicklin in A2 Sir.” [/italics]
[italics] “You are cleared for take-off R2” [/italics]
[italics] “Pilot to crew. Ok lads buckle in, we’re off on “lucky” number 21.” [/italics]
[italics] “Flaps at 30 degrees Flight?” [/italics]
[italics] “30 degrees Sir.” [/italics]
Harris felt again the adrenaline rush of take-off and the nervous tension the crew would be experiencing. Having no idea of what lay ahead; they were, for the next 6 hours, trusting their lives to a man, a machine and the grace of God.
Musselman advanced the throttles, taxied into position on the runway and began to open them up. Roger Squared responded and the roar of the Rolls-Royce engines became deafening. The fuselage began to vibrate as she sped down the runway.
[italics] “I’ve got rudder control; take the throttles Cog.” [/italics]
Musselman now grasped the control column with both hands waiting for the tail to come up and as take off speed was reached he pulled back on the column and R2 shed the shackles of earth’s gravity and began the climb to join the formation.
[italics] “Gear – up and locked Skip.” [/italics]
[page break]
[italics] “Pilot to gunners. It’s crowded up here tonight lads. Set Course Time is just a few minutes away but keep a sharp look out and sing out if you spot any of our friends getting too close. [/italics]
Harris noted grimly Musselman’s concern. Far too many aircraft had been lost to collisions while “milling” on overcast nights waiting for their Set Course Time, when the stream would form up and head for the target.
[italics] “Pilot to navigator, cruising at 15,000?” [/italics]
[italics] “Yes Sir.” [/italics]
[italics] “Harry do you trust the “Met” report? They predicted this slop, but do you think the call for clearing weather over Schloven-Buer will hold?” [/italics]
Navigator Harry Park seated at his port side chart table curtained off from the cockpit checked his briefing notes.
[italics] “I think so Sir. We should expect heavy cloud cover until we reach Schloven with some clearing on the return trip. Good news is, this lot is supposed to move on before we return to base.” [/italics]
[italics] “Roger that and let’s hope so Parky.” [/italics]
He scanned ahead and then side to side. What he could see of the formation looked tight. He could even see intermittent flashes of blue exhaust flame from nearby aircraft and the stream was moving well. They were about half way across the Channel when he got the request he was expecting.
[italics] “Mid Upper to Pilot; permission to test guns Sir?” [/italics]
[italics] “Permission granted J.M. You and the kid can light ‘em up.” [/italics]
[italics] “Roger that Skipper.” [/italics]
[italics] “You too Bombs?” [/italics]
[italics] “Aye sir.” [/italics]
There was a slight pause and then the sound of four fifty caliber machine guns firing short bursts dominated the engine noise and the airframe shook in response to their recoil. Then the Brownings opened up in the nose turret below his feet.
[italics] “You sound ready Bombs.” [/italics]
[italics] “Aye Sir.” [/italics]
[page break]
[italics] “Test complete Sir, rear turret ready and able.” [/italics]
[italics] “Mid-upper, same here Skipper.” [/italics]
[italics] “Roger that, and let’s hope you don’t need them.” [/italics]
[italics] “Well Cog we are in the groove, let’s sit back and enjoy the ride” [/italics]
Musselman heard the sudden change in the sound of the engines and his control column reacted. From experience he knew what it was, but he waited for confirmation.
[italics] “We’ve got a problem Skip. The starboard inner has packed up. I’ll reset and try a restart.” [/italics]
[italics] “Navigator.” [/italics]
[italics] “Sir” [/italics]
[italics] “Parky, what’s our position?” [/italics]
[italics] “ Sir, target is about forty five minutes away.” [/italics]
[italics] “ Roger that.” [/italics]
[italics] “No luck with the restart Skip. Number 2 is done.” [/italics]
[italics] “Right Flight; feather and will see if we can maintain altitude and stay with the stream.” [/italics]
[italics] “ That’ll be a tough go Sir, with the load we are carrying. We caught one of those new abnormal packages; 14,000 pounds of HE and incendiaries.” [/italics]
[italics] “Well we’re over Germany now, so let’s give it a go and see what happens.” [/italics]
Harris knew that with the Starboard Inner gone power would be lost to some of the main services and hydraulic pumps, despite this he noted the calm in Musselman’s voice.
[italics] “Pilot to crew. We’ve lost an engine boys. I’m going to drop to the rear of the formation but we will try to stay with the group. Gunners keep your eyes open, particularly you in the tail “kid”. If the fighters are up they’ll be looking for stragglers.” [/italics]
[italics] “More trouble Sir. Number 3 is overheating badly and quickly. I recommend we shut [/italics]
[page break]
[italics] her down. We’re going to have to finish this on two.” [/italics]
[italics] “No choice?” “Not right now. I can try a restart later.” [/italics]
[italics] “Lucky number 21 eh, let’s hope some of that luck starts showing up soon. Shut her down
Cog.” [/italics]
Loss of power from the port outer engine would affect the alternator for special radio, rear turret hydraulic pump. It’s decision time thought Harris.
[italics] “Well that seals it Cog. We can’t maintain altitude or keep up. I don’t fancy scrubbing the mission and flying her home as a lame duck with a full bomb load.” [/italics]
[italics] “Pilot to Navigator. Parky we are going to have to abort Schloven. Can you find an alternate?” [/italics]
“They gave us three at briefing. Give me a minute Skipper.” [/italics]
R2 took this new development calmly but her air speed continued to fall and she began to drop further out of formation.
[italics] “Skipper, Duisburg is about 15 minutes away. It’s a large rail junction, noting predicted and accurate flak, fighters not likely. If we can maintain this air speed we should be able to bomb and then intersect our stream on the way home.” “What’s the heading Harry?” [/italics]
[italics] “Our Gee is not functioning Sir, so we are on dead reckoning. West north west will do for now.” [/italics]
[italics] “Pilot to crew, another change in plans boys. We’re flying on two now. I’ve chosen an alternative target, Duisburg. This will be a tough one. Expect the usual flak but as a single at low altitude we will have the advantage of surprise. Fighters not likely. Harry thinks we can reconnect with our flight after the attack and ride their coat tails home. We are about 10 minutes away . God bless us.” [/italics]
Tough decision, bravely taken admired Harris.
[italics] “Bomb aimer to pilot, I’m in position Sir. All my instruments are functioning.” [/italics]
[italics] “Roger that Bombs. Conditions are clearing, I can see the rail junction from here. I’ll make for it, then you can take your best shot. We’ll be at 9,000 over the target.” [/italics]
[italics] “Aye Sir.” [/italics]
[italics] “Well Flight this will be a shaky do. But their defenses [sic] should be pre-set for 12 to 15 [/italics]
[page break]
[italics] and we can sneak under them for much of the run. They shouldn’t be expecting us from this direction; so the plan is to get in and out before they know what hit them. Once we bomb I am going to turn hard to port and make for home before climbing. Can you keep those two running?” [/italics]
[italics] “No signs of trouble Skip. I‘ll nurse them.” [/italics]
[italics] “Let’s take her down to 9 and lay her in.” [/italics]
[italics] “Here come the lights Flight.” [/italics]
Great silver swords began to appear probing the sky around them. Searchlights seeking to expose their prey. Muzzle flashes on the ground announced the anti aircraft guns were opening up and hundreds of deadly cotton puffs began to appear in the night sky.
[italics] “So far so good Skip. None of those new big blue radar lights and the cones are focused well above us.” [/italics]
R2 seemed to crawl through the sky and almost stall over the target. The bursting pods of flak were creeping closer. Then a flurry of sharp sound, metal striking metal, announced that one had found them.
[italics] “Sounded like a belly hit Sir.” [/italics]
R2 shrugged, barely shuddered and carried on. Another burst and then another dose of shrapnel hit the starboard side, but the controls remained steady.
[italics] “She’s all yours Bombs.” [/italics]
[italics] “Roger Sir, I can see the target; Navigator activate the master switch, pilot open bomb
bay doors. Setting my selector to salvo.”
[italics] “A little to the right . . . steady . . . right again . . . left . . . steady. Bombs gone! Get us out of here Skip.” [/italics]
He smiled as R2 responded to his touch on the controls and broke to port and away from danger.
[italics] “Way to go girl.” [/italics]
The anti-aircraft fire was now zeroing in and more shells were exploding near them, but he was now lengthening the range. Then two more bursts bracketed them from above.
[italics] “Pilot to gunners. You two OK?” [/italics]
[italics] “I’m alright, but that was a close one Skip. No Mid Upper damage but I think the rudder and tail fins took some hits.” [/italics]
[page break]
[italics] “Kid what’s the story back there?” [/italics]
[italics] “No turret damage here Sir, but we have a lot of new holes in the fins. They have ceased fire. Way to go Bombs! I don’t know what you hit, but there is one hell of a fire burning back there.” [/italics]
Harris took a deep breath and sighed. Well done son. They were out of it, but can you get them back home?
[italics] “Good stuff. Well stay awake you two. Mid, keep an eye on 10 o’clock high and sing out if you see our boys coming up. Karl any fighters should be off chasing the group looking to pick off stragglers. We should be well below them but you never know. Sharp eyes Kid!” [/italics]
[italics] “Sparks, see if you can pick up any chatter.” [/italics]
[italics] “Seems like we picked up a few new holes. How’s she handling Sir.” [/italics]
[italics] “She seems steady Cog. The hits don’t seem to be affecting her trim. But we need to gain some speed and altitude. About the new holes, I can’t wait to get Cpl. Terry’s count and comments. Let’s try a re-start on number 3 and let’s see if she can help us out.” [/italics]
[italics] “Righto Sir.” [/italics]
He saw the port outer fire up, eased the throttle to half speed, felt R2 respond and began to climb gently seeking the safety of the stream and the pathway back to base.” [/italics]
[italics] “W/Op to Captain, I’m picking up some chatter sir. Sounds like our lads.” [/italics]
[italics] “Sparks, I think I’m going to maintain radio silence until we’re closer to rejoining. I don’t want any fighters hearing there is a straggler out here and come looking.” [/italics]
[italics] “Mid Upper to Pilot. I think I see them sir. 11 O’clock high.” [/italics]
[italics] “Let’s see if we can catch them Flight. We can at least hang on to their coat-tails and follow them home.” [/italics]
He advanced the port outer to full throttle.
[italics] “Number 3 is overheating again Skipper. You had better shut her down for good. The other two are beginning to heat up too. I recommend throttling back.” [/italics]
[page break]
[italics] “Right Flight, I think our girl’s had about enough. Let’s put her down as soon as we can. Manston is the divert base and given the problems we may have with the hydraulics and the weather, they have the width and length we need for a rough landing.” [/italics]
[italics] “Captain to crew. We’re approaching the channel lads and it doesn’t look like we’ll need the dinghy, but R2 is a hurting girl. We are back on two engines, some of the hydraulics are out and we may have some damage to the undercarriage. I am going to put her down as soon as I can. We will be landing at Manston and it will be a little dodgy. We are about 10 minutes away. Start securing your stations.” [/italics]
“Sparks, see if you can raise the tower at Manston. Ronnie, identify us, tell them to light it up and let them know we are coming in on two .” [/italics]
[italics] “Roger that Skip.” [/italics]
[italics] “Well Flight, at least the “Met” report was right about visibility, but the runway will still be wet.” [/italics]
He had landed at Manston before but not under these circumstances. The runway was dead ahead.
[italics] “Gear down and locked Skipper. No warning lights.” [/italics]
He put R2 in the groove and rode it in. Touchdown was a little heavy and the tires squawked as they met the wet tarmac. The brakes were very soft but they held and he eased back and let his aircraft run out. Roger Squared sat idling on the runway, for a moment the interior was quiet and then.
[italics] “Well done Skipper.” “You too Flight.” [/italics]
[italics] “Captain to crew, well done lads, everyone ok back there?” [/italics]
[italics] “Way to go Skipper! Great job Cap! Thanks Skip! We made it boys!” [/italics]
Harris added his silent praise to the appreciative responses pouring in from the crew. Then the sound of the grandfather clock striking midnight brought him back to the present.
A remarkable mission against all odds, by a courageous crew. He picked up his pen and then paused. Another tale of split second decision making, incredible skill and courageous leadership by a remarkable pilot.
He signed, confirming the Distinguished Flying Cross for Musselman.
“Thanks for taking me along lads.”
He closed the folder and as he placed it in his out box he added a final invocation.
[page break]
“Good show Roger Squared!”
[page break]
[underlined] Tribute to a Century Lancaster [/underlined]
Lancaster Bomber ME-746 AS-R2 (aka Roger Squared) was one very special aircraft. It completed a total of 126 operations (117 Combat, 6 Manna and 3 Exodus). It was one of only 35 of the 7,377 Lancasters built to attain that distinction.
Roger Squared was well and carefully maintained by a dedicated ground crew under the leadership of Corporal Dennis Terry and flown with skill and determination by a number of pilots and air crew including, as noted in the story, Flying Officer H.J. Musselman RCAF, DFC.
In a highly unusual ceremony Bomber Command awarded the aircraft itself, the Distinguished Service Order. In the picture below the maintenance crew and flight crew assembled on the tarmac for a special ceremony following R2’s 100th mission. Note the large wooden medal (created by Corporal Terry) being held between himself and Flying Officer Musselman. A stirring reminder of that record can be seen in the ten rows of ten bombs painted on fuselage below the pilot’s window.
[photograph]
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
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Good Show Roger Squared
Description
An account of the resource
A story based on the service of Lancaster ME746 AS-R2 (Roger Squared). There is a slightly shorter version included.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
JK Forrest
JW Musselman
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Germany--Gladbeck
Germany--Duisburg
Germany
Great Britain
England--Lincolnshire
Germany--Ruhr (Region)
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Memoir
Text. Personal research
Format
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17 printed sheets
13 printed sheets
Identifier
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MTerryD938465-170619-03, MTerryD938465-170619-07
Rights
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This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Publisher
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IBCC Digital Archive
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1944-12-29
1945-03-11
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Steve Baldwin
1 Group
166 Squadron
air gunner
aircrew
anti-aircraft fire
bomb aimer
bombing
Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished Service Order
flight engineer
Gee
ground crew
ground personnel
Harris, Arthur Travers (1892-1984)
Lancaster
Lancaster Finishing School
navigator
Operation Exodus (1945)
Operation Manna (29 Apr – 8 May 1945)
pilot
RAF Hemswell
RAF Kirmington
RAF Manston
searchlight
training
wireless operator
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1876/34461/MTerryD938465-170619-02.2.pdf
1766726c4167ea7c301cd51e0125c64c
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
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Terry, Dennis
D Terry
Publisher
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IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-06-19
Rights
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This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Terry, D
Description
An account of the resource
17 items. The collection concerns Corporal Dennis Terry (938465 Royal Air Force) and contains documents and photographs. He served as a fitter with 166 Squadron and worked on Lancaster ME746 AS-R2 (Roger Squared).
The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by Rob Terry and catalogued by Barry Hunter.
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
[picture]
[underlined] Centurion Lancaster [/underlined]
ME-746 AS-R2
"Roger Squared"
On behalf of the Squadron aircrew, Lancaster ME-746 AS-R2 and its dedicated ground crew are presented the Distinguished Service Order (DSO), on 11 March 1945, upon completion of her "100th Operational Sortie" by her then regular and grateful aircrew skippered by F/O Musselman along with Wing Commander R.L. Vivian, Commanding, 166 Squadron, Royal Air Force.
DSO mock-up help by F/O Musselman and Cpl Dennis Terry Lead Aircraft Fitter 2A, who was responsible for the growing number of painted bombs on her fuselage and to his right the rest of the proud "erks". Roger Squared was the oldest aircraft on station, delivered by AVRO Metropolitan-Vickers Ltd., Mosley Road, Manchester to RAF Kirmington, on 14 April 1944 and began her operational service life shortly thereafter and flew her last operational sortie (Exodus mission) on 26 May 1945, with skipper F/O K.D. Foxall and crew. Of note; on 25 April 1945 with P/O S. Todd and crew she flew in the last combat mission of the war against Berchtesgaden, striking the 'SS Guard Barracks' and Hitler's 'Eagle's Nest'. Having carried numerous brave crews through the rigors of battle, the old girl had some narrow escapes along the way with the odd bits of flak damage to prove it and was beginning to show her age, but she survived the war and was subsequently assigned to RAF Hemswell, then designated CAT "AC", struck off charge, sold to Hestons, Ltd on 21 February 1946 and scrapped; thus culminating what can only be described as a very lucky and illustrious service career. Of the 7,377 Lancaster's built ME-746 was one of only thirty-five to attain the milestone of completing a 100 or more operational sorties. This venerable aircraft completed a total of 126 Operational Sorties (117 COMBAT, 6 MANNA and 3 EXODUS).
[boxed]
[underlined] NO. 166 SQUADRON [/underlined]
[underlined] LANCASTER AIRCRAFT ME. 746 – R2 [/underlined]
This aircraft has now completed 100 sorties against the enemy in a wide variety of attacks, ranging from targets in occupied territory to the deepest penetrations made into Germany itself.
Throughout these sorties this aircraft has carried many gallant and courageous crews through the fiercest opposition which the enemy has been able to offer, and has never failed to bring them safely home.
The magnificent record established by 'R2' has only been made possible by the devotion to duty of the ground crews. Called upon to service their charge at all hours of the day and night, they have set a standard of serviceability which it will be difficult to equal. The successful completion of 100 sorties by the aircraft bears striking testimony to their skill.
In recognition of the fine achievement of this aircraft, and as a tribute from the aircrew of the Squadron to the ground crew whose efforts have met with such remarkable success, the aircraft is awarded the Distinguished Service Order.
11.3.45.
R.L. Vivian
Wing Commander, Commanding
[underlined] 166 Squadron, R.A.F. [/underlined]
[boxed]
[page break]
Aircrew pictured:
F/O H.J. Musselman RCAF, DFC (Plt), F/S J.R. Cogbill RAF, DFM (F/E), F/S R. Williamson RAF (W/Op), W/O H.H. Park RCAF (Nav), F/S G. Reid RAF (BA) P/O J.M. Donnelly RCAF (MUG), F/S K. Forrest RCAF (RG) and W/Cdr Vivian, Commanding, 166 Sqd, RAF [picture]
[picture]
Aircrew pictured:
F/O H.J. Musselman RCAF, DFC (Plt), F/S J.R. Cogbill RAF, DFM (F/E), F/S R. Williamson RAF (W/Op), W/O H.H. Park RCAF (Nav), F/S G. Reid RAF (BA), P/O J.M. Donnelly RCAF (MUG), F/S K. Forrest RCAF (RG) and W/Cdr Vivian, Commanding, 166 Sqd, RAF [picture]
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Centurion Lancaster ME746 Roger Squared
Description
An account of the resource
A document referring to the DSO awarded to Lancaster ME746 AS-R2 (Roger Squared). It describes some of the operations undertaken and its maintenance by Dennis.
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Memoir
Text. Personal research
Format
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Two printed sheets
Identifier
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MTerryD938465-170619-02
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1945-03-11
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Lincolnshire
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Sue Smith
166 Squadron
air gunner
aircrew
bomb aimer
Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished Flying Medal
Distinguished Service Order
ground crew
ground personnel
Hitler, Adolf (1889-1945)
Lancaster
navigator
Operation Exodus (1945)
Operation Manna (29 Apr – 8 May 1945)
pilot
RAF Hemswell
RAF Kirmington
wireless operator
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1876/34460/BTerryRTerryDv1.2.pdf
22415d2ffca0a181cb311c5aeef1a6db
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1876/34460/BTerryRTerryDv2.1.pdf
dffa103dc89825255e82f41f363b6584
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Terry, Dennis
D Terry
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-06-19
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Terry, D
Description
An account of the resource
17 items. The collection concerns Corporal Dennis Terry (938465 Royal Air Force) and contains documents and photographs. He served as a fitter with 166 Squadron and worked on Lancaster ME746 AS-R2 (Roger Squared).
The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by Rob Terry and catalogued by Barry Hunter.
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
Dennis Terry.
Managed to join the RAF in 1939 after multiple attempts due to his protected trade as a tool maker. Initial training was undertaken at Hendnesford camp near to the site of the current raceway and on completion attained Airframe Fitter status (fix everything relating to the airframe except engines, munitions and instruments).
His first posting was in 1940 to 10sqdn RAF Leeming where he worked on Whitley bombers. He often recalled how the airfield was 'beaten up' by spitfire's from nearby RAF Catterick with some flying so low between the hangars. While at 10 sqdn in 1941, he was sent along with other tradesmen and a replacement tail section by road to repair a stranded Whitley bomber and return it to serviceable flight. Dennis recalls "On arrival at RAF Waddington we were issued with "Temporary Meal Permit" for the airmen's mess to use once the job was complete. While waiting for the aircrew to fly us back to RAF Leeming I decided to have a look around the hangars, I looked into one hangar via a side door and noticed a yellow marked four engine bomber with a large "P" roundel on it, I was then approached by an armed guard who promptly told me to leave as this hangar was "Out of Bounds". I realised later when the Lancaster entered RAF service that this aircraft was in fact the Lancaster bomber protype."
[pass] [meal permit]
Dennis visited RAF Waddington in 2008 and returned the meal permit some 67 years late. The pass is now currated in the base museum.
In 1942 he was posted to Canada to the SFTS at RCAF Swift Current servicing Harvards and Oxfords.
On returning from Canada in 1944 he was then posted to 166sqdn RAF Kirmington as fitter 2A status and made NCO, responsible for the complete airframe servicing of 'C' Flight.
Lancaster 'V' for Victor
Lancaster 'U' for Uncle
Lancaster 'R' for Roger
'R' for Roger was replaced after he arrived with 'R2' Roger Squared.
As far as Dennis was concerned Lancaster ME746-R2 was his aircraft and he made sure that is [sic] was kept in top condition.
In early 1945 R2 received the DSO after completing 100 operation and Dennis can be seen holding the DSO with F/O Musselman DFC representing both the flight and ground crew's effort to achieve such a milestone.
[page break]
[photograph]
The effort of the ground crews did not go un-noticed with a letter from Wing Commander Vivian of 166 sqdn congratulating them all on such an achievement (shown far right).
[underlined] No. 166 SQUADRON [/underlined]
[underlined] LANCASTER AIRCRAFT ME.746 – R2 [/underlined]
This aircraft has now completed 100 sorties against the enemy, in a wide variety of attacks, ranging from targets in enemy occupied territory to the deepest penetrations made into Germany itself.
Throughout their sorties this aircraft has carried many gallant and courageous crews through the fiercest opposition which the enemy has been able to offer, and has never failed to bring them safely home.
The magnificent record established by 'R2' has only been made possible by the devotion to duty of the ground crews. Called upon to service their charge at all hours of the day and night, they have set a standard of serviceability which it will be difficult to equal. The successful completion of 100 sorties by the aircraft bears striking testimony to their skill.
In recognition of the fine achievement of [missing letters]he fine achievement of this aircraft , and as a tribute from the aircrew of the Squadron to the ground crew whose efforts have met with such remarkable success, the aircraft is awarded the Distinguished Service Order.
11.3.45.
[indecipherable words]
[missing letters]ing Commander, Commanding
166 Squadron. R.A.F.
[page break]
At some time during 1945-6, R2 was sent to Boscombe Down for flight evaluation after it had completed 100 ops and the aircraft received a glowing service report with no faults being found.
After this R2 was one of 166sqdn's 'show off' aircraft and everything was kept in top condition.
In total R2 completed 124 ops and everyone was hand painted by Dennis, R2 was eventually scrapped in 1946
[photograph]
R2 shown at the completion of operations with P/O Todd – Dennis is 2nd left.
Dennis was asked to stay on in the RAF with improved rank and move to RAF Binbrook, but he chose to leave after fulfilling his duty.
After leaving he received a Commendation from Bomber Command for Good Service which is signed by N.J Bottomly Vice Chief of Staff, he did not believe that many of these were issued to ground staff.
[page break]
[R.A.F. crest]
Headquarters. Bomber Command
Corporal D. G. Terry.
Your name has been brought to my notice
I am authorised to signify, by the award to you of this Certificate, my appreciation of the good service which you have rendered.
I have given instructions that a note of your devotion to duty shall be made in your Record of Service.
NJ Bottomly. Air Marshal.
Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief
Date 2 April 1946
Dennis passed away peacefully on 6th September 2011 aged 92 years.
He was always passionate about the work that was undertaken by ground crews during WW2 and was always very proud of his achievements.
[page break]
Dennis Terry.
Airframe fitter 2A status status (fix everything relating to the airframe except engines, munitions and instruments)
First posting was in 1940 to 10sqdn RAF Leeming where he worked on Whitleys.
Incidently, while at 10 sqdn he and a team of fitters were taken to RAF Waddington to repair a battle damaged Whitley, where he found one of the first prototype Lancaster’s in one of the hangers [sic], all he can remember is that it had a letter ‘P’ in yellow on the side before he was asked to leave the hangar.
In 1942 he was posted to Canada to the SFTS servicing Harvards and Oxfords.
On returning from Canada in 1944 he was then posted to 166sqdn RAF Kirmington and made NCO, responsible for the complete airframe servicing of 'C' Flight.
'V' for Victor
'U' for Uncle
'R' for Roger
'R' for Roger was replaced shortly after he arrived with 'R2' Roger Squared.
As far as he was concerned R2 was his aircraft and he made sure that is [sic] was kept in top condition. At some time during 1945-6, R2 was sent down to Boscome Down for flight evaluation after it had completed 100 ops and the aircraft received a glowing service report with no faults being found.
After this R2 was one of 166sqdn's show off aircraft and everything was kept in top condition.
In total R2 completed 124 ops and everyone was hand painted by Dennis, R2 was eventually scrapped in 1947.
Dennis was asked to stay on in the RAF with improved rank and move to RAF Binbrook, but he chose to leave.
After leaving he received a Commendation from Bomber Command for Service and Devotion to Duty which is signed by N.J Bottomly Vice Chief of Staff, he does not believe that many of these were issued to ground staff.
I hope that this information is of use and that you will be able to use the photgraphs [sic] I have sent previously on your web site as it would mean a great deal to him.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Dennis Terry Biography
Description
An account of the resource
A brief biography of Dennis featuring photographs described in the collection. It covers his training and service as a fitter in the UK and Canada. He maintained a Lancaster that completed 124 ops and the aircraft was, unusually, awarded a DSO.
A second document contains the text only of the biography.
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Personal research
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Five printed sheets
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
BTerryRTerryDv1, BTerryRTerryDv2
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Publisher
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IBCC Digital Archive
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Lincolnshire
England--Staffordshire
England--Wiltshire
England--Yorkshire
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Sue Smith
Steve Baldwin
10 Squadron
166 Squadron
Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished Service Order
fitter airframe
ground crew
ground personnel
hangar
Harvard
Lancaster
nose art
Oxford
RAF Binbrook
RAF Boscombe Down
RAF Hednesford
RAF Kirmington
RAF Leeming
RAF Waddington
Spitfire
Whitley
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1764/30650/SJenkinsonPR1826262v10011-0001.2.jpg
eee6b20613d883b7472f1a5e712fd53f
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Jenkinson, Peter and Leslie. Peter Jenkinson
Description
An account of the resource
Fifty-three items concerning Peter Jenkinson who served as a flight engineer on 166 and 153 Squadron Lancaster and was killed with his crew on 28 January 1945. Collection contains official and family correspondence, photographs, biographies, newspaper articles, official documents, roll of honour and records of operations.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2016-08-24
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
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Jenkinson, LP-PR
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
1826262 Flight Sergeant Peter Racburn Jenkinson D.F.M.
R.A.F VR
[underlined] OPERATIONAL RECORD [/underlined]
[underlined] As a Flight Engineer on Lancaster Bombers [/underlined]
5.8.44 Posted to 166 Squadron at RAF Kirmington, Lincolnshire
T/O Landing A/C Target
12.8.44 1120 1825 ME812 Douai Marshalling Yards Bordeaux
14.8.44 1315 1715 ME812 Fontain Le Pen
15.8.44 0955 1340 ME812 Leculot Airfield,Belgium
16.8.44 2055 0515 NE170 Stettin(Combat with JU 88)
29.8.44 2100 0630 PD242 Stettin (combat with 2 FW 190s)
31.8.44 1325 1655 ND626 Agenville V2 site. flak damage
3.9.44 1550 1930 ME829 Gilze Rijen Airfield
8.9.44 0645 1040 NE170 Le Havre-no bombs dropped (MB)*
10.9.44 1645 2100 NE170 Le Havre
12.9.44 1755 0150 PB515 Frankfurt
16.9.44 2135 0135 PB515 Steenwuk-Havetle
23.9.44 1835 2355 PB515 Neuse Essen
25.9.44 0710 1155 PB515 Calais-no bombs dropped (weather MB)
On 13th October 1944 twenty seven crews from 166 Sqdn at Kirmington were posted to RAF Scampton to form 153 Sqdn.
11.10.44 1440 1735 PB151 Port Frederik Hendair-no bombing
14.10.44 0625 1054 PB639 Duisburg
23.10.44 1620 2215 PB515 Essen
25.10.44 1250 1720 PB515 Essen, flak damage
30.10.44 1735 2335 PB515 Cologne
31.10.44 1755 2325 PB515 Cologne
2.11.44 1625 2120 PB515 Dusledorf [sic] -attacked by JU 88
4.11.44 1730 2245 PB515 Bochum - combat with 2 ME 262 jets
9.11.44 0820 1250 NG184 Wanne Eickle
6.12.44 1635 0015 PB515 Leuna
15.12.44 1440 2100 PB515 Ludwigshafen
17.12.44 1515 2245 PB515 Ulm
22.12.44 1520 2025 PB515 Coblenz
7.1.45 1815 2120 PB786 Munich-Abortive, Oxygen failure
14.1.45 1905 0310 PB786 Leuma [sic]
22.1.45 1655 2145 PB872 Duisburg -With F/O Gibbins
28.1.45 1925 ---- PB638 Stuttgart + failed to return crashed at Michelbach, Aglasterhausen SW of Heidelburg with loss of all lives.
A memorial to the crew is erected at the crash site at the Gluck and Winkle. Built as a "Bridge of Friendship" in 1974. The crew are now buried in the War Graves Cemetery at Bad Tolz south of Munich. An original headstone remains in the churh [sic] cemetery at Michelbach.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Peter Jenkinson operational record
Description
An account of the resource
Lists 13 operations while a wireless operator on 166 Squadron at RAF Kirmington and 16 operations completed on 153 Squadron at RAF Scamption. He failed to return from his 17th operation from Scampton. Notes memorial to crew erected at the crash site - crew are buried Bad Tolz.
Format
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One page printed document
Language
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eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Personal research
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
SJenkinsonPR1826262v10011-0001
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Lincolnshire
France
France--Bordeaux (Nouvelle-Aquitaine)
France--Falaise Region
Belgium
Belgium--Louvain
Poland
Poland--Szczecin
Germany
Germany--Bad Tölz
France--Amiens Region
Netherlands
Netherlands--Breda
France--Le Havre
Atlantic Ocean--English Channel
Atlantic Ocean--Bay of Biscay
Germany--Frankfurt am Main
Germany--Essen
France--Calais
Netherlands--Vlissingen
Germany--Duisburg
Germany--Cologne
Germany--Düsseldorf
Germany--Bochum
Germany--Leuna
Germany--Ludwigshafen am Rhein
Germany--Ulm
Germany--Koblenz
Germany--Munich
Germany--Stuttgart
Germany--Heidelberg Region
Germany--Aglasterhausen
Germany--Ruhr (Region)
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1944-08-12
1944-08-14
1944-08-15
1944-08-16
1944-08-29
1944-08-31
1944-09-03
1944-09-08
1944-09-10
1944-09-12
1944-09-16
1944-09
1944-09-23
1944-08-05
1944-09-25
1944-10-13
1944-10-11
1944-10-14
1944-10-23
1944-10-25
1944-10-30
1944-10-31
1944-11-02
1944-11-04
1944-11-09
1944-12-06
1944-12-15
1944-12-17
1944-12-22
1945-01-07
1945-01-14
1945-01-22
1945-01-28
1974
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Peter Bradbury
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
153 Squadron
166 Squadron
aircrew
bombing
bombing of Luftwaffe night-fighter airfields (15 August 1944)
final resting place
flight engineer
Fw 190
Ju 88
Lancaster
Me 262
memorial
Normandy campaign (6 June – 21 August 1944)
RAF Kirmington
RAF Scampton
tactical support for Normandy troops
V-2
V-weapon
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1505/28862/BDaviesMDaviesJRv1.2.pdf
6cad25b6bc5e0195a54b8d2881caa3a4
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Davies, Leslie and Jack
Leslie Alfred Davies
L A Davies
John Richard Davies
J R Davies
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2016-04-28
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Davies, LA-JR
Description
An account of the resource
49 items. Collection concerns Leslie Alfred Davies (1922-1996, 1581024 Royal Air Force) and his brother John Richard Davies ( - 1944, 1580941). Leslie served as a Lancaster navigator on of 50 Squadron completing his tour of 30 operations in March 1945. John served a Lancaster bomb aimer on 166 Squadron He was killed in action 3 August 1944. Collection consists of Leslie's crew's individual logbooks and biographies, operational histories, photographs of people, aircraft and a grave, documents and correspondence. <br /><br />The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by Murray Davies and catalogued by Nigel Huckins. <br /><br />Additional information on John Richard Davies is available via the <a href="https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/105795/">IBCC Losses Database.</a>
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
John “Jack” Richard Davies
JACK – SOME THOUGHTS SO FAR (in the form of a draft account)
1). Jack died on active service with 166 Squadron of the royal air force [sic] on 3 August 1944. The enquiry is prompted by the long enduring family rumour that Jack survived the destruction of his aircraft, but was killed by a French person or persons for motives unknown.
2) Jack was a bomb aimer/front gunner in a Mk 1 Lancaster ME839, squadron recognition number AS-N. The reminding [sic] crew comprised..
Flying Officer Hubert Athelstane Lancelot Wagner (pilot)
Flying Officer William Samuel Richards (navigator, a Canadian)
Sergeant Sydney Witham (flight engineer)
Sergeant John Richard Davies (Jack) 1580941
Sergeant Henry Charles Joseph Buckler (wireless operator) 1600800
Sergeant Francis James Graham (mid-gunner) 1585636
Sergeant Lewis John Arthur (rear-gunner) 1584922
3) The pilot and flight engineer survived the loss of the aircraft, the remaining crew members losing their lives.
4) The remains of Jack, Flying Officer Richards, and Sergeants Buckler and Graham were interred in the communal Cemetery at Creil in Northern France, and those of Sergeant Arthur at Marissel French National Cemetary. [sic]
5) The crew took off from RAF Kirmington in North Lincolnshire during the afternoon of 3 August 1944 on a daylight raid on a V1 flying bomb site at Trossy St Maximin. St Maximine, [sic] as it now appears to be known, is about a mile to the south south [sic] west of Creil, which is itself some 30 miles to the north north [sic] east of Paris. The German forces had begun their flying bomb attack on southern England in June 1944.
6) The attack force comprised no less that 372 Lancasters, and 11 Mosquitoes, from a number of squadrons.
7) In the book “Bombing Hitler: One man’s war with Bomber Command” by T. I. Steel, it is stated that the anti-aircraft fire was “moderate but very accurate” ….. and Lancaster ME838 of 166 Squadron …. Was fatally hit at a position to the north of the target where it crashed”. This account of the demise of the aircraft is almost certainly in error, and is probably a case of aircraft mistaken identity.
8) Wagner, who after the war pursued a career as a doctor, described events thus..
“my bomb aimer (Jack of course) was instructing to “hold her steady skip” – it was a perfect lineup, [sic] a Lancaster on my starboard broke formation to avoid the accurate German Ack Ack (and) gained about 200 feet and eventually drifted right over us …. I told my engineer Sid to fix his parachute before going to the nose to throw out the radar jamming silver strips ….. We were loaded with seven pairs of 1000 lbs bombs. As we released our bombs I managed to glance up and counted four pairs of these sleek armour piercing bombs in front of our plane, one of the fifth set landed on our wing root tearing off the wing and both engines, another bomb hit us amidships and tore a hole through the fuselage from top to bottom. (We) went into a very fast spin and most of us were jammed in one way or another. I saw Sid in the nose but could not get myself free …. I saw the ground, trees etc and had given up all hope of getting out. Sid managed to free the hatch door and a tremendous blast of air seemed to steady the spin enough for my leg to break free, and I slithered down the stair way, bumping into Sid and shoot out of the gaping hatch.”
9) Wagner goes on to describe his descent to earth, injured and on a badly damaged parachute, and his subsequent capture. He also makes reference to his engineer evading capture.
10) Witham said in later years …
[page break]
“there were 7 to a crew and mine consisted of me, Hugh Wagg (Wagner) there were two gunners Lou and Buzz (Arthur and Graham presumably) and our navigator was a Canadian airman. I also forget the name of our bomb aimer but he was a little snooty to the rest of us. Lastly our wireless operator was Joe Butler (obviously Buckler). We were due to leave at 1:45 in the afternoon. This was unusual in itself as the Lancasters were night bombers. The raid should have been carried out by the Americans 5 group. When we got to France we manoeuvered [sic] our planes into a line to start bombing. I said to Hugh Wagg who was the pilot with me “look at this lot up here”. There where [sic] some of our our [sic] aircraft positioned above us and they should not have been there. Our bomb doors were open and the order was given to drop our bombs. The bomber above us dropped his bombs, one knocked our wing and engine off (and one hit a Lancaster flying alongside) ….. Wagg was in trouble, the Control column had jammed and we couldn’t move. Wagg was fast in and couldn’t get out so I went down to the bomb aimers compartment to open the escape hatch. A terrific wind came in and he shouted “I am free” and came running down the steps, he bailed out and I followed him to the ground ….. the other five crew members unfortunately did not make it.”
KEY POINTS AND CONCLUSIONS SO FAR
[symbol] Jack was lying prone in his bomb aimer’s position in the belly of the nose of the aircraft when it was hit by the falling bombs, they hit just as he was releasing his own bomb load
[symbol] In his prone position he was lying across the forward emergency parachute exit hatch
[symbol] The bomb aimer’s parachute stowage is immediately to the left of the escape hatch
[symbol] No reference is made to any incidental damage being sustained to the front of the aircraft during the bomb strike or at all.
[symbol] Both witnesses make reference to the blast of air when the escape hatch was opened. This provides support for the theory that at this time the bomb aimers compartment was undamaged. There is, therefore, a probability that at this time Jack was still alive.
[symbol] On the face of it Jack had the best chance of all the crew members to bail out of the doomed Lancaster.
[symbol] Neither witness makes any reference to him, and yet he could only have extracted himself from the forward position in the aircraft by bailing out, or by climbing the short steps up to the main cockpit area where the pilot and engineer were themselves located. There was no cogent reason why Jack should have gone back to the cockpit, but had he done so he would inevitably have been seen by the pilot and the engineer.
[symbol] Could he still have been in the forward position when Wagner and Witham bailed out and gone unnoticed by his two escaping crew-members? No, the space is tiny and this would be akin to not noticing someone occupying the same telephone box. Indeed his presence there would have been a major impediment to the pilot and the engineer getting out.
[page break]
[symbol] Could Jack have bailed out before the pilot and engineer and closed the hatch behind him? Had he opened the hatch there would have been a blast of air through it, but neither pilot nor engineer make reference to a blast of air until Witham himself had himself open [sic] the hatch. In any event Lancaster pilot Tim Dunlop of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight advises that upon the hatch being opened it comes away, thus Jack could not have bailed out and closed the door behind him, as it were.
[symbol] The only logical conclusion is that Jack bailed out of the aircraft after he or Witham
opened the hatch, and before Witham and Wagner themselves exited the aircraft. If Wagner
was still extricating himself from his pilots seat he would not have seen this happen, there being no line of sight between the pilot seat and the escape hatch.
[symbol] However Witham would have seen him leave the aircraft, yet makes no mention of him save in so far as he states that the other five crew members, one of whom was Jack of course, “did not make it”.
BEYOND WHAT HE SAYS AS TO EVENTS IN THE AIRCRAFT ARE THERE REASONS TO QUESTION THE RELIABILITY OF WITHAM’S ACCOUNT?
11) There are two very different versions of what befell Witham after he hit the ground. The first is to be found in an extract from the book “On the wings of war – A history of 166 Squadron” by Jim King. This account has Witham, on the end of his parachute, landing in a quarry. First he hid in a forest then began walking north east. He met a French girl, who brought her brother, and Witham was hidden overnight in a slit trench near their house. From there he was moved to a house in Chantilly where he stayed until 7 September when he contacted the Allies. He was airlifted back to the UK on the following day.
This account makes perfect sense. The Allied ground forces were advancing fast (Paris was liberated on 25 August 1944). He laid low until the front line safely rolled over him, as it were, and then he revealed himself to the Americans, and was duly repatriated. Jim Wright’s source is unknown, but is corroborated by Wagner (who presumably only learned of this following his own repatriation) who describes Witham as “being picked up by the advancing Americans.” Most of the information can only have come, ultimately, from Witham himself. I refer to it his first account.
12) The Second account is summarised thus. Witham comes to earth in a large forest to the north of Paris. He walks for four days without food, and on coming out of the forest sees a teenage girl mowing a field. He tries to make himself understood to the girl. She goes away and comes back with two men and two women, and he is taken to a house where he is given a change of clothing. The following day he has [sic] taken to Chantilly, first to one house, and then to another nearby. This is the home of Yvonne Fournier and he speaks of her fondly – “a lovely lady” …. “Yvonne looked after me very well”. He then tells how the French Resistance visited him, but does not say when, and told him he was being moved to Switzerland. However later the same day “another bloke who spoke perfect English “came to see him. Witham asks “what tribe are you from?”, to which he is told that a guide was going to take him across the Pyrenees to Spain, where he would meet a representative. He then makes what he describes as the long and arduous journey to Spain, and says that when they reached Salou (a Spanish coastal town to the south-west of Barcelona) “we got word that the war was over”.
[page break]
Thereafter he returns to Chantilly where he is picked up by “a yank” in a jeep. He asks the yank to take him to his Paris HQ. The yank telephones the airport and tells with him that he could not fly home that day because someone had sabotaged the landing lights at the airport. The yank then proceeds to take him to the Limoges and he is flown home from there.
There is some additional whimsical detail, which might be thought to add to the plausibility of the account.
13) There are problems with Witham’s second account of his adventures, beyond the fact that it is completely at variance with the first.
[symbol] He says he is taken to Yvonne Fournier’s house on 8th August. There she “looks after him very well”, suggesting a stay of more than one night. Rejecting that suggestion for the moment, the earliest date of the visit by the French Resistance was 9th August. The battle for Paris began on 19th August, and Paris was liberated on 25th. Beauvais to the north of Paris was liberated on 30th August. Chartres to the south-west of Paris was liberated on 18th August. What conceivable reason could the Resistance have on 9th August, (or later) for telling Witham that he was being moved to Switzerland, yet alone Spain, when liberation was imminent?
[symbol] Let us for the moment give him the benefit of the doubt, and accept at face value that he set off on the long and arduous journey to Spain. Perpignan, just north of the Spanish/French Mediterranean border was itself liberated on 19th August. Toulouse, to the north east of Perpignan, was liberated on 19/29th August. Between the two, Carcassonne was freed of German presence on 19th August. So the area of Southern France through which Witham would have to travel to get to Salou, where he learned the war was over (VE-Day was 8th May 1945) had been liberated only 11 days after Witham ARRIVED at Mme Fournier’s house in Chantilly. Indeed pretty well the whole of France was liberated by the end of the Summer of 1944, and yet all this goes unnoticed by Sid Witham as he tramps through France and across the Pyrenees, arriving in Salou some time after 8th May 1945.
Unnoticed also by the mysterious representative he was to link up with when he had crossed into Spain?
[symbol] What does Witham do when he learns the war is over? Does he contact the local consulate and arrange to be repatriated to England? No, he makes his way back to Chantilly, presumably on account of his fondness for Mme Fournier rather than a belief that she could help him get home. Does he stay with Mme Fournier? No, because along comes the yank in his Jeep and takes him to Paris. But he can’t fly home from Paris because someone has sabotaged the landing lights, so the yank drives him several hundred miles to the south west to Limoges and he flies home from there.
[symbol] Witham’s account of his escape is pure romance. This does not help us one iota as to what happened in the aircraft, but it does mean that we have to treat with significant caution what he says occurred in the air. We do need to ask why he should make up this tale. There appear to be three possibilities. First that these are the ramblings of a man whose memory had failed him. Second that he was a man retaining his mental capabilities, but who lied to aggrandise his role in the war – he would not be first or last to do so (but was omission of Jack from his account a deliberate omission, and if so why?). Third he had been required by higher authority to paint a false picture of events as part of a cover up of facts that were inconvenient or embarrassing to that higher authority (although had a higher authority played any part in devising the story one would have expected a story rather less susceptible to question).
[symbol] But Witham’s second account is corroborated by that of his wife Kathleen, at least as to the time when he returned home to Derbyshire. That corroboration cannot turn nonsense into
[page break]
sense, but what it can and does do is provide us with a fourth explanation as to why Witham should have concocted his second account. Attached to the second account is a photograph of Witham with Yvonne Fournier and a gentleman who may or may not be Mme Fournier’s husband. The photograph is said to have been taken in July 1944 but that is plainly wrong. Witham’s aircraft was not shot down until August 3, 1944. Was the photograph taken four days after he had tramped through a forest? The state of his uniform suggests not, but then Mme Fournier might have cleaned it for him. But he is wearing shoes, not flying boots. And would a French civilian in occupied France have been able to purchase film for a camera? And would that person then have run the risk of having to that photograph, complete with its English airman developed? And how chirpie, and well dressed, Mme Fournier and the gentleman look after four years living under the yoke of German occupation. This photograph may have been taken in July, but surely it was July 1945.
[symbol] Recall how, in the second account, Witham describes learning in northern Spain that the war was over. He then makes the long journey back from whence he came, namely Chantilly. Then he is picked up by our yank in the jeep, and after a night in Paris, and because the landing lights in Paris are sabotaged, the yank drives him to Limoges. We know this is nonsense, but a moment’s thought reveals the real reason why he should make up this story. The first account, the plausible account, has the newly-wed Witham (he and Kathleen had not so much as a single night together as husband and wife) staying in the home of Mme Fournier for a month, where the lovely lady looked after him very well. The only way to make sense of this yarn and it’s [sic] invention, is that the young airman had his head turned by Mme Fournier. He is repatriated to England on 8 September 1944 and no doubt returned to his home base at Kirmington to be debriefed. Lovesick for Mme he could not bring himself to return home to Derbyshire, but nor could he bring himself to contact his recent bride to tell her the marriage was over. So he stayed in Kirmington doing his duty, for the remainder of the war. After the war was over he went back to Chantilly to see if his passion for Mme Fournier might be rekindled. For whatever reason things did not work out, and he decided he had little option but to return to England, and to his wife in Derbyshire. But he needed a cover story to explain his absence for the previous 12 months, and hence the yarn of the long journey to Spain. The inclusion of the lightning visit to Chantilly in the yarn was to explain away the photograph, which is plainly he wished to keep, and did keep for there it is attached to his account of his adventures.
[symbol] So the second account was a cover story, but not a cover up in relation to what might have happened on the aeroplane, but a cover up as to his activities following his real repatriation in September 1944. There is no reason why a single word of Kathleen Witham’s story should be doubted. She believed her husbands quite enormous deception, and was obviously still believing it when she gave her an [sic] account of events in 2004.
[symbol] So what conclusions can be drawn from all this? It seems likely that Jack bailed out first, and that Witham saw him go. In the absence of any evidence of foul play on the ground, it seems likely that Jack lost his life in the air, either by striking the aircraft, or as a consequence of the gunfire that Wagner describes, or possibly as a consequence of bombs exploding beneath him as he descended on his parachute. Witham would have been debriefed upon his repatriation in September 1944. In the course of that debrief he would surely have been asked about the fate of the bomb aimer. We need to see Sgt Witham’s evasion report.
[page break]
Sent from my iPad
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
John "Jack" Richard Davies
Description
An account of the resource
Draft comments on last operation of John Davies. Died on active service with 166 Squadron. List crew of his Lancaster (pilot and flight engineer survived) and recounts operation to V1 site at Trossy St Maximin in which and other crew John were killed. Mentions that Jack's aircraft was hit by bombs of another aircraft and comments on his chances of survival as bomb aimer. Questions reliability of witness accounts Offers several other accounts of subsequent events. Suggests Jack was killed after he bailed out.
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Five page printed document
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Lincolnshire
France
France--Creil
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1944-08-03
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Personal research
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
BDaviesMDaviesJRv1
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Contributor
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Tricia Marshall
166 Squadron
air gunner
aircrew
anti-aircraft fire
bale out
bomb aimer
bomb struck
Bombing of Trossy St Maximin (3 August 1944)
evading
final resting place
killed in action
Lancaster
Lancaster Mk 1
Mosquito
Normandy campaign (6 June – 21 August 1944)
RAF Kirmington
Resistance
V-1
V-weapon
Window