AUTUMN 2021

Huddersfield Branch Newsletter No 7

May-August 2021

As compiled by Brian Leonard

For us the last four months have been notable in many ways. We are slowly returning to a form of normal, where we are once more able to hold face-to-face meetings and run our market stall, but the period has also marked the sad passing of two valued branch supporters. I am certain that they would encourage the branch to continue to forge successful paths throughout difficult times, having both received treasured support from the branch in their last days. Details are given later, but their cases serve to underline the essential importance of the branch’s fundraising and welfare activities.

POSTSCRIPT TO THE LAST NEWSLETTER

This first item is, in fact, a continuation of the last time’s special theme. Shortly after publication, the following certificate was received:

The branch is pleased to add this diploma to its growing collection. As detailed last time, it’s splendid to realise that this record equally evidences the RAFA career of our Life Vice-President Frank Smith, a founder member of the branch.

MAY BRANCH MEETING

One advantage of Zoom sessions is that it allows visitors, who would normally be unavailable due to distances involved, to take part virtually in our meetings. In this way, at our meeting Thursday 13 May, we were able to greet Group Captain Del Rowlands – RAFA Director of Branch & Membership Operations– from his home in Cheltenham (bottom right) and Marc Boyle – Northern Relationship Engagement Officer – from Manchester (top left). As can be seen from the screenshot, not all the subject matter covered was serious. All taking part enjoyed Del’s company on the evening, showing that not all “Groupies” are to be feared.

80^TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BATTLE OF CRETE

20 May 2021 was a significant day for Frank Smith. It marked the 80^th Anniversary of the start of the Battle of Crete. He is one of the few remaining veterans of the conflict.

A recently written summary of the battle by Jenny Ashcraft, an archive author from the Fold 3 website, follows:

“The Battle of Crete began on May 20, 1941, when German forces began a massive airborne invasion of the Greek island of Crete during WWII. Thousands of German paratroopers (called Fallschirmjäger) landed on Crete, where they encountered tenacious resistance from Greek troops assisted by Allies from Britain, New Zealand, and Australia – and determined Cretan citizens. Though German forces suffered appalling losses on the first day, they later captured a key airfield, allowing a flood of German reinforcements and supplies to arrive. After days of intense fighting, Allied troops retreated to the south coast, where the British Royal Navy evacuated many to Egypt. Those left behind surrendered to Germany on June 1^st. The Battle of Crete resulted in a German victory but came at a steep cost. Germany never launched a major airborne mission again.

In April 1941, Germany had invaded the Greek mainland. After the fall of mainland Greece, Allied armies moved to Crete to reinforce the garrison on the island. The British Royal Navy dominated the sea, preventing German forces from attempting an amphibious assault on Crete. Germany responded with aerial bombing raids.

Hitler realised that if Allies held on to Crete, it could threaten Axis powers in the Eastern Mediterranean. He approved an invasion plan known as Operation Mercury. It would include 750 glider-borne troops, 10,000 paratroopers, 5,000 airlifted infantry troops, and 7,000 seaborne troops. One of the first goals was to capture Maleme Airfield. This would allow Germany to bring in additional reinforcements and supplies.

As Nazi officials planned the invasion, they were unaware that Allies had intercepted German intelligence from decrypted messages from the Enigma machine. Allies knew about Germany’s invasion intentions and began to make defensive preparations.

On the morning of May 20^th, the invasion began. Allies were ready and waiting as thousands of paratroopers dropped from the skies. They became targets, with many dying before reaching the ground. German losses were huge, and by the end of the first day, it appeared that Allied troops would successfully repel the invasion. However, a series of communication failures and tactical errors allowed Germany to take Maleme Airfield on the second day of fighting, and the tides began to turn in Germany’s favour.

German troops pushed forward with a strong offensive while Allies put up a tenacious defence. Joining Allies was a strong civilian resistance force. The determined civilian defence surprised Germany and later led to brutal reprisals.

After days of punishing losses, Allies retreated across the mountains and towards the south coast. Over the next four nights, the Royal Navy evacuated some 10,500 troops to Egypt. A small minority fled into the mountains and joined the local resistance.”

Frank Smith was part of the RAF contingent at Maleme during the German attack. When it was realised that their army defences had been removed, the airmen were left to their own devices to make their way across the mountains to the coast and eventual evacuation. Unfortunately, not all completed the perilous trek.

ANNE MELLOR - A WELFARE OFFICER DURING LOCKDOWN

As always, over the last few months I have been extremely busy providing welfare for our veterans. At the start of the pandemic, as most of the veterans were isolating, I started going to the supermarket for them. Even when they had secured supermarket delivery slots, there were still items they couldn’t get hold of, so I helped locate and deliver, for example, bread flour! 

I found myself being a hairdresser when all salons were closed, giving veterans ‘a Number 3’ all over and a quick beard trim. Also trimming toenails and generally making sure everyone was keeping as cheerful as possible. 

Andy Anderson’s Service Memoires

The Lightning Days on 11 (Fighter) Squadron [Part iii]

(Circa June 1967 – March 1969)

So, it was the most infuriating snag as far as the weapons people were concerned, myself included. As I say, all the groundcrew trades had at least one regular and disturbing snag to contend with on every aircraft that flew. It has also to be said that to the casual spectator, of which the summer weather would provide quite a number on the grass patch by the crash gate, it would never be noticed that anything untoward was indeed the case, except perhaps for the occasional outburst of colourful terminology.

The Flight Line was not only a very active and busy place it could be, upon occasion, decidedly dangerous if you did not know what you were about. This, when coupled together with a TACEVAL, certainly placed such work in the “You simply must be clued up” category, and that  applied to everyone. At the same time the Flight Line possessed an air of excitement and quiet confidence in whatever area the casual observer cared to look. 

11 Squadron certainly had, very quickly, become a highly efficient front-line fighter Squadron. The groundcrew certainly were a pretty good bunch, some of whom I’d encountered, in the not too distant past, on various other units. There was, however, a completely new breed of groundcrew appearing on the scene and, without really trying, they were causing quite a number of feathers to become fairly ruffled, due to the input of suggestions from these guys. They were, of course, the diagnosticians. It was difficult to say from whence they came but they certainly made quite an impression from the day they became official. And for all the wrong reasons.

It fell to them to analyse any snags the pilots entered in the Form 700 records. Then proceed to lay down a diagnosis and a plan with which to affect rectification which would, needless to say, be carried out by the Squadron/ Flight Line merchants. Guys who had been doing just that yonks before these fellows had even started their training for the job. Lots of the regular squadron tradesmen took umbrage at being told to do, of what they already knew a great deal, so not   surprisingly something of a barrier went up between the two factions concerned.

It looked as if normal squadron life was about to be compromised due to the introduction of these so-called wizards. It was not a completely happy time on the squadron with a deep sense of foreboding permeating all around. Just as matters of unease began to surface, so also did the next away-day task. On this occasion it was a call from Gütersloh to carry out Battle Flight for 19 and 92 Squadrons whilst they had their Mk.1A “antiques” upgraded to Mk.2A standard. 

It sounded good to the groundcrew, a break away in Germany and only Battle Flight to do. Could be quite a jolly.

Of course, that would have been too good to be true and sure enough the gen soon started to filter through. The CO would only be sending half of the squadron (5 aeroplanes) and half the groundcrew on this trip, on top of which we would be expected to carry out every day flying and then do Battle Flight from 17.00hrs each day until 08.00hrs the following day. First thoughts were that this was going to be far from easy and definitely more than a trifle busy. Nothing new there then! 

Once we had landed and taxied in, the rear clam doors were opened thereby giving us a clearer view of the reason for the rough ride. It was hacking it down. Nothing quite like a good drenching to get the detachment off to a good start! 

As luck would have it, I had been on a previous detachment to Gütersloh whilst serving on 54 Fighter Squadron with Hunter FGA 9s. I was, therefore, familiar with the base and some of the surrounding area. No time spent getting misdirected and recovery.

The detachment did turn out to be a tough one, in more ways than we expected. Daily flying was nothing out of the ordinary, apart from the change of scenery, but before long the workload began to show in terms of how to deal with ordinary aircraft snags that was complicated by the lack of replacement aircraft, should some of the ‘extra’ snags be lengthy in rectification time.

During these times, the squadron needed at least two aircraft to be ready to scramble should a QRA be called. On this duty we were replacing the work of 19 and 92 Squadrons, the resident units. As previously mentioned, they were in the process of having their Mk.1A aircraft upgraded to Mk.2A standard. This was quite close to the capabilities of our Mk.6 type. The work was being carried out by a CWP (Civilian Working Party) supplied by the aircraft manufacturer. We certainly did not envy them of that task. Of course, the reciprocal was the case, as they did not envy us in our task of operating the aircraft every day, many times a day.

That aside, the task requirements did eventually cause some unnecessary changes to original planning pointers. One such case was an aircraft that returned from an ordinary sortie with a snag that could only be rectified back at Leuchars. So, it was duly flown back as the snag was not detrimental to carrying out this transit requirement. With the positive need to always have “Battle Flight” aircraft available, the pilot was tasked to return to Germany with a serviceable aircraft from the part of the squadron that had remained at Leuchars. Once again, rush left much to be desired.

Upon the return of the replacement aircraft, it carried out a normal landing but, upon streaming the brake chute, this detached onto the runway. The pilot carried out a roller landing [overshoot] and got ready for a precautionary landing after due preparation.

The final landing appeared quite routine, if a touch quicker than was normal. However, it did look as if the speed was being shed rapidly. At this point, just as the aircraft passed the RHAG (the deployed Rotary Hydraulic Arrester Gear), Murphy’s Law came into play, as did brake fade. The result was that the aircraft used a spot more hard ground than the fixed length of the runway could provide.

Negotiations immediately began into how the recovery should be carried out in respect of minimum damage and inconvenience to the farmer’s field in which stood twenty-three tons of cooling Lightning F6!

As I recall, we began digging and supporting at around 16.00hrs, eventually pulling it free in the early hours of the following morning, adding another couple of acquired skills that might just be useful later in life.

The original task, providing Battle Flight for the resident squadrons, continued as per initial  planning. The aircraft that went walkabout in the farmer’s field was returned to flying condition sometime later and returned to Leuchars.

By this time we had returned to home base and already blended into what we were accustomed to. However, details were emerging that we would be doing another detachment, this time with all our aircraft and a sparklingly new aircraft straight off the manufacturing line. We also learned this aircraft would not be returning, as it was a replacement for the resident squadron at the base we would be going to, namely Royal Air Force Tengah, on the island of Singapore.

Here I was, returning to the part of the world I had found quite fascinating in more ways than one. Little did I know then that I would be carrying out no less than another eight trips, not just to Singapore, but to Kuching. The most pleasant surprise in the further trips I would do to the Far East would be the mode of transport I would experience.

The present exercise I would be a part of would nonetheless be a great experience for all concerned and a surprise for one particular and very special person to me.

However, some detail to the tasks concerned in such a lengthy undertaking cannot possibly go without mention. I had been involved in quite a number of modest ranging detachments:

• from doing RAF Benson with 54 Squadron,
• to participating in a demonstration of Simulated Ground Attack at the Farnborough Air Show – alternatively known as the SBAC air show –,
• to the annual APC at El Adem, where the live air firing took place,
• and several other flyaway operations.

This one to Singapore and return was quite a ‘full on’ piece of industry at best. Preparations began some considerable time in the lead-up to the real thing. Fitting over-wing fuel tanks was a difficult task, since it had to be carried out on all the aircraft that we would be taking, plus any spares that may be required, should any of the aircraft involved fall unserviceable during the launching of the groups of four at the pre-set intervals. 

All of the prementioned possible dangers and extremely difficult tasks did come to pass, but the groundcrew managed to get all aircraft away on schedule.

I was, due to past experience, a member of the route support team. Our task was to follow the same route but with possible minor diversions should any of the Lightnings require servicing work to be carried out to keep said aircraft ‘on route’ even if a trifle late.

Time was swiftly passing by and before we could believe it, we were at the stage of the farewell BBQ put on by the Resident Squadron. This turned out to be a right royal affair and the Tiger [Singapore Beer] flowed merrily onwards during the course of the proceedings. 

Route Support for me, yet again, and the Brit for the return journey would be hauling some extraordinary bits under the dubious auspices of aircraft spares. As with the outward trip, so the return to base trip had little to add to the precis here. Apart from the instance of the discovery, upon arrival in a freezing cold February at Leuchars in the route support Britannia, of a fully operational Singapore Tri-shaw, ‘sans operator’, but it was not long before there was a queue waiting to get a turn and perhaps become the best Tri-shaw driver at RAF Leuchars. 

Not that we expected any authentic Chinese competition.

Branch Members at Barbara’s Funeral

Those attending the funeral received a remembrance bookmark with photograph containing the “If I Should Go” poem by Joyce Grenfell. The last lines read:

Weep if you must –

Parting is hell,

But life goes on,

So sing as well.

This viewpoint neatly sums up how Barbara – once a lively party animal – would wish to be remembered. 



I now know from experience what it is like to be a recipient of RAFA welfare support. I am sure that I echo Barbara’s sentiments when I comment “Thank you. Keep up the good work!”

During the war years the Monte Rosa had many tasks, including being used as a troopship in the Baltic, whilst on another occasion being involved in the deportation of 46 Norwegian Jews to Germany for onward transportation to Auschwitz Concentration Camp. Only two of these passengers survived. 

For one extended period the ship was attached as a support and accommodation vessel to the battleship Tirpitz, which was being held in constant reserve in a Norwegian fjord. Due to this relationship and based on received movements intelligence, the Monte Rosa was singled out for attack off the Norwegian coast in March 1944 by Beaufighters of the RAF and RCAF. Although reportedly hit by two torpedoes, eight rockets and gunfire, the ship was nevertheless able to  escape to Aarhus in Denmark for repairs. 

She was also the subject of a resistance attack whilst in Oslo harbour in June of the same year, when a sabotage team of Norwegians under British command attached limpet mines to her hull. The mines exploded when she was at sea and, although once again damaged, the Monte Rosa managed to make it back to port under her own steam. 

Having later hit a mine in the Baltic in early 1945, the ship was eventually taken back to Kiel in Germany, where she was seized by British forces as a prize of war in May of that year.

On 21 January 1947, the refurbished Monte Rosa was renamed HMT Empire Windrush and registered as a British vessel, initially for use on the Southampton to Hong Kong route. It was on the return leg of a trip to Australia in 1948 that the ship called in at Kingston to pick up servicemen who were on leave. Places on the ship, to take advantage of the upcoming British Nationality Act giving citizenship of the United Kingdom and Colonies (CUKC status) to all British subjects connected with a British colony, were advertised for sale in advance in Jamaica and quickly filled. These were the passengers who were filmed on arrival in London on 22 June 1948 – the so-called “Windrush Generation”.

Thereafter the Empire Windrush was used mainly as a troopship to the Mediterranean and Far East, although she was able to take part in the Fleet Review of June 1953 which marked the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.



Empire Windrush set off from Yokohama, Japan, in February 1954 on what proved to be her final voyage. She called first at Kure in Japan and was to sail to the United Kingdom, calling at Hong Kong, Singapore, Colombo, Aden and Port Said. Her passenger list contained recovering wounded United Nations veterans of the Korean War, as well as soldiers from the Duke of Wellington's Regiment.

However, the voyage was plagued with engine breakdowns and other defects, including a fire after the departure from Hong Kong. It took ten weeks to reach Port Said. There, a troop of fifty Royal Marines from 3 Commando Brigade came on board, joined by a group of RAF airmen finishing their time overseas.

On departure from Egypt on Saturday 27 March 1954 there were 222 crew and 1,276 passengers on board, including military personnel with some dependant women and children. With 1,498 people on board, the Empire Windrush was almost completely full, as she was certified to carry 1,541.

Joining the demob-happy RAF team who had boarded the ship in Port Said for her homebound leg to Southampton was one Senior Aircraftsman Eric Sykes.

Branch member Eric recalls that his decision to join up in 1949 was not pre-planned. Although he was aware that he would likely be called up soon for National Service, he decided at short   notice to take the bull by the horns and volunteer for a five years’ stint in the Royal Air Force. In this way he could join the Armed Forces branch of his choice, whilst guaranteeing the enhanced pay rates granted to regular (i.e. non-National Service) military personnel in those days.

Eric first went through ‘square bashing’ on 43C Flight at RAF Cardington in Bedfordshire, the camp where regulars received initial training at that time. Thereafter he was sent to RAF Weeton, near Blackpool, for his trade training as a Motor Transport Mechanic (MT Mech), before receiving 30 MU (Maintenance Unit) RAF Sealand as his first posting. Eric freely admits that Sealand – just over the Welsh border from Chester in north Flintshire – was by far the best camp he served on, with brick barracks in place of Nissen huts and tented accommodation. “It was a real pity when the RAF were booted out” (Eric’s words) to make way for US Forces in 1951. 

This brought about his last posting in UK to RAF Stoke Heath, near Market Drayton in Shropshire. This large station – over two main sites – had the unusual feature that everyone posted there was issued with a bicycle to travel around the area. Its close vicinity to Tern Hill – then home to No 6 Flying Training School RAF – ensured that the skies overhead were filled with aircraft constantly completing ‘circuits and bumps’.

Eric has a lifelong interest in brass band music, often being requested to play the Last Post on his cornet. He soon found his musical ability to be most beneficial throughout his service days.   During initial training at Cardington, for example, he was made a temporary member of the station band. As a result, he did not have to undergo the constant drill practice of his fellow recruits. Less strenuous band routines took their place. 

Whilst at RAF Sealand, Eric was a member of the station band. “It was a very good one” in his opinion. So much so that, in 1950, a visiting Wing Commander selected the band out of several candidates as the one to travel to Plymouth to play in events to mark the King’s Birthday there. This involved spending ten days at Turnchapel in Devon (a future Royal Marines base), where  rehearsals were carried out mornings and evenings, leaving them with the rest of the day to do whatever they wished. “Just like a holiday”.

Eric also played with the RAF Sealand Band at the North Wales Tattoo in Llandudno in 1950.

Finally, on his ten-day journey out to Egypt on the Empress of Australia troopship in 1951, he joined fellow musicians in a band playing nightly, mainly to officers. This voluntary action ensured that he was excused onboard duties such as fire picket.

Eric then went on to serve nearly three years on 9 MTD (Motor Transport Department) at RAF El Firdan, near Ismailia on the West Bank of the Suez Canal. Although this was before the Suez Crisis of late 1956, which resulted in Egypt taking full control of the canal zone, Eric recalls that tensions were slowly rising during his time there. The families of serving military personnel were being quietly shipped back home in the latter period of his posting. Eric remembers some positives from his stay, however. In particular the craftmanship of local traders, from whom he could get bespoke lightweight suits and leather shoes made expertly, cheaply and quickly (within 24 hours).

Early on the morning after the Empire Windrush had sailed out of Port Said, Eric went up a couple of decks ­– dressed only in shorts, vest and plimsolls – to get washed. Once there, he realised that he’d forgotten his razor. He turned around to ask a friend to lend him one, when he heard the cry “The ship’s on fire!”. Eric’s response cannot be printed out here; sufficient to say he   considered this to be a bad joke.

Within seconds came the realisation that the ship really was on fire. Although some jumped overboard into the sea, Eric does not recall a major panic. Sailing in a busy part of the Mediterranean, the Empire Windrush was quickly surrounded by small boats who had come to the ship’s aid. Eric got into one of the ship’s lifeboats and was transferred from there to a passing boat which took him to the nearest port, Algiers. 

Of the nearly fifteen hundred crew and passengers on board that day, there were only four resultant fatalities. These were all the crew members in the engine room, who were probably killed immediately in the explosion which caused the fire. All other evacuees, including some who were in the water for up to two hours, were plucked to safety by rescue boats.

Eric was taken from Algiers on a Royal Navy ship to Gibraltar, where he was kitted out and given some pay. He was then offered the option to either travel by ship to Southampton or to fly home with the RAF. As he was both ‘Tourex’ (end of overseas posting) and ‘Timex’ (end of  service term), he chose to fly home. Curiously, his flight back from Gibraltar “in a ramshackle old plane” was to be Eric’s one and only experience of a flight in an RAF aircraft during his five years’ service.

Having made it back to UK, Eric was sent to RAF Yeadon to complete his demob arrangements. This camp – probably chosen as the nearest one to his hometown – went on to form the nucleus of present-day Leeds Bradford Airport. There he was given his traditional demob suit and hat, which he was to wear often, as all his other clothes – including two fine made-to-measure Egyptian suits – were lost with the ship. Eric recalls he received some compensation for the  missing items, but even this was not easy to obtain. Every article had to be claimed for individually, with details of when bought and how much paid. He had lost everything, apart from the shorts, vest and plimsolls he was wearing on the morning of the ship’s fire.

RAFA STALL AT HUDDERSFIELD OPEN MARKET

From cricket helmets to summer dresses and walking frames – not forgetting our perennial RAFA ducks – our stall at Huddersfield Open Market had something for everyone when it reopened on 27 July.

Everything, with the exception of the RAFA items, was donated by members and friends of the branch. We remain delighted by the generosity of those who continue to support us through their donations and purchases.

At this first market stall in eighteen months, we raised £208.40 for our Wings Appeal. We then followed this up with a slightly increased profit of £226.90 from our pitch on 17 August. 

At the time of writing, we still have two more bookings at the market, on 7 September and 28  September. Let’s hope that we can maintain this magnificent momentum throughout the rest of the year.

It has to be restated that this great success would not be possible without the gifts and assistance voluntarily provided. Thank you very much to all concerned.

AND FINALLY...

On 9 August Anne Mellor was able to organise a garden meeting between 99 years old Life Vice-President Frank Smith and 95 years old Lancaster Air Gunner Gordon Cottrill. After the long period of enforced separation due to COVID restrictions, they had a lot to catch up on. It was heart-warming to see these two of RAFA’s longest-serving members enjoying a great afternoon.

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The next issue of this newsletter is due to come out just before Christmas. This will contain reports on our upcoming Battle of Britain and Remembrance Luncheons and any other pieces of branch news. As usual, contributions from members will be most welcome. Andy has already stolen a march on me by providing the draft of one more of his memoires, this time centred on RAF Strubby. If any other members have articles to add, your input will be gratefully accepted. In the meantime, please keep yourself safe and healthy.

Brian