Quote from the late C.F.(Jimmy) Rawnsley Profile Publications number 137 The Bristol Beaufighter I&II. "I pulled the hatch open dropped down on to the ground and walked around to the front of the aircraft.She was good, whichever way you looked at it .sturdy and aggressive,although perhaps a bit heavy.But the two gigantic Hercules engines with which she was powered air cooled and close cowled,with their huge propellers sweeping through a wild arc,could surely lift anything.From the tip of that forked aerial at the nose to her shapely rudder she was a beauty.I knew that somehow as gunner ,powder monkey,operator or stowaway ,it did not matter which ,I just had to fly her." Details of daring raid. One daring and unusual Beaufighter mission happened on 12 June 1942 when a Coastal Command Beaufighter was flown to Paris by FIt Lt A K Gatward. This pilot flew his aircraft all the way to the Champs-Elysees at hedge-hopping altitude in daylight. Once there he defiantly dropped a ‘tricolore’ and then, to add insult to injury, he strafed Gestapo Headquarters with cannon-fire.
One daring and unusual Beaufighter mission happened on 12 June 1942 when a Coastal Command Beaufighter was flown to Paris by FIt Lt A K Gatward. This pilot flew his aircraft all the way to the Champs-Elysees at hedge-hopping altitude in daylight. Once there he defiantly dropped a ‘tricolore’ and then, to add insult to injury, he strafed Gestapo Headquarters with cannon-fire. Clive, I believe you are referring to this..... Operation ‘Squabble’ This was a special operation in the Paris area carried out in June 1942 which was intended to create a heartening effect among the Parisians and to expose the occupying Germans to ridicule. From information obtained from a reliable source it appeared that the enemy performed a routine parade along the Avenue des Champs Elysee every day between the hours of 1215 and 1245, and it was considered by the Air Ministry that a low flying machine gun and cannon attack launched against this parade would have most valuable results in upholding the moral of the French people. As the target was outside the range of Spitfires and all Fighter Command’s Beaufighters were fitted with special equipment, it was decided by the Air Ministry on 30 April 1942 that the operation should be undertaken by a Coastal Command Beaufighter Accordingly the A.O.C-in-C was requested to make arrangements for this attack to be delivered at his discretion. This special flight was allocated the name “Operation Squabble” and No. 236 Squadron was chosen to fulfil the task. The hazardous nature of this operation called for specific conditions of cloud cover over certain parts of the route which did not materialise until 12 June 1942, after four previous attempts had been made abortive by the lack of cloud cover on crossing the French coast. On this day, however, conditions appeared to be more satisfactory, so, Beaufighter C/236 Squadron with F/Lt. A K. Gatward as pilot and Sgt. G F. Fern as navigator, was airborne at 1129 hours from Thorney Island on “Operation Squabble”. In conditions of ten tenths cloud at 2,000 feet with heavy precipitation the aircraft set course for the target at 1131 hours. Crossing the French coast a few miles eastward of Fecamp at 1158 hours, the cloud began to thin out and by the time Rouen was reached there was bright sunshine. With visibility at ten to twenty miles and no cloud, the aircraft passed over the suburbs of Paris at a very low altitude and some light flak was encountered for the first time. The Eiffel Tower was easily pinpointed and was circled at 1227 hours. There was, unfortunately, no sign of the parade, but to compensate for this development a Tricolour was successfully dropped over the Arc de Triomphe, after which the aircraft flew down between the buildings of the Champs Elysee but there was still no sign of any troops. In accordance with briefing instructions the pilot then proceeded to attack with cannon fire the Ministry of Marine building and released a second Tricolour. The pilot reported that there were plenty of people about of both sexes, with most of them in shirt sleeves, many of whom waved. Before opening fire on the Ministry of Marine building, however, the pilot ensured that there were no pedestrians in the line of fire. His point of aim was half-way up the building. At 1230 hours the aircraft set course for base and maintained the same track back to the coast as followed on the outward flight. The French coat was crossed for the second time at 1255 hours and the aircraft finally landed at Northolt at 1353 hours. The whole sortie had been flown at a height of twenty to thirty feet and although the aircraft flew over Rouen aerodrome at this altitude no enemy opposition was encountered. The light flak encountered over the target was very poor. This mission received its full share of publicity and some of the photographs en route were released to the general public. In addition, the pilot of the aircraft, F/Lt. A K. Gatward was awarded the DFC and the navigator Sgt. G F. Fern was granted a commission. AIR 41/47
Peter, You are a wealth of new information. Thanks for that! I hope that F/Lt. A K. Gatward survived the war. His grandchilden would be delighted by that unique story.
Wow! I was impressed with that!, on a similar note I am trying to find out as much as I can about 143 and 236 Squadrons. Im sure they flew Mark x Beaus, and flew from North Coates in Lincolnshire. Is there a list anywhere available of crews and the aircraft they flew?.
Peter, You are a wealth of new information. Thanks for that! I hope that F/Lt. A K. Gatward survived the war. His grandchilden would be delighted by that unique story. Wow! I was impressed with that!, on a similar note I am trying to find out as much as I can about 143 and 236 Squadrons. Im sure they flew Mark x Beaus, and flew from North Coates in Lincolnshire. Is there a list anywhere available of crews and the aircraft they flew?. Peter, You always come up trumps with tremendous reports. Marvellous to read. Regards Tom
Wow! I was impressed with that!, on a similar note I am trying to find out as much as I can about 143 and 236 Squadrons. Im sure they flew Mark x Beaus, and flew from North Coates in Lincolnshire. Is there a list anywhere available of crews and the aircraft they flew?. There were three Aussies killed with 137sq and six with 236sq. This Aussie in the RAF flew a Blenheim with 236sq and was killed in the BoB. McDONOUGH, BRYAN MARTIN Pilot Officer 42137 236sq RAF 1/08/1940 23 Royal Air Force UK Panel 9. RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL
There were three Aussies killed with 137sq and six with 236sq. This Aussie in the RAF flew a Blenheim with 236sq and was killed in the BoB. McDONOUGH, BRYAN MARTIN Pilot Officer 42137 236sq RAF 1/08/1940 23 Royal Air Force UK Panel 9. RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL On Thursday 1st August 1940 No.236 Squadron lost two Blenheim's.... The one mentioned by Spidge above....Blenheim (F) N2774, and Blenheim (F) N3601. Both were escorting No.59 Squadron aircraft on a raid to Cherbourg.
Dear All I do like the old profile publications whilst only a dozen or more pages they are packed with a lot of info including excellent photographs and colour drawings. The pilot bale out procedure for the Beaufighter. "Insofar as the pilot was concerned the bale out procedure was something of a gymnastic feat.Having first collapsed the back of his seat by pulling a lever,he then had to grab parallel bars set high ,one on each side,and then swing himself up and back and down on to the forward escape hatch"
Dear All I do like the old profile publications whilst only a dozen or more pages they are packed with a lot of info including excellent photographs and colour drawings. The pilot bale out procedure for the Beaufighter. "Insofar as the pilot was concerned the bale out procedure was something of a gymnastic feat.Having first collapsed the back of his seat by pulling a lever,he then had to grab parallel bars set high ,one on each side,and then swing himself up and back and down on to the forward escape hatch" Clive, it sounds like it should have been an Olympic sport.
Peter yes it appears so it does quote prior to that "An innovation in the Beaufighter was the arrangement for the emergency exit of the two crew.Access to the crew positions was gained through hatches in the underside of the fuselage and these were also the emergency exits. A quick release opened each hatch which being balanced and pivoted horizontally ,was swung by the air stream into a vertical position where it locked to create a dead air region through which the crew could drop without risk of injury-even in a 400mph dive."
Followed up Arthur Kitchener Gatward (83251) on the London Gazette archive. Please can someone tell me more about the DSO he got as an Acting Wing Commander in 404 (RCAF) Sqn (Beaufight again). Just to let you know he survived the war and was given a permanent commission in 1947 as a Sqn Ldr. Good lad I wonder when he left the RAF? Dee
Wow! I was impressed with that!, on a similar note I am trying to find out as much as I can about 143 and 236 Squadrons. Im sure they flew Mark x Beaus, and flew from North Coates in Lincolnshire. Is there a list anywhere available of crews and the aircraft they flew?. Bern, I have had a look through three references; none have exact crew lists in tabular form but all three serve as a solid coverage of this theatre. They may be worth looking at, Andrew D. Bird. "A Separate Little War: The Banff Coastal Command Strike Wing Versus the Kriegsmarine and Luftwaffe, 1944-1945". Roy Conyers Nesbit. "The Strike Wings: Special Anti-Shipping Squdrons, 1942-45". and Christina J.M. Goulter. "A Forgotten Offensive: Royal Air Force Coastal Command's Anti-Shipping Campaign, 1940-1945". All are replete with personal accounts and a lot of aircrew are identified. Michael
Thanks for that info Michael that info will be of great help, before I make the long trip to Kew I have planned for later on in the year.
On Thursday 1st August 1940 No.236 Squadron lost two Blenheim's.... The one mentioned by Spidge above....Blenheim (F) N2774, and Blenheim (F) N3601. Both were escorting No.59 Squadron aircraft on a raid to Cherbourg. Hi Peter, My info stated that the Aussie was in Blenheim IV (F) R2774. Could you please confirm if my info was incorrect. Cheers Geoff
Hi Geoff, 'The Bristol Blenheim A Complete History' - Graham Warner gives the serial as R2774. 'The Other Few' - Larry Donnelly gives the serial as N2774. I would tend to go with R2774 although it would be nice to confirm the exact serial. Regards Peter
Hi Geoff, 'The Bristol Blenheim A Complete History' - Graham Warner gives the serial as R2774. 'The Other Few' - Larry Donnelly gives the serial as N2774. I would tend to go with R2774 although it would be nice to confirm the exact serial. Regards Peter To confirm the above serial No. N2774 was allocated to a Vickers Wellington IC, where R2774 was allocated to a Bristol Blenheim IV. 'British Military Aircraft Serials 1878-1987' - Bruce Robertson. Hope this is a Help Regards Peter
