by Peter Rees
I’m indebted to Kristen Alexander for her detailed critique of the manuscript that immeasurably improved the book. I’d also like to thank Air Vice-Marshal Peter Scully, as well as Dr Greg Gilbert and Dr Chris Clark, of the Office of Air Force History, for reading the manuscript and offering their insight and suggested changes. At Allen & Unwin, it’s been a pleasure yet again to work with Rebecca Kaiser, from whose insights the book benefited. It was good to have Siobhán Cantrill in charge of production, while Liz Keenan, as usual, applied her forensic eye to improving the manuscript. Finally, I’d like to thank my wife, Sue, for again going through this process with me and offering her thoughts on improving the final result.
NOTES
INTRODUCTION
For background to the Empire Air Training Scheme (EATS), I have drawn on a paper, ‘Australians and the air war in Europe, 1942–1945,’ prepared by Air Vice-Marshal Peter Scully, RAAF (Rtd.)
Input also came from Dr Greg Gilbert and Dr Chris Clark, at the Office of Air Force History.
D. Gillison, Royal Australian Air Force 1939–42, Australian War Memorial, Canberra, 1962, p. 485, provides the number of aircrew who were in training in May 1942.
For the cost of instruction, see John McCarthy, A Last Call of Empire, p. 22, with the figure updated from Reserve Bank of Australia data.
For Air Vice-Marshal George Jones’s reaction to the sudden ending of EATS, see McCarthy, p. 126.
Although commonly known as ‘460 Squadron RAAF’, the unit was in fact designated ‘460 (Australian) Squadron RAF’.
PROLOGUE
Impressions of the unveiling of the Bomber Command memorial in London come from my personal attendance. Immediately after the ceremony, I travelled to Dresden, the city that has become a byword for the devastation of Bomber Command’s operations in World War II.
Statistics for Australians who served in Bomber Command are hard to pin down. It has been widely published that about 10,000 Australians served in Bomber Command. However, this figure is a coarse estimate and does not sit comfortably with the available—though inconclusive—evidence. File AWM 54 Item No 81/4/59 at the Australian War Memorial shows that between 1942 and 1945 more than 7700 Australians served in eighty-four Royal Air Force (RAF) Bomber Command squadrons, as distinct from Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) squadrons. The file also includes a figure of another 3029 Australians who were in RAF units as a result of the Empire Air Training Scheme (EATS) in 1941.
Under EATS, Australia sent 2671 men to England in 1942, 8249 in 1943, 6386 in 1944 and 195 in 1945, giving a total of 17,501. A cablegram from High Commissioner Lord Bruce to Prime Minister John Curtin on 3 April 1945 stated that in April 1945 there were 1488 Australian aircrew serving with RAAF Article XV Squadrons and 10,532 attached to the RAF, but this figure does not include the many men who had completed their tours. The likelihood is that the true total was somewhat higher than the 10,000 cited above, probably more than 12,000. The only way to gain new data would be by a thorough (and time-consuming) study of individual service records. This is unlikely ever to be done.
The statistics for Bomber Command’s performance throughout the war come from a speech by Ted Pickerd to the Australian Defence College, Canberra, 4 October 2007.
Personal interview with Eric Maxton.
1 THE SUGARLOAF
The Jack Mitchell story was sourced from a booklet, The Memorial Cross, Apsley, published by the Bothwell Historical Society, and from interviews.
Personal interviews were conducted with Ted Pickerd on numerous occasions; also with Rollo Kingsford-Smith and Bill Purdy. I have drawn on these interviews in this and succeeding chapters.
I have drawn on material from Rollo Kingsford-Smith’s privately published memoir, I Wouldn’t Have Missed it for Quids, in this and following chapters.
Noel Eliot wrote two unpublished memoirs, From the Land to Safe Landing, and An Account of an Unscheduled Sojourn in France. I have drawn on them in this and succeeding chapters.
Alick Roberts wrote his unpublished A Roberts Family History. I have drawn on the manuscript in this and succeeding chapters.
Material regarding Geoffrey Williams was sourced from his Flying Backwards— Memoirs of a Rear Gunner 1943–1944, Publishing Services, Loftus, New South Wales, 2001. I have drawn on it in this and succeeding chapters.
Sir James ‘Jim’ Rowland wrote his memoirs for his family. I have drawn on them in this and succeeding chapters.
2 THE SHORT-ARM PARADE
Alf Read’s story was sourced from the transcript of an interview in the Australians at War film archive.
Don Huxtable was interviewed personally.
Other details come from the memoirs of Sir James Rowland and Rollo Kingsford-Smith’s I Wouldn’t Have Missed it for Quids, and from the 467/463 Squadron website: http://www.467463raafsquadrons.com/
3 THE USUAL AWFUL ETERNITY
The William ‘Sam’ Weller story is sourced from Ross Pearson’s Australians at War in the Air, Kangaroo Press, New South Wales, 1995.
Frederick Taylor’s comprehensive history, Dresden: Tuesday 13 February 1945, Bloomsbury, London, 2004, provided material on the background to the British War Cabinet’s decision to allow expansion of Bomber Command’s activities across the Rhine river.
For information on the state of Bomber Command after the fall of France, and the production problems that followed, see AWM 54 Item No 81/4/59.
Material on Hughie Edwards is drawn from an AWM interview by Laurie Field with Tom Lynch, and from Laurie Woods’ Halfway to Hell, published by Boolarong Press, 2011.
The Chad Martin story comes from the chapter ‘Solo to Berlin’, in RAAF Saga: The RAAF at War, AWM, 1944.
The Jack Davenport story is sourced from Pearson’s Australians at War in the Air and Kristen Alexander’s Jack Davenport: Beaufighter Leader, Allen & Unwin, Sydney, 2009.
The Sam Weller material is sourced from Pearson’s Australians at War in the Air.
The Phil Crittenden material comes from the Australian National Archives, Series number A705, control symbol 163/98/338.
4 THE THOUSAND PLAN
The information relating to Wing Commander Arthur Hubbard and the briefing is sourced from Peter Firkin, Strike and Return, Westward Ho, 1985. The book is also the source of Bill Brill’s quote.
Details on the Emden operation are sourced from The Bomber Command War Diaries, Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt, Midland Publishing, Surrey, 2011.
Background on how Bomber Command squadrons operated is sourced from Arthur Doubleday, in Pearson’s Australians at War in the Air.
Details of the deaths of Pilot Officer John Maloney and his three crew were sourced from AWM 64 1/243.
The Peter Isaacson material in this and succeeding chapters is sourced from personal interviews with him and from Denis Warner’s Pathfinder, Information Australia, Melbourne, 2000.
The description of the navigational aid TR 1335, code-named Gee, is from AWM 64 1/243.
Material on the ‘Thousand Plan’ was sourced from ‘Bomber’ Harris, by Dudley Saward, Sphere Books, London, 1985.
Peter Isaacson gave permission for his letters to be quoted from Pathfinder in this and succeeding chapters.
Arthur Doubleday’s comments on the Cologne raid were sourced from Pearson’s Australians at War in the Air.
Eric Silbert’s views on Air Vice-Marshal Don Bennett are contained in Silbert’s Dinkum Mispochah, Artlook Books, Perth, 1981.
5 THE DIMBOOLA REGATTA
The Colin Alt quotes are from a personal interview.
Wing Commander Keith Kaufmann’s quotes were sourced from the Sun News- Pictorial, 2 December 1944, and from Laurie Field’s research on 460 Squadron, including interview transcripts, notes, correspondence, and replies to questionnaires, MSS1489, at the Australian War Memorial. I have drawn on this substantial archive throughout the book.
Laurie Field also conducted for the AWM an interview with Keith Kaufmann in which he discussed his role of alloc
ation of Lancaster bombers to 460 Squadron.
I discussed the issue of the changeover to Lancasters with Peter Isaacson, who was unaware of the background but confirmed that the changeover from Halifaxes had happened suddenly.
Material relating to the death of Pilot Officer Rawdon Hume Middleton, VC, was sourced from Australian War Memorial profiles, and from the Australian Dictionary of Biography.
Dee Walsh’s letters can be found at: http://people.aapt.net.au/~cassynancarrow/letters/19430212.html
The Harry McPherson letter was sourced from McPherson family records.
6 COLD, GUT-WRENCHING FEAR
The story about Air Vice-Marshal Henry Wrigley’s popularity was sourced from John Mordike’s chapter in The RAAF in Europe and North Africa 1939–1945, the Proceedings of the 1994 RAAF History Conference.
Group Captain Keith Parsons’ comments about Wrigley were made in an interview with Peter Scully, who gave permission for its use.
For background on Australia’s official dealings with the RAAF and lack of influence, see John Herrington’s official history, Air War Against Germany and Italy 1939–1943, p. 278, pp. 543–546.
Air Vice-Marshal Wrigley’s comments on his arrival in England are drawn from AWM Accession No. S00416.
7 CRIPPLED OVER ESSEN
The Peter Isaacson material was sourced from personal interviews and Warner’s Pathfinder, pp. 80, 81, 97, 98, 100, 101.
8 THE JAM CAN
For background on Flight Lieutenant Harold ‘Micky’ Martin, see The Times (London) obituary, 4 November 1988.
The Guy Gibson quote on Micky Martin was sourced from Paul Brickhill’s The Dam Busters, Pan, London, 1954, p. 153.
Background on Australian Flight Lieutenant David Shannon was sourced from his memoir, at http://dambustersblog.com/
The Tony Burcher material was sourced from an oral history interview conducted by the Australian War Memorial.
Ray Grayston’s quote regarding Les Knight was sourced from http://dambustersblog.com/2010/04/22/sgt-ray-grayston-rip/
9 THE GERMAN FROM SYDNEY
Flight Lieutenant John ‘Hoppy’ Hopgood’s quote was sourced from Tony Burcher’s AWM interview, as were his other recollections in this chapter.
David Shannon’s account is drawn from his memoir.
The Gibson–Shannon conversation was sourced from Brickhill’s The Dam Busters, p. 89.
The Knight–Shannon conversation is recorded in Guy Gibson’s Enemy Coast Ahead, Isis, Oxford, 2002, p. 501.
For Burcher interrogation, see AWM interview.
10 THE POACHER
Noel Eliot’s account is drawn from his family memoirs.
Flying Officer John Holden’s recollections were sourced from an AWM interview in the Keith Murdoch Sound Archive.
Alf Read’s recollections were sourced from the Australians at War film archive.
Bill McGowen’s recollections were sourced from http://www.467463raafsquadrons.com/TrueTales/WarToNight.htm
The Sir James ‘Jim’ Rowland material is drawn from his private family memoirs.
11 STALAG TIME
Material on Peter Kingsford-Smith comes from Rollo’s memoir and private family records.
Material on Chuck Lark was sourced from letters home, and the Laurie Field archive at the AWM, MSS 1489.
12 FEUERSTURM
Material on Flight Lieutenant Bob Henderson was sourced from an interview conducted by Laurie Field at the AWM, as well as from Pearson’s Australians at War in the Air and the 1945–46 annual report of the Mosman Cricket Club.
The description of ‘Window’ was sourced from AWM 54 Item No 81/4/59.
A speech by Perc Rodda, 1988, provided material on the Hamburg firestorm, as did Martin Middlebrook’s The Battle of Hamburg, Cassell, 2002, p. 244.
The recollections of Sergeant Bill Lamb were drawn from the same book, p. 244.
Background to the flight by Reg Wellham was drawn from Keith Love’s Inferno:
The Fiery Destruction of Hamburg 1943, Scribner, New York, 2007, pp. 181, 182.
John Egan’s comments regarding the flight were sourced from the Laurie Field archive.
Squadron Leader Ted Eagleton’s description was sourced from Ross Pearson’s book.
13 WAAFs AND OTHER GIRLFRIENDS
Material on Perc Rodda was sourced from an interview with Laurie Field for the AWM, a speech he gave at a 1988 Melbourne reunion, and an interview with his widow, Audrey Rodda.
The dictionary was sourced from the files of Colquhoun D. W. (Air Commodore, DFC, AFC, RAAF Command); AWM PR83/124.
The Bill Olley and Alex Robb stories were sourced from the AWM’s Laurie Field archive, MSS 1489.
Geoffrey Williams’s recollections were sourced from his book Flying Backwards, pp. 6, 7.
Eric Silbert’s story was sourced from his book Dinkum Mispochah, pp. 154, 204.
Bill McGowen’s recollections were sourced from http://www.467463raafsquadrons.com.
Dan Conway’s recollections are taken from his Trenches in the Sky, pp. 161, 162.
The Mark Edgerley story comes from Joyce Edgerley’s chapter in Overseas War Brides, ed. Overseas War Brides Assn Staff, Simon & Schuster, Sydney 2001, pp. 135–137.
Jack and Paddy Foran’s story comes from Foran family records, and from Paddy Foran’s chapter in Overseas War Brides, pp. 92–96.
The Bert Heap story is drawn from AWM PR01654.
Rollo Kingsford-Smith’s story about Jane is sourced from his memoir, I Wouldn’t Have Missed it for Quids.
Jack Lukies’ story was sourced from a private memoir held by the Foran family.
14 FAIRLY SHAKEN
Rollo Kingsford-Smith’s account is sourced from his memoir I Wouldn’t Have Missed it for Quids.
Ruth Andreas-Friedrich’s diary excerpt comes from Terry Charman’s book, The German Home Front 1939–45, Philosophical Library, New York, 1989, pp. 144–146.
The accounts of the impact of the raids on Berlin are drawn from the above book, pp. 144–146, and from Middlebrook and Everitt’s Bomber Command War Diaries.
Dick Peck’s recollections are drawn from his memoir, held by his daughter, Cynthia Tomalin, and quoted with her permission. They can be read at:
http://www.467463raafsquadrons.com/TrueTales/LM338POU.htm
The account of the death of journalist Norman Stockton is sourced from Edward Murrow, A Kind of Orchestrated Hell, CBS, 1944.
Details of the death of Flight Sergeant Don Brown are published in the AWM Roll of Honour: http://www.awm.gov.au/research/people/roll_of_honour/person.asp?p=553582.
Ted Whitehead’s account of his role at the funeral is sourced from the Laurie Field archive at the AWM, MSS 1489.
15 THE BOOMERANG
Bert Heap’s letter is sourced from his AWM file PR01654.
Laurie Field’s letter is sourced from his AWM archive MSS1489.
Details of the Berlin operations are sourced from Middlebrook and Everitt’s Bomber Command War Diaries.
Rollo Kingsford-Smith’s description of the raid on 23 December 1943 is sourced from his memoir I Wouldn’t Have Missed it for Quids.
Details of the departure process for bombers are sourced from Alick Roberts’s A Roberts Family History.
16 DANGER ABOVE
Ted Pickerd’s recollections of the Frankfurt raid and the events of Christmas Day 1943 are sourced from personal interviews conducted by the author.
Details of the Berlin operations were sourced from Middlebrook and Everitt’s Bomber Command War Diaries.
Rollo Kingsford-Smith gave his account of carpeting Ted Pickerd in a personal interview conducted by the author.
Arthur Doubleday’s account of the 29 December 1943 Berlin raid is sourced from Pearson’s Australians at War in the Air.
Dick Peck’s recollections are drawn from his memoir at http://www.467463raafsquadrons.com.
Gerald McPherson’s account is drawn from his personal memoir.
Eddie Ward’s and To
m Hopkinson’s accounts are drawn from personal interviews conducted by the author.
17 CRAMPED
Rollo Kingsford-Smith account of life inside a Lancaster, and other references to him in this chapter, are drawn from a personal interview conducted by the author and from his I Wouldn’t Have Missed it for Quids.
The description of clothing worn by the crew is sourced from Alick Roberts’s A Roberts Family History.
The account of Noel Sanders is sourced from Peter Rosenfeld, son of one of his crew, Eric Rosenfeld.
The Elsan story is sourced from the Lukies memoir held by the Foran family.
18 THE SILENT WORLD
The Ted Pickerd story about practical jokes in the mess, together with other references to him, comes from personal interviews.
Rollo Kingsford-Smith’s account of action in the sky is drawn from a personal interview with the author and from his I Wouldn’t Have Missed it for Quids.
Flying Officer Bruce Foskett’s letter is sourced from Air Vice-Marshal Peter Scully.
The story of Flying Officer William Richard ‘Bunny’ Lee is sourced from Colin Burgess’s Australia’s Dambusters: The Men & Missions of 617 Squadron, Australian Military History Publications, Loftus, New South Wales, 2002.
The Alex McKie quote is sourced from the same book.
19 AN INVITING TARGET
The Jack Mitchell material is drawn from the booklet The Memorial Cross and from his file at the National Archives of Australia, Series number A705, control symbol 166/27/336.
The account of the raid on Berlin on 15 February 1944, in which Bruce Foskett died, is sourced from Middlebrook and Everitt’s Bomber Command War Diaries, p. 472.
Other material relating to the death of Bruce Foskett is sourced from his file at the National Archives of Australia, Series number A705, Control symbol 166/14/161.
Ross Stanford material is sourced from Burgess’s Australia’s Dambusters.
The Geoff Smith story is sourced from the AWM’s RAAF Saga, pp. 16, 17.
20 BEATING THE ODDS
The Ted Pickerd material on the Nuremberg raid comes from personal interviews conducted by the author.
Peter Dale’s account of the Schräge Musik attack is sourced from his papers at the Australian War Memorial, PR01130.
