Airfields Index

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RAF Honington  Night flying practice 8th Oct 1939 Recconaissance 18th December 1939 Aircraft Lost  The British Air Ministry decided to launch an attack on German surface ships to prevent them supporting the U-boats in the North Atlantic. Wellington bomber squadrons had undertaken a number of sweeps over the North Sea during October and November against any enemy shipping. On 18th December 1939, a force of 24 Wellington bombers – nine from no.9 Squadron at Honington, six from 37 Squadron at Feltwell, and nine from 149 Squadron at Mildenhall – was sent to attack German ships in the Heligoland Bight and sink or damage as many as possible. The mission was a disaster. The Wellingtons took off for the daylight raid around 0930, led by the C/O of 149 Squadron, Wing Commander Richard Kellet. Two of the aircraft turned back early, leaving 22 Wellingtons to fly on to the target area. No German ships were found at sea. Several German Navy warships were sighted in Wilhelmshaven Harbour, but orders had been given not to bomb the port area in case civilians were hit, so the Wellingtons turned for home. The theory was that the well armed Wellington had the fire power to defend itself from attack by fighters, especially if they were flying in tight formation. However the 22 aircraft on this return flight were strung out in a straggle when they were intercepted by 44 Luftwaffe fighters – a mixture of Me Bf 110s and Bf 109s. In the battle that followed 10 were shot down, two ditched in the sea before reaching the English coast and three more crash landed in East Anglia - a total loss of 68% of the force. 56 RAF aircrew were killed and five were taken prisoner. 37 Squadron lost five of its six aircraft shot down and 9 Squadron also lost 5 aircraft. The aircraft and crews lost were: 9 Squadron: N2939 Crashed off Wilhelmshaven Pilot: F/O John Thomas Irvine Challes 2nd Pilot: P/O Alistair Hugh Richmond Bourne Observer: Sgt Frank Michael Mason Wop/AG: Sgt Thomas Henry English AG: LAC Gurth Ernest Cox AG: AC1 Alexander Telfer N2940 Crashed off Wilhelmshaven Pilot: P/o Eric Francis Lines 2nd Pilot: Flt Sgt Alfred Kitto Fearnside WOp/AG: AC1 Edward Malcolm George Polhill AG: LAC Alex Morrison Dickie AG: AC2 Clifford Walker N2941 Crashed off Wilhelmshaven Pilot: F/O Douglas Bellamy Allison 2nd Pilot: F/O Donald Charles Ephraim Bailey Observer: Sgt John Archibald Brister Air Bomber: Sgt Joseph Buglasi Adamson Turnbull Wop/AG: Sgt Reginal Thomas Black AG: LAC Albert George Goodenough N2872 Crashed off Wilhelmshaven Pilot: Squadron Ldr Archibald John Guthrie 2nd Pilot: P/O John Edgar Atkinson Observer: Sgt Harold Walter Tyrrell Wop/AG: LAC Thomas Leo Marlin Wop/AG: Sgt Bertie Joseph Pickess AG: LAC Josias Melville Fletcher Key N2983 Badly damaged by gunfire and Crashed off Cromer, Norfolk. Four survivors were picked up by a trawler. Pilot: Sgt Jack Richardson Ramshaw DFM – injured 2nd Pilot: Sgt Robert Hewitt – injured Wop/AG: LAC D.J.Connolly – injured AG: LAC Walter Lilley – killed AG: AC1 Charles Ronald Driver DFM - injured N2871 badly damaged and made forced landing at RAF North Coates Fitties N2873 badly damaged and made forced landing at RAF Sutton Bridge, two crew injured. 37 Squadron: N2904 LF-B Last reported with the Starboard wing burning furiously and heading out to sea off Wilhelmshaven. Pilot: Squadron Ldt Ian Victor Hue-Williams 2nd Pilot: Flt Lt Thomas Gaufrey Wearmouth Appleby Observer: F/O Arthur Richard Vaughan Williams Wop/AG: Sgt Alister Raymond Norris Wop/AG: LAC John Arundel Barstow AG: LAC Ernest Lowe N2888 LF-A crashed into the sea off Borkum Island Pilot: F/O Peter Arabin Wimberley - survived and taken PoW Observer: Sgt Leslie Alfred Sheppard - killed Navigator: P/O Michael Ratcliffe - killed Wop/AG: AC1 Alexander Maxwell Hill - killed AG: LAC Alfred William Walter Lane - killed N2889 LF-P Broke up in the air and crashed into the sea off Borkum following a sustained attack by Lt. Helmut Lent of 3./ZG-76. Pilot: F/O Oliver John Trevor Lewis RAAF Observer: Sgt Maurice William Barrington-Taylor Wop/AG: LAC Peter Thomas Jones Wop/AG: P/O Roderick Menzie Ross AG: AC1 George Warne Geddes N2935 LF-H Shot down out to sea off Wilhelmshaven: three of the crew are buried in the Sage War Cemetery but two were missing and are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. Pilot: F/O Arthur Telford Thompson Navigator: P/O Matthew Infield Drawwater Observer: Sgt Alfred John Tilley Wop/AG: Cpl Wilson Robinson AG: LAC Leonard Arthur Stock N2936 LF-J Crashed Borkum Islands. Pilot: Sgt Herbert Ruse – survived and taken PoW. Observer: Sgt Thomas William Holley – killed and buried on Sage War Cemetery Wop/AG: Sgt Thomas K.May – survived and taken PoW. Wop/AG: Cpl Frederick James Taylor - killed and buried on Sage War Cemetery AG: LAC Harry Jones – survived and taken PoW. 149 Squadron: N2961 Ditched off Cromer Norfolk. There were no survivors F/O Michael Franklin Briden P/O W.S.F.Brown Sgt Valentine Henry Garner Richardson AC2 A.G.Foster AC1 Isaac Davidson Leighton AC1 Peter John Warren N2962 OJ-B Shot down and crashed into the North Sea. All reported missing and commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial P/O Fred Norman Lines F/O James Heggie Cumming Speirs AC2 William James Ellis Sgt Richard Robin Hammond LAC John Humble Sinton A direct outcome of this air battle was the decision to fit Wellingtons with armour plate and self-sealing fuel tanks to make them more robust. Another outcome was that this was the last unescorted daylight bombing raid undertaken by Bomber Command until the closing stages of the war. Wellington N2980 which was flown by the 149 Squadron crew of Squadron Ldr P.I.Harris is an exhibit in the Brooklands Museum. 18th December 1939 Aircraft Lost 10th May 1940 War over Holland 15th May 1940 Raids 18th May 1940 Advance Party 14th June 1940  Back to Britain 16th June 1940 Leaving France 3rd July 1940 On the move 10th July 1940 Re-equipped 1941-01-01 Attack on Bremen 3rd January 1941 Seven Wellingtons attack Bremen 4th January 1941 Bombing practice carried out 6th January 1941 P/O P W Page was posted in 7th January 1941 No operational importance noted today 8th January 1941 No operational importance noted today 9th January 1941 Thirteen Wellingtons attack several targets 11th January 1941 Wellingon 1244 forced landed in France 12th January 1941 No operational importance noted today 16th January 1941 Posting in and out 17th January 1941 No operational importance noted today 18th January 1941 18th and 19th nothing to report 20th January 1941 W/Cdr Ernest Arnold Healy was posted out 21st January 1941 P/O B F Lamb was posted to CGS Warmwell 23rd January 1941 No operational importance noted today 22nd January 1941 Weybourne range bombing practice 24th January 1941 P/O G E Walker was posted to No 214 squadron. 25th January 1941 No operational importance noted today 26th January 1941 SCI practice was carried out 28th January 1941 No operational importance 28th to 31st January 12th Mar 1941 Night Ops 31st March 1941 Aircraft Lost 17th Apr 1941 Eleven Aircraft Lost 26th Apr 1941 Aircraft Lost 27th April 1944 No operational importance noted today 28th April 1941 Battleships attacked 29th April 1941 F/P R G Wilberforce was posted in 2nd May 1941 Bombing practice carried out 3rd May 1941 Aircraft Lost 5th May 1941 Scharnhorst and Gneisenau at Brest attacked 4th May 1941 Air firing practice 5th May 1941 Mannhiem attacked 6th May 1941 P/O N Dunkerton posted out 7th May 1941 Air Firing practice carried out today 8th May 1941 Fires started at Mannheim 9th May 1941 Mannheim target again 1s0th May 1941 Hamburg mission 11th May 1941 Unknown bombing operation target 14th May 1941 S/Ldr P C Pickard posted in 15th May 1941 7 aircraft raid Hanover 16th May 1941 Aircraft Lost 16th May 1941 Six Wellington bombers took off 18th May 1941 Unknown bombing location operations 20th May 1941 F/O D McIntosh posted to No 5 B.A.T.F Honington 27th May 1941 Attack on Cruiser in Atlantic Ocean 1st June 1941 Quiet 3rd June 1941 Quiet 7th June 1941 Cruisers Attacked 8th June 1941 Quiet 9th Jun 1941 9 Squadron Wellington lost 9th Jun 1941 Aircraft Lost 10th June 1961 No operational importance noted today 11th June 1941 Tail plane damage aborts mission 12th June 1941 Railway marshalling yards attacked 13th June 1941 No operational importance noted today 14th June 1941 No operational importance noted today 15th June 1941  16th June 1941 Dusseldorf docks attacked 18th June 1941 Personnel posting 19th June 1941 Koln target with aircraft being diverted on return due to fog 20th June 1941 No operational importance noted today 21st June 1941 No operational importance noted today 22nd June 1941 Mission to Bremen and one aircraft returned early 23rd June 1941 No operational importance noted today 24th June 1941 No operational importance noted today 25th June 1941 Bremen attacked 26th June 1941 No operational importance noted today 27th June 1941 Bombing practice carried out 28th June 1941 No operational importance noted today 29th June 1941 No operational importance noted today 30th June 1941 Sweep of North sea for missing aircrew 1st July 1941 Attacking the cruiser Prinz Bugen 2nd July 1941 No operational importance noted today 3rd July 1941 Mission to attack targets at Essen 10th July 1941 Loss of Wellington WS 5729 whilst attacking Koln 12th July 1941  14th Jul 1941 Poor Conditions 16th July 1941 Raid on Hamburg 19th July 1941 Hanover raid 2nd Aug 1941 Unknown bombing location operations 5th Aug 1941 Operational target unknown 6th Aug 1941 No information avialble on operational mission 8th August 1941 Raid 30th Aug 1941 Bombing practice carried out 7th September 1941 Aircraft Lost 26th Sep 1941 Aircraft Lost 28th Sep 1941 Aircraft Lost 9th Nov 1941 Aircraft Lost 5th Jan 1942 Aircraft Lost 1st Aug 1942 9 Squadron Wellington lost 7th August 1942 Squadron relocated and re-equipped 14th February 1945 Mid-air collision If you can provide any additional information, please add it here. Those known to have served at RAF Honington during the Second World War 1939-1945. Baker Frank Weldon. Sgt (d.17th Apr 1941) Ball Kenneth Rhodes. F/Lt (d.12th Aug 1941) Balls William Ronald. Sgt (d.8th Sep 1941) Banks Robert Arthur. Sgt (d.8th Sep 1941) Barnard . P/O Barron Hugh Forester. Sgt (d.13th Aug 1941) Batchelor . Sqd.Ldr. Bews R D. Sgt Blandon Cyril George. Sgt (d.7th Jul 1941) Blaydon DFM.. Reginald William. Sgt. (d.1944-08-08) Bratley DFC MID. Harold William. Sgt Bunce Ronald Stewart. Sgt Burtis Marvin Edson. (d.8th Jul 1941) Chandler Cyril Harry. Sgt (d.12th Aug 1941) Channing B W. Sgt Coates Grosset Keith. P/O (d.8th Jul 1941) Dawson . F/Lt. Fairway . Sgt Goldingay Leslie Dennis. Sgt. (d.26th April 1944) Hall . Hemmings . Sgt. Lamb . P/O McIntosh . P/O. McKay . Sgt Mew . Sgt Mills . Sgt Morgan . F/Lt. Parkes DSO.. Stuart Martin Parkeshouse. Sgt. (d.26th Aug 1944) Peach . Sgt Peacock DFC. George Ernest. Sqd.Ldr. (d.6th Jun 1940) Sharp . P/O Shore . F/Lt Stark . Sgt Trundle . Sgt Vivian DFM.. Ronald. Sgt. Wasse . S/Ldr Whitehead . P/O Willis MM.. Lionel Richard. 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 Honington? There are:110 items tagged RAF Honington 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. Sqd.Ldr. George Ernest Peacock DFC 9 Squadron (d.6th Jun 1940) Squadron Leader George Peacock was the son of Stephen Ernest and Elizabeth Bagnall Peacock of Spennymoor, Co. Durham. He is buried in the Geerviliet (Simonshaven) Protestant Churchyard, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands. He was aged 26. He earned his DFC for an attack on Bergen (L.G. 19/4/40). The citation mentions a second run over the target and turning back to attack a flying boat which was shot down. S Flynn Add to this record. Sgt. Stuart Martin Parkeshouse Parkes DSO. 9 Squadron (d.26th Aug 1944) Stuart Parkes was a pilot of Wellington bombers and was based at Honington in Suffolk. And on the night of 11th January 1941 as part of a 6 member crew took off for a bombing mission to Turin. Aircraft WS- R1224 was forced to land near Miserieux in France and all crew were uninjured however they were all interned. Five of the grew managed to escape and eventually returned to the UK and took place in further operations. Sgt Parkes was promoted to Squadron Leader was killed whilst flying Lancasters on the night of 26th of August 1944. Add to this record. Sgt. Lionel Richard Willis MM. 9 Squadron Sgt Lionel Willis was a 2nd pilot of Wellington bombers and was based at Honington in Suffolk. And on the night of 11th of January 1941 as part of a 6 member crew took off for a bombing mission to Turin. Aircraft WS- R1224 was forced to land near Miserieux in France and all crew were uninjured however they were all interned. Five of the crew managed to escape and eventually returned to the UK and took place in further operations. Sgt Willis was awarded the Military Medla in 1942 for his evasion. Add to this record. Sgt. Leslie Dennis Goldingay 9 Squadron (d.26th April 1944) Leslie Goldingay aged 23 was an Observer in Wellington bombers and was based at Honington in Suffolk. And on the night of 11th January 1941 as part of a 6 member of the 6 man crew took off for a bombing mission to Turin. Aircraft WS- R1224 was forced to land near Miserieux in France and all crew were uninjured however they were all interned. Five of the crew managed to escape and eventually returned to the UK and took place in further operations. After being promoted to Flight Lieutenant he was killed in action on the 26th April 1944 Add to this record. Sgt Harold William Bratley DFC MID 9 Squadron Harold Bratley was a Wireless Observer and Air Gunner on Wellington bombers and was based at Honington in Suffolk. And on the night of 11th of January 1941 as part of a 6 member crew took off for a bombing mission to Turin. Aircraft WS- R1224 was forced to land near Miserieux in France and all crew were uninjured however they were all interned. Five of the grew managed to escape and eventually returned to the UK and took place in further operations. Sgt Bratley after managing to escape to the UK was back on flying duties and was promoted and eventually relinquished his commission of Flight Lieutenant in 1955 and passed away in 2000 aged 85 Add to this record. Sgt. Ronald Vivian DFM. 9 Squadron Ronald Vivian was an Air Gunner in Wellington bombers and was based at Honington in Suffolk. And on the night of 11th of January 1941 as part of a 6 member crew took off for a bombing mission to Turin. Aircraft WS- R1224 was forced to land near Miserieux in France and all the crew were uninjured however they were all interned. Five of the grew managed to escape and eventually returned to the UK and took place in further operations. Sgt Vivian was awarded the DFC on 25th September 1942 was promoted reaching the rank of Flight Lieutenant. Add to this record. Sgt. Reginald William Blaydon DFM. 9 Squadron (d.1944-08-08) Reginald Blaydon was an Air Gunner in Wellington bombers and was based at RAF Honington in Suffolk. And on the night of 11th January 1941 as part of a 6 member crew took off for a bombing mission to Turin. Aircraft WS- R1224 was forced to land near Miserieux in France and all crew were uninjured however they were all interned. Five of the grew managed to escape and eventually returned to the UK and took place in further operations. He was promoted to Flying Officer awarded the DFM and was killed whilst flying a mission on the night of 8th of August 1944. Add to this record. Sgt Hugh Forester Barron 9 Squadron (d.13th Aug 1941) Sgt Hugh Barron aged 21 was serving with 9 Squadron based at Honington in Suffolk when Wellington WS Z R1341 on a mission to Hannover on the night of 13th August 1941. The aircraft was reported to have crashed near Rotenburg. He is buried in Becklinger war cemetery in North Germany. Add to this record. Sgt William Ronald Balls 9 Squadron (d.8th Sep 1941) Sgt William Balls aged 20 was serving as a WOp/AG with 9 Squadron based at Honington in Suffolk. Wellington bomber WS Z 8845 on a mission to Berlin was reported to have been shot down by 4/NJG1 in Holland at 0050 hours on the 8th September. All crew were killed. Add to this record. Sgt Robert Arthur Banks 9 Squadron (d.8th Sep 1941) Sgt Robert Banks RAFVR aged 21 and whilst serving as 2nd Pilot with 9 Squadron based at Honington in Suffolk, was crew on Wellington bomber WS Z 8845 on a mission to Berlin on the night of 7th September 1941. The aircraft was reported to have been shot down by 4/NJG1 in Holland at 0050 hours on the 8th September and all crew were killed. Add to this record. Sgt Frank Weldon Baker 9 Squadron (d.17th Apr 1941) Sgt Baker served with 9 Squadron based at Honington in Suffolk. He was part of the crew of Wellington bomber WS LT 2900 on a mission to Berlin on the night of 17th of April 1941 when the aircraft and all the crew were lost off the Suffolk coast. Add to this record. F/Lt Kenneth Rhodes Ball 9 Squadron (d.12th Aug 1941) F/Lt Kenneth Ball was serving as a pilot with 9 Squadron based at Honington in Suffolk. Wellington bomber WS-R 1513 was on a mission to Kiel on the night of 12th August 1941 and the aircraft crashed into the River Wesser. He was aged 22. Add to this record. F/Lt Shore 9 Squadron F/Lt Shore was a pilot of a Wellington bomber serving with 9 Squadron based at Honington in Suffolk in 1941 Add to this record. Sgt Stark 9 Squadron F/Lt Stark was a pilot of a Wellington bomber serving with 9 Squadron based at Honington in Suffolk in 1941 Add to this record. Hall 9 Squadron Sgt Hall was a pilot of a Wellington bomber with 9 Squadron based at Honington in Suffolk. Add to this record. Sgt Mills 9 Squadron Sgt Mills was a pilot of a Wellington bomber with 9 Squadron based at Honington in Suffolk Add to this record. Sgt Trundle 9 Squadron Sgt Trundle was a pilot of a Wellington bomber with 9 Squadron based at Honington in Suffolk Add to this record. Sgt Mew 9 Squadron Sgt Mew was a pilot of a Wellington bomber and was serving with 9 Squadron based at Honington in Suffolk in early 1941. Add to this record. P/O Lamb 9 Squadron P/O Lamb was a pilot of a Wellington bomber with 9 Squadron based at Honington in Suffolk in 1941. Add to this record. P/O Barnard 9 Squadron P/O Barnard was a pilot of a Wellington bomber with 9 Squadron based at Honington in Suffolk in 1941. Add to this record. P/O Sharp 9 Squadron P/O Sharp was a pilot of a Wellington bomber with 9 Squadron based at Honington in Suffolk in 1941. Add to this record. Sgt Peach 9 Squadron Sgt Peach was a pilot of a Wellington bomber with 9 Squadron based at Honington in Suffolk in 1941. Add to this record. Sgt McKay 9 Squadron Sgt McKay was a pilot of a Wellington bomber with 9 Squadron based at Honington in Suffolk in 1941. Add to this record. F/Lt. Morgan 9 Squadron F/Lt Morgan was a pilot of a Wellington bomber with 9 Squadron based at Honington in Suffolk in 1941. Add to this record. Sqd.Ldr. Batchelor 9 Squadron Sqd.Ldr. Batchelor was a pilot flying Wellingtons with 9 Squadron based at Honington in Suffolk. Add to this record. Sgt Fairway 9 Squadron Sgt Fairway was a pilot of Wellington bomber and served with 9 Squadron based at Honington in Suffolk. Add to this record. P/O. McIntosh 9 Squadron P/O McIntosh was a pilot of Wellington bomber with 9 Squadron based at Honington in Suffolk. Add to this record. P/O Whitehead 9 Squadron P/O Whitehead was a pilot of Wellington bomber serving with 9 Squadron based at Honington in Suffolk in 1941. Add to this record. S/Ldr Wasse 9 Squadron S/Ldr Wasse was a pilot of a Wellington bomber serving with 9 Squadron based at Honington in Suffolk in 1941. Add to this record. Sgt. Hemmings 9 Squadron Sgt Hemmings was a pilot of a Wellington bomber with 9 Squadron based at Honington in Suffolk. Add to this record. F/Lt. Dawson 9 Squadron F/Lt Crompton was a pilot of a Wellington bomber serving with 9 Squadron based at Honington in Suffolk. Add to this record. Recomended Reading. Available at discounted prices. Links

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