Airfields Index

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RAF Oakington 21st Jan 1944 No.7 Squadron Lancaster lost 15th April 1942    8th February 1942 Posting & Exercise 28th February 1940 Cancellations 3rd Aug 1940 New CO 29th October 1940 Move 1st Nov 1940 Modifications 28th Nov 1940 Forced Landing 30th November 1940 Officers 9th December 1940 Command 10th Dec 1940 Issues 12th Dec 1940 Award 20th Dec 1940 Aircraft 22nd Dec 1940 Awards 23rd Dec 1940 Commission 25th Dec 1940 Quiet Day 10th February 1941 Operations 2nd March 1941 Attack 3rd March 1941 Ops 11th March 1941 Appointment 12th March 1941 Ops 17th March 1941 Ops 18th March 1941 Ops 19th March 1941 Ops 21st March 1941 Ops 23rd March 1941 Aircraft Lost 27th March 1941 Ops 3rd April 1941 Operations 4th April 1941 Ops 5th April 1941 Over Crowding 8th April 1942 Gardening & Attack on Hamburg 9th April 1941 Ops 15th April 1941 War Ships Attacked 17th April 1941 Ops 18th April 1941 Ops 20th April 1941 Reorganisation 22nd April 1941 Warships Attacked 23rd April 1941 Ops 28th April 1941 Ops 28th April 1941 Harbour Attacked 29th April 1941 Daylight Raid 1st May 1941 Promotions 2nd May 1941 Operations 3rd May 1941 Operations 4th May 1941 Training 5th May 1941 Attack on Shipping off Dutch Coast 5th May 1941 Attack 6th May 1941 Enemy Targets 7th May 1941 Ops 8th May 1941 Ops 9th May 1941 Aircraft Lost 10th May 1941 Air Raid 10th May 1941 Ops 11th May 1941 Ops 13th May 1941 Ops Cancelled 15th May 1941 Ops 16th May 1941 Attack 20th May 1941 Accident 22nd May 1941 Standing By 23rd May 1941 Ops 24th May 1941 Posting 25th May 1941 Course 26th May 1941 War Weapons Week 27th May 1941 Sweep for Cruisers 28th May 1941 Census 29th May 1941 Problem 30th May 1941 Ops 1st June 1941 Promotions 2nd June 1941 Operations 7th June 1941 Warship Targeted 9th June 1941 Shipping in English Channel 10th June 1941 Enemy Aircraft 11th June 1941 Instruction 12th June 1941 Oil Refinery 16th June 1941 Attack 18th June 1941 Warship Targeted 19th June 1941 Awards 20th June 1941 Orders 21st June 1941 North Sea Sweep 23rd June 1941 Attack 26th June 1941 Operations 28th June 1941 Ops 29th June 1941 Attack Made 1st July 1941 On the move 1st Jul 1941 Daylight Ops 2nd Jul 1941 Ops 4th Jul 1941 Test 5th Jul 1941 Ops 6th Jul 1941 Daylight Raid 7th Jul 1941 Successful Raid 8th Jul 1941 Ops 10th Jul 1941 Ops 11th Jul 1941 Submarine Yards 13th Jul 1941 Ops Cancelled 14th Jul 1941 Aircraft Lost 14th Jul 1941 Poor Conditions 17th Jul 1941 Ops Cancelled 19th Jul 1941 Leave 20th Jul 1941 Operations 22nd Jul 1941 Orders Cancelled 23rd Jul 1941 Air Raid 24th Jul 1941 101 Squadron Wellington lost 24th Jul 1941 Message 25th Jul 1941 Ops 26th Jul 1941 Thunder 27th Jul 1941 Course 28th Jul 1941 Awards 29th Jul 1941 Postings 30th Jul 1941 Operations 31st July 1941 Report 7th Aug 1941 Aircraft Lost 26th Aug 1941 7 Squadron Stirling lost 27th August 1942 Attack on Lille 3rd September 1941 Ops 3rd September 1941 Ops 10th September 1941 Ops 7th September 1941 Attack on Berlin 12th September 1941 Ops 15th September 1941 Ops 18th september 1941 Attack on Le Havre 19th September 1941 Ops 26th September 1941 Ops 29th September 1941 Ops 1st October 1941 Quiet 3rd October 1941 Attack on Brest 3rd Oct 1941 Ops 4th October 1941 Fog 5th October 1941 Move of C Flight 8th October 1941  Visit by USAAF and RCAF Officers 10th October 1941 Ops 11th Oct 1941 101 Squadron Wellington lost 11th October 1941 Bad weather 12th October 1941 Orders 13th October 1941 Visit 13th October 1941 Ops 13th October 1941 Ops 15th October 1941 Attack Made 15th October 1941 Ops 16th October 1941 Gales. 19th October 1941 Orders 20th October 1941 Attack Made 20th October 1941 Ops 20th October 1941 Ops 21st October 1941 Award of Decorations 22nd October 1941 Ops 22nd October 1941 Ops 23rd October 1941 Attack Made 24th October 1941 Station Dance 27th October 1941 Airmen commissioning interview 28th October 1941 Ops 28th October 1941 Ops 29th October 1941  Change in command "C" Flight 30th October 1941 Conference at S.H.Q. 31st Oct 1941 Aircraft Lost 31st October 1941 Ops 31st October 1941 Ops 4th November 1941 Investiture of D.F.M. 5th November 1941 Attack on Enemy Shipping 5th November 1941 Ops 7th November 1941 Investiture of D.F.M. 7th November 1941 Ops 8th November 1941 Attack on Berlin & Ostend 9th November 1941 Attack on Hamburg 9th November 1941 Attack on Hamburg 11th November 1941 Posting of P/O D.K. Deyell 13th November 1941 Posting 15th November 1941 Ops 16th November 1941 Return from sick leave 18th November 1941 Attack 19th Nov 1941 Aircraft Lost 20th November 1941 Sick leave 21st Nov 1941 Aircraft Lost 23rd November 1941 Attack on Brest 24th November 1941 Postings & Attack on Brest 23rd November 1941 Attack on Brest 24th November 1941 Attack on Enemy Shipping 25th November 1941 Sqn dinner for Short Bros 26th November 1941 Attack on Ostend 26th November 1941 Attack on Ostend 28th November 1941 Award of Decorations 30th November 1941 Attack on Emden & Hamburg 30th November 1941 Attacks 1st Dec 1941 Aircraft Lost 1st December 1941 Crashed on landing 2nd December 1941 Weather & Equipment Installation 7th December 1941 Station defence 7th December 1941 Attack 8th December 1941 BBC Recording 9th December 1941 Attack on RHUR 9th December 1941 Daylight Sea Operation 11th December 1941 Attack on Brest and Cologne 11th December 1941 Attack on Brest 11th December 1941 Attack on Cologne 12th December 1941 Attack on Brest 12th December 1941 Attack 15th December 1941 Attack on Ostend and Brest 15th December 1941 Ops 15th December 1941 Attack on Ostend 16th December 1941 Attack on ostend and Brest 16th December 1941 Attack on Ostend 16th December 1941 Attack on Brest 18th December 1941 Attack on Brest 21st December 1941 Death of Sgt Hayward 23rd December 1941 Attack on Brest 23rd December 1941 Attack on Brest 27th December 1941 Attack on Brest 27th December 1941 Attack on Brest 28th December 1941 Award of Decorations 31st December 1941 Awards and Postings 2nd January 1942 Attack on Brest 2nd January 1942 Attack on Brest 3rd January 1942 Visit by VIPs and attack on Brest 3rd January 1942 Attack on Brest 4th January 1942 Bombsight Course 5th January 1942 Installation & Training 6th January 1942 TR1553 training 7th January 1942 Posting of C.O. 8th January 1942 POW info. 10th January 1942 Posting & Awards 12th January 1942 Installation delay 13th January 1942 TR1335 training 14th January 1942 Attack on Hamburg 14th January 1942 Attack on Hamburg 15th January 1942 Weather 17th Jan 1942 Aircraft Lost 17th January 1942 Aerial Collision and raid on enemy airfield 17th January 1942 Attack on Soesterburg Aerodrome 20th Jan 1942 Aircraft Lost 20th January 1942 Bombsight Course 21st January 1942 Court of Inquiry 22nd January 1942 Cremation of S/L Mahler 23rd January 1942 Funerals of aircrew 24th January 1942 Weather 26th January 1942 Snow 27th January 1942 Snow 28th January 1942 Weather 29th January 1942 Weather. Formation of new flight 1st-2nd February 1942 Posting, Runway clearance 3rd February 1942 Cessation of detachment 5th February 1942 Detachment 6th February 1942 Postings 7th February 1942 Exercise 9th February 1942 Commissions 10th February 1942 Degassing aircraft 11th February 1942 Relocated 11th February 1942 C.O.Instructing flying 12th February 1942 Search for German Battleships 12th February 1942 Search for German Battleships 13th February 1942 Postings and exercises 14th February 1942 Decorations 15th February 1942 Conference 16th February 1942 Posting 19th February 1942 Exercise 22nd February 1942 Exercise 23rd February 1942  B.A.T. Course 24th February 1942 Decontamination tests,Conference, Posting 25th February 1942 Change of Command 26th February 1942 Convoy trip cancelled 28th February 1942 Change of command.Cessation of Detachments 1st March 1942 Detachments and stand by 2nd March 1942 Press visit 3rd March 1942 Attack on Billancourt 3rd March 1942 Attack on Renault Works at Billancourt 4th March 1942 Convoy Duty 6th March 1942 Weather 7th March 1942 Court of Inquiry 8th March 1942 Attack on Essen 8th March 1942 Attack on Essen 9th March 1942 InqAttack on Essen 9th March 1942 Attack on Essen 10th March 1942 Inquest 13th March 1942 Attack on Coogne & Dunkirk 13th March 1942 Attack on Cologne 15th March 1942 B.A.T. course. Nickel raid cancelled. 18th March 1942 Visit by Cambridge Air Squadron 20th March 1942 Sqn C.O. on leave 22nd March 1942 Standby 23rd March 1942 Postings & Stan by 24th March 1942 Attack on airfield near Dunkirk 24th March 1942 Attack on Airfield at Dunkirk 24th March 1942 Attack on St Nazaire & Essen 25th March 1942 Visit by VIPs 26th March 1942 Arrack on Essen and Le Havre 26th March 1942 Ops 28th March 1942 Attack on Lubeck 28th March 1942 Attack on Lubeck 31st March 1942 Report 1st April 1942 Conference on ditching of Stirling aircraft 5th April 1942 Ops 6th April 1942 Attack on Essen 6th April 1942 Attack on Essen 7th April 1942 Lunch by Shorts in London 8th April 1942 Gardening and Attack on 10th April 1942 Arrack on Essen & Le Havre 10th April 1942 Attack on Le Havre & Essen 12th April 1942 Attack on Essen & Le Havre 12th April 1942 Attack on Le Havre & Essen 14th April 1942 Attack on Dortmund and Gardening 15th April 1942 Gardening & Attack on Dortmund 15th April 1942 Attack on Dortmund and Gardening 17th April 1942 Attack on Le Havre & Hamburg 17th April 1942 Attack Made 21st April 1942 Visit by Duchess of Gloucester 22nd April 1942 Gardening 22nd April 1942 Gardening 23rd April 1942 Attack on Rostock 23rd April 1942 Ops 25th April 1942 Attack on Rostock & Dunkirk 25th April 1942 Ops 27th April 1941 Garening & Attack on Cologne 27th April 1942 Ops 28th April 1942 Attack on Kiel 28th April 1942 Ops 1st May 1942  Poor Conditions 3rd May 1942 Attack on Hamburg 3rd May 1942 Ops 5th May 1942 Attack on Stuttgart 5th May 1942 Ops 5th May 1942 Attack on Stuttgart 7th May 1942 Mining In Kiel Bay & attack on St Nazaire 7th May 1942 Ops 7th May 1942 Mining 8th May 1942 Ops 8th May 1942 Attack 9th May 1942 Poor Conditions 11th May 1942 Ops 11th may 1944 14th May 1942 No ops due to weather 17th May 1942  Attack on Boulogne 17th May 1942 Attack on Boulogne 17th May 1942 Ops 17th May 1942 Ops 17th May 1942 Attack on Boulogne 18th May 1942 Attack On Essen 19th May 1942  Attack on Mannheim & Mining 21st May 1942 Mining Operation 22nd May 1942 Decoration for W.Cdr. 22nd May 1942 No Ops due to Weather 22nd May 1942 Decoration for C.O.  No Ops. 30th May 1942 1,000 bomber raid 30th May 1942 !000 Bomber Raid 30th May 1942 1000 Bomber raid on Cologne 1st June 1942 1000 Bomber Raid 2nd June 1942 Ops 5th May 1942 Ops 6th May 1942 Ops 8th June 1942 Ops 19th June 1942 Ops 20th June 1942 Attack on Emden 22nd June 1942 Ops 23rd June 1942 Attack 28th June 1942 Ops 29th June 1942 Ops 2nd July 1942 Ops 2nd July 1942 Ops 7th July 1942 Gardening 7th July 1942 Ops 8th July 1942 Attack 8th July 1942 Ops 9th July 1942 Promotion 12th July 1942 Gardening 12th July 1942 Gardening 13th July 1942 Attack Made 13th July 1942 Ops 14th July 1942 Gardening Terschelling 14th July 1942 Gardening 16th July 1942 Attack on submarine yards at Lubeck 19th July 1942 Attack on Vegesack 19th July 1942 Ops 21st July 1942 Attack on Duisburg 21st July 1942 Operations 23rd July 1942 Attack on Duisburg & Gardening 23rd July 1942 Attack 25th July 1942 Attack on Duisburg 25th July 1942 Attack 26th July 1942  Attack Made 27th July 1942 Attack on Hamburg 28th Jul 1942 Aircraft Lost 28th July 1942 Attack on Hamburg 28th July 1942  Operations 28th July 1942 Operations 29th July 1942  Attack on Saarbrucken 29th July 1942 Attack Made 30th July 1942 Visit by HRH Duke of Kent 30th July 1942 Attack Made 31st July 1942 Attack on Dusseldorf 15th August 1942 Attack on Dusseldorf 6th August 1942 Attack on Duisburg 9th August 1942 Attack on Osnabruck 9th August 1942 Attack 10th June 1942 Mine Laying in various areas 10th August 1942 Mine Laying 11th August 1942 Attack on Mainz 11th August 1942 Attack on Mainz 13th August 1942 Mine Laying in Kiel Bay & Baltic Sound. 13th August 1942 Gardening Kiel Bay & Baltic Sound 15th August 1942 Pathfinder Force formed 15 August 1942 Attack on Dusseldorf & Gardening 15th August 1942 Gardening 'Nectarines' Area 17th August 1942 Attack on Osnabruck 17th August 1942 Attack on Osnarbruck 18th August 1942 Attack on Flensburg 18th August 1942 Attack on Flensburg 24th August 1942 Attack on Frankfurt 24th August 1942 Attack on Frankfurt 27th August 1942 Attack on Kassel 27th August 1942 Attack on Roubaix 27th August 1942 Attack on Roubaix 27th August 1942 Attack on Amiens 28th August 1942.  Attack on Nuremburg 28th August 1942 Attack MAde 2nd November 1941 Detachment of Adjutant 10th Nov 1942 7 Squadron Stirling lost 11th May 1943  22nd Jun 1943 Aircraft Lost 15th Aug 1943 7 Squadron Lancaster lost 31st August 1943 Lancaster lost 3rd Sep 1943 Aircraft Lost 3rd September 1943 Rear gunner killed 9th Oct 1943 7 Squadron Lancaster lost 18th Oct 1943 7 Squadron Lancaster lost 18th Nov 1943 Lancaster lost 22nd Nov 1943 Lancaster lost 21st Dec 1943 7 Squadron Lancaster lost 2nd Jan 1944 7 Squadron Lancaster lost 6th Jan 1944 7 Squadron Lancaster lost 29th Jan 1944 7 Squadron Lancaster lost 16th Feb 1944 7 Squadron Lancaster lost 16th Mar 1944 7 Squadron Lancaster lost 20th April 1944 Attack on Cologne 22nd April 1944 Attack on Laon Marshalling Yards 24th Apr 1944 7 Squadron Lancaster lost 26th April 1944 Ops 27th April 1944 Attack on Friedrichshafen 1st May 1944 Ops for 1st May 1944 3rd May 1944 Ops 3rd May 1944 5th May 1945 7 Squadron Lancaster lost 6th May 1944 Ops 6th May 1944 10th May 1944 Ops 10th May 1944 11th May 1944 Ops 11th May 1944 17th May 1944 571 Squadron Mosquito lost 19th May 1944 Ops 21st May 1944 Cloud 22nd May 1944 Ops 24th May 1944 Ops 25th May 1944 Ops 25th may 1944 27th May 1944 Ops 27th May 1944 24th Jun 1944 7 Squadron Lancaster lost 13th Sep 1944 7 Squadron Lancaster lost 27th March 1945 Mid-air collision 10th June 1945 Transport Command If you can provide any additional information, please add it here. Those known to have served at RAF Oakington during the Second World War 1939-1945. Curtis Colin Hubert. P/O. (d.20th January 1942) Davenport Leslie Ernest James. Sgt. Earngey Edward Joseph. F/Lt. Eaton Albert Edward. Freberg DFC.. Philip Gustave R.. (d.11th April 1943) Gant Maurice George. F/O. (d.27th Mar 1945) Glover Henry Raymond. Flt.Sgt. (d.25th June 1943) Goodman William Edward. Sgt. Green Errol Edward. F/Lt. Hudson AFC.. Gordon David. F/O. (d.27th Mar 1945) Naylor Kenneth. Sgt. (d.30th Nov 1941) Nesbitt Harold Earle. WO (d.11th April 1943) Saltmarsh DFC and bar.. Leonard James. Sqd.Ldr. Turner Archibald Clarke. Flt.Sgt. The names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed, please Add a Name to this List The Wartime Memories Project is the original WW1 and WW2 commemoration website. Announcements 1st of September 2024 marks 25 years since the launch of the Wartime Memories Project. Thanks to everyone who has supported us over this time. The Wartime Memories Project has been running for 25 years. If you would like to support us, a donation, no matter how small, would be much appreciated, annually we need to raise enough funds to pay for our web hosting and admin or this site will vanish from the web. 19th Nov 2024 - Please note we currently have a huge backlog of submitted material, our volunteers are working through this as quickly as possible and all names, stories and photos will be added to the site. If you have already submitted a story to the site and your UID reference number is higher than 264989 your information is still in the queue, please do not resubmit, we are working through them as quickly as possible. Looking for help with Family History Research?   Please read our Family History FAQs The free to access section of The Wartime Memories Project website is run by volunteers and funded by donations from our visitors. If the information here has been helpful or you have enjoyed reaching the stories please conside making a donation, no matter how small, would be much appreciated, annually we need to raise enough funds to pay for our web hosting or this site will vanish from the web. If you enjoy this site please consider making a donation. Want to find out more about your relative's service? Want to know what life was like during the War? Our Library contains an ever growing number diary entries, personal letters and other documents, most transcribed into plain text. Wanted: Digital copies of Group photographs, Scrapbooks, Autograph books, photo albums, newspaper clippings, letters, postcards and ephemera relating to WW2. We would like to obtain digital copies of any documents or photographs relating to WW2 you may have at home. If you have any unwanted photographs, documents or items from the First or Second World War, please do not destroy them. The Wartime Memories Project will give them a good home and ensure that they are used for educational purposes. Please get in touch for the postal address, do not sent them to our PO Box as packages are not accepted. World War 1 One ww1 wwII second 1939 1945 battalion Did you know? We also have a section on The Great War. and a Timecapsule to preserve stories from other conflicts for future generations. Want to know more about RAF Oakington ? There are:451 items tagged RAF Oakington available in our Library   These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Second World War. Sgt. Leslie Ernest James Davenport nav. 7 Squadron I have done alot of research on my Grandad, Leslie Ernest James Davenport. He volunteered for the RAF and was posted with 7 Squadron. At the start of the war he was in training and flew with a Wellington Squadron in Lincolnshire but I have been unable to find any information on this. I am aware he was with 7 squadron at Oakington in Cambridge. I am aware of 13 of his missions, then on the Sept 7th 1941 he was shot down over Recklinghausen Germany, after a bombing raid to Berlin. His regular crew wee: F/O D.T Witt - passed away in 1963 Sgt. L D A Bolton P/O D.K Deyell Sgt. A.E Burrows - KIA P/O J.L.A Mills - KIA Sgt J.T Prentice - Living in NZ Other people I am aware he would have known were: A.H Piper (who passed away three years ago),D.H Williams, F.C Williams, K.O Blunden, E.S Baker, R. Blacklaw, Sgt. Hale, K. Huntley, J.T Copley, The crew he was shot down with on the 7th September 1941, were all POWs. F/sgt Alick Yardley - Serv.No 748748 - taken to Stalag Luft 6 F/O C.M Hall (RAAF) 402002 - still alive Sgt. J.H Boulton 742790 Sgt J. Sutton 746720 Sgt A. Speakman 551472 Sgt D. Owens 528924 I have been to the records office at Kew and found all about the raids he was on I know he was based at Oakington with 7 Squadron. He saw active service with 13 missions that I am aware off between June 1941 - September 1941. I am aware of the POW camps he was in as well from Hyderkrug, Sagan, Lamsdorf, Thorn, Fallingbostel. I am interested whether anyone has photo's of squadron 7 (Aircrew and planes) or knows if any of the above airmen are still alive and how I could trace them or their families if they have passed? My grandad was a navigator and mainly a front gunner. He went on raids such as Cologne, Berlin, Dusseldorf, Bethune (France), La Pallice (France), Borkum Seaplane base, Hannover, Keil, Duisburg, Huls to name some. I am aware of the many books which some are in my posession but I would love to know whether any of these veterans are still about. Any information will be greatly recieved. I would love to meet or speak with people that may know my grandad or served in the same squadron. My grandad has sadly passed away in 1988. I was unable to speak to him about the war. I do have photos in my family of some of my grandad and colleagues that maybe of interest to others. Look forward to any info that comes up. Ian Davenport Add to this record. Flt.Sgt. Henry Raymond Glover 7 Squadron (d.25th June 1943) My brother, Henry Glover is mentioned in the "Memoirs of Group Captain T.G. Mahaddie: The story of a Pathfinder." The plane he was in was shot down over Holland and he is buried in Castricum Protestant Churchyard Noord, Netherlands. Plot J Coll.grave 6. His squadron flew Stirlings, from Oakington, Cambridgeshire. Jean Fielding Add to this record. Sqd.Ldr. Leonard James Saltmarsh DFC and bar. 7 Squadron Leonard Saltmarsh served before and after the war in the Surrey Constabulary and I am working on the history of that force. In December 1942 he trained in a Tiger Moth and went on to fly Wellingtons and Lancasters with 7 Squadron, Pathfinders. He was awarded the DFC for actions on the 26th of August 1944 in a raid over Kiel. He flew 99 Operational sorties. D.F.C. London Gazette 3 October 1944. The original recommendation states: ‘Flying Officer L. J. Saltmarsh has so far completed 17 successful sorties as Pilot and Captain of Lancaster aircraft, and has been most conspicuous at all times for his extremely high standard of courage and resoluteness. On two difficult occasions during daylight attacks on Vaires on 12 July 1944 and on Emieville on 18 August 1944, he observed a crippled bomber proceeding at a very reduced speed away from the target. On both occasions he dropped behind the main bomber stream in order to escort the damaged bomber safely back to England. On 15 August, during a daylight attack on the airfield at St. Trond, one of his engines became unserviceable on the way to the target and the propellor had to be feathered. But inspite of the fact that he was getting behind the main stream, owing to his reduced speed, he pressed on and bombed the target, and secured an aiming point photograph. On the way back from the target another engine became unserviceable but did not deter Flying Officer Saltmarsh from proceeding to and bombing an alternative airfield target with a bomb that had failed to be released over the primary target, and once more he secured an aiming point photograph. He eventually arrived safely over base and made a perfect two-engined landing. It was not until after he had landed that he reported the fact that two engines had become unserviceable during the sortie. This very gallant pilot is strongly recommended for the award of the Distinguished Flying Cross.’ Bar to D.F.C. London Gazette 16 November 1945. The original recommendation states: ‘This officer has completed 53 operational sorties, of which 28 have been carried out in the squadron, in the Path Finder Force, 18 of them as Captain of a Marker Crew. Flight Lieutenant Saltmarsh is an efficient and skilful pilot who has always shown a strong devotion to duty and a cheerful confidence which has always inspired a high standard of morale in his crew. He has always displayed exceptional fearlessness in the face of danger, complete disregard for personal safety and has pressed home his attacks against the enemy with the utmost determination.’ Leonard James Saltmarsh commenced pilot training at No. 31 E.F.T.S. at De Winton, Alberta in December 1942, and graduated from No. 34 E.F.S. at Medicine Hat in June 1943. Back in the U.K., he attended No. 11 A.F.U. at Shawbury, prior to joining No. 26 O.T.U. at Little Harwood in early January 1944, where he gained experience on Wellingtons, and then attended a conversion unit for Lancasters at Waterbeach, at which place he joined No. 514 Squadron that June. Thus ensued his first tour of operations, commencing with a strike against L’Hey on the 23 June and ending with another against Emmerich on 7 October, the intervening period witnessing him attack numerous French targets in support of the Allied invasion, but also a number of heavily defended German targets, including Bremen, Dortmund, Saarbrucken, Stettin and Stuttgart. And as confirmed by the recommendation for his D.F.C. after 17 sorties, several of these trips were not without incident, his flying log book further stating that his Lancaster received flak damage during strikes against enemy panzers and transport at Villiers Bocage on 30 June and against a supply depot at Beauvoir on 2 July. Similarly, too, during a visit to Bremen on the night of 18-19 August. In October 1944, Saltmarsh attended the Path Finder Force’s training centre at Warboys, as a result of which he was transferred to No. 7 (P.F.F.) Squadron at Oakington in the following month, flying his first such sortie on the night of the 11th-12th, against Dortmund. A daylight strike against enemy communications at Julich, in support of General Patton’s troops, followed on the 14th and a night operation to Sterkrade on the 21st, Saltmarsh’s flying log book again noting flak damage. Then on the 29th he flew as support aircraft to the Master Bomber on a raid to Dortmund, a role that he would fulfil with growing regularity over the coming months. Such heavily defended targets as Duisburg, Essen (twice) and Karlsruhe formed the backbone of his operational agenda in December, while January 1945 saw him attacking, among other locations, Hanover, Magdeburg, Munich and Stuttgart, his flying log book noting an encounter with a Ju. 88 on the Munich run. February witnessed his Lancaster carrying out strikes against Dortmund, Gelsenkirchen, Ludwigshaven and Pforzheim, in addition to participating in the famous “firestorm” raid on Dresden on the 13th, an action that Saltmarsh would robustly defend in years to come. March saw him completing five more sorties to German targets, three of them in daylight, and April another four, two of these in daylight, including Bremen on the 21st, which latter operation marked the end of his operational tour. He did, however, fly three “Cook’s Tours” to the Rhur in May, and ended his career with an appointment in Transport Command in December 1945. Over and above all of this, however, it would appear that he flew 56 “unspecific” sorties of a secret nature, evidence for which is to be found in the following endorsement from “Bomber” Harris. He also flew: Diversions, experimentation of special equipment, including radar, photographic reconnaissance, these top secret sorties and others. In May 1945 he was selected and volunteered to form a new squadron for the continuation of hostilities against Japan.’ Any information on Mr Saltmarsh DFC and Bar would be appreciated Robert Bartlett Add to this record. Sgt. William Edward Goodman 7 Squadron My dad, William Goodman, known as ‘Bill’ joined up on 8 Aug 1940 at the age of 18. He was eventually sent to join 7 Squadron in Oakington on Short Stirlings. He completed 24 sorties and was shot down on his 25th on 7 June 1942 near Blija, Holland. After being processed at the Dulag Luft he was sent to Stalag Luft III and spent a year there. From here he was moved to Heydekrug and then Thorn and Fallingbostel, after which he did a great deal of walking! The crew, when he was shot down, were: F/O Tayler (Captain), Sgt. Henigman (2nd Pilot RCAF), P/O Earngey (Navigator RAAF), Sgt. Goodman (Front gunner), Sgt. Arnold (Rear gunner), Sgt. MacNamara (engineer), F/O Spry (mid-upper). The plane (W.7471 ‘J’ ) took off at 23-59 on 6th June from Oakington on a sortie to Emden and the records state: ‘Missing. Nothing heard after take-off’. Whilst at Stalag Luft III he wasn’t one of the escapers, although he helped with maps as this was something that he was most interested in doing. He looked forward to the end of the war, though, and decided to take exams in Book-keeping with a view to getting a job after the war was over. However, he eventually became a police officer with Manchester City Police and remained so until his retirement. He kept in touch with some of his aircrew and POW pals through organisations such as the ex-POW organisation and RAFA. He left my sister and me a superb manuscript of his memoirs of his whole life and it is those chapters on his WWII experiences that I have now had made into a book: ‘Of Stirlings and Stalags: an air-gunner’s tale’ by WE ‘Bill’ Goodman. He mentions so many of his fellow airmen and POWs that I’m sure it could prove to be useful for those who are wondering what their forbears lives were like during that period of our collective history. Gill Chesney-Green Add to this record. F/Lt. Errol Edward Green 7 Sqd. My Dad Errol Green was a a cane farmer before the war and but became a Bomber Pilot with 7 Squadron at Oakington. In a group portrait of members of the RAAF at RCAF Station Uplands taken after the men received their wings, identified, seventh from the left is Flight Lieutenant Errol Edward Green RAAF, who was a pilot attached to No. 7 Squadron RAF. His Stirling aircraft N3754 was shot down by a German night fighter whilst on a mission to bomb Bremen on the night of 25/26 June 1942. Four of his crew were killed in the air crash. The other three crew members became prisoners of war of the Germans. He was later captured at Bentheim and sent to Dulag Luft Frankfurt on the 1st of July 1942. and spent nearly three years as a POW, with most time spent in Stalag Luft III. He participated in preparations for escape by dispersing soil taken from the tunnel, but was moved on to another camp by the Germans before the escape took place on the night of 24/25 March 1944. He was in Stalag 3A from 5th of February 1945 to 22nd of April 1945.He was in Stalag 3A from 5th of February 1945 to 22nd of April 1945. Errol was involved in the long, forced march (87km) by foot to Spremberg in at times -25deg during the 8days, then 24 km by cattle truck to Luckenwald where he spent the next 3 months until the Russian forces approached, and the Nazi guards fled camp on 22nd April 1945. Fl Lt Green at that confusing timeframe Errol escaped captivity with some other prisoners into the fleeing refugee masses and was picked up and fed by the American army. Fl Lt Green and his fellow escapees were able to board a plane bound for Britain, arriving a few weeks before VE-Day. In his General Questionnaire on departing the Air Force on 18th of May 1945 he reported that the Germans failed to supply medical treatment, required for the good health of POWs. I would love to know if anyone remembers my Dad perhaps in the prison camp? Sister Chrysanthi Green Add to this record. Flt.Sgt. Archibald Clarke Turner 7 Sqn My Uncle Archie Turner joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force in 1940 at the age of 19. He was shipped to England and joined 7 Squadron Pathfinders RAF Bomber Command based at Oakington, 4 miles north of Cambridge, England. In 1943 Archie’s plane, an Avro Lancaster (serial No JB 303, nick-name Freddie), was on a bombing raid targeting Berlin, Germany. As a Pathfinder aircraft they guided other bombers to their targets using flares. The seven crew was made up of 6 Englishman & Archie. Pilot: F/O GA Beaumont from London, England (fallen) Navigator:. Sgt WA Meek from Edinburgh, Scotland (fallen) Bombardier: P/O Ansfield Ted, from Lancashire, England (captured) Flight Engineer: Sgt D. Ashworth, from Lancashire,England (fallen) Radio operator: F/S Wilson D from London, England (fallen) Turret gunner: Sgt PJ Palmer of London, England (fallen) Rear Gunner/Nav: F/S AC Turner, New Zealand (captured) Sitting in the rear gun turret Archie’s job, as a tail-gunner, was to watch for enemy fighter planes and to shoot them down. About 20 miles northwest of Frankfurt, Germany Archie’s plane came under attack. Below is an excerpt from Flying Officer Ted Ansfield who along with Archie was the only survivors from the attack; “Another echo suddenly appeared on his screen, he could barely utter a warning cry, the pilot reacted instantly and pushed the craft back to port to initiate a "corkscrew-defence manoeuvre” - but it was too late ... Our Lancaster, "Freddie", had received its deathblow. All four engines, the tanks and the fuselage were ablaze. The bomb doors were jammed and the release button for the bombs stopped responding because the power supply had been interrupted. The hydraulic system had also broken down. I quickly fixed our position on my air-to-ground radar and saw that we were about 20 miles northwest of Frankfurt. I wanted to pass this information on to the crew; however I saw that my radio had been shot away. As I straightened up, to reach my instruments, I also noticed that the sleeve of my flying suit was shot through. I leaned forward and shouted the established position to our Navigator - Bill Meek. He pulled the curtain aside in order to pass the message on to our radio operator who was supposed to report this information to our base, but Dave lay dead on his keyboard. I went forward to assist the pilot in manoeuvring the spinning aircraft. It was no use; we were quickly spiralling to the ground. The flight engineer - Dennis Ashworth - had received the order to "bale out" and removed the front hatch. At my request, he jumped. At that moment, I heard screams. It could really only be the pilot or the navigator, so I went back to the cockpit. But it was the turret gunner who was caught in the flames. This is confirmed by the rear gunner - Archie Turner, a New Zealander. After the command to "bale out", he left his turret and came toward the fuselage. There he saw that the turret gunner - P.J. Palmer - was surrounded by flames. After trying in vain to reach him, he strapped on his already singed parachute and left the aircraft. We tried again to stabilise our "Freddie’s" flight, but it was impossible. Beaumont, the pilot pressed my hand one last time and said: "See you in Hell." So I climbed up and out of the bow - at that moment there was a blinding flash, and from then on I knew nothing more... Our rear gunner Archie Turner maintains that while hanging from his parachute he observed a renewed night fighter attack that led to an explosion. This explosion had torn the aircraft apart. Seeing no parachutes, Archie Turner assumed he was the only survivor." After a number of days on the run Archie was captured by the Germans and taken to a Prisoner of War Camp, where he spent the rest of the war. Wayne Turner Add to this record. P/O. Colin Hubert Curtis 101 Squadron (d.20th January 1942) Colin Curtis was my father`s brother. He reported to 101 Squadron at RAF Oakington near Cambridge. On his third mission on the evening of 20th January 1942, the Wellington in which he was the second pilot was shot down. It was lost off the Dutch island of Terschelling. Z1110 and its crew have never been found. Their bomber was one of three Wellingtons claimed that night by Oblt Ludwig Becker, a night fighter ace. Becker suffered the same fate just over a year later. The crew of Z1110 was Sgt Peter Lewis Chapman, Pilot Officer Colin Hubert Curtis, Sgt Alan Herbert Hancox, Sgt Arthur Sidney Spackman, Sgt Francis Ernest Dunn, and Sgt Herbert William Mantle. Mike Curtis has researched the story of his father`s brother Colin, the family and his fiancee Doris Fines. He has unpicked his life, his time in the RAF and his last few hours alive. The story is told in a book called Deadlines and dedicated to his memory. Michael Curtis Add to this record. F/Lt. Edward Joseph Earngey 7 Squadron Ted Earngey was based at Oakington as a Navigator in a Stirling bomber. His aircraft was shot down by Luftwaffe night fighter on 6th of June 1942 and he spent remainder of war in Stalag Luft III in Sagan, Poland. Add to this record. Sgt. Kenneth Naylor 101 Squadron (d.30th Nov 1941) I understand that Ken Naylor, who was 21, was in a flight over the North Sea when there was engine trouble causing the plane to ditch. His mother states two crew members were picked up by fisherman and became German prisoners of war. Ken and at least two others died. In a documentary shown in England in 2011 an ex Wellington pilot called 'Tiny' Cooling spoke about Ken as a young flyer who everybody liked but nobody took any notice of because he looked like he was 'just out of his pram'. Cooling commented that he once found Ken weeping like a child because his best friend hadn't returned. Three weeks later Cooling was clearing out Ken's room because he hadn't returned. Rosalie Maher Add to this record. Albert Edward Eaton 80 Signals Wing Ted Eaton was involved with electronic counter measures. He was stationed at RAF North Creake and RAF Oakington. Kathryn Eaton Harnett Add to this record. WO Harold Earle Nesbitt 7th Squadron (d.11th April 1943) Warrant Officer Nesbitt is buried in the Luxembourg (Hollerich) Communal Cemetery in Luxenbourg. S Flynn Add to this record. Philip Gustave R. Freberg DFC. 7 Squadron (d.11th April 1943) Flying Officer Philip Freberg was killed in action on 11th of April 1943, he is buried in the Luxembourg (Hollerich) Communal Cemetery in Luxembourg. S.Flynn Add to this record. F/O. Maurice George Gant 571 Squadron (d.27th Mar 1945) Flying Office (Navigator (Bomber))Gant was the Son of Maurice D. and Sophia Gant of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. He was aged 21 when he died and is buried in the Leek (Zevenhuizen) General Cemetery, Groningen, Netherlands. S Flynn Add to this record. F/O. Gordon David Hudson AFC. 571 Squadron (d.27th Mar 1945) Flying Officer (Pilot) George Hudson was the Son of William and Elizabeth Annie Hudson, of New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand. He was aged 26 when he died and is buried in the Leek (Zevenhuizen) General Cemetery, Groningen, Netherlands S Flynn Add to this record. Recomended Reading. Available at discounted prices. Of Stirlings and Stalags: an air-gunner's tale W. E. Goodman When William 'Bill' Goodman died in 2002 little did his daughters know the extent of the memoirs he had been writing in the few years before his death. Bill's life, from joining the Raf in 1941 at the age of 18 to his demob in 1948, was fraught with adventure. He describes his service with 7 Squadron at Oakington; he then highlights the terrifying events of the night their Stirling was shot down over Holland, his subsequent incarceration at Stalag Luft 3, periods in other camps and, finally, the long debilitating march back home. All this with fascinating commentary, vivid description and the intimacy of his experience. The reader will meet his fellow airmen and Pows, the man who shot down their Stirling on that eventful night, the heroes of the Dutch resistance and, surprisingly, a kindly and caring guard in Stalag Luft 3! A fascinating first-hand account of a young man's wartime experience. More information on: Of Stirlings and Stalags: an air-gunner's tale Black Night for Bomber Command - The Tragedy of 16 December 1943 Richard Knott "I am not pressing you to fight the weather as well as the Germans, never forget that." So wrote Winston Churchill to Arthur Harris, the Commander-in-Chief of RAF Bomber Command, after the terrible events of 16 December 1943. In the murky dusk almost five hundred heavy bombers, almost entirely Lancasters, set out for Berlin from their bases in eastern England, from north Yorkshire to southern Cambridgeshire. They lifted off at around 4 pm to bomb the target four hours later and were expected to return at midnight. 328 aircrew lost their lives that night - they were the victims of the weather, not the Germans.This book relates the tragic circumstances of individual crews as they struggled to find their home bases in low cloud and fog. It also includes stories from the local people who remember hearing a low-flying aircraft and all too often the frightful explosion as it struck unexpected high ground or even trees. Some rescue attempts were successful, but for most aircrew it was death i More information on: Black Night for Bomber Command - The Tragedy of 16 December 1943 Links

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