Enemy Coast Ahead (Bomber Boys)

A Tribute to the Bomber Command air crew

Enemy Coast Ahead (Bomber Boys)

Early morning the engineers reported for work at RAF Gaydon: What were they going to encounter after last nights encounters Two thousand miles and more, ten hours flying, each team had an aircraft already allocated to them. It was their responsibility to have it in tip top condition in resdiness for the next encounter, who knows what or where it would be.

The engineers worked their magic: cleaning gang, internal and external; air frame fitters; engine mechanics; radio and radar technicians; Last of all came the armourers and refueling gangs.

By late afternoon all was ready. Eighteen four engined Lancaster bombers six from each flight repaired; rearmed and refuelled.

The engineers left for their evening meal, their work completed and signed off spares reordered to replenish what had been used. Now it was up to the air crew

The air crew were picked up by the crew bus and taken to Station Opperations for debriefing, any opposition and in what from; searchlights, flak, fighters; all recorded on the charts by the navigator in responce to the reports from the pilots. the target, did they have cance to see the damage.

Then away for a meal, shower and bed.

Now their last meal before their next assignment.

Following the meal it was Staion Opps. for tonights breifing.

They all filed in watched by the armed RAF police; once the last person entered the door was locked and the police retired to the ends of the corridor.

An Air Commodor greeted them " Tonights target is of special significance" A map was unrolled down the wall "Here is an rdanance factory possibly the most significant one, It is here they are producing flying bombs, they will be unmanned and indesriminate between military and civil areas being pointed in our direction where they will fly until the fuel runs out then fall from the sky wherever they are mostly one would suspect on the civilian poputation, our, your family at home. Your job is to destroy, or at least severely damage this factory.

A flight will attack the main tagets; B and C flights will go on to three alternative targets, four planes to each

There is a display of maps and photographs of the area and target at the back of the room. you will be on radio silence thoughout the journey. Right gentlemen it is in your hands now. Good Luck and a safe journey"

The senior officers left the room, while the air crew stayed to examine the display taking notes, navigators studying the maps with particular interest in the areas where the defences were marked.

After an hour or so an RAF police officer entered "Right gentlemen your transport awaits"

As they filed out more RAF police came in covered the display. The door was then locked

The transport took the air crew out to the awaiting aircraft, Too soon to be climbind aboard they waited, sitting on the grass, savouring the cool evening air and sun light, soon, too soon they would be up in the air carrying the war to the enemy, behind the lines in enemy country, delivering a vital blow for freedom and hopefully a lasting peace.

Some cars arrived with the Group Captian and other 'Brass Hats'

plesenties and good wishes were passed

"Right gentlemen fifteen minutes to departure" the men climbed aboard and began the final perparations and checks.

In Air traffic Control they had run through radio communications with each aircraft; the registration of each aircraft was writen on the activities board all were given an ETD (Estimated Time of Depature) of 20.00 and ETA (Estimate Time of Arival (Return)) of ) 08.00

Destination Unspecified

All was ready just waiting for the final word

"Start Engines" was given

Right outer, The watching ground crew gave the singal engine running > Left outer; Right Inner; Left inner:

All engine s firing, navigation lights on. Sign was given "Chocks Away" The first aircraft, brakes off, rolled ooff the hard standings onto the taxi way towards the runway, followed in order by the other five aircraft. Turning on to the runway they were check that all red flags covering vital air intakes had been removed; green light given - brakes on engines up to full power, brakes off the aircraft rolled away at increasing speed. Past the point of no return (too late to stop if anything was amis now) slowly the tai lifted, the wheels lifted clear of the tarmac the aircraft was now airborn and flying

In ATC they watched as the aircraft accelerated down the runway; a streak of green light from the starboard wing tip navigation light as they lifted towards the dark night sky until eventually they were lost to the darkness. The thoughts, prayers and well wishes of each and every person went with them, a silent emptyness was left; unexplainable, only felt and understood by those who have had such an experiance.

When the last aircraft had departed the visitors left for the Officers Mess bar, not to drink; there was now eight to ten hours possibly more until the first aircraft was due back, nothing to fill in the time, endless cups of dark coffee, some nervously chain smoking, just aimlessly waiting.

In ATC each aircaft was timed out and ATD (Actual Time of Departure) filled in. No radio signal would now be sent or received until they returned ATC would be in "stood down" awaiting the morning arivals.

In the air.

The aircraft climbed slowly with it heavy bomb and fuel load, turning north away over the surounding land making its way to the coast

"Coast ahead, enemy coast in about fifteen minutes" From the navigator, navigation light swithed off

'Very Light' signal from one of the accompanying aircraft in morse code

"G George send a message skipper ready for the party" Send back "We will have one tomorrow night bring your own bottle"

"Enemy coast ahead" Radio operater left his post to move forwards as an extra pair of eyes, fornt and rear gunner took up their positons "Rail line to the right skip" "Yes then the canal and river"

"Need to divert south for ten minutes flak reported ahead" from the navigater

A searchlight lit them up. It was positioned directly ahead. Front gunner clicked up his darkend viewing plate and trained his guns on the light - He pressed the triger "101 101 101" timed as in training "101". The stream of bullets headed for the target light. The light twisted away the extiguished. The gunner had no thoughts of the person or people behind the light, they were the enemy - Its was them or us; he just did his job and concentrated on his task.

So they flew on.

"Target twenty miles ahead skip, look for a chimney keep left of that then over a lake target is on the far shore"

They fly level "Target in sight" from the bomg aimer "Hold it steady, steady, Bombs gone"

The pilot feels the aircaft lift released of it load, put on more power and goes into a climb at the same time turns north to head for home.

Rear gunner calls "Would say a diect hit on a amo store a huge ball of fire, G Geoge's bombs have just gone off the place is one mass of flame and speading, lets get off home skip" The radio operator sent a one word message in morse code it read "Vesuvious" scrambled by his radio set to Bomber Command Head Quarters radio receiver a signal that the mission was a sucsessful and following aircraft could be diverted elswere.

The second and third wave had been tasked to atack a railway bridge, a road bridge, then on to a series of canal locks; vital to the enemy for movement of troops and supplies to the front line messages: Tay; Mandalay and Sues; were sudequently tapped out to Bomber Command HQ

At ETD plus eight hours ATC returned to fully open. The visitors were invited to return to ATC to see them return

"How long before they return"

"We will not hear anything here until they call us up to request permission to land; but we can say the Bomber Command has recieves coded messages that all targets have been sucsessfuly attacked"

"Coast line ahead" "sun rising behind us"

Navigation lights turned back on over the sea

"Forty miles to home skip"

Gaydon tower, Gaydon tower, Bravo one six three calling, are you receiving, over"

"Bravo one six three thisis Gaydon Tower go ahead, over"

Gaydon tower we are thirty mile from home, over"

Then followed landing insturctions - Altitude, barometer reading, wind speed and direction, runway direction

"Gaydon tower now on the ground"

In ATC the board is updated with ATA (Actual time of arival)
A message came through from Bomber Commans HQ that one aircraft had been forced to divert to another airfield due to damage they were now at RAF Leuchars East Scotland; another returned late with only two of its four engines working.

Another sucsessful but stressful mission accomplished

As each plane returned the air crew were picked up by the crew bus and taken for debreifing another day for the ground crew

Wild Rose

October 2019

Reviews

[barleygirl]

I believe it is valuable to document such detailed accounts of historical significance & in this way, I admire you for sharing a story that must've been a firsthand experience for you. The best part of this story is that, despite being heavily detailed, technically, you also balance it out with the personal aspects of people in this situation or people who care about them. Now here's the thing. I wonder if this type of battle is even pertinent anymore. Remember when wars were identifiable & battles were discrete? Now it feels like an undefined mess of constant violence worldwide that really isn't being hampered by all the fancy organized military force at hand. Sometimes it feels like we are going thru the motions of being the greatest military power on earth (the USA, that is) while domestic terrorism slaughters our everyday folks week in and week out. Sorry for my jaded view upon the military. I still feel glad to know about the details of such sacrifice for freedom (((HUGS))) Fondly, Margie

[Wild Rose]

Thank you Margie It is a mixture of personal feelings watching Victor bombers setting out on peaceful missions, one in particular A 'V' bomber setting out full of spare equipment and wing tip tanks full of fuel for a journey to USA for a bombing competition they were facing four hours over the ocean with no radio contact
part from reading some of our sons research papers (He is an aviation researcher)
And stuff like that

No it isn't pertinent in these days - no four engine bombers going on 12 hour cross country navigation exercises at 350 mph

Emphasis now is getting more electronic > In the gulf was missiles were sent from 300 miles away their target progamed in and controlled by satellite straight through the window of the selected room

I have one or two more similar to write

[barleygirl]

It would be interesting if you did a piece comparing war then & war now!

[Carola]

an interesting historical read, it reminds me of the old black & white war movies sometimes shown on TV.
being an ex-aviator myself, in the para. starting with___ "In Air Traffic Control...." then in line 8 ____ " Turning on to the runway they were check that all red flags covering vital air intakes had been removed; " ____ my only query is the sequence of when this check is performed.
normally this check is done during the pre-flight inspection before starting the engines.

-- if you wait until you're on the runway & the check had been missed, then you would hold up the remaining squadron aircraft 'cos the aircraft would have to get off the runway & get someone to remove the flags.
-- normally piston engined aircraft have a covering with a red flag attached for the pitot tube to stop them getting blocked by wasps/insects building nests in them, & on the locking pin through the control column in the cockpit to lock the external primary flight controls to stop them flapping around in any strong wind when parked.
-- a piston engine air intake is not really a large unobstructed open area, as it is for a turbo-prop or jet engine which do have air intake coverings with flags. i've only ever seen engine intake coverings on pistons when they've been parked outside for an extensive time to prevent birds from getting in & nesting, but this probably wouldn't be the case during wartime when the aircraft were in constant use.
(if the air intake coverings had been forgotten to be removed on a turbo-prop/jet, i doubt the engine would run long enough to even get to the runway.)

only my opinion, anyway, cheerio carola

[Wild Rose]

Don't fool an expert > yes all correct
We only had two piston engine aircraft Avro Ansonsread moreDon't fool an expert > yes all correct
We only had two piston engine aircraft Avro Ansons
Others were Canberra (Photo rec) Valiant; Victor, Vulcan

[wordman]

rose this is really great and very informing write

[Wild Rose]

Thank you
The departure stuff I know the feeling of seeing them leave
Even on a peaceful mission but the feeling when they leave for a long journey with no radio contact for four or more hours

[wordman]

you`re welcome