90 and 214 Squadron operating in Algeria and Italy ?

[Steve Smith]

Hi,

I have been informed by the 90 Squadron Historian that both 90 Squadron and 214 Squadron sent detachments to Blida, Algeria, and Brindisi, Italy in December 1943. I cannot find any mention of this anywhere. Can anyone confirm please.

TIA

Steve

[Buckeye30]

Steve could this be the 6 Stirlings and crews detached for "Special Duties" on Dec.9 ?
A log book ( F/O K. Forester flight engineer 90 Sqn.) refers to attachment to 138 Sqn. (SD) at Tempsford, then to Italy-- Brindisi to Blida delivering containers presumably for partisans in the theatre. I've seen reference to them delivering Polish saboteurs and equipment while attached to 138.
Havn't seen anything on 214, ORB or other.


Regards
Nick

[Col Bruggy]

Hello,

From, Ron James' "Avenging In The Shadows No.214 Squadron Royal Air Force":

The Squadron sent six crews to Tempsford in November (1943) to help No.161 Sqn drop supplies to the French Resistance; hazardous work entailing a long distance flight on a moonlit night to a small remote field. A reception committee would await them and signal with flashlights to indicate where the supplies were to be dropped. Fifteen supply drops were made between November 9 and 21, all aircraft returning safely; not a bad record considering that these flights were carried out at night, flying as low as 50 feet, and without previous experience in this type of operation. Whilst based at Tempsford, the crews were visited by the King and Queen, who inspected the personnel involved in the night's operations and took tea with the aircrew in the officers' mess. Harold Bidmead (Flight Engineer, later DFC), was there when an announcement was made that the King would make an informal presentation to one of the Station's officers. Harold relates: "This particular officer was none too popular, and when the King made the presentation there was deafening silence. The Queen, noticing the mood, turned to Harold and said 'Do you take two sugars in your tea, dear?' This broke the spell and conversation returned to normal." Like all who have been in her company, Harold and the entire assembly were greatly impressed by the Queen. Detachments were at Tempsford again in December when 24 drops were made, then the Squadron left Chedburgh to share residence for a short time with 218 Squadron at Downham Market.

See:
Avenging In The Shadows No.214 Squadron Royal Air Force.
James, Ron.
Preston:Compaid Graphics,2006 (rep.).
p.119.

Col.

[Steve Smith]

Originally Posted by Buckeye30

Steve could this be the 6 Stirlings and crews detached for "Special Duties" on Dec.9 ?
A log book ( F/O K. Forester flight engineer 90 Sqn.) refers to attachment to 138 Sqn. (SD) at Tempsford, then to Italy-- Brindisi to Blida delivering containers presumably for partisans in the theatre. I've seen reference to them delivering Polish saboteurs and equipment while attached to 138.
Havn't seen anything on 214, ORB or other.


Regards
Nick

Nick,

Any idea of the skipper, did they operated 138 aircraft, i.e Halifax, or Stirling ?

Thanks for the heads up.

Steve

[Steve Smith]

Thanks Col.

[Col Bruggy]

Steve,

Re: Forester:

27/28 Jul 1943
90 Sqn.
Stirling III BK693 WP-A
Op: Hamburg

T/o 2220 West Wickham. Damaged by flak. On return, landed at Stradishall airfield, Suffolk, where it swung of the runway and collided with a parked Stirling belonging to 1657 CU. No injuries reported.

P/O Ralph Whitworth (131005. later A/F/L, DFC, 90 Sqn. LG:24/12/1943 p.5587 (with Citation).
Sgt K Forester
P/O H L Hibbs
P/O P Rushbrook
Sgt A J Rhodes
Sgt H Pelham
Sgt C F Keefe

See: BCL4/Chorley/p.245.

Some additional information (simplified), from "Avenging in the Shadows". (p.233).

Special Duties.

During September, October and November of 1943, supply drops to the French Resistance were made by a detachment of 214 Squadron which was based at Tempsford.

September 1943.

18/19 - 1 a/c despatched.
19/20 - 2 ditto
20/21 - 3
22/23 - 1

October 1943.

7/8 - 4
8/9 - 1
17/18 - 4
18/19 - 5
20/21 - 6

November 1943.

6/7 - 3
7/8 - 6
9/10 - 6
10/11 - 6
12/13 - 1
15/16 - 2
17/18 - 3

Col.

[Buckeye30]

Steve. on Forester's return flight from Blida--Tuddenham his pilot was F/L Day (probably W. Day DFC) don't know if it's his regular pilot though. They were in Stirling III "U". Not happy to be fired on by Allies in both Algiers and Taranto harbours.
Nick

[Col Bruggy]

Originally Posted by Buckeye30

Steve. on Forester's return flight from Blida--Tuddenham his pilot was F/L Day (probably W. Day DFC) don't know if it's his regular pilot though. They were in Stirling III "U". Not happy to be fired on by Allies in both Algiers and Taranto harbours.
Nick

Hello,

Here are the details of the regular crew of J11555 A/F/L (Pilot) William Selfridge DAY DFC RCAF (see Hugh Halliday's RCAF Awards site):

We (Day's crew), arrived at Downham market on December 18 1943, from Tuddenham, feeling somewhat miserable at leaving our friends of 90 Squadron where we had flown on 20 operations, and looked forward to completing our tour. Our skipper, S/L Bill Day, DFC , took up the post of A Flight Commander. A tall likeable Canadian from Nova Scotia. Bill was an excellent pilot who had logged several hundred flying hours before he joined us. A perfectionist, he expected and got 100% support from his crew. In an emergency he could have filled any of our jobs; an ideal choice for Flight Commander.
Like most crews in Bomber Command at that time, we were a mixed lot made up of UK and Commonwealth volunteers.
Sgt John Morris, the navigator, was a quiet studious Welshman from Swansea, an unflappable type who inspired confidence and was respected by us all. In fact, John became the father figure to whom we all turned when any problems arose or a decision had to be made.
Sgt Jock Fitzsimmons, flight engineer, a Scotsman and a regular serving airman, was the only married man in the crew. Jock had already proved his competence and reliability in early ops.
P/O Don Beaton, bomb aimer, hailed from Blantyre, Nyasaland, and was a keep-fit fiend and even became the RAF Sports Champion. Don later was awarded a DFC with 214 Squadron.
Sgt Jimmy Fenn, WOp/AG, was a cheerful and capable Londoner.
(AUS412998) Sgt Colin Mitchinson DFM (joint citation with Day's DFC), our rear gunner, hailed from Sydney, Australia. He was an exceptional gunner, with an Fw190 and Ju88 to his credit.
I, Sgt "Jimmy" James (the author of Avenging in the Shadows), a midlander from Northampton, was the mid-upper gunner, the baby of the crew, having joined up at age 17.
We were a happy crew, and also a lucky one. Each of us was later commissioned and all survived the war. Five of us completed a second tour, and three were given awards, two DFCs and one DFM.
Coming in as new boys to the squadron we had some misgivings as to how we would be received. We need not have worried for the first person we met was Jake Walters, another Canadian pilot, who was with us at 26 OTU, Wing, where our two crews had shared the same Nissen hut . We had gone through Conversion unit at Waterbeach together. It wasn't long before we met more old acquaintances and friends with whom we had served during training days. By the end of the first day we were feeling right at home in our new squadron.

See: Avenging in the Shadows/Ron James, p.121.

See also: https://www.214squadron.org.uk/Crews...ress.htm#SR388

Col.

[Buckeye30]

Thanks Col. Footnote: Forester's usual pilot with 90 Sqn. 1943--44 was F/L Whitworth (as mentioned in your post), his tour ended 18 April 1944 minelaying in Kiel Bay; he flew 29 sorties with 90, a number in EF159 "B".

Nick

[Steve Smith]

Gents,

Thank you all for your replies, appreciated.

Unfortunately, one of the 90 Squadron Historians is unwilling to provide the answers.

Steve