whirlwind replica panels and the Tramore flyer

Jeff – good information and indeed useful.

Thank you

From the squadron diary/ORB -can you confirm the aircraft number or code ?

Hi Brian,

From the ORB:-

Aircraft: P.7090
Pilot: F/O Harvey
Up: 23:00
Down: (Blank)
Details: “Ordered to look for trains between BAYEUX and CAEN nothing was heard of him after he left WARMWELL”

There is also an Appendix for this series of operations which I haven’t transcribed yet, but unfortunately the quality of image I have is very poor. The section relating to F/O Harvey appears as follows:-

“No. 6. F/O Harvey, Warmwell 2300 — was ordered to reconnoitre the railway from Bayeux to Caen. Nothing was seen or heard of him after he left Warmwell. F/O Harvey was also interested in the possibility of the armed trawler mentioned above. He was personally familiar with the flak area at Caen and Caen/Carpiquet.”

The armed trawler reference relates to a vessel encountered north of Ouistreham on several previous nights. I reproduce this section below:-

“No. 2. F/O Abrams, Warmwell 2248 — was ordered to reconnoitre the seaward area from Houlgate, ten miles West of Ouistreham, to the St. Marcouf
He hoped to find the armed trawler which at a point 3 miles North of Ouistreham on the previous night (16th April) (See Warmwell Composite Night Rhubarb 25 Report of 16/17 April) had been attacked at about 2355 by F/Lt. Blackshaw and which had fired accurately at him from 3 or 4 light gun positions. It was probably the same trawler which at about 1640 on 16th April slightly damaged F/O. Lee-White’s A/C with 13 m.m. flak after he had bombed Mondeville; and it was possibly this which, reported as at 20 miles North of Ouistreham, damaged a Beaufighter of 409 Squadron at about [illegible] hrs. on 16/17th April. It is also possible that this trawler shot down F/O E. Brearley on the night of 16/17th April. F/O Abrams accordingly proposed to look for this vessel on the 17/18th of April, assuming that it might be in the same area again. In fact, nothing was heard of seen of F/O Abrams after he left Warmwell. He did not return.”

If all the damage and losses above can be attributed to the same vessel, they must have had a real crack crew indeed. All in all, a very bad night for 263 Sqn, with the loss of three of its most experienced pilots.

I hope you find this useful.

Kind regards,

Jeff

Mike – look forward to it. We will be there all weekend.

instrument panels

Brian I think that you and I need a chat over a mug of something at cockpit fest.

mike E

Jerry – my mistake – I found the photograph I took in early 08 ( attached). It also says 17th.

I think it is part of a pulpit – possibly at his dad place of work.

From the squadron diary/ORB -can you confirm the aircraft number or code ?

Hi Brian,
Many thanks for the reply, Harvey was lost on the 18th, so 12th is presumably a typo, although the runnymede lists the 17th, whilst on a rhubarb to the Caen area, a french site lists the loss as N of Carentan.
Thanks again for the info, Awesome panels by the way….
Cheers
Jerry

Brewerjerry this was a custom panel from about 5 years ago.

The customer was a very nice gentleman (a vicar and avid collector) in Ireland who had P.O. Harveys medal and several photographs and wanted a panel to add to his display.

When I visited him in Ireland he allowed me to photograph the panel in situ and obtain copies of the photographs. He also allowed me to use the images on the page.

The further information I have from a photograph of a church plaque was that Philip (Tim) Harvey DFC of the RAFVR Whirlwind Squadron died aged 23. He was the second son of the Bishop of Cashel and husband of Patricia.

Missing April 12th 1943 on ops over France. I was told it was a Rhubarb mission.

The client had undertaken all the research into the Tramore Flyer.

P.S. 5 yrs ago I could not find a picture of the shamrock emblem with the harp inside it – so it was omitted. I have a picture now and the harp should be inside the Shamrock.