Tony HHaving major issues trying to upload the pictures. All attempts so far (now into double figures!) have failed as the system rejects the images – but doesn’t give a reason
I will keep trying – or send them to someone else to upload them for me!
Tony H
Tony HAdrian
Photos of that design still adorn the Sqn – but there is a possibility of a more up to date version shortly . . . . !
Tony H
Tony HAdrian
Photos of that design still adorn the Sqn – but there is a possibility of a more up to date version shortly . . . . !
Tony H
Tony HGents
Many thanks for all the responses – it is greatly appreciated.
Major Cuthbert Rawdon has the distinction of not only being the first RAF fatality but also the first (of two) CO’s of 78 Sqn to be killed . . .
Grateful for anymore info as and when – it is filling in a lot of blanks in the archive!
The only outstanding puzzle (posted in part 2 of this thread) is where was our 2nd HQ in Hove located during 1917
Any Sussex local historians out there who can shed light on this??
Kind Rgds
Tony H
Tony HKev
Many thanks and it’s clearing some major “grey areas” in our historty too!
TTFN
Tony H
Tony HGents for info
The Memorial was unveiled outside “B” Hangar at RAF Benson on Mon 4th April
The info below is taken from the RAF Website;
After travelling hundreds of miles, a memorial to lost 78 Squadron personnel has finally been unveiled in a special ceremony at RAF Benson today.
The memorial is a lasting reminder to all 78 Squadron personnel who have been lost since the Squadron was created almost 95 years ago. It is formed from a chiselled piece of Halifax stone donated by Rand & Asquith quarry mounted with the remains of a propeller from a 78 Squadron Halifax bomber that was lost during World War II.
Current 78 Squadron personnel paraded to the front of the Squadron hangar, accompanied by the Squadron Standard, where the Station Padre, Wing Commander Jan Taylor, officially consecrated the memorial and dedicated it to all 1029 personnel from 78 Squadron who had been lost since 1916. This included pilots, aircrew, and groundcrew from across the decades and the variety of operations the Squadron has conducted. Following the last post, two minutes silence and reveille, the ceremony concluded with the flypast of a Merlin helicopter, the type that the Squadron currently fly, trailing a Royal Air Force ensign.
The consecration was witnessed by both current and former 78 Squadron personnel including Ex-Officer Commanding 78 Squadron Air Vice Marshall Barry North, currently the Assistant Chief of the Air Staff and notable ex-Squadron personnel such as Larry Taylor DFC, George Duffee DFC, and Flight Lieutenant Michelle Goodman DFC. They were joined by Janice Freeman and Alison Eustance, the granddaughters of RAF wireless operator Joseph Henderson who was lost when his Halifax bomber was shot down over Holland in 1944.
It was a particularly poignant time for Janice and Alison as the propeller that forms the memorial was the third propeller from the Halifax bomber in which they lost their grandfather (LV905 EY-W “Willie”) Janice explained: “It’s been very moving. It’s been a real celebration of the crew and what they did. But it was nice that they related it right through history to what 78 Squadron are out doing today in Afghanistan. It really brought it home that things haven’t changed that much. There’s still people going out there and doing their bit.”
She continued, “Mum was 4 when he died. It puts you in touch with him, with the man we essentially never knew. You feel a little bit closer to him really, through these things.” Alison added, “Without Granddad Joe we wouldn’t be here today.”
Wing Commander Dan Startup, the current Officer Commanding of 78 Squadron, commented, “Since 78 Squadron was formed almost 95 years ago we’ve lost over 1000 people and it was an honour for us all to be able to recognise the sacrifices those before us have made. We hope that this memorial will enable their memories to live on in the hearts and minds of the younger generations now serving with the Squadron.”
I am unable to load any images here (for unknown reasons?) Hhowever if anyone wants to view them, you can either; google 78 Sqn Memorial, go to “Team Merlin” on FB or try the AIX Forum > Memorial Photos & News for pictures
Kind Regards
Tony H
Voluntary Sqn History Officer
78 Sqn
Tony HAircraft appearing in films
Gents – another one to add to the extensive lists . . .
I saw this one Sunday on Ch4 about a year ago. It was called The Betrayed (made in 1954) and starred Victor Mature as “The Scarf” He played the part of either an agent (or a double agent?) who was working undercover in Holland in the latter part of WWII . . .
At the the end of the film (where his character is killed in a shoot out) There is a brief scene of Allied ground troops advancing towards “Arnhem” whilst flying over them are scores of aircraft taking in the airborne troops . . .
The only problem is (and a major continuity gaff at that) that all the planes are NOT Dakotas but (unidentified) “twin boomed” transport aircraft??
Sorry I cannot remember what they were but probably USAF operated. From memory, the rest of the film was (also) fairly naff too . . . !
Tony H
Tony HAirfield Indent Beacons
Evening All
Whilst not quite relating to either Pundit or chance lights, below is the current list of all those airfields in the UK that possess an IBN (Ident Bcn)
The list is actually quite suprising !
(Taken from an official document at work during my lunch break)
Andrewsfield AF Green
Barkston Heath BA Red
Birmingham BM Green
Benson BO Red
Brize Norton BZ Red
Cranfield CD Green
Church Fenton CF Red
Cambridge CI Green
Cottesmore CM Red
Caernarvon CN Green
Culdrose CU Red
Coningsby CY Red
Denham DN Green
Elstree EL Green
Fenland FE Green
Farnborough FH Green
Gloucestershire GO Green
Southampton HN Green
Humberside HS Green
Haverfordwest HW Green
Oxford / Kidlington KD Green
Kinloss KS Red
Leicester LE Green
Leeming LI Red
Lossiemouth LM Red
Linton on Ouse LO Red
Lyneham LY Red
Mona MA Red
Manston MN Green
Marham MR Red
Middle Wallop MW Red
Northampton / Sywell NN Green
Northolt NO Red
Nottingham NT Green
Netheravon NV Red
Odiham OH Red
Peterborough / Conington PB Green
Portland PO Green
Shipdam SA Green
Scilly’s Isles / St. Mary’s SC Green
Shoreham SH Green
Sleap SP Green
Swansea SX Green
Shawbury SY Red
Thruxton TX Green
Unst UT Green
Yeovilton VL Red
Valley VY Red
Waddington WA Red
Wolverhampton Business Airport WBA Green
Manchester Woodford WF Green
Wittering WJ Red
Wycombe Air Park (Booker) WP Green
Warton WQ Green
Wattisham WT Red
Just in case you think I’ve made a typo error – NO!! Wolverhampton Business Airport (or Halfpenny Green to older readers) really does have a three letter IBN code – making it the only one in the country
Hope you find this of use even though it is slightly off thread ?
Tony H
78 Sqn Ops
RAF Benson
Tony HAircraft in films
Gents
My contribution to this very interesting thread
1: The Eagle Has Landed
Storch (On arrival in the “Channel Isles” – AKA St. Mawgan!)
Me 108 (Donald Sutherlands Taxi from “Channel Islands”)
DC3 (for paradrop sequence)
2: Lancaster’s in “An appointment in London” starring Dirk Bogarde
3: B17’s in “12 O’clock high” starring Gregory Peck
4: B25 (and DC3 in background between hangars) in either 633 Sqn or Mosquito Sqn – er not forgetting the Airfix Mossies flying round corners badly!
5: Multiple types in the late 1970’s early 1980’s BBC WWI drama series “Wings”
6: Finally the pilot who doubled for Norman Wisdom in “It’s in the Air” and actually flew though the hangar at Debden was Flt Lt Richard “Dickie” Lee who later gained the DFC before last seen chasing enemy aircraft out to sea during the Battle of Britain and who remains MIA (from BoB then & now MkV)
Rgds
Tony H
Tony HI seem to have (temporarily) overcome the technical difficulties . . .
The attached image is of the memorial on the western edge of the village of Hank on the junction of the Orangepolderweg and the Aakvlaaweg . . .
The memorial consists of a propeller unit from LV905/EY-W “Willie”, with the names of the seven crew engraved on one of the actual blades
Just out of sight in this image is an information board in both Dutch & English giving details of the crash and images of all seven crewmembers
The location of the crash site itself is approx 500 yards furthe down a small road in the “10 o’clock” position from this view
The wreath laid by OC78 Sqn is clearly visible in this view
Here the Dutch had lit seven fires – one for each of the crew lost . . .
Will try and post more ASAP
Tony H
Tony HLadies & Gents
Please accept my apologies but for reasons unknown, my laptop “refuses” to upload the images I have of the events at Hank.
I will keep endeavouring to try but so far four attempts have failed !
Tony H
78 Sqn
RAF Benson
Tony HHalifax LV905/EY-W “Willie”
Hi Gents
Thanks for the messages of appreciation for our efforts to remember just seven of the 55,000 brave men of Bomber Command . . . .
Here is an image of the propeller from the No 3 Engine of 78 Sqn Halifax
LV905/EY-W “Willie” before it was loaded onto a pallet by the RNLAF. It is now safely back in the 78 Sqn Hangar awaiting inclusion into the yet to be built memorial. More images of the events in The Netherlands are available if anyone is interested?
Kind Rgds
Tony H
78 Sqn
RAF Benson
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