AVM Sir Keith Park in WWII aerial combat

I wondered how the situation differed from the Axis point of view,pilots such as A Galland and other high ranking Axis pilots flew throughout the war.I know at the end of the war the Axis needed all the pilots they could get their hands on but did they generally “restrict” their high ranking personell from getting involved?

I remember getting a book from one of the book clubs (probably the Military and Aviation one, or whatever it’s called these days) and it was basically four titles in one, and one of these was about Beamish himself.

It’s probably up in the loft somewhere. Damned if I can think what it’s called, though! 🙁

Daz,

I was just searching for something completely different and discovered the circumstances of Beamish’s death. He happened to be leading the NZ Spitfire Squadron at the time!

This from New Zealanders In The Royal Air Force, Volume One (which like all the Official History of New Zealanders in the Second World War volumes is now online. Yey! Because the books cost an arm and a leg, hundreds!)

Here is the passge from this page:
http://www.nzetc.org/etexts/WH2-1RAF/c16.html#n340

“New Zealanders were again in action two days later when eight fighter squadrons swept the Channel from Cap Gris Nez to Dunkirk. The German fighter force in northern France reacted in strength and some of the heaviest air fighting of the month followed, all the British squadrons reporting fierce engagements with Focke-Wulfs and Messerschmitts. On this occasion the eleven Spitfires from No. 485 Squadron were led by the distinguished
British pilot, Group Captain Beamish,who commanded RAF Station, Kenley. As they made landfall near Cap Griz Nez they sighted some forty enemy fighters, mostly Focke-Wulf 190s, about to dive on another wing. Beamish immediately led the Kenley squadrons to intercept and, as the Spitfires dived to attack, formations became split up. Beamish, together with Flight Lieutenant Grant and Flight Sergeant Liken flew towards two enemy aircraft but these immediately dived away and were lost.

Beamish was then attacked in quick succession by two Focke-Wulf 190s. Grant, who was flying close behind him, was able to drive off the first assailant and pour a stream of bullets into the second, which blew up in
mid-air. Unfortunately the leader’s Spitfire had already been badly hit and was last seen flying low over the French coast. Group Captain Beamish—a gallant and popular leader—failed to return.”

And this Footnote:
Group Captain F. V. Beamish, DSO, DFC, AFC; born Dunmanway, County Cork,
27 Sep 1903; Cranwell Cadet; permanent commission RAF 1923; commanded RAFStations, North Weald, 1940–41, Debden, 1941 and Kenley, 1942; killed on air operations, 28 Mar 1942.

hello,
sorry,Skynet 62 ,but general Roosevelt was played by Henri Fonda and not Mitchum in “the longest day”

Does it still count if they’re not British?

Brig General Frederick Castle posthumously won the Medal of Honour flying in a 487th BG B-17G, 44-8444.

Also seem to remember a very nice painting being released just a few months ago by Robert Taylor that depicts Lt Col Gen “Jimmy” Doolittle flying over the Normandy beaches in a P-38 on 6th June ’44 to “see for himself”.

Don’t forget Eisenhower taking his tour in the modified 2 seat P51B “The Stars Look Down” of the 354th FG over the Normandy area

Dan

Malan and Robinson went up together on occasion.

Thanks Ian,

Yes, Nigel Park was the chap. I was confused about his relationship to Sir Keith Park.

Does it still count if they’re not British?

Brig General Frederick Castle posthumously won the Medal of Honour flying in a 487th BG B-17G, 44-8444.

Also seem to remember a very nice painting being released just a few months ago by Robert Taylor that depicts Lt Col Gen “Jimmy” Doolittle flying over the Normandy beaches in a P-38 on 6th June ’44 to “see for himself”.

And of course Brig. Gen. Roosevelt who came ashore at Omaha (Robert Mitchum in “Longest Day”?) during the D-Day landings. He died a few months later from heart failure IIRC. He too held the Medal of Honor.

Who was the British chap that had to take on an assumed name and rank in case he was shot down? Wasn’t it Sir Ivor Broom, whilst flying he was an AVM or similar?

I remember reading somewhere that AVM Bennet would nip over to Germany in a Mossie “against orders” to see how his pathfinders were getting on

Lastly, I think I read somewhere Keith’s son was also a pilot and was killed in combat. Has anyone got details of this?

I don’t have details about Park’s son, but are you aware that his nephew, Nigel Manfred Park, 412727, who was killed on 25 October 1942 whilst flying with No 126 Squadron in Malta? He was credited with 10 and a quarter kills and one damaged.

Freyberg I don’t know, but Monty was (while no coward) a definite rear echelon commander. Couldn’t get his caravans in the trenches perhaps!

Another issue was the risk of valuable and knowlege filled senior officers getting captured by the enemy; so any seniour RAF commanders flying over occupied territory were not encouraged. Churchill was flowen over Normandy in a captured Storch by AVM Harry Broadhurst…

Actually thinking about it James, you’re right about Monty. I was getting confused there. He was a smashing General though, wherever he lead from (despite what all the Yank films say!!)

General Sir Bernard Freyberg VC was a London-born but NZ-bred-from-age-of-two Kiwi who lead the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force in WWII, and was NZ’s greatest army leader ever. Having worked in the NZ Army in both NZ and Britain, by wartime he had much sway in military circles and was one of Churchill’s best mates. He became one of the top Allied commanders in the North African and Italy campaigns, leading the New Zealand Division who were a substantial portion of the 8th Army.

Freyberg did lead from the front, right in the trenches and foxholes down with the privates, etc. In fact the junior generals used to get peed off at him for advancing too fast, or disappearing off for a shoot up! He was gung ho but with a brilliant mind for tactics. Once Churchill, his lifelong mate, asked how many scars he had (accrued during both wars) and Freyberg apparently showed him over 50 shrapnel and bullet wounds!

He later became the Governor General of NZ, and a statue of him is in central Auckland. Amazingly no statue to Keith Park though!!

I do know that several pilots that had been promoted to wing leader and station comander levels still flew sweeps over Europe. Aces Al Deere, Johnny Checketts and Bill Wells included. Bill was commanding Kenley (from memory) but he would fly sweeps with 485 (NZ) Sqn – his old Sqn – and an Aussie Spitfire sqn too. He told me that after these sweeps the Kiwis were often astonished how the Aussie squadron made claims for kills that simply hadn’t occurred – they’d met no enemy on these occasions but the Aussie pilots claimed kills he said. hmmm

Another chap I know lost his bomber crew because the crew was borrowed by the station commander who had to do a bomb raid once a month, and they were shot down. So it seems it wasn’t unusual at that rank level.

But as James says, higher ranking officers in the Air Staff ranks were too valuable and knew too much. It’s lucky Keith Park escaped the attack in Malta.

Does it still count if they’re not British?

Brig General Frederick Castle posthumously won the Medal of Honour flying in a 487th BG B-17G, 44-8444.

Also seem to remember a very nice painting being released just a few months ago by Robert Taylor that depicts Lt Col Gen “Jimmy” Doolittle flying over the Normandy beaches in a P-38 on 6th June ’44 to “see for himself”.

Mind you, the best generals, like Monty and Freyberg fought right up with their men I guess

Freyberg I don’t know, but Monty was (while no coward) a definite rear echelon commander. Couldn’t get his caravans in the trenches perhaps!

Another issue was the risk of valuable and knowlege filled senior officers getting captured by the enemy; so any seniour RAF commanders flying over occupied territory were not encouraged. Churchill was flowen over Normandy in a captured Storch by AVM Harry Broadhurst…

Victor Beamish was a Group Captain when base commander.
mmitch.

Didn’t fighter station commanders regularly do the odd sweep with the wing though?

There’s a difference between a station commander (usually a Wing Commander or Group Captain) and Air Staff (Air Commodore and above) going operational though. Air Staff are too valuable, aren’t they?

Mind you, the best generals, like Monty and Freyberg fought right up with their men I guess.

I think that was him – I do seem to remember one of his names beginning with “B”.

Couldn’t remember the name of the airfield, either :rolleyes:

Victor Beamish was station commander at North Weald. He started to fly alone behind the wing because it was suspected that some were ‘not as keen as they should be’ But he carried on long after it was neccessary and was eventually shot down and killed. Mentioned in ‘Fly for your life’
mmitch.

There was one, Dave, whose name I can’t recall. An Irish chap. I’ve read a book about him, too!

I seem to remember he was the Station Commander of one of the airfields.

He flew with a Hurricane squadron occasionally during the Battle of Britain, and Spitfires on sweeps in 1941. I think he was lost on one sweep in either 1941 or 42.