Spitfires.com remembers the contribution of the Spitfire and our local airfields on the 80th Anniversary of D Day.
Every flying day is special for us, operating from wartime airfields in our beautifully restored Spitfires. Being able to share the story of this phenomenal aircraft and the role she played during the Second World War. Paying tribute to those who designed, built, operated, and flew this remarkable piece of engineering. This year is a special anniversary year, being 80 years since the largest seaborne invasion of History, D-Day.
80 years ago, this year during 1944, there were many fighter squadrons moving south, reinforcing the local airfields in the South of England, including Spitfires.com home airfield. Squadrons who were part of the 2nd Tactical Air Force, all training and preparing for D-Day.
As well as Tangmere and RAF Westhampnett (now known as Goodwood), we had 4 Advanced Landing Grounds close by that were full of Spitfires, Mustangs and Typhoons, just waiting for action, all training and preparing for their part. The Mk IX Spitfire of which our T9s derive from were the mainstay of the units based locally, armed with 20 mm canons, .303 machine guns and having the ability to carry an external bomb load for ground support operations.
Spitfires.com also operate from Lee on Solent in Hampshire, which during the War was operated by the Fleet Air Arm, home to many USAAF, FAA and RAF Spitfire squadrons which were to fly in support of the Naval guns, providing a supporting barrage but also later to artillery units after the invasion, spotting targets.
The units stationed at RAF Westhampnett had been involved in preparations for D-Day since April including three Canadian Spitfire Squadrons, 441 (Silver Fox) 442 (Caribou) and 443 (Hornet) Squadrons who had moved in April with Spitfire Mk IXs. Their role was to complete training connected to the forthcoming invasion but also carrying out some escort sweeps into Northern France. 411 (Grizzly Bear) Squadron RCAF had also been operating at RAF Tangmere also with the Mk IX Spitfire, remaining there till the 22nd June before moving to France to a rough strip behind the front lines.
The Canadians at Goodwood were to depart for RAF Funtington, just to the north west of Westhampnett on 24 April leaving 184 Squadron (who were equipped with the Hawker Typhoon) moved in as part of number 129 Airfield during April but were to remain at Westhampnett until after D-Day. Their role was to give air support over the D-Day Beachhead and attack enemy supply lines.
They were to carry out a number of sorties in direct support of the operation. One in particular did not go so well. On the 7th June D-Day + 1, the squadron was tasked to carry out a rocket attack on marshalling yards at Mezidon and they were met with a huge amount of flak. Three of the eight Typhoons from Westhampnett were hit, killing one pilot, another taken prisoner and one going on the run for 70 days before making it back to allied lines. The pilot who crashed and went on the run was flight lieutenant Frank ‘Dutch’ Holland who describes the events:
Frank 'Dutch' Holland's Story:
‘We took off at 15.50 p.m to do an armed patrol in the Falaise area. The first hiccup came a few minutes into the flight when Sam Jessee, who had been in both the previous sorties, reported some mechanical difficulty and had to turn back. But the immediate problem was the weather, the lack of good visibility. When you have a known target, you have the compass bearings from base, the approximate distance, and your flight speed but there is always uncertainty’.
‘We flew over the channel at 1000 feet, round Le Havre, then south towards Mezidon. Like the other missions that day, this was a rhubarb-we were just looking for any and all German military targets that we might hit. About 20-25 minutes into the flight, we passed over some marshalling yards, in the town of Mezidon. We were going at 350-380 miles an hour and I missed the sight at first but suddenly there was a radio contact from one of the pilots who shouted out “did you see that below?” The marshalling yards were just below, a huge concentration of rolling stock, tanks on flat cars, troop carriers, jeeps, you name it, plus lots of German troops’.
It was too late for the pilots to make an attack and they made a plan to continue south for a while to convince the Germans that all was well and that they were not a target. The idea was to return, and it would be a surprise:
“Coming in at 350mph or so just above the tracks towards the marshalling yards. I was in the lead and as we approached, I was close enough to see the eyes of the soldiers manning the anti-aircraft guns. They were waiting for us. They had known we would be back and had been expecting us. The firing started as we made our approach. My aircraft was hit even before firing off my first rockets.' (41)
Frank ‘Dutch’ Holland was losing glycol, and the engine temperature was rising rapidly. He was too low to bail out. Although he climbed to attempt a jump, he found his hood stuck and had a few heart stopping moments trying to get free. Eventually he escaped his aircraft and survived the jump, going on the run through Normandy.
RAF Westhampnett had become very familiar with the Hawker Typhoon with its first unit arriving with the Napier Sabre engine beast back as early as 1942. The Typhoon was instrumental in giving close support to troops advancing through France after D-Day, proving itself as a rugged ground attack aircraft and feared by the German Panzer units and troops.
Not all the flying units were armed! One pilot who was operating out of RAF Westhampnett was Flying Officer Evan Bumford and his Auster as part of a group communications unit. He was billeted in tents in the woods to the north of the airfield, north of the Lavant straight. At that time the Group HQ and all its vehicles and radio vans had moved in the grounds of Goodwood House although the house itself was home to doctors and nurses of a field hospital, waiting to cross the channel. The majority of the radio equipment was on the racecourse and regularly he would fly his Auster up to the trundle and land on the home straight of the racecourse itself! The communications unit pulled out for Northern France in August 1944.
Spitfires returned with 41 Squadron and their Griffon engine Mk XIIs on the 27 June along with 610 County of Chester Squadron with their Mk XIV Spitfires. squadron’ role was to carry out Anti Diver patrols along the coast looking for V1 Flying Bombs. 41 and 610 left for RAF Friston on the 3rd July. The Squadron diary of 610 recording ‘its unlikely that any other squadron has moved so much as 610. A minor problem is that of laundry, with several of the squadron claiming they will soon smell as they are never in one place long enough to pick up clean laundry’.
On of Westhampnett’s previous residents with 485 NZ Squadron, Doug Brown, moved back in with 130 Squadron during this period, he recalled his brief stay:
Doug Brown's Story:
“The squadron was posted from RAF Horne in Surrey to Westhampnett on 20 June 1944 and moved on to RAF Merston on 27 June 1944. It was early August when we subsequently converted to the Spitfire Mk XIV at Tangmere. Our Commanding Officer at the time was Bill Ireson and I was a flight commander with Scotty Scott.
When we moved back in the Officers’ accommodation was Shopwyke House, originally a school and post war reverted back to that role. During the six days there, we basically carried out beachhead patrols over Normandy”.
The Polish were to return to Westhampnett on the 19 June 1944 when 303 Squadron flew in. They were to remain there until September 1944 in conjunction with 402 and 350 Squadrons.
303 was a distinguished fighter Squadron having been formed in July 1940 and fighting through the Battle of Britain and becoming the top scoring Squadron with one hundred and seventeen and a half victories. They were then equipped with Hurricanes but started to get Spitfires in early 1941 and on their arrival at Westhampnett they were operating both Mk Vbs then changing to Mk IX Cs, carrying the codes “RF”.
They were to have a busy time at Westhampnett not only providing cover over the D-Day Beaches from D Day plus 13 but also support to the airborne invasion of operation Market Garden. At this stage the squadron was being led by Squadron Leader Koc D.F.C.
On the day the squadron were due to move in on 19 June, an advance party of mechanics arrived to prepare the airfield, before the aircraft landed. There was no time to settle in, as the squadron were required immediately for convoy and shipping lane patrols over the channel.
Flying Officer Witold Herbst's Story:
Over the coming days many patrols were flown over the beaches in Normandy, many late into the evenings. One of the pilots at the time was Flying Officer Witold Herbst who recalls flying sorties over the D-Day beaches:
"On D-Day I had flown myself three sorties and was astonished by the absence of the Luftwaffe. We were patrolling the beaches for nearly two weeks when the Germans lunched their V1 attack. There was something of a panic everywhere but in a matter of days, anti-aircraft artillery was brought in from all over England and deployed south of London. These damned things flew over our head’s day and night, anti-aircraft batteries were all around us and the continuous din had an effect on us- we never slept with this concert going on around us.
We moved to Tangmere on June 19 where we stayed a couple of days while I suppose Westhampnett was being prepared to receive us. From Westhampnett we were still patrolling the beaches for a few days but having been rearmed with Spitfire Mk IXs we started escorting bombers again, these were blasting communication centres deep into France”.
There were a number of accidents too on the airfield as the entry for the 21 June 1944 in the operational record book shows.
When Flight Sergeant J Talar returned at about 00.05 Hours, after an operational flight, as he touched down the starboard undercarriage leg collapsed. The net result was both wheels folded but the pilot was unhurt. Two months later he was to have yet another prang when landing this time in a Spitfire Mk IX landing in a crosswind, the aircraft ground looped and tipped on to its nose.
On the 23 June 1944, the squadron lost one of its top scoring pilots, Warrant Officer A Chudek. He was flying Spitfire RF-F, AB271 on a routine patrol over Normandy he was shot down and was killed. He had claimed 9 victories and one probable in his career as a fighter pilot, being awarded the DFM, the Polish Virtuti Militari, 5th Class and a Cross of Valour with four bars.
The Polish Squadron moved out to Merston for a short while in late July, early August but when they returned, they had an important job to do as they were tasked to fly an escort to B25 Mitchells proceeding to Airfield A.9 in Normandy with the Allied Supreme Commander General Dwight Eisenhower as passenger.
The squadron was back on Ramrods and Rodeos straight away after this often-flying escort to Lancaster’s bombing Holland. A further duty was as close escort to Marauders often being led by the Wing Leader Wing Commander Checketts; D.S.O. Flying Officer Herbst recalls some of the long range sorties:
"I remember one escort that we did to Joigny, some 80-100 miles south of Paris. I remember this one clearly: about 80 Lancasters dropped their considerable load on the railway lines all around the town which disappeared in a mountain of smoke. We were astonished to learn later that the town was practically intact."
402 “City of Winnipeg” Squadron moved in around the same time as 303, carrying out similar patrols over the beaches. They operated Mk V Spitfires, one of the aircraft was AB910 which is currently operated by the BBMF. The squadron had been flying over the D-Day beaches every day and had come into contact with Me 109s on several occasions but one of the biggest menaces for the pilots was the risk of being hit by trigger happy flak gunners on the ships and shore areas whose aircraft recognition was not up to par.
The Squadron Diary:
The Squadron diary is worth reproducing for its time at Goodwood.
The work of moving to Westhampnett was started at dawn and the last 402 Squadron convoy of trucks left at about 10150 hours. The remaining aircraft Left at about 0900 hours, landing at RAF Tangmere. Fifteen large trucks were supplied to each unit and with the Squadron vehicles, the move could be made with about four trucks making two trips.
The move was completed by about 23100 hours.
The pilots, Mechanics and luggage made the trip in the Squadron bus.
20th June 1944
Weather, Fair and mild, The Westhampnett Camp Commandant, Squadron Leader Little visited our Unit today and he seemed quite pleased to have the Wing on his Station. Our officers are quartered in two requisitioned houses near the field and have their own Squadron Mess about 1/2 mile away (Shopwhyke house).
The personnel are mostly happy with the set-up and appreciate the kind co-operation being extended by the Comp Commandant and his staff. The groundcrew are quartered in Nissen huts about 3/4 of a mile from the field and have their Mess and Ablutions about 1/2 mile from the field. The meals seen quite good.
Four aircraft did a patrol during this morning (over the beachhead) and Squadron carried out one patrol during the afternoon. Both these operations proved uneventful. During the day all Squadron aircraft arrived at Tangmere
The aircrew spent practically all of the afternoon in the mess. The Squadron was on sixty-minute readiness and most of the boys sat around listening to the radio and playing cards or billiards. It was the best time we have had for several months, being the first mess we had to ourselves since leaving Digby.
22nd June
On the 22 June, the squadron carried out a shipping cover patrol in the assault area, along with 303 and 130 Squadrons out of RAF Westhampnett and again aircraft were hit by allied flak.
Two of our pilots, aux, Pilot Officer K.M. Collins and Pilot Officer N.P. Murphy (CAN) were shot down on the morning patrol today over the beachhead. As the patrol was over our own territory the only conclusion was that our own flack did it. The aircraft had passed over the areas several times and the third time they were met with a terrific barrage of flak, three aircraft were hit, and two went down. The third aircraft managed to return OK. The loss of these boy's is very keenly felt by the reminder of the Squadron, and due to the fact that Mk V spitfires have been over this area practically every day since D Day, the mistake in identification can hardly be understood.
Flying Officer Kenneth McRoberts Collins was the son of Arthur J and Agnes McRoberts-Collins of Los Angeles, California although he was born in Edmonton, Alberta. He was shot down and killed at the age of 24 and is buried in Bayeux war cemetery. Flying Officer N P Murphy flying Spitfire BL 969 was fortunately unharmed and lived to fight another day.
23rd June
Two patrols carried out today, Flying Officer W G O’Hagan missing from the evening, after the patrol had been completed the Squadron was returning across the Channel when Flying Officer O’Hagan’s engine started to pack up. He turned to endeavour to make the French coast and the visibility was very poor, he went out of view, and it is not known what happened to him.
Sadly, Flying Officer Walter Gerard O Hagan who was flying Mk Vb AD489 was never found, and he is remembered on the Runneymede memorial.
V1 flying bombs were a continual nuisance for the airfields and cities in the South of England and on the night of the 24 June the squadron was to be rudely awakened:-
There was an air raid alert at about 0200 hours last night. It is thought to be caused by the Robot planes passing over, all clear sound in about twenty minutes.
25 June
One patrol carried out today, early in the morning. All aircraft landed in France on completion of this operation, because of the bad weather. One aircraft run into a slit trench and damaged the prop, necessitating leaving: one pilot behind when the Squadron took off for base at noon. Its pilot returned later in the afternoon.
About 22:30 hours a Jet-bomb went overhead and was brought down west of the field by the Flak.
27th June
The squadron departed Goodwood for Merston on the 27th June although they were not happy about it due to finding complete chaos at Merston with departing squadrons trying to move kit out. This left both 350 and 303 Squadrons in residence with their Mk IX Spitfires.
Four pilots had lost their lives whilst operating from Goodwood in June of 1944, but their loss was not in vain, they will always be remembered for their contribution to our Freedom as will all of the young men and women who operated from our airfield in June of 1944. RAF Westhampnett was in the thick of the action as it was for the majority of air operations in Europe during the second world war.
Spitfires.com has been operating from RAF Westhampnett since 2010 and also from Lee on Solent from 2015. We are proud of our connection with Spitfires operating from both airfields and continue to be able to fly passengers from both Locatons.
Dedicated to the memory of :
Spitfire Pilot, Chorazy Warrant Officer Aleksander Chudek 23/06/44
Spitfire Pilot, Flying Officer Kenneth McRoberts Collins RCAF 22/06/44
Spitfire pilot, Flying Officer Walter Gerard O'Hagan RCAF 23/06/44
Typhoon Pilot, Flight Sergeant J.J.Rowland 07/06/44
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