Bomber commands air offensive against the cities of nazi germany was one of the most epic campaigns of world war ii. Raf bomber command controlled the rafs bomber force from 19361968. John harrisons navigators, air gunners and air bombers flying log book lharrisonjc1590954v1. This work, in hastingss characteristic prose, profiles the harrowing experiences of bomber commands aircrew from 193945, the entire length of the air war of europe. Atherton, raf thorney island, digosville, france 107 squadron blenheim iv n6188 po. The website for 514 squadron, royal air force, a 3 group bomber command heavy bomber squadron in world war two 194345. Royal air force operations record books 19111963 the national. The author, the crews rear gunner describes with some degree of realism the fears and dangerous encountered by a bomber command crew. The history of the royal air force 214 fms squadron during ww2 and the role it had during the war. Several 514 squadron aircraft reported severe to extreme icing forcing 9 aircraft to return. On 4 november 1946, 214 reformed at upwood as part of post war bomber command, later reequipping with lincolns in february 1950. This level of returns was unprecedented for 514 sqn, which is a reflection of how hazardous the icing was. Bomber command books from mention the war publications. Based at raf waterbeach, flying lancaster bombers over occupied europe.
Raf bomber command during the second world war imperial war. Amongst them are three classics, miles tripps eight passanger is recognised as one of the great books on bomber command aircrew. Prompted by your remarks ive checked ll670 in the lancaster book by bruce robertson and it shows this aircraft was wrecked in an accident in january. Bomber command books is a community site from mention the war publications, a specialist in publishing and selling.
A simple thing on 15 april 20, in an emotional ceremony at the canada aviation and space museum, the government of canada unveiled an enlarged image of a small piece o f silvery metal not much bigger than one half centimetre by three centimetres the royal canadian air forces bomber command clasp. Sep 23, 20 bomber command s air offensive against the cities of nazi germany was one of the most epic campaigns of world war ii. Bomber command books from mention the war publications home. Books can be reserved, please see covid19 message on home page for details. Raf bomber command during the second world war imperial. Navigators, air bombers and air gunners flying log book for a g gould, flight engineer, covering the period. In 1946 no 101 squadron moved to raf binbrook and flew the avro lincoln until 1951 when it became the first raf unit to equip. It received a major slice of britains economic and technological resources, and many of its brightest and best. Tragedy at raf downham market the last remaining dispersal point and remaining piece of run way dugup.
The squadron was to fly on more raids than any other raf bomber command unit but paid a heavy price, losing 1176 aircrew killed in action. He was stationed at raaf narrandera, raaf point cook, raf clyffe pypard, raf. Oct 16, 2008 the book carries on in the same vein as their previous two books on bomber command those being 5 group bomber command and 6 group bomber command, and i eagerly look forward to seeing 4 group bomber command appear in the near future. Over the course of the war, it developed from a limited and relatively ineffective force into a weapon of immense destructive power. A book written by a relative could never be regarded as a memoir. Buy bomber command pan military classics main market by hastings, max isbn. More than 56,000 british and commonwealth aircrew and 600,000 germans died in the course of the rafs attempt to win the war by bombing.
The bomber command of 39 was no where like the bomber command of 45. Inaction by the raf downham market memorial appeal please note, 214fms 218 gold coast and 623 squadron have no connection or dealings with this appeal. The majority of the bombs dropped landed in the southeastern suburbs. From amongst the rash of new lancaster squadrons forming in the autumn of 1944, no. Discussion in honor, service and valor started by e. Ernest gledhill, a wireless operator with 514 squadron experiences in bomber command part 1 personal account experiences in bomber command part 2 personal account the wwii diary of lancaster pilot bruce johnston my fathers website sgt don bruce 115 squadron raf ernest gledhill, a wireless operator with 514 squadron miscellaneous. During the second world war, it destroyed many german cities and several of nazi germanys industries. In the 1960s, it became even more powerful because it had v bombers and canberras.
Upon publication, bomber command, winner of the somerset maugham prize, attracted controversy but today is widely considered a classic account of one of the longest and bloodiest campaigns of world war ii. Bomber command books from mention the war publications, merthyr tydfil. Lancaster bomber, the spitfires, world war two, nonfiction, good books, leo. Listed below are a number of biographies and autobiographies of airman who at one time operated and served with no.
Raf 514 squadron waterbeach raf 514 squadron waterbeach author. No 101 squadron reequipped with bristol blenheim monoplane bombers in june 1938 and moved to raf west raynham in may 1939, joining no 2 group, bomber command. Formed on 1st september 1943 as part of the expansion of bomber commands no. Record group 18 190364 bulk 191747 overview of records locations table of contents 18. John topham served 143 days on active service with 514 squadron during. Don charlwoods and miles tripps books caused sensations when they were first published, giving a personal and very direct view of what life was like in bomber command at different times in the war.
V1 ski sites were a main target in the second half of the year, and 72 were found by the end of november 1943. Ww2 bomber command rcaf navigator on lancasters and wellingtons. My ultimate desire when reading is to bury myself in a memoir. For the vast majority of its war, 514 squadron was stationed at raf waterbeach, cambridgeshire, operating lancaster bombers. After a short period of operations from raf foulsham, the squadron transferred to its permanent home at raf waterbeach, cambridgeshire, in december 1943, some aircraft travelling from the old base to the new via a raid on berlin. Second world war the second world war a day by day account war over holland books d c t bennett pathfinder goodall publications 195888 w. Bomber command aviation books bomber command flyingbooks. May 02, 2014 formed on 1st september 1943 as part of the expansion of bomber commands no. The following is reproduced from the 101 squadron history with the kind permission of raf brize norton the 101 squadron raf website has lots more information about the squadron and a searchable crew database world war 2.
During world war 2 12 squadron suffered the second highest percentage losses in bomber command. List of pages relating to 19391945 aircrew remembered site. A cloud pierced by a sword the design indicates the function of the squadron, i. The aim of this site is simple, to perpetuate the memory of a generation of young men drawn from every part of britain its commonwealth and the dominions who served with no. Airfields, operating dates and aircraft types for no. Dec 16, 2014 don charlwoods and miles tripps books caused sensations when they were first published, giving a personal and very direct view of what life was like in bomber command at different times in the war. Set out in months the pages record the operations flown and losses suffered by the squadron between august and december 1943. During 1943 the squadron focuses its efforts on northern france and bomber command targets in germany. Formerly an groundsupport squadron equipped with typhoons, no. It flew 5,160 sorties and 1,129 men lost their lives in 188 aircraft. The men of bomber command are appointed to fulfill a special mission.
The squadron was formed at foulsham on 1 september 1943, and flew its first operation with no. They definitely grew as an organization through the war. The site contains many historical documents, biographys, pictures of the aircraft and veterans. The squadron was also used to photograph bomber command targets, both before and after raids. Raf bomber command was created in 1936 and comprised the rafs light and heavy bomber squadrons. These are royal air force raf operations record books orbs, though the oldest books predate. This is closely followed by bill jacksons three stripes and four brownings and dickie austins high adventure. A typical description of a bomber crew at the time was provided by an air ministry publication entitled bomber command, which was issued by the ministry of aviation in 1941. Im intrigued as the markings have come from the xtradecal sheet x72176 which states that ll670 was with 514 squadron in july 1944 at waterbeach. Yates book came out somewhat later, but was, and is, remarkable for a first book written at the age of 77. Jan 01, 1979 bomber commands air offensive against the cities of nazi germany was one of the most epic campaigns of world war ii. From the 514 squadron operational record book orbs. List of pages relating to 1944 aircrew remembered site.
Lancaster bale out is a quality bomber command book written by the second cousin of a 106 squadron raf wopag. A crew of raf 514 squadron in front of their avro lancaster bomber ww2 aircraft. He shows how the organization, bomber command went through trials and tribulations as they came to grips with the realities of the war. Prompted by your remarks ive checked ll670 in the lancaster book by bruce robertson and it shows this aircraft was wrecked in an accident in january 1943 whilst with 1668cu.
My parents both served at 514 squadron and i have a huge database of names and addresses as well as the operational records for 1943 and 1944, so if you would like to contact me with regards to anyone who served there, i would love to hear from you. Later the same day, 614 squadron, a liberator unit at amendola italy, was renumbered 214 squadron and moved to palestine in august where it converted to lancasters before being renumbered 37 squadron on 15 april 1946. Records of the army air forces aaf national archives. Chorley, bomber command losses of the second world war, volume 1, 193940, midland counties publications, isbn 0 904597 85 7. Murphy, raf wattisham, england, wilhelmshaven harbour, germany 23. The 101 squadron raf website has lots more information about the squadron and a searchable crew database.
It flew from a number of different bases, hitting enemy convoys and shipyards. The book carries on in the same vein as their previous two books on bomber command those being 5 group bomber command and 6 group bomber command, and i eagerly look forward to seeing 4 group bomber command appear in the near future. The squadron had stumbled in its journey, but it was just a stumble, as 100 torpedo bomber squadron metamorphosed into 100 bomber squadron in bomber command back in england at the end of 1942. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.
The site also covers the airbases of stradishall and feltwell and details the aircraft they flew such as the wellington flying fortress and stirling. On the 15th december 1942, 100 squadron reemerged at raf station waltham, close to grimsby, in lincolnshire, equipped with lancaster mkiii aircraft. World war two air warfare luftwaffe, raf, usaaf, bombing. Report this image 78 squadron taken by nobody aka ian s 04 aug 2017. Other documents record that the squadron also trained using martinsydes and a number of pilots are described as flying officers for martinsydes. The squadron reformed again at raf waddington on 1 august 1962 equipped with the avro vulcan v bomber, using ex617 squadron aircraft made surplus after 617 squadron reequipped with vulcan b. The friends of the canadian war museum 415 swordfish squadron rcaf no. The history of 514 squadron raf 514 squadron served in the rafs no. V1 ski sites were a main target in the second half of. Morganowen, raf waterbeach, north sea off netherlands 92nd bomb group, 407th bomb squadron, b17g 4231860 pyl, 2nd lt.