大象传媒

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Instrument repairer

I passed out from Cranwell in February 1940 at the tender age of 16 and three months, and was posted to 56 Squadron at North Weald as an Instrument Repairer group 2. I was attached to 'A' flight. After some wandering around in Suffolk and Kent (Biggin Hill) we went back to base at North Weald. 'A' flight was moved to dispersal on the north side of the drome, in tents alongside large two-plane earth bays with an air raid shelter.

We had to ensure that the aircraft were ready from dawn onwards, even when the squadron was not at readiness. There was only one Instrument Repairer per flight, which meant that I was on duty until flight was stood down - usually after dusk. My job was to ensure that all the instruments were serviceable and all the oxygen bottles full on the six aircraft which comprised the flight, plus any spare aircraft. All instruments which required changing had to be done when the squadron was stood down or at night with shielded torches.

Early mornings

I have consulted my 1940 diary and have selected some highlights, including the dates of raids on the drome.

To save everyone getting up at about 4am (from a small squad of, say mechanic, fitter, armourer, radio mechanic, plus me) it was soon decided that I should not get up every morning but that one of the others would do my inspection and get me out of bed if there were any snags. When I was up I was usually asked to sit in a cockpit while the engine warmed up, while the others attended to the other aircraft. They would return one to cockpit and two on tail while the magnetos were checked when on full throttle. One day no-one came, so I locked my legs around the control column, opened the throttle slowly, and watched the tail, checked one mag back and then up for the next one, and both were OK.

Action and movement

Holland and France were invaded while the squadron was at Martlesham Heath near Ipswich on 10 May 1940. From then on planes often came back having been in action, including on 30 May, when we lost two planes over Dunkirk with both pilots accounted for. There was a lot of movement of squadrons at this time. We went to Biggin Hill for a few days and then to North Weald where the ground staff stayed until 24 September. Pilots and planes moved about - ours went to Lincolnshire for a few days while we serviced 111 Squadron, which on 31 May claimed 13 German planes without loss.

On 27 June the King visited North Weald and inspected both 56 and 151 Squadrons. Planes were in action most days, except when it rained. Despite all this I was sent on leave from 19 to 26 July, and went up to Kidderminister where my mother had been evacuated to from Clacton.

Attacked!

In mid-August things hotted up. A typical day would start at 4.30am when aircraft would be warmed up, and sometimes planes would go off to a coast drome and come back later on. One morning I had just got back into my bed when 257 Squadron arrived for the day. This was rather a busy day, with air raid alarms and our aircraft returning at dusk and requiring servicing. There were a lot of oxygen bottles for me to change.

On 16 August at lunchtime, the Squadron scrambled and were all airborne in three minutes. In a few minutes over 50 German planes appeared out of the clouds at 15,000 feet, and we saw the fighters attack. Bombs dropped mainly to the south of the drome, but some damage was done to the buildings. We were able to watch all of this from the door of the shelter, as we were on the north side. The aircraft returned at about 5.40pm, having got some of the attacking aircraft.

More attacks

In September our pilots were sent to Boscombe Down, to a less busy sector, being replaced with pilots and planes from 249 Squadron. Their baptism came soon on 3 September. Scrambled at 11am, they formed up at the west end of the drome. All 12 aircraft were eventually airborne in just over nine minutes, as the bombers appeared overhead. Only a few buildings were not hit, and there were bomb craters all over the south side of the drome. This time we did retreat into the shelter! I was told to take the 48-hour pass that I had booked, and left the battered camp at 4.30pm. When I returned the camp was operational although still battered. Aircraft could take off and land, oxygen bottles were all available, but I did not ask how.

On 7 September waves of bombers came over in formation on their way out from the docks. When our planes returned we had lost five, with three pilots safe. The daylight raids eased off, but the tents gang spent most nights in the shelter as shrapnel from anti-aircraft guns were showering through the tents.

Battle of Britain

From 7 to 14 September most activity was at night. On the 15th (Battle of Britain Day) there was much activity and our aircraft (249 Squadron) were in action twice. They claimed ten bombers plus ten probable, with no aircraft lost from then until we rejoined our pilots at Boscombe Down. On the 24th my diary does not record any daylight activity, but the night raids on London continued. On the 17th I fitted an oil pressure gauge before going out to Epping to the cinema.

During all those summer months my diary shows that I got to Epping about twice a week, to dances and/or the cinema. We walked both ways. Trains did run from Epping to North Weald but both stations involved about as much walking as going direct. We used the train when coming back from London, but got lifts most of the way when going there.

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