Control Tower No17 - South West Airfields Heritage Trust

15 Pages·2013·3.31 MB·English

by  David Steel

CONTROL TOWER
THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF
THE SOUTH WEST AIRFIELDS
HERITAGE TRUST
ISSUE No.17 December 2013
www.southwestairfields.com
The Editor’s column
Well that's it! Another year over and done with. orate this historic day. Details will be published
2014 just a week or two away. as they evolve.
What have we achieved this year? Have a great Christmas holiday everyone and I
Well quite a bit, the restored Nissen Hut at wish you all a Happy New Year. See you all in
Smeatharpe, another successful Wings and March 2014.
Wheels event, an active re-enactment group and I need articles, E-mail it, scribble it on a bit of
many more members on the books. We have paper and post it, put it on the blog section of
made many new friends and associates during our website, just let me have your stories.
the year including a very close association with Thanks to the Internet we can flesh the article
our friends at Weston Zoyland. In current times out if we need to.
it is becoming increasingly more important that
charity groups such as ourselves all work togeth- For updates on this and many other
er to achieve our objectives. Resources are things please do go to the web site
scarce and money in very short supply. It is bet- at www.southwestairfields.com.
ter to share what we have and get somewhere
rather than sitting around waiting for the next big Dave Steel
donation before moving forward. With that in [email protected]
mind we would welcome associations with other
like minded organisations. So dear reader, if
you know of any such groups then please try to
encourage them to get in contact with us.
Next year is the 70th anniversary of D-Day so
expect a great event in the summer to commem-
The SWAHT Christmas dinner at Lakeview Manor, Dunkeswell
IInn tthhiiss IIssssuuee
●●RReeaaddeerrss LLeetttteerrss..
●●Obituary to Gene Shaw McIntyre..
●●AA mmeemmbbeerrsshhiipp ffoorrmm ffoorr yyoouu ttoo ffiillll iinn aanndd sseenndd
ttoo uuss..
●●AAllccoocckk && BBrroowwnn -- FFiirrsstt ttrraannssaattllaannttiicc fflliigghhtt..
●●SSttuuffff yyoouu ccaann bbuuyy && ee--mmaaiill aaddddrreesssseess..
●●CChhaaiirrmmaann''ss CChhaatttteerr..
●●PPaarrtt 22 ooff JJaacckk WWaallkkeerr’’ss WWoorrlldd WWaarr IIII SSeerrvviiccee..
Chairman’s Chatter Christmas 2013
Christmas is traditionally a time for families to gather and enjoy a complete break from
the otherwise busy pace of daily life during the rest of the year. It is a time for pause,
for reflection, thinking about achievements (and the things we wanted to do but didn’t
quite have time for) and pondering on the coming year and what surprises it might
bring (hopefully all positive!). For those with children – grandchildren even, or maybe
even great grandchildren, there is an opportunity to look across the generations and
remember what life was like when you/we were that age.
Ten years ago some farsighted people gathered to form the Southwest Airfields
Heritage Trust – in those days with a clear focus on World War 2 history and the
Blackdown Hills in Devon as its geographic area of concentration. Two of our
Trustees – Wendy and Claude Caple – were in at the beginning, soon to be joined in
2004 by Vic Bowsher (immediate past-Chairman) and others to form what is now a
nine-strong group of trustees.
Membership in the past two years has expanded to an international base of around
150, and continues to build strongly. We have a small but growing cadre of members
in Europe and North America, reflecting the SWAHT’s strong associations with the
United States, Poland, and the Czech Republic in particular. Our geographical
interest has expanded to include Exeter and Weston Zoyland.
Trustees meet monthly to plan and manage our projects and events, with the aim of
enriching the historical experience of our visitors from afar, as well as the people who
live in the south west of England. With the trust’s growth in membership and the
enlarged scope of activity, management of operations is progressively being de-
volved into focused sub-committees, with the aim of easing the administrative burden
on the same small group of individuals at the centre that characterize voluntary
organisations – which is a roundabout way of saying we are constantly looking for
more volunteers!
In that context, I am pleased to welcome Brian Lane-Smith as a newly elected trustee
and who has volunteered to take up the mantle of Company Secretary of South West
Heritage Ltd. from Vic Bowsher, who is stepping down from the role. Brian brings
significant business experience to the group, which will be enormously helpful to the
Trust as it continues to expand.
This is also an appropriate point to thank May Bowsher for all her hard work as Minute
Secretary to the Trustees. May is retiring after many years during which she has
somehow managed to turn often wide-ranging and energetic discussions into a
succinct précis for follow-up action. I am pleased to welcome Hilary Thorne to the
team, who has volunteered to take over from May as Minute Secretary.
During 2013, our new ‘Heritage Centre’ – a restored Nissen Hut on Cherryhayes Farm at
Smeatharpe – was transformed into a first class meeting place for those interested in the history
of the adjacent airfield and the work of the Trust in general. It has a semi-permanent exhibition
focused on RAF Upottery and its involvement in the liberation of Europe in 1944, and is one of
our venues for talks and other events. Please take time out to visit - by arrangement through
David Bunney or Trisha Knowles.
Focus is now turning to creating a similar Heritage Centre at Dunkeswell, where we are working
closely with the airfield’s owner to create a centre focused on the USAAF and USN operations
there during WW2; more on that early in the new year. Plans are also afoot to create a SWAHT
presence at other airfields such as Culm Head and Weston Zoyland, as part of the Trust’s
long-term ambition to complete its Aviation Heritage Trail in the south west.
On behalf of the trustees, I wish you a very happy and restful Christmas, and a prosperous and
successfully New Year. For those who can make it, we look forward to seeing you in 2014 at
any of our events.
Graham Weller
Christmas 2013
WESTONZOYLAND AVIATION MUSEUM
(Affiliated to SWAHT)
● A ‘virtual’ museum in that it is yet to acquire permanent
premises but maintains a growing photographic archive dis-
played at talks and an exhibition tent alongside a very active
Facebook page.
● As reported in a recent Daily Mail Online article – a perma-
nent building would also act as a memorial centre for the
nineteen pilots who lost their lives in the jet age.
● It was the West’s leading Meteor Jet training base and wasn’t decommis-
sioned until 1958.
●RAF WESTONZOYLAND is one of the country’s oldest small airfields which
started its career in the early
●1920’S.Negotiations are in progress with Westonzoyland Parish Council for
placement of a suitable building taking a ground lease is secured so a suita-
ble grant application can be made.
Obituary to Gene Shaw McIntyre
It is with the greatest of sadness and respect that we record the death of Gene McIntyre on Wednesday,
30thOctober last, at the age of 96. He was laid to rest on the following Friday.
Gene Shaw McIntyre was born in Texas in 1917 and spent his early years in Memphis and in Millington,
Tennessee. He was educated at the Christian Brothers College and graduated in 1936. For the next five
years, he worked for short periods at a number of employments without fulfilment before joining the Royal
Canadian Air Force in 1941 and beginning pilot training, based at Regina, Saskatchewan.
On the morning of Sunday 7th. December, 1941, the Japanese launched a surprise air attack on the U.S.
facilities at Pearl Harbour in the Hawaiian Islands. The US declared war on Japan during the following
day and, with only six weeks to complete before his graduation as a pilot; Gene McIntyre left the Canada
and returned home to join the US Navy. He was selected for aircrew and received training as an aviation
ordnanceman before being posted in February, 1943 as an AOM to an operational unit flying the PBY-5A
Catalina. However, his time here was short and in early March, 1943 he was posted to the US Navy
Auxiliary Air Station at Camp Kearney, San Diego, California. joining many others selected to form the
crews of the PB4Y-1s then being brought into service.
When U.S. Navy Bombing Squadron 103 commissioned on 15th. March, 1943 Gene McIntyre was
assigned to crew 5. Throughout March and April, conversion training was undertaken on the PB4Y-1,
followed by low-level bombing and aerial gunnery practice. At the end of April, the aircrews collected the
PB4Y-1s that were to equip the Squadron from the naval air station at Norfolk, Virginia before being
deployed to the air station at Quonset Point, Rhode Island for 2 weeks intensive training in anti-
submarine operations, including use of radar, sonobouys and the Mark 24 Aerial Mine. In May, VB-103
was moved to Bristol Field, Argentia, Newfoundland and, after further training, began regular patrols of
the western Atlantic, and convoy escorts.
The big move came in August, 1943 when the aircrews flew their aircraft across the Atlantic to the RAF
Coastal Command base at St. Eval in Cornwall where anti-submarine operations were again conducted.
On the move again in September, VB-103 travelled some 80 miles to the east and took over the newly
constructed airfield at Dunkeswell in Devon. The aircrews’ living area was incomplete and the unmade
roads and muddy conditions soon gave the camp the nickname of “Mudville Heights”. The squadron was
joined by further anti-submarine units and a very successful war was waged against the German U-boats.
Gene McIntyre served with VB-103 until June, 1944, achieving the rank of Aviation Chief Ordnanceman.
He was then posted back to Norfolk, Virginia. This proved to be a fortuitous event as, whilst stationed
there, he met his future wife, Miss. Zola Maxine Harry. They married, enjoying 69 years together.
On his discharge from the Navy, in October, 1945 he joined the US Civil Service before founding his own
electric appliance business, distributing the Philco, Whirlpool and Motorola brands. Later, he owned a TV
and furniture business in Houston. On retirement, he moved to San Antonio and, with time on his hands,
decided to trace former shipmates from VB-103, finding enough to hold the first of several reunions. In
1998, the realisation that the VB-103 reunion clashed with the annual FAW-7 reunion resulted in an
amalgamation of the two events.
For many years and with the assistance of his wife Maxine, Gene McIntyre produced the FAW-7
Newsletter. Compiled from the contributions of his shipmates, these publications contained much of the
history of VB-103.
In his book “The Greatest Generation”, Tom Brokaw lists duty, honour, patriotism and personal
responsibility as values displayed by the “WW II” generation but, sadly, missing in the most recent
generations. Certainly Gene McIntyre can be said to have been a member of the Greatest Generation.
On a personal level, I have been privileged and proud to have known him and to have been his friend.
May he rest in Peace.
To his wife Maxine and to his entire family we offer our sincere condolences and sympathy.
By John Gregory
Jack Walker’s World War II Service. Part 2
By
Andrew Walker
25 April 1945 combat patrol over the Bay of Biscay. It was
spring, but then-LT (jg) Walker, serving as navi-
U-326 was a Type VII-C/41 U boat built by
gator, recorded the weather forecast as “poor
Flender Werke AG and commissioned under the
conditions with patches of fog and turbulence
command of Oblt. Peter Matthes (later Kapitän-
and rain.” This would be my father’s 39th com-
leutnant) on 6 June
1944. As part of 4
Crew 5, B-10 “K” on 25 April 1945
Flottille (training), U-
Dwight Knott, Patrol Plane Commander
Kenneth Robinson, Co-Pilot
326 trained in the
John Walker, Navigator
North Sea until Febru-
Richard Alsop, First Radioman
J.B. Jones, Second Radioman
ary 1945 when it
Joseph Kirchdorfer, Tail Gunner
sailed to Bergen (Nor-
Robert Mayer, Nose Gunner
R.H. Roberts, Plane Captain
way) to join 11 Flot-
11th Flotilla
Renfro Pace, Waist Gunner
tille. After some
Marco Vaccher, Waist Gunner
11. Unterseebootsflottille
technical issues with
the submarine’s equipment postponed its sailing,
bat mission. Because the Navy trained its avia-
U-326 deployed on its first combat patrol at
tors to be pilots and navigators, he had flown
2100 on 28 March 1945. U-326 sailed with a
the first 25 missions as co-pilot and the next 14
crew of 43 under the command of its 27-year-
missions as navigator. After a meal, mission
old commander. U-boat Command ordered U-
briefs, and pre-flight of the aircraft it was time to
326 to proceed west and then south through the
get going. Engine warm-up took some time as
Iceland-Faeroes passage. Subsequent orders
the cylinder heads had to reach a certain tem-
directed U-326 to proceed west of Ireland and to
perature. My father’s navigation charts recorded
a patrol area at the southern end of the English
taxiing out at 1211 hours and being airborne 5
Channel. After a radio transmission to U-boat
minutes later. B-10 “K” crossed the English
Command on 13 April, U-326 was not heard
coast at 1226 hours and was on patrol at 1333
from again (Niestle, 2006).
hours. My father’s navigation charts record the
On the morning of 25 April, the Crew 5 of Squad-
sea as moderate to rough.
ron VPB-103, aircraft B-10 “K” prepared them-
selves and their PB4Y-1 for a long-range
His navigation charts also detail the frequent At no time during the attack did the submarine,
course changes needed to follow the prescribed later identified as U-326, change course or
patrol areas. At 1521 hours, based on the report speed, indicating the crew was unaware of the
of the port waist observer, a “purple high tea” American patrol bomber. My father remembered
sonobuoy was dropped but with negative results. that weather and visibility were getting worse
Shortly after that false sighting in a “frontal area,” and further circling of the apparent sinking was
seven French fishing boats were sighted before unnecessary. His recollection was that surface
patrolling resumed. ships were directed to the area to search for
survivors and debris. At 2149 hours, B-10 “K”
At 1939 hours the co-pilot and the starboard
with Crew 5 set course for home and at 2308
waist observer both sighted a snorkel with wake
hours they landed back at Dunkeswell ending its
and smoke making 6 knots on a course of 1900
successful 11-hour patrol. Ten days later, the
true at the position of 48012’ N, 05042’ W. B-10
war was over.
“K” was flying at 800 feet with an indicated air-
speed of 155 mph. That the submarine was visu- B-10 “K”
ally observed and not on radar is consistent with PB4Y-1, Bureau Number 90132
VPB-103, aircraft B-10 “K”
my father’s memory. My father felt the snorkel
Built by Consolidated in San Diego, CA
seemed high out of the water, indicating possi-
and delivered to the Navy in 1944.
ble damage to the U boat. Immediately, pilot LT Crashed at Port Lyantey (Morocco) in route
back to the U.S. in August 1945.
Knott began his attack by turning the PB4Y-1
sharply to starboard and reducing speed. As the
timeline below indicates, at this point things
started to happen quickly. Afterwards
The 25 April patrol was my father’s last combat
19:40 Hrs Dropped two Mk-24 “Specials”
mission of the war. Soon, many in VPB-103
(homing torpedoes) and one pur-
ple high tea sonobuoy would begin the trip back to the United States,
19:43 Hrs Snorkel still visible when a large
transition to new aircraft, and prepare to fight
explosion observed by crew
19:48 - 19:54 Dropped standard 1500-yd pattern the Japanese in the Pacific. In my father’s case,
Hrs of sonobuoys – orange, blue, red,
his first priority was to marry my mother, Joan
and yellow high teas
20:00 Hrs Green high tea sonobuoy dropped Atyeo from Weston-Super-Mare in Somerset on
to replace non-functioning purple
high tea 26 May. Time was very limited and they had
20:15 Hrs Oil patch observed
received special permission from the Bishop of
20:36 Hrs Knocking noises from orange high Bath and Wells and the Navy to marry. After a
tea
brief honeymoon, my father went to California to
21:05 Hrs German crew member sighted in
oil slick, apparently dead begin flying the improved PB4Y-2 Privateer and
21:49 Hrs Set course for home
my mother went to the United States to live with
my father’s family in Michigan. By February
1946, by now-LT Walker was pilot and Patrol
Plane Commander in Okinawa with VPB-108, Carey, Allan C., U.S. Navy PB4Y-1 (B-24) Liberator
Squadrons, 2003.
where he continued to fly for the next 15 months.
Kingsley, Sean, Odyssey Marine Exploration, Odyssey
After returning to the United States, the Navy Papers 4, Wreck Watch International. 2009
Niestle, Axel, Identification of U-boat Wreck in Bay of
sent my father to Northwestern University and
Biscay, UR-Report No. 003/2006. 2006.
then on a series of postings across the country
Walker, John S. (1945, April 25). [Official U.S. Navy
navigation charts and notes]. Copy in possession of
and overseas. My father remained in the Navy
Andrew Walker.
and retired as a Commander in 1970. During his Walker, John S. (1945, April 25). [J.S. Walker’s Aviators
Flight Log Book, March 1943-April 1949]. Copy in
service he accumulated 6,220 pilot hours in 22
possession of Andrew Walker.
different aircraft and flying in five operational
squadrons. He was awarded the Meritorious
Service Medal, the Joint Service Commendation
Medal, two Air Medals, and seven other decora-
tions. He died in Virginia in November 2006. He
and my mother are buried at Arlington National
Cemetery.
Initially U-326 was assumed to be still on patrol
when the war ended on 5 May 1945 but was
later declared missing and presumed lost. In
2006, an expedition to chart shipwrecks in the
19:39 Hrs: Snorkel sighted with wake and
Bay of Biscay located U-326, where she and her smoke
crew have rested for almost 70 years
Fishing nets snagged across the sides and deteriorat-
ed interior of German submarine U-326, sunk in 1945.
(Kingsley, 2009).
References
After Action Report, 25 April 1945, VPB-103, U.S. Navy.
19:40 Hrs: Two Mk-24 “Specials” (homing tor-
Birdsall, Steve, Log of the Liberators: An Illustrated History
pedoes) in the water.
of the B-24. 1973.
Aviators Flight Log Book, J.S. Walker April 1945
Navigator’s Log, J.S. Walker 25 April 1945
Navigator’s Log, J.S. Walker 25 April 1945
Navigator’s Chart,
J.S. Walker 25
April 1945