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This story was submitted to the People’s War site by Bill Ross of the ‘Action Desk — Sheffield’ Team on behalf of Donald Wilson, and has been added to the site with the author’s permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.
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First Operational Flights

By
Donald J.R. Wilson

First Operational Flights by 51 Squadron from RAF Linton-on-Ouse, September 1939. The first pre-operational briefing was obviously a major milestone of the War years. Seven crews from 58 Squadron and three from 51 Squadron, foregathered in Station Headquarter, Linton-on-Ouse to learn that they were to transport and distribute 5.4 million leaflets to enlighten German citizens of some Ruhr towns, my destination however was Frankfurt-on-Maine.

The atmosphere was tense, and excitement tempered with anxiety, showed on the faces of the assembled crews. This was a great adventure, the first incursion into enemy territory with the probability of a hostile reception across the frontier.

Being a married man of some two days standing, with no honeymoon or reception, motivation was the strongest for a speedy and safe return from this first operational sortie. The round trip was sufficiently lengthy to necessitate a refuelling stop at the French Air Force Base at Villeneuve. The British Air Force component of the expeditionary force had not as yet been sent to France.

Weather conditions were good, and map reading down the pre-arranged corridor to the South Coast was relatively easy. An alteration of course, took us to the point of entry at Le Treport, where we circled a hilltop fortress, awaiting permission to proceed to Villeneuve. The passage to Rhiems was made easy for the Navigator by a string of flashing beacons, and on landing, refuelling commenced.
Aerodrome defence, like all the other services provided, was antiquated, and first War Hodgkiss machine guns were installed in perimeter gun pits.

As darkness approached, the ten aircraft took off for their respective dropping zones, and the leaflet bundles, secured by elastic bands, were prepared for launching down the parachute flare chutes.

The border between Holland and Germany was clearly defined- Holland was a blaze of lights whereas Germany was in complete darkness. Opposition was very light, the searchlights causing more anxiety than the distant gunfire.

Having completed the task of distributing what was described as-free toilet paper, we set course from Frankfurt to the Cherbourg Peninsula. The coastline was bathed in bright
moonlight with sparkling sea and silver sand. We had just altered course over the Channel, heading for Shoreham, when the tranquility of the scene was rudely disturbed by a frantic voice shouting over the intercom, yelling, "Christ we are out of fuel!"

The Whitley banked sharply, turning through 180 degrees and made for the French Coast. The port engine was already spluttering when we scraped over a high sand dune, with the undercarriage down, we made a remarkably good landing between high and low water lines.

Within minutes, the aircraft was surrounded by French Marines, who, when they had established that we were not members of the Luftwaffe, conducted us through a gap in the sand dunes to a fisherman's hut serving as a Guard Room.
With uncharacteristic haste, they arranged for a caterpillar tractor to retrieve the Whitley from the incoming tide. While this was being accomplished, we had a visit from a local farmer carrying a small barrel.
He dispensed unpleasant and very dry cider in badly stained coffee mugs, but our crew was fortunately able to hide their true feelings about this kind, if unappreciated gesture.

The arrival of another dawn initiated great local activity; inhabitants with horses and tractors paraded on the foreshore, and as the tide receded, all manpower (and women) was engaged in removing rocks, stones and other obstacles to construct a makeshift runway.

The French Naval Air Service arrived from the Naval Base at Cherbourg with supplies of aviation fuel in dozens of small containers. Sufficient fuel for take-off and a flight to Cherbourg Base was transferred, and in a storm of flying sand, the Whitley took to the air. Having completed the refuelling, we had an uneventful flight back to Linton. Subsequently we found that three out of the ten aircraft taking part in the operation had to make unscheduled stops in France during the return journey. Was it due to inefficient ground servicing, or could it have been failure to carry out pre-flight cockpit checks?

Undoubtedly great pilot skill ensured a successful emergency landing without damage, but avoidance of so many rocks, boulders and debris was nothing short of a miracle. However an enquiry and reprimand was not avoided.

D.J.R.Wilson, formerly Sgt.Air Observer, A Flight, 51 Squadron, 4 Group, Bomber Command.

Pr-BR

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