RAF Nutts Corner. Northern Ireland

James S mentioned RAF Nutts Corner in a post the other day so I thought I'd post this image of the airfield which was opened in June 1941. Squadrons which operated out of Nutts Corner were No's 44, 120, 160, 220, 231.

The photo was taken on 26 July 1941.

 

Many thanks D.

I believe I was very near to Nutts Corner a few years ago. I did a trip, one day - Windsor to Gatwick to Belfast to Shackleton Barracks (RAF Ballykelly by car) had a guided tour of RAF Ballykelly and back to Windsor. I was filmed during the visit. A great day.

Regards
Peter.

 

Live not to far from this airfield, shame it's been reduced to hosting a weekly market.

 

Casper,
Welcome to the forum.

Does anyone know how the name originated?

Regards
Tom

 

Hi Tom and thanks for the welcome. Unfortunately I don't but have thought about that many times.

 

Hi Casper, welcome to the forum.

 

Peter, re your projected book `120 Sqdn' - hope you have knowledge of this attack and propose to give it `entry'.
This I have also posted in ????
James, Smudjer, `Et Al',
What about SS ELSA ESSBURGER, `Blockade Runner' WW11 - Japan to Gironde, France. Some details from memory as I write.
Flying Officer Peter Cundy (Lib D/120 Sqdn RAFCC) was scrapping with two German seaplanes (Stafel 2) in Bay Biscay - took a `squirt' at one & flew into cloud. On exceting he sighted U-boat (U-373), quick squirt then dropped 4 D/C's which blew the U-boat out of he water, but did not sink her as the explosion had `by-passed' the extreeme of damage. He had observed that the crew had been stopped and in conversation with a large ship. He flew over top & took a squirt at her, banked & gained height so as to fight off two a/c attacking him. Another squirt and one was seen to fly off with flames / smoke comimg from the a/c. Now out of ammunition he flew off to base & landed at RAF NUTTS CORNER some 3 hours later.
Photo's are available of A/C /ELSA ESSBURGER /U-373 under attack.
Later Cundy became Wing Commander. He with DAF for ten years attended the re-union of U-373 in Germany - a well respected visitor. Sadly Peter passed on 2007 aged 89 !!! RESURGAM Dear Peter !!
Sadsac

 

I met Peter Cundy on numerous occasions at the 120 Squadron reunions in Scotland, he was a most interesting man, and a gentleman. I have full details of the attack of 11 January 1942 on Elsa Essburger some of which Peter passed on.

The photo is of Elsa Essburger.

 

Extract from 'the History of No.120 Squadron'.


The arrival in January 1942 of the German blockade-runner Elsa Essberger in European waters was not unexpected, as information from intelligence sources had prepared the way. Consequently an aircraft was despatched to patrol an area off the north west coast of Spain where it was anticipated she would make a landfall.

Liberator AM924. D/120, F/O. Cundy and crew were airborne at 04:10 hrs on 11 January to carry out an anti-shipping patrol in the Bay of Biscay. At 15:20 hrs a Heinkel He.115 floatplane was sighted flying at 100ft. The liberator attacked, firing 200 rounds from the side guns and 300 from the rear guns. Numerous hits were scored and fragments were seen falling from the body of the enemy aircraft. Without returning fire it began to glide down towards the sea, while thick white smoke poured from its starboard engine. At 15:34 hrs it disappeared into a squall of rain.

Some fifteen minutes later in position 43.55N, 10.15W the Liberator sighted a large merchant vessel with a fully surfaced U-boat in company which was believed to be the quarry. The aircraft immediately circled the ship, losing height until hard on the ships port beam, and at 1,000ft attacked the U-boat, which was in the process of crash-diving. Fire was opened at 800 yds with the four 20mm cannons; 180 shells were fired during the run-up, and hits on the hull and conning tower were estimated. From 300-400ft a stick of four 250 lb depth charges with a 50ft setting were released, a large path of oil was seen one minute after the attack.

Next the Liberator attacked the ship; Cundy climbed the aircraft to 1,000ft and dived on the ship pouring in cannon fire and releasing a further three depth charges on the merchant vessel, which at this time was taking violent evasive action. During the course of the attack on the ship another He.115 appeared dead ahead and interrupted the run-up, so that the attack was not as good as first promised. The Liberator climbed to 1,000ft and gave chase, opening fire with cannon and machine-guns. D/120 returned and resumed the attack on the ship, but was again interrupted by the reappearance of the enemy aircraft. This it attacked several times, at ranges between 100 and 650 yards, while the German aircraft returned fire with his front and rear guns without scoring hits. Finally he ceased fire, appeared to lose control and dived with smoke steaming from the starboard engine. However, when last seen the Heinkel had pulled out of the dive and was flying at sea level towards cloud.

Further attacks were made on the merchant ship, and numerous hits were scored on the hull and superstructure, the ship fired no flake, in fact no one was seen on deck, when the Liberator reached PLE at 16:15 hrs and set course for base, the ship was still taking evasive action in good style.

On returning to base Peter Cundy made the following observation: -
“At the time our Libs were fitted with very primitive Mk.2 ASV and as a result we unfortunately broke cloud much too near the target and hence too high. We had to let the depth charges go, though U-boats have a habit of disappearing beneath the surface in about 30 seconds. Worse was to follow though, the aircraft was not fitted with a bead foresight and I am sure it will be appreciated the difficulties of aiming a 4-engine aircraft fitted with 4 fixed 20mm cannon at a target with a ring sight”.

From German records (B. d.U. war Log) it is clear that the Elsa Essberger was being escorted into port by a U-boat when sighted and attacked by D/120. This attack was confirmed by the U-boat in a message to base. Thereupon, orders were received for the surface ship to make for El Ferrol, and for the U-boat to wait outside territorial waters.

At first light the next morning another Liberator W/120 was out searching an area covering the enemy’s possible route to Spanish territorial waters but without result.

Following the attack by D/120 it was learned from intelligence sources that the Elsa Essberger had arrived at EL Ferrol in a damaged condition at mid-day on 12 January and was making every effort to discharge her cargo into small ships for transit to France (via Bayonne). She remained there for a little less than two months eventually breaking out during the night of 8/9 March. An intelligence report gave the time of sailing as 23:00 hrs on 8 March. From then onwards she disappeared and was not seen again until 5 April, when from a PRU photograph of Bordeaux, she was identified lying alongside the Customs House Quay. By October 1942 she was being loaded with a cargo of machine tools destined for Japan, and as Elsa Essberger was setting sail on 7 November, a heavy attack was made on Bordeaux by aircraft of Bomber and Coastal Commands. The ship was hit by bombs and cannon fire, being damaged to such an extent that she could not continue her journey. She was finally scuttled in the Gironde estuary in August 1944 as Allied troops approached Bordeaux.

The U-boat involved on the attack of 11 January was U 373 (Loeser) which was damaged to such an extent that it had to return to La Pallice on 13 January. The boat entered port on 15 January and remained under repair until 24 February.

Writing in 1995 of the action Wg/Cdr. Cundy remarked: -

“We were flying at about 1,000ft just below cloud base and though frequent heavy rain squalls when the radar operator reported a contact about five to seven miles to starboard. I immediately altered course and seconds later one of the crew reported that he could see a ship more or less dead ahead. Closing in, I saw a U-boat almost alongside the freighter and promptly dived on the U-boat firing the 4 x 20mm cannons installed in the forward bomb bay of D/120 and released a stick of depth charges. I noticed a couple of Heinkel 115 floatplanes in the area as we pulled up and gave chase to one of them, again firing cannons.

“Following this short chase, we returned to the freighter, the Elsa Essberger, and attacked again with cannon fire, crossing and re-crossing many times. Throughout this action, we machine-gunned the enemy aircraft whenever opportunity presented itself, and raked the ship each time we flew over her.

“I cannot remember much more about this action which lasted for the best part of twenty minutes, but I must correct the statement that the Elsa Essberger was also attacked with depth charges. The conversion of the forward bomb bay to accommodate the four 20mm cannon was carried out at the expense of a second stick of 6 depth charges. Insofar as damage to U 373 is concerned, I attended their annual reunion in May this year and according to some of the crewmembers that were actually there in U 373 at the time, the damage was quite considerable. In fact they considered that the attack could have proved fatal if they had not been fully surfaced, depth charges being far more effective against submerged targets.

“Incidentally, the reason they were caught with their trousers down and fully surfaced was because all eyes were focused on a small boat returning to the Elsa Essberger, following a meeting between the two captains to discuss a plan of action in the event of them being attacked by aircraft”.

 

Extract from 'the History of No.120 Squadron'.


“Incidentally, the reason they were caught with their trousers down and fully surfaced was because all eyes were focused on a small boat returning to the Elsa Essberger, following a meeting between the two captains to discuss a plan of action in the event of them being attacked by aircraft”.

Peter,
An excellent post to read, very informative with the last paragraph really catching my eye.
I wonder if they had a plan if attacked by planes, whilst returning from making the plans in case of attack by enemy planes?

Regards
Tom

 

Peter, great, you seem to have all info re the attack. What a `beat-up' for Cundy. Eddie Cheek, one of his `WOP/AG's put the attack down as the most exciting of his RAF career !! ELSA ESSBURGER was again `beaten-up' after putting into Ferrol for repairs. Later fitted out whilst in the Gironde as a `Sperrbrecher'.
Presume you have ALL the 120 Sqdn attacks / sinkings ??

Sadsac

 

Presume you have ALL the 120 Sqdn attacks / sinkings ??

Sadsac

Yes, I have all details regarding the actions of 120 Squadron during the war, in fact I have a copy of the ORB which covers from June 1941 when the Squadron was reformed to the last day of war.

Regards
Peter.

 

Peter, re 120 Sqdn, you must have knowledge of Norman Franks book `Dark Sky Deep Waters' the follow up of his previous book (see `credits' DAF mentioned).
In there you will see photo of `Freddie Geils & Johannes Glaser' supposedly in Austria - not so, that photo was taken at the `Wasserkuppe' kreis Bad Bruchenau - by MYSELF !! Wasserkuppe was the `mountain range' where Germany trained glider / aircraft pilots getting ready for the future Luftwaffe. Great Memorial there to the pilots lost whilst training. Also now a tourist attraction.

Regards Sadsac

 

Peter, re 120 Sqdn, you must have knowledge of Norman Franks book `Dark Sky Deep Waters' the follow up of his previous book (see `credits' DAF mentioned).
In there you will see photo of `Freddie Geils & Johannes Glaser' supposedly in Austria - not so, that photo was taken at the `Wasserkuppe' kreis Bad Bruchenau - by MYSELF !! Wasserkuppe was the `mountain range' where Germany trained glider / aircraft pilots getting ready for the future Luftwaffe. Great Memorial there to the pilots lost whilst training. Also now a tourist attraction.

Regards Sadsac

Sadsac,

Yes I do have the book you mention but have not read it as yet. In a previous post you mention Eddie Cheek, were you acquainted with Eddie? At one time, some years ago, I was in contact with Eddie and have quite a few of his writings related to the U-boat war. Have a very nice photo of him manning the rear gun position of a Liberator I. Eddie passed away a few years ago.

Regards
Peter.

 

Hello Peter, YES, I knew Eddie Cheek. Indeed I stayed with him for a couple of days at his home in `deepest Devon'. I `converted' his `book' from the old PC so as to be able to be transferred to Microsoft etc. His printing came out on `spread-sheet' printing. To his wonderful research on aircraft and ships I added (doubled) up with mine which is the bases of my file on U-boats - every one from 1 to 4000 ???? With Eddies summing up / summation of the u-boat arm and my `criptic' style it works out `computer friendly' - at least I think so !! I tried to get Eddie to attend the U-373 `re-union with Peter Cundy in Speicherz, Germany, but as Peter said `Eddie will not travel - much likes to be at home' - and he was correct.

Regards Sadsac

 

Sadac,

How about sending me a pm with your real name, and explaining your relation to 120 Squadron. I might even have heard of you over the years? Did you know a chap by the name of Peter G. White?

Regards
Peter.

 

Hi every one, I have never used a forum before so I hope i get it right, I have been a collector of German police items for over 40 years but recently changed interest and as a result obtained a realy interesting group of ww2 medals, in the group there is a long service medal to a WO R Darker Raf, The group consited of an MBE, war and defence with Mention in Despatches emblem and the long service medal. not being a computer wizard I was just about able to retrieve some London Gazette entries mentioning the man. I discovered that he was made a flying officer on 3rd December 1940 (which would suggest he would have joined at least around 1925) and received the mention in despatches in 1942, then the MBE in the birthday honours list of June 1943, while a Squadron leader in 120 Squadron, later entires mentioned him being in the Tech Branch of the squadron. That was as far as I could get as I could not find any books or information on 120 squadron or what the tech branch actualy was. If any one can let me know of any reading material I can get on the squadron or how I can find out what he obtained his medals for I would be really grateful as he must have been an interesting man who was well into his service time at the out break of the war. I was puzzled that he only had the war and defence medals but perhaps he was never in the European theatre of war. I hope that was not too long for a first time entry, many thanks Observer1945

 

Hi, and welcome to the forum

No.120 Squadron were reformed on 2nd June 1941 at RAF Nutts Corner, Northern Ireland and equipped with the Very Long Range B-24 Liberator I. The Squadron was formed to counter the U-boat threat and tasked with the protection of convoys bringing supplies across the Atlantic, during the course of the war the Squadron escorted many convoys to and from the North American eastern sea board. During this period 120 were involved with the destruction of 14 U-boats - the highest score in RAF Coastal Command.

I have details relating to the history of 120 Squadron including the Squadron Operations Record Book.

As for S/L. Darker, I can find no mention of him in my records which mostly cover aircrew.

If you feel I could help further please don't hesitate to ask.

Regards
Peter

 

Had another look through my records and found this entry in the 120 Squadron ORB - Nutts Corner 15 October 1941: F/O. R. Darker, Engineer Officer, promoted to Acting F/L w.e.f 22 September 1941 and as you will see from the attached list F/L. R. Darker was the Engineer Officer on 120 Squadron during 1942. He is not listed for 1943.