╨╧рб▒с>■  PR■   O                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                ье┴s ┐ё3jbjb└ └ %lкkкkё/      ]ЦЦЦЦЦЦЦ cъ........ """""",MЇAlNЦ.....NЖЦЦ...ЖЖЖ.╩Ц.Ц. к,╓,ЦЦЦЦ. ЖЪЖ ЦЦ " вj╗°О  Chapter IV - Between the Wars The war to end all war was to be followed by the peace to end peace ... Rudyard Kipling The mid-1930's emergence of Hitler's Nazi Party in Germany, and Mussolini's territorial designs in Abyssinia, were the first signs of coming conflict in Europe. It was during this period of foreboding and anxiety that a rapid expansion in the RAF took place. As part of that expansion, No. 214 Bomber Squadron was reformed at Boscombe Down on September 16, 1935, from personnel and equipment of B Flight, No. 9 Squadron. On its formation, the unit consisted of F/O R.G. Coventry, P/O J. McCarthey, P/O A.W.B. Barnett, two Sgt pilots, one F/Sgt, three corporals and 26 aircraftsmen. The aircraft allocated were five Vickers Virginias Mark X, with no reserve back-up. Three days later S/Ldr D.F. Lucking was posted in to command. During the years 1924 to 1937, the Virginia was the mainstay of the RAF's bomber force, having taken over from the Vimy. The Jenny, as she was affectionately called, carried a crew of four, and was armed with a single Lewis gun in the nose, and two more installed in the rear fuselage aft of the twin rudders. It could carry a bomb load of up to 3000 lbs, and the Mark X differed from its predecessors in that it had an all-metal airframe, Handley Page slots, and a tail wheel. On October 15, 1935, 214 Squadron moved to Andover, which was to be its base for the next year. Thereafter, up to the outbreak of war, the Squadron operated from several different bases, engaged in an intensive training programme, and thrilled the public with its close formation flying and target bombing at the peacetime air displays held at Hendon and other venues. At the beginning of September, 1936, the Squadron was detached to Aldergrove where it remained until the end of that month. On October 1, the Unit left Northern Ireland for Scampton in Lincolnshire where it was based until April, 1937. On the night of October 27, 1936, the Squadron's aircraft were very nearly written off due to storm damage. Seven Virginias were picketed-out on the aerodrome because of lack of hangar accommodation but, with winds blowing at gale force, they broke away from their moorings and were all badly damaged. Re-equipment of the Squadron with the Handley Page Harrow Mark I started on January 13, 1937. The first Harrow to arrive, serial K6935, was fitted with two Pegasus X engines. It was soon followed by Nos K6936 and K6945. One of the new Harrows was to have a very short life span. On March 24, Sgt pilot Morton was detailed to ferry seven RAF personnel to the Handley Page works at Radlett in K6940 and on making his landing approach to Radlett, after an uneventful trip from Scampton, the aircraft's engines suddenly failed to give power. The aerodrome was in sight about a mile away, beyond the railway line at Napsbury, and although Sgt Morton had enough height to clear the line, which was elevated about 20 feet above the surrounding countryside, it so happened that the 10:25 LMS express train from St Pancras to Manchester was travelling at 60 mph through Napsbury at the precise moment the Harrow was approaching to cross the line at slightly below train-top height. As a result, the undercarriage wheels struck the roof of the kitchen car. The aircraft plunged towards the ground, narrowly missing a lake, but striking a bank that ripped off its undercarriage before the plane belly-landed in a watercress bed. The pilot and an officer on board suffered severe cuts about the head, while the remainder escaped with bruises and shock. When the train made an emergency stop, it was found that the dining saloon staff was unhurt but that most of the kitchen car's roof had been ripped off by the impact. Harrow K6940's airframe was so badly wrecked that it was found to be beyond economic repair, and was scrapped after logging only 12.5 flying hours. On April 16, 1937, No. 214 moved yet again, this time to Feltwell in Norfolk, which was to be its base for the next few years. Fourteen days later the Squadron suffered its first fatal accident at Feltwell when Harrows K6945 and K6950 collided and crashed at Methwold whilst engaged in practising for the annual RAF display. K6945 burst into flames on striking the ground and F/O J.J. McCarthey, P/O W.L. Warner, Sgt Macdonald, Aircraftsmen Simpson and Garside were all killed. During 1937 major personnel changes occurred, when S/Ldr H.J. Walker was posted in on May 31 to command A Flight, and S/Ldr H.A. Constantine took over B Flight on June 2. Later that year W/Cdr Lucking relinquished command to be succeeded by W/Cdr O.C. Bryson. Annual training started on September 16th, 1938, when the Squadron went to No. 7 ATS at Acklington, only to be recalled almost immediately because of the national crisis. On October 6, whilst engaged on a 3 Group exercise, Harrow K6991 of A Flight was struck by lightning. The crew of five, P/O Gilbert, P/O Eddison, Aircraftsmen Bruce, Brown and Robertson, all abandoned ship and landed safely near Pontefract. With a lessening of tension in the international situation, No. 214 returned to Acklington to finish off annual training, and this was completed on October 15th. At the end of October W/Cdr Bryson was promoted to Group Captain and W/Cdr W. Sanderson arrived to take over command of the Squadron. Once again there was a serious threat of war in Europe, and it was decided to send aircraft from No. 3 Group over to France to fly the flag and boost French morale. It would also afford our airmen some experience in long distance flying, and a chance to improve their formation technique. Four flights in all were made; three to Marseille and one to Bordeaux. These flights could have inspired little confidence in our air arm for, apart from No. 214, whose crews were highly trained in formation flying and were always to be seen participating at air shows, other squadrons of the Group were not so well trained. Flight Commander Paul Harris said of the flights: "They reminded one more of a race than a formation flight, with aircraft scattered all over the sky, showing little semblance of any formation whatsoever." At that time there were two schools of thought about how formations should be flown: close formation relying on concentrated fire power and mutual support, and loose formation which depended on manoeuverability but at the sacrifice of fire power and support from other bombers. No. 214 adhered to the former school. Apart from routine training, little of note happened during the early part of 1939, although there were rumours of re-equipment with Wellington bombers. This turned into fact when the new aircraft started arriving on May 26th and the Squadron became non-operational. By the end of August war seemed imminent, and on the first day of September a signal was received ordering 214 to "Scatter to Methwold". This was completed by nightfall. On the outbreak of war, two days later, the Unit's strength was 19 officers and 221 other ranks. This included 16 pilots and 12 aircraft I.E. plus four I.R. In the early days of war the Squadron was fortunate to have some outstanding leaders amongst its members Ц people like Charles Pickard, Paul Harris and Hugh Constantine Ц men who would later write their names in the annals of RAF history. Mention should here be made of No. 214's aircraft, the Wellington. This was one of the success stories of the war. Fabric-covered, its unique geodetic construction made it capable of withstanding incredible punishment. At first it was used as a day-bomber, and was in action against the enemy the day after war was declared, bombing warships at anchor in Wilhelmshaven. After heavy losses were incurred in daylight raids, it was used in a night role and became Bomber Command's number one heavy bomber, a position it held until the advent of the four engine types some two years later. The Vickers Armstrong Wellington Is and ICs, used by No. 214 at the outset, were powered by two Pegasus XVII engines, which gave a speed of 235 mph, a ceiling of 18,000 feet, and bomb load of some 4500 lbs. There was some variation between officially claimed figures and actual performance under operational conditions, but a later mark did become the first aircraft to carry and drop a 4000 lb Blockbuster bomb. During its career, the Wimpy, as she was generally called, filled many roles and was used by Bomber, Coastal, Transport and Training Commands from 1939 to 1945. For its bombing commitment it carried a crew of six; first and second pilots, front and rear gunners, an observer who doubled as bomb aimer, and a wireless operator/air gunner. At the opening of hostilities the Germans had already established a formidable superiority in aircraft and personnel, and its air power was soon demonstrated when it unleashed a surprise attack on Poland. The Luftwaffe gained control in the air within the first 24 hours, as Polish airfields were bombed in lightning strikes which destroyed the majority of Poland's aircraft on the ground. Dive bombers and fighters, in co-operation with the German Army, decimated the Polish ground forces. By September 17, 1939, the end of the campaign was in sight, the German forces already withdrawing to the west. This, then, was the position in the latter part of September, and it was not unreasonable to expect that the next phase in the air war would be directed at our bases in France and the United Kingdom. Britain's bomber strength at this time was quite small. We had a few front-line squadrons equipped with the Wellington, Hampden and Whitley; and light bombers such as the Blenheim and Battle. The aircrew were regulars, or members of the RAFVR. They were skilled and well-trained men, but had yet to learn the art of war in the heat of battle. Although we had front-line squadrons, we had virtually nothing else. All our goods were in the window with no reserve stock. What we needed most was time; time to build aircraft for the expansion of Bomber Command; and find the necessary instructors to train new crews and build up our reserve strength. To achieve the latter requirement some bomber squadrons were taken off operational duties and given a training role. This, of course, weakened the strike force. Thus it became imperative that our front line squadrons not suffer heavy casualties which would endanger the very existence of our bomber force. So 1939 was a year for conservation and expansion, and provided the breathing space that Bomber Command so badly needed. It was also the year that No. 214 was chosen as a reserve squadron. In September, the Squadron embarked upon aircrew training duties. Apart from two flying accidents at the end of the year which cost the lives of five trainee aircrew, good progress was made. The training programme proceeded smoothly during the entire phoney war period. Stradishall became the Squadron's new base in February, 1940; a base it would occupy for the next three years. Stradishall, in Suffolk, was an ideal drome, having been built pre-war with full services, permanent housing, and concrete runways. 214 was the envy of other squadrons in 3 Group which had to operate from grass covered airfields with no modern conveniences. Dennis Humphries, DFC, a wireless operator, who arrived at Stradishall a few weeks after the move, had this to say: "214 was the first squadron to which we were posted after finishing OTU at Bassingbourn. We went as a crew, believing that we would shortly be on ops, but were most disappointed to find that 214 was a reserve squadron, and our flying was confined to cross-country flights, air firing, and W.T. practice, etc. After about a month of training we were posted once again, this time to No. 75 Squadron, then operational at Feltwell. "During this period I was only an AC2 Wireless Operator/Air Gunner as promotion to Sergeant for Wop/Ags did not come into force until June 1940. 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