They Spread Their Wings

by Alastair Goodrum

  Howard did not fly during the following day when ten IIDs attacked a force of fifty tanks near Kebili, destroying eleven and damaging six, but again the price was heavy. Six IIDs were shot down by flak and the pilots had to crash-land. All six aircraft were Cat B damaged but miraculously only one pilot was slightly wounded. Next day, with top cover provided by twenty-one Kittyhawks from Nos 3 (RAAF) and 250 Squadrons, the CO led eleven aircraft on a hunt for tanks near Djebel Tebaga, but only derelict vehicles were seen. Two Hurricane IIDs were shot down but both pilots escaped to NZ army lines. Although pilot losses were light, No 6 had lost no fewer than sixteen IIDs in the past five days of operations from Senem. The co-operation between Allied tanks, infantry, artillery and aircraft worked well and on 27 March Montgomery’s forces breached the Mareth Line in the Djebel Tebaga and Djebel Melab areas. By the end of the month they were advancing on Gabes. In the meantime, No 6 had to replace its heavy losses before it was able to re-enter operations, so it had IIDs flown in from Helwan.

  On 3 April, with the Eighth Army pushing the Germans back towards the sea, No 6 Squadron moved forward to Gabes airfield, sharing it with No 601 and No 40 (SAAF) Squadrons. Next day was taken up with a visit by the ‘top brass’: ACM Tedder, AVM Broadhurst and Lt Gen Carl Spaatz of the USAAF. Tedder spoke at length with the pilots and assured them that when it came to ‘tank-busting’, No 6 had proved its value, and that of the role, and the squadron would be equipped with any new anti-tank air weapon or aircraft that might be developed. He said that the objective of present operations was not to frighten the enemy out of this zone but to trap him in the area and completely destroy him. It would take two or three months yet. On 5 April Howard wrote to his parents:

  Howard Clark, fighter pilot, in the cockpit of his Hurricane IID. (Clark Collection)

  Up here we haven’t got anything to drink at all, not even lemonade or soft drinks and the beer ran out a week ago when we were down to one bottle each per week! We are also on very strict rations. We have been pretty busy lately but being right on the coast can go for a swim when not on standby. I hope that it won’t take much longer to clear the war up in N. Africa, I am ready for some leave. It was last September the last time I had any proper leave …

  In the early hours of 6 April 1943, assisted by an intense Allied air bombardment, the Eighth Army opened up a new offensive against the Axis Wadi Akarit Line. Italian defences crumbled quickly but heavy fighting broke out when the Germans counter-attacked. High above the land forces and ground attack aircraft, fierce dogfights took place over the Cekhira (or La Skira) area, while Hurricane IIDs of No 6 Squadron were back in action in support of the Eighth Army in what became the battle for the harbour town of Sfax.

  Three separate operations were mounted by No 6 in support of the army on 6 April. First away at 12.25 were thirteen aircraft led by the CO and including Fg Off Clark in HV594. They searched for sixteen tanks reported in the Sfax area but after hunting for fifteen minutes at low level, running the gauntlet of intense light flak, the CO called off the strike. In the meantime, the flak had claimed three Hurricanes from which two pilots, Fg Off Petersen and Flt Sgt Hastings, found their way back to the squadron, while the third, Fg Off Marcel Zillessen, was missing, believed killed. In fact, Zillessen survived his crash-landing but was captured and made a POW, spending the rest of the war in Stalag Luft III.

  That afternoon, a second operation had eight Hurricane IIDs from No 6 and twelve Kittyhawks from No 3 (RAAF) Squadrons, escorted by twelve Spitfires from No 601 Squadron, on the lookout for more tanks and infantry around Cekhira. Again no targets were found, but the Spitfires engaged ten-plus Bf 109s at 10,000ft, driving them off and claiming two. For the Kittyhawks, it was their fifth mission of the day, this time dive-bombing a troop build-up near Wadi Akarit. They mixed it with some Italian Macchi 202s and claimed one shot down for the loss of one of their own. On the way back to base the Hurricane IIDs ran across some enemy motor transports and left four lorries destroyed. Although the flak over the target was intense, no Hurricanes were lost. In the third operation late that afternoon, which did not involve Fg Off Clark, six aircraft took off to hunt for eight tanks. One Mk III Special Tank was hit by four pairs of 40mm AP shells and a semi-tracked troop carrier by two pairs of shells. Several lorries were also destroyed. This was a day when the air action was fast and furious, lasting well into the late afternoon when Wg Cdr Ian Gleed led Nos 92 and 145 Squadrons’ Spitfires and a small number of Polish Spitfires in a patrol over the Djebel Tebaga area. They successfully engaged more Bf 109s over Cekhira, but the day had its downside, with the US 52nd Fighter Group in particular taking a beating, losing six of their Spitfires in combat during the day. The duration of the Hurricane IID sorties was about one hour.

  Rare image of No 6 Squadron Hurricane IIDs, with Spitfire escort, taking off on the operation that Howard Clark flew from Gabes, Tunisia, on 6 April 1943. (Via Martyn Chorlton)

  The battle for Sfax was still raging when disaster struck the next day, 7 April 1943. Axis troops began to retreat from Wadi Akarit and the British entered Mezzouna. The US First Army opened up an offensive to try to link up with the Eighth Army, but met with stiff resistance trying to capture Djebel Aouareb. Late in the day, No 6 was ordered to mount a strike against a large concentration of enemy tanks. Eleven Hurricane IIDs from the squadron, including Howard Clark in KW704, took off from Gabes at 18.20 led by Sqn Ldr Weston-Burt. The enemy tanks were found in the Cekhira area and on approaching the target the Hurricanes were met with an intense barrage of anti-aircraft fire. Many low-level firing runs were made on the tanks but the flak was so ‘hot’ that no fewer than six Hurricane IIDs were hit and shot down. From these six aircraft, three pilots were able to crash-land and emerge safely, but the other three pilots were killed. Among those pilots sadly lost was Fg Off Howard Clark.

  The tide of battle ebbed and flowed over the following days and there was no opportunity to search for the missing airmen for another two days. On 9 April Flt Lt Morrison-Bell and Fg Off Lee flew a sortie over the Cekhira area in an endeavour to locate the crashed aircraft. They spotted what appeared to be a Hurricane undercarriage leg beside a burned-out wreckage near a track adjacent to La Skira LG (landing ground). Next day, Flt Lts Hudson (adjutant) and Marchant (MO), together with Plt Off Freeland, took a vehicle to reconnoitre the area around La Skira LG more closely. They discovered a grave with a marker bearing the name of Fg Off Clark, at map ref. Sfax T(Z) 2379. Some members of the 1st Royal Tank Regiment who were still in the vicinity said that they had buried a pilot, whose description matched that of Fg Off Clark, near the burned-out wreckage of his aircraft. Howard Clark had apparently been shot down in flames but was probably dead before he hit the ground since the soldiers said a 0.5in bullet wound had been found in his head. The serial number of the Hurricane IID was that flown by Clark. A few miles away the search party found another grave near the wreckage of a Hurricane IID. This was Flt Sgt Eric Hastings. The search for the third missing pilot was abandoned as darkness fell over that lonely place. Another search party went out to La Skira LG the next day and found the undercarriage leg and burned-out wreckage. Here they found a grave with the identity discs of Fg Off John Walter DFC attached to the improvised cross. They had now found the graves of all three missing airmen.

  Amidst all these frantic battles there had been an important birthday for Howard and his mother sent him an airmail letter in anticipation of that event.

  March 30, 1943

  My dearest Howard,

  The day before your [21st] birthday and again I wish you every happiness and all the luck in the world. I must admit I feel much better myself than I did 21 years ago today … there should be several cables on their way [from well-wishers] … The news is wonderful. The Hurricanes got a very good press in The Times and also the Daily Mail, explaining what they did … The daffodils are all out on the bank and there are lots of violets and the wallflowers are beginning to show flower – the almond is out and though we h
ave had some frosts and morning fog, Spring is here …

  Poignantly, this letter was returned to his mother marked: ‘Return to sender on Air Ministry Instructions.’

  At the close of that momentous day, No 6 Squadron received orders to move from Gabes to Sfax (El Maou LG); on 16 April the squadron moved on again, this time to Bou Goubrine LG. With the end of the campaign in sight, on 5 May it was déjà vu for the squadron when its senior personnel were moved on. Sqn Ldr Weston-Burt relinquished command to newly promoted Sqn Ldr Morrison-Bell and went to command No 260 Squadron, while Flt Lt Bluett and Fg Off Hearn were posted to No 112 Squadron. No 6’s days of tank-busting, 40mm-style, were over. The anti-tank 40mm cannon was shortly to be superseded by the rocket projectile. The battle for control of the port of Sfax was over when the Eighth Army captured it on 10 June. Although there were more battles to be won, one month later, German forces in Tunisia finally capitulated and the North African campaign was over.

  First during the Egypt (forty-five tanks destroyed) and then the Libya/Tunisia (forty-six tanks) battles, No 6 Squadron, with its Hurricane IIDs, claimed to have knocked out over ninety tanks and destroyed a host of other vehicles. To achieve this valuable contribution, the IID, armed with its potent 40mm cannon, was obliged to make long, very low approach runs on its targets and thus it became a sitting duck for any and every type and calibre of anti-aircraft fire. During the Tunisian action from 9 March to 8 April 1943, the squadron flew 120 sorties, fired 1,230 40mm shells and claimed forty-six tanks and thirty-seven other guns and vehicles. It lost twenty-five aircraft but miraculously, and often simply due to the ability of the Hurricane to absorb massive punishment, it lost only four pilots, even though twice it had six IIDs shot down – with one of these occasions sadly being the day Fg Off Clark lost his life, almost within sight of the final victory in the Western Desert campaign.

  Flying Officer Alfred Howard Mayhew Clark is remembered with pride and deep affection by his family, who arranged for a memorial consisting of oak panels, carved and inscribed with his name, to be erected inside the chapel in the centre of the village of Moulton, where there is also a road named Cekhira Avenue in his honour. Howard is also commemorated on the Ashdown House and Uppingham Rolls of Honour.

  2

  TRAIN-BUSTING OVER THE REICH

  Flying Officer Jack Cheney

  Jack Cheney was born in Spalding on 31 December 1921. Living at Pansy Cottage – no longer standing – in Haverfield Road, his primary education was at Spalding Parish Church Day School, where he showed such promise that, aged 11, he was awarded a governors’ free scholarship to Spalding Grammar School, which happened to be located just across the road from his home. The governors’ faith was not misplaced since, by the time he left school in July 1940, he was a senior sixth-former, school prefect, vice-captain of the 1st XV with his rugby colours, member of the school cricket 1st XI and captain of Gamlyn House. He gained his School Certificate, an intermediate scholarship and his matriculation in July 1938. Jack left the school in July 1940 and three months later he was in the RAF, having volunteered and been accepted for pilot training.

  In October 1940, 18-year-old Jack Cheney began the transition from sixth-form schoolboy at Spalding Grammar to night-fighter pilot in the RAF, with a first operational posting at RAF Wittering. Jack entered the RAF in November 1940 as an airman in No 5 Flight of ‘C’ Squadron at No 7 Initial Training Wing (7 ITW) in Newquay. Posted to No 1 Elementary Flying Training School (1 EFTS) at Desford in March 1941, he underwent basic flying instruction on the DH82A Tiger Moth, then moved on, in May 1941, to No 15 Service Flying Training School (15 SFTS) at Kidlington where he converted to the Airspeed Oxford trainer. In August 1941 Jack was posted to No 54 Operational Training Unit (54 OTU) at RAF Church Fenton, which was the main RAF night-fighter training unit at that time, and operated the Bristol Blenheim Mk I fitted with Airborne Interception Type 4 (AI Mk IV) radar equipment. From there, now paired up with his radar operator, he moved to his first operational posting with No 1432 (Air Target Illumination) Flight based at RAF Collyweston/Wittering. He spent a substantial part of his operational career patrolling the night sky above the East Midlands and this chapter describes, in his own words, his experiences while training to become a night-fighter pilot, his involvement with one of the more unusual aircraft used in the quest for supremacy of the wartime night sky, and flying intruder operations over Germany in the superb DH Mosquito NFII:

  Seated second on the left, wearing Spalding Grammar School rugby colours, Jack Cheney as a schoolboy in March 1940. (Spalding Grammar School)

  Foreground, in flying suit with parachute slung nonchalantly over his shoulder, pilot under training Jack Cheney at EFTS Desford in March 1941. (J. Cheney Collection)

  After three glorious weeks of leave at home in Spalding, looking up old friends, putting my feet up and sampling home cooking with my mother and three sisters, I was summoned to No 54 Operational Training Unit (54 OTU) at RAF Church Fenton in Yorkshire. This was to be the last stage of my training as a night-fighter pilot and I arrived at the station on 3 August 1941. I was not immediately impressed by what I saw of the base but later that day, I met up with ‘Tosh’ Bramley, Jimmy Smith, Arthur Howard and ‘Hammy’ Hamilton, all of whom had been with me on No 22 Course at No 7 Service Flying Training School, Kidlington (Oxford airport). Life, it seemed, would not be quite so bad after all. Church Fenton was considered to be the crack night-fighter OTU in the country but we soon discovered it had also earned a reputation as a killer station.

  Now designated No 11 Course, we were obliged to do some day flying in the Airspeed Oxford just to get our hand in again. However, before being permitted to fly at Church Fenton at night we first had to go to RAF Catterick and do a few hours at night in Tiger Moths. We were at Catterick for only a week and flew from a satellite landing ground called Forest Farm. What a week that was! It was really great fun being back in the old Tiger again. All too soon though it was back to the serious business at Church Fenton, where night flying dual was carried out in the Oxford, augmented by day solo flights in the ropey old Bristol Blenheim.

  September saw the arrival of our observers. For this seemingly important event, the actual teaming up process was, in fact, pretty informal. We were all assembled in a large room and told to get on with it. A fair-haired fellow about my own age, calling himself Sgt Mycock, made the first approach to me. We seemed to hit it off from the start and from that day he became, and still is, my observer. His name is James Kenneth Mycock but from that first day I met him I called him Mike and so it remained.

  A tragic blow fell on 2 September, when my pal Arthur Howard and his observer were killed in an Oxford. Blokes were killing themselves right, left and centre in the ropey old Blenheims, which we had now begun to fly at night. At the end of that month, the aircrew sergeants of my course moved out of Church Fenton mess, to be rehoused in an old country house known as Barkston Towers, three miles from the aerodrome. It was a marvellous old place, with ornate gardens and a splendid interior. George, our cook, was in the submarine service in the last war and vowed he would never go near an aeroplane. He was good to us though and served up colossal meals and we lived like kings to the end of the course.

  Together now with our observers, we put in a tremendous amount of both day and night flying in an effort to become an efficient team and yet again the end of the course was rushed. It was not the hard work I minded, it was more of a desire to get away from the OTU in general and the CFI [Certified Flight Instructor], Sqn Ldr Aikens, in particular. One week before the course was due to finish, on October 17, another blow fell on my small circle of friends, Sgt T.C. ‘Tosh’ Bramley was killed during an altitude test at night in Blenheim IV, V5622. He was the fourteenth casualty in three months.

  Those of us left in my group of pals said our farewells again and on 28 October 1941, almost one year after I joined up, parted company to go to our respective operational stations. Church Fenton at least had lived up to its grim
reputation while I was there. Now I was off to RAF Wittering, not far from my home, for my first operational posting to No 1453 Air Target Illumination (Turbinlite) Flight.

  The emergence of the Turbinlite concept has its roots in the air situation following the Battle of Britain. Due to the – not unreasonable – previous concentration on single-seat, high-performance day-fighters, when the Luftwaffe turned to its night offensive there was no suitable specialist RAF night-fighter or control system to take them on. The few airborne radar-equipped (AI or airborne interception) Blenheims that did exist had little success, but like all such ideas, that was more a reflection of the very newness of this particular man/machine system, together with inadequate aircraft, rather than an indication of the true potential of the AI night-fighter concept itself. Lack of results diverted attention away from acceptance that the subject had simply been neglected and that it needed a focused and swift injection of resources. Critics of the system – and there was always competition for resources or competing ideas – were the catalyst for some of these alternative ideas gaining a lot more prominence than their true practicality warranted. Among the latter was the idea to mount a searchlight in the nose of an aeroplane. The RAF had acquired some Douglas Boston aircraft originally destined for the French and this was the most suitable aircraft to hand.

  To the modern eye at least, any basic description of the Turbinlite Havoc concept cannot fail to engender incredulity about its practicality. It was based around the American-designed Douglas Boston twin-engine light bomber, designated by the RAF as Havoc I, with its nose compartment removed and replaced by an enormously powerful searchlight.