Some war time views of Castle Archdale.

Discussion in 'The War In The Air' started by James S, Oct 17, 2008.

  1. James S

    James S Very Senior Member

    Will check it up , something not right wrong !! :)

    Now sorted out.
     
  2. James S

    James S Very Senior Member

    This may be of interest - two views of L/240 at anchor in May 41 - the reflection on the calm suface I thought was really something.
     

    Attached Files:

  3. ww2ni

    ww2ni Senior Member

    Brilliant!!
     
  4. James S

    James S Very Senior Member

    Going through some photos earlier today I found this .
    From the 131 OTU Catalina which crashed near Omagh in December 1942 - you cannot get closer to the aircraft than this.

    Also attached two views of the Duxford based Catalina over Killadeas , wartime home of 131 OTU.
     

    Attached Files:

  5. Groundhugger

    Groundhugger Senior Member

    Interesting insight into the human side of the Squadrons , thanks for posting some fabulous photo's ,
    Most ofthe Catalinas were scuttled in the lough after the war [lend lease] and are still there also a couple of Sunderlands one is a war grave with member of air or ground crew ... very sad ... Lough Ernes looks a fabulous place to visit

    many thanks
     
  6. James S

    James S Very Senior Member

    One Catalina and one Sunderland still there as war graves.
    Scuttled aircraft - they may be there exact number unknown but probably not more than a dozen , moving sand has most likely covered them.
    Parts of some aircraft still there but all the WW2 crashed aircraft recovered apart from the two war graves.
    Add to this a 228 Sunderland which was partly salvaged before it sank , parts of it remain in the Lough.


    Attached a few more of the Duxford Catalina on the water.
     

    Attached Files:

    Smudger Jnr and dbf like this.
  7. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

    James S
    Great photos again.
     
  8. James S

    James S Very Senior Member

    No worries D , now and again I come across long lost stuff - these popped up today.
     
  9. Timc

    Timc Junior Member

    Fantastic collection of photos. Would you know if any such collection exists of 209
    Squadron. My great Uncle was with them up to his death 14/12/41 (Edward Arthur Jewis DFC.)
     
  10. Smudger Jnr

    Smudger Jnr Our Man in Berlin

    This is one of my favourite threads to read due to the excellent posts and photographs.

    Regards
    Tom
     
  11. James S

    James S Very Senior Member

    Timc I have some from Eddy but most cover his time with 131 OTU , I may have an odd one from 209 but will have to do a search at most it may only be chance if I have a photo.
    Outside the IWM or RAF Museum the photos which come to light do so on the chance that there was someone who had a camera on hand at that time , I have been fortunate in that I have been lucky in getting a number of photos from private sources - luck more than anything as the keeping of a diary and taking of photos was officially forbidden.
     
  12. James S

    James S Very Senior Member

    Came across these this afternoon , 423 RCAF aircraft and crew , copies are not so good.

    This is a view from the bridge over the Termon river which cuts through Pettigo between Fermanagh and Donegal.
    On the right - Britons pub , aircrew used to walk across this shallow river enter the rear of the pub and exit into Pettigo , the same route was often taken on the way back to evade customs , who must have known that this evasion was taking place - most likely a blind eye was turned to it.
     

    Attached Files:

  13. skyhawk

    skyhawk Senior Member

    So long as you remembered which door was which, especially after a few jars.:D
    Nice photos James.
     
  14. James S

    James S Very Senior Member

    Stuck me as a little like "Mr Ben". :)
    A gent who did a lot of research on Oban's RAF connection told me that early in the war "diversions" to Ireland were very popular. :p
     
  15. RAF1

    RAF1 Member

    Evening all.
    Two pictures from my files and trying to identify the personnel from 201Sqn at Castle archdale. The aircraft is W3988 ZM-P which crashed on 3 December 1941 in the sea off Doonbeg, Co Clare. There were only two survivors F/Lt Grant Fleming DFC and Sgt Jim Masterson.
    Any ideas. which would be very welcome?
    Regards
    RAF1
     
  16. RAF1

    RAF1 Member

    Sorry folks will try again
    RAF1
     
  17. RAF1

    RAF1 Member

    Will try again
    RAF1
     

    Attached Files:

  18. James S

    James S Very Senior Member

    Tony the skyline behind the Sunderland photo is definitely Castle Archdale no mistake about it , a very nice photo indeed , thank you for posting it up. :)
    "Z" is one of the aircraft photographed flying over the roof of Castle Archdale in December 1941. (See post 29).

    The dinghy , who would want to be in the Atlantic in that wee craft !

    Two very good photographs.

    I have a better copy of this photo (somewhere) and will replace this one with it when I come across it .
    This dates from the same time - ZM-S adjacent to the slipway at CA , the early appearance of the Sunderland is worth seeing , not only for the colour scheme but for the working conditions which existed at that moment in time.
    "A sea of mud" as one man described it.


    Attached two photos of 423 RCAF veterans who visited Archdale in the early 90's.

    The courtyard photo - extreme left - Bruce Whitney who made two attacks on suspected sub contacts in one week in November 44 , he had never seen the report made by his Squadron commander and the Station CO - the look on his face , as if he had won the lottery .
    Laurence Duffton - an armourer - next to BW.

    In front Frank Williams , in the blue sports jacket - Frank Rodgers , aircrew., behind him partly hidden ( 3rd from left back row) Art Mountford from Al. Bishops crew who sank U-489 .
    On the right peaked cap front row Norman Belcher aircrew.
    On the extreme right - Roy Pinder. Roy had to ditch beside a convoy - his Sunderland was then sunk by naval gunfire.( March 44 - W6028).
    Third from the left Harry Forrest Harry was front gunner on Bert Russells crew when they sank U-610.
    The signatures on Chaz Bowyers "Short Sunderland" , from the same visit.

    The crew photograph - Al Bishops crew

    The crew photo.
    Front row : Sgt Gossip Fl./Eng. / A/G. ( RAF +) , F/O. Art Mountford.
    ( Wearing white shirt) ( Bare chest)

    Second row : Sgt Hadcroft Rigger / A/G. ( Buried at Sea) + ,
    P/O. Harry Parliament , Navigator F/O. Murray Wettlaufer 2nd Pilot.

    Third row : Flt/lt. "Ginger" Horsborough W.Op. +
    Flt/Sgt. Kelly A/G. +
    F/O. Al Bishop. Pilot.
    Back row : Sgt "Hack Finn W.Op/A/G.
    Sgt "Red" MacDonald Eng./A/G.
     

    Attached Files:

  19. James S

    James S Very Senior Member

    ( Sorry the Bishop crew photo I had included before).

    The "carrying of the can"- Bruce Whitney is on the right accepting "the can" from Gerry Fellows , Bruce took on his crew when GF had completed his tour.
    ( F/lt. Fellows had previous attacked and seriously damaged U-672 , his own aircraft was seriously damaged by a prematurely exploding DC which twisted the airframe.

    The 201 Squadron Sunderland - crew standing on its opewn nose section standing on the extreme left Derek Martin - he was sent over the border to talk with some aircrew from the aircraft Tony mentioned and posted photos on. (ZM-P).
    When he was in his hotel room in Dublin he was "evicted" by the "Special Branch" and returned over the border.

    The seated aircrew- The 422 RCAF crew which crashed near Belleek on 12/08/44.

    The injuries to the crew Killed F/lt E.C. Devine ( Pilot ) aged 22.
    ( Buried Irvinestown Church of Ireland ).
    P/O. J R Forrest W.Op / AG.
    ( Buried Irvinestown Roman catholic Churchyard).
    F/O. R T Wilkinson Pilot aged 22.
    (Buried Irvinestown Church of Ireland).

    Surviving crew members. Sgt Allen ( Navigator).
    Severe head injuries , burns to hands and legs.
    Sgt Jeal. ( Flt/Engineer).
    Fracture to spine , extensive burns to his hands and face.
    Sgt Colbourne (A/G).
    Head injury , fractured right leg.
    Sgt Platsko. ( 2nd Pilot).
    Head injury.
    Sgt Oderskirk.(W.Op/ AG).
    hand and facial injuries.
    Sgt.Clarke (FME/AG).
    Compressed fracture of the spine.
    Sgt Singer ( A/G).
    Fractured left arm.
    P/O A. Locke.
    (W.Op/AG).
    Head injury.

    The photo below shows the crew.
    Standing.
    F/E Sgt Jeal , A/G Sgt. Colburne , A?G Sgt Singer , F/E. P/O. R C Parker.
    Seated. W.Op /AG Sgt J Forrest , Nav. F/O Allen , CApt. F/Lt. Devine , 2nd pilot Platsko , W.Op /AG Hawkins.

    (F/O Hawkins was not on this final flight , he had been replaced by P/O Locke.)

    Something tells me that locke had the misfortune to be on the 423 Sunderland which crashed on Knocklayd Mountain outside ballt castle ( Co. Antrim) 0n 5th December 1943 - this aircraft was en route to Wig Bay for a major service and apart from the crew to take her over had a number of men "hitching a lift" on their way the bright lights of London on leave. 11 aircrew died in the crash) .

    Harry Forrest (see above post) was also a passenger on W6028 when she crashed on Knocklaydd Mountain near Ballycastle - Bert Russell decorated a few weeks earlier was the pilot , pure bad luck.
    This aircraft is that seen on the slipway at the start of this thread.

    Lastly
    The photgrapgh below is off Frank Paige DFC .
    Frank wasthe skipper of a 422 RCAF crew which force landed in Clew Bay just off Clare Island on 24th May 1943.
    They had been on patrol from Bowmore ( On Islay , off the West Coast of Scotland ) and were diverted to land at Castle Archdale.
    Although there was radio contact with the aircraft some of the messages were incomplete and unclear.
    The aircraft may have been in difficulties but for whatever reason she put down off Clare Island with the loss of all on board.
    Frank Paige had previously served with 407 RCAF in the Channel and was awarded the DFC :
    "H.M. the King, on the recommendation of the A.O.C. Coastal Command, has graciously been pleased to make an award of the distinguisher Service cross to P/O. Franklyn Ernest paige for the fortitude he displayed , although severly wunded , in bringing his aircraft and crew back safely to his base after successfully attacking an enemy merchant vessel"
    "One the morning in May 1942 , this officer was the pilot of an aircraft which participated in an attack on a convoy off the enemy coast. regardless of a fierce defensive barrage, which in the full light of the morning was extremely accurate, Piot officer Paige pressed home his attack. Although seriously wounded by a splinter from a shell which smashed through his instrumenet panel , this officer corageously flew his aircraft back to base"
    Frank's younger brother "Bill" was lost in May 1944 when his lancaster collied with another aicraft as they waited in the circuit to land at Coningsby, he was an air gunner.

    Frank had only been with 422 for a short time - approximately two weeks before he was lost.


    The dog "Straddle" the mascot of 422 Squadron. sat here beside the mid upper of a Sunderland.

    The Stranraer is "L" "the last Stranraer , Jack Holmes aircraft.
    (Mr Holmes retired from the RAF in the 1970's as an Air Vice Marshall).
     

    Attached Files:

  20. RAF1

    RAF1 Member

    Excellent James, thanks for posting. This will take a little time to absorb.
    RAF1
     

Share This Page