╨╧рб▒с>■  24■   1                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                ье┴Лa Ё┐Bjbjb1├1├ %([б[бB      И2222222╢║║║║ ╞$╢KъЎЎЎЎЎЎЎЎ┬──────,5RЗtЁ2ЎЎЎЎЎЁ╢22ЎЎ╢╢╢ЎJ2Ў2Ў┬╢FDК,2222Ў┬╢╢22╢ъ ╟▓┼║@v╢╢ 0K╢√╢√╢╢2╢╢║╢╢║Page Chapter 1 I Early History 11 II 1915 to 1918 17 III Egypt 45 IV Between the Wars 50 V World War 2 starts 65 VI 1941 73 VII Flight to Hamburg 78 VIII Bloody April, 1942 86 IX Enter the Stirling 94 X Chedburgh 101 XI 1943 125 XII Hamburg and after 138 XIII Flying Fortresses 148 XIV Oulton 163 XV Year of Victory 173 XVI Peace 180 XVII Kenya, 1954 183 XVIII V-Force and Suez 205 XIX The Tanker Role 215 Epilogue 217 Bases and Outline History 218 Commanding Officers 219 214 Aircraft & German radar 220 Fortress Electronic Equipment 222 Glossary of terms 226 Decorations and Awards 229 Roll of Honour, 1939-1945 235 Bibliography 236 Sorties, 1939-1945 258 Index of names in this book Photographs: 29 Major Brackley, C.O. 1917-1918 30 Squadron officers, Coudekerque '18 31 Bill "Tiny" Wardrop fusing bombs 32 Manning the front gun position 33 Sgt Pilot L.A. Dell 34 No 214 Squadron aircrew, 1918 35 Damaged H.P. near Dunkirk, 1918 230 lb bomb being loaded 36 Coudekerque 1917. H P. O/100 Coudekerque. 13 Handley Pages 37 F/Lt Stark-Browne at Abu Sueir, '20 38 Ground crew atAbu Sueir, 1919; LAC Baldwin 39 Flying view: Pyramids and Sphynx 40 Vickers Virginia Mark X, 193 41 W/Cdr O.C. Bryson, 1937-1938 42 Squadron aircrew, Feltwell, 1937 43 H. P. Harrows, Feltwell, 1937 44 Wireless op and nav in Harrow, '37 109 P/O Lawson; Sgt Geoff Cole and crew '40 110 Briefing, Stradishall 1940; "Tubby" Baker and crew 111 Vickers Wellington I, 1940; Bombaimer in Wimpy,1941 112 Sgt Merryweather in turrett 113 F/Lt Falconer; P/O Esplen; G/Cpt Pickard, W/Cdr Cruickshanks, 1941 114 Arming bombs at Stradishall; 4,000 pound bomb on Wellington 115 Tiggy Jones; Johnny Ruston; Ground crew at work on Wellington 116 C.O. W/Cdr Barry Macfadden Crew of Sri Duroh, 1941 117 Flt Eng. Sgt Harold Bidmead; Target photo, Rostock 1942 118 C.O. W/Cdr A.H. Smythe 119 F/Lt Youseman and P/O "Dutch" Holland, Chedburgh 120 Sgt Griggs; damaged Stirling 121 Demise of a Stirling 122 214 Squadron aircrew Aug, 1943 123 Dinghy drill at Chedburgh; Sgt Johnston RNZAF, crew 124 Waiting take-off for Berlin '43 Berlin after raid of Aug 23, '43 189 F/O George Wright, gunners; MT driver H. Southgate,Oulton 190 Blickling Hall; F/Lt Wynne with second crew 191 S/Ldr Bill Day and crew 192 Tours under attack May 7-8, '44 193 Tours before and after attack 194 Squadron aircrew, Oulton, 1944 195 V-2 Rocket launch, Holland; Fortress on a 'Big Ben' sortie 196 F/Lt George Wright, Adjutant 197 Liberator VIII, Amendola, Italy; Liberator crew, Amendola 198 Detachment to Kenya in '54 199 Lincolns at Eastleigh, '54; Bombs ready for loading 200 Detachment to Kenya 1954 201 Phil Goodman, radar mechanic; "Appointment in London" 202 Sqdn, M.J. Beetham O.C., '57 203 Victor at Marham; Longest non-stop, May 26, '59 204 Ground crew at Marham, 1976 Final march-past, February, 1977 Preface No 214 Squadron fulfilled many roles: bombing, training, bomber support through electronic counter-measures, and air-to-air refuelling. Primarily it was a bomber unit; among the first heavy night bomber squadrons of the Royal Air Force. Its origins were naval, formed from No 7A, later No 14 Squadron, Royal Naval Air Service. On April 1, 1918, it was given a 200 prefix and became part of the new arm, the Royal Air Force. In writing this history I have received considerable assistance from former members of the Squadron. It was a source of pleasure to travel around the world and meet old comrades and friends who served with 214, and to hear their tales of squadron life. The bulk of official data has been obtained from records held at the Public Records Office, Kew, and the Air Historical Branch, Ministry of Defence, London. I have also used contemporary writings, papers, and various books as the basis for the history, but my main endeavour was to portray the life and times of the Squadron through the eyes of its members, both ground and aircrew. Gathering the necessary information has proved the most difficult part of my project. Some of my subjects were loath to relate their experiences, believing that they had either no story worth telling, or that they might be accused of shooting a line. However, with cajolery and low cunning, I have managed to assemble this account of 214 Squadron activities, a sample of the recollections. Many remain unpublished. From this pot-pourri of events, I have collated a story, to my knowledge a true one, which I hope will be enjoyed by all those who are interested in the RAF and its units' histories. The organizing, rewriting, and editing, of Flt David Dickson, and his wife Rosaleen, who also laid out the chapters, sorted and arranged the photographs, charts and squadron records, wrote the index, and type-set this entire book, camera ready for the printers, have made it possible for Avenging in the Shadows to be publshed. 214 owes them unqualified gratitude for having taken over the documents and pictures, the notes and letters, and turned them all into one consecutive story of the Squadron. Ron James B№hк7║ (CWuХз╞ц0PqЕв┤╠щ3LmСи─󿤤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤B■ї . / 0 = b И м ╬ х  ) C c Г к ╠ ┘ ¤  = b Г й ║ ╪ ∙  1 ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤1 K k Р │ ╘ Ї  7 Y w Ш ╡ ╤ є (AdГЮ├ц%:WsЧ╣¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤╣▄№=b|Ы╗╘ё,MdГг┼╟╧=>?@AB¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤# 0РА░╨/ ░р=!░p"░а#Ра$Ра%░е8@ё 8 NormalCJmH sH tH DA@Є бD Default Paragraph FontZi@є │Z  Table Normal :V Ў4╓ l4╓aЎ _H(k@Ї ┴(No List B(      аzЩ  аzЩ  аzЩ  аzЩ╠b AB  (CWuХз╞ц0PqЕв┤╠щ3LmСи─уї ./0=bИм╬х)CcГк╠┘¤=bГй║╪∙1KkР│╘Ї7YwШ╡╤є(AdГЮ├ц % : W s Ч ╣ ▄ №  = b | Ы ╗ ╘ ё  , M d Г г ┼ ╟ ╧ =>?@ADШ0АА╕└╧АШ0АА╕└╧Ш0АА╕└╧Ш0АА╕└╧Ш0АА╕└╧Ш0АА╕└╧Ш0АА╕└╧Ш0АА╕└╧Ш0АА╕└╧Ш0АА╕└╧Ш0АА╕└╧Ш0АА╕└╧Ш0АА╕└╧Ш0АА╕└╧Ш0АА╕└╧Ш0АА╕└╧Ш0АА╕└╧Ш0АА╕└╧Ш0АА╕└╧Ш0АА╕└╧Ш0АА╕└╧Ш0АА╕└╧Ш0АА╕└╧Ш0АА╕└╧Ш0АА╕└╧Ш0АА╕└╧Ш0АА╕└╧Ш0АА╕└╧Ш0АА╕└╧Ш0АА╕└╧Ш0АА╕└╧Ш0ААp@╞АШ0ААp@╞АШ0АА╕└╧Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Ш0ААp@╞Bї1 ╣BB¤~ДHPxГЧЮFQdoЯд╣╛┐─Ў№RZt|ЦЩцё2;S_cjВИМПам╟╥°¤MVkpПЦзо╔╧┌т¤'8@xБ $ ) 2 ] ` ╧ ╒ Q Y s { л ┤ 0 4 ; B [ a Ц Ь K U 4:`hD┌р╤┘PV<JBLз┤ $ u v nrD:::::::::D @А//Ёd╓//5B` @  Unknown            GРTimes New Roman5РАSymbol3Р Arial3РTimes"qИЁ╨hьБv&Г2╥жў=Г▒Ёе└┤┤А24d~ЁЁ▀▀Ё                      к7║  PageRosaleen DicksonElizabeth Dickson■  рЕЯЄ∙OhлС+'│┘0pИРам╚╘ф   , 8 DPX`h'PageRosaleen DicksonNormalElizabeth Dickson2Microsoft Word 11.3.5@^╨▓@иВї4├@*RlИ╔ў=■  ╒═╒Ь.УЧ+,∙о0ь hp|ДМФ Ьдм┤ ╝ ═'~ Page Title ■    ■   "#$%&'(■   *+,-./0■   ¤   3■   ■   ■                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Root Entry         └FА╡X,BИ╔5А1Table        √WordDocument        %(SummaryInformation(    !DocumentSummaryInformation8            )CompObj            X                        ■                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           ■      └FMicrosoft Word Document■   NB6WWord.Document.8