Came across this photo taken at Castle Archdale i had'nt seen before. The caption reads:- BREFING. Flight Lietenant WG Houghton, RAF, the inrelligence officer, briefs (from left) Plt Officer CHE Cook, Fg Off Jack Ritchie and Fg Off Monte All members of 423 Squadron RCAF at Castle Archdale, August 10th, 1943. Also the following:- Sergeant Leo Needham, a Flight Engineer, goes through his pre-flight check-off. 423 Squadron RCAF, April 6th, 1943. Sergeants Jack Shand and Bill Beale stow the mooring chain in its nose locker by means of the winch. 423 Squadron RCAF, April 6th, 1943. Skyhawk.
Nice find Skyhawk! I have some photos that a guy from 75 Sqn took that I must get round to scanning and putting on here as there are some other aircrew from RNZAF who are shown too. Dee
One more here. Caption reads:- LAC's FB Hickey, BB Charach and GW Mason installing a camera in the rear compartment of a 422 Squadron RCAF sunderland, Castle Archdale, December 8th, 1944. Regards Skyhawk.
The top one show members of Cook's crew in the Ops Control building . ( that which is now the restaurant / shop / pub complex). These photos are all held in the National Archives of Canada and I think may have been used by Chaz Bowyer in his Sunderland at War book. The photographer went out with Cook's crew on ops. and photographed them "on the job" - I don't have "Red " Macfie's diary with me at present as it is on loan but he recorded in it the date these were taken. I think they landed at Iceland and there is a well known photo of them all leaning over the tailboard of a truck being taken to their "accommodation". Yes - checked Bowyer's book he has some more of Jack Shand and crew dated 6th April 44. The date of the photographer being out with "Cookie's" crew 10th August 43 , a few days after Bishop sank U-489 SE of Iceland - it may be that this success prompted the "powers that be" to have a photographer "go out on a trip". There were two official photographers attached to 422/423 at various times , they produced some quality art work and a good photographic record of the bases and the life style of the men. Th briefing photo. Flt lt. W G Houhton 2nd left. Jack Cook on the left 3rd from left Jack Richie and on the right Fl. Off Monte - all men with 423 . dated 10th August 43. taking in the anchor Sgts Beale and Shand - above them would have been the retractable nose turret. The photo of LAC's Hickey , Charach and Mason with the "F24" camera in the rear oc the aircraft - just behind them the rear turret. The photo was dated December 8th 1944. It was this camera which was blown out of position when a DC exploded prematurely on Gerry Feathers when he attacked U- 672 , God but they were unlucky and yet so lucky to be still in the air.......... This camera would so often provide intel. on the damage inflicted and would support any claim made by the crew. Sorry Robert just realised that you already had their names and details . With reference to Cook's op of 10th August 43 , all crew members "had their photos taken" and they reflect a variety of posed and natural images were the photographer had asked them to do things and others where they just got on with the job in hand . The photo of Cook smoking his pipe and Jim Rosenthal having "a fag" is pretty good.
Thanks James. Would each squadron have their own intelligence officer or was there a station intell group of officers supplying information to all the squadrons at the base?
I think a mixture of both to be honest. In reports on attacks made the Squadron CO. , Station Commander both expressed an opinion on the report submitted on debrief of the crew - it is often surprising what comes out in these and one gent whom I showed the report on his attack of a "snorting U-Boat" made the comment that it was all well and good for him ( the Station CO) to say that - he was safe behind his desk and had time on his side I didn't. Seems that aircrew wee never shown this material. Makes you wonder as well what % of the info given to crews came from "Ultra" sources although by the time it got down to base level it was well disguised and the potential source well coloured over and attributed to other "sources".
This is a nice shot. Caption reads:- Complete Sunderland crew of 422 Squadron RCAF waiting on a jetty to be borne to their aircraft. Back row from left:- Fg Off NC Rowley, Fg Off S Jones, Fg Off CHE Cook, Fg Off JD Graham, WO2 TE Cambell, Flt Sgt HJC Walerk, WO1 JO Fink and Fg Off TA Reeves. In Front:- Fg Off WJ Bice, Fg Off WC Schmidt and Fg Off Fred Field. Pembroke Dock December 8th, 1944.
I hope to see Terry reeves later this year ...now 90 plus he wants to come back for one last time. At the time of this photo Terry had done a complete tour with Cook's crew on 423 and had opted for another with 422 , joining him was his lifetime friend Don "Red" Macfie. Don is still alive and well and living in Ontario . See http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/war-air/15763-some-war-time-views-castle-archdale-2.html Post 12 and Post 20 for a photo of Cookie's lads. circa 1943. Also see post 44 - Terry at the site of the 422 crash at Belleek ( 12/8/44) , this photo was taken in 1989. And for one of Terry and Don on the only surviving WW2 Sunderland still flying - Ex 422.
I think I have one , I know Breege Mc Cusker had some in her book. Although rumours of wrecks abound the McGarry family who were contracted to recover aircraft lifted everything they were instructed to lift which included all but three of the WW2 aircraft and one of them is in the Lough only in part. Those which were scuttled / sunk there but where ?
