“It’s a sad fact that the guys responsible for compiling these records (myself especially) had little sense of history being more preoccupied with beer and birds. The F540 was one of those much resented ‘secondary duties’ and its importance was not appreciated”
Not so when Frank Ziegler took over the F540 of 609 (West Riding) Squadron! Ex-freelance journalist, and scribe of immense talent. If any of you get a chance, check it out at the PRO.
An exerpt from 1943, picked at random:
Jan 15th. Hangovers for F/Lt Atkinson and F/O Ziegler. The aerodrome is still pretty U/S, and day ‘operations’ are limited to two air firing sorties by the CO. Despite a discouraging Met report for the opening of the moonlight season, night weather in fact turns out perfect, and both the CO and F/O Wells make Intruder sorties. The former, taking off at 2137 for the Bethune / Lille area, attacks a goods train SSW of Hazebrouck. After two attacks it is still in motion. This infuriates the CO, and on his third attack he holds fire and presses it home so low that he nearly hits the thing, being dazzled by the flashing explosions of his cannon shells. However the train now gives in and stops, and on his 4th and 5th attacks he rakes it from end to end. He next attacks a passenger train E of St Omer, and after seeing many strikes on the coaches, the train slows down and shuts off steam, and S/L Beamont comes to the end of his ammo. He is airborne 54 minutes – exactly as estimated. F/O Wells, setting off at 2304, patrols railways between Abbeville, Amiens and Abancourt, and eventually finds a train going N at Gamaches. Having been warned of Flak in that area, he waits till it is clear, then attacks it in a valley not far off Le Treport, his aim being assisted by the furnace doors being left obligingly open – perhaps deliberately by an anti-Axis stoker. The train stops, regurgitating steam, after his first attack, but he gives it another for luck. In return he gets light and inaccurate Flak from the village nearby. All this despite 3/10 cloud.
Enemy Casualties: 2 locos Cat B (S/L Beamont DFC and F/O Wells)
Rolling Stock of 2 trains damaged (S/L Beamont)
Our ” Nil.
Big shock to the squadron (and to himself) occurs today when the posting of F/O Tidswell (Adj) to 605 sqdn (Boston’s) is announced – to absorb his promotion to F/Lt on the principle of 2 engines = 2 rings. He is not however to depart for a few days.
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