226299 Cpl. Albert Edward Smith Royal Air Force 419 Squadron I joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve in 1940 age 18. I first trained as a Fitter IIE and was promoted to Corporal in April 1941. In December 1941 I was posted to RAF Mildenhall, Suffolk to work with the Royal Canadian Air Force, Squadron 419. I took charge of Wellington “H Harry†and its ground crew early in January 1942.
The foundation of 419 was set up by British ground staff but all aircrew were RCAF. Over the first few months of 1942 the British members were gradually replaced by Canadian ground crew and so I was posted on in June 1942. During my 6 months of service in charge of “H Harry†the aircraft was never lost. The last ops in which I was involved, and in which 419 fully participated, were the first two “1000 bomber†mass attacks. These occurred between May and early June 1942 with the first target being Cologne.
I took every opportunity to fly with the aircraft on air tests, cross-country practice flights etc. I kept a logbook which recorded some 40 hours and was signed by Squadron Leader Turner (I/C “A†flight). Unfortunately the log book was lost in the East Coast Flood of January 1953, I can no longer at 91 years of age recall the names of ‘H Harry’ air crews. However I do recall and remember well Wing Commander “Moose “ Fulton and Squadron Leader Turner, both of whom I flew with.
Looking back on those days when I was quite prepared to join the aircraft on air tests etc (minus parachute!), I realise now that I must have convinced the ‘ops’ aircrew that their aircraft was well maintained and thoroughly reliable.
Because of snowfall in early ’42, air craft and ground crews were moved temporarily to the satellite airfield with concrete runway at Lakenheath. Our accommodation was primitive. Water supply to our huts was frozen, hence we collected snow and melted it for drinking and washing.
Some events recalled...
One night on return from an operation the rear gunner failed to come out of ‘H Harry’. His turret was facing sideways with the doors open. A search was made in case he had fallen out on landing but there was no sign. He turned up later in the morning. Apparently as they crossed the British coast the skipper had said something like ‘Thank God we are safe if we have to bale out’. All the gunner heard was ‘bale out’ and he did. Landing in East Anglia he eventually located a farmhouse, was given a good breakfast and returned to base. Unfortunately I no longer remember his name.
One morning at Lakenheath, ‘H Harry’ having just been serviced, I was sitting in the pilot’s seat when a Wellington came over low and landed. As it did something hit and smashed the cockpit Perspex close to my head. I realised the damage was caused by the lead weight on the end of the trailing aerial which was normally wound in before landing. It turned out that the Wellington crew had made an emergency landing because their tail gunner was badly wounded and unconscious. Under the circumstances the damage to ‘H Harry’ was not mentioned.
One of the ground crew was replaced by a Canadian rigger. One morning in the aircraft he had idly fiddled with the ‘Very’ signal-pistol. Unaware that it was loaded he discharged it and set fire to the front of ‘H Harry’. Fortunately the burning fabric was rapidly dealt with but the damage took several days to repair.
Photos of ‘Q Queenie’ appeared to the war time public and in many books, then and since, about wartime aircraft. The series of photos of ‘Q Queenie’ in flight were taken by Charles Brown, an official photographer, who was on board ‘H Harry’ at the time. I accompanied Mr Brown that day and helped steady him and the bulky camera as he took the shots. The skipper’s manoeuvres around ‘Q Queenie’ resulted in some excellent images.
Incidentally, in one of the books on wartime aircraft there is a photo of Squadron Leader Turner and the aircrew lined up in front of ‘H Harry’. One of my flight mechanics also appears on the port wing. The photo is referenced as courtesy of Public Archives of Canada.
The Mark 1c Wellingtons were replaced in early Spring ’42 by the Mark 3. The first replacement Mark 3 was collected from a maintenance Unit in SW Scotland by Squadron Leader Turner. Because I had completed a two week course at Bristol on the Hercules engine and the Rotol electric propeller, Squadron Leader Turner took me with him and we were dropped off at the M.U. by one of our aircraft. I was wearing a Canadian overall (which I still have) and he told me to pocket my forage cap and we will all have lunch together in the M.U. Officers’ Mess. We then flew the Mark 3 back to Mildenhall.
One night I was knocked down by ‘H Harry’. I was leading the aircraft to its parking place after it landed from an op. The method was to lead in front with a torch in each hand, pointing back to the aircraft. Both the pilot and I were blinded by a sudden brilliant light aimed at us. I stopped quicker than the aircraft hence was knocked down under the fuselage rather than decapitated by one of the propellers. The pilot was Wing Commander Fulton in charge of ‘H Harry’ to lead that night’s 419 operation. In the morning he dealt with the fire crew who had stupidly operated their search light from their vehicle.
Early in ’42 the second pilot was withdrawn from the aircrews with the result that many skippers made sure that at least one of his crew was capable of taking over if vital. Practice was carried out by the aircrew during air-tests. On several occasions I too was allowed to take over the controls and on another occasion I was instructed and allowed (unofficially) by the skipper to taxi the aircraft.
As it is now 2015 there are probably records already of some of the events I have mentioned but whatever is known about the early years of 419, it is a pleasure to share my memories with you.
Brief wartime career info:
in 1942 I was posted from Mildenhall to RAF Orfordness, working as a technician for Civil Servant Scientific Officers (Bomb Ballistics & Firing Trails) at Orfordness Research Station.
In 1944 commissioned and served in Italy and the Middle East. Commanding Officer of a unit in Palestine.
In 1946 I was released from RAF, joined Orfordness Research Station. Also joined RAFVR (T) as Flight Luitenant officer and glider pilot instructor for ATC cadets (Air Training Corp, Cadets).
|