大象传媒

My Story Jeff Brereton Part 1 605 Squadron

3-9-39 Britain and France declared war on Germany.

13-6-40 Volunteered for Service in the R.A.F. at Cardington Bedfordshire.
After preliminary tests and checks I joined others assembled in the hanger which had been built to hold the Airship R101. There were several hundred of us and we were assembled to swear allegiance to King and Country when I was taken out for further examination and tests. I of course had volunteered where as it appeared that all the others had been conscripted. After interrogation by various ranks of the Airforce it became apparent that no one believed my age although I had produced my Birth Certificate and they were concerned that I might be under age for enrolment in the forces. I eventually was paraded in front of a Squadron Leader who required me to swear on oath that I was 19 years of age. Apparently everyone else was twenty or over, the age for conscription. With hindsight I realised that they were trying to find any excuse to turn me down. I had made up my mind that I would volunteer for the Airforce as I did not fancy being conscripted into the Army on reaching the age of twenty.
Posted to Training School St. Athen South Wales as a Volunteer Reservist and permitted to wear V R on my shoulder to indicate my status as distinct from a Conscripted Airman.
A/C Group 5 under training Flight Mechanic/Rigger No 1164910 Pay two shillings per day.
The Royal Air Force was desperately short of Flight Mechanics/Riggers so we were given a crash course at the Technical Training Wing and were excused from the normal training in foot drill and rifle training. I experienced my first Bombing Raid whilst at St Athen being caught in the toilets whilst bombs rained down on the aerodrome. Qualified as Flight Mechanic
4-10-40 Posted to 605 Fighter Squadron at Croydon Civil Aerodrome. The Squadron was
based on the edge of the aerodrome and was equipped with Hurricane Fighters engaged in the Battle of Britain.
605 was the City of Birmingham Squadron of the Auxiliary Air Force whose members
were all part timers in peacetime and assembled together at weekends for training.The squadron distinguished itself during the Battle of Britain and one of its Commanding Officers Archie Mc Keller was a very successful fighter pilot before being shot down and killed. Lord Willoghby De Broke was the Squadrons Honary Commanding Officer which gave the Squadron a certain amount of kudos and Squadron Members were granted a special honour in being able to wear the Warwickshire Badge [ Bear on a Rugged Staff ] on the lapel of their uniforms. Squadron offices and accommodation was in bungalows adjacent to the aerodrome in Wallington the bungalows had been taken over by the Air Ministry after the occupants had been evacuated.

After bombing of airfields the bombing of London by day and night was in operation and the Croydon area had its fair share. I remember the day on the aerodrome when we heard the approach of a German aircraft, there was very low cloud base and it was approaching directly overhead. During a break in the cloud we observed that it was a Dornier 110 and it was only a few feet above the ground, the swastickers were clearly visible as also were the crew in the nose of the plane, it dropped its bombs on Kenley our parent aerodrome and was shot down by antiaircraft fire. In order to lift the moral of the local inhabitants Squadron personnel were encouraged to share air raid shelters at night with them, the air raid sirens would sound half an hour before dusk
and the all clear would sound after daylight. As it was winter the nights were very long and we had an early start as the Squadron had to be ready for the Dawn Patrol. I was fortunate to meet a very nice family and we became very good friends, they put on a party for my 20th birthday.


25-2-41 Squadron ordered to move to Martlesham Heath near Ipswich.
We all felt devastated by the move as did the residents of Wallington who had adopted the Squadron as part of the Community having suffered together the full might of the German bombing raids.
The Squadron organised a party at a local Country Club within the precincts of the aerodrome to bid farewell to Wallington and to which an invitation had been sent to the local residents, It was a very emotional experience.

26-2-41 Arrived at Martlesham Heath Near Ipswich.
The Squadron was again on an R.A.F. aerodrome along with 242 Douglas Bader's Squadron and joined the big wing operations with offensive sweeps over France and the low countries.
24-3-41 Air raid on aerodrome one hanger destroyed and a second one severely damaged,
Heinkel 111 shot down by P O Thompson.
26-3-41 P.O.Thompson and P.O.Ford shot down Dornier 17 into Thames.

1-4-41 The Squadron moved to Tern Hill near Market Drayton for a period of rest from operations.
7-4-41 7 days leave. As I was now in travelling distance of home I used my bicycle for travelling backwards and forwards so had the opportunity to spend a lot of time at home. As we were an operational Fighter Squadron we did not fit in very well with
Tern Hill which was a Flying Training School and subject to strict discipline which we were not. The Squadron was therefore relegated to a tented encampment on the edge of the aerodrome and we were not permitted to venture into the main training area. The edge of the aerodrome suited me fine as I could get my bike in and out through the perimeter fence without having to book in and out at the main guardroom and I was free to come and go as I pleased when off duty.
Flying Accidents occurred between the Squadron Aircraft and Training Aircraft so the
Squadron was eventually moved.

30-5-41 Squadron arrived Baggington near Coventry,and billeted at Honily. an aerodrome under construction.

22-6-41 Germany declared war on Russia.
1-7-41 Upgraded to A.C.1
2-9-41 Aircraft moved from Bagington to Honily on completion of aerodrome .
Squadron placed on readiness to go to Russia,later cancelled to everyone鈥檚 relief.
Squadron placed on alert for another posting . There were enough Auxiliary Personnel who volunteered to go with the Squadron for its reduced overseas establishment. The rest of the Squadron to be posted to other units.
605 Squadron arrived in Singapore and were immediately taken prisoner by the
Japanese and spent the rest of their time in prisoner of war camps,at least those who survived. (one such member that survived was George Jones who lived in Eccleshall Staffordshire. My luck held out again on this occasion.
The Squadron Commander Promoted me to Leading Aircraftsman in recognition of
service to the Squadron.

1-11-41 Posted to 32 Squadron at Manston near Ramsgate in Kent.
( To be continued in part 2 )

漏 Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.