Hi Gail.
I really have no idea of where the records of your grandfather would be, but have had a quick trawl around the web. And have seen how far you have got.
As you say his home town was Brechin. (By the middle of the 19th Century, Brechin had a paper mill, two flax mills, five linen factories, two bleachfields, two distilleries, a brewery and two saw mills,)

It might be possible to find out where he worked before the war. And if you are lucky might find the factory where he worked and might get some leads from there.
I’m thinking Linen = Ballons poss same process of manufacturing.
Will have another look around, when I have a moment.

Webpilot. It is true that I had not given much thought at the time of posting, it was 2 am.
But the more I think about it, the more feasible it becomes.

Let’s imagine the Luffwaffe mission for the day is to bomb Norwich, to destroy Horsham St faiths airfield and the manufacturing sites and Railway at Trowse. (8 mls apart).
They sent 500 bombers with a 100 fighters. We have 5 wellingtons circling the city, with regular updates of the speed and height of the approaching bombers.

Ignoring the fighters, the German ones and ours, from St faiths.

Can you say how many of those bombers can avoid coming within 2000yds (effective range of Browning .50 Caliber Machine Gun) of one of the wellingtons, and still complete their mission.

No second chance. The bombers had to return. Would they have enough fuel to make a big detour?
The YB40 were not a success because they were used in an offensive role (against Germany) not a defensive one.
No, they were defensive.

It was a defensive role in an offensive, that’s why I put against Germany in Brackets.

I suspect the only wreckage for the Kent scrap men would be the “Super Defiants” (the Wellington gunships). As shown by the Defiant and the YB40, gunships don’t work. Getting a heavy, slow gunship in the right place is much harder than getting a squadron of nimble fighters there, and the moment the fighter escort was drawn off, as it would be, they’d be picked off.

You can’t really compere a Wallis Welly mk GS 73, to the Defiant and YB40 many said his bouncing bomb would not work.

Now here’s a what if. What if Barnes Wallis had come up with the idea of converting a squadron or two of wellington bombers as gun ships with bristling with guns that could shoot in any direction and with a longer range then the German guns. And these Wellingtons with fighter protect were patrolling the areas where the Germans were approaching from, with the radar etc which we had at the time, they could then be in a good position to do max damage on meeting the Luftwaffe. The scrapmen in Kent would have a field day.

As you say what ifs are great fun.

I dont know if you have armchair strategists on this board like we have on the modern military board who like to ponder historical scenarios. But lets say that Hitler did not not make this mistake of invading Russia in 1941 and continued to put all of Germany’s efforts against Britain. Was it true that the RAF was at the breaking point? What was the RAF’s realistic response against airfield attacks? Would the RAF need a fighter resupply from the US to survive? Could the british public withstood continued bombing? Would enough fighters have stopped the bombing? Lets leave the submarine campaign out of this discussion and concentrate on who would win the BoB if it had continued.

What ifs are only what ifs.

Was it true that the RAF was at the breaking point? No after the B.o.B. they were growing stronger
What was the RAF’s realistic response against airfield attacks? Just defend as well as possible
Would the RAF need a fighter resupply from the US to survive? No they already had more planes then pilots.
Could the British public withstand continued bombing? Yes the people of Malta did
Would enough fighters have stopped the bombing? Depending on the circumstances.

What if Germany had continued the blitz is the o.ps question.
As far I am aware, he did continue as long as he could. The blitz is officially regarded as from 7th sept 1940 to 21st May 1941. Operation Barbarossa was scheduled for 15th May 1941 but postponed until 22nd June 1941. Hitler had been saying since 1925, that he would invade Russia.

But let’s say that Hitler did not make this mistake of invading Russia in 1941, and continued to put all of Germany’s efforts against Britain.

What other efforts could be put against Britain? The only thing he could use was the Luftwaffe which had already been trying to gain air supremacy. I.e. The Battle of Britain 10th July to 31st Oct 1940 in which they had been badly mauled.

Now if the o p is suggesting that more planes should be used against Britain, where would they come from, they would have to come from airfields in Germany and Poland or North Africa which would weaken their campaign there, now as they could not make a round trip from these airfields. The whole kit and caboodle that goes with planes to keep them in the air, they would have to be moved to France or Norway. Now while all this was going on RAF bomber Command, S.O.E., French resistance and the Royal Navy would be sitting about twiddling their thumbs, so no extra troops would have to be used to guard the convoys of men and machinery.

Now in France and Norway the airfields are all set up, Plane engines running ready for take of Aldertag (Eagle day) again.

Meanwhile back in England, the RAF has not had any intelligence of the events that have been going on in France and Norway and were sitting back celebrating how they thrashed the Luftwaffe in the B.o.B. nor had they been discussing tactics i.e. the Big Wing, Etc or updating their aircraft.

Once the battle had begun the Luftwaffe would receive a bigger mauling than they had in the battle of Britain as they would be more planes to shoot at.

Now here’s a what if. What if Barnes Wallis had come up with the idea of converting a squadron or two of wellington bombers as gun ships with bristling with guns that could shoot in any direction and with a longer range then the German guns. And these Wellingtons with fighter protect were patrolling the areas where the Germans were approaching from, with the radar etc which we had at the time, they could then be in a good position to do max damage on meeting the Luftwaffe. The scrapmen in Kent would have a field day.

Meanwhile back in Russia Stalin, is watching all this going on and thinking. “Mmm my old mate Hitler has got his air force in a pickle over in the English channel, and half his soldiers guarding the airfields and supply lines, I’ve already got half of Poland, I might as well have the other half and if he don’t like it I will carry on into Germany and kick him in the one and only”.

So if these WHAT IF’S happened then ww2 could have ended early with less people suffering.

All forms and info here.
https://www.gov.uk/requests-for-personal-data-and-service-records

Hi Vampirefan

Try Len Bartrams book RAF Foulsham 1942 – 47. only about six photo’s in it, but it is absolutely full of facts about Foulsham. Not sure If the one on Amazon is an original one or a recently updated one by his son.
Could Lend you mine.
This is one of the Pic.

Experts guess what happened.

or scroll down for answer.

Halifax B. 3 MZ564/DT-X which landed on top of Mosquito B.1V DZ377 coded DT-0 was also landing at Foulsham on the night of 27/28 April 1944. No casualties. Halifax in background LW613/DT-W 192 sqn.

Jim, As far as I know they work fine. Have a look here

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Cataract-surgery/Pages/How-it-is-performed.aspx

I apologise for adding this, but knowing your sense of humour, you will not be offended by this.

http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l178/DragonReef5/4ZZVdNV_zpsxlr9dlej.jpg