Blida Aerodrome 1943 (photo: Summers)

After the Anglo-American invasion of Algeria and Morocco in the fall of 1942, called Operation Torch, it became evident that a heavy/medium night bomber force would be useful in attacking the sources of supply for the opposition Afrika Korps. The ideal aircraft was felt to be the Wellington X (Trop). The plan called for this force to hit the supply ports of Bizerte, airfields in Italy and North Africa, as well as providing tactical assistance to the Allied armies moving eastwards trying to link up with the 8th Army under Montgomery moving west. Furthermore, by following the success of the army in taking territory to the east Italy and Sicily could be brought under the Wellington's bombsights - thus making it even harder for Rommel to receive supplies and reinforcements and also preparing the way for the invasion of what Churchill called the "soft underbelly of Europe". With 205 Group Wellington Squadrons operating from bases in Egypt and Libya, the effect would be that of a pincer of airpower applied to Rommel's forces and to his supply routes.

The Call Goes Out:

Since the debacle of the Advanced Air Striking Force in France in 1940, 150 Squadron had been a part of I Group, Bomber Command in England based at Newton, Snaith and Kirmington. It had formed a part of the early striking strength of the RAF air offensive against Nazi Germany, flying Wellington Ia, Ic and III aircraft. The story of 150's part in the Mediterranean Theatre starts on November 26, 1942 when 12 crews and a ground echelon, 100 strong from each of 150 and 142 squadrons were put "on notice" for an overseas posting. This, they were told was to be a temporary posting of three months. For many ground crew it would be closer to three years until they saw England again.

The specifics of the move as taken from the ORB's are as follows:

26.10.42 - 150 Squadron moved from Snaith to Kirmington taking off at 14:10

01.01.42 - 30.12.42 - 150 Squadron stood down from operations

9.12.42 - "13 Tropicalized Wellington III a/c took off for advanced base at Portreath prior to proceeding overseas"

"13.12.42 -A party of 82 Ground Personnel i/c of P/0 B.V. Caskie (Bombing Leader) proceeded by rail to No. 1 P.D.C., West Kirby, prior to embarkation and proceeding overseas to destination by sea."

26/27.01.43 - "Final op by home echelon of 150 Squadron to Lorient - all personnel and a/c posted to newly formed 166 Squadron at Kirmington along with home echelon of 142 Squadron with effect from 27.01.43

9.12.43 - Wellington III a/c, aircrews and selected ground personnel left Kirmington, Lincs for an advanced flying base (Portreath, Cornwall) prior to flying to an overseas base

P/O B.V. (Bert) Caskie (129447) was awarded the DFC 5.1.43

In telling this story I am fortunate to have, not only Summer's original book, but also subsequent and thorough research done on primary sources at the Public Records Office at Kew by Ian Cruttenden. Ian's work generally shows that Summer's book is a very accurate portrayal of what happened, but he has been able to add new information from the ORB's of the two squadron's sent out to Blida. The fact that the two sources "gel" is of course, not a coincidence, since as Wing Intell Officer, Summers would have written the daily Opsums that became the ORB's.

I now take up Summer's narrative. Bad weather precluded departure from Portreath for 10 days and the crews were confined to camp and as Summers says "were thrown very much together and were able to get to know one another". All of the crews were experienced, some on their second tour. On December 19, 1942 the first aircraft landed via Gibraltar, at Blida, with others arriving over the next few days. The a/c captains were:

W/C J D Kirwan (O/C)

S/L C L G Holmes

F/Lt N F Vincent

P/O J G Roberts

Sgt L W Matthews

Sgt W F Harris

S/L R M Pinkham

F/Lt D C Dunn

P/O J G Swain

Sgt M Penman

Sgt W O Rublee

Sgt Mortimer

Sgt F G W Mayhew

Sgt Welford (flew DF703) to Portreath to replace u/s 142 aircraft

Blida with Atlas Mountains in Background (photo: Summers)

Moving In

Two aircraft of the combined squadrons crashed on landing and so the campaign started with 22 bombers. Each squadron brought out 24 ground crew by air with the remaining ground staff arriving by ship on Christmas Day having been sent on a cruiser from the UK instead of by the slower "troopship". Still, this was a very minimal force - the intention still being that this was a temporary posting and that it would not last longer than three months.

The capture of the airfield at Blida, Algeria by advancing allied forces allowed the planners to consider bringing medium bombers into the theatre. Built by the French in the 1930's Blida was a "permanent" station in that it had hangers and buildings to house workshops and messes. Its proximity to Algiers, 35 miles to the North East, made communication with Allied headquarters easy as well as providing a port through which aircraft parts, ordnance and other supplies could be supplied. Blida, nestling under a fir and evergreen covered range of the Atlas mountains which rise to a height of 6,000 feet, was probably the most pleasant base that 142 and 150 Squadrons would share during their time in North Africa or Italy. At the time, the initial contingent, veterans of raids to the Ruhr's "Happy Valley" thought it a wonderful posting. At one time Blida was home to over 8,000 British and American airmen. Sharing the field with the Wellingtons were three Coastal Command Squadrons, two Free French squadrons and a host of DC-3 Dakota transport aircraft.

The benign influence of "Station Master" Group Captain W.V. Strugnell, M.C. was reflected in the fact that Blida was considered a "happy station".

After settling in the squadrons experienced the phenomenon that would follow them through their whole time in the Mid East. Although briefed for "ops" the airfield was unserviceable due to heavy rains and the resultant mud. However, on the night of 28/29 December 1942 8 a/c were sent to bomb Bizerte docks - which was to become the 330 Wing "milkrun" - the equivalent to 205's trip to Benghasi.

Bizerte, in Tunisia was a critical supply port for the Africa Korps, now being hard pressed from both east and west by Allied Forces. 150 treated it to its first 4000 lb. "cookie", although it had to be released "manually" after it hung up in the racks. The wireless operator was pressed into service with a fire axe to chop the frozen cookie away from its hook whilst flying over the target. Again, 150 was to have its first experience with another of its nemesis in the Med - icing.

In January 1943, 231 sorties were flown, despite the bad weather and 896,200 lbs. of bombs were dropped on Bizerte docks and Elmas and Medenine aereodromes. Night time bombing of aerodromes was intended to help the day bombers by destroying day fighters on the ground at night while they were being serviced.

To those who served later in Tunisia and Italy, reading of the diet at Blida must have made mouths water - oranges and eggs, tangerines and grapefruit .. loquots, peaches, grapes, figs dates and almonds.

Operations

During January, operations proceeded apace as outlined above. Several near catastrophes were barely avoided. Most serious was the injury of the O/C - W/C Kirwan when he was forced to bale out of his aircraft along with his crew. Several acts of conspicuous bravery resulted in the awarding of the DFC and the DFM - one to an LAC who was acting as a flight engineer - LAC C J Skingsley.

In February, an attack on Cagliari aerodrome, prevented an allied convoy from being attacked. A signal was received from the Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshall Sir Charles Portal, G.C.B., D.S.O., M.C. :

"My appreciation and congratulations to the aircrews and other personnel concerned with 142 and 150 Squadrons on the most creditable performance the two Squadrons have put up since their arrival in the theatre. You have certainly shown us all what bombers can do"

Weather again became the problem - a story that would continue throughout the posting to the Mediterranean. In February operations were possible only on eleven nights - Bizerte 7 ops, Sardinian airfields 2 ops and Trapani twice. 119 sorties were flown and 467,600 lbs of bombs dropped.

On February 25, 1943, 150 suffered the first of what would be a long list of casualties. P/O J.G. Swain, DFC and crew flew into a cloud covered mountainside on returning from Bizerte. It was an omen of things to come - weather continued to be the most dangerous enemy in the theatre - ironic when one considers that the average person thinks that the Mediterranean is a land of hot sunny skies and excellent weather.

W/C Kirwan, injured in his bale out earlier, had to return to the UK and was replaced by W/C A A Malan, who formerly had commanded a Bristol Bisley Squadron in North Africa.

Many famous names cross the path of 150 Squadron during the Blida period - we have seen earlier the interest shown by AVM Portal. On March 21 Air Chief Marshall Sir Arthur W. Tedder, perhaps one of the most able commanders of the R.A.F. in WW II, visited the squadron. Tedder later became responsible for the preparation of Normandy for the invasion and it is not surprising that he took many pages from the books of 205 Group in doing so.

By this time it had been decided to maintain the two squadrons in the theatre for a longer period than a mere 3 month detachment and so the squadron was brought up to full strength and sufficient ground support and equipment was sent out to Blida.

A change in organization of the Allied Air Forces meant that a special relationship would be formed between 150 Squadron and USAAF General James "Jimmy" Doolittle. Doolittle was famous, not only for his exploits racing the famous GB series of aircraft in the 30's but for his daring raid on Tokyo in the dark months following the attack on Pearl Harbour, flying B-25's off the deck of the aircraft carrier "Hornet" to make a token attack on the Japanese capital.

After the continued advance of the 8th Army, Mediterranean Air Command under Air Chief Marshall Tedder came into being and under him General Spaatz of the USAAF took charge of the North West African Air Force comprising all Allied Units from Tunisia to Morocco. NAAF was divided into six Commands - Tactical, Strategic, Coastal, Training, Troop Carrier and Service. 150 and 142 Squadrons came under the control of the North West African Strategic Air Force and the commander was General "Jimmy" Doolittle.

Now, Doolittle was not a man to command from behind a desk - he wanted to learn about his new command first hand. Trained in the American doctrine of daylight precision bombing he wanted to learn what the Wellington could do at night. So on February 22. 1943, he flew with F/O Roberts in JN-A to see for himself the bombing of Bizerte docks by night. On a bright moonlit night, Doolittle saw the attack concentrated into a period of less than 5 minutes, with the majority of bombs going down within 2 minutes. Doolittle was impressed with his new charges and flew with 150 whenever he had the chance. A personal friendship grew between him and Group Captain J.A. Powell, which is documented on this website.

Doolittle paid the ultimate tribute to 330 Wing in a signal from his headquarters on November 27, 1943, before leaving to assume command of the 8th Airforce in England:

"The work in this theatre of 142 and 150 Squadrons of 330 Wing has been outstanding. The phenomenally high operational rate and efficiency of the Wimpeys contributed materially to the success of the campaign. I am proud to have been associated with this fine organization"

signed

J.H. Doolittle

Major General U.S.A.

F/O Roberts, Gen. James Doolittle, and crew of A- Apple prepare for op (photo: Summers)

In March, again weather was a problem and only 115 sorties were flown and 408,550 lbs of bombs dropped. Targets were Tunis - 2 ops; Bizerte and Ferryvillle - 3 ops; Sardinian airfields - 1 op; and Sfax aerodrome - 2 ops.

In April the squadrons were detailed to give direct assistance to troops advancing on Tunisia. Rommel's forces were falling back on Tunis, but the going was fierce. It was a fighting retreat in all senses of the term. Targets were landing grounds hidden in olive groves, motor transport and the milkrun to Bizerte.

As an interesting side note and as an additional accolade to the "erks", Summers points out that during the first three months in the Med no Wellington spares were received at Blida. "Maintenance was kept up by robbing unserviceable and crashed aircraft. An average serviceability of 85% was however maintained, which is in itself is a high and fitting tribute to the work of the ground staff." (p.19)

April's operation rate reflects the improvement in weather and the changeover to tactical targets - 247 sorties were flown and 935,230 lbs. of bombs dropped. Along with the bombloads "nickels" started to be dropped - the numbers increasing by the month - 600,000 in March, 4 million in April, five million in May and eight million in June. Over 7,000 prisoners surrendered using "laissez passez" leaflets dropped by the Wellingtons.

Powell Arrives and 330 Wing is Formed

The fate of 150 Squadron as a permanent part of the Mediterranean Theatre was sealed with the arrival of G/C J.A. "Speedy" Powell on April 19, 1943. The two squadrons were formed into 330 Wing R.A.F. Powell, wasted no time. He gave the squadrons the once over, flew up to General Doolittle's headquarters and arranged for an immediate move closer to the zone of battle - to a godforsaken place called Fontaine Chaude. In the short time that the squadron was at this barren field, Palermo was attacked twice, and Naples, Cagliari, Marsala and Trapani once each.

Fontaine Chaude - Miles of Nothing (photo: Summers)  

In June 373 sorties were flown and 1 1/2 million lbs of bombs dropped - an example of the increasing effectiveness of the Wing. Blida now became the main Maintenance Unit for the Wing where aircraft were sent for repairs that could not be done on squadron or for major refits.

 By the end of June 330 Wing had been joined by four squadrons of Wellingtons which had come from the East (37, 40, 104 and 70) and three from England (RCAF 420, 424, 425). Now 100 bombers could be put up on any given night and the preparation of the island of Sicily for invasion could begin.

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