|
|
|
RAF Church Fenton
17th October 1939 On the move
1st December 1939 Moved again
December 1939 Coastal patrols
13th January 1940 Moved again
2nd March 1940 Moved again
April 1940 Re-equipped with Spitfires
16th May 1940 Relocated
1st June 1940 Withdrawn for recuperation
17th June 1940 Disaster
6th July 1940 RAF Exeter operational
30th Jul 1940 Flying Training
6th Sep 1940 Training
7th Sep 1940 Training
15th August 1940 Yorkshire bombed
31st Aug 1940 Air Raid
5th Sept 1940 Rest and renewal
5th September 1940 Recuperation
19th September 1940 New squadron formed Under American law, it was illegal for United States citizens to join the armed forces of foreign nations, and in doing so, they forfeited their US citizenship. Nevertheless in 1939 American mercenary Colonel Charles Sweeney had begun raising an American squadron to fight in Europe. He managed to dodge the FBI and Axis agents while illegally seeking pilots in the United States, risking $1000 fines and prison. Initially he wanted them to fight in Finland against the Russians, but his attention soon moved to France. Recruited and financed by Sweeney, over thirty Americans made their way to France before the Germans invaded in May, 1940. Although some joined the French Air Force, none got to fly in France. Several made their way to Britain after the German invasion of France and were recruited into RAF service.
After the fall of France the United States relaxed its concern over British recruiting and in July 1940 the FBI declared that there was 'no wrong done' by Sweeney (although those who had already left to join the Allied forces did not get their Citizenship officially restored until 1944). In Canada WWI Ace Air Vice Marshall Billy Bishop VC and a WWI American pilot, Clayton Knight, created the Clayton Knight Committee with the purpose of recruiting and training Americans for the Royal Canadian Air Force. By the end of 1941 Sweeney and the Committee had recruited over 7,000 Americans (though fewer than 15 percent became pilots). Almost all the pilots went to Britain to serve with the Royal Air Force.
With the steady influx of US volunteers, the RAF agreed to create a new Squadron to be manned by American personnel under British RAF officers, and on the 19 September 1940 No. 71 Squadron was reformed at Church Fenton. Sweeney had designed a unit shoulder patch bearing an American Eagle, giving squadron the title 71 Eagle Squadron. Seven of the initial recruits had already seen action in the Battle of Britain as members of other squadrons: Billy Fiske, Eugene 'Red' Tobin, Andrew Mamedoff, Vernon 'Shorty' Keough, Arthur Donahue, John Haviland and Phil Leckrone. Other recruits came through Canada with Canadian or civilian flying qualifications, and the initial task of the seven experienced flyers was to train their new colleagues.
The Squadron was initially equipped with American-built Brewster Buffalos. Royal Air Force acceptance personnel criticised the aircraft on numerous points, including excessive weight (despite a limited armament and a lack of pilot armour), poor high-altitude performance, engine overheating, unreliability and poor cockpit controls. The aircraft were deemed unsuitable for European conflict as it was being experienced in the Battle of Britain. They were also much disliked by their new pilots and rumour had it that there were deliberate attempts to damage them in training so that they might be replaced with Spitfires.
rafmuseum.org.uk
19th September 1940 New squadron formed
23rd October 1940 Retraining
23rd November 1940 Relocated
1st March 1941 Moved again
16th May 1942 On the Move
1st November 1942 New Squadron formed
7th November 1942 Temporary C.O. appointed
20th November 1942 C.O. and Adjutant arrive
24th November 1942 Ten pilots arrive at new squadron
30th November 1942 Squadron strength increased to 5 aircraft
8th December 1942 Force landing
12th December 1942 Very little flying
18th December 1942 New arrivals
21st December 1942 Typhoon pranged
25th December 1942 Christmas party
31st December 1942 Flying practice
January 1943 Refitting
2nd January 1943 Bomber affiliation exercises
4th January 1943 Low flying practice
12th January 1943 Snowed up
15th January 1943 Excellent Day
19th January 1943 Pilots drive tanks
22nd January 1943 No flying again
26th January 1943 Flying practice
29th January 1943 Postings and training
6th February 1943 Training programme nearing completion
12th February 1943 Dining with the WAAF
14th February 1943 Aircraft shortage
20th February 1943 Tank bombing exercise
23rd February 1943 Postings
25th February 1943 Exercise Spartan planned
1st March 1943 Squadron relocated for Exercise Spartan
12th March 1943 Operation Spartan ended
14th March 1943 Operational detachment
18th March 1943 Return to training
21st March 1943 Movement order
23rd March 1943 Farewell party
24th March 1943 Squadron relocated
26th March 1943 Pilots rejoin squadron
July 1943 Convoy escort In July 1943 No.26 Squadron moved from Detling to RAF Church Fenton in Yorkshire, although one flight was detached and sent to RAF Ballyhalbert in Northern Ireland. Their principal duties at this time were convoy escort patrols.
www.historyofwar.org/air/units/RAF/26_wwII.html
July 1943 Convoy escort
4th August 1943 Overseas posting cancelled
3rd September 1943 Defensive role
13th October 1943 Combat over the North Sea
19th Dec 1943 Fighters and bombers
28th Dec 1943 Another Move
18th March 1944 Bomber escorts
23rd April 1944 On the move
8th February 1945 Flooded
20th April 1945 Moved and disbanded
24th April 1945 Respite
If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.
|
Those known to have served at RAF Church Fenton during the Second World War 1939-1945. 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 Church Fenton? There are:66 items tagged RAF Church Fenton 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. |
|
Plutowny Jan Bronislaw Zacharkiewicz DoH. No. 305 (Greater Poland) Squadron (d.16 February 1987) Jan Zacharkiewicz was my father, he was married in St Anne's Cathedral, Leeds on 16th of August 1943 to my Mum, Thelma Joyce Mortimer.
The wedding certificate lists his address at that time as Hutton Cranswick, near Beverley, thus RAF Hutton Cranswick where he was stationed.
He had also been stationed at RAF Church Fenton near Tadcaster.
|
Recomended Reading.Available at discounted prices.
|
|
|
