On the Wings of the Morning
Vincent Holyoak has written this wonderful book which draws on the stories of the men and women who lived and worked there. It describes the humour, deprivation, comradeship and dangers inherent in a front line bomber squadron. It is essential reading for anybody who seeks to understand how life was for the young men who flew in Lancasters during the war. Vincent’s book is not currently in print but second-hand copies can be found. A digital copy is hosted on line at Bottesford’s village website and Vince has kindly given me permission to link to it. Click on the book cover to read it.
Vincent Holyoak has written this wonderful book which draws on the stories of the men and women who lived and worked there. It describes the humour, deprivation, comradeship and dangers inherent in a front line bomber squadron. It is essential reading for anybody who seeks to understand how life was for the young men who flew in Lancasters during the war. Vincent’s book is not currently in print but second-hand copies can be found. A digital copy is hosted on line at Bottesford’s village website and Vince has kindly given me permission to link to it. Click on the book cover to read it.
RAF Bottesford was Teddy’s base, and home, from mid January 1943. Built in 1940 by Wimpey, it boasted concrete runways, taxiways and dispersal areas. But off the concrete it was clay which turned to mud during the winter months.
The living accommodation was basic with no heating, hot water or toilets but it was slightly less primitive than the nearby village of Normanton or it’s namesake, Bottesford.
The living accommodation was basic with no heating, hot water or toilets but it was slightly less primitive than the nearby village of Normanton or it’s namesake, Bottesford.
The best way to learn about life at RAF Bottesford and the surrounding area is from these two fascinating sources.
I also wish to thank David Middleton and his colleagues at Bottesford Living History for permission to link to their website. It’s a wonderfully thorough and vivid history seen through the eyes and words of real people. In fact, it’s the history of England seen through one village. There is a section on wartime Bottesford which helps to build a picture of how Teddy might have lived in 1943, but the whole site is well worth exploring. Click on the logo.
In a taste of what was to come ED367, PO-H, the aircraft that Teddy and the crew flew on their first flight with 467 squadron on 23rd December, was lost in a raid to Duisberg on 8th January 1943. It was the first aircraft of 467 squadron to be lost on an operation. It was delivered new in December and was on it’s first sortie. It was lost without trace and presumed to have crashed into the sea.
Now it was time for Teddy’s crew to put their training into practice. After a quiet January settling in to Bottesford, they flew their first active sortie on 27th January. A 4.15 hr trip to the Dutch Frisian Islands laying sea mines.
Code words were often used to describe sorties. Nectarines referred to the Frisian Islands off the Dutch and German North Sea coasts.
Gardening was the code word for laying sea mines, thus gardening nectarines might have a more ominous meaning than it would suggest.
Gardening was the code word for laying sea mines, thus gardening nectarines might have a more ominous meaning than it would suggest.
This excerpt from the Operations Record Book shows the entry for the crew’s first operational sortie, as shown in Teddy’s log book. They were using ED303, a Lancaster Mark I with the squadron designator PO-Z. ED303 was delivered new to 467 squadron in November 1942 and in February 1943 it was re-allocated to 106 squadron based at RAF Syerston in Nottinghamshire. ED303 was lost during a raid on Hamburg on 28th July 1943. The crew and aircraft were never located and no reports were received concerning the loss.
All of this crew, except for P/O Joseph, were on Teddy’s last flight. Graham Joseph died on 17th June during a raid on Cologne.
All of this crew, except for P/O Joseph, were on Teddy’s last flight. Graham Joseph died on 17th June during a raid on Cologne.
After their successful first sortie, there were no other operational sorties for a month. The squadron settled in to their new home, took delivery of new aircraft and got to know each other.
Teddy’s log book shows a total of 3.40 hrs between 27th January and 27th February. On the 14th they took possession of their brand new aircraft, ED504, designated PO-K with the call sign K for Kitty.
ED504 was a Mk III Lancaster built in Chadderton, near Oldham, Lancashire It was fitted with four V12 Rolls-Royce Merlin 28 engines and cost £45,000.
Teddy’s log book shows a total of 3.40 hrs between 27th January and 27th February. On the 14th they took possession of their brand new aircraft, ED504, designated PO-K with the call sign K for Kitty.
ED504 was a Mk III Lancaster built in Chadderton, near Oldham, Lancashire It was fitted with four V12 Rolls-Royce Merlin 28 engines and cost £45,000.
Teddy with some of his crew relaxing at Bottesford. Front to back are Keith Cazaly, John Lockwood, Teddy, John Ryalls and George Cribbin.
Below is a dispersal scene at Bottesford prior to a Berlin raid. Teddy is standing alone in the middle under the chimney. From Vince Holyoak’s collection.
The boxes contain homing pigeons to report their position if they were forced to land or ditch and needed rescue.
The boxes contain homing pigeons to report their position if they were forced to land or ditch and needed rescue.
The colour picture, taken by Vince Holyoak, shows the same scene 49 years later.
A Baptism of Fire. On the evening of 27th February, the crew went on another minelaying sortie to the Dutch Frisian islands, taking K-Kitty for the first time. The following evening saw their first sortie as part of a full scale bombing raid to St. Nazaire. Teddy experienced enemy action for the first time and it was quite an exciting experience, as this letter shows.
The crew earned a ‘Bombing Award’ for their accuracy
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Three nights later saw the crew hitting Germany for the first time with a raid on Hamburg. On their return they were met by a group of journalists who were collecting stories and photographs for the daily newspapers to increase the profile of Bomber Command to the public. K-Kitty’s crew were photographed being debriefed by the Intelligence Officer.
This picture shows Teddy at the back of the group looking at the Intelligence Officer. To his left is P/O Graham Joseph RAAF. On Joseph’s left is the pilot and commander of K-Kitty, John Desmond RAAF. George Cribbin sits between Desmond and Keith Cazaly, the crew’s moustachioed mid-gunner.
The visit was recorded in the Operations Record Book (ORB) as you can see by clicking on these thumbnails.
The complete ORB record for 467 squadron can be viewed on their website.
This link takes you directly to the ORB page.
467 Squadron Operations Record Books
This link takes you directly to the ORB page.
467 Squadron Operations Record Books
The ORB page for 4th March records a movie being filmed of air and ground crew of 467 squadron. Wing Commander Gomm gives his thoughts on the Berlin raid and asks Squadron Leaders Keith Thiele and David Green how they felt. Keith Thiele and Cosme Gomm have both signed the last page of Teddy’s log.
This movie has been digitised and can be viewed at the Movietone Archive website entitled ‘Round the Clock Raids -Cologne. Click on the logo and search for story No. 43450
This movie has been digitised and can be viewed at the Movietone Archive website entitled ‘Round the Clock Raids -Cologne. Click on the logo and search for story No. 43450
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