No.120 Squadron RAF Coastal Command. Personnel losses 1941-1945

Many thanks Peter.

 

Grant, I have a copy of the 120 Squadron ORB. Given time I'll scan the sorties your Grandfather carried out with them and post the results on here.

 

A short history of Liberator I AM 925 X/120


Wednesday 18th February 1942. RAF Nutts Corner, Northern Ireland. The loss of Liberator I AM925 X/120

Liberator I AM925, No.16 on the Consolidated production line, was flown from San Diego to the Anglo-Canadian ferrying base at St.Hubert, Montreal, and, from there, flew the Atlantic, via Gander, arriving at Prestwick on 7 June 1941. Modification at Scottish Aviation Ltd to RAF Coastal Command configuration, was slow due to delays in the delivery of appropriate parts. The aircraft was allocated to No.120 Squadron at RAF Nutts Corner, Northern Ireland but did not join the Squadron until 23 August 1941, taking the code letter "X."

The aircraft flew a number of test and exercise sorties then, on 22 September, left Nutts Corner, flown by F/0 Walton and crew, for its first anti-submarine sweep. AM925 went out to 22 degrees West, and landed safely at base after some 7 hours in the air.

25 September brought problems when AM925, with F/0. Bannister and crew, and in company with Liberator I AM910, took-off to undertake the Squadron's first convoy escort. Once airborne, the undercarriage of AM925 failed to retract and the crew were forced to jettison the depth-charges in Lough. Neagh, then circle base for four hours burning off excess fuel before a safe landing could be made.

The undercarriage problem was quickly rectified and, on 28 September, F/0. Isted and crew carried out an uneventful convoy anti-submarine escort.

However, October 1941 brought more misfortune. At 0713 hours., on the 8th., F/L. Harrison and crew were airborne from Nutts Corner to provide escort to Convoy CF2. After 5 hours of flying, the convoy was sighted,despite bad visibility, in 5433N, 1520W. the visual and pyrotechnic signals of the day were made, but the Naval escorts opened fire on the Liberator. The signals were repeated to no avail and AM925 received 10 hits, fortunately without causing casualties among the crew. After 20 minutes of getting nowhere, Harrison decided enough was enough and AM925 returned to base, landing at 1448 hours.

Following this incident, the aircraft was graded Category B and went to Tollerton Aircraft Ltd. for repair. It was returned to Nutts Corner on 7 November by F/L. Kimpton and crew.

November and December passed in a series of transit flights between Nutts Corner, Wick, Dyce and Prestwick as various Squadron crews were temporarily posted elsewhere for other duties.

The New Year took AM925 back to the North Atlantic when, on 1 January, S/L. Harrison and crew were tasked to provide escort to Convoy HX166. A prolonged search was carried out in the general area 59N,15W, but the convoy was not found and AM925 landed at base after 6 hours in the air.

The next day brought a 10-hour sortie when S/L. Bulloch and crew took the aircraft out to 10 degrees West in search of a U-boat. The U-boat was not found, but a number of Royal and Merchant Navy vessels were sighted and, seven hours into the patrol, Bulloch was, ordered by Control to start a search for Convoy HX166. Bad weather curtailed the search, and AM925 was forced to return to Northern Ireland.

On 18 January, S/L. Bulloch was detailed to take AM925 on a photo reconnaissance of Trondheim but, four hours into the sortie, was recalled to base due to bad weather over the target.

On the 28th., weather intervened again when AM925 was carrying out an anti-submarine Cross-Over patrol with S/L. Bulloch at the controls. Two SOS messages were received from merchant vessels in trouble, but no sightings were made and the aircraft returned to Wick after eight hours in the air.

February 1942 brought more ill-favored weather and AM925 spent much of the early part of the month in short transit flights between the Northern Ireland airfields.

On the 17th., F/0 Bannister and his crew of:- Sgt. Wilson (2nd.Pilot), P/0. Densham (Observer), Sgt. Welford (F/L. Engineer), P/O. Fuller and Sgts. Middleton, Mines and Waite as W0p/AG's, with F/O Wakefield as passenger, found themselves tasked with a Cross-Over patrol on the following day.

Take-off was scheduled for before dawn and the crew were roused some three hours before take-off. they made their way to the Messes for the almost ritual bacon and egg meal, then reported to the Station Operations Room for briefing. Here Bannister received the 'Form Green' which authorised the sortie and listed all necessary information. Specialist officers gave briefings concerning, for example, intelligence, navigation, radar, meteorology and signals. Information concerning call signs and frequencies, together with the printed cards giving the cypher system (SYKO), was distributed.

Following briefing, the crew traveled to their crew:room to don flying kit and collect parachute packs, Mae Wests and the rations for the flight.

Transport took them through the cold and dark to the distant hard standing where AM925 waited. Each crew member made the visual checks of the equipment for which he was responsible.

Once these were complete, the crew climbed aboard and the aircraft was taxied to the East/West runway.

Take-off clearance being received from Control, AM925 began its patrol, recorded in the Squadron Operations Record Book as:‑

"Time Up 0450-hrs.

Time Down 0452-hrs."

The aircraft had commenced its run up at 0440 hours and while it seemed to take an unusually long run, it became airborne normally. AM925 appeared to climb rather sluggishly for a short distance, then the engines suddenly cut out and a tongue of flame appeared. The cut out was so decisive as to suggest that all four engines had ceased to function simultaneously.

The Liberator had struck a radio mast, situated in a field at the end of the East/West runway, leaving the tail unit behind. The remainder of the aircraft careered across three small fields and came to rest almost opposite the airfield 'Communal Site' on the Belfast road and burst into flames.

The effect of thousands of gallons of petrol, ordnance and sea-markers (containing powdered aluminium) incinerating themselves hardly needs description and any attempt to bring assistance to survivors was endangered by the periodic explosions of ammunition and depth-charges as they 'cooked-off' in the heat.

Station Sick Quarters personnel raced to the scene with the Morris ambulance and crash tender, while the rest of the Medical staff followed along the Belfast road by van. At the crash-site they found Sgt s. Waite and Mines, severely shocked but at least on their feet; they were speedily removed to Sick Quarters by van. F/0 Bannister and P/0 Densham were then found on a grassy bank, obviously injured. While receiving immediate aid from the Medical Officer and his assistant, more depth-charges aboard AM925 exploded; F/0. Claydon (Squadron Medical Officer) used his own body to shield F/O. Bannister from the effects of blast and falling debris, while Aircraftman Gilbert unhesitatingly performed the same service for P/0. Densham.

The van, already on its way to Sick Quarters, was nearly blown off the road by this explosion but, by great good fortune, suffered no real harm and continued its journey.

By now, many people were hurrying to the scene to give whatever help they could. Among them was Mr. Taggart, a civilian employed on airfield construction work, who was lodging in the house nearest to the crash-site. He had woken to find his bed covered with shattered glass, along with most of his bedroom ceiling, but he stumbled out to do what he could.

In the meantime, the Medical Officer and Cpl. Domony had found the Second Pilot, Sgt. Wilson, stretched out at the roadside, injured and severely shocked. He, with Bannister and Densham, was placed aboard the ambulance and transported to Sick Quarters.

A burned and severely shocked F/O. Wakefield had, somehow, made his own way to S/L. Kerr's quarters and was, for the time being, made comfortable there.

By daybreak, the injured had been taken to 31 General Hospital, Belfast, while at Nutts Corner, further searching at the crash-site revealed the bodies of P/0 Fuller, Sgt. Middleton and Sgt. Welford.

In the course of time, the hospital patients made good recovery with the exception of P/0 Densham who died of his injuries on 20th.February.

Possibly the final word concerning the career of Liberator AM925 came on Monday 8th.June 1942, when a Midlands local paper published a somewhat smudgy photo of a very young airman. Part of the caption read:-

"In 1939, John Felix Waite ...... joined the RAF as a wireless operator air-gunner. One day this year, Waite's aeroplane crashed during a take-off. He was thrown clear of the burning wreckage but returned to rescue the Observer. Today it is announced that Sergeant Waite has been awarded the George Medal."

P G. White
P. Clare

Acknowledgments

Eddie Cheek, Charles Claydon, Ernie Cromie, Peter Cundy, Jean Davis, George Fabel, Fred Hollies, John Waite, Rae Walton and Harry Wilson.

Citation. Sgt. John Felix Waite GM.

One night in February 1942, an aircraft loaded for an operational sortie crashed during the take-off. Sergeant Waite, a member of the crew, was thrown clear some 20 yards in front of the aircraft, which was on fire. He was told by another survivor to run from the scene as fast as he could, as the high explosives on board the aircraft were likely to detonate at any moment.

Sergeant Waite, although injured about the face, back, and leg, ignored this advice and, with complete disregard of danger, went to the blazing wreckage and extricated the observer, who was lying on the floor of the aircraft in the flames.

Having extricated the observer, Sergeant Waite carried him for about 100 yards, then got him through a barbed-wire fence and, finally, behind the shelter of a ditch just as the explosives blew up.

In circumstances of exceptional danger, this airman, although himself seriously wounded, displayed great bravery. Unfortunately, the observer whom he had so courageously rescued died some three days later.