大象传媒

I joined 298 Squadron based in Dorset in September 1944. I was a pilot flying a 4 engine Halifax Bomber. I was first called up in 1942 and went to Lords Cricket Ground which was the aircrew reception centre. From there the next two years were spent mainly training. Seven months was spent in Canada training and other courses followed on return to the UK. My first operation was involved with the airborne operation to Arnhem named Market Garden. This involved towing a Horsa glider from Dorset to the drop zone near Arnhem. We were flying in loose formation and there were many dozens of aircraft in the sky. Lots of incidents occurred during the flight to Holland which involved mishaps to several of the aircraft. I witnessed some of these including a glider ditching after its rope had broke and also a glider being shot down due to anti-aircraft fire. I assumed the occupants of the ditched glider would have been picked up by an Air Sea Rescue Launch. As we flew towards Arnhem we experienced Anti-Aircraft Flak some of which shot the tail off the glider flying immediately in front of us. The occupants of that particular glider stood no chance of survival whatsoever. As we approached the drop zone more flak was noticed. I observed the many parachutes and gliders on the ground which indicated that many of the troops had arrived at the intended destination. We dropped the glider about ten miles from the centre of Arnhem then we turned around to head back to our base. Other lifts occurred on subsequent days. The battle of Arnhem was a major battle during the war it was mainly an army operation; the R.A.F provided the means to get there and attempted supply drops.
After the Arnhem operation the squadron resumed its normal operations of supplying underground forces with weapons and ammo and the occasional bombing operation over Germany. The tactical bombing was mainly a few miles ahead of our own troops.

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