80 Years ago from the Archives - July 1945

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.