BRANCH REPORTS
Northern Saskatchewan Branch
On June 18th, 21 members of the Ex A/G's Ass'n gathered at the RCAF
Ass'n Lynx Wing and enjoyed a nice lunch served by the workers at the Lynx
Wing. Our finances continue in good shape under the careful attention
given by Treasurer Doug Warren.
We will be meeting on the 3rd Monday in July at the usual Lynx Wing
spot at noon hour; visitors are welcome.
This is another experience
of C.A. "Smokey" Robson
On the 12th of October 1941, our crew under the leadership of Sgt.
Bill Stewart, attacked Nuremberg. It was an 8 hour and 40 minute
mission.
Upon our return, after crossing the French coast, to come up into
East Anglia, we were diverted to RAF Station Abingdon.
The initial reaction of our captain, Sgt. Stewart, was to ask the
wireless operator air gunner for a bearing on Abingdon; all the aircraft
that were diverted to Abingdon were similarly trying to get bearings on
Abingdon.
Our fuel was getting low and our captain, Sgt. Stewart, felt that
unless we could find a spot that was open to land, that we may have to
put the aircraft down in a field.
Talking about putting the aircraft down in the field, we came across
what appeared to be a stream flowing through a field and our captain, Sgt.
Stewart, made a decision that he was going to land in that field beside
the stream.
As we got lower and closer to the so called field, we discovered
that the stream was actually camouflage painted on the runway and we later
found out we had landed at Royal Airforce Station Northholt which is within
the limits of the city of London.
When we got out of our aircraft all we could hear was a foreign language
and the captain asked the front gunner if he was accurate in his pinpoint
that we had received when we came out of the French Coast, and of course,
he said "he was".
We thought we might still be in Germany or God knows where and then
we discovered that at Northholt in the city of London, there were three
Polish fighter squadrons. This is where we had landed, at the Northholt
Airport with three Polish fighter squadrons at that airport and this was
the foreign language we heard.
We all were escorted to the lounge in the Sergeants Mess and had
a bit of sleep and the got up the next morning and took off from Northholt
and proceeded to return to Mildenhall
Manitoba
Branch
Recently we gave donations to the following:
1. Air Cadet League of Canada (Manitoba) Inc. The money will
be used to assist the League attain their goal of providing an opportunity
for each Air Cadet to have a Familiarization flight in a Glider.
2. Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum Inc., Brandon, MB in appreciation
and to help offset costs in publishing SHORT BURSTS on the Internet and
assist in keeping the Museum going.
At our 1994 Reunion I met Len Isaacson of Lethbridge, AB who, at
the age of 84, dances at the R.C. Legion every Friday night. He sent
me a letter in June 2001 which mentions his experience with German Night
Fighter Planes (NACHTJAGD) equipped with CHRAGE MUSIK. This article
will be included in the first available issue of our Monthly Newsletter
- SHORT BURSTS .
Earl Hiscox reports that he had the Canadian and Air Force flags
proudly flying from his Short Wave Antenna on Canada Day. Good Show,
Earl - we must keep the old flag flying!
We continue to hold a monthly meeting every second Thursday of the
month at noon for those able and willing to attend. No formality
- just an opportunity for lunch, fun and comradship, Attendance varies
from 4 to 15 including spouse/partners.
On July 12th we will be visiting Les & Leta Sundell at their
country abode in Sanford, MB for a Barbeque (or a Barley as the Aussies
say).
During the Reunion 2000 in Edmonton, I was talking to two of our
members from British Columbia. It turned out they were members of
a Lion's Club in that Province (a great international service organization
to which I also belong in Winnipeg). A practice many Lion's take
part in is the trading of Club Pins. They each gave me one of theirs.
I did not have any with me but promised to send them one when I returned
home. I have lost/missplaced their names and address. HELP!!!
I can't remember their names - I think they were from Vancouver Island.
I'd like to keep my promise. Any help will be appreciated.
Thanks.
The Manitoba AG/WAG's send GREETINGS to their comrades everywhere
Howard Elliott
Southern Ontario Branch
Apropos your article in April issue of Short Bursts re: gunners who
flew in Stirlings.
One of our members, namely Charlie Randall, did all his ops in Stirlings
I III and IVs as a tail gunner in 190 Squadron, 38 Group.
These aircraft had the mid-upper turret removed and were used to drop supplies
to the underground in Norway, France and Holland.
Paratroopers were also dropped at various times, and gliders, mostly
Horsas, were towed to drop areas. On September 18/44 gliders were towed
to Arnhem from Fairford. This crew dropped paniers containing
knock down motor cycles, machine guns and ammunition on September 20th.
They were slated to go again on September 22 but the operation was
scrubbed due to lack of serviceable aircraft.
On the previous day the squadron dispatched 10 aircraft and only
three returned. Losses were also sustained on previous days.
In March 1945 gliders were also dropped during the Crossing of the Rhine
from their new location at Great Dunmow, Essex.
At wars end the squadron flew the 1st Airborne Division to Oslo to
accept the German surrender of Norway. Charlie vividly remembers their
first landing between rows and rows of parked Junkers 88's and Focke-Wulf
190s. They also flew plane loads of petrol to Brussels and returned with
ex POWs.
(Submitted from the Toronto Chapter as relayed by Charles (Charlie)
Randall, AG 190 Squadron 38 Group)
Northern Alberta Branch
Evening John. I hope your "wound" is much better and that you
will be back to normal soon. I have a bit of news for Shortbursts.
At our July meeting it was decided that we should send a donation of $200
to the Edmonton Police Helicopter Fund. The EPS have been trying
to get a helicopter for some time but City Council has, as usual, been
diddling about so someone started a fund to finance the deal. They have
raised almost the 1 million dollars that they require.
At the same meeting it was decided that we would continue to meet
at the Jasper Place Legion and we will change our meeting day from the
third Thursday to the first Thursday of each month.
Ted Hackett
Doug Penny
I would like to thank Charlie Yule and John Moyles for their
continued interest in the Ex-Air Gunners Association. During my time as
the National President, 1990- to 2000, it was an honour and pleasure to
work with these two men, plus all Directors from across Canada. It gave
me a lot of satisfaction to be able to put something back to the
members former and present. It was the wish of the members at our final
reunion in Edmonton 2000, that we keep information available to them. With
the help of John and Charlie, plus input from our members, and the expertise
of our volunteer Webmasters, Bill and Sue-On Hillman from the Brandon Museum,
the wishes of our members have been fulfilled. Someone once told me the
Ex-AG Association was a class act.We hope this was true. We have had, over
the years, a great deal of input from members all over the world. Thank
you again!
Sadly, some of our members have passed on since Edmonton 2000. One
person I remember from Squadron days was Andy Lagimodiere from Winnipeg
who recently died after as long illness. We were on 432 Squadron,
North Yorks, in early 1944. I met Andy when my skipper, “Pete” Pettit,
and crew came from 420 Squadron to Eastmoor. Pete was a Canadian starting
his second tour. When Andy and I would meet at AG and Wartrime Air Crew
reunions, we would hoist a pint or three and talk about old times.We would
talk about the trip to Nurnberg. A cold billiant moonlit night with lots
of action in the skies. The reported losses from Bomber Command ranged
from 96 to 104 Heavies. It was my longest Op, about 8 hrs. and 25 min.
The other awe enspiring trip was on D Day morning, before the boys landed
at Normandy. We could see the shipping in the Channel, large destroyers
firing rockets and other heavy guns dropping shells on the French coast.
The sky was full of aircraft, mostly ours, and the sun was just coming
up. Of course, this was June 6, 1944.
At the end of June Andy contracted mumps and was grounded.. His pilot,
Walt Fernyhough, picked up the Gunnery Leader, A.J. Williams, RAF, as his
spare gunner. They went missing June 29th. and Andy was a spare gunner
from then on.
We were on leave one time in early June ’44 and Andy met another
Winnipeg lad, Andy Mynarski VC. Andy Mynarski was on 419 Squadron and went
missing on a raid on June 13, 1944.
Memories we will all cherish. Good health
to all.
Doug Penny, Calgary.
Doug Penny
National President ~ 1990-2000
This was Doug when he could still hoist one or three!
Ray Stoy
I'm still enjoying the internet versions. In the current June
issue my e-mail address was not with my name and address. To
date I have not had a single inquirey about my prints, where as when
information was printed in the earlier printed Short Bursts I would have
5 or 6 each time there was copy in print. I can assume that it's
due to the lack of information, such as a list of aircraft available, size
matted print 20" x 14.5" for $30us. plus $5.50 us shipping. I may
be wrong but I don't think so. I do appreciate your printing the
photos etc. I can send some copy if that would help.
I have been thinking about the Halifax Mk. 4 at Marston Moor.
I was stationed there flying Halifax Mk. 3 and the more that I think about
the stories about the Mk. 4 the more I find them very, very hard to believe.
The station wasn't so large that you could hide a Squadron of four motor
aircraft. Also in the mess hall and around the bar I'm sure I would
have noticed a strange brevy such as stoker AG, it was a very intersting
story to read and if it was factual the amount of Oxygen needed to keep
the
coal fire burning would be very large indeed. In any case
in trying to wrack my brain for details of Marston Moor and what we did
while we were stationed there, I was brought to remember that shortly
after arriving at Marston Moor from Acaster Malvis our skipper was promoted
to WO1 and need an officers uniform. All 7 of the crew were
given 10 days leave so he could go to London to have the uniform made.
The 6 Canadians all left for London to stay at the Canadian Legion Hotel
at Russel Square. Our enginer was English and in the RAF so he just
went home, near London. The cost for the hotel was 2 and 6 for bed &
breakfast. We spent much of our time at Bars around town and at tea
dances. After 10 days we had spent just about all of our money we
took the train back to Marston Moor. When we arrived at the gate
the guard said the station had been closed by the MO due to malnutrition
and lack of coal. We were given a train pass back to London where
we went to the Canadian Legion Hotel in Russel Square. Next day we
went to the RCAF in London to see if we could be paid, they said your attached
to the RAF and they are the ones to pay you. We then went to the
RAF headquarters in London and they said " you are Canadians, you have
to get paid by the paymaster at your station" We went back to the
Canadian Legion hotel and they said why don't you go to see Watney Brewery
at Victoria Station, they are always looking for help since everyone is
in the service or have better jobs. We went to the Brewery, a 2pence
ride on the tube, we 6 Canadians we hired on the spot for 14 and
6 a day, with a hot lunch, some kind of gruel and bread, better than we
were gettin back at Marston Moor. We had all the beer we could drink,
without our boss seeing, and we worked in our uniforms, rolling empty beer
kegs around from one building where they were washed, across the court
yard with horse manure every where, the barrels had 2 open holes so I suspect
that the beer would have some horse flavor after they were filled.
We had a good time as 14 and six was just for supper and some more beer
at night, Thats about all I can remember of Marston Moor and after
that we were stationed at Wolfox Lodge, near Oakham, Rutland to fly Lancasters.
Cheers Ray Stoy
{Ed. The Liberator at the top of this page
is one of Ray’s paintings.
If you are interested in aquiring one of Ray’s prints contact
him at:
7728 U.S. Open Loop, Bradenton, FL 34202 U.S.A.
Ph: (941)907-6077 Email rpstoy@juno.com
)
Roy Stoy ~ Florida
At the Edmonton 2000 Reunion
Len Isaacson
We had dropped our bombs on a synthetic-oil plant in Gelsenkirchen,
Germany the night of June 12/13, 1944 and were headed for base. In
the tail gun turret I was searching in the dark for any enemy fighters
who might be following us out of the target area. Suddenly I heard
cannons barking loudly and saw lights flashing directly below. What
the hell was that? I didn’t see the fighter – just the flashing.
We took evasive action and that was it.
At base the pilot told me he saw tracers streaking up in front of
him at a steep angle. I wondered how a night fighter could be so
very close under our Lanc and yet be able to fire upwards at about 70 degree
angle. At that time we didn’t know about ‘Schrage Musik’ – two upward
firing cannons fitted in the rear cockpit of a Messerschmitt 110.
Lucky for us the German pilot sneaked a bit too far forward and missed.
According to ‘Bomber Command War Diaries’ the first time the Luftwaffe
used ‘Schrage Musik’ was during the bombing of Peenemunde, August 17/18,
1943 and are believed to have shot down six bombers. I completed
my tour of 31 Operatons on August 30, 1944 still wondering – ‘What the
hell was that?’
In the Airmail section of the Winter 2000 issue of ‘Airforce’ I see
that J. McLean and a group of 36 Air-gunners, arrived in England in June
1944 and were sent directly into training and on to a squadron the first
week in August 1944. McLean states: “This quick trip to squadron
was necessitated so we could man the newly installed Ventral Gun Position
on the Hallies to combat Schrage Musik…”. Since Bomber Command knew
about the weapon in June, and perhaps earlier, I wonder why all squadron
were not alerted and when were they alerted. I would like to hear
from anyone who had any experience with those cannons, or any information
you can give me.
Leonard J. Isaacson, 228 Corvette Crescent, Lethbridge,
AB T1J 3X8
May I add, as a Postscript, that even with the noises of the Lancasters,
motors and wind, and with my helmet on and earphones over my ears, I very
clearly heard the very loud barking of the cannons. There is no doubt
in my mind that it was S.M.
So – I decided to dig deep into the questions about S.M. and pass
the info on to my ex-Bomber Command friends who have not heard, even yet,
about S.M. and to some who doubt that it was ever in action. I can
understand this, since it seemed to be such a secret. In all my searching
I have found no one who had heard about the S.M. while on squadron.
I have a lot of info about S.M. that my brother found on the Internet.
However, what I have revealed should be evidence enough.
Why were not all squadrons alerted? Perhaps the best answer
I’ve had is from an ex-Navigator from 429 Squadron who completed 32 operations
in a Halifax III. In a letter to me he said, “I’m sure that no historian
will ever unearth any document which states the reason for not telling
us, nor even one which states that we should not be told. The secret
reason for this lack of information will probably die with the man who
made the decision.”
If you are on the Internet just ENTER ‘Schrage Musik’ and see what
it comes up with.
Some information from the Internet:
‘SCHRAGE MUSIK’ – a German nickname given to the Nachtjagd ‘Night
Fighter Planes’ equipped with two MG ff’s or MG 151/20s 20mm cannons mounted
in the cabin or fuselage at a 70-80 angle which were aimed by a second
Revi C 12/D or 16B gun sight mounted on the canopy roof. ‘Schrage
Musik’ proved to be lethal and took a fearsome toll of heavy bombers in
the night battles.
The following excerpts are from the book ‘The Other Battle – Luftwaffe
Night Aces Versus Bomber Command’ published in 1996 by Motorbooks International
Publishers & Wholesalers, 729 Prospect Ave., PO Box 1, Oscela, WI 54020
USA:
AUTHOR: Peter Hinchliffe OBE, flew with Bomber Command as a Navigator
in 1944 and 1945, during which time he was shot down over Belgium in the
course of an operational sortie. After the War he served as a Fighter
Controller, so therefore has professional insight into the problems, practices
and techniques of air defense and radar controlled air interception, as
well as a detailed understanding of aerial navigation and electronic technology.
On leaving the RAF in 1966 he joined the Foreign and Commonwealth
Office in London, travelling frequently in Germany. He numbers among
his German acquaintances many wartime nightfighter crewmen, some of whom
held positions of considerable eminence in the Luftwaffe, and from them
he gained much firsthand material for this book.
Foreword by Marshall of the Royal Air Force Sir Michael Betham GCB
CBE DFC AFC, President of the Bomber Command Association, formerly Chief
of Air Staff.
Foreword by Oberst a.D. Wolfgang Falck of St. Ulrich a.P. Austria:
I consider this a great honor to have been asked to write a foreword
to the book that Peter Hinchliffe has written. It is a characteristic
of this work, in which the author is at pains to give an objective account
of the murderous battle between the RAF and the German night fighters sine
ira et studio, that he has succeeded in exemplary fashion. It is
surely no easy task to write objectively about a matter in which the youthful
elite of two nations were killing each other.
Let us hope that with the publication of this book Peter Hinchliffe
will have played a part in ensuring that the generations that follow us
will learn from what happened in the past and will look to the future with
goodwill and in the knowledge that international problems, no matter what
they might be, can no longer be solved by means of force. It is up
to us to make our individual contribution to the creation of a peaceful
future.
Junkers JU 88A-4 was the most widely-used bomber
version of this famous a/c.
These are shown during a raid on Britain in 1940
Excerpts from the book:
P127: Equally deadly for attacking bombers in their unprotected belly,
were two 30mm MK 108 upward-Pointing cannon (600 rounds per minute each)
in a so-called Schrage Musik installation in the fuselage roof, of which
we will speak later at great length.
P136: On the German side there was emerging a new weapon which, carried
principally by the Ju 88s, would prove to be frighteningly efficient against
the RAF heavy bombers. As is very often the case, it is unclear who
first thought of mounting machine guns or cannon on the top surface of
a night fighter so that all the pilot had to do was to position his machine
under the bomber and then open fire.
P137: The installation attracted the attention of an armaments NCO,
Oberfeldwebel Mahler, who built two 22mm Oerlikon MG FF machine-guns into
the cabin roof of a Bf110. Using this do-it-yourself weaponry, Schoenert
achieved the first acknowleged Schrage Musik kill in about May 1943.
(emphasis added)
P138: The Schrage Musik cannon fired a lethal mixture of armour-piercing,
explosive and incendiary ammunition, and a split-second burst, a single
pressure of the thumb on the fire button, was usually sufficient to set
the wing ablaze and damage the Stirling, Lancaster, or Halifax beyond hope
of recovery.
P139: Most British crews did not know they were in danger from a
fighter beneath them until they heard a short series of violent explosions
and realized almost simultaneously that their aircraft was on fire.
The fortunate ones had time to bale out; the unfortunate ones had only
a few moments to live. Schrage Musik came into its own with devastating
effect during the second half of 1943 and the first half of 1944.
(emphasis added)
Wilhelm Seuss of IV/NJG5 is quoted on P252: It was Seuss’s
second kill, his first with Schrage Musik. It was, he said, so simple.
He was flying a borrowed aircraft – his own machine had not yet been fitted
with the upward-firing cannon – and all he had to do was to slide beneath
his victim and aim between the two port engines.
Another quote from Seuss:
P254: My Schrage Musik was out of ammunition, and my funker had to
change the drum. It took three or four minutes and I stayed under the Viermot
(a four engine aircraft), and he didn’t see me. Then, just as I fired,
he dived to one side and flew through my burst of cannon fire, and he began
to burn immediately.
P253: By this period, too, more fighters were carrying SN-2 interception
radar, still impervious to Window, and more were armed with the deadly
Schrage Musik, the existence of which was still unsuspected by the crews
in the heavy bombers – even it seems, by the intelligence officers of the
Bomber Command. (emphasis added)
P263: That night No. 77 Squadron was fortunate, not losing a single
machine. Crews from the squadron did, however, witness the loss of
aircraft from other squadrons, albeit unwittingly. The Operations
Record Book for the squadron contains this extract: “Amiens to French coast
– only light flak. Up to twenty searchlights operating in target
area. About ten new ‘scarecrow’ flares reported on route home from
France.’ In the later months there had been an increasing number
of report of these ‘scarecrows’ from bomber crews, a new phenomenon – violent
flaming explosions in the vicinity of the bomber stream. These were,
it was firmly believed, special shells fired by the Germans that were intended
to simulate aircraft exploding and so to deter the bomber crews.
The irony is that the Germans had no such devices; what the RAF aircrew
were seeing were actual bombers exploding, in all probability victims of
night-fighter attacks from below with the so far unsuspected Schrage Musik.
(emphasis added)
The concluding paragraph of the book:
P335: The tumult and the shouting had died, the captains and the
kings departed. History decreed that some departed to glory, acclaim
and high office; some to death, some to rejection and comparative oblivion.
And the flyers from both Bomber Command and the Nachtjagd who fought so
bitterly against each other, those who survived, departed to begin a new
life, each in his own separate way. As they grow older, perhaps wiser,
possibly more compassionate, they will all ask the same question.
Why? And there is no answer.
From your Editor
First, I want to apologize for being late with the July Page. While
engaging in my hobby, wood carving, the knife slipped and I ended up with
7 stitches in my right hand between thumb and forefinger. This makes typing
difficult. (Charlie Yule informed me that monkeys do not use their
thumbs!)
Bud and June Crookes, the Editors of the 422 Squadron Web Page have
published a book on the squadron on their site.
www.georgian.net/422sqdrn/hbk0covr.htm
They have done a bang-up job, check it out.
A little trivia. Did you know that Bill Hooper, the creator
of P/O Prune, was an Air Gunner!
Some administrative type must have had his finger in as Bill was
posted to 54 Squadron, an RAF Spitfire outfit. That is why we see Prune
walking away from, and falling out of, Spitfires. Hanging around the flights
sketching the silk scarf boys, Bill’s cartooning talents were recognized,
and he was posted, along with Prune, to HQ in London and attached to the
TEE EMM Staff. Later in the war said Admin Type got the finger out and
Bill received a posting to the Far East – Burma! However, by that time
Bill was indispensable. Oh yes, the Luftwaffe awarded Prune the Iron
Cross for destroying so many allied aircraft!
Hopefully, I will have the stitches out and raring to go, come August.
Until then, drop me some copy for the Page.
Keep well, Cheers,
John Moyles
