I came across this interesting quote from Marks Hall At War (Earls Colne Airfield): "Flight officer Rosemary Britton flew as a ‘stowaway’ in one of the tug aircraft, which left from Earls Colne and became the only female participant of the ‘crossing of the Rhine’." I take it from that she stowed away on one of the aircraft tugging a glider? I did find a comment on WW2Forum that claims she was actually on one of the Op Varsity Gliders. I'll attach a couple of photos of a S/O Rosemary Britton (ground crew) found on RAF 550 Squadron sites. I'm not sure if it's the same person, but she definitely has a mischievous twinkle in her eye ... Is there more to this story? Edit: Replaced lost pics.
Flight Officer Rosemary Britten was an RAF intelligence officer based at RAF Earls Colne, home of 296/297 Squadrons in March 1945. The full story about her flight in Halifax NA 698-D 'Dog', 17th aircraft in the serial lift, piloted by F/O Ron Lamshed, can be read in the book written by Alan Cooper titled - Wot! No Engines? This book covers RAF Glider Pilots and Operation Varsity and is very good read containing lots of information. Rosemary Britten's uncle was, Major Ian Toler, Officer Commanding, B Squadron, 1 Wing GPR, Earls Colne. A quote made by Rosemary on the morning of March 24th, 1945 - Operation Varsity ' I kept well out of the way of the senior officers present and the aircrew carried my Mae West and parachute so that I would just look like a love-sick WAAF officer seeing off her boyfriend. An awkward moment arrived when my uncle, Major Ian Toler, came up to say goodbye and asked me to come and see the take off' .... There's more to this lady than meets the eye! Lindsay
Thanks Lindsay, A delightful story indeed. I can almost see the meeting of uncle and niece on the runway - haha! And how interesting that it should be the niece of Major Ian Toler after all you have told me. An interesting and determined lady which makes you wonder what became of her in the years after? Cheers ...
This is about my mother Rosemary (Britten) Morton. She married my father the artist Cavendish Morton and lived in Eye in Suffolk for about 28 years. She was a talented musician and played the piano, cello and flute. She also sang in the Aldeburgh Festival choir. She taught the piano and music at two schools. My parents moved back to the Isle of Wight in 1977 when my mother became ill with MS. Her brother John Britten lived on the Island and built the Britten Norman Islander aircraft. The account of my mother's trip in the Halifax is in the museum at Middle Wallop, Wiltshire. I only learnt about this when the account was republished in a WW2 magazine.She was ill for many years and was nursed by my father and carers at home. She died 13 years ago but my father is still alive and lives on the IOW.
Hello scribbleboy49, It's always great to hear from actual family members and thank you for filling us in on Rosemary (Britten) Morton's later years. It sounds like your Mother led a very active and fulfilling life until being overtaken by MS. Needless to say you come from a very interesting family. I came across a picture of your Father celebrating his 100th birthday in 2011 ... Regards ...
Cavendish Morton Once you start looking into the life of Cavendish Morton it doesn't take long to discover what a truly remarkable man he was. There's a very good article on iLife from which I'll select the relevant passage on his wife Rosemary Britten: http://www.visitilife.com/cavendish-morton-a-lifetime-of-art/ "His marriage to Rosemary Britten, he says, was “a good move, because my great passion was for classical music.” They had met as young people growing up in Bembridge, and it had been music that had drawn them together. As well as being a pianist, she played cello and flute. During the war she served in the Women’s Royal Air Force (WRAF) as an Intelligence Officer, and, Morton confides, had been one of the few women to be shot down during the war: “She was in a Halifax bomber, towing gliders on an operation. They’d dropped a glider and got hit by Anti-Aircraft fire and had to make a forced landing on a US airbase on one side of the Rhine with the Germans on the other. Of course as an Intelligence Officer she shouldn’t have been there, and she kept it secret for 40 years.” He is obviously still proud of her pluckiness. “There is plenty of gallantry on her side of the family,” he says." The Nevil Shute Norway Foundation site also has an interesting read on Cavendish Morton's memories of Nevil Shute and Airspeed Ltd. http://www.nevilshute.org/Misc/cavendismorton.php ... and damn I see I've spelt the Britten name wrong in the topic title, sigh. Regards ...
I've just been to see my father who was a Navigator with 296Sqn for most of the war - SOE drops and glider tows including the Rhine Crossing - I asked him about a photo he took of a damaged aircraft on their base - he didn't think it was a Halifax so we googled its number and then discovered it's story and that of Rosemary Britten - he knew nothing of the story so she certainly knew how to keep a secret - if the family would like a copy of the picture then please let me know - fascinating and made my Dads afternoon
Hello NigelB, This post is just to let you know that the story of Rosemary Britten and her stow-away flight in Halifax NA 698-D 'Dog' is due to appear in a forthcoming edition of RAF RADAR magazine - the current running magazine of RAF Hendon and Cosford Museums. If the photograph your father took of a damaged Halifax is that of Halifax NA 698 D, I feel certain that, if agreeable with your family, the editor of RAF Radar would welcome sight of this for inclusion in such article. I'm glad that this photograph made your father's afternoon. What is your father's name? I have RAF 296 Squadron serial-lift reports for the Rhine Crossings, 24.03.45. Your father's name should be shown as a Navigator. My father, a Glider Pilot, was 1st up in the serial lift that left from Earls Colne airfield on Operation Varsity (the Rhine crossings) - his Tug Pilot was RAF 296 Sqd. Ldr. T. C. Musgrave. Thank you for your post and with kind regards, Lindsay
Hi Lindsay! Thanks for the update - sorry that I've taken so long to respond - I'm with my father now and that was the stimulus to relook at the site - on my phone so not so easy! The photo is definitely D dog and I have now scanned it to PC and we are very happy to provide a copy to RADAR if it isn't too late - are you in contact with them - we are away until 29/1 so can't send it until then We also have some other pictures en route on that day that might be of interest My Dads name is Bill Barfoot a Flight Lt at the time and Navigation Officer for 296 - his pilot was Dennis Leach All the best Nigel
Hi Nigel, Thank you for coming back to me. I will get in touch with RAF RADAR before the 29th of this month and come back to you. Am I correct in assuming that it is a very special time for your Father and his family at the moment? ... Flt.Lt. Bill Barfoot - Legion d'Honneur - The Telegraph. If so ... with sincere best wishes and many congratulations to your Father and his family. Lindsay
