大象传媒

My great uncle served in World War Two as an Air Observer (Navigator) with 207 Squadron, 5 Group, Bomber Command, Royal Air Force (Volunteer Reserve).

Eric enlisted in the RAF Volunteer Reserve on the 14th May 1940, twelve days after his 18th birthday. His first port of call was the No.1 Recruiting Centre at Penarth and Melksham and on the 20th of May No.4 Recruiting Centre at Bridgnorth, Shropshire.

On the 7th of June he transferred to Linton and joined No.5 Initial Training Wing on the 10th at Hastings. On the 28th June No.5 I.T.W. moved from Hastings to Torquay where Eric would stay until the end of October.

This is a letter from Eric to his mother when he was at Torquay.

925454 L.A.C Harper
D Flight 3 Squadron
5 I.T.W. RAF
Elfordleigh
Torquay

Dear Mum,
The money was a bit late this week and your letter was four days late. I expect that they were held up in the air-raids at London. You've had it pretty hot there lately haven't you. One of our corporals was in London when they raided it on Saturday night and he gave a graphic account of dodging from door to door with bombs dropping all around, news of houses collapsing, bombs falling in the road and two lorries smashing head-on and goods from shops scattered all over the show to say nothing of numerous fires etc. So I know what you must have been through.

It's been pretty peaceful down here though. I went up to Exeter for a short time last Sunday when I got a pass but there was hardly anything doing.

We've got a route march coming up shortly so we have - "something to look forward to".

Well there is nothing much more I can say now.

So cheers.
Love Eric xxxx.

P.s. I will write to the others tomorrow.

This is another letter written at Torquay from Eric to his mother while he had been there for some time.

925454 L.A.C Harper
D Flight Room 54
3 Squadron 5 I.T.W.
RAF Elfordleigh
Torquay

Dear Mum,
You need not send a registered envelope each week now. I can easily afford that anyhow, besides every little helps. But thanks all the same.

Well we are still in Torquay and no notice of posting has come through yet. All the chaps are getting fed up.

We had some fun the other day when two of D Flight went out about half past two in the morning and climbed up a high telegraph pole in the road just outside the hotel and tied a cracked lavatory pan on top and left it there. As we all parade outside the hotel in the morning the whole squadron had a good laugh at it. The trouble was that the police complained and had to take it down. The chaps owned up however and got off with only having a Sunday late pass stopped, as they had not put one in they were not affected.

Another squadron who have also been waiting a long time threw down there rifles when they had to parade for rifle drill and just cleared off. Nothing was done about however and they were told they would be posted as quickly as possible. So you can tell how fed up we are getting with this wing.

Still some are being remustered as pilots and the longer we are here the more chance we get. So there is a brighter side.

Well Cheers for the time being.

Love Eric. xx

Eric left for South Africa on 31st October 1940 destined for No.45 Air School where he would train to be an Air Observer. He travelled on the 'Union-Castle' vessel 'Warwick Castle' and arrived in Cape Town on the 30th November.

This letter was written on board the 'Warwick Castle' on the 27th November 1940.

27/11/40
925454 L.A.C HARPER
No.1 A.O.N.S.
R.A.F.
SOUTH AFRICA

Dear Mum
I am afraid it has been impossible to write before as there has been no oppurtunity to post any letters. I hope you got my last letter alright as I had to trust it to a girl in Scotland to post, it should have been posted on the first of the month.

Although I give the address on first page, we are still at sea while I write this although we are nearing the end of the voyage. It has been fine on board, the only trouble is that there is so little to do the only entertainments being an occasional game of cards on deck games and reading.

Love Eric.

When they arrived at Cape Town there was then a lengthy train journey to Oudtshoorn where he would be on No.2 Course which began on 2nd December. Eric had been at Oudtshoorn for three and a half months when he was part of a party that visited the coastal town of Kynsna. On the return journey back to base the large lorry they were travelling in overturned with a number of airmen injured, some seriously. Luckily Eric escaped with only slight bruising though three airmen nearly lost there life. Shortly before he left 45 Air School everyone was confined to base due to the right wing Ossewabrandwag party protesting in the area. They were opposed to South Africa fighting on the side of the British and even formed their own armed unit based on the German SS. Eric was at Oudtshoorn for three months where they used Avro Anson aircraft until he and the rest of his course were posted to other Air Schools to continue there training. Eric was transferred to No.42 Air School on the 14th March 1941 at Port Elizabeth and completed the No.1 Bombing and Gunnery Course using Fairey Battle aircraft on the 30th May 1941 passing out as a Sergeant Air Observer with 77 percent. He immedately left for Cape Town by train en route to England. On the return journey from South Africa Eric briefly visited Canada but did not undertake any training in North America.

When he finally returned to England he sent a telegram home from Liverpool on the 8th July 1941. Eric had been away for eight months abroud and arrived at the No.3 Personnel Reception Centre in Bournemouth. Soon he moved to RAF Finningley, Yorkshire and joined the No.25 Operational Training Unit on the 20th July where they operated Vickers Wellingtons, Handley-Page Hampdens and Avro Manchesters. He spent about three months there starting a Conversion Course flying with Flight Sergeant Basil Courtney Wescombe before being transferred to his operational squadron.

Eric's record with 25 Operational Training Unit at RAF Finningley.

Conversion Course

Thursday 23rd October 1941
Avro Manchester L7430
F/Sgt. Wescombe
Sgt. Harper
Sgt. Sieve
Sgt. Westbury
Sgt. Bell
Sgt. Howe
As part of their conversion course at Finningley F/Sgt. Wescombe and Sgt. Sieve had a number of flights conducting Dual Control and Landings with the pilots Pilot Officer Hughes and Flight Lieutenant Stewart in control. This flight with a larger crew is named Raid 2 in F/Sgt. Wescombe's log book.

Eric became a member of 207 Squadron at RAF Waddington on Friday 3rd November 1941. He was with the squadron for 72 days operating from RAF Waddington and RAF Bottesford flying in Avro Manchester aircraft. 207 Squadron was a training squadron at the outbreak of war and lost it's identity in April 1940. Re-formed in 5 Group in November 1940 for the introduction of the Avro Manchester and commenced operations in February 1941. It served in 5 Group for the remainder of the war, converting to Lancasters in March 1942.
Eric's Operational Record in 207 Squadron.

RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire.

Two days after Eric arrived at Waddington he wrote this letter to his mother.

5-11-41
925454 Sgt. Harper
c/o Sgts. Mess
"C" Unit.
R.A.F.
Waddington.
Lincolnshire

Dear Mum,
We moved out of Finningley on Monday just as I thought we would, and arrived here on Monday evening. We will be moving to another drome shortly however. We shall probably get cracking soon. The place where we are billetted is terrible at the moment but we're getting different billetts, probably in the mess as soon as they can arrange it. What a time we had on Monday, we were told we were moving only about 2 hours before we went and I had a hell of a job collecting all my gear from Rossington and all over the camp to get away on time. Well I haven't got any more to say just now so Cheers for the time being.

With Love
Eric
xxxx

Wednesday 12th November 1941
Avro Manchester L7432 EM:J
F/Sgt. Wescombe
Sgt. Harper
Sgt. Sieve
Sgt. Westbury
Sgt. Howe
The crew took off at 15.15 and conducted local flying and beam approaches training.

Saturday 15th November 1941 - Emden
Avro Manchester L7432 EM:J
F/Sgt. Wescombe
Sgt. Thomas
Sgt. Harper
Sgt. Van Puyenbroek
Sgt. Westbury
Sgt. Sieve
Sgt. Walker
207 Squadron detailed two 'freshman' crews to attack the the railway station in Emden. The crew apart from Sgt. Van Puyenbroek conducted a 'Night Flying Test'(N.F.T.) at 14.30. Eric and the rest of the crew took off for Emden at 17.50. This was their first mission apart from Sergeant Van Puyenbroek who had had fifteen previous missions. He was unaware that this was their first trip and has said since that he would have been terrified if he had knwon. There wasn't any flak on this trip and they bombed on E.T.A. (Estimated Time of Arrival). When they reached the target three bursts were observed and before leaving the target a large fire was seen reflected on low cloud. On return from this operation they were terribly lost and Sergeant Thomas the second pilot asked Sergeant Van Puyenbroek to turn on the squeeker which alerted crews to the presence of barrage balloons. The sound in Van Puyenbroek ears was deafening and they quickly discovered they were in the middle of the Southampton balloon barrage. The plane was soon illuminated by searchlights but luckily were not fired upon. They returned to Waddington at 23.59 and experienced more complications on landing. They touched down and bounced 15ft in the air, Flight Sergeant Wescombe quickly opened the throttle and went round again for another attempted landing. 49 aircraft were on the raid with no bombing results observed due to cloud with 4 Wellingtons lost. The next morning Sergeant Van Puyenbroek went back to the aircraft to look for his torch, as you didn't receive a replacement if it was lost. As the ground crew opened the bomb-bay he looked up in horror to see 3x1000lb bombs still hooked up.

RAF Bottesford, Leicestershire

At 10.00 on Monday 17th November 207 Squadron's fifteen servicable Manchesters took off from Waddington, overflew the station in salute, and made for Bottesford where they landed a few minutes afterwards.

Sunday 23rd November 1941 - Lorient
Avro Manchester L7432 EM:J
F/Sgt. Wescombe
Sgt. Nixon
Sgt. Harper
Sgt. Sieve
Sgt. Westbury
Sgt. Howe
Sgt. Walker
The squadron had organised itself to a sufficient extent that it was once more in a position to mount operations after moving from Waddington to Bottesford. Two inexperienced crews (F/Sgt B.C. Wescombe and F/L W.D.B Ruth DFC) were required for a shallow penetration raid to Lorient docks in search of U-boats in their pens. Basil Wescombe had just begun his second tour, but because it was customary to fly a complete tour as second pilot before becoming a captain on 'heavies' he was still considered a 'freshman'. Eric's crew were flying in L7432 EM:J which was considered 207 Squadron's 'lucky' Manchester as it had been nursed back from Berlin on one engine the previous August to earn it's pilot a DSO. Crews carried out night flying tests during the day with the crew conducting their's at 11.50. 51 Hampdens and the 2 207 squadron Manchesters were on the raid. EM:J took off at 17.00 and the crew reported that the target was located in good visibility but the bursts were not seen due to heavy flak. The conditions over the target were cloudless allowing the dock installations to be indentified easily. After dropping ten 500lb bombs in the area both crews returned to make a landing at 22.05 at RAF Coningsby. Fires were seen in the vicinity of the docks with no losses. On the journey back to the French coast 8 packages of nickels (propaganda leaflets) were dropped.

Sunday 30th November 1941 - Emden
Avro Manchester L7432 EM:J
F/Sgt. Wescombe
Sgt. Thomas
Sgt. Harper
Sgt. Sieve
Sgt. Westbury
Sgt. Howe
Sgt. Walker
Two 207 Squadron crews attacked Emden and were about to lose their 'freshman' status. The crew set off at 17.15 and recorded excellent visibility, slight haze and target point "B" located and bombed on heading 340 degrees at 19.34 from 12,000ft. They released five 1000lb bombs and saw them burst with two large fires being started. At 19.50 at 11,000ft five ships, one thought to be a warship, were heading south between Nordnerney and the mainland. The other ships appeared smaller and the crew were unsure of their character. They returned to Bottesford at 22.15. 50 aircraft attacked the target with good bombing results claimed. 1 Wellington and 1 Whitley were lost.

Saturday 27th December 1941 - Dusseldorf
Avro Manchester L7432 EM:J
F/Sgt. Wescombe
Sgt. Thomas
F/Sgt. Sieve
Sgt. Westbury
Sgt. Howe
Sgt. Walker
Sgt. Harper (Obs)
5 Group cancelled daylight formation flying and instead specified 207 Squadron to prepare 12 Manchesters for a night operation to Dusseldorf in what was only the third Manchester operation of the month. Later in the day 5 Group cancelled five of the 12. The remaining seven joined a total force of 132 aircraft including 66 Wellingtons, 30 Hampdens and 29 Whitleys. Eric set off at 17.21 headed for the marshalling yards in Dusseldorf. The crew reported 3/10 cloud cover at 2000ft with good visibility. They identified the target by the river and the railway concentration and dropped five 1000lb bombs from a height of 10,000ft at 20.04. There were no bursts observed but a large fire was seen after the target had been left. They dropped sixteen bundles of nickels to the South West of the target area. A line of lights with a rotating beacon at each end were seen in the mouth of Osterschelds. Only five of the 207 Squadron planes reached the target where the visibility was good. All aircraft landed at Horsham St Faith, the hydraulic system in Eric's Manchester failing in the process at 22.50. Although 96 aircraft claimed to attack the city the records reveal that only 32 high explosives and 3 cans of incendiaries fell in the built up area which caused very slight damage and no casualties. 5 Whitleys and 2 Wellingtons were lost.

Friday 2nd January 1942 - St Nazaire
Avro Manchester L7378 EM:A
F/Sgt. Wescombe
Sgt. Thomas
F/Sgt. Sieve
Sgt. Westbury
Sgt. Howe
Sgt. Walker
Sgt. Harper (Navigator)
January 1942 began with poor weather but on the 2nd twelve 207 Manchesters were detailed for operations, but two were later cancelled owing to the aircraft becoming unservicable. The remaining ten took off for St Nazaire. Eric's crew left Bottesford at 17.34 with the primary target being the docks and submarines. They attacked the target at 20.02 and at 12,000ft. 3/10 cumulus cloud cover at 2,000ft hid the target but it was picked up by the river and canal North of the target area. The bomb bursts were obscured but 6x1000lb bombs were thought to have fallen in the target area. They dropped eight bundles of Nickels on land en route to the target area. On the return back home at 20.32 whilst at 12,000ft five small boats, believed to be fishing smacks, were seen at 45 degrees, 08 minutes North and 02 degrees West. Eric and the rest of his crew arrived back at Bottesford at 23.12. Of the whole 207 force four aircraft were unable to locate the target, four found and bombed it and two attacked alternative targets at Cherbourg and Brest. The crews bombing Cherbourg reported that the flak gave them a "warm time". On the homeward journey two Manchesters landed at Exeter and one at Shrewton on Salisbury Plain. 15 Whitleys and 12 Manchesters attacked the target with only 8 aircraft bombing the primary target and no aircraft lost.

Please see Manchester Bomber Crash in Holmpton, East Yorkshire 14th January 1942 - Part 2.

Much of the information found in books about the Avro Manchester, 207 Squadron and Operation Record Books from the National Archives.
'Always Prepared' John Hamlin
'On the Wings of the Morning' Vince Holyoak
'Avro Manchester: The Legend behind the Lancaster' Dr Robert Kirby

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