Air Traffic Control Impahl




Date/Time 12 May 1944 0600 – 1840
Crew Captain Strauss and crew
Mission Agartala – Jorhat – Imphal – Chandina - Agartala
Cargo 1300lbs of freight – 50 passengers

Date/Time 14May 1944 0655 – 1430
Crew FL Gaynor and crew
Mission Agartala – Jorhat – Imphal – Chandina - Agartala
Cargo
5000lbs of freight, 5000lbs of supplies and 30 passengers.

Date/Time 16 May 1944 0740 - 1455
Crew FO Thompson and crew
Mission Agartala – Imphal – Silhet - Agartala
Cargo 12500lbs of freight and 5 passengers

Date/Time 19 May – 20th May 1944 1600 - 1605
Crew Captain Purchase and Crew
Mission Agartala – Silhet – Agartala
Cargo
5500lbs of supplies

Date/Time 22 May 1944 0600
Crew FL Rowson and crew
Mission Supply dropping not successful due weather – cloud and heavy rain over DZ.
Cargo
No details given.

Date/Time 24 May 1944 0700 - 1555
Crew SL Carter and crew
Mission Agartala – Silhet – DZ Blackpool
Cargo 5500lbs of supplies

 

Date/Time 31 May 1944 0913 – 1840
Crew SL H.F. Carter and crew
Mission Agartala – Palel - Agartala
Cargo
10700lbs of freight and 7900lbs of freight


JUNE 1944

During the month of June, routine flights were carried out. No new commitments. Squadron detachment to India continued to carry troops, passengers, equipment and freight and was deployed on supply dropping until 8th June 1944, when they returned to base. From a domestic point of view, a great improvement was made in the move to a new campsite at the North East area of station on 28th June. Key feature is permanent mess with ablution facilities.

A letter was received from Air Marshal Sir J.E.A. Baldwin of HQ 3rd Tactical Air Force South East Asia stating that with a skeleton strength the 16 crews and 79 ground crew did very well.

Date/Time 01 June 1944 0600 - 1825
Crew Captain T.E. Purchase, WO Swetman, FS Wood
Mission Agartala – Silhet – Kangla – Jorhat – Imphal – Jorhat – Silhet - Agartala
Cargo
5000lbs of ammo, 5500lbs of freight, 30 troops with equipment, 4000lbs of empty shell cases.

Date/Time 02 June 1944 0700 - 1035
Crew SL H.F.Carter
Mission Supply dropping unsuccessful due bad weather over DZ.

Date/Time 02 June 1944 1355 - 1800
Crew SL H.F.Carter
Mission Agartala – RE975521
Cargo 6400lbs of supplies

Date/Time 03 June 1944 0620 – 0955
Crew PO J.A.Milburn, WO F.W.Dodgson
Mission Agartala – Palel – Agartala
Cargo
5952lbs rations, 2200lbs empty petrol drums.

Date/Time 03 June 1944 1125 – 1530
Crew PO J.A.Milburn, WO F.W.Dodgson
Mission Agartala – Palel – Agartala
Cargo
2200lbs empty petrol drums, 6000lbs milk

Date/Time 04 June 1944 0540 - 0925
Crew FL D.M.Gaynor
Mission Agartala – 2547N, 9407E
Cargo 6300lbs supplies.
A second mission that day was unsuccessful due to bad weather.

Date/Time 06 June 1944 0530 – 1025
Crew FL J.H. Carter
Mission Agartala – RE975520
Cargo 6000lbs of supllies

Date/Time 06 June 1944 1125 – 1925
Crew FO P.J.Hirst, WO E.A. Barefoot
Mission Agartala – Jorhat, Imphal, Agartala
Cargo 1200lbs of supplies

Date/Time 07 June 1944 0554 - 1605
Crew FL J.C.Wardill, Sgt.Stokes
Mission Agartala – Kangla – Jorhat – Imphal – Jorhat - Agartala
Cargo
6000lbs of supplies, 30 passengers with kit, 2000lbs empty oil drums.

Date 08 June 1944 – 22 june 1944
Squadron 512 Detachment completed and returned to the rest of the squadron in Cairo, Egypt.
Location Broadwell, UK
Information Compiled by Not specified
4 new aircraft arrive and training continues


Date/Time 22 June – 24th June 1944 0035 - 1250
Crew FO J.E.Bradley, FO R.F.Joyce
Mission Cairo West – Marble Arch – Castel Benito – Biskra – Algiers – Oujda – Rabat – Algiers – Castel Benito – Cario West
Cargo Freight and passengers

Date/Time 28 June 1944
Crew FO R.C.Kundy, 1st Sgt. Bird
Mission Cairo West – Meliopolis – Wilhemena – Lakatamia – Wilhemina – Cairo West
Cargo Freight and passengers

Date/Time 30 June - 06 July 1944 0025 - 1140
Crew FO J.W.B.Lindley
Mission Cairo West - Marble Arch – Castel Benito – Biskra – Maison Blanche – Oujda – Rabat – Maison Blanche – Castel Benito – El-Adem – Cairo West
Cargo Freight and passengers
.
JULY 1944

July missions seem to have been curtailed as it saw the 25th Anniversary of the squadron being based in Egypt. On 08 July 1944 a large celebration was made at the base to celebrate the squadron’s activation in 1919 in Marquise, France to its current activity in Kantara, Egypt. WC W.R.Read who was C/O in 1919 was invited along with two other former C/O’s of the squadron WC Rustom and WC Morris.
Also the squadron’s activities were further curtailed by the movement of part of the group to Italy. Originally this was to be to Viterbo but the order was subsequently changed to Bevinco, Corsica. In addition at the end of the month aircraft were sent to undergo training for Operation Dragoon.
.

Date/Time 09 July – 11 July 1944 0005 - 1745
Crew FL Konarzenski
Mission Cairo West – Benina – Castel Benito – Maison Blanche – Castel Benito – Benina – Cairo West
Cargo Freight and passengers

Date/Time 18 July 1944
Crew Unspecified under leadership of SL C.R.Glen
Mission Party of 3 aircraft travelled to Bevinco to set up new base there
Cargo Equipment, tents etc.

18th July advance party of three aircraft piloted by SL Glenn, FO Rivalant and WO J. Howard left Cairo West at 0800 for Castel Benito where they spent the night. The following day they left Castel Benito at 0700 and flew to Bevinco. The airport is used for transport and communication aircraft and is a single strip, hard earth and 1200 yard long. Dispersal is cramped as surrounded by trees. Camp is one mile away and transport was borrowed from No. 63 Staging Post as our own transport has not arrived from the mainland.

20th July main party arrives and everybody settled in.

22 July Motor transport arrives. Operated double route to Maison Blanche to pick up spares and to Capodichino to get supplies. Pleasant camp with nearby stream to bathe, but lots of mosquitoes in the evening.


Date/Time 30 July 1944 0050 – 1445
Crew FO P.R.Vickery, FO L.P.Lee, FL D.M.Gaynor, PO J.C.McCallum
Mission Cairo West – El-Adem – Luqa – Naples (crew change) Luqa – Benina – Cairo West
Cargo Freight and passengers


AUGUST 1944

Note. During August the Squadron was paid the high honour of being visited by Lord Louis Mountbatten, Commander in Chief, South East Asia, who complimented the Squadron on its work while in India.. In addition during August, 4 aircraft – led by Air Commadore Whitney W. Straight C.B.E. M.C. D.F.C. went of a special mission from Algiers to Le Bourget – Paris via Marseille and Toulouse with members of the French National Committee of Liberation. Routine flights were operated to Maison Blanche to get supplies to build up No. 135 ASP in the Calvi area.

Date/Time 14 August 1944
Crew Unspecified
Mission Aicraft were dispatched to Galera, Italy to obtain loads of and then flew to Ajaccio.
Cargo 5700lbs comprised of dispatchers, ‘Window’ and ‘Chaff’ (for jamming Radar and assimilation of each aircraft to represent a formation of 40), miniature parachutist dummies and simulated rifle machine gun fire

Date/Time 15 - 16 August 1944
Crew FL G.Russell Glen
Mission Aircraft was sent in support of “Operation Dragoon” Crews were sent for training by Para-Resupply from 334 Quartermaster Company. Aircraft left from Ajaccio in good weather with low cloud, at 3 minute intervals steering a course due west for 151 miles, then due north for 92 miles striking the coast in the centre of the Ciotat Bay. Convoy hit landfall spread out over 5 mile area but DZ was found without difficulty 14 miles north of Toulon. Dropping commenced between 600-700ft above peak at a speed of 110-120mph. Many flashes and red lights were seen from first drop. Navigation was assisted by radar and red tracers were fired from La Coitat. In the distance Marseille and Toulouse could be seen being bombed. Time over the drop zone was from 0349 – 0419. Laying window was no problem. This was done by the 6 re-supply crew and the JumpMaster.

The following day, ASPs were continued and many units, both American, French and British were moved onto the south of France. A daily mail run was also commenced between Bevinco and Le Luc.
Cargo




5700lbs of equipment comprising;
60 parachutes weighing 40lbs each
3 rifle simulators weighing 70lbs each
Window Type ‘N’
Window Type ‘CHR-1’
25 Pintails weighing 150lbs
6 panniers for chutes weighing 150lbs
Crew re-supply weighing 1400lbs

Date/Time 17 August 1944
Crew AC Whitney Straight
Mission Bevinco – St Catherines - Ramatuelle - Bevinco
Cargo Assist move of No324 Spitfire Wing to new base at Ramatuelle, France.




Note. Operation Dragoon was the revised name given to Operation Anvil and the invasion assault on Southern France. Window is the name given to small aluminium strips that were used to interfere with German radar. The aluminium strips created a fog on the German radar screens which inhibited their ability to clearing identify what was happening.


Date/Time 23 August 1944 0040 - 1700
Crew FL J.C.Mardile, FO R.T.McComes
Mission Freight and passengers
Cargo Cairo West - El-Adem - Luqa – Capodichino – Malta – Menina – Cairo West

Date/Time 27 – 28 August 1944 0355 - 1720
Crew FL J.P.Ford, FO C.A.Bourne D.F.C.
Mission Freight and passengers
Cargo Cairo West – Al-Adem – Luqa – Naples – Luqa – Benina – Cairo West

Date/Time 31 August – 02 September 1944 0330 – 1800
Crew LT C.Carter-Johnson, FL Konarzewski
Mission Cairo West – El-Adem – Luqa – Naples – Malta – Benina – Cairo West
Cargo Freight and passengers



SEPTEMBER 1944

September’s activities were curtailed due to the training of new crews and pilots. In addition there were classified “Top Secret” flights to Russia and a special flight to take the Russian Ambassador to Tehran.

Date/Time 04 - 05 September 1944 0450 - 1320
Crew FL R.C.Hopkins, PO G.D.Corbett
Mission Cairo West – Wilhelma – Beiruth – Cyprus – Beiruth – Wilhelma – Cairo West
Cargo Freight and passengers

Date/Time 26 September 1944 0055 – 1630
Crew PO R.Pegues, FL J.C.Wardill
Mission Cairo West – Gambut – Luqa – Capodichino – Luqa – Benina – Cairo West
Cargo Freight and passengers




OCTOBER 1944

Routine flights were operated to Bari, Naples, Rabat, Sale and special flights to Wilhomina (Palestine), Aden and Adana (Turkey).

Date/Time 02 - 03 October 1944 0350 – 2315
Crew FO Pegues, FO G.E.J.E.Creteur
Mission Cairo West – El-Adem – Luqa – Capo – Luqa – Benina – Cairo West
Cargo Freight and passengers


Date/Time 05 October 1944 0330 – 1600
Crew FL P.A.C.Jackson
Mission Cairo West – Idku – Berka – Idku – Cairo West
Cargo Freight and Passengers


Date/Time 14 - 22 October 1944 1155 – 1530
Crew WC G.N.Frangistas
Mission Cairo West – Marsa Matruh – El-Adem – Kalamaki – El-Adem – Kalamaki – ElAdem – Kalamaki – El-Adem – Cairo West
Cargo Freight and passengers

Date/Time 24 - 25 October 1944 0200 – 1710
Crew WC G.N.Frangistas, FL A.P.F.Walker
Mission Cairo West – El-Adem – Luqa – Bari – Luqa – El-Adem – Cairo West
Cargo Freight and passengers


NOVEMBER 1944

During November again missions were curtailed as the squadron was moved to a new location at Bari. The aircraft was used to fly Sir Bernhard Rawlings to London as well as to fly the coffin of Lord Morne to the UK. In addition, tours of the Balkans were undertaken.

Date/Time 04 November 1944 1140 – 1305
Crew WO J.English. Sgt A.Hand
Mission Bari – Athens – Bari
Cargo 4000lbs of freight (jeeps) and passengers

Date/Time 10 November 1944 1105 – 1705
Crew FL B.Marshall, Sgt Bennett
Mission Bari – Naples – Bari – Athens – Bari
Cargo 3920lbs of freight, 180lbs of mail and 1 passenger (urgent load of tyres)

Date/Time 19 November 1944 1830 - 2345
Crew WO English, Sgt Hand
Mission Bari – Zemun – Bari
Cargo 18 passengers. Received no ground signals so returned to Bari with delivering passengers.

Date/Time 20 November 1944 1350 – 1815
Crew FL P.R.Grifin, Sgt Openshaw
Mission Bari- Piccadilly Joan (Yugoslavia) – Bari
Cargo 5000lbs of freight
Note: Flew in daylight formation escorted by Spitfires. Clothing and stores were delivered to Partisans. Excellent impressions created by punctual and regular arrival of British aircraft.



DECEMBER 1944

December activities were limited because of the requirement to undertake special flights to Athens because of the problems there. On these trips the aircraft often received incoming fire from ELAS Forces. Operations were also curtailed because of bad weather in the Balkans

Date/Time 22 - 24 December 1944 0120 – 1930
Crew FL P.A.C.Jackson
Mission Cairo – Benina – Castel Benito – El Aouina – Masion Blanche – Biskra – Castel Benito – Cairo West
Cargo Freight and passengers

Date/Time 28 December 1944
Crew FL E.P.Coughlan
Mission Special Flight - Cairo West – Lydda – Cairo West
Cargo Unspecified




JANUARY 1945

From January 1945, the Operational Record Books no longer contain detailed information by mission or by aircraft. Details are held in brief summary of activity for the month. In sum instances and for some missions the aircraft number is recorded, but this is the exception. During this period the aircraft was operating routine schedules of freight and passenger delivery.

Routine flights were operated from Cairo to Naples (Pomigliano) stopping at El Adem and Luqa. Bari detachment returned after 6 months away. Three more detachments were made sending planes to Karachi and to transport food to landing grounds between Bahrein and Karachi.



FEBRUARY 1945

Routine flights operated to Cyprus, Habbaniya, Arabia and to Khartoum and Aden.

MARCH 1945

Routine flights to Habbaniya and Cyprus.

APRIL 1945

Undertook training of 96 Squadron which is scheduled for completion 02 may 1945. Flights are operating at night because of the heat.


Date/Time 04 April 1945
Crew Unspecified
Mission Aircraft flew to Cawnpore o special flight to collect urgently required material unobtainable in the Middle East.
Cargo Unspecified

On VE Day, 08 May 1945 several of the men had to work overtime as there were problems. There was bungee failures and riggers had to work to correct these faults.


MAY 1945

Operated to Eastleigh, Habbaniya, Khartoum, Aden and Karachi


Date/Time 21 May 1945
Crew FS J.A. Harrison
Mission Aircraft departed for Masira to help move HQ Middle East to Aden.
Cargo Unspecified


JUNE 1945

Routine flights were operated throughout June on the following routes, 331/2, 343/4, 347/8, 465/6, 456/7, CKA and CLH.

Date/Time 10 June 1945
Crew FL L. Williams and crew
Mission Aircraft departed for special flight to Durban, South Africa.
Cargo Unspecified


JULY 1945

Operations were curtailed due to unservicability. Broken undercarriage bungees, the lack of spares and excessive overheating causing oil leaks made it impossible to maintain routine flights. Flights were laid on to accommodate HQ Iraq, Persia but backlogs happened.

Date/Time 18 July 1945
Crew WO K.E. Elsden
Mission Departed on a special flight to Nairobi, Kenya.
Cargo Unspecified





AUGUST 1945

Routine flights were heavily curtailed due to unservicability of aircraft. Special commitments to Persian Gulf caused cancellation of flights on routes 331/ and 343/4.



SEPTEMBER 1945

Routine flights were carried out on routes CKN, CHS, 332 and 344.

Date/Time 26 September 1945
Crew FL J.B.Thompson and crew
Mission Departed on special flight to Naples
Cargo Unspecified

Date/Time 29 September 1945
Crew WO M.R.H Easton
Mission Cairo West – Biskra – Cairo West
Cargo Special flight



OCTOBER 1945

Routine flights were carried on throughout October to CK, CK, and routes 465/6. A special parade for awards of the Air Force Cross to FL R.P. Tissandierwas held.

Date/Time 11 October 1945
Crew FO E.W. Young
Mission Special flight to Aden and from there to carry out shuttle flights between Aden and Asmara
Cargo Unspecified


NOVEMBER 1945

Date Unknown
Squadron 1382 Transport Support Conservation Unit
Location Wymeswold, UK
Information Compiled by Not specified
FL633 was returned to the UK for unspecified use and transfer to civilian use.