Wellington AA

Hi Dave,
The question relates to some footage of Wellingtons in the Pathe website – I’ll try and refind the address!

As regards the ‘loan’ the same happened with 10 Sqn RAAF which came over to collect their Short Sunderlands and never took them back to Aus, but stayed in Europe…

Cheers / Salut

PS Edit: Go to www.Britishpathe.com and under ‘advanced search’ put: 1691.12 Or use: WELLINGTON BOMBERS – 1942 which will net this bit of film. For Wimpey fans, the last pass is worth it alone – Whoosh….

Actually, a point of interest, the original 30 Wellingtons of this squadron were destined for the RNZAF in New Zealand as our coastal patrol aircraft, oredered after the 1937 defence review. However when war seemed imminent the NZ Govt kindly offered them to be kept in England just in case it all kicked off over there. This deal was done before they were even beginning to be delivered I believe.

As deliveries began they went into what was called the New Zealand Flight, which was formed on the 1st of June 1939. All the crews were Kiwis, I’m not sure of the groundcrews though. It wasn’t till the 4th of April 1940 that the flight was redesignated No 75 (NZ) Sqn RAF. I think from memory it became the first ‘foreign’ squadron in the RAF. The Sqn flew Wellingtons, then Stirlings, and then Lancasters, and later in the war while with Lancs the Sqn code was changed to JN for some reason.

There is an excellent book on No 75 (NZ) Sqn RAF by Norman Franks called ‘Forever Strong’, and another is apparently being written right now. The Sqn was used by the RAF in all the heaviest and worst raids and suffered the highest amount of casualties of any RAF sqn in the war, but had one of the most prestigious records.

It was also the only wartime RAF ‘foreign’ sqn that was allowed to carry on afte the war in its own Air Force, the RNZAF. The Lancaster at Motat in Auckland wears the 75 (NZ) Sqn code of AA-O on one side to commemorate the RNZAF’s heavy bomber sqn.

I find this website is excellent for checking sqn codes

http://www.stable.demon.co.uk/sqncodes/rafcode.htm

Well worth a look

Thanks chaps.

Yes 75squ it was. Wellingtons from Jul 39 till Nov 42.

75 Squadron, I believe!