大象传媒

his story has been added to The People's War Website by CSV Volunteer, Ann Toomey, on behalf of the author Sandy Rowe, who understands the site's terms and conditions.

It was one hour before take off to Berlin, a nice summer evening, August 23rd 1943.

We had run up the engines, checked the machine generally, stopped engines and settled down to wait. There was not much conversation as we sat, or stood, on the grass near the aircraft. The waiting before take off was usually a bit trying - mostly thoughts of what lay ahead during the coming night.

One of the reasons for the early check of the machine was to alow the engines to cool before their final start up, the Merlins being a bit difficult to start when hot.

#While waiting, we noticed activity around a nearby aircraft P.M.C. No. W4323, a petrol tanker was alongside and ground personnel were apparently doing some last minute work. We took no particular notice of this activity until a loud thump was heaard from that direction. Within seconds a lot of people began running away from P.M.C. some in our direction.

I forget whether a warning was shouted by the runners, but I remember that it looked ominous, and we, the crew began running also, although we were as yet, unaware of the gravity of the situation. We all ran to what we considered a safe distance (it probably wasn't).

I was then told that work was being carried out on P.M.C. with the bomb doors open. Somehow the bomb release electrical circuits had become energised and all the bombs - 4000 pounder, 1000 pounders and incendiaries, had fallen out of the machine on to the ground, some of the incendiaries becoming ignited.

A fitter unsuccessfully tried to remove the burning incendiaries from the jumbled heap under the machine before rapidly removing himself from the scene. Apart from someone ringing for the station fire brigade, nothing seemed to happen, our vision of P.M.C. being obstructed by the tanker alongside it.

The Squadron C.O. Wing Commender Slater, was doing a circuit of the perimter in his car, having his usual last check with his crews, and happened to be near the scene. He asked my Pilot, P.O Finlay, to move P.M.C. well out of the danger area in the event of an explosion.

We, the aircrew, rushed aboard, the ground crew also running to man the chocks and starting battery trolley. I commenced starting the engines. The port outer failed to start, the port inner started, the starboard inner failed to start, the starboard outer started. "Let's go" said the pilot, "two will be enough". This was easier said than done. I told him that the chocks were still in position and the battery trolley still connected.

I could see some of the ground crew, but they were not looking in my direction, as they were watching and waiting for the other two engines to start. I could not communicate with them by shouting because of the engine noise. I opened up the throttle of one of the engines and gave them a blast of wind, the pilot by now was getting very impatient! This drew their attention to me and I was able to signal for the removal of chocks and trolley.

As soon as the chocks were removed and trolley disconnected, the pilot listening to my commentary, moved off rather quickly and struck the battery trolley with our tail plane. During all this time I could see nothing of what was happening to P.M.C.

We moved out of our dispersal area and turned right on to a feeder road. I looked ahead at this time and saw another aircraft getting away from the area, it was travelling on another feeder road towards which we were heading, at right angles to us, moving to our left. It was travelling so fast that its tail was in the air, and appeared to be approaching speed. This machine was piloterd by F.O. Ready and was heading in a direction pointing to the Control Tower and main buildings on the oppositer side of the airfield.

The personnel in the Control Tower, were aware that something was happening at the far end of the airfield, probably because of the call for the fire enginge but knew no details. Their first intimation of trouble was to see F.O, Ready's machine fully bombed up, heading across the grass towards them at high speed. I beleive they were very alarmed!

We continued on the feeder road, in doing so getting nearer to P.M.C.. I saw the fire engine stopped ahead of us on the T junction of the road where F.O. Ready had passed, where we intended to turn left and follow F.O. Ready. The fire engine was stoped because we were blocking its path, for which the fire brigade told us later they were grateful, having saved them from being blown up.

As we were passing at our closest point to PMC, it suddenly disappeared in a huge sheet of flame in which I thought I whould be engulfed. I must have instinctively ducked, because when I looked at PMC the next day there was no Perspex in the window through which I had been looking.

I never heard a sound. I was told later that the explosion was heard in Grimsby, which was about 20 miles away. Presumably I was so close to the centre of the explosion, that all sound waves travelling outwards from me.

Our aircraft PMH was struck by debris slewed around. The pilot shouted "everybody out". I shut the throttles, opened and got out of the top escape hatch, followed by the pilot. I noticed one of our propellors still turning, leaned in the hatch, completely shut its throttle, got on to the port wing and jumped to the ground.

By this time others had left the aircraft by other exits and joined the pilot and myself. F.O. Finlay said "I should think the 4000 pounder has not gone off, get moving" and in the same breath "where is Harry Wheeler?? John McFarlane, the navigator said "in the aircraft". Without asking why, I said "what's he doing in there" and rushed to the starboard side, jumped in the door and ran up through the fuselage. I saw Harry lying back against the main spar, put my arms around him and was lifting him over the spar when I looked at him closely and saw for the first time that he had been struck by something and was dead. I then dropped him, left the aircraft and joined the others. We left the scene and walked across the airfield and runways to the main camp area.

At the time we were all NCO's except FO FInlay. We were in the Sergeants Mess drinking beer when Doc Henderson (now living in Canada) located us to check us out. None of us were injured - the only other casualty besides Harry Wheeler was a civilian - Dr. Woods - who was struck in a leg by a flying oxygen bottle as he was cycling nearby.

Doc. recommended and gave us all a couple of tablets each. By midnight I was ill - presumably Doc thought we were going to bed and failed to tell us that his tablets and beer did not mix. From this time the morale and fate of the crew of PMH took a downward trend.

We attended Harry's funeral at the South London Tabernacle, Peckham Road, Camberwell. SE5 - he was an only son. I felt particularly upset at the funeral as I was the only one of the crew who had previously met his parents.

A few weeks before I had spent a few hours with them and Harry while going on leave to Cornwall - having to wait some hours for the appropriate train from Paddington.

I was further distressed at the cemetary by the small number of mourners, it was as if we were in this large teeming City of London and no one cared. It was suggested to me that others who would have attended the funeral were working!

Due to the damage to our plane we loafed about and did not fly for a month, which I found bad for morale.

Our first flight was in a new aircraft, Serial No. JB152, repainted with the same squadron letters PM, and the same identification letter H with, of course, a replacement wireless operator.

This aircraft was fitted with the new radar device code named "Monica" which was suoposed to warn us of the proximity of enemy aircraft. This flight was on September 22nd, the target was Hanover.

Whilst gaining altitude over Lincolnshire "Monica" was giving us a continuous warning signal, although nothing was in our vicinity. We therefore switched it off and reported it faulty on our return. On arriving over Hanaover we experienced, for the first time, the new German technique of illuminating flares, at our altitude it was like flying along a lighted street, very frightening.

The following evening - September 23rd, we left Elsham at 7p.m. bound for the twin towns of Mannheim Ludwigshafen. At 9.50p.m.flying at about 20,000 ft, a few miles N.W. of Mannehim, we were attacked by an ME/110, piloted by Oberleutnant Lenz Finster with his radio operator Siegfried Beugel, and set alight. "Monica" had remained silent and we jumped out.

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