Spondon can forever be proud of its heroes and the survivors of all
their battles fought in our behalf. The time is rapidly approaching
for Spondon to say au revoir to all its World War II surviving
servicemen and women from the Royal Navy, Royal Army and Royal Air
Force and the equally gallant members of the Merchant Navy and the
other supporting services.
They should not be allowed to just fade away without another Victory
Celebration and to also give honours once more to those who made the
ultimate sacrifice for their Village and for our own survival. Let
this page be the place where celebration ideas can be marshaled and
a listing made of all those comrades who would like to be part of
the remembrance festivities.
And let's not forget those other heroes who survived long years in
prisoner-of-war camps, and those who still may suffer long-lasting
trauma from the physical and mental wounds of violent combat in all
the theatres of war.
God bless them all.
This is a collection of stories about the individual names on the
Spondon War Memorial in the Village of Spondon, Derbyshire.
In 2003 I was walking by the Village Library and was particularly
interested in the RAF servicemen who were named on the memorial
plaque there. In 1941 as a teenager I served in the Spondon Air
Training Corps, and later in the RAFVR. I knew some of those men who
gave their lives for us, including my cousin F/ Sgt. Jack Coxon who
was previously known to me as missing, believed killed, in the Royal
Air Force fighting above Dunkirk during the evacuation. I later
discovered that Jack was the rear gunner on a Wellington bomber when
he was killed in a aircraft mid-air collision over Holland and was
buried in the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery in Germany
I thought that perhaps the British Legion or the RAF Association
would know their stories. And if so, that the stories should be on
file in the Spondon Community Library. I knew that the 60th VE-Day
anniversary would soon be with us, and this would be a worthy
tribute to those Spondon heroes. (see footnotes).
Close-up photos of the Spondon War Memorial were taken by Steve, the
Webmaster, of spondononline.co.uk and published on the site:
http://www.spondononline.co.uk/forumuploads/war_memorialcu2.jpg
I only had personal knowledge of Trevor Corden, Jack Craig, Jack
Coxon, Bill Harvey, Frank Holmes, Ernest Holyoake, and Ken
Pritchett, whose names appear on the Memoriam list.
Bill Harvey was a classmate of mine in SHCS in 1939 and a
fellow-member of the ATC before joining Bomber Command, RAF in 1943.
Frank Holmes was my next-door neighbour who joined the Royal Navy as
an apprentice at age 15 in 1940. He had survived covering the Crete
evacuation on the cruiser HMS Orion that was bombed and damaged,
then sailed to South Africa on the way to San Francisco for repairs
at the Mare Island Navy Yard. He was 18 when he was posted missing
when his minelayer-destroyer HMS Welshman was sunk during the Malta
convoy battles.
Ernest Holyoake was my cousin, he served in France with the Sherwood
Foresters in the B.E.F. and after evacuation from Dunkirk, his
Battalion was sent to Singapore. After the surrender to the Japanese
army, he became a p.o.w. and was sent to work on the infamous Death
Railway in Siam. While being transported back to Japan as the Allies
pushed forward, his prison ship was mistakenly torpedoed by a U.S
submarine and many hundreds of Derby and Notts. soldiers were
drowned. Some survivors of the disaster were taken on board the
submarine and came back to Spondon to report the grim news to my
uncle and aunt, that Ernest was not among them.
My cousin Jack Coxon, was a member of 103 Squadron, 74 Wing, (Bomber
Command) RAF, and was a rear gunner on a Fairey Battle light bomber.
This squadron was re-formed in August 1936, and equipped with Hawker
Hinds. During the Second World War the Squadron moved to France with
the Advanced Striking Force and made short-range day-and
night-bombing attacks with Battles (including attacks on the Meuse
bridges and the "invasion ports") and longer-range attacks with
Wellingtons.
On 14 May 1940, German forces broke through the French front at
Sedan. All the remaining RAF Battles and Blenheims were ordered to
attack pontoon bridges and troops in the area. Out of 71 aircraft,
39 were shot down - the highest loss in an operation of this size
ever sustained by the RAF. The next day, after a week of heavy
fighting, the Dutch Army finally capitulated at 11 am. By nightfall,
the RAF in France had lost 205 aircraft, including 86 two-seat
Fairey Battles. The rapid German advance now posed a threat to the
remaining RAF aircraft in Belgium. Evacuation of the remaining
squadrons was carried out over the next two days, and fighter
operations over the battlefield were carried out by Hurricanes and
Spitfires based in southern England.
On 3 Jun 1940, the last day of Operation Dynamo, saw the RAF carry
out 171 reconnaissance, 651 bombing and 2,739 fighter sorties.
During the previous nine days, the RAF had lost 177 aircraft,
including 106 fighters and the attrition was such that the
first-line strength of Fighter Command stood at 331 Hurricanes and
Spitfires with only 36 fighters in reserve. German aircraft then
carried out the first attacks against Paris. The fighting in France
cost the RAF a total of 1,029 aircraft and over 1,500 personnel.
103 Squadron then evacuated from Soulge, France, to No.1 Group,
Abingdon, Berkshire. On 16 Jun 1940 it moved to RAF Honington,
Suffolk, then to RAF Newton, Nottinghamshire, where it re-equipped
with Vickers Wellington bombers. By November, Squadron 103 was
stationed at RAF, Elsham Wolds, Lincolnshire. I later discovered
that F/ Sgt J H Coxon was the rear gunner on Wellington Bomber No
DV699, which took off from Elsham Wolds on 5 June 1942 at midnight
for a raid on the German city of Essen.
It was reported that the Wellington was on route to the target when
it suffered a mid-air collision with another Wellington and crashed
near Gelden, a small town in Germany on the River Niers and close to
the border with Holland. Four of the five crew members were killed
in the crash and were buried in Germany, while the pilot, F/Lt
Morison was captured by the Germans and became a prisoner of war.
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission reports F/Sgt John Harry
Coxon is buried in the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery in Germany,
five miles south of Kleve. His parents John and Ethel Coxon are
named as his parents. He was engaged to be married when he died.
Jack is memorialised on the Spondon War Memorial Plaque in Spondon
Village, within a hundred yards of his Dad's greengrocery shop where
he grew up.
More details of his fellow-servicemen who died are shown below in
alphabetical order.
Driver Frank Stephen Ashby, Regiment: Royal Army Service Corps
Son of Percy and Ethel Ashby, of Spondon; husband of Kathleen Ashby,
of Derby. Age: 27
Date of Death: 12/01/1947
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Spondon Cemetery, Grave 1129.
Sergeant Geoffrey Bowden, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Service No: 1528496 Rank: Sergeant (Air Gnr.) Unit: 78 Squadron.
R.A.F. Son of John George and Olive Bowden, of Kirk Leys Avenue,
Spondon. Age: 20
Date of Death: 14/07/1943
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Plot LL. Row 2. Grave 51.
Cemetery: Rotterdam (Crooswijk) General Cemetery
Sgt. Bowden was reported killed in action when his Halifax II from
78 Squadron took off from RAF Breighton on 13/14.07.43 on Ops. to
Aachen, and due to enemy action crashed in the vicinity of Cologne.
Flight Sgt. John Henry Coxon, Svc. No. 749430, was a member of 103
Squadron, 74 Wing, (Bomber Command) RAF. Son of John and Ethel Coxon
of Moor Street, Spondon. Age 26.
Date of death: 6th June 1942.
Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: Reichswald Forest
War Cemetery, Germany. Grave reference/panel no. 31. E. 2.
Sgt. John (Jack) William Craig, Flight Observer, Service No.743022,
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Served in 149 Sqdn. RAF. Son of
Thomas Roderick and Emma Craig, of Brockley, Spondon. Age when
killed: 20.
Date of Death: 12/07/1940
Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: Reichswald Forest
War Cemetery, Germany. Coll.grave 14. E. 6-11.
Artificer Electrical 5th Class, Kenneth Dennis Pritchett:
Royal Navy Service No: C/MX. 118018. Unit : H.M.S. Fencer. Son of
Edward and Lily Pritchett, of Kirk Leys Avenue, Spondon. Age 22.
Date of Death: 16/07/1947
Commonwealth War Dead:Buried in Spondon Cemetery. Grave/Memorial
Reference: Grave 868.
Sgt. William Mawrey Harvey, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Service No: 1582500 (Wireless Operator.) Only son of William Howard
Harvey and Ethel Mary Harvey, of Dale Road, Spondon. Age 19.
Date of Death: 04/05/1944
Attended Spondon House Central School, and served in 2069 Sqn. Air
Training Corps before joining Bomber Command, Royal Air Force in
1943. Stationed at RAF Blyton, HCU 1662, in Lincolnshire.
Died on active service, 4th MAY, 1944 in a flying accident, when HP
Halifax DB,316 suffered engine problems, and crashed at Kirton-in-Lindsey,
in Lincolnshire. RAF Squadron operational record is not presently
known.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead. Interred in Spondon Cemetery,
Stoney Lane. Grave/Memorial Ref.: Sec. E. Grave 214.
Trooper Oswald Edward Cope, 2nd. Royal Tank Regiment, R.A.C.
Service No: 7947253. Son of Lewis and Edith May Cope, of Spondon.
Age: 22
Date of Death: 08/09/1944
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead. Interred at Coriano Ridge War
Cemetery, Italy. Grave/Memorial Reference: VII, F, 3.
Sgt. Albert John Copping (Pilot). Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.
Service No: 1380366. Bomber Command, 3 Group, 99 Squadron, Son of
Horace James Copping and Emily Copping; husband of Doreen Florence
Copping, of Derby.Age: 26
Date of Death: 03/01/1942
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Interred in Hawkinge Cemetery.Plot O. Grave 53.
Warrant Officer Granville Trevor Cordon, Royal Air Force Volunteer
Reserve, Service No: 1581673, (Nav./W.Op.) 254 Sqdn. RAF. Son of
William Henry Eley Cordon and May Cordon, of Spondon; husband of
Evelyn Cordon (nee Richardson), of Spondon. Age: 22
Date of Death: 26/04/1946
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Spondon Cemetery, Sec. E. Grave 93.
Sergeant Donald Dunlop, Royal Armoured Corps, 1st Derbyshire
Yeomanry. Service No: 7889401. Son of Robert and Annie Dunlop, of
Chaddesden. Age: 25
Date of Death: 09/07/1941
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Spondon Cemetery, Sec. E. Grave 165.
Leading Aircraftman Douglas Watson Glass. (Pilot under training)
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Service No: 937554
Son of Thomas Macintosh Glass and Janet McPhail Glass, of Spondon.
Age: 23
Date of Death: 26/08/1940
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Interred at Montrose, (Sleepyhillock) Cemetery, Scotland
Grave/Memorial Reference: Sec. 7. Class C. Grave 92.
Trooper Arthur Sidney Hancocks, Royal Armoured Corps. 1st Derbyshire
Yeomanry. Service No: 7895449.
Son of Sydney Robert and Gertrude Hancocks, of Spondon. Age:22
Date of Death: 04/09/1941
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Spondon Cemetery. Grave/Memorial Reference: Sec. E. Grave 68.
Sgt. Norman Peter Hitchcock. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Service No: 1581832
Date of Death: 05/12/1944
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Runnymede Memorial Cemetery,Grave/Memorial Ref: Panel 231.
Flying Officer James Henry (Jim) Kingsbury. Royal Air Force
Volunteer Reserve. Service No: 158548. R.A.F. No.23 Sqdn. Son of Mr.
and Mrs. R. H. Kingsbury, of Borrowash. Age: 21
Date of Death: 11/04/1944
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Vias Communal Cemetery.Grave/Memorial Reference: Sec. D. Row 6.
Joint grave 1
Air Mechanic 2nd Class, John George Lawson, Royal Navy. Service No:
FX.737218. Unit : H.M.S. Gosling. Son of Joseph Henderson Lawson and
Florence Ellen Lawson, of Spondon. Age: 18
Date of Death: 02/06/1945
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Interred in Spondon Cemetery: Grave/Memorial Reference: Sec. E.
Grave 239.
HMS Gosling was a Fleet Air Arm Training Establishment at Risley,
near Warrington, Cheshire. Commissioned on 1st. July 1942, training
Air Fitters, Air Mechanics, Radio Mechanics and Royal Marine
Trainees of the Royal Naval Air Station Defence Force.
Aircraftman 1st Class, William Henry Martin, Service No: 852819
Royal Air Force (Aux. Air Force), Son of William Percival Frank and
Alice Mary Martin, of Derby; husband of Elizabeth Martin. Age: 41
Date of Death: 07/04/1943
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Spondon Cemetery Grave/Memorial Reference: Sec. E. Grave 167.
Sergeant Ernest McCarthy, East Yorkshire Regiment, Service No:
7889339, Age: 23
Date of Death: 17/01/1942
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Interred in Spondon Cemetery, Grave/Memorial Reference: Sec. E.
Grave 606.
Private Albert Arthur Osborne. Royal Army Ordnance Corps, Service
No: 7648058. Age: 27
Date of Death: 17/08/1943
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Thanbyuzayat War Cemetery: Grave/Memorial Reference: B3. W. 17.
Driver Francis Leonard Rawson, Royal Army Service Corps, Service
No:T/166768. Son of Horace L Rawson and Nellie Rawson;
husband of Lilian Clarissa Rawson, of Spondon. Age: 35
Date of Death: 04/08/1942
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Pietermaritzburg (Fort Napier) Cemetery Grave/Memorial Reference:
Row C. Grave 12.
Sapper Frederick William Francis Tennison, Royal Engineers
16 Bomb Disposal Coy. Service No: 1890829. Son of William John and
Margaret Ellen Tennison, of Spondon.
Date of Death: 26/04/1943
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Interred in Spondon Cemetery,Grave/Memorial Reference: Sec. E. Grave
189.
Private Peter Richard Thompson. Suffolk Regiment, 4th Bn.
Service No: 5834818. Son of Arthur and Julia Dorothy Thompson, of
Spondon, Derbyshire; husband of Muriel Henriette Thompson, of
Nuthall, Nottinghamshire. Age: 30
Date of Death: 21/09/1944
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead.
Memorial Cemetery Singapore Grave/Memorial Reference: Column 56.
Private William Arnold Thompson. Royal Army Ordnance Corps
1 Base Ordnance Depot. Service No: 7624821. Son of William Holloway
Thompson and Sarah Alice Thompson, of Spondon, Age: 27
Date of Death: 17/06/1940
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Dunkirk Memorial Cemetery,Grave/Memorial Reference: Column 146
Craftsman William Harold Turner, Service No: 5887273. Son of Joseph
Henry Turner, and of Florrie Turner, of Spondon. Age: 25
Date of Death: 20/06/1944
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Interred in Spondon Cemetery. Grave/Memorial Reference: Sec. E.
Grave 191
Pilot Officer Francis Richard Walker-Smith (Pilot), Royal Air Force
Volunteer Reserve, Service No: 741213, Unit: 85 Sqdn. RAF.
Son of Arthur and Frances Walker-Smith, husband of Dorothy
Walker-Smith, of Stanley Common, Derbyshire. Age: 24
Date of Death: 13/03/1941
Commonwealth War Dead. Saffron Walden Cemetery, Grave/Memorial
Reference: Compt. 40. Grave 10.
Also commemorated by a plaque in St. Werburgh's, parish church,
Spondon
Pilot Officer, Francis Richard Walker-Smith (Svc.No.64872) RAFVR,
started his flying training at RAF, Desford. Mobilised Sept.1st,
1939. Went to No.9 Flying Training School and awarded his Pilot
Flying Badge, 11-10-39 at Burnaston, Derby. Attended No. 5
Operational Training Unit, before posting to No.85 Sqdn at Lille-Seclin
in France with the B.E.F.
On June 3,1940, Sgt. Walker-Smith was promoted to Pilot/Officer. He
was Mentioned in Dispatches, London Gazette, 24/9/41, Medals:
1939/45, Star, With Battle Of Britain Clasp. Aircrew Europe Star,
War Medal. He had 3 1/2 combat victories.
18 June 1940, 1st, Operational Flight on Convoy Patrol, the 1st of
many. 85 Sqdn in action against an estimated 250 enemy aircraft,
Combat Report claims two Me 110’s destroyed. 26 Aug.1940, Combat
Report claims 1/2 a Dornier destroyed, shared with F/O Woods-Scawen.
28 Aug.1940, Combat Report claims 1 Me 109 destroyed.
On 29 Aug.the Sqdn was in action against estimated 300 Enemy
Aircraft. Frank was wounded in his right foot, and his Hurricane
badly damaged, but he escaped by Parachute. A brief mention of
Frances Walker-Smith in this combat is made in the book "Duel of
Eagles" by Group Captain Peter Townsend, his No.85 Fighter Squadron
commander in the Battle of Britain. (ref: ISBN: 0-7607-5415-2)
In February 1941, Frank completed a 2-week Twin Engine Conversion
Course, flying Bristol Blenheims. In the same month 85 Sqdn received
its first American Douglas Havoc night fighter. On March 13, 1941,
he went as passenger in a Havoc, to collect another Havoc and was
killed in an accident on take-off, and was buried in Saffron-Walden
Cemetery.
Able Seaman John Frank Waterfield. Royal Navy, H.M.S. Dunoon
Service No: C/SSX 21789.
Date of Death: 30/04/1940
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Memorial: Chatham Naval Memorial. Grave/Memorial Reference: 36, 2.
H.M.S. Dunoon was a Minesweeper of the Hunt class. Pennant No. J 52
It was built by the Clyde Shipbuilding Co. (Glasgow, Scotland) and
launched on 21 March, 1919. It was mined and lost on 30 April, 1940
while sweeping for mines off Yarmouth in position 52.45N, 02.23E.
Corporal Ernest Whysall. Somerset Light Infantry, 4th Battalion
Service No: 5676622. Son of Ernest and Agnes Whysall, of Spondon,
Age: 27
Date of Death: 29/06/1944
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Bayeux War Cemetery: Grave/Memorial Reference: III. G. 2.
Royal Navy
HMS Fencer was built in the U.S.A. at the Western Pipe & Steel, San
Francisco, being laid down on 5 September 1941, and launched April
1942. She was bought by the USN on 20 February 1943 as USS AVG-14
and commissioned in the Royal Navy on 20 February 1943 as a "Fighter
Carrier" from 1943. She also provided convoy escort in 1944, during
which time her aircraft of 842 Squadron sank the German submarines
U666 on 10 February 1944, U277 on 1 May 1944, U674 and U.959 on 2
May 1944. She also provided cover for Barracuda strike aircraft
during the Operation "Tungsten", attack on the German Battleship
Tirpitz in Norway on 3 April 1944.
Later she saw service with the British Pacific Fleet in 1945 as
escort for the Fleet Train. HMS Fencer was returned to the USN on 11
December 1946. It was scrapped in 1975.
1832 Squadron, Fleet Air Arm, Royal Navy, was formed at Eglington in
August 1943 as a fighter squadron with 10 Wildcat Vs, transferring
to Stretton to form fighter flights to join TBR squadrons on escort
carriers. In November 1943 the first fighter flights were formed for
842 Squadron on HMS Fencer. Battle Honours: Norway 1944, Atlantic
1944, Arctic 1944
The Sherwood Foresters.
Many of Spondon's heroes served in the Sherwood Foresters Regiment
in both World Wars. The Regimental History can be found on http://freespace.virgin.net/stephen.mee/index.htm
Many Foresters were in the BEF and were either captured at Dunkirk
in May 1940, or were evacuated. In June 1940 the 1st Battalion was
moved from Palestine to reinforce the Garrison of Cyprus, where they
suffered their first war casualties in an air raid. Early in 1942
the Battalion was moved to Egypt, converted to a motorised role, and
joined the Desert Army.
The 1/5th Battalion after a year in England sailed for the Far East
and arrived in Singapore on 29th January 1942 just prior to its
capture by the Japanese. As a result of those early defeats, many
Foresters spent long years in captivity. Those of the 1/5th
Battalion suffered particularly badly at the hands of the Japanese
while working on the now notorious Burma-Siam Railway. 450 officers
and men of this Battalion died in captivity.
In January 1943 the 2/5th Battalion, by now renamed the 5th
Battalion, joined the 1st British Army in Tunisia and was followed
shortly by the 2nd Battalion. The Battalions took part in severe and
difficult fighting, in particular at Sedjenane and the Medjez Plain,
and suffered many casualties before the remnants of the German
Armies capitulated at Cap Bon.
The 5th Battalion were next in action in Italy at the assault
landing at Salerno in September 1943. They suffered heavy casualties
there and later in the difficult and fiercely resisted fighting
advance up to the Cassino area.
The 2nd Battalion took part in the assault landing at Anzio in
January 1944, where they were joined later by the 14th Battalion and
took part in what was probably the toughest fighting of the whole
War. After the fall of Rome the 2nd, 5th and 14th Battalions
continued the difficult fight up the length of Italy, adding a
further eleven battle honours to the seven earned in North Africa.
In December 1944 the 5th Battalion was dispatched to Greece to help
to quell the Civil War, which had started there after the German
withdrawal. Meanwhile the 14th Battalion had been disbanded and many
of its officers and men were posted to the 2nd and 5th Battalions.
At the end of the War the 2nd Battalion was in Palestine and the 5th
back in Italy from where they moved into Austria with the liberation
armies.
Spondon can forever be proud of its Forester heroes and the
survivors of all its battles in our behalf.
Royal Air Force
Those folk in Spondon who may have been too young to remember World
War 2 and the sacrifices of our RAF heroes should log on to this
site:
Some of the squadrons in which our Spondon heroes served are
described here:
RAF Squadron History:
No. 23 Squadron, Fighter Command RAF, reformed at Henlow on 1 July
1925. It wasn't until late 1938 that the squadron received its first
monoplanes in the form of Bristol Blenheims, and these were used as
night-fighters in the early days of World War II whilst based at
Wittering. In 1941, Douglas Havocs replaced the Blenheims, and these
were used with great success in the intruder role, until themselves
replaced by the Mosquito in mid-1942. At the end of the year, the
squadron moved to Malta in support of allied operations in the
Mediterranean before returning to the UK in 1944.
No. 78 Squadron, Group 4, Bomber Command, RAF, was based at
Middleton St. George, County Durham. It arrived July 4, 1941. Moved
to RAF Croft, Yorkshire, October 20, 1941. Equipped with Handley
Page Halifax II, March 1942. Moved to RAF Breighton, Yorkshire on
June 16, 1943
No. 85 Squadron. Group 11, Fighter Command, RAF was formed at
Upavon, Wiltshire, on 1 August 1917 and after a period of training
moved to France in May 1918. On 1 June 1938, A Flight of No. 87
Squadron was renumbered at Debden as 85 Squadron and flew Gloster
Gladiators until re-equipped with Hawker Hurricanes in September
1938. On the outbreak of war, the squadron moved to France as part
of the Air Component of the BEF. When the German invasion came in
May 1940, it gave fighter cover to the Allied armies until its bases
were overrun and the four remaining aircraft retired to the UK. It
re-equipped and resumed operations early in June.
After taking part in the first half of the Battle of Britain over
southern England, the squadron moved to Yorkshire in September and
in October began night fighter patrols. In November it returned
south to fly night patrols but the Hurricanes lack of radar gave
little chance of success. In January 1941, it began to receive
2-seater Defiants but these were soon replaced by Havocs, although
the Hurricanes continued to be flown until July.
No. 99 Squadron, Bomber Command, RAF reformed at Netheravon on 1
April 1924, with Vickers Vimys, moving two months later to Bircham
Newton. The Squadron converted to Vickers Wellingtons in October
1938. Leaflet-dropping flights were made over Germany from September
1939 and bombing raids began with the German invasion of Norway in
April 1940. The Squadron was based at Waterbeach, Cambridgeshire in
March 1941, and re-equipped with Wellington II's. These bombing
raids continued until 14 January 1942, when the Squadron ceased
operations in the UK and left for India.
No. 103 Squadron, Bomber Command, RAF, was re-formed in August 1936,
and equipped with Hawker Hinds. During the Second World War the
Squadron moved to France with the Advanced Striking Force and made
short-range day-and night-bombing attacks with Battles (including
attacks on the Meuse bridges and the "invasion ports") and
longer-range attacks with Wellingtons. 103 Squadron then evacuated
from Soulge, France, to No.1 Group, Abingdon, Berkshire. On 16 Jun
1940 it moved to RAF Honington, Suffolk, then to RAF Newton,
Nottinghamshire, where it re-equipped with Vickers Wellington
bombers. By November, Squadron 103 was stationed at RAF, Elsham
Wolds, Lincolnshire.
No. 149 Squadron, Bomber Command, R.A.F., was reformed from 'B' Flt
No.99 Squadron at Mildenhall, Suffolk on 12th April 1937. Between
6th Sep - 5th October 1939, the Squadron was temporarily dispersed
to Netheravon, Wiltshire, and aircraft changed to Vickers Wellington
I, IC and II. In March 1940, 149 Squadron was on detachment to
Salon, France. It was when the German offensive in the Low Countries
began in May 1940 that the squadron began the bombing offensive
against Germany. The Vickers Wellington was soon found to be the
best of the British bombers. Fifty of No.149 and the other No.3
Group squadrons were busily involved, at first in tactical bombing
to try to halt the German advance on the British troops evacuating
from Dunkirk, On July 3 1940, for the first time, the targets
attacked by Bomber Command during this day included the invasion
barges being massed for a possible invasion of Britain. F/Sgt Jack
Craig served in 149 Squadron as noted earlier. But the squadron was
really meant for strategic bombing and it was in this task,
principally against the Ruhr, on which No.149 concentrated during
the winter of 1940-1, when Jack was killed.