RAF West Freugh

Introduction

As part of my biography on Alex, I purchased copies of the Operational Record Books for RAF West Freugh from the National Archives at Kew to learn as much as I could about Alex’s time there. I actually collected so much info on West Freugh, Braid Fell and Stoneykirk, that when I tried to incorporate it all into Alex’s story it disrupted the flow and took away from his story somewhat. I believe it still provides valuable insight and context, and rather than discard it all I decided to break this into sub-pages to give you, the reader, the option.

Despite its relatively remote location in the southwest of Scotland, there was quite a bit happening in the area during the war:

1. Just a few miles north of RAF West Freugh was RAF Castle Kennedy, which at the time, housed No. 3 Air Gunnery School, flying Avro Ansons for gunnery, and Miles Martinets for target towing.

2. 9-1/2 miles to the northwest, about half-way up the west coast of Loch Ryan was a large flying boat base at RAF Wig Bay, so Alex would have shared the sky with Short Sunderlands and Consolidated PBY Catalinas.

3. 4-1/2 miles to the northwest was the town of Stranraer, at the southern end of Loch Ryan, which was the southern rail terminus that led up the coast to Glasgow and was a busy port with ferry service to Belfast, Northern Ireland. 

4. Finally, across the Loch from RAF Wig Bay at Cairnryan there were several deep-water piers constructed off the rail line to move war materials as the ferry terminal at Stranraer was too shallow for the heavy transports.

As noted on Alex’s main biography page, he was assigned to No. 4 (O) A.F.U. (Observer - Advanced Flying Unit), and specifically the B.T.U. or Bombing Trials Unit which flew the Handley Page Hampden I. The B.T.U. was different than the larger main Advanced Flying Unit, which, as the name suggests, focused on advanced training of Pilots, Navigators and Bomb Aimers utilizing the Avro Anson. The B.T.U. was not a training unit per se, and instead experimented or "trialed" new types of ordnance or using existing ordnance in new and different ways. In fact, Alex and his crew were killed while experimenting with using incendiary bombs at low level. Typically, incendiary bombs (which are used to start many fires over a large area) were dropped by Bomber Command at high altitude at night over Germany's manufacturing and population centers. What purpose they had for trialing them at low level remains a mystery.

Like all Operational Record Books for training units they were quite basic and don't list every flight, however, various events are noted for each month, mainly in bullet form. I’ve included them below, and expanded on them where I could. Most of the notes relate to the comings and goings of various high-ranking officers involved in overseeing the training program, which I have deemed irrelevant and have not included. I have included flying activity, accidents, and issues that relate to the functionality and operations of the base.

I was quite surprised about the number accidents, casualties and close calls that took place there, and not just with the aircraft based there, but those passing through as well.

November 1943

Three weeks prior to Alex’s arrival, On November 8th, a body washed up at Port Patrick, a quaint little fishing village about 6 ½ miles west of the base. The body could not be identified but they could tell it was an airman, so it was brought to RAF West Freugh, and they buried him at Stoneykirk ‘New’ cemetery on Armistice Day November 11th, 1943.

Later that same day, a Vickers Wellington X (LN586, incorrectly identified as LN580) with 27 O.T.U. piloted by RAAF Flight Sergeant John Henry De Chastel (414660) made a hard landing at West Freugh at 2219 hours, causing the port tire to blow-out and the undercarriage to collapse. After it slid to a stop it caught fire, but fortunately the crew was able to escape in time. De Chastel went on to fly Avro Lancasters on raids over occupied France and Germany with No. 463 Squadron, earned a DFC and survived the war.

On November 23rd, the base put on a performance of Gilbert and Sullivan's opera ‘The Mikado’ for a visiting officer.

On November 24th, emergency crews were called out for a Boeing B-17 Fortress 1 heavy bomber and a Republic P-47 Thunderbolt fighter which had to make emergency landings, but apparently, they landed successfully and no damage or injuries we reported.

There was no mention in their records of Alex being assigned as an instructor to the base on the 30th, but we know this from Alex’s records.

The Operation Record Book summary for November noted the following:

FLYING A total of 2427 flying hours was completed during the month, of which 932 were night flying.

BATTLE TRAINING Battle Training took place of 9th and 23rd November, 1943.

COURSES The following is a summary of Intakes and Outputs for the month of November, 1943.

                          Intakes  W/Ops/Air   60             Outputs W/Ops/Air   63

                                        Navigators 40                          Navigators   36

                                        Air Bombers 80                          Air Bombers 80

WEATHER SUMMARY Weather has been generally cloudy. Precipitation occurred on 24 days, the cloud base being mainly below 1,000 ft. Many strong winds were experienced during the month, gales mainly North Westerly being reported on 8 days. The most severe gale occurred on 23rd and 24th November when the wind speed reached a steady 45 m.p.h. gusting to 55 m.p.h.

Also: “On the night of 26th November, there were severe freezing conditions on the ground. All Aircraft were iced up.”

BUILDING PROGRAMME          Work on the Sergeant’s quarters is 99-1/2% completed.

                                                       “      “ “   Petrol installation is 20% completed.

                                                       “      “ “   Sewage disposal is 25% completed.

                                                       “      “ “   Officers mess is 97% completed.

December 1943

On December 26th it was noted: “Aircraft from this unit assisted in an Air Sea Rescue Search for an Anson from Bishops Court; wreckage was found off Port Patrick, but the crew was lost.”

According to RAF Commands database this was Anson I DG972 with No. 7 Air Observers School based at Bishops Court, Northern Ireland. Casualties included:

Pilot - Warrant Officer Class 1 Frank Campbell BUSHFIELD (R/100846) RCAF, age 33, buried Stranraer (Glebe) Cemetery, Section H. Grave 145.

Leading Aircraftman Alan Roy Victor HUDSON (1812681) RAF, age unknown, memorialized on the Runnymede Memorial, Panel 171.

U/T Navigator Leading Aircraftman George Charles SCARLETT (1805955) RAF, age 21, buried at Surbiton Cemetery, Surrey, Section 18. Grave 6250.

WOP/AG - Flight Sergeant Ronald Seyman SCHNEER (1684911) RAF, age unknown, buried at Edmonton Federation Jewish Cemetery, Middlesex, Section V. Row. 8. Grave 3.

It is assumed that all bodies but Hudson’s were recovered at some point as they have burials.

On December 31st it was noted: “2100 Hours. Anson N5026 piloted by F/Sgt. Eckersly [sic] crashed on the Isle of Man. The Pilot and crew were killed.”

According to RAF Commands database: “Anson I N5026 Took off 1953, West Freugh, on a non-operational night navigation exercise. Hit a cliff at 2100, and crashed 1.5 miles from Port Soderick, Isle of Man.” Casualties included:

Pilot - Flight Sergeant Cecil Gordon ECKERSLEY (416210) RAAF, age 24.

WOP/AG - Sergeant Lewis James John HENLY (1585996) RAFVR, age 20.

Navigator - Sergeant Harold PETERS (428533) RAAF, age 33.

WOP/AG - Pilot Officer Henry St. George THOMPSON (425073) RAAF, age 26.

Bomb Aimer - Flight Sergeant Geoffrey Robert TIPPETT (429362) RAAF, age 20.

The four Australians were buried at Andreas (St. Andrew) Churchyard, Isle of Man, Graves 14, 12, 13 and 15 respectively. Englishman Henly was buried at South Ealing Cemetery, Middlesex, U.K., Section K. Row D. Grave 11.

On the evening of December 30th, emergency crews were called out for an Anson, but it landed safely.

On the same night another Anson was not so lucky and was noted as having crashed near Jarby, Isle of Man, with 5 fatalities, but to date I have not located additional details.

The Operation Record Book summary for December noted the following:

FLYING A total of 2168 flying hours was completed during the month, of which 866 were night flying.

BATTLE TRAINING Battle Training took place of 7th December and 21st December, 1943.

COURSES The following is a summary of Intakes and Outputs for the month of December, 1943.

                          Intakes  W/Ops/Air   63             Outputs W/Ops/Air   55

                                        Navigators 61                          Navigators   60

                                        Air Bombers 61                          Air Bombers 61

WEATHER SUMMARY Generally mild and cloudy, S.W. type with rainfall above average but some bright periods.

BUILDING PROGRAMME          Sewage disposal extension 45% completed.

                                                       Officers Mess Alterations 100% completed.

January 1944

The month got off to a rough start. On January 3rd the medical officer reported an urgent call to the bombing range at Braid Fell for a man who had blown off part of his hand with an incendiary bomb. Simultaneously, another Republic P-47 Thunderbolt overshot the runway, but there were no casualties.

On January 4th a North American B-25 Mitchell bomber overshot the runway, but again there were no casualties.

A Wellington made a hard landing on January 6th at 0400 hours, but suffered no casualties.

On January 10th an Anson in trouble came in for a landing with brakes jammed. An ambulance was called out at 2300 hours, but no casualties were reported.

As noted on Alex’s page, the same day he was lost, Tuesday, January 18th, a Miles Martinet aircraft belonging to 290 Squadron Detachment crashed in the sea off Burrow Head. An air-sea rescue search discovered wreckage but the crew was lost.

This was Martinet JN542 whose engine cut over sea, the aircraft continued down wind and attempted to ditch but struck an obstacle and sank off Burrow Head. The crew were:

Pilot – Sergeant Douglas Paul BOULTON (942935) RAFVR, age 24

Target Towing Officer - Aircraftman 1st Class Andrew Murray WINTON (1550451) RAFVR, age unknown

Their bodies were not recovered and they were commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial, panel 225 and 243 respectively.

On January 22nd a Handley Page Halifax from RAF Riccall, Yorkshire, made a crash landing near the aerodrome at Low Mye (a farm just outside the entrance to RAF West Freugh), and the crew was unhurt although a sergeant/wireless operator was badly shaken and was take to the station’s sick quarters.

The West Freugh Operation Record Book summary for January noted the following:

FLYING A total of 1930 flying hours was completed during the month, of which 900 hours 40 minutes were night flying.

BATTLE TRAINING Battle Training took place on Tuesday 25th January, 1944.

COURSES The following is a summary of Intakes and Outputs for the month of January, 1944.

                          Intakes  W/Ops/Air   40             Outputs W/Ops/Air   37

                                        Navigators 40                          Navigators   40

                                        Air Bombers 80                          Air Bombers 70

WEATHER SUMMARY Weather was mainly cloudy with a rainfall above the average. Rain or drizzle occurred on 24 days and 3 of the remaining days were of a showery type. Winds were generally strong throughout the month, rising to gale force on 14 days, the gale on the 25th being severe. On that day the average wind speed was 45 m.p.h. gusting 60-65 m.p.h.

BUILDING PROGRAMME          Cinema Projector room……………50% completed.

                                                       Officer’s ablutions [showers]…..10% completed.

                                                       W.A.A.F Barrack-hut ablutions…10% completed.

                                                       Sewage disposal extension………60% completed.

A couple last interesting notes:

1. 7-1/2 months after Alex was lost, at the beginning of September, 1944, Alex’s old Leigh Light Squadron 172 relocated to RAF Limavady in Northern Ireland about 80 miles west, northwest from West Freugh. This was after the occupied French ports the U-Boats had operated from had ceased operations following the D-Day landing and their subsequent capture or encirclement. 172 was now countering the U-Boats operating out of Norway, where they made their last stand.

2. Immediately after the war, 86 captured U-Boats were brought to Loch Ryan, stripped of anything deemed valuable and were eventually towed to waters northwest of Ireland along with 30 U-Boats from Lisahally, Northern Ireland and scuttled between November 1945 and February 1946 in what became known as Operation Deadlight. (see graphic below from uboat.net). Coincidently, the florist we went to in Stranraer spoke of how his father was present when the U-Boats were stripped.

You can jump back to the RAF West Freugh section of Alex's biography here.