RAF Davidstow Moor ORB January 1943

After the action seen during Operation Torch in November 1942 RAF Davidstow Moor returned to the job of building and equipping the aerodrome for it's intended role in 19 Group Coastal Command. The men of number 53 Squadron RAF continued to arrive during January 1943 and their aircraft came in in the middle of the month. On 19 November 53 Squadron had been informed that they were to return home from their bases in the West Indies. On 23 November 1942 the aircraft began their journey. The Lockheed Hudson aircraft were flown to Davidstow by the northern ferry route and Canada. They were under the command of W/Cdr Jimmy Leggate [spelt incorrectly Leggett in the ORB]. Those ground crews leaving by sea left the same day for New York and embarked on 8 December 1942.

The US 8th AAF continued to use RAF Davidstow Moor as a forward operating base for it's activities on the west coast of France.

Weather fair early bright and cold. Heavy rain before 1000hrs continuing all day.

Weather fine early intermittent sunshine all day.
6 Fortresses USAAF landed from operations.

The US 8th AAF had been in operation over the U-boat pens at St Nazaire on the west coast of France. It was their first attack since 22 November 1942. Their target was the torpedo storage sheds near the submarine pens. A total of 85 aircraft had taken off. They included 72 x B17s from the 91BG, 303BG, 305BG 306BG and 13 x B24s from the 44BG. The 91BG sent 14 aircraft which took off from their home base at Bassingbourne at 0912hrs and were expected to return to Cornwall at 1410hrs. They each carried 5 x 1,000lb General Purpose bombs. The operation was escorted by 16 Spitfires of the 4th Fighter Group USAAF. Formation precision bombing, as opposed to individual bombing, was used for the first time by the 8th Bomber Command. The bombardment took place between 1130 – 1140hrs. Bombs fell into the western basin and on the docks. When they reached the target area they had been met by a large group of German fighters. There was heavy flak at 21,000 ft which was intense and accurate. Photographs taken on board Mizpah showed many strikes on the target area.

They claimed to have shot down 14 enemy aircraft and 18 probably shot down. 4 were damaged. 7 x B17s were lost and 44 were damaged. 3 x B24s were damaged and a further 3 were damaged beyond repair. 5 crew were killed in action, 29 were wounded and 70 were declared missing in action.

The aircraft which landed at Davidstow Moor were from the 91st Bomb Group. 5 were from the 322nd Bomb Squadron and one was from the 401st Bomb Squadron.

Aircraft 41-24481 - LG - M - "Hell's Angels" (click for crew list)

Capt Fishburn [P]
Capt Campbell [CP]
Lt Leonard V Santoro [B]
S/Sgt N R Pidgeon [RWG]
S/Sgt Leonard A Panaro [TTG]
S/Sgt J A Arbison [TG]

Aircraft 41-24482 - LG - S - "Heavy Weight Annihilators" (click for crew list)

Lt Don C Bader [P]
Lt J W Hensley [N]
S/Sgt T J Hansbury [TG]
S/Sgt J E Hall [TTG]
S/Sgt W C Budzisz [BTG]

Coming off target the aircraft was hit by flak, one engine and wing caught fire. It lost speed and fell behind the group. The aircraft called Group Leader over the command set but Major Putnam did not respond. However Capt Campbell the leader of B flight heard them and made a 360 degree turn to pick them up. When Campbell arrived Bader was being attacked by five German fighters. Two were shot down and the remainder broke off.

Aircraft 41-24483 - LG - U - "Spirit of Alcohol" (click for crew list)

Lt Ralph Felton [P]
2 Lt Wm H Hylton [N]
T/Sgt Elio Traverso [TTG]

This aircraft is credited with shooting down one and possibly two enemy aircraft.

Aircraft 41-24453 - LG - O - "Mizpah / Bearded Lady" (click for crew list)

Lt John T Hardin [P]
Sgt Louis M Greenlea [TG]
S/Sgt Robert L Rupp [RW]
T/Sgt Henry J Wallach [BTG]
Lt John W Beauchamp [B]

Aircraft 41-24497 - LG - P - "Friscoe Jennie" (click for crew list)

Lt W Genheimer [P]
S/Sgt Arthur L Berkowitz [LWG]
Sgt Rowland E Hale [TTG]

Aircraft 41-24431 - LL - G - "The Saint" (click for crew list)

Capt Harris [P]
Lt T A Stricker[CP]
Lt R J Schwendiman
Lt T E Ashinhurst
T/Sgt W E Gilroy
T/Sgt E Gause
S/Sgt J J Zeglin
S/Sgt C H Snyder
S/Sgt R A De Barbrie
Sgt J O Carter

This aircraft had left it's home base with a second aircraft from the 401st Bomb Squadron 41-24132. which aborted the mission. Like the 322nd Bomb Squadron 41-24431 reported intense and accurate flak over the area and many head on vicious nose attacks by enemy fighters. The aircraft was hit by enemy fire whilst on a bomb run and took casualties. Co Pilot Lt Stricker brought the aircraft in to Davidstow after Capt Harris was hit by a 20mm shell which broke his leg. Most of his controls were shot away. Lt Stricker himself was wounded by flak in his right shoulder.

Other casualties were Sgt J J Zeglin 13048011 who was killed. Lt Schwendiman wounded by flak in his right hip and S/Sgt DeBarbrie wounded by flak in his left calf.

Weather drizzle and mist freezing slight snow showers all day.
S/Ldr R P Breen posted for Station Accounts duties.

Weather occasional showers short sunny periods.
S/Ldr R T Raw detached to Chivenor for GCM duties.

Weather occasional showers short sunny periods.
S/Ldr R T Raw returned to unit.
S/Ldr Laborde HQCC & Sq Off Blain HQ 19 Group – staff visit. Returned same day.

Weather very heavy mist visibility 50 yds.
Station Commander visited HQ19 Group and returned.

Weather very heavy gale overnight. Heavy rain and wind all day.
G/Cpt K F T Pickles detached to HQCC.
W/Cdr G T Gilbert attached for duty as CO.

Weather mainly fine and sunny intermittent showers.
1 x Wellington crashed at 1441hrs, 1 x NCO slightly hurt.
1 x Fortress landed and took off later.
P/O A Morton (Signals) and P/O E L Cornwell (MT) reported for duty.

The Bomber Command Wellington, T2619, crash landed in fields behind the control tower. The aircraft of 24 OTU from RAF Wing, Buckinghamshire was on a cross country flight. When heading south over North Devon the port propeller sheared off. With only one engine and losing height it could only fly in a straight line. Luckily their course was taking them directly towards Davidstow. Steadily losing height the aircraft flew on towards the airfield. As it flew over Tremail, a small village just north of the airfield it had become very low. Unable to climb the pilot chose to land in a couple of fields just short of the airfield. Touching down on it's wheels in the first field it crashed through a hedge ripping the undercarriage off before sliding to a stop in the second field. The pilot suffered a leg injury. The rest of the crew were safe. The aircraft was a write off.

Weather bright cold sunny am. Heavy continuous rain later.
1 x Hudson landed, passenger W/Cdr Leggett [sic], Officer Commanding, 53 Squadron. Hudson took off later.

The Hudson aircraft was the first of those belonging to 53 Squadron to come into Davidstow and it was carrying the Squadron Commander W/Cdr Leggate.

Weather sunny periods heavy showers.
3 x Hudsons, 6 x Officers and 2 x NCOs, 53 Squadron arrived.

RAF Gosport was, along with Lee on Solent, one of the Royal Navy's airfields used in the defence of Southampton and Portsmouth. Royal Navy fighters were permanently based there and on occassion RAF units were detached, using the airfield as a satellite or relief landing ground. RAF Gosport was also home to No 3502 Servicing Unit which carried out servicing, modification and repair work and this is where 53 Squadron's Hudsons went to be fitted for their new roles.

Weather fine sunny periods.
W/Cdr Gilbert detached to 19 Group for controller duties.
S/Ldr R.T. Raw assumed command of the station.

Weather mist and drizzle rain later.
P/Os C P Hannigan and A Field attached for Flying Control duties.

Weather bright sunshine am rain later.
1 American Fortress landed with ground staff.

Weather continuous heavy rain and sleet with strong winds.
F/Lt A L Bryant and P/O E L Cornwell attached to Rollestone for gas course.

RAF Rollestone, near Salisbury in Wiltshire, had previously been a balloon school but in September 1939 it was taken over by the RAF Anti Gas School which continued to operate there until July 1945.

Weather dull early heavy rain, mist, gale warning later.
Major General Stewart and Brigadier Cazenove visited the Station Commander and LDA.

LDA – Local Defence Administrator. This was Major Weir who was a man with only one arm and a brindle bulldog. He had an armoured car at his disposal.

Weather rain hail and strong winds all day.
F/Lt A L Bryant and P/O E L Cornwell returned from Rollestone.
P/O Rowley posted to 19 Group for Flying Control duty.

RAF Davidstow Moor saw Station Commander G/Cpt Pickles go on detachment and W/Cdr Gilbert arrived as his replacement to be followed later by Sqn Ldr Raw. 53 Squadron arrived to reform. Their Hudson aircraft came and went on to RAF Gosport for modification. They would re-equip with Whitleys at Docking. The station saw the continuing arrival and departure of the US 8th AAF on operations to the west coast of France.

January was a fairly quiet month and this is born out by the following account given to me by a corporal electrician of 53 Squadron Phil Penfould of Southampton..

The squadron returned to Davidstow after spending the latter half of 1942 in America. It returned to the UK in December 1942 to reform and re-equip with new aircraft. We spent three months at Davidstow before moving on to Docking in Norfolk with Whitleys. During our time at Davidstow the ground personnel had little to do and it got boring. One day the RAF announced that they needed someone to look after the new water pumping station as station personnel were a bit thin on the ground. Would someone from 53 Squadron like to volunteer? At first I was not interested but as time wore on I began to get bored and the RAF could always find work for idle hands. The kind of work that one didn't want to be doing. One day I asked if the job at the pumping station was still available. It was. So I asked to be considered for the job.

This consisted of getting up early each morning, cycling down to the pumping station at the church, switching on the electrical pumps which pumped water up to the Braithwaite tower on the airfield and sitting there until the job was done. When I enquired about the job I was asked if I had a trade. I told them I was an electrician. I was told that because of my rank (corporal) and my trade, I was an ideal person for the job as the installation was new and they were concerned that there may be an electrical failure of some kind. An electrician was just what they were looking for. Also as I had a trade I was entitled to extra pay. It turned out to be a doddle. I took my fags and newspaper down with me and spent most of each morning and each evening reading and smoking at my leisure. I was my own boss with no one overseeing me. I was delighted. 53 Squadron moved in March 1943 but I stayed on for another month at least as they couldn't find a replacement but I finally left in May for Docking.