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  #11  
Old 21st June 2018, 17:38
ATCCbengt ATCCbengt is offline
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Re: P/O C.F Ambrose evacuation from Norway 8th June 1940 Help please.

First to land on HMS Glorious was F/L Jameson, F/O Knight and Sgt. Taylor.
Then S/L Cross, F/L Stewart, F/O Cowles, F/O Frost, F/O Mee, P/O Bunker, F/Sgt. Shackley.
The remainder of the officers and men embarked on the M.V Arandora Star.
Ref. AIR 27/460 46 Sqn. ORB.


Bengt
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  #12  
Old 21st June 2018, 20:46
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Bruce Lander Bruce Lander is offline
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Re: P/O C.F Ambrose evacuation from Norway 8th June 1940 Help please.

Hi, From 46 squadron website:-
26.5.40 H.M.S. GLORIOUS reached a position 40 miles off the Norwegian Coast and 100 miles North of Skaanland.

On receipt of a signal saying that SKAANLAND was ready to receive 46 Squadron, the first six Hurricanes were ranged on deck. Owing to the flying-off deck having a ramp at the forward end, there was some doubt whether the aircraft would be airborne by the time they reached the top, as, according to the figures produced by the Air Ministry, 272 ft. were required for take off, provided a 30 knot wind was obtained. Unfortunately a flat calm prevailed at the time but thanks to the Captain and the Commander Engineer, almost 30 knots was obtained over the deck. The first take off was carried out by the Squadron Commander and proved quite successful, the Hurricane taking off easily just before the top of the ramp. All 18 aircraft were flown off successfully.

The first flight landed at SKAANLAND at 21.30 hrs. and one accident occurred owing to the soft surface of the aerodrome. On the arrival of the second flight another accident occurred for the same reason and the decision was then made to send the remaining aircraft to BARDUFOSS, 60 miles North. Orders were given to this effect to aircraft by R/T from aircraft on the ground. These aircraft arrived safely at BARDUFOSS.

26.5.40 Gourock, Scotland The rear party embarked on the M.V. ROYAL SCOTSMAN.

27.5.40 Skaanland 07.20 A patrol consisting of S/L CROSS, F/O FROST and P/O BUNKER took off at 07.20 hrs. to intercept 3 He.III’s approaching the aerodrome. The enemy formation was sighted but as they were going away from the landing ground they were not engaged, orders having been received that aircraft were not to be attacked unless SKAANLAND itself were attacked. One aircraft crashed on landing from this patrol and permission was asked for 46 Squadron to evacuate SKAANLAND until such time as the aerodrome surface should prove suitable. This permission was received and by 18.00 hrs. all serviceable aircraft (15) had arrived at BARDUFOSS.

Bardufoss 19.30 At 19.30 the first patrol over NARVIK was carried out by a section of three aircraft led by the Squadron Commander and patrols were maintained until 04.15 /28th when fog covered the aerodrome and the eighth returning patrol was fortunate in having half the runway clear to land. During these patrols, carried out at 18,000 ft. a very fine view of the attack by Naval vessels and land forces was obtained. At one time as many as seven large fires were seen in NARVIK town and ten at ANKENES on the side VEISSFJORD. A column of smoke reached a height of 7,000 ft.

28.5.40 Gourock, Scotland 03.00 The rear party sailed in the M.V. ROYAL SCOTSMAN with an escort of two destroyers.

28.5.40 Bardufoss 09.15 Patrols were resumed by the same pilots, who had no sleep for two nights, and at approximately 11.00 hours F/O LYDALL shot down a Ju.88 over OBOTFJORD. Later, F/L JAMESON, F/O KNIGHT and P/O JOHNSON destroyed two four-engined flying boats on the surface of ROMBAKSFJORD.

29.5.40 Bardufoss Patrols maintained over the NARVIK area. At 00.40 hrs, F/L JAMESON shot down a Ju.88. P/O DRUMMOND missing from this patrol. Later a message arrived from H.M.S. FIREDRAKE saying that P/O DRUMMOND had descended by parachute and had been picked up by them. “Firedrake” confirmed the destruction of a Ju.88 by F/L JAMESON and also that DRUMMOND had shot down a He.III which crashed in the Fjord close by. DRUMMOND’s aircraft had been set on fire by return fire.

15.40 In the afternoon P/O BANKS shot down a four-engined Junkers which was bombing TROMSO. In the evening 26 enemy aircraft approached VESTFJORD from the South and split up into formations of five aircraft. Nine 46 Squadron aircraft were on patrol at the time and in subsequent encounters with superior forces F/O LYDALL and P/O BANKS were shot down and killed. F/Sgt SHACKLEY shot down one Ju.88 and two more enemy aircraft were destroyed, probably by forces F/O LYDALL and P/O BANKS.

30.5.40 Bardufoss Patrols were stopped owing to weather.

31.5.40 Bardufoss Patrols over HARSTAD and SKAANLAND maintained. Three patrols sent at 23.45 to cover the evacuation of BODO by British Forces.

Harstad The rear party arrived at HARSTAD.



June 1940



1.6.40 Bardufoss Very bad weather. Three patrols carried out over HARSTAD.

2.6.40 Very bad weather at first, improving later. P/O DRUMMOND and Sgt TAYLOR on patrol over NARVIK saw two Ju.87’s attacking a destroyer by dive bombing. They attacked, and the 87’s separated and made off, twisting and turning. The pilots waited for their chance and shot them down South East of NARVIK. The rear gunner of the Ju.87 that DRUMMOND attacked used the rear gun after this aircraft had crashed.

F/O FROST and Sgt TYRER chased a Ju.87 and severely damaged it before it dived into the clouds. FROST’s windscreen was hit by a bullet which splintered it, but did not penetrate.

F/Sgt SHACKLEY and P/O BUNKER engaged five Me.110’s without result. The 110’s on sighting our aircraft formed line astern and then went into a circle. Each time our aircraft joined in, two more would get on their tails. After a time the 110’s went off South, easily out-distancing our aircraft. F/Sgt SHACKLEY tried a long distance shot.

3.6.40 Weather bad. Two patrols attempted but not completed. Officers of the 6th Battalion Chasseurs Alpin dined with 46 Squadron.

4.6.40 Bardufoss Seven patrols carried out over SKAANLAND, HARSTAD and NARVIK.

50 men of 46 Squadron including P/O WESTCOTT and 3 Warrant Officers left at 03.00 for an unknown destination, carrying only marching order kit; and at 20.00 F/L PEOCK left with a further 29 men.

Scapa Flow The rear party arrived at SCAPA FLOW from Norway.

5.6.40 Patrols carried out over NARVIK and HARSTAD. Squadron Leader CROSS went by Walrus to H.M.S. ARK ROYAL and H.M.S. GLORIOUS to make arrangements in secret for the flying on of 46 Squadron in the event of evacuation from Norway. Returned same day.

6.6.40 Patrols carried out over NARVIK, SKAANLAND, LODINGEN and HARSTAD. Two aircraft provided an escort for 5 Walruses bombing in the neighbourhood of NORFOLD.

7.6.40 S/L CROSS and P/O LEFEVRE engaged four He.IIIk’s over BARDUFOSS with unknown results. F/O KNIGHT and P/O DRUMMOND engaged 3 He.IIIk’s over NARVIK.

Result unknown.

Pilots were warned that they would have to evacuate Norway that night, and volunteers were asked to fly on to H.M.S. GLORIOUS. 100% volunteered. Tests were carried out with extra weight in the tail of the Hurricanes.

At 18.00 F/L JAMESON, F/O KNIGHT, and Sgt TAYLOR took off for H.M.S. GLORIOUS, and landed successfully.

At 18.10 and 18.15 F/O MEE and P/O DRUMMOND returned from a patrol over NARVIK, during which they had engaged 4 He.III’s. Each pilot claimed to have shot down one enemy aircraft, and P/O DRUMMOND attacked and damaged the other two.

8.6.40 S/L CROSS, F/L STEWART, F/O’s COWLES, FROST, and MEE, P/O BUNKER and F/Sgt SHACKLEY took off for H.M.S. GLORIOUS from BARDUFOSS. The remainder of the officers and men embarked on the M.V. ARANDORA STAR.

9.6.40 H.M.S. GLORIOUS, containing the Commanding Officer, nine pilots and ten Hurricanes of No. 46 Squadron, was sunk by a section of the German Fleet. S/L CROSS and F/L JAMESON were rescued some three days later from rafts and taken to the Faroe Isles.

10.6.40 Gourock, Scotland

Officers and men who had embarked on H.M.S. VINDICTIVE on June 5, disembarked at GOUROCK, and proceeded to DUNFERMLINE.

11.6.40 Glasgow

Officers and men who had embarked on the S.S. MONARCH of BERMUDA on June 6, disembarked at GLASGOW.

The rear party disembarked at ABERDEEN and proceeded to DUNFERMLINE.

12.6.40 Dunfermline and Glasgow

The above personnel of 46 Squadron entrained for DIGBY, arriving there on the morning of June 13.

Check out the site for more info:-
http://www.smr46.co.uk/46sqn/index_files/Page4916.htm

Regards
Bruce Lander
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