RAF Mustang Escorts

[Smudger Smith]

Having started this tread I feel I should at least add some off the comments recorded within the No. 3 Group Squadron ORB’s I have in my collection regarding escorts. Generally the Lanc crews were unaware of the squadrons involved let alone the nationality of the pilots. The only real criticism I found regarding escorts was the December 12th daylight to Witten. On this occasion the poor formation keeping by approximately 40 Lanc’s of No.31 Base resulted in the escort being over stretched and the G.A.F carry-out a vicious hit and run attack resulting in a number of Lancs being shot down.It would appear that one of the problems on this occasion was the inflexibility of the escort to adapt to the problem; it was only the frantic firing of a number of red Very pistol flares that attracted the RAF escort, if but too late. In general the crews of No.3 Group had the greatest respect for and appreciation of the escorts. Regarding the Polish escort pilots, I had the opportunity of talking at length with a former 218 Sqdn pilot who operated in 1945, he had nothing but admiration for them, they were easily identified by the red & white national flag plastered on their nose. However he did say that he personally was always worried that if confronted by a number of German fighters, the Poles would have just waded in leaving them (the bombers) to the own devices, he never felt this with the RAF. I don’t think this aggressive fighter spirit should be condemned, however I was never sitting on top of 12,000lb of HE in a slow moving Lanc. !!Steve