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[Wa99el]

I have a 35 mm film segment of a landing RAF Boston Bomber during "Operation Jubilee" in August 1942.

I am searching for the name of an airfield.

Source (Youtube)

The describtion says, that on this airfield there were Boston Bombers of 88th and 107th Squadron.
But in the describtion there is not the name of the airfield.

I have found another source: The most terrible lessons of all Dieppe Raid 1942
In this source you can read that the No. 88 Squadron (RAF) was operating from Ford/Sussex during "Operation Jubilee"

In the english Wikipedia there is no information about this.
The only information there:

... On 19 August 1942 the squadron supported Canadian forces during the intense air battles of the Dieppe raid, where the RAF lost 91 aircraft. It flew repeated sorties attempting to destroy field gun positions overlooking the beaches at Dieppe. In September the squadron was moved to RAF Oulton in Norfolk ...

The squadron code of No. 88 Squadron was RH

On the following photo you can see a Boston MK III southeast of Dieppe after a bomb run.



On this photo you can not see the whole code. But it looks like RH

So the No. 88 Squadron was at Dieppe.

Here another photo of Dieppe itself at the same time:



The camouflage of the Boston Bomber on the photo looks different to the camouflage of the Boston in the film
But I have another photo of a No. 88 Squadron Boston bomber at Dieppe and this one has the same paint like in the film



Maybe someone has informations of this airfield.

[Kopfdorfer]

Hi Waggel ,

I use the History of War website a fair bit.
It has proven to be reliable for me.

When I search 88 Sqdn RAF , it shows the Sqdn was based at
RAF Attlebridge from 1 August 1941 to 29 September 1942 ,
which covers the Operation Jubilee timeframe.

Forgotten Airfields has a page on Attlebridge here :
https://www.forgottenairfields.com/airfield-attlebridge-1446.html

Unfortunately , RAF Attlebridge is not represented as far as I know on any NWE maps
(unless it's on your old North Sea Map which I don't have installed right now ).

Looking forward to what further info you uncover.

Kopfdorfer

[Shessi]

Hi W,
Yes I think K is correct on all counts.  Also 107 Sqn RAF were based at Gt Massingham, not very far away from RAF Attlebridge.

And yes they could have carried out the Dieppe support raids from thier home bases, as it's only a 400 mile/720 Km round trip, Boston III max range was some 950 miles.  Having said that it was very common to go to a FOB, re-fuel and then guarantee that all ac would be TOT together, it's only 100 miles/160Km from Ford to Dieppe, some 30 mins flying time, so a good possibility.

Anyway interesting subject.

Cheers

Shessi

[Wa99el]

Hello Kopfdorfer
My first thought was that No. 88 Squadron was stationed at RAF Attlebridge, as you thought.
But when I got the digitized film roll, I was no longer sure. One reason for this is that there is a row
of houses on the airfield in the film segment that I could not see on an aerial photo of Attlebridge dated with June 1942.
The film also shows a radar system in the distance.

Screenshot from the film roll (radar station: Object B & C)


Screenshot from the film roll (row of houses)


Aerial photo of Attlebridge June 1942


Possibly the No. 88 Squadron assigned during Operation Jubilee get another airfield for operational reasons.
Another reason seams to be that Attlebridge was rebuilt in the area of the runway in the summer of 1942, as you can see on the aerial photo.

Thanks for the link. I have already found new airfields there.

@Shessi

Maybe it isnot Attlebridge but Massingham,because Film roll describtion says, 107 Sqn was on the film too.
I will check the squad code on the planes.

[cstaunton92]

RNAS/RAF Ford was south-west of Poling radar station, with houses nearby to the north and east.

[BalDaddy]

RNAS/RAF Ford was south-west of Poling radar station, with houses nearby to the north and east.

Just looked on Google Street View and you are probably right. The row of Station Personnel Houses is still there and you can see the South Downs rising where the Chain Home RDF station is seen in your image. Well spotted!

[Shessi]

Hi W,
Here is some picture evidence and references.  Photo 1 and 2 is at RNAS Ford.  The third photo is not RNAS Ford, also I don't think it is RAF Attlebridge...so the hunt continues........  Cheers  Shessi

[Stainless]

FORD , Sussex
Location : 2.5M NW of Littlehampton
Opened : 1918
Closed : 11/1958 now HMP Ford (2011)
Elevation :23 ft
Pundit Code : FD
Formations : 11 Grp  fighter command, 83,84 Grp 2 TAF
Runways : 2 Tarmac
Hangars : Blister (20) Bellman (5)

Squadron	Dates	Aircraft
19	15/04/1944 - 12/05/1944 15/06/1944 - 25/06/1944	Mustang III
23	12/09/1940 - 06/08/1942	Mosquito II Blenheim II Havoc I Boston III
65	15/04/1944 - 14/05/1944	Mustang III
66	19/08/1944 - 20/08/1944	Spitfire LFTXb
96	20/06/1944 - 24/09/1944	Mosquito XIII
122	15/04/1944 - 14/05/1944 15/06/1944 - 26/06/1944	Mustang III
127	12/08/1944 - 20/08/1944	Spitfire HFIX
129	24/06/1944 - 08/07/1944	Mustang III
132	18/04/1944 - 25/06/1944	SpitfireIXb
141	10/08/1942 - 18/02/1943	Beaufighter II
256	24/04/1943 - 25/08/1943	Beaufighter VII Mosquito XII
302 (Polish)	16/07/1944 - 04/08/1944	Spitfire IXe
306 (Polish)	27/06/1944 - 08/07/1944	Mustang III
315 (Polish)	25/06/1944 - 10/07/1944	Mustang III
317 (Polish)	16/07/1944 - 04/08/1944	Spitfire IX
331 (Norwegian)	13/08/1944 - 30/08/1944	Spitfire IXb
332 (Norwegian)	12/08/1944 - 20/08/1944	Spitfire IXb
418 (Canadian)	15/03/1943 - 08/04/1944	Boston III Mosquito II
441 (Canadian)	13/05/1944 - 15/06/1944	Spitfire IXb
442	15/05/1944 - 15/06/1944	Spitfire IXb
443 (Canadian)	15/05/1944 - 15/06/1944	Spitfire IXb
453 (Australian)	18/04/1944 - 25/06/1944	Spitfire IXb
456 (Australian(	29/02/1944 - 31/12/1944	Mosquito II, XVII
602 (AAF)	18/04/1944 - 25/06/1944	Spitfire IXb
604 (AAF)	18/02/1943 - 24/03/1943	Beaufighter II
605 (AAF)	07/06/1942 - 15/03/1943	Havok I, II Boston III Mosquito II
Fighter Interception Unit	01/02/1941 - 03/04/1944	Blenheim, Beaufighter, Mosquito

From 09/1939 - 10/1940   HMS Peregrine

So there are a few squadrons operating Bostons from Ford.

Ford was also used by the RAF Film Production Unit. They used modified Mosquito iV's

The only named pilots I know are Flg Off Lee Howard and Sqn Ldr Charles Patterson who flew DZ 414 'O'

[Kopfdorfer]

Okay ,

Here is an image of Chain Home Radar Stations :


Look on the Norfolk Coast and find Norwich.
Attlebridge is less than 10km from Norwich to the NW.
There are three CHH Stations within 10-12 km of Attlebridge.
1) West Beckham to the NNE on the north coast.
2) Stoke Holy Cross Very close - about 2-3km to the East.
3) High Street about 10-12 km to the SSE.
Only High Street has a Chain Home Low Station ( Dunwich) in close proximity ,
as in your photo.
Unfortunately , High Street is seaward of Attlebridge which makes it unlikely that the land would
be on a higher elevation.

It seems to point more strongly towards RNAS Ford.

As per Stainless' post , we have some other Boston/Havoc Sqdns to consider :
88 Sqdn RAF      Codes HY , RH
23 Sqdn RAF      Codes MS , YP    Stationed at Bradwell Bay during Jubilee
418 Sqdn RCAF  Codes TH           Not Operational until 1943
605 Sqdn AAF ( Auxilliary Air Force )  Codes HE  Stationed at RNAS Ford during Operation Jubilee ( June 42 - Mar 43 ) !!!
This may be your Sqdn.

Kopfdorfer

[Mick]

... there's a Havok Mk.I no.23 Sqdn November 1941, RAF Ford, skin here:

http://www.mission4today.com/index.php?name=Downloads2&file=details&id=5285

... and other RAF Bostons here:

http://axis-and-allies-paintworks.com/download.php?view.46

http://axis-and-allies-paintworks.com/download.php?view.13

[Stainless]

Ford does look like a good match

• Poling is just a couple of miles east of the end of the runway and would be the radar station in the film
• You can see a lot of blister hangers in the background
• Bostons flew from Ford in the right time period
• RAF film production unit was based at Ford, so a good chance they filmed aircraft landing

[Wa99el]

Good work 

I am now convinced that the airfield in the film is Ford. The row of houses in combination with the nearby radar station with the appropriate positions clearly speak for it.

I think I will post more picture puzzles in the near future. Many eyes see more and it's also fun somewhere.