Twenty Four

The Magazine of XXIV Squadron Association

Here are a selection of articles from our Summer 1998 issue:-

A FEW OF THE more observant of you may notice a name change, namely that of the new OC 24 Squadron. That privilege has been taken by Wing Commander Paul Oborn, a pilot for a change, who has not served on the Squadron before but ‘got some in’ in the right hand seat under the guidance of the next door neighbours, i.e. 30 Squadron. It is nearly possible to think that the Squadron is reverting back to its Commonwealth status as Paul originates from New Zealand. All the Association would like to wish him well in his new post and look forward to meeting him at the 1998 Reunion.

The ‘97 Reunion

Friday evening at the Hilton saw a round up of nearly all the Usual Suspects, some just passing through but not staying for the weekends activities. The most memorable incident was to be able to witness the meeting of a couple of comrades after a gap of nearly fifty years. That moment was between Jock Hannah, no stranger to travel, visiting from Sweden and Graham Donald over from South Africa.

A couple of new faces were introduced to all at the bar, which incidentally was exclusively taken over with Air Force types from Twenty Four, and quickly welcomed into the crew room chat for the evening.

Saturday saw a very good crowd gathering at 24 Squadron headquarters which brought with it a certain buzz prior to the AGM starting. Everything was laid out to perfection with the liaison team on hand to welcome the Association members and guests and receive a most generous and impressive framed print from Graham Donald. This should become another valuable piece of memorabilia for the Squadron in the years to come.

Wing Commander Rob Bailey had given us ample warning of his absence, his weekend was to be under canvas on Tactical Operations and so put his brand new exec of only 3 weeks, S/L Howard Elliot in the hot seat. Not a chap to be ruffled, Howard gave a first class briefing to us all and outlined what the Squadron had been up to.

Despite the original batch of RAF Hercules being in service for 30 years already they are destined to play a role through to the year 2010. The most recent task was to support operations affecting the Zaire Civil War flying nearly 260 hours carrying troops medical supplies and ammunition.

The routine support tasks are still ongoing for Northern Ireland and Bosnia which all takes up a valuable chunk of the monthly tasking programme. Exercises always present an interesting challenge to the norm and Exercise Minibus was no exception. This involved a tri service force routing out to the Far East and calling into India and Diego Garcia. It involved non stop flying for the aircraft and a slip pattern for the crews, fortunately both performed in excess of expectations.

The Squadron still supply a crew on a 7/8 week detachment to the Falkland Islands. Aircraft and crew act as workhorses in support to the Garrison, along with VC10 tankers also positioned at Stanley Airfield.

Just in case anybody was starting to nod off, reference was made to the new Volunteer Reserve force of non uniformed aircrew to assist at peak load times. Misty eyes lit up from all the potential wanabes despite much evidence of greying hair, until it was explained that a current flying licence was needed. Late delivery of the new C130J's, to be officially called C Mk4, has meant a short term reprieve for a few navigators and engineers as a result of flat screen technology.

After the briefing it was time to tuck into lunch and catch up on all that gossip with the ReUnion crowd. The display of photos and memorabilia never fails to draw people back with the discovery of some forgotten fact or face. This year the Squadron Line Book, which was started in 1990, proved an amusing read and contained many howlers, mainly committed by green co-pilots. One choice quote goes along these lines;

Co pilot to Met man - what's the chance of this prob 20 occurring?

Met man to Co pilot - Oh about 20%.

We will be back for some more of these gems in another issue, they are too good to be locked away.

As well as healthy trade in over counter sales at the bar, supplies of Squadron ties, t shirts and badges were being snapped up. It was a relief to see this part of the ReUnion weekend working well after a noticeable hiccup in stock control at previous events.

Lastly onto the ReUnion dinner, which was held this year at the Hilton Hotel on the Saturday evening. This final event of the weekend managed to draw a few fresh faces who had missed out on the events going on earlier on in the day. A private area was set aside for our party which had the effect of quickly putting everyone at ease, making the evening just fly bye. The meal was rounded off with the thanks that another 24 Squadron Association weekend had been a great success after the hard work put in by one and all.

Flying Machines of XXIV - Lancastrian

Avro 691 Lancastrian

Continuing the reverse order revue of the aircraft operated by 24 Squadron, it should be the turn of the Valetta, shown as being operated between February 1950 to November the same year. But by popular request of the '97 AGM it is a little talked about shiny beasty, the Lancastrian. Twenty Four were flying Lancastrian C Mk2's from 1946 till 1949 from Bassingbourn A total of 33 of the Mk 2's were built for the RAF with ten later converted for civilian use. Aircraft No's VL967-VL981, VM701-704, VM725-VM738 were used by 24 Squadron and the Empire Air Navigation School.

Unlike the York from the same stable of plane makers, the Lancastrian was simply a demilitarized Lancaster fitted with a nose and tail cone in place of turrets. The first conversion was made to the Lancaster III R 5727, flown to Canada in 1942 to assist the tooling for production at Malton, Ontario, by Victory Aircraft Ltd, who later made and fitted the original nose and tail fairings. Registed CF-CMS, this machine inaugurated Trans-Canadian Air Lines' trans-atlantic service on 22 July 1943 by carrying four tons of Canadian Forces' mail non-stop from Dorval to Prestwick in a record time of 12 hours 56 minutes. This record was broken repeatedly by the T.C.A. fleet of eight Canadian Lancaster X conversions CF-CMT to CF-CNA known as XPPs. They were a more elegant type with a longer all metal semi-monocoque nose which increased the mail capacity to over 3.5 tons. One TCA conversion was lost over the Atlantic with British Admiralty officials in December 1944 and another burned out in a take-off accident in Dorval in June 1945 during trials with four Merlin 85 engines in Lincoln-type annual cowlings.

The first of 63 British Lancastrian Mk 1 aircraft was G-AGLF which was handed over to the BOAC Development Flight at Hurn on 7 February 1945. A record breaking flight was made some two months later to New Zealand in three and half days, effectively ending the leisurely pre-war Empire Air Route schedules. Lancastrians were far from economical in operation, only 9 passengers being carried in a row of seats facing inwards along the port side, but they were an acknowledged interim asset on the Kangaroo service for the short flying time prestige despite loosing an estimated £1,400,000 annually. These Mk 1 aircraft were a more sophisticated conversion of the XPPs with 500 gallon fuel tanks in the bomb bay

An outstanding long-distance flight was made by CF-CMW which left Prestwick on July 9, 1946, with a crew of four and ten passengers and flew to Vancouver in an elapsed time of 28 hrs 23 mins with a single refuelling stop at Dorval. Long distance flying earned the Lancastrian the title of the first British commercial aeroplane with South Atlantic capability and on October 5, 1945, G-AGMG left Hurn to survey the route which had been a British ambition. The ease with which the Lancastrian crossed the ocean to Buenos Aires and continued over the Andes to Santiago and Lima, resulted in the delivery of six Lancastrian 3s for the establishment of a regular BSAA service in the following year.

RAF commitments to India, the Far East and Australia were met by equipping Transport Command with nine-seat Lancastrian C Mk2s to Specification C.16/44 which were similar to civil Lancastrian 1s. Part of the total RAF order included twenty 10-13 seat designated C Mk 4s. Production ceased at the 82nd aircraft at the end of 1946 and the last to leave Woddford were 12 civilian examples of which five, collected by BEA and flown to White Waltham for ferrying to Alitalia, were named after Mediterranean winds, for a weekly Rome-Montevidao South Atlantic service. Skyways also commissioned eight ex-RAF Lancastrian C. Mk2s and 4s in 1947-48, of which five were sold to BSAA and BAOC to alleviate fleet shortages caused by failure of the Tudor.

Although primarily a transport type the Lancastrian C. Mk2 had a notable career as a long-range navigation trainer with the Empire Air Navigation School, Shawbury. A typical example of of the type of flights work were the 36 day, 34,000 mile round the world flight made by VM701 (Air-vice Marshal Fiddament) ex Blackbushe on November 12, 1945; and 12,500 mile Northolt-Wellington flight by VM726 (Sq Ldr J. Adams) March 6-8, 1946. The latter returned to Northolt 6 days 13 hrs 15 min later and was the first aircraft to circumnavigate the globe in less than a week.

John Care has pre-empted this article by sending in a few choice recollections of the type. A major drawback was the fact that once loaded up, it was necessary to crawl over the freight to get into the cockpit.

Another interesting feature, as oversights in design are called nowadays, for the instument fitters was the need to climb onto this huge tyre in the wheel bay to check fluid levels, a chore he would gladly do now if his age would allow him.

More detail will hopefully appear in the next issue of Twenty Four about the Lancastrian after this little memory jogger brings in a few stories from Association members who flew in them.

This section of the Newsletter is used to kick off a new story, often started from a tidbit of information someone has spotted or to clear up a mystery. A couple of submissions fit into that category, the first from Richard Bates arose while he was enjoying a novel by John Terraine called "Business in Great Waters". The book covers the U-Boat wars of 1916-1945 in great detail with a reference to a Hudson of 24 Squadron gaining the RAF's first air Victory of the war by shooting down a Dornier flying boat on 8 October 1939. Since Squadron records show that 24 was equipped with Hudson Mk1's in August 1941, can anybody offer an explanation?

What might be of interest is this short extract about "Landing the Hudson" with its complex American cockpit instrumentation, taken, from the book. If this rings a bell with anyone, do write in.

'While my right hand fluttered over various levers on the throttle pedestal (a bakers dozen of them in fact, not counting those for the undercarriage and flaps) I tried to remember all that I'd been told, rightly or wrongly, about this formidable aeroplane. Never use full flap.... never trim it right back on the approach..... motor it into a wheeler..... don't try to three point it. As the grass came up, instinct forced me to haul back on the control column in a valiant attempt to make a "proper" landing... I pushed the control column hard towards the dashboard and waited. After an agonising second or two, the wheels touched again and then again - and stayed on the ground. Not my idea of a landing but it seemed that the Hudson had, in its own way, duly arrived.'

 A recent article in the Weekend Telegraph featured a master German interrogator called Hanns Joachim Scharff based at an Air Force Transit Camp, known as Dulag Luft to the British. He had the reputation of being able to wring a confession of infidelity out of a nun. The feature went on to describe his most subtle interviewing techniques and also published an extract from his own log-book. An initial look at the page for February 24th 1944 showed an entry for a pilot from 24 Squadron, Lt Col Robbs. A closer check showed this not to be the RAF squadron but in fact a SAAF squadron operating Marauders. It does beg a question or two as to whether our 24 had any links with its SAAF counterpart then or now and are there any records to show if in fact any aicraft or crews were shot down from the Squadron during WWII? Any contributions on these topics will no doubt be of considerable interest.

Something that is puzzling John Care from Northamptonshire is his recollection of an Airspeed Oxford, which seldom flew but was in pristine condition and painted in a silver grey colour which he remembers during his time at Bassingbourn around 1948/9. Was it in fact a 24 Squadron aircraft still?

New Angles

It has been possible to gain more of an insight into the story of the the All Weather Air Service (AWAS) that operated between Blackbushe and Prestwick after the piece in Issue 4 of the Newsletter with a submission from Arthur Pearcy . The article prompted him to look though his archives and unearth a full official report prepared for Transport Command which outlines the reasoning behind the whole operation and its conclusions. An edited extract of some of the report is included within this article, with the full report now in the hands of the Squadron historian for all to read.

PURPOSE OF THE SERVICE

The problem of all-weather flying is fundamental to air transport, whether military or civil. Transport Command decided, therefore, in August 1945 to set up an experimental all-weather route between two terminals. Prestwick and Blackbushe were selected. the route of some 400 miles was chosen because it passes through areas notorious for bad weather and poor visibility. The original intention was to study as many as possible of the following aids to airfield approach and runway approach; namely VHF D/F, HF D/F, low power MF Beacon, Eureka Beacon, BABS MkII, SCS 51 and GOA. In addition to examine radio problems, there were many allied matters to be examined, such as the use of FIDO, the effect of severe turbulence and icing difficulties.

Passengers were not to be carried if the forecast conditions for landing were below those normal in passenger operations and the scheduled traffic was to be one flight in each direction every day. The service was to be operated by Dakotas of No. 24 Squadron of the Royal Air Force. This squadron is based at Bassingbourne, the airfield at which Transport Command's demonstration to P.I.C.A.O. delegates will take place in September 1946.

PRINCIPAL FACTS ABOUT THE SERVICE

a). Only two flights have been cancelled during this service. The first was the return northbound flight on 26th October 1945, owing to cumulo-nimbus cloud and excessive turbulence associated with a cold front of exceptional violence. The other occurred on 11th January 1946, when the northbound service could not take-ff owing to cross winds. On this occasion a gusty 40 knot wind, blowing across both runways available at Blackbushe, had made landing difficult and as conditions did not improve, it was decided to cancel the return flight.

b). In no case was it necessary to land at an airfield other than the scheduled destination and the crews have made diversions from the direct track on only a few occasions.

 c). The schedules have never been delayed on account of weather, although occasionally, for technical reasons, or to pick up passengers on the incoming transatlantic service.

 d). FIDO was used as an aid to landing at Blackbushe on five occasions. In the light of experience now available, some savings could have been achieved.

The report goes on into detail about weather, experience in approach aids, altimeters, signals serviceability and FIDO. The recognition that some means of guiding aircraft while still on the ground in foggy conditions, an airfield surface movement indicator as it was then termed and requirements for the development of devices to give warning of collision risk and dangerous cloud was recorded and reported to National Air Traffic bodies.

A GEE WIZ EXPERIENCE - WHAT!

That was the official report, but lets here from someone on the flight deck for the real flavour of things. Ron Auty, a Dakota pilot at the time of the AWAS, tells how it was quite common place for VIP's to use the service as a feeder for the Transatlantic departures at Prestwick. One day a group of passengers embarked at Blackbushe, the officer in charge pointed out one and requested that he be allowed to visit the cockpit during the flight. Once airborne Ron asked the quiet unassuming chap to come up front, where he explained the route and some of the aids. On approaching Prestwick, they decided to use a BABS approach together with the SCS 51 system. The visitor was very impressed with what was going on and Ron strated to lay on the technical business rather strong like you do. On landing at Prestwick the visitor thanked them and declared the experience most interesting. After the passengers had been ushered into the terminal, Ron enquired who the gentleman in question might be. The movements officer said that it was Robert Watson Watt, he invented radar, did you know?

terminal, Ron enquired who the gentleman in question might be. The movements officer said that it was Robert Watson Watt, he invented radar, did you know?

Memory Banks

MORE LETTERS

With such an excellent response for material for the Newsletter this year, here are another batch of anecdotes to keep readers interested.

Dennis Hobbs has sent in a couple of photos showing the Hastings carrying unusual loads. The first shows the aircraft at the time of Operation Leap year in the Canal Zone in May 1952 with TWO jeeps underslung. Whoever thought that one up!! The cruising airspeed was reduced to 150 kts and take-off was quite hairy (or Palmy when clearing the treelined perimeter of Kasfareed with some acquired vegetation). When released the Hastings would leap with joy and on one drop he clearly remembers the chutes getting snarled up and watching the two jeeps earthbound till they hit the desert in a cloud of nuts, bolts and pieces of eight.

The other shows the crew of TG 582 unloading a piano of the USAF Pacific Dance Band at Christmas Island sent to entertain the sappers building the base for the forthcoming H Bomb testing. Not in the picture are the two pilots Flt Lts Hampson and King resting after a strenuous flight from Honolulu. Working at the coal face are Patsy Hagon (Eng), Bluie Hobbs (Nav), Sgt Hays (AQM) and M Sig Stevens. Two crews were on detachment to Honolulu from June to September 1956. The airfield was cleared coral and on landing and take-off the aircraft just disappeared in a cloud of white dust.

Another unusual load centres on a flight made from Aldergrove to Goose Bay on the 31st October 1957, along with a man carrying a geiger counter, all bound for Christmas Island. After 2 hrs the aircraft had to return to Aldergrove U/S and did not get away until November 2nd. The leg to Goose Bay took 12 hrs and unbeknown to the crew an alert had gone as radio contact had been lost with them. The correct procedure in this situation was to pass on position reports to weather ships and other stations en-route. However, they had relayed these reports to the ATC's and the worse was thought to have happened to the mystery payload. The crew were relieved of duty and stood guard on the aircraft till a replacement crew arrived to finish the trip. They were then escorted back to TCHQ at Upavon, logs confiscated and the skipper (Flt Lt W. Smith) interrogated. Fortunately the navigation log showed that Dennis had never strayed more than 10 nm's off track and indeed had intended to submit the trip as a categorisation item. The rest of the crew had behaved impeccably and performed to the high standards set by Transport Command, so much so that nothing more became of the affair.

The Low Fly Past article in the previous issue prompted John Care to recall seeing several Dakota pilots who made a banking approach so that they could level off and wheels down as near the end of the runway as possible; they could then roll down to the crossover, turn and come back up the adjoining runway. This saved going to the end of the runway and round the perimeter track. One pilot tried this and when he arrived at the hangars everybody was fascinated to see that approximately six feet of one wing tip had acquired added dihedral. Turbulence from around the hangars may have proved his undoing.

More feedback from Air Commodore John Mitchell on a variety of issues from the Newsletter and of great value especially in the detail he remembers. First its the Glossy Yorks, MW 100 and 101 were the first production Yorks but without the freight door. They were delivered to 511 Squadron at Lyneham before being transferred almost immediately to 24 at Northolt. They were fitted with two rows of four very comfortable reclining seats in the forward part, adjacent of course to the props and 'cackle pot' exhausts of the Merlins. There was also two rows of four beds aft - with rails to carry curtains, three central loos with tip up washbasins from railway sleeping cars and the infamous self-circulating Elsans and finally the aft galley.

MW100 was designated CAS's aircraft and his pilot was S/Ldr Tony Watson, co-pilot 'Lucky' Wright and Navigator Ray Bruce (RAAF) - all ex 511. MW101 was sometimes flow by S/Ldr Charles Willis from 24 at Hendon. The provision of these two VIP aircraft came about by chance when, at the Casablanca Conference of Jan '43 the PM (who had arrived only just before from the CoS in Command) witnessed the deplaning of his Chiefs from an even more uncomfortable Liberator looking hot, dirty and tired, after travelling trussed up like parcels in their parachute harnesses. Their US counter-parts had descended from the C.54A's in their well pressed palm beach suiting looking spruce, shaved and fed as they stepped out into the warm Moroccan sunshine.

The PM had evidently agreed that the first item at the next Chiefs of Staff meeting should be the provision of a more suitable machine for future air journeys. The second prototype York has already been allocated and furnished for the PM in Feb. 43, so the two production machines were diverted to VIP use.

It was not long before Lord Louis Mountbatten decided he must have one too. As the new Supremo of SEAC, he was allocated MW 102, painted in a dull pale yellow camouflage reckoned by the chair borne experts to be appropriate for the Far East. This was delivered to Northolt for final preparation and the VIP crew selected from 24 Squadron; namely S/Ldr Jack Mathews AFC in command with Flt Lt George Girardet as co-pilot. Both these officers were incredible playboys who fitted in well with the owner and his wife. The stories of their antics in the job are legion and unprintable.

A more sobering thought is the ill fated tale of MW126, allocated to AM Sir Trafford Leigh-Mallory on his appointment as Air Commander SEAC. He planned to fly out to his new command with Lady Leigh-Mallory to arrive in November 1944. There was something of a scramble to have his aircraft ready in time. His crew were not from the Transport Command pool and lacked long range experience, the captain only with just over 9 hrs on type and no time to work up the crew and equipment.

John Mitchell was present at Northolt at the time of departure and witnessed the send off from the York Flight Passenger room by the AM's many friends. The aircraft was last heard about two hours after take-off from Northolt on its maiden flight on 14th November 1944. After some days of searching, it was found in the Savoy Alps near Grenoble, having hit the mountains, probably due to heavy icing which had been forecast. All on board were killed. There were no other passengers beside the AM and Lady Leigh-Mallory.

This tragic tale caught the interest of the Chief of Air Staff and Secretary of State. The Court of Enquiry papers can be read in the Public Records Office under CAS series. It was commented that the whole subject of 'private' transport aircraft needed looking into and the crash was most likely due to the relative inexperience of the Captain and crew. The situation was compounded by the Air Marshall's decision to press on in view of the very bad route forecasting prevailing - perhaps over-riding the pilots better judgement. The Yorks had an anti-icing system, not a de-icing one and unless was switched on before the icing began it was totally ineffective.

John Mitchell has also sent along a copy of his own Diary of a Navigator on the Prime Minister's Private Aircraft, 1943-1945, which he originally wrote for the benefit of his family. Additional copies have been lodged with the 24 Squadron archives, Imperial War Museum, Hendon and the Churchill Archive Centre at Cambridge. A sample from the diary is being printed as a feature of the Memory Banks in this and future issues of the Newsletter. If as a result of this feature, any member would like a loan of the copy, please drop a line to the Editor.

Memory Banks 2

INTRODUCTION

This is an account of two years of war time VIP flying, during which time John Mitchell was the navigator in the crew of Mr Churchill's aircraft, one of the VIP Flight of 24 Squadron, based at Northolt. The name ASCALON was chosen for Mr Churchill's first personal aircraft, an Avro York. It was the name of the sword with which St George slew the Dragon. His second aircraft was a Douglas C.54B and called simply THE SKYMASTER.

Prime Minister's North Africa Tour May/June 1943

We were required to position in Gibraltar by 27 May, there to await the arrival of the Prime Minister and personal staff from the Third Washington Conference (TRIDENT) in the BOAC flying boat Bristol which he had last used in June 1942. He was flying from Potomac River with a refuelling stop at Botwood, Newfoundland, a flight of 17.5 hours.

25th May 1943. We left Northholt for Portreath in the morning intending to cross the Bay that night, though weather forecasts were not good. Our passengers were John Peck (later Sir John Peck) of the FCO one of the PM's secretaries and Group Captain Jeffs, the Command Air Traffic Officer who was on the whole trip to organise control services at the various small landing grounds we might be expected to visit. Also, flying as First Pilot but not in command, was Wing Commander Slee, from Boscombe Down whom the AOC in C of Transport Command had ordained should accompany the crew, in view of the relatively few hours of development flying which the aircraft had undergone.

On arrival at Portreath it was clear that a night crossing was not on from the weather point of view, flying smack into an Atlantic low which was moving rapidly towards the UK. So in order to make our rendezvous on time at Gibraltar, we had no option but to make a daylight sortie on 26 May, the following day.

At Gibraltar we learned that the Prime Minister's party was going to be late and that we should probably not move off until the following day, 28 May. An American C54 (Skymaster) aircraft had arrived via Gander to provide a VIP aircraft for General Marshall and senior American officers of various ranks who were going to follow along the Prime Minister's North African tour, no doubt to prevent him from bullying General Eisenhower into something the President did not want. At the TRIDENT Conference just concluded in Washington, little headway had been made in deciding on a strategy to exploit the North African victories and anticipated capture of Sicily.

We had positioned the York at the end of the runway nearest the flying boat base, in the event that the party would transfer for immediate departure with a minimum of exposure to public gaze. But as they were to stop overnight at the Convent, the Governor's Residence and the Prime minister was in no mood to heed security advice to conceal his presence, he was seen by a large number of locals and Service personnel.

The use of Gibraltar for VIP transits to Algiers and points East was always open to security criticism. The Duty Spy, as he was known, was said to be situated on the high ground above La Linea at a site known as Queen Catherine's Chair; with binoculars he could count passengers and take aircraft numbers with great ease - for transmission to the German Embassy in Madrid and on to Berlin. Also, The Reina Christiana Hotel in Algeciras (even then still British owned) had a whole wing occupied by Italian and German intelligence staff.

Keeping in Touch

RECENT LOSES

Ralph Greenslade (Jan 98) was a regular at the Association Reunions in recent years, who always put himself out to chat to any new faces at these events. Ron was a Master Air Electronics Operator with 24 Squadron, starting at Topcliffe in February 1951 - 52 on Hastings MkII's. His next spell was VIP work on Hasting Mk IV at Colerne between 1957 - 59, finally retiring from all types of flying in 1985 without taking up any civy occupation. These retirement years were spent in the local area at Wooton Basset, contact with ex flying mates via the Swindon RAFA meetings.

Eric Shrewsbury (Early 98) was a real veteran, especially with Royal Flying Corps No 979 showing on his records. Starting out in those far off days as a Air Mechanic 2nd Class after receiving the decoration of a Mons Star in 1914. Eric served with 24 at Kenley between 1920 - 1921 working on DH 9A aircraft. His civilian job was as an engineer with Standard Telephone Cables, living in Surrey. He was a member of other associations, including the Bath and District RFC/RNAS Association.

Leonard Pitcher's (Jan 98) records show a link with a many aircraft types during his tour with 24 Squadron at Hendon between 1942 1945. The list comprises Hudson, Wellington, Dakota, Oxford, Lockheed and Flamingo, quite a pedigree, which did not seem connected with his eventual trade working in the clothing trade. Leonard spent his last years of retirement in the sleepy backwater of Martock, Somerset.

Arthur Pearcy Jnr. (Mar 98) was an Honorary member of the Association, along with similar membership status on just about every other squadron or body linked to the DC3 (31, 48, 62, 194 and 271 Squadrons). He became THE authority in time on all matters concerning the Dakota, publishing many works for Airlife Press and other similar aircraft publishing companies. Publications include:- Dakota, Ian Allan, 1972; Dakota at War, Ian Allan, 1982; Profile 220, Commonwealth & RAF Dakota; Fifty Glorious Years Airlife, 1985. His most recent work, currently under review by our Chairman, is a work on the Berlin Airlift, which no doubt led him to become the official historian of the Berlin Airlift Association.

Born in Yorkshire in 1926 with an interest in aviation from an early age, flying with the RAF as a cadet and as an aircraft recognition instructor during World War II. He joined the US Air Force (Europe) in 1954 serving with a Douglas C-47 transport squadron for four-and-a-half years. He retired from Air Traffic Control at RAE Bedford in 1986, celebrated in a wholly appropriate manner with his last 40 minutes flying in the RAE Farnborough Dak, which also took him to Berlin in 1978 for the 30th Anniversary of the ending of the humanitarian air-lift. A previous tour at RAE Llanbedr lasted 24 years where he worked as a Control Assistant with his wife Audrey. Such was Arthur's enthusiasm for all things DC3 that his house name was coincidentally called Dakota. He had visited the Squadron a few years back when Mike Hardy was in charge to hand over an Operational Record book for 24 Squadron he had discovered during some of his research. His contribution to this specific area of aviation history will be missed by many.

George Henry Baines (28th Apr 98) died peacefully in his sleep after a short illness following a fall while living at Bethnay Francis House, St. Neots. George was probably one of the oldest members of the Association and deserved the extra attention bestowed on him at the ReUnions. His time on 24 was as a Fitter II Eng at Hendon between 1940 - 44 and worked on a variety of aircraft types. George was like many of his era, very proud to have been on the Squadron, which came across in his support for the ReUnions, even attending a recent Ladies Guest Night with the assistance of his daughter.

GOING UP

Air Chief Marshal John Cheshire KBE, CB, FRAeS has been appointed Commander in Chief, Allied Forces NW Europe base at High Wycombe. No other details on this very high profile appointment are known at the moment but we will try to track down a resume of what the job entails as it should make interesting reading for the Newsletter.

Is anybody in touch with Roger Jay? The Newsletter had a phone call from Peter Chadwick an ex 47 Squadron aircrew officer from the days when 24 Squadron was based at Colerne. The time would be between 1963 to 1965. Roger was a Navigator on the 24 around that time and Peter is trying to find out if anybody can put him in touch again. If you have any clues would you please direct to Peter at 21 Braemar Close, Fearnhead, WARRINGTON, Cheshire, WA2 0EN.

A new member from Western Australia is ex Wireless Operator Robby Robinson asks if anybody remembers him when he was on the Squadron between 1939-44? He is now age 79 and keeping fit playing golf twice a week and snooker daily; that must be the secret.

Any more news on the grape vine for the Keeping Touch feature , (moving, meeting a long lost friend, getting over an illness) would be more than welcome. This could include a small amount of self promotion if you are able to offer goods, services, holiday lets etc. to Association Members at a special rate.

Memory Banks 3

THE 10,000 MILE MILK RUN

So reads the headline of an article sent in by John Elliston, a memento of his days on Hastings. This tale was featured in a magazine called PIX, dated October 1960 and covered a real trip by 24 Squadron, starting from Colerne and calling at Idris, Kano, Nairobi, Aden and El Adem before eventually returning within the week after a 10,000 mile round trip.

Hastings 327 (no prefix given) took of on that particular Sunday morning, drowning the village church bells with one of its last Commonwealth crews. In the Captains seat, that of Flt Lt Vernon Jackson, weighing in at 15 stone, from Carnamah, Western Australia; Flt Lt Bob Harry, Navigator from Adelaide; Flt Lt John Cook, Signaller from Sydney. The Brits did feature in the form of Flying Officer Stan Ford, Co-pilot, M. Eng. John Elliston and AQM Sgt. Phil Solly.

The first leg took 5 hrs 40 minutes before touching down at Idris with routing over Paris, the Alps and the Mediterranean. This trip was tasked to deliver aircraft spares around the two continents and return with 350 parachutes. The night will be spent in North Africa's Castel Benito, once a luxury rest home for Mussolini's Air Force elite, now an R.A.F. mess. Life does not change that much over the years and its early morning calls and little rest for the rest of the route as they complete the trip according to the flight plan.

Back at Colerne, the post of Commanding Officer has been filled from the ranks of the Commonwealth air forces and the R.A.F. by turns. Twenty-four Squadron was then commanded by Wing Commander Harry Archer D.F.C., who succeeded an Australian CO from the previous year. but something of a last rite atmosphere surrounds the handful of Australians left at Colerne. By the end of 1960 they will be returning to R.A.A.F. units in Australia. There are no plans for any new exchanges.

"The R.A.A.F. is going American," said Wing Commander Archer. " This squadron linked the two air forces. But there is no further point in sending crews to fly machines they won't meet at home." In June the last detachment of Canadians left. The South Africans quit two years ago. A pipe-dream that there might one day be a single Commonwealth Air Force, rivalling that of the Russians and Americans, seemed to have ended.

Words that rang true in 1960, maybe today for Commonwealth we read Euro!

A 24 SQUADRON POW

Part 1 of this story is extracted from an article in Cross and Cockade relating the tale of Second Lieutenant Charles Henry Crosbee RFC RAF, as told by Jeff Taylor.

Charles Crosbee was born on 19 March 1899 in Birmingham, the son of a jewellery manufacturer, a trade he went into on leaving school. In 1917 he duly received his call-up papers and was directed to report to Farnborough for his initial training and drill instruction. After 3 weeks, he was transferred to Denham where he undertook an infantry course. Candidates who failed this were (strangely) put straight into the army. However, whilst at Denham, he contracted measles and was sent to the military hospital at Woolwich. On his return to Denham, he found the rest of his course had been passed and posted out. He was sent to Oxford to study navigation, theory of flight and aircraft armaments.

At the beginning of July 1917 he passed all of his exams and was commissioned into the RFC as a second lieutenant. He was next posted to No 5 Training Squadron at Castle Bromwich for flying training. Crosbee's first flight took place on 7 July 1917. His log book records that as 'Maurice Farman Shorthorn B3028. 15 minutes duration, 1000 ft. Circuits.' Captain C N Lowe was the pilot.

This was followed by 5 hrs 45 minutes of dual instruction on a similar machine and then on 20 July 1917 in A2512 he completed his solo flight.

On 24 July 1917 he was posted to Tern Hill where he was initiated into the quirks of the rotary engine and flew Avro 540A's. A variety of flying duties took place over the coming months, including cross country navigation exercises, inevitably becoming lost on one occasion and running out of fuel in Wales. In October Crosbee progressed to the DH5, a type that was treated with a great deal of care at Tern Hill as a number of them had turned over when landing on the airfield. The commanding officer, who had seen active service with the DH5 gave instruction on the landing technique, explaining that they should not be landed slowly but should be dived until close to the ground. Once he had mastered this technique, Crosbee thought the DH5 a delight to fly and proceeded to build up a further 5 hours 30 minutes on them.

On 11 October 1917 he entered into his log-book the words ' Proceed overseas 12 October 1917.' The night of 12 October was spent in the Berkeley Hotel, London and Crosbee crossed the Channel next day to be placed in the Pilots Pool at No 1 Aircraft Depot at St Omer. On 16 November , he was detailed to join 24 Squadron which was then located at Tetghem close to Dunkirk and a part of 14 Wing RFC. He was assigned to 'C' Flight which was equipped with DH5s and engaged in coast and line patrols. Two days later he had his first look at the line and flew two offensive patrols from Teteghem during which he met 'Archie' for the first time.

On 26 November, 24 Squadron was posted to Marieaux where it became a part of 13 Wing RFC. Four days later Crosbee again flew on a close offensive patrol and became involved in his first combat. His log-book records that he 'dived' on a salmon-pink DIII flying low over trenches NW of Bourlon Wood. The squadron diary records the patrol encounter and describes the three participants' efforts as an indecisive combat. His next patrols consisted mainly of trench strafing and bombing with enemy aircraft few and far off. And on Christmas Day 1917 he flew a total of 2 hours 5 minutes on a balloon patrol. His log-book records 'slight AA'. The first of the SE5s were now arriving and the New Year was anticipated with relish.

The next instalment tells of his eventual capture some two months hence after engaging the enemy.

Association visit to Duxford

This years mid season additional social event had the potential of being a jolly affair with a day out planned at the Imperial War Museum, Duxford. This venue rated the highest number of hands at the AGM, so wheels were put into motion to arrange a group booking for the 6th June.

Early returns looked good, at least we had over the minimum with guests to qualify for a discount, and on the day the Chairman and Secretary arrived with uncanny timing from opposite ends of the Cotswolds to usher the group round the course. Unfortunately numbers were now down to around 12, including guests, which did mean we all lost our way a little.

To cheer things up, probably the best sight to greet a visitor as they walk through Hangar 1 is Hastings TG 528 with its resplendent 'Black Cock' on the fin for all to see. With the 50th Anniversary of the Berlin Airlift due to be commemorated shortly, some competition exists abroad with another Hastings example on display at the Allied Museum in Berlin.

One of Duxfords unusual features is that it combines three unique elements within a museum setting; static exhibits, restoration projects in the course of construction and airworthy flying examples. A fourth possibility, and probably one of the main crowd pullers outside event days is the American Air Museum, at least judging by the number of visitors making their way to it on the 6th June.

This unique piece of modern architecture that fits in so well on an ex WWII airfield is treat to view from inside or out. The quality of the static models creatively suspended around the futuristic interior is worth the visit alone. Many of the visitors on the day were from the States and they seemed rightly proud of this end product of the British and American cooperation and special relationship.

One other 24 Squadron aircraft type of interest was Avro York G-ANTK undergoing restoration by Duxford Aviation Society. This was in its original guise MW 232 a Mk1 freight version built in Manchester during 1944-45 and converted to civil use between 1952-56. Is this in anybody's log book?

A most interesting day out that was helped by being at least bright and sunny for the gallant few pathfinders.