大象传媒

"This story was submitted to the People's War site by CSV/大象传媒 Radio Nottingham on behalf of Joseph Peel with his permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions"

My story is concerned with No. 2 Group Bomber Command, which consisted of approximately 10 Sqadrons of medium bombers. In January 1942 I joined 107 Squadron stationed at Massingham in Norfolk. The Squadron was equipped with Boston aircraft, which were American built medium bombers. Our main task was to destroy enemy airfields and installations in occupied France and Holland. This called for precision bombing of targets in daylight from around 10,000 feet.
As the enemy developed its Radar System, it became necessary to carry out bombing at low level, to avoid detection. This was called "hedge-hopping" and many successful raids were carried out in this manner. These operations continued until mid 1943, when the Squadron moved to Lasham in Hampshire, where we joined the T.A.F., this being the newly formed Tactical Air Force. We then changed from Boston aircraft to Mosquito's and our role became night intruder operations, attacking enemy convoys and installations. Aircraft took off in pairs throughout the night and were free to attack all suspicious movements in a specified area. This continued into 1944 and proved to be a softening-up process prior to the invasion on D.Day.
In the spring of 1944, it became obvious that the invasion of Europe was imminent, but we didn't know when. The only clue we had was when high ranking Officers made morale-boosting visits and inspections; the most senior of these was the Commander-in-Chief, General Dwight D. Eisenhower, who later became the President of the United States of America. The visit of General Eisenhower was most memorable because of his friendly, casual attitude towards the ordinary ranks. On this visit, the aircraft were lined-up adjacent to the watchtower and "Ike" as he , was known, casually walked along stopping at random aircraft to have a chat. He stopped where I was standing and asked my name, I replied in typical military manner, "1428405 Peel" to which he asked "your Christian name?" After I answered "Joe", he asked what I did in civilian life and I told him that I was in telephone manufacture. He then enquired as to how I changed to aircraft fitting and I replied, "with correct training, very well". He then shook my hand and left saying "Carry on the good work Joe, see you east of the Rhine."
Eventually D.Day did arrive and 107 Squadron carried on attacking behind enemy lines, to assist our advancing troops. Later in the campaign, we established an airfield at Epinoy, near Chambrai in France. From France we moved to Brussels and when the war ended, we took over a German airfield at Guttersloh. We had arrived "east of the Rhine", but Ike had arrived earlier!

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