R.A.F.V.R. - Topcliffe - 102 Squadron - 'A' Flight - Frankfurt et al - Dalton - Orders is Orders - Sentanced to Life
During 1941 when the Lease/Lend Agreement was signed with the U.S.A.,the Squadron recieved a consignment of small arms and we were told that there was sufficient to supply one to each crew.I was in "A"Flight,flying as a W/Op.with the Flight Commander S/Ldr.J.G.Walker and he was issued with a .38 Smith and Wesson with a eight inch barrel.He said that he didn't want any part of it and gave it to me to carry so I asked him where the rest of it was as at least it should come with a stetson and a pair of cowboy boots.
A gang of us went to the range for small arms instruction and target practice where I soon learned that I was no Tom Mix and was lucky to hit the target.F/Lt. Williams took a fancy to the .38 and I swapped him for his .45 Colt automatic, that fit my hand a lot better and I did a far better job of hitting the target.
When we converted to Halifax’s we were given strict instructions that should we land away from base we were not to let anyone into the aircraft because Gee etc, were on the secret list. For the last trip of my tour, some "kind"person elected to send me on a nursery with a new crew, usually this was to the channel ports but at briefing found that it was to Vichy with a load of "bum fodder", leaflets to you, what a waste, am sure bombs would have got there attention a lot better, but maybe the leaflets being shiny was a new weapon as the paper was glossy, anyway there were three of us scheduled to go.
We took off from Topcliffe at 2230 in "G" george with Sgt. Berry as pilot and after being airborne for about ten minutes the IFF detonated, the skipper was a little concerned and wanted to turn back but I said carry one and I would notify group on the way back. A short while after and he called me to say that the DR compass was on the blink and I said so what, he still had the P4 and that was all we had in the Whitleys. To top it off the mid-upper gunner said that he could see fuel running of the starboard wing so I stuck my head up in the astro-dome and shone my flashlight on the wing and sure enough fuel was really running out, someone hadn't put the filler cap on properly and we had better turn back, wouldn't have enough fuel to get back home.
We landed back at base at 2340 and in interrogation W/Cmdr Binkley played hell but calmed down when I told him about the fuel, but said that we could go on our own the following night.
Tuesday night July 14th. was a beautiful night, full moon and unlimited visibility, we took off at 2225 and set course, everything was working fine and I spent most of any spare time with my head in the astro-dome looking out for fighters.
Approaching the target the Alps could be seen in the distance and this was the first town I had seen illuminated with anything other than fires. We delivered the morning paper and set course for home, the skipper and engineer decided that we wouldn't have enough fuel to get us back to base so they elected to land at Cottesmore where we landed at 0600, as Sgt. Berry signed in the tower I called the Orderly Officer and asked for an armed guard for the aircraft. The four RAF Regiment boys arrived and off we went to the Sergeants Mess after telling the boys that no one was to enter the aircraft.
After having breakfast I found the sergeant in charge of fuel and after getting him and Sgt. Berry together off I went to relieve the boys around the aircraft where I retrieved the .45 and stuck it in the top of my flying boot. Standing there enjoying the beautiful summer morning and thinking how lucky I was to complete a tour, being only the third W/Op. to do so since joining the squadron in May '41and this car pulled up and out got this Group Captain, I came smartly to attention as he approached and said "Good morning Sir", he replied and said that he would like to look through the aircraft and I explained to him that we had strict instructions that no one was to enter the aircraft. He didn't take too kindly to my explanation and pushed past me to enter, whereas I drew the .45, jacked a round into the breech, he heard that noise, turned around, looked at me, his face going white and strode back to his car, never a word.