"AD LIB"
(The "Chota Coggage" for Survivors)
No.160 Squadron, Royal Air Force
Issue No.29 Summer
2004
LifePresident: F.W.(Bill)Cooper,37
Oakdene,Lansdowne Road, Cheltenham, Glos. GL51 6PX: Tel: 01242 255119 Email:
cooperbill@freeuk.com
Reunion Organiser
& Vice President: E.H.(Ted) Daines, 45 Randolf Road, Norwich, NR1 2RU. Tel:
01603 660514. Email: ted@160squadron.freeserve.co.uk
Editor: Les
Crawley, 10 Cleasby Gardens, Low Fell, Gateshead, NE9 5HL Tel:
01914 878734 Email: lescrawley@lineone.net
INSIDE
THIS ISSUE:
1. S S O’s, D R O ‘s and
Contacts
2. More Contacts and News
3.
Feedback & Now it can be told
4. A Japanese calling card and the sad tale of
EV 819
5. “HEROES RETURN” The details and Application
Form
S S O’s
and D R O’s
“HEROES RETURN”: Word
has probably already got to you but just to confirm - they DO want us to go
back to Sri Lanka but voluntarily this
time. What is more we can take our
wives and, where necessary, a carer AND widows can also make the trip. A pro forma application submitted to the New
Opportunities Fund has been approved for a group from 160 Squadron to be
funded. It cannot be stressed too
strongly that this will need your urgent consideration and action if you wish
to make this nostalgic journey. SEE THE
SPECIAL PAGE WITH THIS ISSUE AND P L E A S E – REPLY IMMEDIATELY.
Reunion 2004: Just to remind
you that to be sure of one of our reserved places you must book this month
a.s.a,p. Don’t leave it till the last minute!! (No one will be turned away). Dates 10th
11th and 12th September – Falcon Hotel, Tel: 0870
6096122.
Annual Subs: Seems to come round quicker every year. Yes –
they are due on 1st September and for the umpteenth year there is no
increase. Is there a better bargain
anywhere?
BOOKS: RDFI – Michael Bragg: For you Radar Buffs: This is described as a well researched book
as to historical and technical data and will be of very special interest to all
who were involved in Radar in one form or another: Hawkshead Publishing,
Paisley: Tel: 0141 889 4531. £20.00 post free.
“Jane: A Pin-Up at War”: A name to make you think –
probably she helped to keep us all sane. Anyway this book has a good write up –
a bit risqué in places. Pen & Sword Books, Barnsley: Tel 01226 734222: Not cheap - £19.95 hardback.
“FLYPAST” Magazine, March 2004: Robert Quirk advises that
this issue has a photo of a P38 at Lichfield and includes, in the background,
photos of 160 Liberators KL 500,561, and 570.
OBITUARIES.
Sad to have to report the death of Jack Fudge who, many will remember, attended
our reunion a few years ago with wife Lorraine (making a special journey from
Canada). As Editor I have been particularly grateful to Jack for his regular
contributions to AD LIB and our frequent exchange of emails
Another regular to reunions was Mrs Hardcastle who died recently and we
have also learned of the deaths of Ewfie Cook (previously wrongly reported in
Issue 28 – an error much regretted) and F/O Rogerson of 160 Defence Flight at
Salbani.
We send our heartfelt
sympathies to all their families and friends
MAKING CONTACT:
News, old colleagues and HELP.
Ken Delve: Ken is our
liaison contact for the Heroes Return Programme and aside from this he is an
historian and author (ex Navigator RAF 1975-1994). He is seeking anecdotes, stories and material connected with war service. Any unit songs would be welcome as would
copies of photographic or documentary material. He can copy this and return
originals or pass them on to the educational side of Heroes Return which is
running an educational programme, connected to the scheme. This will present a
unique opportunity for young people to learn from our memories and experiences
within the ‘Veterans Reunited’ programme, called ‘Their past, Your
future’. This could be a good
opportunity to have copies (or originals) of your treasured souvenirs to end up
in a permanent ‘on the record’ home.
Ken can be contacted at 46 Watton Road, Swaffham, Norfolk PE37 8HF:
Tel:07795 160451 or email at : ken.delve@avedservices.com.
Loss of “S” 15.1.43: Capt. F/Lt
Peter Price KIA: Mr Richard Dolman writes that Peter Price was a pal of his
father’s (and Richard’s Godfather) and he is hoping someone from 160 may
remember Peter and can give him any information including any relevant photos
of the Middle East period. From the
records we have on Robert Quirk’s website we have been able to provide some
information but we are not hopeful about photos as we have previously dealt
with at least three other enquiries about “S” with no feedback. Richard writes
that his father and F/Lt Price were trained in Hotel and Catering Management by
‘Lyons’ of London, playing rugby for them in the ‘30s. In a letter dated 26.9.1939 to his father
who was at that time in Trinidad, Peter Price writes:
“I see your letter is dated 17.8.39.
Well that’s over a month ago and in that time one or two things have
happened. No doubt you have heard that there is a war going on over here and
the Lad is now dashing about in the air to the betterment of his health and the
detriment of various old ladies, flocks of starlings and eventually, we hope,
the Hun. I am not allowed to say where
I am but letters to the home address will always get to me. Imelda is staying there no to look after her
mother and father and we have let our home in Hampton. (Cont’d)
Although we are at war things seem very quiet and apart from
sandbags all over the place and the black out at night everything goes on as
usual. It seems a quiet sort of war but I expect things will begin to wake up
soon and the boys are all ready to get cracking. Jack Marsh is in the Fleet Air
Arm, Brookes in the Army, Woodhouse in the Fire Service. My brother Geoff is an ordinary seaman in a
destroyer and Weenie is a nurse.
Probably by the time you get this things will be under way
and cracking. There is very little flag
waving or singing of patriotic songs.
Every one feels that we had better fix this thing up and go back to work. I hope you will not do anything daft like
joining up. You will be much better off
where you are….. I’m pleased the lad (Richard Dolman) is well”. (Richard Dolman)
(See photograph
in this issue - Editor)
Laurie Nolan: Through
his son, Greg, we have contact with Laurie Nolan who joined the squadron as a
F/O (RAAF) in December 1944 and by the long arm of coincidence was a very good
friend of Joe Cohen’s being a neighbour of Joe’s in Melbourne. Laurie was No.2 to F/Lt Trotter and readers
of AD LIB will know that Robert Livingstone, an earlier member of the Trotter
Crew, has also recently been in touch through his son. (AD LIB No 26). The
contact was made through Robert Quirk’s web pages for 160.
J E J
Waterhouse:DFM: Son Neil Waterhouse asks if anyone remembers
his late father who served as an Air Gunner with 160 before training as a pilot
and flying with 619 and other Lancaster squadrons.
He flew in the same crew as our 160 members, C H Watford and
A Gregson on operations in the Middle East.
Contact was from Robert Quirk, again, from the web site www.worldwar2exraf.co.uk
– this is worth a look at and may help anyone trying to make contact with old
RAF pals. Neil’s email address is neiljw@blueyonder.co.uk.
A E (Eric)
Tyrell: Eric served with 160 and his son asks if anyone remembers
him. From photos he must have been at Minneriya and KKS at the time when the
powers that be posted ground crews to 7160 Service Echelon (they did reverse
this later) and he was obviously a keen sportsman as included are photos of
sports events, one of which shows Lady Mountbatten presenting prizes. Included is a photo of some of the crew of
“G”. I have the photos from Jamie
Tyrell on the CD he sent me. Anyone remember Eric and have any information on
his time with the squadron?
W/O.Kenneth
Joseph Lock: I
have been contacted by the son, Geoffrey, who was fairly sure that his father
must have served with 160 as his memoirs include a reference to John Stacey’s
record breaking mine laying operation to Singapore. Unfortunately, so far, the crew records do not show Kenneth Lock
as being with 160 and I wonder if the connection is with 200 Sqdn which did
deliver mines to 160 as well as carrying out supply and agent dropping
alongside 160. Does anyone know of Kenneth Lock or if there is anyone out there
who has any history of 200 Sqdn?
Kenneth may also have served with No 8 Sqdn when they took over 200.
Tokens: Sri
Lankan Mr Kavan Ratnatunga has advised that he found some tokens in Galle, Sri
Lanka, and seeks help in identifying them.
He believes they are from WW11 and has written up on them on the web
site http:/lakdiva.org/coins/token/amusement.html. They mayhave been for
British use and possibly for amusement machines. Does anyone have any information? (I now know that Exonumia is the technical term for collecting a wide
field of coin-like objects which are not strictly currency -
Editor).
159 Squadron: Does
anyone have any knowledge of what may have happened to the 159 Sqdn Association
or know who can be contacted for information.
Mr Mark Hood is trying to find out what he can about S/Ldr Byron Francis
Burbridge who he believes was a pilot with 159
in 1944 and the connection is that Sgt Observer Claude L G Hood
(grandfather) flew with him on 77 Sqdn in Whitleys in July 1940. As it happens ORB’s for 159 show that S/Ldr
Burbridge was promoted to Wing/Co and C O of 159 in January, 1945 before being
posted to Kolar, India, in April,1945.
Mark also advises that Wing Co. Burbridge has died and is buried at New
Brunswick, Canada. So far as we know,
when Stan Sampson passed away, no one else took over his role of running the
159 Sqdn Association but does anyone know otherwise?
Ernie Huntley:
Since taking over as editor of AD LIB I have had many emotional requests for
help and information but this one is extra special and has really brought a
lump in my throat. It is clearly a
heartfelt plea and is so moving I am printing the text in full.
Ernie writes:
“For many years I have tried to find out more about the
‘Sausage Link’, its composition and where I might find some. Letters to many of the ‘recipe sites’ and
‘Master Chefs’ have all been unsuccessful, most replying they had never heard
of such a thing. Then I saw your entry
160 Squadron Newsletter No 25 and lo and behold you mention the Soya Sausage.
I was in North Africa, Support Group (7th Motor
Bde) of the 7th Armoured Divisional Signals, prior to and throughout
the fighting there as I was a Regular Soldier.
I was among the few who rather took to these ‘Links’ and made great use
of them whenever I had the opportunity, for we were at the time on vehicle (or
detachment) cooking, in other words we looked after our own meals.
As I have mentioned I have searched since then to find out
what they were made of: I’d surely like to have a few here now. I am 85 by the way, hence my reference to
the Support Group. Do you have any way
you can find out and let me know just how they were made?
Sincerely and Forever Aye, one of the original Desert Rats
(Jerboa); Ernie Huntley” (Canada)
Such is my
concern that an 85 year old has this trauma and need of support that I have
sent an email to try to reassure him that we of 160 Squadron, will really pull
out the stops.. I
have told him:-
”Ernie,
Just to let you know that your heartfelt plea has been taken
on board and I have instituted an intensive programme of research into
finding the answer. It will be far reaching.
My personal opinion is that the main ingredient was chewed
up cardboard (preferably by camel) with just a hint of OXO flavouring but we
may find there were other variations. Hang
in there - we are going to try our best.
Cheers, Les
Crawley”
I defy anyone to
deny that this does bring a lump in their throat – or am I confusing the feeling
with regurgitating? One cannot imagine just how desperate he must be feeling.
Even if we do not find the answer, he now knows that his call has not gone
unheeded and though he already mentions he has his Support Group he can also rely
on the support 160 will give him (as long as he wears it at all times). Editor.
FEEDBACK;
Jim Jackson
writes to Robert Quirk:
“Squadron records”
Robert, if you are responsible for translating those
operational records into the readable form shown on your website you are to be
most enthusiastically congratulated. A great job!
However it's interesting how history, at least in the small
details, gets confused. I may have told you some time ago that Gwynne-Timothy's
great two-volume "Burma Liberators" records that on one of my minelaying
adventures, on 21 March 45, all the mines dropped together because the release
mechanism failed. In fact the mechanism refused to release the mines, period,
and we had to make several runs over the datum, with Bert Crumbie, our flight
engineer, releasing one on each run with a screwdriver.
Now I see that those newly accessible operational records
have me as being intercepted by a Japanese fighter on 24 May 44 AFTER we had
discovered that airfield at Troemon on Sumatra, and escaping from it in cloud.
In fact we were approaching Sumatra, very early in the morning and still miles
outside what we were told was fighter range, when this Japanese aircraft
appeared ahead of us. Most of the crew were still asleep and Athol Beck, our
rear gunner was asleep on the flight deck. Afterwards he remembered hearing the
alarm, and being in the rear turret, but nothing of waking and streaking through
the bomb bay encumbered by Mae West and parachute harness.
There was a lot of cloud around, and actually the Japanese
pilot went into the cloud before we did. We went into the same cloud behind
him, and I guess we should have claimed we were pursuing him, but the truth was
that it seemed the best way to prevent him circling round on us. We saw nothing
more of him, but the possibility he'd given warning of our approach gave the climb
to altitude an excitement only exceeded when we found ourselves right over an
airfield no one had told us about.
Cheers, Jim.
AIRFLOW: Many
thanks to our President Bill Cooper for sending me, on loan, six copies of
‘Airflow’ in bound form. We have one
item in this AD LIB and I will use more material for future issues.
Henry Deeny: We have a letter from Mr David Clarke on behalf of his
family thanking us (and Hank Illingworth especially re Ad Lib No.28) for the
information we were able to give the family concerning the loss of “M” on 22nd September 1943. They have recently come across the telegram
notifying the family of his death and some photographs enabling us to include
Henry’s photo in this issue.
The photograph actually shows Henry undergoing training at Cherhill,
Wiltshire, and includes a group of other aircrew - will try to follow up
whether any of them also came to 160 though it does seem unlikely. Does anyone know anything about
Cherhill? It is not included in the
airfield lists I have seen.
David, in sending his best wishes, says he looks forward to reading
future Ad Libs and hopes we will be able to continue with them for some time in
the future.
F/Lt
Peter Price and F/Sgt Henry Deeny
NOW IT CAN BE
TOLD:
Les Jewitt
writes
For
the last few months I have been in touch with Trevor Stokes a former member of 160
Squadron, with whom I was a member of the water polo team at Quetta. Trevor sent me a few photos which brought
back many happy memories and I am very grateful to him for this. He also informed me that on board the 'Cuba'
he had a daily job for the length of the voyage, for which he was paid! Better to be born lucky than rich! Incidentally, I remember as the 'Cuba' was
entering Durban harbour, there was a rush of bods to the side of the ship on
which the lady was singing us in, that the ship started to keel over and N/CO’s had to move a lot of bods very quickly over
to the other side to avoid capsizing.
Remember those freshly-baked bread rolls or loaves on the
'Cuba' and how they were all heavily infested with weevils? Most of that bread was thrown overboard as
few of us could face eating it: then when we got out of camp and into Durban,
we discovered that the locals would have paid us our own price for any kind of
white bread (weevils and all, presumably) as they only had brown bread.
I
remember vividly staying behind at Clairwood one Saturday, to do my laundry,
whilst my mates went off into Durban. With
laundry completed and put out to dry, I then set off to town to try catch up with
the gang, but soon found myself doing a sort of pub crawl as I searched here
and there unavailingly. One bar I went
into must have been out of bounds or something, for, as I left the place, a
bull-necked, barrel-chested bloke followed me out and bellowed "I'm going to
……… kill you, English ……. " or words to that effect. He had all sorts of
reasons but, fundamentally, he was a Boer and hated all English people. Nothing developed though and I cadged a
Springbok cigarette off him before we parted.
I've often wondered what he told his mates back in the bar afterwards -
how he explained his lack of action.
(Les Jewitt)
MOON MEN. (Remember
them?)
Some moon men came to join us
They were so white and frail
Having travelled o’er the ocean
And landed with the mail.
They came to swell our numbers
Replacing repat’ men
Their rosy-cheeked complexions
So flushed and lit with gen!
With high topped boots –
Alabaster knees
They are not hard to find
And all agree that Blighty
Is just a cruel bind!
But you and I, my jungle men
Are sceptic - and design
To storm that “cruel” Island
With its women and its wine.
(N P Nicholls – “Airflow”)
A
JAPANESE CALLING CARD
A tale from the RAF Regiment
Yet another heinous
war crime.
Even though the Japs had suffered a decisive defeat at
Kohima, their activities to regain control in the valley did not lessen. The need for continuous alertness was
highlighted when on 3rd July a Jap patrol eluded the RAF Regiment
guards (Sqdn 2942) and sneaked through the perimeter fences at Palel. Using limpet mines they blew up three
Spitfires of 152 Squadron, two Hurricanes of 113 Squadron and two Harvards used
as communication aircraft.
To add insult to injury they also broke into the office of
Sqdn Ldr Courtney, the C O of 113 Squadron and defecated on his desk.
Major Teddy Kennington, the Army Liaison Officer of 113
Squadron recalls the entourage of VIP’s from 221 Group who descended to view
the damage and the words of Gp Capt. Henry Goddard who summed up the visiting
card on the C O’s desk by announcing, “I think the damage incurred is
commensurate with the missile employed”.
It left everyone speechless.
(Reprinted from
a magazine – not stated. A mine was
also left in the W/T tent).
THE 160 LIB THAT
NEVER FLEW WITH THE SQUADRON.
Here are the
facts regarding the ‘pranging’ of EV819 at Allahabad. We have talked about this
one without really knowing (or remembering) what actually happened.
This is Liberator
GR V1 EV819 pranged at Allahabad on 12th June 1944.
On posting to 160
Sqn, the Trotter crew was allotted this aircraft to deliver to the squadron at
Kankesurantai. (The squadron was actually
at Sigiriya at this time – Editor). On take-off from Allahabad at 07.45,
they hit a truck full of Indians who crossed the runway against a red from the
tower, killed a number of them, and damaged the starboard main undercarriage
and No.4 prop.
There was an
almighty "Bang!" as they hit the truck, and Trotter said, "What
the hell was that?” My father, who was standing between the pilots during the
take-off (against regulations) had a better view and said, "We must have
hit that truck." "What truck?" said Trotter, who had seen
nothing.
The upshot was
that they had a load of fuel and no dumping facilities, passengers, mines in
the bomb bay, undercarriage partially retracted and only three engines. They
flew around India for hours looking for somewhere to crash-land while burning
off fuel, but were bluntly told, "You're not cluttering up our airfield
with a broken aircraft - go somewhere else."
Before attempting
a crash-landing, the mines had to be jettisoned. My father was aft with the
passengers when he was called to the flight deck. He was in the middle of the
bomb-bay, balancing on the catwalk, when suddenly the doors rolled up and the
mines fell away either side of him; Trotter had pulled the jettison lever and
the doors could not be closed. Dad inched his way along the catwalk with the
ground some thousands of feet below and reported to the flight deck.
By the time he
arrived Trotter had realised what had happened, and his laconic comment was
simply, “Clean underpants when we get back, I suppose?”
They eventually
returned to Allahabad and crash landed there after four and half hours flight
time with the pictured results. The only casualties were to the passengers;
Trotter forgot to throw the safety switches on the retracted belly radar and
the destruct charges blew the radar up, filling the backside of one poor
unfortunate, who had braced himself on the "dustbin", with glass and
mica. Another was concussed when the large earthenware jar carried on SEAC
flights fell on him. This jar was filled with water which would freeze at
altitude and provide a welcome cool drink while it melted after the flight.
Poor old EV819
never flew again, being salvaged some time later, probably after being used as
a spares source.
The Trotter crew
were given leave and finally flew EV858 - another GR.VI to Sigiriya on 24th
June, 44 where it joined 160 Squadron as "C"
(Reprinted with permission from Gary Fowkes site www.acseac.co.uk
Photo and information courtesy of Bob Livingstone)
“HEROES RETURN”
For details and application form, contact Les Crawley
at the address at the top of the newsletter.
Some facts about the
Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka.
Size: 65,525
Sq.Km:
Population.: 19 million
made up of: 74% Sinhalese:18% Tamil: 8% Burghers and others.
Languages: Sinhala &
Tamil (English is widely spoken and understood).
Main
Religion: 70% are Buddhists
Government: It is a free and
independent sovereign state with an elected Parliament and an elected President
who exercises executive powers
Capital: Sri Jayewardenepura.
Currency: Sri Lankan Rupee:
(About 168 rupees to the £1)
Banks are open 9 am to
1 pm or 3 pm Monday to Saturday
Climate: MAXIMUM daily
average temperatures vary little through the year from about 29 to 31 degrees.(NB
MAXIMUM) some guide books give 27 deg. as more the norm.(81 Deg.Fahr)
There are two monsoons: The North & East from about November to
January and the South & West from May to July. They say - it is cooler when
it rains and the timing of the monsoons seems to depend upon which book you
read and the place they base figures upon.
Flying
time on a direct flight to Colombo is about 11 hours.
AND
(not many people know this)
In a recent poll by one of
the holiday programmes, Sri Lanka was voted second top of 20 holiday islands.