Squadron Leader K. W. Marten remains the Station Commander for R.A.F. Harrowbeer for the month of July and signed the Station Operation Record Book.
Visitors to R.A.F. Harrowbeer included :-
Wing Commander Wiggins - Engineering Officer for Headquarters Fighter Command.
Flight Lieutenant Battye - Command Salvage Officer.
Flight Lieutenant Phillips - No.11 Group Navigation Officer.
General Lee - Unite States Army, Deputy to General Eisenhower.
Wing Commander Evans - No.11 Group Engineering Officer.
Group Captain Shipley C.T.O. Headquarters Fighter Command.
Air Vice Marshal Kirby - ? ? ?
Air Commodore Bowen - National Savings Campaign
Weather :-
3rd July Weather poor, closing in later during the day.
4th July Bad Weather, unsuitable for flying.
5th July A reasonable start to the day and improving as the day progressed.
7th July A reasonable day weather-wise.
11th July A good start to the day but closing in during the afternoon.
12th July Low cloud in the morning, improving later in the day.
13th July The morning started reasonably well and then deteriorated during the afternoon, but cleared up for the evening.
17th July A good weather day.
19th July Cloudy all day on the Aerodrome.
20th July The cloud-base overland today was between five hundred and eight hundred feet.
21st July Poor weather conditions around the Harrowbeer area.
24th July The weather has improved, quite good for a change.
25th July A reasonable start to the day progressively getting worse as the day went on.
26th July Heavy rain all day.
27th July A perfect day, beautiful weather conditions.
30th July The morning started with low cloud, closing in in the afternoon.
3rd July Wing Commander Wiggin - Headquarters Fighter Command visited the Station.
4th July Flight Lieutenant Battye - Command Salvage Officer visited the Station.
6th July Flight Lieutenant Phillips - No.11 Group Navigation Officer visited R.A.F. Harrowbeer.
7th July General Lee - United States Army, Deputy to General Eisenhower arrived by Dakota aircraft to unveil a memorial at Slapton Sands. The memorial was dedicated to those who gave up their houses and farms to be used as a training ground for the American Forces before " D-Day ".
12th July A rifle shooting match was held between the Harrowbeer Station Team and the Home Guard. The Station Team lost by four points.
13th July Wing Commander Evans - No.11 Group Engineering Officer visited the Station.
14th July No.329 ( Free French ) Squadron and No.6345 Service Echelon left R.A.F. Harrowbeer for R.A.F. Fairwood Common Air Practice Camp.
16th July Group Captain Shipley - C.T.O. Headquarters Fighter Command visited the Station. A Mosquito aircraft of No.406 Squadron R.C.A.F. from R.A.F. Predannack crashed on the Aerodrome. The Pilot and Navigator were killed.
23rd July Air Vice Marshal Kirby landed in a Hudson aircraft to visit Headquarters No.19 Group and R.A.F. Mount Batten.
24th July Air Commodore Bowen visited the Station to discuss the National Savings Campaign.
25th July Thirty A.T.C. cadets had a flight in a Dominie aircraft.
27th July The advance party of R.A.F. Harrowbeer left for R.A.F. Exeter
29th July First A.T.C. camp, comprising one Officer and thirty two cadets arrived for a one week camp.
31st July The main party from R.A.F. Harrowbeer left for R.A.F. Exeter. R.A.F. Station Harrowbeer is reduced to " Care and Maintenance ".
No.329 ( Free French ) Squadron :- ( Taken from the Station O.R.B. )
14th July No.329 ( Free French ) Squadron and No.6345 Service Echelon left R.A.F. Harrowbeer for R.A.F. Fairwood Common Air Practice Camp.
No.329 ( Free French ) Squadron remained at R.A.F. Harrowbeer until the 14th July 1945 when they moved to R.A.F. Fairwood Common. Unfortunately there are no records of events or duties available for July from the Squadron Operation Record Books held at The National Archives, Kew, London. Michael Hayes - Archivist for R.A.F. Harrowbeer Archives, Educational and Heritage Centre.
No.691 ( A.A.C. ) Squadron :-
1st July Sunday - No requests for co-operation exercises.
2nd July A good days co-operation duties, all commitments completed.
3rd July A programme of co-operation duties was started but the weather closed in and all aircraft were recalled to base.
4th July Squadron Leader J. Stansell attended discussions at the Gunnery School, Devonport on the area o fire in the Plymouth area. The weather today was so poor that the entire co-operation programme was cancelled along with all other flying activities.
5th July The weather has improved and a full programme of exercises was carried out. The Squadron has another Spitfire aircraft added to it's compliment of aircraft.
6th July The weather was totally unsuitable for any flying duties, so the pilots carried out Link Trainer exercises.
7th July Squadron Leader J. Stansell and Flight Lieutenant Ridley Martin attended a meeting at R.A.F. Predannack which was addressed by Acting Air Officer Commanding No.11 Group on the subject of " Low Flying ". A tow for Breakwater Fort was completed. Another tow with marking aircraft was attempted at Wembury but owing to a low cloud base the marking aircraft returned to base.
8th July Sunday - No flying day.
9th July An excellent day of co-operation duties including three hundred torpedo runs carried out at Wembury. A Squadron " shooting competition " was held by " A " Flight.
10th July A good programme of exercises completed. Two Australian airmen have been posted for repatriation.
11th July An attempt was made to give dive-bombing attacks on Breakwater Fort, but one of the aircraft had engine trouble. The weather closed in during the afternoon and all flying was cancelled.
12th July There was no flying until late in the afternoon due to poor weather conditions. Night flying was carried out for the Searchlight Wing, Cleave.
13th July This mornings exercises included D.F.A.'s and a tow for " H.M.S. Conqueror ". Again bad weather in the afternoon resulting in no flying activities.
14th July D.F.A.'s carried out in the morning followed by short tows for Breakwater Fort.
15th July Only one request asked for today and was for Wembury which had to be cancelled owing to bad weather conditions. All Canadian Officers are posted to A.C.H.U. for repatriation.
16th July Squadron Leader J. Stansell attended a conference at R.A.F. Exeter with Group Captain Lewis ( No.11 Group ), Wing Commander Farmer ( Sector Commander ) and Wing Commander Stewart followed by a conference at Mount Wise, Plymouth with the above Officers and Commodore Beverley R.N. ( Chief of Staff, Plymouth Command ) and Commander Reep R.N. ( Staff Officer, Plymouth ). In the absence of a crash boat no co-operation was given to Breakwater Fort, otherwise a full programme of duties was carried out including a tow for " H.M.S. Cavendish ". A Mosquito aircraft of No.406 Squadron crashed into ' A ' Flight Dispersal and caught fire, the crew were killed.
17th July Flying today consisted of two trips for R.A.F. Exeter G.C.I. and two sorties for Wembury.
19th July The Aerodrome was in cloud all day, all flying was cancelled.
29th July There was a cloud base today of between five hundred and eight hundred feet overland. Full co-operation exercises were given to Breakwater Fort and minesweepers. Flight Sergeant Winslow experienced a problem with his aircraft when the wheels stuck half way down, he made an emergency landing successfully.
21st July Only one request for the Gunnery School today which had to be cancelled owing to bad weather conditions.
22nd July Sunday - No. flying.
23rd July A full programme of exercises was carried out for Breakwater Fort and Penlee and also dummy fighter attacks were made on Royal Marines I.T.C. personnel in training.
24th July Good weather enabled a full programme of co-operation exercises to be carried out.
25th July Two co-operation exercises were laid on in the morning for Wembury but had to be abandoned due to the bad weather. In the afternoon the weather cleared enough for one sortie to be carried out for Penlee. No.691 ( A,A,C. ) Squadron won a shooting competition against the Station Team.
26th July All flying has been cancelled due to heavy rain.
27th July The weather was perfect today and a full programme of duties was carried out successfully. Five Hurricane aircraft were flown to R.A.F. St. Athans for disposal.
28th July Breakwater Fort and the Gunnery School both requested co-operation exercises that were carried out without any hitches.
29th July Sunday - No. flying.
30th July In the morning low cloud hampered various co-operation duties including D.F.A.'s for R.A.F. Exeter resulting in aircraft having to return early back to base. The weather cleared in the afternoon allowing a programme of exercises to be carried out for Wembury and Penlee. Squadron Leader J. Stansell, Flight Lieutenant Nichols and Warrant Officer Kershaw ( acting as Navigator ) flew to Amsterdam via Brussels to deliver some special spares to a Dutch cruiser at the request of the Commander in Chief, Plymouth.
31st July No. flying - preparations are being made for the movement of the Squadron to R.A.F Exeter.
The Squadron O.R.B. for the month of July was signed by :-
Flight Lieutenant R. E. Atkinson.
RAF Harrowbeer Archives, Education & Heritage Ctr
Knightstone, Crapstone Road, Yelverton, Devon, PL20 6BT GB
Archivist - Michael Hayes 01822 853679
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