80 Years ago from the Archives - April 1942

Wing Commander the Hon. E. F. Ward was the Commanding Officer for R.A.F. Harrowbeer and signed the Station Operation Record Book for April.

Visitors to R.A.F. Harrowbeer included :-

H.R.H. the Duke of Gloucester

Major Howard Kerr

Lieutenant Colonel H. C. Lloyd  CBE, DSO, MC, GOC

Brigadier T. Fairfax  -  Commander of 211 Infantry Brigade

Weather :-

          The month started very changeable with a mixture of sunshine and showers.  The second week of April was very poor resulting in several days of no flying activity due to poor visibility caused by thick mist.  At the end of the month there was a great improvement in the weather which resulted in a lot of flying practice and operational sorties.

          On the2nd April R.A.F. Station Harrowbeer was ordered to man all automatic weapons and to take up defensive positions over the night-time periods until the 7th April.

          H.R.H. the Duke of Gloucester and Major Howard Kerr made a visit to R.A.F. Harrowbeer when on route to R.A.F. Mount Batten.  H.R.H. lunched in the Officer's Mess  ( which at that time was in Ravenscroft ) and talked to pilots of No.302 ( Poland ) Squadron and to No.276 Air Sea Rescue Squadron.

          April 12th     Circus No.122 was carried out by No.302 ( Poland ) Squadron in the Hazebrook and St. Omer areas of France.

          April 14th     Circus No.133 carried out by No.302 ( Poland ) Squadron in the area of Caen, France.

          R.A.F. Harrowbeer Station Salvage Drive commenced after working hours each day.  Up until the 23rd April seventeen tons of metal had been salvaged along with large quantities of paper, cardboard, rags, etc.

          On the 17th April the Station Reference Library and Technical Site was opened.

          High explosive and incendiary bombs were dropped in the Yelverton area on the 23rd April.  There was no damage to R.A.F. property.

          April 24th     Station Rifle Competition was held.

          R.A.F. Harrowbeer Station National Saving's Group completed it's first six months.  They saved a total of £1244.

No.276  Air  Sea  Rescue  Squadron  " B "  Flight :-

          A lot of April was spent on local flying, practice dinghy drops, sector reconnaissance, air tests and ferry work.  Also carried out were seven Lysander aircraft rescue sorties.

          Six new pilots were posted to the Squadron.

          1st April     A change in administration procedures was introduced.  " Previous records have been submitted as individual flight reports but this has not been proved very successful.  It has therefore been arranged for Flight Commanders to submit weekly reports of all activities and they are being amalgamated at Squadron Headquarters to form a Squadron Operation Record Book ".

          On the first of April a Walrus aircraft was damaged in a severe gale when the aircraft was blown onto it's port wing.

          3rd April     A search carried out by No.276 S.A.R. Squadron for a parachute that was seen eight miles out from the Eddystone Lighthouse.  A shipping vessel picked up the parachute but there was no sign of anything else.

          8th April     Sergeant Yates and Sergeant Lloyd carried out their first solo flights in the Lysander aircraft.

          10th April     No.276 Air Sea Rescue Squadron held it's first Squadron Dance on the airfield which was well attended by Officers and Airmen.

          Another search was carried out on the 17th April in an area of the sea to the east of Dartmouth in conjunction with a Royal Naval vessel.  The area was thoroughly searched, first by a strip search and then by a square search of the area.  The only thing that was found was a quantity of small fishing vessels.

          Members of the No.276  Air Sea Rescue Squadron were introduced to H.R.H. the Duke of Gloucester where he had the chance to talk to some of the pilots.

          A Lysander aircraft was written off when it burst a tyre on landing.  The aircrew were not injured in the incident.

          During the month No.276 Air Sea Rescue Squadron played No.78 Signals Wing Calibration Flight to a football match, the result was a draw. 

No.302 ( Poland )  Squadron :-

          The Squadron spent a lot of time during the first week of April operating from R.A.F. Bolt Head on standby where they carried out twelve scrambles.  All uneventful.

          Other duties carried out from R.A.F. Harrowbeer included convoy patrol duties, scrambles and practice flights.  During the last two weeks of the month the Squadron took part in operational sweeps which were carried out from R.A.F. Tangmere, Sussex and R.A.F. Warmwell, Dorset over France.  No.302 ( Poland ) Squadron would join together with other Squadrons where they would act as top or bottom escort cover to bombers going too or returning from France or Germany.

          2nd April     Two shipping convoy patrols were flown but due to bad visibility they were cancelled as the convoys could not be found.

          5th April     Due to a break in the bad weather two scrambles to the Exeter area were undertaken, one at 20,000 feet and the other at 30,000 feet.  Both proved uneventful and all aircraft returned safely to base.

          8th April     A Spitfire aircraft flown by Flying Officer Kaminski came off the runway and skidded, damaging a wing and the propeller.  The pilot was uninjured.

          8th April     ( From the R.A.F. Harrowbeer Archivist )     A Spitfire aircraft from ' Red Section ' No.302 ( Poland ) Squadron crashed on landing due to an obstruction caused by a lorry laying out a flare-path.          

          10th April     A convoy patrol was carried out by No.302 ( Poland ) Squadron in the area ten miles east of Eddystone Lighthouse.  Nothing unusual to report.

          12th April     Squadron Leader Kowalski plus eleven other Spitfire aircraft of No.302 ( Poland ) Squadron flew to R.A.F. Tangmere, Sussex for a sweep over France.  Light flak was experienced.  No enemy aircraft were seen and the Squadron returned to R.A.F. Tangmere.  Squadron Leader Kowalski then flew on to R.A.F. Northolt and the remaining eleven Spitfire aircraft returned to R.A.F. Harrowbeer. 

          14th April     Fourteen Spitfire aircraft led by Squadron Leader Kowalski flew to R.A.F. Tangmere, Sussex for a sweep over France, they were assisted by No.308 Squadron.  Owing to the Controller from R.A.F. Middle Wallop ordering Nos. 302 and 308 Squadrons off too late, the rendezvous over Ibsley was not made.  The two Squadrons flew towards Cherbourg where they approached the French Coast with No.302 ( Poland ) Squadron at 16,000 feet and No.308 Squadron at 18,000 feet.     By this time the rest of the force were seen leaving the target area.  No.302 and No.308 Squadrons acted as high escort cover to the force on the return journey.  After landing at R.A.F. Tangmere No.302 Squadron returned to R.A.F. Harrowbeer.

          15th April     Twelve Spitfire aircraft of No.302 ( Poland ) Squadron led by Squadron Leader Kowalski were airborne for R.A.F. Warmwell, Dorset.  After landing and re-fueling they took off for a sweep acting as bomber escort to the Cherbourg area.  There was no combat.  On landing back at R.A.F. Warmwell, Sergeant Nozovski ( No.302 ( Poland ) Squadron ) crashed his Spitfire aircraft and was admitted to the Station Sick Quarters.  The remaining eleven aircraft returned to R.A.F. Harrowbeer.

          15th April     ( From the R.A.F. Harrowbeer Archivist )     Sergeant Nozovski of No.302 ( Poland ) Squadron was flying Spitfire aircraft code letters  WX - J  and crashed on landing at R.A.F. Warmwell.  Sergeant Nozovski received slight injuries.

          More sweeps were carried out during the rest of April.  ( Details can be found in a copy of the " No.302 ( Poland ) Squadron Operation Record Book "which is held at the Knightstone / R.A.F. Harrowbeer Archives ).

          17h April     Pilot Officer Rytka shot down a ME 109 ( German enemy aircraft ) north of Cherbourg.

          24th April     A Flying Officer while flying over R.A.F. Harrowbeer encountered trouble with the engine of his Spitfire aircraft and it started emitting black smoke.  He crashed to the north east of Dousland, Yelverton and was admitted to hospital due to his injuries.

          24th April     ( From the R.A.F. Harrowbeer Archivist )     Flying Officer Ebenrytter of No.302 ( Poland ) Squadron was flying Spitfire aircraft  serial No.  AD 428.  His aircraft developed engine trouble and he crashed five miles north east of Dousland.  Flying Officer Ebenrytter was slightly injured and admitted to hospital.   

          26th April     Squadron Leader Kowalski claimed a FW 190 ( German enemy aircraft ) as a probable.

          On the 26th April eleven Spitfire aircraft were detailed to fly to R.A.F. Warmwell to No.10 Group Practice Camp for air firing training.  The rest f the month was spent at R.A.F. Warmwell carrying out air to air and air to ground firing practice.  On the 30th April the Squadron aircraft were re-fueled and re-armed to carry out a sweep over France.  After the operation the Spitfires returned to R.A.F. Warmwell where they carried on with their air firing course.