RAF Warmwell Station Commander September 1942

[en830]

The 263 Sqn diary gives the following account for September 1942 :-

September 10th was a day of triumph for the squadron. Two boxes of four Whirlibombers led by S/Ldr. R.S. Woodward, DFC and F/Lt G.B. Warnes with F/Lt H.J. Blackshaw flying as Red Two, and escorted by 118 and 66 Squadrons and W/Cmdr. Boyd, DSO, DFC, the Station Commander of Warmwell, found four large armed trawlers between Alderney and Cap de la Hague. Briefly, they bombed and sank two of them.

I have been trying to establish which Wing Commander Boyd this may be, I have a couple of possibilities, can anyone confirm his Christian names ?

[Chris Goss]

I would guess Adrian Boyd who was Wg Ldr at Wallop beforehand

[en830]

Thanks Chris much appreciated.

[Fairlop]

Ian,

W/C Adrian Hope Boyd DSO, DFC&Bar. RAF No.39101.

Regards,
Michal

[en830]

Thanks Michal

I dug out a copy of Reflections of RAF Warmwell this evening, I'd forgotten I had it on the book case. Unfortunately even it didn't give his forenames.

[-Benoit-]

Hello

I'am sorry for my english but i'm French, and English have never been my favorite matter!

Do you have more information of this mission?
Because this history seems to resemble. (http://epaves.grizzly.free.fr/Epaves/Positions_inconnues/Henca.htm)

I'm sorry, it's in French.

Ben

[brewerjerry]

Originally Posted by -Benoit-

Hello

I'am sorry for my english but i'm French, and English have never been my favorite matter!

Do you have more information of this mission?
Because this history seems to resemble. (http://epaves.grizzly.free.fr/Epaves/Positions_inconnues/Henca.htm)

I'm sorry, it's in French.

Ben

Hi

a quick online translation

1936 view the construction of the Dutch coaster HENCA. It goes out, all just, work-sites Niestern of the city of Delfzijl, and that after an order of the ship owner H. J'S. HAS. Krijt of Heemstede. It is requisitioned by the Germans is affected to the supplying of the islands anglo-normandes from May 1940.
We are in the afternoon of September 9 1942. A boat group sails in the northwest of the Cape of the Hague. Four vessels compose this convoy: the coasters HENCA and escorted TINDA of the patrol vehicles V 207 and V 209 of the 2nd vorpostenflotille. Sudden, an escadrille of the Royal Air Forces goes out of the horizon and passes to the attack…
The HENCA is the first victim. Touched by a bomb, it does not be necessary for him more than seven minutes to overwhelm and flow. Comes the turn of the V 207 to be the prey of the airplanes of the RAF. The patrol vehicle violently is strafed. There remains, despite that, afloat but must deplore two deaths and seventeen injureds. As for the V209 and TINDA, the latter itself some go out undamaged.
The coaster HENCA (Arendnet Scheepvaart Site) His Dived This wreck is not localized.


Cheers
Jerry

[niallc]

Ian

The 263 Diary (I'm assuming it's the stuff I sent you?) is useful in adding some detail and perspective missing from the ORB itself and elsewhere, but it's occasionally flaky on dates - usually only by a day or so. This is such a case. This attack actually took place on the 9th, not the 10th, and was the first Whirlibomber operation in which bombs were actually dropped. (The very first Whirlibomber op - on the previous day - found no targets)

On the 9th the formation consisted of 4 Whirlwinds (Woodward, Warnes, Blackshaw, Brearley) with 6 Spitfires of 118 Sqn as antiflak, three on each side, 12 Spitfires of 66 Sqn. slightly above and behind as close support and six more Spitfires of 118 led by Bertie Wootton and accompanied by Adrian Boyd (i.e probably 7 aircraft in total) further behind as rear support. Time up is given as 1430 and time down as 1515. Time of attack can be assumed as around 1455, UK time. Target was four ships steaming from Cap de la Hague towards Alderney. At the time the pilots estimated these as around 1000-1200 tons, but the Fighter Command Anti-Shipping Ops report for the period gives an estimated 500 tons - presumably a more informed estimate arrived at after studying gun camera film. The following day this attack was headline news in The Times (well actually Page 4) - "New Fighter-Bomber in Action - Quick successes for Whirlwinds" etc etc.

Hope this helps

Niall

[-Benoit-]

Hi
Thank you for your help!
You say that you send me the 263 sqn diary, but i don't have receive any message. Can you retried?
You speak about the headline news of the Times. Where we can see this archive?

If you have any information about operation in the Cap de la Hague, i'am also interest.

Thank

Benoit