The Wartime Memories Project - RAF Feltwell

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Information. During World War 1, Feltwell airfield was used as No. 7 Training Depot Station. The Station rebuilt in 1937 and at the outbreak of war was allocated to Bomber Command. On the 4th April 1940 No. 75 (NZ) Squadron of the RAF became the first Commonwealth squadron to be formed in Bomber Command. They took part in the early bombing offensive against enemy-occupied territories, flying Wellington bombers. While returning from a raid on Munster on 7/8th July 1941, one of its aircrew, Sergeant Pilot JR Ward, RNZAF, won the Victoria Cross. Feltwell suffered a series of raids by enemy aircraft in February and March, 1941. The airfield sustained little damage, except to the Sergeant's mess, but several houses in the village were demolished, and families made homeless. Today Feltwell is home to the American airforce. Squadrons stationed at Feltwell 75 (NZ) Squadron Apr 1940 to Aug 1942 No. 3 Lancaster Finishing School No: 464 (Aus.) Squadron My father, Bert Wilson, was at Bicester on blenhiems in 1940. Joined Raf in Sept 1939 and went to Cardington for training and then posted to Bicester in Jan 1940 as a gunner. He was in a crash, where the plane overshot the runway and crashed into a tree. He was then posted to Winslow 1942 ( overseas drafting station (staff) ). From there he was reposted to bomber command at Feltwell April1943 and then to Methold 1944. Finshed as a chemical warfare instructor, also had passed courses as an air gunner and drill instructor and was also in charge of flare path squad and in charge of service staff in airmans mess also sargents mess. Corporal J A Wilson 5th from left. My father told me he was in mk 1 blenheim 104 squadron and that they used to do leaflet drops and bomb barges . If anyone has any info on Bicester I would like to know. At Feltwell my father Corporal John Albert Wilson (Bert) met my mother Corporal Jane Adams (Jean) married in 1943. My mother joined in 1941 and served until 1944. First was HGD duties and then in Sergeants mess HGD Corporal. People remembered were Sally Bone, Alise Rennison, Helen Buxton, Jeanie Stuart, Beatrise May Lily, Vera and Doris Harvey, Mavis Thackery, Paddy Rankin (went to Lancaster sqadron). Warrent Officer Young. Went out 2 dates with an american airman Henry Ford. Jean Adams in Helmet. Jeaney Stuart and Jean Adams If there is anybody who remembers them can you get intouch.

My father in law lived at Poppylot, he saw a plane come down in 1942. A Wellington from Feltwell he helped show people where it was and the Aeronautic Society dug it up but we wondered if anybody knows where it was taken to hope you can help Julie

I am trying to find information about my uncle, Edgar William Harvey. He served with the 75th Squadron, RNZAF and was flying in a Stirling I, serial R9245 code AA-E. He was killed on 16 December 1942 when they took off from the airfield in Newmarket. As I understand it, as the Stirling cleared the runway, its starboard wheel clipped the top of Devil's Dyke and this caused the plane to crash about a mile from the airfield. All crew were killed. I would like to find out, what is "Devil's Dyke"? Also do you have any more information. I know Edgar is buried in Norfolk. My information says Lakenham, but should that be Fakenham? His service No. was 41902, he was a Sergeant (Air Bomber) and his grave site is Sec.E, grave 25. Chris Strong

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List of those who served here. Corporal Jean Adams. WAAF. Read her story Cyril Percy Anspack Sergeant G.W.M Archer. air gunner RAF (d.29/06/42) Sgt. William F. Archer. navigator (d.16/7/41) P/O Arthur Ashworth Les Baker Flt Sgt "Tubby" Barr   Audry Bayly Read her story Sgt Beckett Flight Sergeant L.L. Bentley. pilot RNZF (d.23/12/41) FL Sergeant J.W. Billing. wireless operator/gunner RCAF (d.02/03/45) "Dickie" Bird  Bill Bond Sally Bone. WAAF Sgt Broad  Ernie Brook  Alan “Abdul” Budds Pilot Officer J.W.A. Bustin. air gunner RCAF (d.30/06/42) Kay Butler  Helen Buxton. WAAF Sergeant A.S. Cassells. air gunner RAF(d.04/08/41) Danny Cawthra  Sergeant Kenneth William C. Clark. wireless operator/gunner RAF (d.16/09/41) Eric Cole Sqd Ldr. W. I. Collett  Fl/Lt Bill Cotterall  Pilot Officer R M Curtis. RAF 75 Sqd. Read his story Flt/Sgt Philip Deane F/Lt Frank Denton FL Sergeant R.W. Dickson RAAF (d.10/12/42) FL Lieutenant M.I. Dore. pilot RAF (d.04/11/42) FL Officer F.D. Drake. wireless operator/gunner RCAF (d.20/01/43) Sqd Ldr L. Drummond F/LT “Jock” Duncan. senior instructor. No. 3LFS Pilot Officer C.W. Eames. observer RAF (d.29/07/42) Sgt "Lofty" Eaton Sergeant R.B. Elliott. observer RAF (d.10/01/41) Flt Sgt Gordon Ellis  John Etheridge Sergeant E. Ewings. observer RAF (d.06/01/42)  Sgt Faguy   Dick Fallows Stan Faulkner Ken Flavell Read his story Pilot Officer C.N. Fountain. pilot RNZAF (d.23/04/42)  Sgt Fox   Allan Fraser  Sergeant E.F. Gannaway. air gunner RNZAF (d.12/05/41)  Jimmy  Gibson F/Lt. C. L. Gilbert  Sgt Goodhue Sergeant R.J. Grenfell. wireless operator/gunner RNZAF (d.29/06/42) Johnny Gunn Peter Gunning Sergeant Philip B Gurd. pilot RCAF (d.11/12/41) "Lofty" Hall    Leading Aircraftman H. Hamer RAF (d.06/11/44) Sgt. Hugh Wright Hardie. wireless operator/air gunner (d.16/7/41) Sergeant R.J. Harris. air gunner RNZAF (d.23/04/42) Edgar William Harvey. bombaimer RNZAF. 75 Squadron (d.16 Dec 1942 )Read his story Doris Harvey. WAAF Vera Harvey. WAAF  Peter Haxby Read his story F/O Bill Henry Sgt Hill   Sergeant William J.H. Hoskins. pilot RAF (d.04/07/41) Cecil Ives  Sgt. Stuart W. Jackson. (d.16/7/41) FL Officer K.W. Johns. Air Observer RCAF (d.22/01/45) Sergeant J.R.D. Jones. navigator RAF (d. 10/12/42) Sergeant D.C. Joyce. pilot RNZAF (d.16/07/41) C. P. Kay. Station Cmdr. Irene King  Flt. Sgt Lane. gnr 57 Sqd. Cpl Bob Law Flight Lieutenant H J Lawson. gnr 57 Sqd. Read his story Rufus Leggatt  Beatrise May Lily. WAAF Flt Sgt Albert Lyon  FL Sergeant J.R. McCormick. navigator RCAF (d.02/03/45) Sergeant John M. McKenzie. wireless operator RCAF (d.11/12/41) Sgt Ian McLauglin Sgt McMaster Pilot Officer B.P. McNamara. pilot RAF (d.10/01/41) WAAF Joyce Mason Flt Sgt Phil Matthew Willy Nevett  Sergeant N. Mitchell. wireless operator/gunner RNZAF (d.29/06/42)   Fl Sgt "Spud" Murphy Sqd Ldr Ray Newton Sgt D. L. Nola Pilot Officer T. M C R. Nicol. pilot RNZAF (d.23/04/42) Sergeant B.J.O'Donnell Pilot RCAF (d.02/03/43) Wing Cdr. Olsen P/O Perioli Joyce Pilgrim F/Sgt A. Pugh Paddy Rankin. Alise Rennison. WAAF Flight Sergeant D.R. Richardson. pilot RCAF (d.06/01/42) Sergeant Sydney R. Rishworth. pilot RAF (d.16/07/41) Sgt Ritchie Hughie Roberts Jock Robertson   Derek "Bubbles" Routen Cliff Rusted Pilot Officer A.J. Ryan. pilot RNZAF (d.10/01/41) P/O Sanderson John Sandys   Jimmy Scott Peter Doug Scott Sergeant R.L.N Simmons. pilot RAF (d.06/01/42) John Skelly Sgt. James Murray Smith. (d.16/7/41) Ronnie Soo Sergeant Robert Simeon Sparkes. wireless operator/air gunner RAF 57 Sqd (d.04/07/41) Sgt Strickland Frank Stott. Read his Story Jeanie Stuart. WAAF William Sutherland Mavis Thackery. WAAF Sqd Ldr. Len Trent  FL Sergeant G.H. Turcotte. pilot RCAF (d.10/12/42) William Van Exan Jack Wade Flt Sgt. Jack. W. Walters Sergeant Pilot J.R. Ward. VC. RNZAF. 75 Sqd. Sgt. John H. Waterfall Sergeant Donald A. Watson. pilot RAF (d.11/12/41) Pilot Officer John A. Watson. pilot RCAF (d.27/10/41) "Geordie" Williams P/O Wilson Corporal John Albert "Bert" Wilson. Read his story Sgt Witherington. pilot. 57 sqd Sergeant H.W. Woodham. pilot RNZAF (d.28/02/42 27) Sergeant A.N. Yeaman RAAF (d.04/06/42) Warrent Officer Young. If you have any names to add to this list, or any recollections or photos of those listed, please get in touch.

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